After my first thought, I steadied my mind.
'Really? I most likely lost a little more brain than height. Still in a coma? Somewhere in the north more likely.' I thought for myself. To verify my thinking I asked:
"Where are we?"
"This is a military base housing the special forces of the First pangrasian legion. It is situated in the northern region, Wimros. It's located far north from your old home. My century is currently located here and this is our current main base of operations." Mark said solemnly.
"Why is it so hot in here? I mean the sun's not as bright as it was back home, so there must be something else." I asked hesitatingly.
"Oh, that, it just happens that there is a second base beneath this one. But it's a secret one." he answered with a grin.
"That doesn't explain much."
"Shorty, don't ask too much or you'll be back on that bed for a couple of months."
I stopped asking after that, who knows what's happening down there. We were still walking down the street while we were talking. But I noticed that there weren't many who greeted any of us or even paid some attention to us. It was all very suspicious, and I couldn't help but to helplessly ask Mark again:
"Where are we going?"
"Have you ever wanted to join the army?" He answered me with a question.
"When I was a kid, yeah. Why?"
"'Cause you're going to join the special forces today, follow me." He said with a naughty grin on his face.
I was flabbergasted by his answer. Me? Joining Special Forces?
'There really is something peculiar happening here. Nobody can join Special Forces of our army without at least ten years of service in the ordinary forces. Without those, you can't even dream to even get near them. And I have been told that I'm gonna join them today, and after six months of a coma on top of that.' while I was thinking about the logic behind my sudden conscription, Mark was walking. After a half-hour walk in silence, we arrived in front of a building that was situated near the exit of the base. On the sign hanging above the five-meter wide gate, which represented the entrance to the building, was a half meter tall inscription. It said ' SF barracks'.
'So it's really true. I'm going to join the Special Forces. Yay.'
"Why am I being pushed into the SF when I didn't even finish high school yet?" I asked.
I expected Mark to answer, but the answer came from a huge guy that was leaning against the barracks' wall to whom Mark saluted.
"You are joining our forces because we need cannon fodder for a mission soon. Any objections?" He said simply while puffing smoke from his cigar.
"You don't need to be so rough with our new soldier, legate Arnold. He's shown to be a good kid so far." Mark said like he was superior to a man that is supposed to be his commander, at least three levels above him. In any normal army, he would get killed for that. But not in our Special Forces, they're all friends here. It's because you die or you succeed with your mission. Missions are given even to the legates by the respective general.
"Mark I don't think I asked you anything. So why did you open your mouth?" legate asked with a slight frown.
"This is a free country, is it not?" Mark said with a broad smile, like the one you have when you talk to a very old friend.
But then the legate moved at a speed that very few can match and kneed Mark in the stomach. Mark's face showed that he didn't expect to get a beating today, and the knee arrived at an unblockable angle so Mark was left to fight for air after it. After hitting Mark, the legate turned to me and looked at me with coldness in his eyes. But he spoke to me somewhat warmly:
"Come with me. What's your name lad?"
'What should I tell him? He surely isn't broad-minded like Mark, not is he a kind of guy you can fuck around with. Who cares, I'll tell him the truth.' I thought for a second and then answered his question
"My name is Shorty, sir."
"Suits you well, lad. See those soldiers over there? Go and join them. Oh, and don't make a fuss or you'll regret it." He directed me. I followed his directions and stood in a line together with 24 other guys. Not too long after through the gates came a group of 75 men. They moved behind us and divided into three groups of 25.
'Squads.' I guessed but didn't say anything.
When they finally settled a soldier came through the barracks' doors. He was wearing a centurion's uniform and was about three meters tall. I noticed two pen-like objects on his belt, but I didn't give them any importance. He stopped in front of us and yelled with all his might:
"Worms!!! I welcome you to our training compound! I am your Centurion and that's all you need to know about me! Now name yourselves!!"
Then the guys started yelling their names with frightened voices. When my turn arrived I said in a normal tone:
"Sir, my name is Shorty."
The guy behind me whispered:
"Are you looking to die here, lad? Say your name like your life depends on it."
But I shrugged and didn't say anything else. Since I was the last in the row, Centurion approached me and grabbed my neck. And then he punched me in the stomach, oh, but of course, he lifted me nearly one meter off the ground to be able to hit me.
"I asked for your name soldier!!"
"It's Shorty, sir." I said while fighting for air.
"Sh-shorty?" His voice trembled for less than a second before he dropped me and continued to yell at us all:
"Okay, worms!! I wanna see you drown in your sweat!! Fifty clicks around the base!! NOW!!!" He then added:
"Who comes last will get a surprise from me, same goes for the first!!! NOW MOVE IT YOU MAGGOTS!!!"
After running for a day few of us collapsed to the ground, one guy was taken by the medics, as for the rest of us... Well, we did arrive, but we had a bad feeling about the surprise. I came in last of the survivors and I knew I'm in for a good one. When I arrived I saw those who got here before me doing push-ups. One of them was standing, probably the one that finished the run first.
"Ah, you're finally here Shorty. GET YOUR FUCKING ASS OVER HERE AND GIVE ME A HUNDRED!! NOW!!!" Centurion exploded as soon as he saw me. As I started doing push-ups, he added:
"All right, girls! The first one that arrived will now spar with one of the seniors, and the lady that came in last will have a dance with me! Is that clear?!"
"SIR!!!"
The one that arrived first was called Will. He took a wooden shaft to use as a spear for the duel against a guy from the group that came here after us yesterday. Turns out they were in a two-day visit to welcome us and then they go to die or win a war. But Will was still confident that he could beat this guy.
'Shit! I forgot that I'm the only one in here who wasn't in the army before, shit I'm so dead!' I started panicking but succeeded at calming myself down quickly as I always do. I concentrated all my attention on the spar between the soldiers.
They were both holding spear shafts in a basic stance that gives out that basic use of a spear (stab 'em with the pointy end).
And then they moved.
Will moved two steps back and stabbed forward, which was easily avoided by the other guy who then moved to the side and stabbed at Will's ribs. Will evaded and swung at his opponent's unprotected head. That should have hit. But the other guy is in Special Forces for at least five years now so his movement was as fast as lightning and he easily blocked Will's counterattack. He then grinded his shaft against Will's and hit him in the head with the other end of it. Will fell to the ground and surrendered since the other guy placed the tip of the shaft at his neck 'killing' him.
Everybody expected this kind of finish, but it was still too fast to be seen anywhere else except in movies and here.
I glanced at the centurion and saw him looking at me with something clearly on his mind. He was holding a Warhammer in his hands. It is nothing unusual to see a centurion with a hammer as big as him since it was their secondary weapon after a rifle. Just as a spear is to normal soldiers and corporals. A thought went through my head
'Damn, this is gonna hurt.'
Centurion moved up on the ring and called me to join him on the fun. I borrowed a spear and climbed up. He then said:
"If you win I'll tell you my name and give the squad to your command. You'll answer only to me. And if you lose... Well, you could consider yourself lucky if you don't die."
His words sent shivers down my spine
'He's gonna kill me!!! Shit, shit, shit!!! What to do, what to do??!?'
My brain worked like crazy but I already knew the solution. I had to win this. Or I will die. And that's not what I want. Time to shine or whine.