Back to Basics (Training)

by **Pulren Marsh** on March 5th, 2015, 2:34 am

15th of Spring, AV 515

Just after Dawn

Feeling surprisingly spry, Pulren made his way through the streets of the city as it began waking up around him. He could hear the clamor of the sailors and ships and the calls of the terns and seagulls, the native sounds invigorating him. He had really done it. He had survived the perils of both Sunberth and Sahova and returned to his hometown in one piece, more or less. Sure, his mind and heart were not in the best shape, but they would heal as he would in the comfort and familiarity of Zeltiva. Syna was rising high from Her visit with Laviku, Her light shining over the Sea Father's temple and the headquarters of the Wave Guard.

Seeing the building brought a welling of tears to Pulren's eyes. He found himself short of breath, holding on to the shaft of his trident for support. "I'm home." He would never allow for such weakness back in the armpit of Sylira, but here, here among his people, he could allow himself the feelings that had been gone for so long. His battle scarred shield in arm, he started making his way up the slow incline toward the place that had trained him so well. Already the sounds of exercise and group commands could be heard from the practice yard, the activity quickening his step as he continued to climb the hill and approach the main structure.

Standing at guard duty outside the front doors was a large man in the Guardsman outfit, the sight of Syna gleaming off of the wave crest emblem on the shield causing Pulren to wipe his face from the tears of joy. Looking down at him, a scowl softened. "Who enters? Wait...is that you, Marsh?" The sound of his own name snapped Pulren's attention up toward the towering guard, his trident and shield rising out of instinct. "It's Gerlo, ye daft vagik." Letting his arms lower, he saw that it was indeed the great and gangly Gerlo, the man who had harassed him and proven his nemesis while still in training.

"Gerlo? Man, I never thought I would be happy to see your mug. How are you, old man?"Planting his trident into the dirt, Pulren smiled, the emotions flowing freely through his heart for the first time in a long time. "Eh. Shyke went down last season. Wizard College exploded. Ye better get debriefed. Wait, are ye returnin?" Pulren smiled and nodded, gripping his paperwork as if his very lifeblood was in it. "I am indeed. Just got back from Sunberth a few days ago." Gerlo's brows raised and he looked Pulren over, noticing the scars on shield, body and expression. "Glad you made it back. Spar later?"

"You bet yer ass, Gerlo. A full spar!" Entering the building, he couldn't wait to get his uniform on.

by **Pulren Marsh** on March 10th, 2015, 6:04 pm

As he entered the barracks floor, he was happy to hear the usual doldrum of voices, the headquarters still as busy as ever with guards carrying out their duties. Approaching the desk, he made a beeline for Sergeant Kelvin, the oldest of the Sergeants and a familiar face to those who dealt with paperwork. the guards that flanked him at the desk seemed to stop their work when someone as brooding as Pulren approached. Although his demeanor was happy, he seemed to carry a burden of unseen shadow that would be clear even to those without Auristics.

"Marsh, is it?", the senior Sergeant queried. Placing his hands on the desk and smirking, Pulren nodded, answering, "Marsh it is, indeed. I've returned to take the mantle back up." He passed his paperwork from the Lord of Council over, which Kelvin looked over briefly, his eyebrows raising and lowering. Passing it off to one of the other guards, he nodded and the guard in question departed and entered into the back room where the files were kept. The senior man continued. "I believe you took leave to aid a Syliran with an investigation. I heard tell it was actually a Knight. Is that so?"

"It is, Sergeant. Markus Andres asked for my assistance to find the slavers that had absconded with some of his family." After scratching with his quill some notes, Kelvin asked, "Were you successful?" The simple answer was no, as Pulren had so easily descended into the madness and depravity of the city. He didn't even know if Markus had been successful. He certainly wasn't going to mention that he joined a criminal gang in the meantime. "I believe he was, Sir. Sunberth required my full attention just to survive. They aren't friendly to lawgivers there, so I had to take on an alias and keep a low profile until I was able to return." Nodding further, the Sergeant stepped out from the desk and began walking toward the training yard, beckoning for Pulren to follow.

Doing as instructed, Pulren followed Kelvin, listening as the man continued in hushed tones. "I noticed that you returned with a group of mercenaries from Sunberth. Your application even comes on the same day as theirs. Did you join them? If so, it's alright. I just need to know where your loyalty lies. You understand." Pulren felt his heart drop for a moment at the inquisition, but his mind brought him back aloft, reassuring him of the logic of the situation." Of course. My loyalty lies where it always has, SIr. With Zeltiva and the Guard. My first desire is to be enlisted and get back to work. If Sunberth did anything for me, it instilled in me the knowledge that there are many enemies out there and I need to train myself to be able to deal with them and protect our city. I would give my life for it."

by **Pulren Marsh** on March 29th, 2015, 9:03 am

A look of acceptance and something akin to satisfaction washed over the senior man's features. "I'm glad to hear all of that, Marsh. Your very survival and ability to work alongside such unsavory types makes you just the man for future endeavors. We'll be keeping an eye on you, surely." These words further bolstered Pulren and made him truly feel as if he had survived some rite of passage by returning to Zeltiva. Nothing like those that Kaie mentioned in the bloody jungles, but still. More than he ever thought he would see.

"I won't let you down, Sir." A short clap on the shoulder and the pair found themselves among the recruits and the Guards in the training yard. It looked much smaller now to Pulren, maybe the size of the courtyard at the Quay. It was hard to tell for sure, but maybe it was the training dummies and bodies packed in that made it seem so. He was immediately overtaken by a sense of pride and nostalgia, the memories rushing in of his own days of training in this yard. Here he was again, a different man but still very similar.

"I'll get your weapon and shield sorted out, stop by on your way out for measurements for your new uniform. Welcome back, Guardsman Marsh." When he heard this, Pulren's attention caught him and he swiveled on his heel, snapping his hand in a sharp ridge above his eyes. "Thank you, Sergeant." With a nod and an "As you were", Pulren's hand and posture relaxed as he entered the yard, joining the back of a line of recruits as they ran in circles around the yard. It felt good. It felt right. It felt like home.

by **Pulren Marsh** on April 1st, 2015, 10:47 pm

His breathing and heart rate stimulated, the group came to a halt as the Sergeant continued to run in place, his knees coming up high to his chest. Pulren appreciated the man's vigor and commitment.His olive skin and dark beard glistened with the perspiration of the effort, but when he spoke, Pulren could tell that the strain was not one at all. "Run in place, recruits!NO one told you to stop. The group had mostly stopped anyway, some bent over and clutching their knees as they tried to regain their breath. Pulren began to run in place as ordered, a resounding "Yes, SIr!" popping off out of habit. It brought the Sergeant's attention and he stopped jogging, walking down to Pulren as the others began to labor at resuming the action.

"Name and rank, Guard!" Pulren had definitely drawn the attention of the Sergeant with his discipline. He was answering as these recruits would be at the end of their training. Keeping his eyes at attention as he ran, Pulren answered, "Guardsman Pulren Marsh, Sir!"The Sergeant, without skipping a beat, fired back. "That's rank and name, boy! Do you have a problem with following orders?" Pulren realized the error of his ways but continued to face forward, answering, "Sir, no Sir!" The senior man turned away and faced the others. "Drop and give me twenty five, Marsh. Maybe that will remind you how to answer." Without hesitation, Pulren crouched and stretched his boots out as he assumed the pushup position. Counting off, he began to exercise.

"One. Two. Three. Four."

His legs were straight, his body rigid and in line, his arms relaxing until his face was close to the ground and then pushing him back up until they were straight, the burn beginning slow and sure in his biceps.

"Five. Six. Seven. Eight."

The Sergeant continued to challenge the other recruits, using Pulren as an example. "Guardsman Marsh just came back from a little vacation in Sunberth. Anyone ever been to Sunberth?" Pulren was amazed at how fast information traveled in the yard. Probably because most people didn't come back from Sunberth.

"Thirteen. Fourteen. Fifteen. Sixteen."

"Anyone worth their salt knows that Sunberth is no playground. There's no doubt in my mind that it was the discipline and training provided in the Wave Guard that allowed Marsh to live. Right, Marsh?"

"Twenty three. Twenty four. Twenty five."

Standing in his own fresh suit of sweat, Pulren sounded off before taking his pose back to attention. "Sir, Yes, Sir!" Now his heart and body was burning and pumping. His mind was still with the effort. Home was there for sure now. In his bones, in his blood, in his salt.