What it takes to be a legionnaire
By Mike Darling
 

I dedicate this to Ike Tan, AKA Mulan Fa for always being a good friend regardless of how much of an asshole I am and encouraging me in hard times.

Ray Goldentree, Large by the standard of elves, threw his shoulder pack over his back.  His cohort was on a march towards Korzen.  Lately the Legionnaire had been sending cohorts into the battlefield for quick attacks against the Tarr’s.  The basic hit and run method, then gathering all the information one can gather.
He hated the Tarr’s, ever since he was sheriff of Makilor he had heard of their evils towards the city of Korzen.  No one has heard from the duke of Korzen since the Tarr’s lead by the general J’kar invaded.
Ray might have been a paladin but he was no average one.  He had the instincts of a pure warrior.  Reckless at times, and usually didn’t respond well to orders.  In all fact he didn’t always act like a legionnaire, he was someone who kept to himself, who never asked for help.  Often he would charge of into battle leaving his cohort far behind.  Ray on the other hand was an excellent fighter, when he started a fight he finished it.  It had been said the only reason he was not kicked out of the legionnaire was because the leader Mulan was like an adopted big sister to him, and they had a close relationship.  Ray often listened to her, but only her.

Grake, another Solider in the cohort was always the type to start a conversation, a friendly fellow from Nov Dom area.  He has seen Ray as in inspiration, and was excited to hear all of Ray’s adventurer stories regardless if most thought them just to be stories.  He was a good hearted and nice man, out of all the humans in the world, very few Ray trusted or liked, but Grake was among the few he trusted, and respected.  Usually Ray liked the silent type routine, the "I don’t need friends or help attitude".  But, Grake saw right bast that, he knew and felt Ray had a good heart.  Grake would also follow the Paladin around when ever Ray ran off to solo the enemy.  Once he had followed Ray and saved him from a possible death.
Ray was knee deep in Lamia corpse’s with many more surrounding him, of coarse Ray never and probably would never admit he was in over his head.

The Sun was setting of in the eastern sky.  The mixtures of red and yellow hues added a touch of beauty to this cursed land.  Soon the Cohort will make camp, Korzen was less then a days march, but the cohort decided daylight was the best time for an attack.  Ray closed his eyes and imagined enjoying this moment with his wife, who was in Ba-ul, at there home.  Her soft red lips and ruby blue eye’s were all that Ray could concentrate on.  He would have stayed there in his mind all-alone. But Grake taped him on the shoulder getting his attention.  Ray looked at him and ask ‘what?’  Not meaning to be rude, but sounding impatient, Ray gave a sign, and replied again with a sigh.  Grake knew instantly and answered with a quick witty response ‘just bugging a friend”.  Grake took a seat next to Ray and they started at the coming Darkness and the stars above.

Day came, and so did rain, pouring down on the cohort, Ray took his arm and wiped his face, wiping the water and dirt from his face, god he hated marching, and he hated it more marching in the rain.  Bah, why did he enlist, a grumble came from the Elf.

Nearing the path leading to Korzen Ray look at his …friend Grake.  The human was covered in rain and dirt, kinda funny, and a small chuckle came from ray, he looked forward at the dull path, it had not been used in years, how long has Korzen been under Tarr control, no one knew.  All that was know was, as long as the Tarr Overlord was alive, Korzen will be in control of Korzen.  Ray made a vow to himself that one day he will find the duke and his wife and rescue them.  Ray knew they were still alive, he could feel it.  Traveling the muddy path took more energy then most of them had left in them the five-minute walk turned into a 40-minute struggle.

They positioned our selves outside the gate, ready for an attack.  They all drew their weapons, ray drew a mystical blade, the blade was the size of a short, and it had a glowing yellow blade.  The Cohort walked through the front gates and onto the main street nothing was in area.  Not one slave, Tarr or giant wolf in sight.  The group was confused and unsure what to do.

It all happened so fast, Tars jumped down from roofs busted through broken shops and destroyed homes.  The entire Cohort was surrounded.   To the distance on a roof, rain beating hard down a figure was seen, it was J’kar.  ‘Silly Legionnaires and your vow’s, such pathetic march you were seen long before you began
You shall die, NOW”

The Legionnaire trained in the combat of war, quickly formed a circle formation and fought there way to a house where archers defended it.  Tarr Warriors were banging the barricaded door.  The Legionnaire Veles of the grouped yelled ‘I need 5 people to help with the door now, we have to keep them out, no excuse’s move!” Several Legionnaires helped with the door.  “Now archers keep shooting them out but be careful.  Legionnaire Carlos, Sinka, Laxious take 3 more people and make sure this place is secure.  Legionnaire Goldentree and Legionnaire Grake Oolong take up some bows and assist now.  Legionnaire Docturne cast a magical shield to protect us from magical attacks, Damn I wish I brought some clerics, Legionnaires MOVE I don’t plan to die today”

Ray duck to the side of the window, he looked at his friend at the other side and nodded, behind him was another window and another group of legionnaires, and behind him he saw large group of legionnaires defending the rear.  He peeked at the door situation and about 8 legionnaires holding it up and barricading it with magic and force.  Ray tried to figure out how long they been in here, 5 maybe 6 hours at least, the sky was still Grey and raining.  Ray did not like the situation, Ray Grumbled, looked at his friend, and quickly shot the next Tarr that got close.

Now the Tarr re-enforcement’s had arrived, with there bows and arrows, they started an all out attack arrows flying everywhere.  Ray turned and yelled ‘SIR, We have to make a counter attack, were sitting ducks in here 3 already hit by arrows and more arrows coming in every minute. I don’t know about any of you but I have a wife to go home to, unlike most legionnaires this isn’t my family!”  The Legionnaire Veles gave a cold stare ‘NO, I got word to Mulan Fa we hold out until backup arrives, we can do it.

Grake feeling uneasy in this battle, decided to let lose some more arrows to try to take a few Archers out, he noticed his partner occupied, and nervous.  Grake clutched his bow and loaded an arrow in it, he quickly jumped into the window and let lose three arrows, knocking 2 Tarr’s to the group. Before he could finish his hit and run 6 arrows flung threw the windows hitting him in the chest and throwing him to the ground.

Ray turned just when Grake began firing.  He choked on his breathe the moment he saw Grake hit and fall to the ground, ‘You Bastard’s!!!!!” he yelled.  A Battle Rage came over Ray and he dropped his Bow and unsheathed his blade, he gave a look at his comrade lifeless, shed his last tear.  “Look what happen to Grake, its your fault, we need to make an attack now’, for the second time in his life Ray’s emitted red and he roared.  Seeing no movement from any of the legionnaire in the attempt to help he dived out of the window.  The Legionnaire Veles yelled ‘Legionnaire Goldentree, get your Elven ass back in here now boy, we live through this together, that’s an order!”  But Ray was already out and gone charging blindly into battle.  All the Legionnaires gathered by the window to see what would happen.   The Legionnaire Veles mumbled softly, "we are all doomed”.

Ray dove out of the Window and charged full steam nothing could stop his battle rage, he quickly stepped up to the archers and began slashing taking an arrow in the shoulder then leg.  But, that did not stop him he pushed his way through 20 Tarr’s single handedly, but he could not keep that pace and he knew it.  He turned around and came face to face with a Tarr Necromancer.  Growling he brought his sword up and went to swing, before he could make a hit the Necromancer threw a fireball point blank knocking not only the Tarr back, but sending Ray reeling through the air, and through a house crashing down.  The Tarr’s assumed him dead.

Ray opened his eyes and all he could see was a blurry ceiling, he turned his head slowly and saw many beds and people running around yelling.  He was wondering what the hell was going on.  To his right he say a nurse talking to Mulan Fa, and his wife Neraz Goldentree.

A nurse whispered something in Mulan’s ear, and she turned to Neraz and gave a nod. ‘Well after two and a half weeks he is awake, hmmm I already have a report from the mage that survived, unfortunately only he and ray survived, this is gonna be hard” Mulan gave a depressed look turned to her adopted baby brother on the bed.  She sighed hard and long.  Neraz got her attention and said ‘Lets not tell hmmm, just yet, the shock might damage him, he’s been through a lot, he needs love right now”.  Mulan nodded “well he truly is a Legionnaire now, he gave everything to try to save all the lives of a cohort, to bad it wasn’t enough, I should of not sent them out.”  Neraz was shocked at the response ‘Don’t say that, you had no idea, it’s not your fault, don’t blame yourself”.  Mulan nodded and they turned and walked to the bed of Ray.

The day was Grey and dark, the sky crackled with thunder and a steady down poor began, it had not rained since that day long ago, and it brought back memories in the elf.  Ray stood over the grave, and closed his eyes, the cold wind blowing making it an uncomfortable.  Ray pondered to quietly, he failed, he wasn’t a hero and he never will be. Dropping a red rose in front of the grave, he turned and walked out of the cemetery, Grake had no one, but a friendship that existed between him.
 
 

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