Prince Marth brought Bord with him to his tent. Inside, he ruffles through some supplies in the back and presented Bord with a gift. It was unlike anything he has ever seen, an axe with an incredible slick black design. This was an intimidating weapon. "Yesterday, me and Julian snuck into a nearby enemy camp and retrieved this battle axe from their treasury, Julian warned me that this axe has deadly powers. The case from which Julian broke into read 'the Devil's axe'." The prince passed the axe to him. Bord carefully held the axe, admiring it. "I've heard of something similar to this! more or less. It is like one of those legendary weapons with a story. Where the great hero has to decide whether to keep it or not, but I didn't think they were real."
Bord tossed the surprisingly heavy weapon up, almost falling on his knees after trying to catch it again. Bord took the devil's axe from the ground. "Ever wonder why it's called the devil's axe to begin with? There is got to be a reason." Marth exited the tent and looked outside. Bord followed him. "Folk around these parts say that upon a strike, the Devil's axe has a small chance of hurting the user instead of the opponent. Thus calling it the devil's axe." Bord looked tensely at the devil's weapon and placed it gently in his leather pouch. Bord observes the long dirt road back to the training camp. Still feeling drowsy, he stretches and makes his way back to the training site. Marth watched him with a proud smile as Bord walked away in the distance. Bord surely has some guts, picking up a weapon like that. It was a gift after all. If only he can set a better example for the others. Satisfied, Marth goes back inside his tent. Inside, a large hanging map lay overhead. Observing it, he reaches for a quill and writes little notations on it.
. . .
"Is that all you got? I want to see those legs moving!" The instructor boomed. Panting and sweating, Bord pushes himself to perform just a few more burpees. Using all his strength, he continues his fast paced exercises. His energy was rapidly decreasing. Barely noticing, a trainee next to him collapses on the floor from exhaustion. One after another, trainees fell left and right, sitting upright to catch their breath. A few minutes passed, and it was down to just two remaining people. The crew were cheering in high hopes of a winner, a simple exercise session had suddenly turned into a tense competition. The instructor watched as Bord face off against another jacked soldier perform burpee exercises, their faces red and their body posture limp. Up and down they went, huffing and sweating. Bord was aching all over from exhaustion, pushing to his limit he pressed on. The other soldier increases his speed in a burst.
They were neck in neck, faces looking like tomatoes. The others watched in awe as they gave their last efforts. Finally at the brink of collapse, the other soldier drops. Bord falls over shortly after. Both make electric eye contact. Leaning forward, they help each other to their feet. The group claps for them. "That's probably the best performance I've seen in a long time, I'm impressed!" The instructor was proud.
The instructor told the group spar among themselves, Bord stayed with the other soldier. He was significantly taller than Bord. He watched him pick up a huge practice lance with just one hand. "You are quite the bodybuilder, I'm impressed" Draug arms his lance in a fighting position, ready for an incoming spar. "Thanks comrade, you are not so bad yourself you know!" Draug calmly says. Bord shrugs his shoulders "I mean, I just beat you by the last breath. Anyw-" Draug lashes out, thrusting a practice spear into Bord's chest. Catching him off guard, he smiles. "You should train on being more alert, If I was let's say an enemy of Camius' army, You would have been dead." Draug lowers his mighty arm, sticking it in the ground he watches the other units spar. Bord gives a lazy expression. He turns to see what Draug's looking at. Draug the Gentle Giant. "How many men do you think Camius has?" turning to see Draug's reaction.
Draug almost didn't notice. "Well, first we need to know what he has under his possession. Since he is under the control of a section of Dohl, I'm pretty sure he has men from the officials and his own men on top of that army." Draug let out an exhausted sigh. It was a shame that there had to be war, but this is more than just a conflict. This war was about humanity, and only a few individuals know about that, some are following their paychecks, some fight for their families, Bord fights for peace.
"Your estimate seems about right, a whole lot of men." Feeling the conversation going nowhere. Bord tries something out, He prepares his practice axe for a swing. Cocking his arm Board quickly lashes out a friendly strike on Draug. Draug's entire body quickly flipped holding his lance with two hands. Bord pressing his axe in the middle of the spear, a struggle of strength continues and Draug steps back. The Devil's axe slamming on the ground, quickly he unearths the axe and goes for another lunge. They both spared, axe to spear. Lengthy fighting resulted in a close victory for Bord, as he found himself pinning Drug to the ground. Practice axe sitting close to Draug's green hair.
"You are stronger than you look Bord, even though an axe user like yourself has a great advantage over a knight" Getting up, he brushed his shirt from the dust. A plain white shirt that everyone would wear when there was no action. In terms of uniform, all units usually wear the same plain coloured clothing, except for prince Marth and his mentor princess Nyna who are always looking their best. There is awfully a whole lotta loyalty for a rebellion.
The usual afternoon continues, Bord makes his way through the training soldiers back to his tent. There he takes out his Devil axe and sharpens it. Making sure it's edges are sharp and at the ready, because if Bord learned one thing from this session. It was to be ready, always. After around a half hour of socializing with his new friend. He places his axe in the leather pouch and flops on his sleeping bag. "Hey Bord, the travailing vendor is in the area. If you want to buy something you might as well go now" Draug was sweating buckets from practice, his voice exhausted. Bord gives a hand gesture and rolls over, continuing to nap, this was his way of saying that he was not interested.
