A Page of Red

[Selibas]

Selibas walked through Poliar escorted by four of the guards and the Roses. He had had his mouth bound when he said the large rose emblem on their shoulders might be them overcompensating for something. They had taken his armor, an he walked in his simple shirt and trousers through the active town.

Sherman walked at the head mostly trying to show people with permits for their weapons what could happen. Selibas Locked eyes with a tall stranger who had a similar nose to Selibas. The Mercenary would of scowled, though he knew not why, but his teeth were held.

[Selibas]

Selibas was taken into an office in the Barracks. He watched multiple colored flower armor wearing men walk around. A man in Ash Black Armor sat behind a desk filing Paper work. He wasn't in the Armor, he simply had a suit of it on the wall that Selibas guessed was his. Mounted below it was a swordthat seemed Sacaen in make. It was Beautiful but Selibas didn't have time to admire it, Yumin had brought him here to speak of his accomadations.

The man noted Selibas' Sacaen features fairly quickly, adressing him before The Major, "You're a Plainsmen, aren't you?" Selibas nodded. The man said, " I am The commanding officer of all the Garden here in Poliar, my name is Plence. Please give me your name, and your Tribe." Making sure that he put emphasis on the word Chief, Selibas said, " Chief Selibas, of The Sumis." Plence nodded then, not looking at the Major said, "Take Selibas to the Barracks of the Red Lance Roses, tommorow see to it that he is a member of O'Grady's task force."

[Selibas]

Selibas was taken into a large building. He was given a bed directly under a large hole in the ceiling. Selibas had a hard time getting to sleep. Eventually he managed to see the moon. He remembered a few of the things Samen had taught him, and he realized a few weeks ago he had turned fifteen. He felt his face. And felt more hair along his jawline. He felt his muscles and knew, he was becoming more of a man every day.

[Selibas]

Selibas was awoken early the next morning. A gruff bearded man in heavy red rose armor. He said, with a slight twinge of the accent Tirion had had, "Alright lad, time to get movin'." He left quickly, knowing Selibas would follow. Selibas had to move fast in order to follow the man who moved so quickly in all his armor. Selibas wanted to know what the "task force" was, but he kept his mouth shut. The two man Task Force made it's first stop at a strange building with no sign.

[Selibas]

The man, O'Grady, said, "Take off your shoes when we enter. Before you step on the mats." He opened the door, and Selibas was surprised to see practically nothing. There were of course the formentioned mats, and other than that... a wall made out of paper with the design of a cherry blossom.

After shoes were off the two walked over to the wall. Selibas noticed that part of the paper seemed slightly behind the other. O'Grady placed his hand on the wall slightly in front and slid it to the left. It revealed even more mats, and a man facing the other wall sitting cross legged. The man stood saying, "Sergeant, why is a Bear like you with a wolf his size? Fifteen, Five foot five inches, Low center of Gravity."

O'Grady chuckled, " I told you big brother don't call me Sergeant. And must you measure each person who sets foot in your radius?" The man, apparently a second O'Grady, replied, "Yes, I do Trace." Selibas spoke up, shock in his voice as the man turned around and was almost identical to Trace just without his beard, yet had no trace (no pun intendid) of Trace's accent. He said, "Actually, I'm Five foot four."

The man chuckled and said, " I can tell the majority of your life without seeing you, simply by how you walk. The man wore strange clothes. Selibas asked, "What is this place?" The man replied, "This? This is one of few, probably only, places that teach a fighting style with no weapons."

[Selibas]

Selibas couldn't believe it. Fighting without a weapon? Selibas continued to look around while the men talked about how their mother was doing. He saw an Axe on the wall with an inscription below it that read, "Raphiel - The axe used to kill Byron The Boar." In a bit of the conversation, Selibas heard Trace refer to his older brother as Raphiel. So it was fighting for when you couldn't use your weapons. That could come in handy, like in his current situation.

Then he heard, "So, do you think you can teach Selibas?" Raphiel said, "Of course. He has a low center of gravity, that's perfect for this style." Selibas wondered why learning hand to hand (literally) combat was useful for a page. He wasn't given time to think about it though.

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Selibas learned simply the ready position, then Trace told him they had to go.

[Selibas]

Selibas and Trace continued to walk the streets, Selibas wasn't aware of how much time had passed. It was almost time for the midday meal, so the two stopped by a street side merchant stall and bought two sacks of mutton and an incredibley large bowl of rice. Selibas was about to sit down and eat, but Trace said, "I have a private room at the library, we can eat there." The two of them made there way through the rest of the lower poor district towards some library apparently.

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Selibas and the older man sat and ate their food in silence. Once they finished the man got up and asked, "Don't take this the wrong way, but can ya' read?" Selibas nodded, "A little." Trace grabbed a book off a shelf and sat it in front of Selibas. He flipped to a page with the picture of a lightly armored man in the same armor Plence had earlier.

Trace said, "What we do, is look for anything, that states that the Garden may never be made into a private police force. Lakemaker signed a contract with her own Illian Emssary stating that she would keep all of our rules and traditions. If she doesn't we'll be what we used to be."

[Selibas]

And that's how the task force operated for the next few days. Aside from the third day in each week where Selibas was handed a wooden sword weihed down with lead and told to defend himself while the lance roses trained on him. His first match he was against someone with less experience than him. He struck out at his first opening and hit the man with the edge of his sword to the chest. Selibas, however, was only supposed to DEFEND himself and he was flailed. Him and Trace had developed a friendship over the days of searhing for the rule they wanted, and the Sergeant left while he recieved exactly one hundred lashes. Now that may seem a bit extreme, and I might be telling this in a relaxed fashion, but that's how the Garden would of handled any insurrection. Technically as a page Selibas was a member of the garden, and was subjected to Garden punishment.

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Selibas continued going to train with Rafiel. On his fifteenth day as Trace and him sparred, Selibas took a hit to the area around his heart Selibas eyes lit up his felt like he was larger than usual. He was blinded and only had one thought. Kill. Luckily Raphiel seemed to notice the transformation, and put Selibas in an iron hard hold. Selibas slowly calmed down, it took him almost an hour to get out of his blood lust. Raphiel felt they should experiment with this "Feral Rage", so they strapped the boy down. They strapped Selibas to a table and leaned him against a wall. Selibas was full willing to find out why he was immediately willing to kill his friend. The older brother hit Selibas in the stomach first, and it got him close to his breaking point. Then Selibas took an elbow to his left Cheek, and he was enduced in his anger sagain. Raphiel touched almost all parts of Selibas' upper body. When he touched the pot of one of Selibas' first wounds, Selibas' situation worsened. Selibas was a full three inches taller now, he was Growling and his ropes were straining, until Selibas shook the table so much in his animal like state that he fell and hit the ground head first and fall unconcious.

[Selibas]

Selibas awoke on the same table, but the table was how it was meant to lie, and Selibas was free to move. Selibas heard Trace and Raphiel talking about him. Apparently he had something called scoliosis. It caused his spine to curve, and shortened his potntial height. At full height he would stand at 5'8", which seemed completely ririculous to him. When he was angered enough through pain he perceived as personal, his back was straightened due to something neither brother could understand scientifically. He also built himself a mindset of a rabbid, feral wolf. He was willing to kill all those willing to cause him pain. Raphiel theorized that it stemmed from his natural fear of any force other then himself since he had always taken care of himself, added with some wound a time ago. Trace said it seemed almost goddlike and may not be so easily explained scientifically. After sometime they realized Selibas was awake, and Trace and the boy were on their way to their second stop of the day, the library.

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Selibas was leafing through a section when a peculiar word caught his eye. Well words, plural, to the victor go the spoils. Selibas stopped and read the paragraph.

To the Victor go The Spoils -
In the eighth year of our lord Hartmut, long live the king, it was decided by he on one of his many visits. That the Garden would follow the Precedent of the Spoils of war within itself. That is to say that should a free member of the Garden challenges an officer above the rank of Captain, he shall receive not only the mans rank in the city, but complete control to do as he please with the men, even if it meant detatching from the Garden itself. -

Selibas couldn't believe it. He had a way to gain a sweep of ower, get a real group of soldiers for his Sacaens. Selibas was forced to stop himslef and remember that he wasn't free, not for a year. That immensly depressed Selibas, although he realized slowly that if he managed to find this rule he would be free. Then Trace looked over his shoulder, "Oh, you've found it. Then I guess I should let you know, there's a way for you to obtain a weapons permit, and in turn free yourself."

[Selibas]

Ooc: Timeskip to later that night.

Ic: Selibas stood behind a barred gate watching a duel that was an obvious mismatch. He turned to Trace, "So run this by me again?" Trace replied, "Essentialy if you fight and win three matches in the arena, you win a weapon permit. This arena was designed by Lakemaker, for the purpose to entertain thenobles who obtain a person without a permit as a serveant. So, if you win you're free. And I think you're up." He handed Selibas an unused iron sword. Selibas walked into the arena while a smaller man than the living opponent was dragged out. A man who clearly didn't know how to hold the axe he was weilding, stepped in from another gate to fight Selibas.

A womans voice sounded, "Let it begin," Selibas sprinted toward the right of the man, who was probably a serveant for a reason other than an axe, swung too early. Selibas came and tapped the blade out of the mans hand with his sword, then punched the man hard enough to put him on the ground. Selibas turned to the crowd and stabbed his sword into the sand, thinking he had "Won". He turned and walked away, toward the exit he had entered, until he heard the sound of a blade sliding out of earth. Selibas turned and saw the man walkin agrily toward him.

Selibas now knew that "Win" meant kill. He circled around the man and grabbed his axe. He figure he was about as good with this as the man had been. They met in the center of the arena to a roar from the crowd.Selibas knew this was a bad place to fight, the torches didn't completely reach here. So Selibas jumped back closer to the light. The man kiked sand up into the mecenaries face and Selibas dropped the axe. The man swung his sword and Selibas ducked then imediately jumed to tackle the man. Selibas sat on top of the man and reached for his sword still clenched in the mans hand and wrenched it out. Selibas placed his left hand near the top of the sword and pressed down on the mans neck.

Selibas stood drenched, now, in the mans blood. He stood to stare at the crowd, dropping the sword and walking back to Trace.

[Selibas]

Ooc: Timeskip to next match

Ic: Selibas was ready now, he wasn't taking any prisoners. He understood that the other person wanted their freedom as mch as him. So as the gates lifted and a guy a few years older walked in with a slim sword, Selibas sprinted at the man, right as the other man came for him. Selibas stopped at the last second, the other man showing his strike would come to the left side of Selibas' ribs, he jumped to the right, then towards the man again raising his arm spinning the blade so the tip pointed to the ground, then stabbed into the mans shoulder Selibas turned and dropped his sword.

Selibas was about to leave but apparently he wasn't done. The third match seemed to happen right after his second. Selibas watched as a large man with a giant axe, with a ton of armor walked through the other gate.

[Selibas]

Selibas picked up his blade and prepared to charge again, but then he heard a womans voie yell, "Ladies and Gentlemen, the only man to come back to the arena after he won his freedom, winning over a hundred matches! Cadacus the Great!" Selibas lifted his sword and decided he needed to take it slow. The two circled eachother for a few seconds, then Selibas jumped toward the man, who swung at Selibas' right side. Selibas would of taken the hit with little to no pain or injury if he had his armor, but he now probably had cracked ribs to go along with the deep deep cut in his side. The man was clearly much stronger than Selibas, since the young Mercenary was thrown to the side.

Selibas used his sword to raise himself. He came in slowly, ready for the man now. He dodged three blows to the head, chest, and thigh. He stabbed the man through his elbow on his free hand. The man yelled and hit Selibas in the face with the flat side of his axe. Selibas hit the ground, hard. He got back up and ran for the man slicing for his shoulder, and hitting his mark. The man hit Selibas a few miliseconds after that in his left shoulder muscle. Selibas fought through the pian and punched the man in the face.

Selibs kept in close with the man, his sword much shorter due to his size. Selibas and the man fought for almost a half hour, until Selibas got a lucky shot to his adversaries stomach. Selibas allowed the man to fall then exited the arena. Getting a hearty handshake from Trace, and a weapons permit from a man who hapened to be a cleric. Selibas was healed, then Trace walked with him out of the building. Trace said, " You'll sleep t my house in my sons old room tonight. Tommorow my wife will make you your first meal as a free man. What you do next is up to you." Selibas cooly replied, "I think I'll pay Major Yumin a visit."

[Selibas]

Selibas walked into the training ground of the Red Roses, with an objective. Major Sherman Yumin was overeeing his Lacky of a Lieutenant James Turner, haveing a man flogged for dropping his shield in a training drill. Trace advised Selibas not to interfere, but went to work with his troops. So once the flogging was over, Selibas raised his voice so that it projected across th whole ground, " I Selibas Barroblade, Page of the Red Roses, challenge Major Sherman Yumin, for control of his officers, and the troops underneath them."

Yumin took note of Selibas, who now wore his old armor, and had both sheathes on the left side of his hip. He sported his armor for a show, although Selibas doubted he could move in it. The man laughed and said, clearly to save his pride, "I accept."

[Selibas]

Major Yumin gripped his lance much higher than Selibas was used to seeing. He had a slightly smaller shield than Selibas would of expected. The young Mercenary was surprised that the fat man fit his armor, yet he did. The rest of the Red Roses of the Lance, not just the once under the Major, had gathered to watch the fight. Major Yumin brought his Lance up so that his elbow pointed outward, his lance was parallel to the ground, and the spearhead was pointed directly at Selibas.

Selibas kicked the back of the Sheath on his larger sword. He grabbed his blade as it unsheathed. He ran toward the Major but skipped around him to the left at the last second. The Major was slow, Selibas was almost completely past him before the Major thrusted his lance. Selibas turned his head just enough to see the mark his sword left on the mans back. The Major jolted forward, clearly out of practice and not expecting the blow.

Selibas ran back at the man, who slowly turned around and managed to bring his shield up to block a blow by Selibas. Selibas swung at the mans shield a few times to try to coax the man out from behind his shield. The Major eventually moved his sheild enough to stab Selibas in the shoulder. Selibas jumped back with the lance still lodged deep. He pulled it out with his left hand and dropped it. The major fell to the ground in fear. Selibas walked toward him, and the major covered his upper body with his shield. Selibas ran and jumped onto the shield weighing it down. He got a view of the top of the Majors Head. Selibas thrust his blade into the mans exposed vital point and closed his eyes as blood hit his face, and cheers hit his ears.

[Selibas]

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Selibas walked through the city with his honor guard. He was the new Major of 250 newly detacthed from the garden Red Lance Roses. Well, a loyal Lieutenant of a unit of Violet Axes angrily challenged Selibas, and Selibas had 50 men who weilded axes now. Selibas made all but two men from the Violet Axes, and three men from the Roses stay back and get their families ready for a move to Sacae. Selibas promised that once his mission in Sacae was done, and the Rebellion was either over or needed loyal soldiers they would be able to go back to their homeland. Selibas need to get a few errands done now, then he would leave this city and head back to Sacae.

He walked into an armory an picked a sword that's size gave it only one possible name. A blade. Selibas purchased it and then started to leave the small shop, but then he heard a womans voice, "So you kill my greatest Gladiator, then kill one if my guards and then plan to leave and take 300 men with you. You don't even give an explanation for how a fifteen year old Sacaen was able to do all that." Selibas turned and saw the most beatiful woman he'd ever seen. She looked about twenty two and was incredibly fare-skinned, and a number of other incredibly good looking qualities. So basically, Selibas getting better at talking to woman, didn't matter here. Trace, Selibas' new 1st Captain, stepped in. He said, "My apologies Ms. Lakemaker, but we have to be leaving."

The woman spoke as they walked away, "If you even think of adding some pack of those mongrel wolves to the rebellion, I don't know what I'll do. Just not that there are many assasins in Illia that are very good at what they do." Selibas whispered something to Trace.

The Six man party left te city once Trace recieved his own horse, and Lightning for Selibas. Trace ran to the Indentured Serveant office, and gave an order to free Synkkis, leaving a message that Selibas was returning to Sacae, and he was free to do as he pleased, with his pay for Mercenary and Tactician, Selibas noticed on his now lowest sheath at his hip there was a small inscription, Joyeuse. That would be the name of the sword that made his name a reality.

Fin.