First to Bleed loses

It was a little bit past midnight, yet I managed to sneak out and into the Field of Mars. I wasn't really one for much sleep, nor did I held any particular attachment to it tonight. For some odd reason I had that old dream still swirling, spinning and flashing in my head. I couldn't snap out of it much. So instead of making a mess and screaming like an idiot inside the Cohort I decided to just get dressed and walk up to the Field of Mars. I didn't really waste time getting into something fancy, just a comfortable pair of blue denim jeans that looked as if they had been absued for far-too many times, a v-neck t-shirt with my almost signature black leather jacket and some military black boots. Of course my dagger necklace still hanged from my sinewy neck. It was sacrilege for me to even think about removing my necklace. Especially now after remembering those faces.

I guessed I like some weird dude out in the night. I mean what kind of guy steps into the middle of a fighting field just to sit down and look up into he stars? Thought, if I had to be honest, I felt quite out of place. Ever since I returned to Camp this underlining sense of awkwardness began to afflict me. It wasn't however an overwhelming feeling, nor was it something that really bothered me. If anything it was just this sense of loss. I had seen most of these guys a long time ago when they were just probatios and now some even held my old rank or surpassed me. I felt particularly proud for some and I did have a heart full of the correct feelings. Even if it was a minuscule help, I still managed to aport something to those old probation who now became the Camp Superstars. Sadly, I just couldn't shake this feeling off. I still felt that I just abandoned all of them without any real reason. I mean sure I said I had to help my mom, but I knew that everybody perceived that it was a lie. Oh well, I guess this is the price of my cherished past freedom. I decided to not pay too much head to it and continued staring at the stars, thinking that maybe my friends, my old comrades would be up their like Orion or Zoe.

Much to my surprise and slight annoyance, I heard a sound erupt from behind me. My instincts didn't waste a second. I quickly snatched my necklace and smashed it, unleashing a dancing orb of flames that circled my hand until my Spatha erupted from the flames in a flash of pomp and circumstance. Since it was still dark and I couldn't really see much, I decided to activate the flames on my sword by swiping the shape sides against my palm. Soon afterward a mess of scorching flames outlined my sword and I proceeded to use the light provided by the flames to see if something had in fact arrived. At first I didn't see much, but after a closer inspection, I saw it clearly, a figure I had not seen in a long time that brought a small smile to my still, somewhat somnolent face.

Some people enjoyed sleep, some people absolutely hated it. Some people slept because they loved it, some slept because they knew they needed to, while other still simply couldn’t sleep because of some sort of insomnia. Romulus was of the sort that only needed to sleep for a couple of hours and be perfectly fine the rest of the day. He only slept when it was absolutely needed and he could feel the energy being drained from his body. Which of course was why he was currently not in his barracks. Yes, that’s right big bad Romulus the Optio of the 1st Cohort, the perfect roman was not in his barracks when he was supposed to be asleep. Was this a surprise? Sure, if you didn’t truly know the young man. To anyone that did know him it really wasn’t.

He always found his way back into the barracks before sun rise and everyone was woken up, by him or the centurions of course. Usually he went to the beach to read some book he had already read a thousand times before and had memorized anyway because of his Eidetic memory, at the baths meditating, at the temples either offering his respect to the Gods or praying to one of them. Or where he was tonight. The Fields of Mars. He trained every chance he got, he knew he’d never be able to truly perfect all of the fighting skills in the world or learn them all but that didn’t mean he could at least try. That he could iron out the flaws in the ones he did know and push himself to master them all while learning completely new techniques at the same time.

He came here at night dressed in a simple red hoodie with jeans and black Nike sneakers. Armed with his usual Verutum in its sheath across his back, his Gladius in its sheath on his side and the hidden dagger sheathed underneath his pants on his left thigh. Walking through the fields on his way to his usual training spots he stopped noticing that there was someone else there as well. Always the good detective he decided to investigate, slowly and quietly but just so that the person would have to actually be listening to hear him, he made his way forwards approaching from behind the taller figure. Only for them to take notice and spin around, flaming sword at the ready. Romulus of course still unarmed as he believed even unarmed if the person swung he’d be fine. Their eyesight seemingly hadn’t adjusted to the darkness as quickly and as well as his and thus would leave them relying just on the light from the sword.

There was also the fact that because of how adjusted his eyes were he was able to quickly deduce just who the flaming sword giant was. The six foot five giant of a man was the one and only Damien Gladius Valerius , a fellow member of the 1st Cohort and one Romulus knew personally. “Peace Damien, I mean you no harm. I’m actually surprised you’re out here this late. I had heard you were back but you never did come to say hello.” He actually smiled holding his hand out for the other man to shake. It had been quite some time sense he had last seen his sword instructor. Or rather one of the first people to attempt to teach Romulus Emanuel Mercury Son of Quirinus and Descendant of Mars how to fight when he arrived at camp. He’d be lying if he said he didn’t at least slightly miss the ‘old man’.

My eyes brought me great relief. I undid the flames of my sword immediately and then returned my sword into it's necklace form. If anything Romulus was indeed right. It had ben a very long time since I had last seen him. He didn't look like the brat that dared to bark back at me back when I was still a teacher. Immediately I returned his outstretched hand and shuck it. Thought, while I did smile at the guy, a small part of me was a bit disappointed in him. I thought I had taught him how to properly sneak up behind a target. I mean you just didn't have to make a noise and crawl down to the ground as close as you could. I guessed he just probably forgot. Although, knowing him, he somehow found a more effective, or rather modern way of doing it. After shaking his hand I crossed my arms and smirked at him in the friendliest way I could.

"Pardon my absence. I've been caught in my thoughts as of late. Yet, come and speak. I mean it's not everyday that I am blessed with the chance to break words with the famed Optio of the 1st Cohort." I chuckled after changing my demeanor to a more cheerful one. He just didn't look different, he felt different. He stood with confined and assertiveness. I guess not all of my lessons died, albeit if this was on his own or rather products of his own assuredness of self I knew not. For my sake I wanted to belief that I had a hand in his behavior. He looked strong, mature and ready to take on the world. I couldn't help but laugh. he sure had came a long way from that kid I once bossed around.

"Excuse me, I didn't laugh at you. It's just you are so different it's shocking! I guess that this is a bit overdue, but congratulations on your promotion. Makes my heart leap to hear that my most troubling disciple is now a successful commander." I told Romulus after apologizing for my laugh. Though, maybe that small malicious part of me still felt it needed to give my old student one last lesson.

"Yet, do not be misunderstood. You may hold rank, but that is not synonymous to me obeying he who once stood my student. Come, the hour is late, but I feel an urge. It has been long since I've had the pleasure of examining your capabilities. Show me what the Optio of the 1st Cohort is capable of doing! Lest I come to believe that you were simply handed a position solely based on your standing!" I challenged as I changed my stance and walked a bit back, beginning to create a small distance between us.

Famed Optio of the 1st Cohort, the words were laced with sarcasm and Romulus expected nothing less. The man standing before him was as arrogant as they came, hot headed too but he knew what he was talking about at least. That much Romulus knew for sure. The older soldier had been one of his teachers before he was disgraced and stripped of his rank. Therefore Romulus knew how the man acted, and although he was aware of how well of a fighter he was he thought too highly of himself and was easily angered. An aspect he shared with his father’s Greek children. Something that was uncommon in Rome but still popped up every now and then. The laughing however caught the son of Quirinus off guard.

Until of course Damien explained why he was laughing. Although he did wonder how he was any different than the person he was when he joined the legion. He had always been the best at nearly everything he did, he was exceptionally well skilled and disciplined just perhaps even more so now. If one had been talking about Tiberia he could certainly understand the drastic change but with him the only true change was his age and skills as both had increased. Also, he wasn’t what one would call a troubling cadet, he had simply been hard pressed to stay interested in one thing for a long period of time in his younger years. Something that actually ended up helping him in the end as now he was an expert in lots of different things instead of just one smaller thing. “Thank you, however I don’t know what you mean by troubling. You’re simply still sore over the fact that I am a better soldier than you now.”

Here his own arrogance shined but in his mind it was not him being arrogant instead it was the truth. You would be hard pressed to find a soldier in New Rome or Camp Half-Blood that had a better tactical mind and was a better all-around fighter than Romulus himself was. However, it was of no surprise to him when Damien challenged him. It was something he had been expecting sense realizing who it was that was out in the fields with him that night. What was a surprise was how long it took for the Son of Mars to actually ask for the chance to spar against the Son of Quirinus. “I assume it is your normal set of rules then? First to bleed yes?” He questioned while removing his Veretum from the sheath on his back.

Once it was in his hands he spun it once then held it in both hands, feet separated just far enough apart so that he was slightly bending down in a defensive stance. Unless you knew that you could easily defeat the opponent and in one quick swipe you never attacked first. That was one of the lessons he had learned from a multitude of different teacher and from different fighting styles, there were only a couple that taught differently and they all had their reasons for doing so. In fact some of them might actually have been helpful against the behemoth of a man that was standing before him, but Romulus wanted to access Damien and see if his fighting style had changed at all in the time he was absent from the Legion. “I am ready when you are.”

A warrior needs to have certain qualities aside from those already made banal by history. A warrior must be more confident than all others that stand beside him, a warrior must fight more, laugh more, and if he or she must die, a warrior must die a more dramatic way. For a warrior needs to not be a fighter, he needs to be a figure of adoration. A god to his men, who gains praise and commands with firm hand and unyielding resolve. Yet a warrior must also hear. He must listen to advise and lead on with just and fair moderations, lest he becomes arrogant and tyrannical. However, it is also true that a warrior must pay close attention to not be manipulated by subordinates who wish to take charge and lead in their stead. A warrior must be clear, he must be unyielding and vulnerable, he must be a messiah and a harbinger of doom. He must win, but never destroy, he must conquer, buy never dominate, he must establish command, yet never humiliate.

It is for these reasons that I was not a warrior. I was a fighter. I may be more confident than others, be more grand than some and heck even more dramatic than most, but I was too foolish, too closed off, too blind to lead and to command. I had destroyed, not won, I had dominated, not conquered, I humiliated, but had not commanded. Their was little doubt in my heart that Romulus would one day become a legendary warrior, possibly rivaling Jason or even the old ones, and I rejoiced at such prospect. It brought clear and cleansing greatness to my heart. Yet the winds of fate did not blow so favorably at me. I had my chance some time ago, back when I lead, but I had not learned or continued firm, which is why I failed and ceased to be a warrior. I had been too arrogant and too myopic. Had I been less confident and more respectful of those who blindly charged in the name of my words and being, I might have remained a warrior.

Yet enough pontifications. I had a fight to indulge in. I felt this sense of overwhelming pride in seeing how one of my students boldly claimed he was my equal in combat. I may not be a warrior, but my sword had not lost it's edge, nor did it ever lose it, during my time away. Yet I felt a sting when I heard he said he was a better soldier than me. It was a double insult. It was an insult because he had called himself a solidier, a mongrel who obeyed and did not lead. This only reflected poorly on me. I had not trained him t be a soldier, I trained him to be a warrior! Not a fighter, not a soldier, a warrior! In addition to that, just to be addressed as a soldier in the same sentence was insult enough for me. I closed my eyes, gathering my long-withheld anger, and then opened my eyes in glaring, blazing, scorching stares. I could certainly feel my own blood boiling, yet this was natural for me. I had complete authority over my emotions and knew perfectly well when to use them to my advantage. Since I would opt for a style that required aggression and extreme stress, I forced my own rage out as a preamble for my style. I had decided to use dimachaerus first, but then opted for a different style. A style I only reserve for those greatest of skill. So instead I summoned my glades hispenenses and my plum spear.

"Bold words kid. If you don't argue well with such proclamations, I'll throw you back into my little academy." I laughed slightly as I took the traditional Dimachaerus style of combat stance. Yet as I took to signaling that I would fight with a dimacheaus style of combat, I resulted in using my spear for my first onslaught. I knew he would find a way to move past my spear thirst, which I why I swung my longsword close to head after thrusting my spear forward and seeing the result of my thrust. As a fighter I wanted to see if I had injured him a bit, but as a teacher, I would be incredibly disappointed if this one strike ha actually landed on him.

Sure, saying he had become a better soldier than Damien may not have been the best choice of words. However it worked wonders in angering the man which was what Romulus had intended. The angrier you got your opponent the more likely they were to go into a state of uncontrollable rage and thus act blindly and without thought. Which in a fight could mean their defeat if going up against a calm and level headed opponent, didn’t matter who was the better fighter. Damien’s reply to his statement needed no verbal reply though as the old saying went. Actions most definitely spoke louder than words in this current situation, and Romulus was going to prove that.

When Damien summoned the Pilum spear Romulus was momentarily confused as the certain spear was not an effective close range weapon. In fact his own Verutum was perhaps the most effective close range combat spear the Roman’s invented while the Pilum was more so used for long range throwing type attacks. It wasn’t until the Gladius Hispaniensis was summoned to his other hand that Romulus saw what was coming. The spear was simply going to be his defensive weapon used primarily to keep Romulus away from his body while the Gladius was to be used for attacking purposes. Point proven when the spear was thrust forwards at Romulus, who instinctively jumped backwards and brought his Verutum up knocking aside the swing from the Gladius Hispaniensis. Upon deflecting the attack Romulus brought the Verutum down close to his body before turning his body to the side, making himself a smaller target.

While he was in this position he jabbed his Veretum forward knowing it would do nothing. Yet it also wasn’t his main attack, as he finished up the first swing he was able to spin his body twisting down towards the ground and facing slightly away from Damien but where he could still see him and all in one swift motion he pushed the Veretum forwards up to the midsection of Damien’s stomach. Aim for center mass where there was a less likely chance the older fighter would be able to block or deflect the attack. This was not an attack meant to defeat the man as it was not used with his full strength, instead it was meant to see just what the elder Legionnaire was able to do. As well as to see if he was still as good as he claimed to be. Or rather as good as Romulus remembered.

As expected, neither of my attacks produced much of an effect. Though I had to admit his reaction was a bit surprising. Had I used the short spear I would have used the shaft to deflect both the thrust and the swing and used the tip of the spear to inflict damage without losing too much ground. Yet I couldn't waste time thinking much. Instead I did exactly that which I had suggested in my mind after he lunged at me with his spear thrust. It was clear as day that this first thrust wasn;t his primary attack, yet naturally, I decided to use my physical might to slap the weapon away with the Gladius Hispaniensis. Afterwards I took a single step back and released my spear away. Instead I summoned my shield and proceeded to take another step in in order to use the weight of my body as an augmentative force to the shield's blunt defense.

Immediately after summoning the shield and adjusting my weight, I brought my tower shield downwards and proceeded to block his downward swing. Based on the trajectory I deduced he aimed for my chest, which really wasn't a problem to defend since my shield was practically as big as I was. Quickly after I blocked the attack I moved my sword close to my shield and proceeded to launch a close distance thrust by extending my arm forward. I meant to injure his head, though it was a hard task to do since he turned his body sideways, thus limiting the amount of skin I could injure. Yet no matter, this wasn't really meant as an offensive blow, but a distraction. This of course was just to create some distance between me and Romulus. In this regard I succeed and gained the distance I desired. Afterwards I smirked at him like a wildman before speaking.

"Very done! You rid yourself of my offense and came forth to me with a body turned sideways. Based on your reaction time and execution of attack, you must pride yourself a speed-type fighter. What a treat!" I laughed as I walked a bit around, keeping my eyes fixated on his every move. Yet after giving him one last look, I dismissed my sword and grabbed my necklace. Once again for this long night I summoned my Aeternum Spatha covered in all of her fiery glory. Afterwards I proceeded to jerk my head backwards. A bright red light appeared before me. From the light that covered my body I came out, covered from head to toe with my customized lorica segmentata, complete with arm protection and leg protection, since most suits of this armor lacked such positions. It felt good to wear my armor and use my shield and Aeternum sword again.

"Now, enough pontifications. Come at me with all your might!" I said as I took the defensive stance of Murmillo with the tower shield in front my body and my sword clenched tight and maintained close to my side.

His Armor:

His attack’s both missed easily enough and although Romulus had not intended for them to actually harm the man before him he was slightly disappointed. However he had little time to reflect on such a thing as the sword thrust aimed for his head had to be dealt with; and it was of course by simply moving his head, neck, and the upper portion of his body slightly out of the way before using the momentum to spin himself up into a standing position with his Verutum in his right hand resting against the inside of it with the tip of the spear just slightly touching the ground. He of course ignored whatever it was Damien was saying and instead focused on his movements, watching and waiting for an opening. Readying himself to strike when one presented its self to him.

The opportunity of course came when the son of Mars had his sword disappear and reached for his necklace. Knowing what that meant as he had seen it done not too long ago the son of Quirinus struck. Like a viper lashing out his spear was tightly gripped and sent flying out at the man’s exposed arm. An attack from the side intended to slice across the exposed skin and win the bout. However it seemed it was not to be, just as his arm rested down by his side and the blade of his spear met Damien’s arm a bright red flash appeared and when it was sent away a clang could be heard, indicating Imperial Gold had met armor. Romulus had his spear back resting across his body diagonally with his left hand holding it near the top and the right near the bottom, as he moved backwards a bit out of harm’s way.

The predicted attack never came however as Damien once more took the defensive stance. Shouting out once more. This time about coming at him with all his might. If this fight had taken place in a movie or television show or some work of fiction that Tiberia seems to love, that would have been exactly what Romulus would have done. However as it was not he did no such thing. Instead he started walking around the armored man looking for a weakness in his Murmillo stance. Spear stabbing forwards once or twice to get the man to attempt to block or deflect it and thus give him the opportunity to aim for the face…the only un-guarded area on the armored son of Mars.

A forward strike? How predictably boring. If Romulus was going to fight like this I would just end the fight right here and then. I mean come on, how much of an idiot did Romulus think I was? I just lifted my shield upwards and moved my body back so he couldn't respond with a slash to my now unshielded yet armored legs. With my shield successfully blocking his thrust, I decided to keep up my defensive posture, careful to avoid leaving any frontal openings for him to attack. If he attacked from bellow, I would just move my arm down and bring the shield down. If he attacked for my face I either dodged the thrust by jerking my head to either side. It wasn't much to calculate. As long as I remained faithful to my defense, I had the upperhand. Try as he would, if Romulus remembered anything from my murmillo style, he knew that my defense was impregnable, absolute and total. I just needed to wait for him to drop his offensive or make a hasty move like his previous one before I moved my sword to strike. I occasionally positioned my sword, which was longer than any common Spatha, as per my command, over my shield in failed attempts to deal any damage to him via thrusting, but I just did this in order to force him into showing me his reflexes. My first forward thrust was one directed to his left eye. An easy enough thrust to dismiss, but one that still forced him out of his comfortable offensive. After my first thrust failed, I proceeded to take the blunt of his mighty offensive with my shield before moving away with something of worth. After successfully blocking a number of his attacks, I decided to surprise him a bit.  

I decided to use one of my less known powers, one that Romulus probably never had seen before since I rarely used it, but one I had trained extensively with. While still lifting my shield, I snapped my fingers after blocking one of his attacks and summoned a third weapon. This time it was my bow and arrow, which technically counted as two weapons but functioned as one. Although most people assumed I had to use my bow and arrow with my hands, they did not suspect that I could control said weapon telekinetically. Without making any gestures I used my telekinetic powers to notch three arrows into the bow and then proceeded to fire three from different directions. One was aimed at his left leg, another one was aimed at his chest and another one was fired and aimed to his right hand. I still held up my sword and shield, but decided to conduct an offensive via my bow and arrow. I smirked to myself after the arrows were fired. Just to make them even more dangerous I forced them to turn a red glow, meaning that they were sharped even further.

Things were not going anywhere soon and the two of them were stuck in a standstill. An ‘attack’ from Romulus was blocked by Damian’s giant shield, an attack from Damian was parried or dodged by Romulus. One person would move and the other would react, this dance was going nowhere fast and both of them knew it. At this rate Romulus knew that it didn’t matter who was the better warrior, Romulus could have been the world’s greatest strategist and it wouldn’t have mattered. This was simply one of those rare occasions where luck actually mattered. Which was of course not something he admitted lightly. However it seemed that was all about to change as Damian decided to turn things up a notch, by summoning his bow. A bow that he could use telekinetically if Romulus was reading his power correctly.

He was of course proven to be right when the bow notched three arrows and fired them all off. Romulus had little time to react with the distance they were in and he knew that no matter what he did one of the arrows was going to hit him. Eyes trained he followed their trajectory and moved his body slightly to the right bringing his spear up hitting the arrows that were aimed for his chest and leg, knocking them off course but nothing could be done for the one that went into his right hand. It was the lesser of the three wounds but it didn’t really matter. For the third and final arrow struck true. Piercing his right hand through the middle of the middle and ring finger and into his palm. Of course drawing blood. If this were a real fight Romulus would of course fight on but be it as it may he had lost the duel.

Gritting his teeth more so in pain than anger of losing he dropped his spear, and pushed the arrow all the way through so that it came out the other side. “Nice trick you’ve got there.” He muttered before ripping the bottom of his shirt off with his teeth and left hand, wrapping the make shift bandage around his hand. The blood evident even through his red shirt that was now wrapped around his hand. "I do believe this means you win…although if this were a real fight I’d still be able to continue.” Sure, he knew he lost but it wasn’t because he was a worse fighter or soldier or warrior or whatever you wanted to call it than Damian it was because he wasn’t prepared. He hadn’t ever had to deal with someone as versatile and with such interesting powers. Powers he knew about but wasn’t ready to deal with. This would not happen again. Romulus Emanuel Mercury did not lose twice.

My arrow landed a hit in his hand and just like that, our little contest was over. Immediately afterwards I snapped my fingers and made all my stuff, including my sword, shield, bow and arrows, disappear into thin air. Afterwards I removed my helmet and also dismissed my armor. One of the the downsides of wearing my armor was that I was left with nothing but ripped clothes and tattered garments. With my shirt ruined and my trousers in disarray, I decided to just groan and complain a bit. It seemed as though Romulus was in a bit of pain, and the wound seemed nasty enough, so I decided to through him the flask of emergency ambrosia I carried with me at all times. I don't know if it was legal to carry the stuff around, but I managed to stash some before I left Camp. I knew that Romulus was prideful, but if his pride told him to not accept the medicine, he would just be foolish. Brave, but foolish. Anyways, after handing him the medicine I cleaned my face of the sweat I gained in my brow and gave the guy a smile.

"Probably, but I already predicted how this would go. While you boast one of the most impressive offensives I've ever seen and experienced, it was still offense, one that requires high movements and an incredible level of stamina. Meanwhile I only needed to move inches in order to block, thus I conserved my energy a bit more. Eventually you would tire off from my defense. It is in that point that I would have swung my blade and ended this. I just decided to speed things up a bit." I laughed after smiling at him. I felt really glad that I clashed with Romulus. He was completely worthy of his post and rank. I felt a sense of relief to know that he was so fierce and strong.

"If nothing, I praise your tenacity and skills. But, of all the legionnaires of Rome, I'm probably the one with the highest defensive abilities. So, this is my last words to you as a teacher. Don't settle for being better, only settle when you are the best." I told Romulus as I grabbed the flask and took a shot of it, savoring the sweet taste of old Spanish rum in my mouth. Afterwards I got up and cleaned myself a bit. The sun was starting to rise up by this point and sound the others in the camp would wake up, or would have to be woken up.

"Oh, excuse the speeches, but I forgot the most important thing. I recognize you as my commander, Romulus Emanuel Mercury." I told the optio after taking another sip of Ambrosia.