Darius stood watching as his sergeants and veterans tested the hopefuls on the dusty ground of the barracks yard. “How many yesterday?” Darius asked. Robert stood next to him, taking a short break from testing candidates himself. “Eight,” was his reply, meaning three new Gryphons from his work yesterday. “Is that all?” “We’re getting too popular. More and more men show up, but so many of them are young, inexperienced, or simply not skilled enough. It takes awhile to sort through all the chaff,” Robert explained bluntly. “We should set an age limit. I had to go through the motions with a boy of sixteen summers today, a new soldier. But he’d seen battle – or so he claims – and so he came when the call went out.” Darius nodded. “A good idea. Who is our youngest man?” “Before or after?” The wizard grimaced.
