Legio nos unum sumus: We are Legion, We are one. The motto for the legion has been around for many years. Ever since its founding by Caesar Algost himself, it has been the guidelines for how a legionnaire should behave on and off the battlefield. I joined the Legion at the age of eight when they decided to attack my home city. My family and everyone around me were set as examples, but when they came to me… All though I was just a child that didn't excuse me from the horrors I was about to experience. After seeing the death of my mother right in my eyes something inside of me broke. Everything else right after was a red blur.
Next thing I knew I was resting in a bed with a centurion watching over me. I was tied down to the bed, but for some reason I didn't want to be aggressive. If I did that I wouldn't be here today. So after getting up I looked at the centurion straight in the eye.
"Why spare me?" I asked
He looked towards me and smiled at me. It was a weird moment. I mean after all he was part of the group that ransacked my home town. I was gripping my hand really tight. I was hoping that this wasn't some terrible nightmare and that this didn't happen, but then a cool breeze flew through the air. I knew this feeling only once. It was as if everything was going to be right.
"I killed the man I attacked didn't I?" I inquired
"It was a good kill for you." The centurion says "Legate Wilheim wants words with you."
"Do I have a choice?" I asked.
The centurion untied my bandages from my bed and I got up. I still feel sore, but I was able to move. Pretty sure I never felt so bad after the beating I got. We exited the tent and I saw several large men fighting each other. Training their skills and honing their technique in combat. As I walked through the camp I notice that some of the Legionnaire's were dressed differently. For example the centurion escorting me was heavily dressed in adornments, but the ones I see are barely touched by combat. However though I couldn't count every member in the camp I was in.
"How long was I asleep?" I asked
"Three days." The centurion replied
Three days… Three days since they attacked my home. Three days since they slaughtered everyone and kept me as a prisoner. I want run as fast as possible away from here, but I could barely even walk without stumbling. How could I possibly escape a hundred legionnaires that have guns and elite training? I finally stumble on a large tent with the symbol of a lion on it. The centurion looked at me and motioned me to move forward.
"Legate Wilheim is inside. Be cautious of what you say." The centurion asks.
"Thank you." I tell him.
I go inside the tent and the first thing I notice is the throne of which a giant man is sitting in. This man looks like he has seen battle every day. His scars on his face and arms just prove that he could easily kill me just by hitting me once. My stomach started feeling queasy, but that's probably because I couldn't feel anything from my stomach down for the past three days. I walk towards him. I only get a few feet of him before two men blocked me from going further. The large man stared at me for a bit. Our eyes interlocked and I could tell he's done things even the bravest of men couldn't imagine.
"So you're the lad that killed my right hand legionnaire…" Legate Wilheim says
He stepped off his throne and took a closer look at me. He looked at me really cautiously as if inspecting a prize claimed from a contest. After a few minutes the Legate kneeled in front of me and stared at me with his bloodshot eyes. He grinned happily and got up back on his throne.
"I see potential in you." Wilheim says "What is your name child?"
"My name is Archie sir." I tell him
"Archie… Hmm… I like you. I am going to give you two options." Legate Wilheim says. "First option is to pay for your crimes against the Legion. Killing a centurion means death by crucifixion."
"And the second?" I ask
"The second is to serve the legion and rise in our rank. Become a legionnaire and become part of the greatest force the world of Remnant will ever see."
I knew that the joining process was difficult. I heard that people who were captured by the Legion were conscripted into their forces. Needless to say after a week at least 75% of them have died. Very few people are able to excel at the trials. I figured the only way to survive was to join the legion. After all it was my mom who told me that in order to live a person must fight for what they want most. I wanted to live.
"I'll take the second option." I murmur.
"What was that lad?" Wilheim asked "I couldn't hear you."
"I want to join the Legion" I yelled out with all my heart.
He smiled with anticipation. The air was silent. The wind broke the silence and Legate Wilheim laughed. He then jumped off the throne and pat me on the back. With a hearty voice Wilheim says "Welcome to the Legion laddie!" I felt woozy and passed out right in front of him. Ever since that moment I was trained to become a great legionnaire. I was told to never give mercy in the battlefield and never expect it. That was 10 years ago this day.
This day I'm being interviewed by some people at a place called Beacon. Right now there is a blonde woman in front of me adjusting her glasses and reading a file while her superior, an older gentleman with white hair and glasses, is staring at me.
"So do you have a name?" The gentleman asks.
"Archie Ruvle." I tell him "And you?"
"Ozpin" He replies
He then stares at a piece of paper. I'm not entirely sure of what's on the paper. The paper probably has the results of my field examination testing I did just recently. I'm confident that my results impressed them. After all I had my training to fall back on and to be honest. The blonde woman looks towards me with a curious question.
"Why do you want to be a student?" She asks.
That thought never occurred to me. I lived my whole life as a soldier to a cause that died out a long time ago. That battle was lost and those men died. I should have died also, but by some power I lived. I lived and the men that raised me from the Legion died a pointless death. I wasn't sure how to respond, but I can't forget the why I tried. I couldn't forget why I was a legionnaire in the first place. So I look at her.
"I don't want to be a student." I tell her "Being a student doesn't help me protect the people I call friend. What I want to be is a huntsman. I want to protect those that can't protect themselves. I want to find atonement for the actions I have done."
"Atonement?" She questions
"That's the reason why I'm here."
The room got silent and sunset turned into night. I believe in what I've said. Atonement for what crimes I may have done to those people. I know that in the afterlife I will be damned, but I want to at least do something good for the people before I die… It's the reason why I can't sleep well.
"Most people can't say that they aced the field testing exam." Ozpin says "But then again you are clearly not 'most people'."
"That's a concern because?" I inquire
"Because most people don't have battle hardened senses like you."
"Battle hardened?" I ask "More like instinct."
"Either way most people don't have your aptitude for combat."
In some sense I agree with his evaluation of my examination. Ever since joining the Legion, they have trained and perfected me so that battle was easy just like breathing. I can tell that talking about combat was getting us nowhere; unfortunately I didn't think that this would be the end of his questions. After a prolonged silence Ozpin decides to break the silence.
"Archie Ruvle; after reviewing your background I approve for your enrollment at my school."
"Is that all?"
"For the time being. Initiation begins at 08:00 tomorrow. Please don't be late." The blonde woman asks.
I shake Ozpin's hand and head towards the door. I wave back at them and head through the door. Something was off with Ozpin; as if he was trying to look inside my mind or if he figured out my history, but I can't linger on that thought. Tomorrow was the start of my new life. It also marked the beginning of a path that I must walk without my brothers to guide me.