My name is--was Bayn Rem Slobasch. A half-hyur, Garlean, born in Garlemald. The worst place for a half-breed to be. To the Garleans I was an impure beast with a tainted 3rd eye and to everyone else, I was a convenient target of abuse to fit in. Half-Garleans would grow a black 3rd eye in contrast to a pureblood Garleans white one.
Those not of Garlean heritage were often called savages, and often not considered people at all. A half-breed like me was lower than that. Conscript-made citizens were treated better than me. Their families too.
The only one who cared about me was my dad—a Hrothgar Bozjan conscript who for all his hatred of Garleans took me in.
I grew up learning to use a Garlean and Bozjan Gunblade.
He did a lot for me, and I wanted better for him, for us.
After many years I enlisted in the Garlean Military.
Staying In Garlemald would only guarantee a life of misery.
Military was the fast track to stand out among the population, even among royalty.
Not to mention being stationed outside the country. Garlemald owned much of the world.
Somewhere out there had to be an opportunity for us, to have real lives.
I said fast track, but no one had big expectations from me.
I've been the target of sabotage by cadets and instructors alike for years before enlisting.
I wouldn't let that stop me. My father was more knowledgeable than the average man anyway.
I was deployed to my legion of choice after graduation. The XIVth Legion, arguably the best battalion in the Empire, the Emperor's favorite. More so than any of the Royal family's led Legions. I could feel the shock and spite after being accepted, and it satisfied me greatly.
I would be under the command of Legatus Gaius Van Baelsar—the reason for the XIVth being my final choice of legion. My father even successfully transferred so we'd be together.
Of all the Legatuses I thought he would give me the fairest judgement. He had a general that wasn't even Garlean. Rhitahtyn sas Arvina. I met him during the XIVths training exercises.
His men adored him, respected him, loved him. Garleans and conscripts bled for this man.
What did that feel like I wonder?
I was first put in his battalion in the country of Werlyt—one of Gaius' earliest campaigns. Arvina was Acting-Commander. Gaius himself at the time was governing Ala Mhigo, with the bigger portion of the Legion.
As such the settlement was vulnerable enough to be targeted by pirates. The very first time at sea, our ship of recruits was ambushed by pirate vessels.
No doubt expecting little resistance.
Too bad for them me and Dad were there.
Gunblades blazing.
Not to take too much credit, but we did not lose one of our ranks that day.
It did serve to make a good first impression on the XIVth though.
Before I knew it, I was promoted and transferred to Ala Mhigo. So much so we had no plans ready to have Dad transferred, but that didn't seem to be a problem.
As I went so did he.
We were now a part of the main forces of the XIVth legion.
I was as far from Garlemald as I was gonna get. I quelled my optimism, but things 'were' looking ahead.
Things didn't seem too different than in Werlyt at least until SHE showed up.
Back with Arvina, I can't pretend everyone liked me, but it's not like any of the Captains had it out for me personally. Arvina least of all.
Livia was a different story.
When she was around I could feel how much she wanted to cut me down on sight. No one could even mess with me because of how chilly the room would get when I was near her. It kept my squad constantly on edge.
Every single day Livia used her authority to make mundane tasks a struggle.
I lost track of how many transfer requests my team leaders would issue. It made it hard for me and my father to stay together.
For all Livias' efforts, it only served to make me look good.
I got moved up in Rank enough to have my own team, albeit a small one and without my dad. Not that I didn't want him. Dad outranked me anyway.
I got the results.
I was informed by the Red Tribunus Laticlavius Nero Tol Scaeva that after the next Legion-wide Training exercises I was up for another promotion. Provided I kept up the performance. He said Lord Gaius is not one to fill the ranks with chauff.
I still had never met Gaius face-to-face, but I guess I was making some impression.
My personal performance was something I could guarantee, but I was at a disadvantage in numbers. My father couldn't help because we would be competing at different tiers. Then there was Livia's animosity.
I then recalled some of the XIVth's major campaigns. Fun fact: Gaius didn't invade Ala Mhigo until AFTER the people overthrew the king.
When the day came, Livia was on me like it was life or death. I used it to my advantage. If my numbers were too small, then I'd let her bloodlust clear the way.
To win these exercises one's faction simply had to take the marked areas and claim them by igniting a smoke flare.
Each time she sent her forces to take mine, I'd made sure that another group was in between us.
Taking my gunblades in hand, I split her forces to give my team a better chance, Taking the brunt of her aggression.
Livia practically abandoned her squad. With the fewest soldiers possible my team overtook the territory one spot at a time.
We won.
If only that was enough to stop Livia, in her rage, she attacked from behind and followed up for a killing blow.
I deployed a shield from my Bozja gunblade and traced an X with my Garlean one.
Lucky for her the rounds weren't packed with much Ceruleum.
When the Tribunus arrived I was surprised to see my father and Gaius Van Baelsar.
He hid his bloodlust well, as the Legatus called Livia to follow him. I could hear her stifle a scream. Livia wouldn't dare refuse Gaius.
My father had his gunblade drawn before he arrived. Even as he healed me he never took his eyes off the stumbling Livia.
When she was finally out of sight, he took a moment to congratulate me.
Before I could respond I was surrounded by my teammates, and for the first time in my life was lifted with wholehearted praise, by someone other than my father.
Even when I performed well before, I was usually met with unrequited spite. Now, this…
I didn't know at the time how proud he was of me.
After the exercises ceased Legatus Van Baelsar personally awarded me with a promotion to Pilus. Pilus' were the Tier Ranked below Tribunus, but above the better half of any legion.
What surprised me more, was that following this announcement I was met with applause.
It felt like a dream...
Through all the years of being spat on, having my Dad face a court Marshal every time I got into a fight, or just being hated for existing, I had proven myself.
To finally be able to give my father the life he deserved. We deserved.
After being promoted the ranks of my platoon filled out. I even got a few transfer requests from Livia's troops and she outranked me.
Before now there was always this hint of disgust I got from anyone who would talk to me, but couldn't express it freely. I still got that from the people of Ala Mhigo, but they gave that to every Garlean soldier, even their own people sometimes. Fights usually broke out for things like that.
Still, it was a far cry from how I was treated in Garlemald and it's not like all the Ala Mhigans hated me. I think.
According to Dad, I've stopped more public outbursts since being promoted.
I had the respect of my squad, my father wasn't doing too bad, Livia had toned down her attempts to harass me, and I was high enough on the food chain to attend top-brass meetings with the other Senior Pilus'. Downside of course having Nero lord his intelligence over us. Surprisingly Nero has never once given any direct insult to my black eye. Only my lack in my magitek engineering. I didn't re-invent the Reaper, but I knew how to build one from the ground up!
I thought things could only get better from then on.
I thought a lot of things...
I stood only to gain more, my squad thought I could be the next Rhitahtyn sas Arvina.A Tribunis among Gaius's core command.
That I had secured my future.
The following month, a group of escapees were caught heading to the Ala Mhigan border at Baelsar's Wall. My squad was one of many tasked with hunting the conspirators, likely members of the Ala Mhigan resistance.
We found them in the last place we were expecting; halfway to the city of Ala Mhigo. Like they wanted to get caught.
Gunshots were going off, but I found some of my men knocked out, helmets broken or magitek strewn over the landscape.
Along with a blood trail...
They had been wounded!
I ordered my company to hang back while I followed first.
I kept a gunblade at the ready anticipating where they would come out next.
SHE'S OVER HERE, GUT HER!
I heard Livia's voice, following the blood trail farther in.
Don't lose sight of them! Expand the grid!
I heard Legatus Baelsar on the side parallel to Livia.
We had them boxed in. I motioned my squad to move in closer, to stay spread out.
I stayed ahead.
The blood seemed to pool up as the trail lengthed.
AAAGH!
A soldier rolled before me in a slump. I wasted no time in dashing forward to see my target with their back turned. Blood seeping from their hip, they took a stumble clutching their wound.
I had my gunblade at their throat in mere moments. When they turned their head releasing ragged breaths we were in full view of each other.
A half-broken mask that revealed an ocean-blue iris. Short blonde hair was hidden under a headpiece, white blouse, and shorts. A woman, fairly young. She wasn't wearing resistance colors.
Who the hell was she?
FOUND HER!
I heard my squadron call from behind. The legions formed around and I could hear the woman's breathing quicken in response.
Gaius wasn't too far behind along with my father and his troops.
The woman looked around and her breaths slowed. I heard her murmur something. Then to my surprise, she closed her eyes and was still.
I hadn't moved for the killing blow yet, but my blade was still at her neck.
She was waiting for me to finish her!?
I instinctively pulled my blade back to prepare to swing.
HEAR
....
....
...
"What?" I muttered.
FEEL
"What did you say?" I said to the woman. She was unmoved, still waiting for death. I was confused.
THINK
.....
.....
.....
Something turned the sky black and out came red comets from a vortex.
HEAR. FEEL. THINK!
A bright flash of light and I was looking down at a child. Blonde hair and blue eyes.
I had no idea who this was, but I somehow knew everything about this girl, as she looked up at me. With a toothy smile, she hugged my leg, and I raised it, holding her up in the air.
However the leg wasn't mine, there was no armor. It was too light-skinned and skinny.
There was another flash of light.
I was sitting next to the child, holding (not) my hands over the child's face.
A woman's voice came out of my mouth, and I could hear others around the room.
Surprise!
Before the child was a cake, doused in frosting and strawberries. On the top was a number 6, surrounded by six candles.
The child was delighted and immediately latched on to me. When the girl blew out the candles light filled my vision again.
The little girl was in bed and she was holding onto my hand half-asleep.
Good night, mommy.
With a yawn, the child happily nuzzled against my palm with both of her tiny hands.
I could feel the stifling of tears before they rolled down my cheeks. Yet, I could also feel the happiness. The weariness, the relief, and the child's love returned 1000 fold.
The world around returned to the present. I was so shaken that I dropped my gunblade from the woman, in a stupor.
The assorted thoughts and feelings were still fresh as my chest stirred. The motherly love, the child's affection, their bond! The sense of homecoming...of resolution...everything I longed for...
Everything about to be taken away.
Recovering from the haze, I looked around to see the walls of gunmen aiming at the woman. All eyes were on me. My men, Livia's, my fathers'!!!
Felt like the whole legion.
I looked back at the woman and she didn't appear to notice I had pulled away my gunblade and hadn't moved.
She just lay there, her eyes closed.
I looked back and forth between the Legion and her. I took a deep, ragged breath. I picked up my gunblade and raised it above her head.
I could still hear the last thing the child said.
Good night, mommy.
I turned around to face my Legion and slammed my Bozjan gunblade toward them.
BOOM!
To the XIVth Legion's shock, the newly made Pilus and aspiring Tribunus with his whole career ahead of him, in a puff of smoke had disappeared into the lands of Gyr Abania, with the insurgent. Never to know why in the years to come.