Plateaus of Haui, outside of Prosarea, Peacius, 5th Day 1st Phase 1457th Set
As Teiga trudged along the dirt path that led to the Verserien encampment. He constantly replayed the memory of the adrenaline-inducing fight between the soldier and himself. Only to continuously feel that the fight was too biased.
"How is it possible that an experienced soldier of the Empire of Verserius, a military power, could fall so easily to me?" Teiga mumbled to himself, with his shoulders slowly slouching down to show doubt in his own abilities.
Beads of sweat formed steady streams along the young enlistee's semi-muscular body. Forcing his tunic to stick to his body like a wet towel to a wall. Surrounding the dirt path were crop fields that grew corns, cabbages, wheat and some orchards further out. Undulating green hills lined themselves in the distance. Farmers wearing brown rough woollen shirts were hard at work, starting to plough the ground for this Set's crops. Some already have wrinkles on their tanned faces. While their beautiful wives began to start preparing lunch for their husbands and children, just like Henestia. Their jovial children with vibrant smiles were running around so light-heartedly while malevolent soldiers ran around the battlefields so intensely. Teiga looked up to the sky to see an azure blue roof with white puffy clouds that drifted around all so peacefully above a chaos-ridden land together with the blindingly bright sun being shy and hiding behind clouds occasionally. He thought to himself, "Why did I make the decision to enlist so fast? I don't want to end the fulfilling life with my parents so fast. Did I make the wrong choice?".
Before the reflecting adolescent could reach a satisfying conclusion to his questions, he spotted a pair of maroon flags with a golden wyvern holding a fireball, fluttering around in the cooling breeze on 2 wooden poles guarding a temporary wooden gate. Right under the poles stood another 2 lightly-armoured Verserien soldiers with the same wyvern forged into their armours but they each had a peculiar magic circle on their cheeks. They slowly shifted their attention to the approaching enlistee and gave a wary stare into his pupils. Their spears lowered and ready to pierce through any form of danger.
One of the soldiers dispassionately said, "Teiga Ura, member of the Ura swordsmen clan. Identity confirmed."
The other soldier then said, "Teiga Ura, you are hereby required to be part of the 10th Vanguard Platoon. Please proceed to the green tent with the number 9 label on top."
Right after the two soulless soldiers finished their sentences, a red tattoo of an "X" and a pike in the middle of the "X" burnt itself onto the back of Teiga's right palm. "ARRRGHHH" screamed the marked soldier as he nearly fell onto 1 knee, holding his right hand tight. Behind Teiga, the two spears lightly jabbed him. Signalling him to start moving to his new destination.
Humiliating stares were given to the blushed Teiga as he dragged himself to his assigned tent. He slowly stroked the back of his right palm, trying to feel the surface of the tattoo but only to realise that it was his skin pigment that has changed. "What the hell..." whispered Teiga. Trying to get his mind off the new addition to his skin, Teiga raised his head and surveyed the encampment and took a deep breath. The whole encampment smells of sweat, metal and dirty clothing. Different coloured tents were rooted to the barren ground, yellow, green, red and many more coloured tents. It was as though there was a festival here with the buffet of colours. The reality was different, however. Right in the middle of the encampment was a rectangular arena cordoned off with rough ropes and different flags that bore different designs. There were flags that bore only swords and shields but some had mythical creatures on it. "Must be the company banners of this battalion." Teiga thought to himself. But what was most interesting was the spar taking place in the arena.
Dust rosed, yellowish-orange sparks flew in all directions, sounds of steel swords grinding against each other and armour clanging against one another. Two infantrymen fought each other with a new found passion. 1 soldier dual wielded medium range swords while the other swung a longsword. As one of the soldiers swung down his longsword with such force as an asteroid would. His opponent deftly crossed both of his swords into an X and withstood the longsword. The longsword forced its opponent onto 1 knee and shook the two medium swords. Within a blink of an eye, the supposedly pinned down soldier slid out of his trapped position all while blocking the longsword. With one strong stomp onto the ground, the soldier lifted himself up above the swordsman. He then casually tried to place his beloved partner on the scarred neck of his opponent. In one swift movement of his right hand that also had the same tattoo as Teiga, the losing swordsman held the bulky longsword with his left hand and grabbed the dual-wielder. And with much tenacity, he slammed him into the dirt. The impact of the slam swept up a cloud worth of dust and hindered the audience's vision. Out of the blue sky, a "black silhouette" of a muscular man the size of Teiga leapt into the dust.
Once the dust has settled, the ongoing fight seemed to have been frozen in time. The now vertical dual-wielder was just 10cm away from being humiliated while the swordsman's shuddering right hand was stopped by just 1 finger of the black silhouette. Both the soldiers started to sweat profusely with a nervous grin slowly revealing themselves on each of their faces. The "black silhouette" was a man wearing a black cape with golden epaulettes and red laces by its sides. On the epaulettes were 5 red stars sewn onto each of them. His black hair was scruffy, while on his face were a pair of eyes that pierced into the souls of the two soldiers.
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"Oh shit, got to go man. I don't want to stay here." or words to the same effect were said as the audience swiftly dispersed. Teiga was utterly confused at the situation and stood rooted to the ground while Verserien soldiers brushed past him in urgency. Before he could turn heel to follow the rest of the soldiers that fled the arena. The caped man closed his eyes, gave a suspicious smile and held each of the two soldiers in his white-gloved hands. He then threw both soldiers with visible strength in Teiga's direction. Winds generated by the throw caused the banners to flutter furiously, resembling the emotion of the caped man. The "lifeless bodies" of the soldiers flew past the dumbfounded enlistee. Once they were 20 metres away from the arena, the still-flying "bodies" sprung up with life and started to place their legs onto the ground before fleeing the scene.
"So, apparently you are the first of the many enlistees that stepped into my encampment eh?" asked the man wearing the black cape.
"W-w-what? I-I-I th-th-oug-ht th-there w-ere p-p-p-eople in-fro-nt o-f m-e-e?" Teiga nervously asked in reply.
The man burst out in laughter and said "Uhhheeuuhhhh, I guessed they ran away eh? No need to be so nervous boy. I am just an average battalion general with the name of Tailun Maverus. Head of the Maverus family."
"WHAT!" the startled soldier blurted out.
"AHAHAHAHAH, DON'T NEED TO BE SO RESERVED WITH ME..." said Tailun as he slowly lowered his volume nearing the end of the sentence. From his hips, he unsheathed two katanas from their lacquered wooden scabbards at the speed of light. As though by instinct, Teiga immediately activated his mana manipulation without saying the chant. The mana manipulator's eyes glowed blue while the general's eyes glowed yellow. Tailun threw one of his katana with its hilt facing Teiga. Acknowledging that the Veteran General desires to fight not spar with him, the young soldier grabbed hold of the katana and spread the mana flame across the sword. Slowly both fighters placed their katanas in their individual ready position, scanning their opponents with care. Suddenly, Tailun plunged his katana into the ground. In accordance with the general's plan, Teiga assumed that he is unguarded and made a mad dash towards the "unguarded" general. Within 2 metres from the general, the dashing swordsman immediately stopped when he realised that the katana that was plunged into the ground was a magic ritual. A magic ritual that will send flames in the direction that the blade is facing. In this case, the blade was facing Teiga. The flames surged towards the unsuspecting soldier in the shape of a roaring lion. In defence, the Ura clan member swung his katana to release the blue mana flames against the burning red flames. When the two flames met, they exploded in a flurry of blue and red with a tint of purple flames. From the middle of the explosion, the general flew towards the now defenceless Teiga and brushed away the flames. Again, another silhouette except for this time it was white, leapt between the two fighters. Effectively stopping it.
"Aww man. You just had to step in again eh? Hachi eh?" complained Tailun as he reluctantly sheathed his katana and signalled Teiga to return his.
"Veteran General Tailun, I can't let you be a hypocrite. Now let's get back to official business." said the white caped man stoically.
"We will continue this next time, boy!" screamed Tailun as he gets dragged away by the white caped man with a black ponytail.
"What was that..." questioned Teiga inquisitively as he returned to his original goal, to head to the green tent with the label of the number 9.
Once he reached the outside of the tent, he looked at the it, trying to confirm whether is it the one he belonged to. After confirming that it is the tent, Teiga pulled apart the entrance only to see another guy changing out of his armour into a tunic. It was an immediate awkward silence, as the changing guy stared at Teiga, vice versa. The guy then returned to changing and said,"Pull back the damn entrance. Can't you see that I am changing out to this damn tunic?"
"Oh right..." replied Teiga as he gently pulled back the entrance. "Wait a minute, were you the one that processed me back at the city hall?"
"So what if I was the damn processor. And yes I met you at the damn tent."
"Oh no, just surprised at the coincidence..." said Teiga as he tried to get rid of the awkwardness experienced previously but failed miserably.
"I'm going out now, take care of this damn tent, will you? And your bed is to the left and back of the tent, there's an instruction leaflet on it." said the processor as he wore his leather boots and walked out of the tent.
Teiga nodded and walked towards his assigned bed and picked up the leaflet.
On the leaflet, it wrote:
To the enlistee reading this,
You are to report the next morning at 6.00am at the arena in the middle of the encampment for a welcome briefing by the Veteran General of this Battalion. You are required to report in light-armour that you can get from the armoury right beside the arena. Do take a shower tonight as you are required to attend a welcome feast in the canteen by the Vanguard company tent section. Anyone who does not attend the briefing or the feast will be met with severe punishment by the Veteran General himself.
Additionally, you are given 3 tunics, 1 belt and 3 pairs of trousers for your daily wear. They are stored under your bed. If you were to continue wearing your current garments after today, you will also face severe consequences.
Now, you are free to roam around the encampment throughout the day until the feast begins but you must follow these set of rules:
1. Be disciplined at all times.
2. Never ostracize anyone.
3. Never disrespect anyone.
4. Always be attentive to your surroundings.
5. Only spar with other soldiers when authorised.
These rules are in place by the protocol of the Imperial Military Council of Verserius, our own battalion's set of rules will be briefed tomorrow.
May you overcome all challenges,
The Battalion of Heizen Administrative Council.
Upon reading the leaflet, Teiga now feels that he is forever with the Verserien army until the end of the war. Where there is no turning back, only facing the present is allowed.