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"Wake up.. Ruox, you are sleeping late again. You have to train for the recruitment, don't you?" a woman said in a gentle tone as she woke up Ruox.
She was wearing a typical white dress, which reached her ankles, with a brown light shoulder coat, which reached her waist, with a cloth around her head to tie her hair in place. "Come on, big guy, don't be a sloth in early morning."
A young man with unkept and messy brown hair and light green irises yawned in his bed and sat up with a sleepy face. He turned his head toward the woman and said, "Fine, fine, I am up.". She tapped his head and said, "Good, now go freshen up," and she left out the dark wood door just beside the bed. Ruox got out of his bed and stretched his body, "damn... I am stiff as a log.". He walked toward the window while scratching his head and looked out of the window as the bright sunlight burned his eyes and slowly the light starts to settle in his eyes as he saw outside, A town at its grace, kids are running around playing hide and seek in streets, market is packed with the customers as they bargain or their resective stuff.
An old couple was walking down the street hand in hand. Then a voice rang from the stairs just outside his room's gate, "RUOX, ARE YOU STILL SLEE...", the voice of the woman died out as she saw Ruox looking out of the window. "LimeGrave is as lively as ever, you really love it here, don't you?" the woman said as she put her hand on his shoulder. Roux gently turned his head and said in an even gentler tone, "This is where we were born after all, how can I not love it?? But still, all this is nothing compared to you, Alicia.". Alicia laughed and said, "Stop it, Ruox,... Get ready for training, you have recruitments tomorrow, don't you?". Roux said with a sigh, "Right, army recruitments..." Alicia said, "Don't worry, you can easily get recruited.".
Roux pat her head and walk of the door and after washing his face, straps a halbered on his back and got out of the house saying, "I will be back by evening", Alicia's voice rang out from kitchen, "Take care my love.", He smile and start jogging as gentle sunlight shines his face up and butterflies wander around the flower shop and small puppy ran with him. Ruox saw the puppy and said, "Don't worry, little guy, I will be back by evening. Go to Alicia if you need food."
Puppy barked in his small voice and ran back toward Ruox's house as if he had just said a 'bye'. Ruox went out of the town and trained in the field alone as he swung his halberd for almost 500 times; his hands got tired and started burning. He stopped swinging and sat down for some meditation to calm his pain and breath, then after 20 minutes, he got up and swung the halberd for 300 more times until his hands gave up. His hands were all damaged from constant gripping.
He sighed, strapped the halberd back on his back, and began to run back home. The outskirts of town look gorgeous in the orange light of sunset. He watches the sunset as he runs back home. It took him an hour to get back home. As he entered the house, he said, "I am back, Alicia.". Alicia came from upstairs, said "welcome back home, Ruox.. you should go bath, you stinks" as her face twisted mid-sentence. Ruox said playfully while going towards the bathroom, "That's not a nice way to talk to your husband.". Alicia said, "And who will stop me? You?"
After Ruox's bath and having dinner, both lay on the bed to sleep, but Ruox can't sleep and keeps twisting and turning in bed. Alicia woke up from his uneasiness, and said, "If you don't sleep and keep worrying about what will happen tomorrow morning, you will surely fail the recruitments. You need energy tomorrow, and for that, sleep is a must." Roux sighed and said while gently pulling her in a hug, "You are right.. you know.. thanks for being here, Alicia" She was caught off guard by both thanks and a hug at once and said while settling into his hug and closing his eyes, "shut up, dumbass" The couple slept together peacefully while leaving the worries in the corner.
The next day started harshly, Ruox bid his farewell to Alicia in urgency, "Alicia, I will be going now.. will be back with good or bad news by evening." Alicia hugged him and said, "Calm down, you will bring only good news, do your best".
Ruox calmed down a bit and walked out of the door and walked toward the StormVeil Castle, where the recruitments were being held. The castle was shining with light grey walls with golden borders, a complete contrast to the present's dull and murky state. Ruox arrived at the main gate and said to the guard, "Uh.. I am Ruox, I am registered for the recruitment test today."
The guard said, "Go in straight and left, you will find the recruiter in a black armour set, he is in a bad mood today though, May the grace guide your path." Ruox got a bit worried about their warning about his mood, but he can't do anything about it, so he just follows directions to find a man in black iron armor yelling at some soldiers for not training properly.
Ruox said, "Uh, sir... I was told that the recruitment is going to take place here.". The man stop yelling in middle and look at him and said, "what is your weapon boy?", Ruox said, "Halberd sir.", the man said in non chalant tone "go run 30 rounds of the castle with 2 halberds on your back, and if you stop your legs, come back next year."
Roux strapped two heavy halberds from the rack beside the instructor and started running. The First 20 rounds were easy, but the castle proved to be bigger than he expected, as now his legs started to burn. Ruox still pushed till the 26th round as his steps started to falter, but he kept his legs moving somehow. By the 29th lap, he can't run anymore; in any case, he is barely able to walk.
The halberds were too heavy to be running with in this distance, but he kept running as fast as he could, even if that was as fast as walking. By the finishing spot, he fell on his face as he completed the task. The recruiter came and said, "You don't have good stamina... you will run now, do this daily from next week. Don't be late."
Ruox realized it some moments later that he was recruited, he got up and said, "Thank you, sir.". The recruiter just waved without looking back and went into his barracks. He got up and took a ride back to town; his legs were in no shape to walk. As he entered the house, Alicia jumped in front of him, "SO??????????????"... Ruox said, "You are now a military wife, Alicia.". She squealed and hugged him tight while laughing wth joy. Both had a joyful dinner and slept peacefully, more than ever.
As they were sleeping, at approximately midnight, they heard a loud bang. They jumped out of the bed, and Ruox ran to the window to see what was going on and saw a bright flash of golden beacon shining in the distance in the sky.. Alicia ran to him and asked, "What is going on?", and as Alicia and Ruox saw what followed the beacon, they fell back on the floor in shock...
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