Eilian the Old

Young Eilian Kessler approached the tower with equal parts anticipation and trepidation. The anticipation part was straightforward: He's suffered through countless tests, examinations, and demonstrations to earn a place at the Rekkenmark Academy. As the firstborn son of General Vorelus "Horseshoe" Kessler, Eilian was taking an important step in his family's destiny by enrolling in the junior officer corps today.

But the trepidation wouldn't go away. What if he washed out of the academy? A third of first-year officers don't come back to Rekkenmark for the second year. Ten years ago, Eilian's uncle Wultram volunteered to fight on the western front after his first year at the academy--and the family always whispered that he volunteered because he was on the verge of flunking out. Well, he proved himself in Scions Sound, Eilian thought. The Kessler family could use more Uncle Wultrams.

Eilian spent the chill autumn morning standing at attention, waiting for Rekkenmark clerks to check his entrance papers. Figuring that the long wait was just another test, Eilian concentrated on maintaining his posture and breathing, trying to keep his anticipation and trepidation from showing.

If the morning was devoted to standing at attention, the afternoon was an exercise in line-waiting: lines for uniforms (the plain tan of Karrnathi cadets), lines for books (chief among them an annotated Analects of War by Karrn the Conqueror himself), and lines for armor and weapons.


It was at the end of the last line that Eilian's trepidation went away, completely overwhelmed by anticipation. Eilian took the sheathed longsword from the supply sergeant, suppressing a gasp when he saw the Rekkenmark insignia, an "R" scripted in filigree, on the pommel. Just like Father has, and just like Uncle Wultram had. Soon I'll show everyone how well cadet Eilian Kessler wields this sword, he thought.

Portraits: 1) Eilian today (999 YK). 2) Young Rekkenmark Academy cadet Eilian Kessler circa 962 YK.