The Citadel offered something that Dale Russell had never seen, a magical means of transporting people anywhere they could imagine – or the monks could imagine – and the ability to never die. Within the walls of the massive building there was the promise of immortality to those that chose to fight. The idea of never dying was impossible to overlook by many who came for fame and fortune, to test their mettle, or to settle scores against another combatant. Still others came to the Citadel for other reason. Like Dale Russell, who had come because he was ordered to by the Corone Armed Forces, others unhappily entered the halls or listlessly wandered and waited for a room to become available.
The android known as Dale Russell had completed basic training less than a week ago for the Empire’s military, and had proven quite unable to wield a sword or spear effectively. It had been bad enough that his tests with those weapons were repeated multiple times before he was allowed to pass, reluctantly, by the head drill sergeant. He assumed it was a mix of being tired of dealing with him testing, as much as it was his skills in other areas. Unfortunately, just because he passed the trials of training did not mean he was done attempting to use the weapons of the Corone Armed Forces line soldier. Issued with a standard guard uniform, a shield and whatever sword they could find lying around the man entered the room and let the illusions of the Ai’bron monks overtake him.
As soon as the door shut behind him the light faded and the illusion of immortality began.
He was standing on the soft green grass of a foreign world. All around him the light breeze of salted wind swirled past. It gave a low whistle as it passed across the small island, changing course when it encountered the rocky beach and the lone ruins inhabiting the center. One wall of what looked like a long abandoned outpost, fashioned to be a fort all its own, had fallen into ruin as the lichen grew across the other four walls. Broken stairways ran along the walls from the bottom, scattered with large fallen bricks, to the third floor which would have served as a roof and lookout point. The hazy, gray sky overhead hung heavily with the weight of coming rains. Its laden clouds were ominously drifting lazily as if waiting for permission to drop their load on the world below.
Dale sighed and pushed against the thin steel breastplate embedded between layers of leather on his chest, which caused the mirror of it to move across his back. He was not used to the way armor felt, having never worn it before the military enlisted him. It felt clumsy, as did the set of iron bracers and the small iron heater shield in his hand. Thankfully they did not require him to bring a spear or halberd, since both had proven to be nothing more than a way to hit his own head with the backend while using. Instead his standard issue cavalry sword was resting in its scabbard, and instantly the android missed his hatchet that they had replaced with the weapon.
“Guess this is as good as any other place,” he muttered as he lit a cigarette and took a long drag. He was a long way from home, a planet in some unknown corner of the galaxy called Earth. This place, however, was something he could get used to. Althanas had plenty to explore, and without the threat of nuclear inhalation to wipe out all life it was one that would see far less mornings that had created his nickname ‘red dawn’.
((Open to someone I haven’t fought before – Duffy – feel free to jump in if you’re interested. The changes from my profile to what I have typed reflects my entrance in and change due to the CAF. The CAF have taken his hatchet and given him a steel cavalry saber and steel scabbard for it. They took his leather duster and gave him a guard's uniform, long leather trench-coat with thin steel plates sewn into the chest and back between the layers. They issued him a small iron heater shield without any paint or logo on it, as well as a pair of iron bracers with the symbol of the CAF embossed into them. Also, a pair of overlapping leather greaves that go from iron overlapped boots to knee. He still has his bowie knife, 2 hand crossbows, two belts with crossbow holsters, small quiver of 10 bolts, and cowboy hat. These changes will be requested at the end for spoils in order to be made permanent.))
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