Welcome to Training or Hell

The Legion's training grounds sprawled before Ethan as he stood in line with other recruits, their faces filled with awe at the size of the iron-clad gates. At seventeen and determined, Ethan steeled himself for what lay ahead. Each recruit here was eager to prove themselves worthy of the Legion.

Ethan walked into the arena with nervousness in every step. "Holy hell, it's full in here," he exclaimed, bumping into a towering man with thick, meaty arms and scars covering his body.

"Watch where you're going, ya brat," the man growled.

Ethan nodded in reply and continued moving until he found an open spot after climbing the arena stairs for what felt like an eternity. Finally, he found an unoccupied seat and sat down, energetic and anxious for the training to come.

A few moments later, a nearly bald man fully clad in armor, except for his head, with two hammers tied to his sides, stepped onto the podium. The crowd fell silent.

"So, this year's numbers look good. I hope they don't disappoint," the man began, clearing his throat. "LISTEN UP! FOR THE NEXT FIVE WEEKS, I WILL BE YOUR GOD. REFER TO ME AS 'SARGE' AND NOTHING ELSE. I WILL KNOW EVERY HAIR ON YOUR HEAD. I WILL PERSONALLY ESCORT YOU TO YOUR GRAVE. EVERY MOVE YOU MAKE, EVERYTHING YOU DO, I AM WATCHING YOU. EVEN YOU FAT FUCKS IN THE CORNER EATING PORK CHOPS, YOU LAZY BUMS, I'LL TURN YOU INTO MEN! IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM, YOU CAN KISS MY ASS AND LEAVE. OTHERWISE, TOSS ALL YA SHIT AND FOLLOW ME."

A small voice piped up from the crowd, "But... what if we have important things in there?"

Silence followed, and then Sarge replied in a quiet but menacing voice, "Son, what's your name?"

The same pipsqueak voice replied, "Lucas, sir."

"WELL, FUCKING LUCAS, DO I GIVE A SHIT? NOOOOOOOOO! SO TOSS YA SHIT AND FOLLOW ME, OR I'LL GIVE YOU THE ASS WHOOPING YOUR FATHER NEVER GAVE YOU BECAUSE YOU HAD NO FATHER, YOU DUMB FUCK! AS A MATTER OF FACT, LAP THE ARENA TEN TIMES AND MEET ME AT THE TRAINING GROUNDS!"

Lucas replied in a quiet voice, "Yes, Sarge." He dropped his bag and began to jog around the arena.

Sarge, satisfied with himself, stared at Lucas and yelled, "YOU FUCKING MAGGOT, DID I SAY TO WALK? YOU PIECE OF SHIT, RUN, BITCH, RUN!"

Everyone was silent, filled with immense regret for joining and an unparalleled fear of what was to come.

Sarge led them to the training grounds, and from afar, they could see Lucas running. The blistering sun hung high in the sky as Ethan and the other recruits stood at attention. Their bodies were already slick with sweat, and the day's grueling session had only just begun.

"Today, you ladies are gonna learn how to hold a sword," Sarge announced. Legionnaires walked out of a room with greatswords, distributing one to each recruit.

Lucas, panting heavily, dragged his skinny body along and stood next to Ethan and a boy with jet-black hair cut low, both standing at attention. Sarge looked at Lucas and said, "Hmph, he's got some potential. ALRIGHTY, LADIES, YOU SEE HOW HIGH THE SUN IS?"

The recruits remained silent.

Sarge looked shocked. "OHHH, SO I'M TALKING TO MYSELF NOW? ALRIGHT, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU FUCKERS, TAKE UP THE SWORD AND HOLD IT UP DIRECTLY TO THE SUN AND FOLLOW IT UNTIL I SAY SO. ANY COMPLAINTS, AND YOU'LL LAP THE TRAINING GROUNDS TIL I SAY STOP. UNDERSTAND ME, BOYS?"

They replied in unison, "YES, SARGE!"

They all lifted their swords and held them high, following the sun. As the hours dragged on, the sun climbed higher in the sky, and the heat became oppressive. Sweat dripped down Ethan's face, stinging his eyes. He glanced next to him and saw the boy with the low-cut black hair, seemingly calm, holding the sword with steady hands.

The boy looked over at Ethan and said, "Name's Lux, but you can call me Luke or Lux, I don't really care."

Ethan replied, straining under the weight, "Nice... to meet you. Name's Ethan."

CLANG! The sound of a heavy greatsword hitting the ground broke the silence. Sarge's neck snapped toward the sound. "Not even three goddamn hours," he muttered to himself, "disappointments."

He walked to Lucas and said, "Son, I think it's better for both me and you that you quit."

There was silence as Lucas stared at the sword. He said nothing, grabbed it again, and with great effort lifted it to a 70-degree angle, struggling. The sword dropped again and again until Sarge said, "Enough. You are something. Give me ten more laps."

With that, Lucas trudged off and began running around the training grounds, which were bigger than the arena.

"Drop your swords," Sarge commanded.

A collective sigh and the clanging of weapons hitting the ground echoed through Ethan's head.

"So, Lux, why are you here? You could've been an officer serving in the city or something. Why here?" Ethan asked.

Lux replied with a smirk, "Ethan, man, I flipped a fucking coin, and here I am."

Ethan gave him a blank stare, then his eyes drifted off towards Lucas, still on his first lap, halfway done. His arms dragged behind him as they lost their strength. He collapsed, got back up, and kept running, a small trickle of blood running down from his head from the fall.

Lux said out loud, "We can't just leave him like that. He's gonna fucking die."

Ethan got up, "Well, the best we can do is follow him," and jogged off towards Lucas to help him with his laps. Lux followed suit, and together they ran beside Lucas, offering support and encouragement after a few laps the entire half of the entire training squad was on the training grounds running laps helping Lucas. 

 After the Tenth Lap Lucas collapsed his skinny frame spread out and his curly hair in his eyes panting, the crowd following on the track cheered and hoisted lucas up chanting his name "LUCAS LUCAS!!"

Lucas looked down at them, gratitude in his eyes. "Thanks, guys," he panted.

Ethan nodded, "Legion is family bro."

Lux grinned, "Yeah, we're a team now."

Sarge chuckled and boomed "Well Well making me shed a tear huh. YOUR BARRACKS ARE STRAIGHT AHEAD BOYS LADIES YOURE WEST THE BATHROOMS ARE BEHIND THEM AND IF I EVER SO SWEAR TO GOD CATCH ANY MAN ON THE WEST SIDE OR A WOMAN ON THE EAST SIDE WITHOUT EXPLICIT PERMISSION IT WILL BE HELL. UNDERSTOOD?"

We all boomed back "UNDERSTOOD SARGE"

"DISMISSED"he boomed back again.

After a grueling day of training, Ethan, and Luxtrudged into the barracks with Lucas' lifeless body, their bodies sore and their minds weary. The barracks were a large, dimly lit building with rows of bunk beds and a communal shower area at the back. The air was filled with the scent of sweat and the murmur of tired conversations.

Ethan threw himself onto the nearest bunk, letting out a long sigh. Lux plopped down beside him, while Lucas, still panting from his extra laps, collapsed onto the bed across from them.

"Well, today was a fucking nightmare," Lux said, stretching his arms and wincing at the soreness.

Ethan nodded in agreement. "Yeah, no kidding. My arms feel like they're going to fall off."

Lucas, still catching his breath, "At least we survived."

A new voice chimed in from the bunk next to Lucas. "Yall are right this is a fucking nightmare"

Ethan turned to see a tall, wiry young man with messy brown hair and a cocky grin. He was pulling off his boots and tossing them under his bed.

"Name's Harry," he said, extending a hand to Lucas, who shook it weakly.

"I'm Lucas," he replied. "These two are Ethan and Lux."

"Nice to meet you all," Harry said. "Word of advice: stick together it makes the actual drills easier"

Ethan sat up, wiping the sweat from his forehead. "Thanks for the tip. We're already figuring that out."

Lux grinned and said, "Yeah, nothing like suffering together gets the blood pumping, right?"

Harry laughed. "Exactly. You guys heading to the showers? Better get in there before the hot water runs out."

The four of them grabbed their towels and made their way to the communal showers. The room was filled with steam, and the sound of water hitting the tiled floor echoed around them. Stripping off their sweat-soaked clothes, they stepped under the warm spray, letting the water wash away the grime and exhaustion of the day.

"This feels so damn good," Lucas sighed, letting the water cascade over his head.

Ethan nodded, lathering soap on his aching muscles. "Yeah, it's like a little piece of heaven after all that hell."

Lux, standing under the next showerhead, chuckled. "Hey, Ethan, think Sarge would mind if we just stayed in here forever?"

Ethan laughed. "Probably. He'd find a way to make showering a torture too."

Harry joined in the laughter. "Yeah, he'd have us doing push-ups under the water or something."

They finished showering and went into the shower lobby to have a soak in a giant tub, the conversation turned more personal. They talked about their homes, their families, and why they had joined the Legion. Lucas, it turned out, was trying to prove himself to a father who had always belittled him. Lux had indeed flipped a coin to decide his fate, embracing the randomness of life. Harry had grown up in a rough neighborhood and saw the Legion as a way out, a chance to become something more.

Ethan listened, feeling a sense of camaraderie growing between them. These were more than just fellow recruits; they were becoming brothers. He shared his own story, a vague mention of a personal goal that drove him, not going into detail.

After the showers, they returned to their bunks, feeling refreshed. Harry pulled out a deck of cards and suggested a game to pass the time before lights out.

Lux astonished asked "Where the fuck did you get that from Houdini?"

Harry replied with a confused look "Houdini? Who the hell is that"

Lux replied "Don't worry about it " (a/n dw bout it)

Harry dealt the cards they laughed, cursed, and bonded over the game

Lucas, his face no longer pale with exhaustion, grinned widely as he won a hand. "Guess I'm not as useless as Sarge thinks, huh?"

Lux clapped him on the back. "You're a tough son of a bitch, Lucas. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

Ethan smiled, "Fuck yea we're gonna get through this."

Harry nodded. "Damn right we are. To the Legion, and to making it through whatever hell Sarge throws at us next."

They all raised their imaginary glasses in a mock toast, the bond between them solidifying. In that moment, amidst the laughter and camaraderie, they felt like they could take on anything the Legion threw their way.

Harry dealt the cards for a final game which Lucas won again.(authors fav…for now)

After the game Harry,Lucas, Ethan, and Lux simply tossed Harry the cards and respectively passed out.

xxxThe next day 5;30am xxxx

The recruits began their training with basic conditioning. Sarge made them run laps around the arena every morning, the distance increasing each day. They lifted weights, practiced hand-to-hand combat, and learned the basics of weapon handling. By the end of the week, several recruits had already dropped out, unable to handle the physical and mental strain.

Ethan, Lux, and Lucas formed a tight-knit group, with Harry joining them. It was hell repeating every painful exercise and every grueling drill over and over until Sarge was satisfied. 

One evening, after a particularly brutal day, they sat in the barracks, nursing their sore muscles. Harry pulled out his deck of cards, and they played a few hands, laughing and joking despite their exhaustion they played a few rounds and passed out. (not knowing how horrible the next weeks would be 😈FORE SHADOW)

XXXWeek 2XXX

Ethan woke up in pain looked out his window shocked "Holy shit. BOYS WERE FUCKING SLEEPING IN-" 

A familiar and hated voice boomed through the barracks "ALRIGHT PUSSIES TIME FOR ACTUAL TRAINING STOP WANKING PUT ON YA CLOTHES AND FOLLOW ME SONS OF BITCHES"

The second week was advanced combat training learning to fight with weapons and advanced hand to hand. Sarge's expectations were high, and his punishments for failure ….(we don't talk about that). Lucas struggled with the sword, his thin body not built for the heavy weapon so he proposed to sarge he use two light swords and he surprisingly agreed saying "Im not gonna render you useless its like beating how to write with your left hand out of a child and forcing them to write with their right its insane." 

Harry excelled in hand-to-hand combat, his quick reflexes and agility making him a natural. He often sparred with Ethan with the latter magically ended up on his ass every time. Lux, despite his laid-back attitude, was a combat genius having more knowledge on submissions, nerve endings and soft spots were formidable to go against he couldn't hit hard but his precision and speed made up for his lack of brute strength quite fairly.

One day, during a particularly intense sparring session between Lucas and Harry , Lucas took a hard hit and injured his shoulder.Grunting in pain he kept fighting until Sarge allowed him to rest for a day saying "These damn kids are gonna get themselves killed" but Lucas was back on the training grounds the next morning(a/n bros slogan is "NEVER GIVE UP")

XXX WEEK 3XXX

The third week of training descended upon them like a relentless storm. Sarge, ever the unyielding taskmaster, introduced night drills that pushed everyone to their limits and beyond. Exhaustion became their constant companion as they navigated obstacle courses in the dark, practiced combat scenarios under simulated ambushes, and often fell asleep during lectures on survival tactics.

The lack of sleep wore them down, fraying nerves and heightening tensions among the recruits. Ethan, Lux, Lucas, and Harry found themselves tested not just physically but mentally. Arguments broke out over trivial matters, tempers flaring like the flames of a bonfire in the night. Each night seemed darker than the last, the air thick with an unspoken dread that something terrible was looming on the horizon.

During the last day of the night drill, the recruits were deep in the throes of simulating an ambush scenario. The air was tense with anticipation, the darkness around them swallowing every sound and movement. Suddenly, without warning, the training grounds erupted into chaos as shadow beasts, real and vicious, emerged from the darkness..

The recruits were thrown into chaos as the shadow beasts surged forward, their bluish eyes gleaming with malevolent intent in the darkness. Ethan, Lux, Lucas, and Harry moved as one, their training kicking in with instinctual precision.

Ethan lunged forward, his sword slicing through the air with a deadly arc. The blade clashed against the hard reptilian like skin of a shadow beast, sending sparks flying in all directions. He gritted his teeth, muscles straining against the weight of his weapon as he pushed back against the creature's relentless advance.

Lux danced nimbly between the beasts, his agility a stark contrast to Ethan's brute strength. With calculated strikes of his sword , he aimed for vulnerable spots—joints in the creatures' armor, where their defenses were weakest. Each movement was fluid and deliberate, a testament to his prowess despite the chaos surrounding him.

Lucas stood firm, dancing around with his twin sword's parrying and attacking The shadow beasts lunged and swiped, testing his resolve, but he held his ground. He dodged most of their attacks, allowing him to retaliate with well-timed slashes and jabs in the kinks of their armorlike skin . With each jab, he aimed for vital spots, aiming to incapacitate rather than kill.

Harry, normally the jovial spirit among them, fought with a newfound determination born from the urgency of the situation. His greatsword cleaved through the air, its edges biting deep into the shadow beasts' flesh. Despite the chaos, he maintained a fierce focus, his movements swift and decisive as he protected his comrades' flanks.

The battleground echoed with the clang of steel meeting armour like skin, the snarls of shadow beasts, and the grunts of effort from the recruits.

But the shadow beasts were cunning adversaries, adapting to the recruits' tactics with each passing moment. They began to coordinate their attacks, overwhelming the recruits with sheer numbers and ferocity. Ethan found himself surrounded, his greatsword a whirlwind of steel as he parried and struck, his muscles burning with exertion.

Lux darted in and out of the fray, his movements becoming more erratic as he struggled to evade the beasts' relentless pursuit. A claw grazed his arm, drawing blood, but he kept it moving dodging and stabbing 

Lucas fought with a grim determination, his swords a blur of motion as he fended off one beast after another. But fatigue began to set in, his arms growing heavy as he struggled to maintain his offense. He gritted his teeth, pushing through the pain as he rallied against the encroaching beasts of darkness.

Harry's greatsword swung with brutal efficiency, but even his ferocity couldn't stem the tide of shadow beasts. A sudden blow caught him off guard, knocking him to the ground with a cry of pain. He scrambled to his feet, blood dripping from a wound on his shoulder, his breath coming in ragged gasps.

As the battle wore on, desperation began to creep in. The recruits fought with everything they had, their bodies pushed to the brink of exhaustion. But for every shadow beast they struck down,they lost two comrades.

Ethan glanced around, his heart pounding with adrenaline and fear for his friends. Lux was tiring, his movements slowing despite his best efforts. Lucas was holding his ground, but sweat glistened on his brow, a testament to the strain of their prolonged fight. And Harry, normally unyielding in his resolve, was beginning to falter under the relentless assault.

"We can't hold out much longer!" Ethan shouted over the din of battle, his voice hoarse with exertion.

Lux nodded grimly, his eyes narrowing in determination. "We need a plan, now!"

Lucas scanned the battlefield, his mind racing as he assessed their options. "Back to back," he called out, his voice steady despite the chaos around them. "Keep moving, don't let them surround us."

With renewed resolve, they formed a tight circle, backs pressed against each other as they fought off the encroaching shadow beasts. They moved as one, anticipating each other's movements and providing cover whenever one of them faltered.

But just as they seemed to gain the upper hand, a shadow beast broke through their defenses. Its claws found purchase on Harry's side, tearing through his armor with a sickening crunch. He staggered back with a cry of pain, his axes falling from nerveless fingers.

"No!" Ethan shouted, lunging forward to protect his fallen friend.

Lux and Lucas fought desperately to fend off the creature, but it was too late. The shadow beast's claws had found their mark, and Harry collapsed to the ground, his lifeblood staining the earth beneath him.

Time seemed to slow as Ethan, Lux, and Lucas watched in horror. The world around them faded into a blur of grief and disbelief as they knelt beside their fallen comrade. Harry's breaths came in ragged gasps, his eyes wide with pain and unshed tears.

"I'm sorry," he whispered hoarsely, his voice barely audible over the chaos of battle. "I wanted…to-."

Ethan reached out, grasping Harry's hand in a futile attempt to offer comfort. But Harry's grip weakened, his eyes losing focus as his life slipped away.

The recruits fought on, fueled by grief and anger at the loss of their brother. They pushed back against the shadow beasts with renewed ferocity, their movements driven by a desire to honor Harry's memory. But the weight of his absence hung heavy in their hearts, a solemn reminder of the sacrifices demanded by their path as Legionnaires.

Suddenly a chill ran over the recruits and they turned to see Sarge more furious than ever with shadows leaking out his body his hammers glowing a fierce dark blue out of the corner of his eyes he saw Harry's dead body on the ground and the injured and lifeless body of some recruits (a/n i miss harry already) his unholy anger grew even more and he uttered these words "How dare you, YOU SON OF A BITCH" and threw his hammers one after the others they crashed through the beasts armor leaving gaping holes wherever they flew and in less than five minutes the Shadow beasts fled their numbers sufficiently reduced Sarge threw his hammers after them and they were ran through one after the other(a/n AYO PAUSE) until not one was left and their body started to disappear like mist leaving precious black pearls(a/n they're not really black they are crystal clear but the black thing is the shadow energy which is why they are extremely valuable) 

Sarge stood tall his hammers flying back and he attached them to his side and with a heavy voice told us to head back in the dorms and get some sleep they will still be training tomorrow, heart broken shocked and in unbelief we head back into the barracks and took off our clothes that was stained with Harry's blood and put on new clothes with a heavy heart 

As the night wore on and the weight of Harry's absence settled like a leaden cloak upon their shoulders, Ethan, Lux, and Lucas found themselves sitting silently in the dimly lit barracks. The usual banter and camaraderie that had filled the air seemed to have dissipated into the ether, replaced by a somber atmosphere thick with sorrow and disbelief.

The bunk beds around them were empty, their fellow recruits either bathing or lost in their own thoughts. Ethan's gaze wandered around the room, lingering on Harry's bunk where his belongings lay untouched. His eyes fell upon something that caught his attention—a deck of cards, Harry's prized possession.

"Hey, guys," Ethan murmured, his voice breaking the heavy silence.

Lux and Lucas turned to see what Ethan was pointing at. The deck of cards that typically laid on Harry's neatly made bed, a testament to his love for games and friendly competition. With a mixture of nostalgia and heartache, Ethan picked up the deck, shuffling it absentmindedly as memories of Harry flooded their minds.

Ethan asked with sorrow "Wanna play a round"

Lucas nodded silently, his usually stoic demeanor softened by the weight of their loss. "Yeah."

They gathered around Harry's bunk, the cards spread out before them. For a brief moment, the world seemed to fade away as they delved into the familiar routine of their brothers favorite pastime. The game progressed with a bittersweet rhythm, each card played a reminder of the times they had shared, the laughter and the joy that now felt distant and precious.

But as the game unfolded, their façade of composure began to crack. Memories mingled with tears, and laughter gave way to silent sobs. The weight of their grief became too heavy to bear, and they clung to each other, seeking solace in shared sorrow.

" Fuck " Lux whispered hoarsely, his hands trembling as he struggled to hold back tears.

Lucas bowed his head, unable to find words to express the ache in his heart. He reached out, placing a comforting hand on Lux's shoulder, their shared pain a testament to the bond forged in the crucible of war

Ethan, too, felt the tears welling up, his chest constricted with grief. He looked down at the cards scattered on the bunk, Harry's absence a stark reminder of the fragility of life and the harsh realities they will face in the coming years.