Subj: [ffml] [MW] Learning the Way of the Warrior
Date: 99-12-17 15:43:37 EST
From: skyhall@hotmail.com (Sky Hall)
Reply-to: ffml@onelist.com
To: ffml@onelist.com
From: "Sky Hall"
"Forward!" shouted Tim.
The company of men advanced in unison. They had formed a phalanx, two men
deep. The men bore large shields and long spears. They were at one end of
the parade ground and began marching forward, a line of spears protruding
outwards between shields which formed a veritable wall.
"Ho!" shouted the men every few steps to keep them in unison. "Ho!"
shouted the men, and their voices echoed in unison, sending forth a blast of
sound that carried with it power, and drove before it fear.
On the battlefield, Tim would have the soldiers shout this, as well as
beat on their shields at every step. Something to make noise and scare the
enemy. But now, he needed to train their discipline and formation.
"Step to the right!" ordered Tim.
The phalanx wheeled five degrees to the right. The men on the left side
had to pick up the pace, while the men on the right shortened step. The
effect was that the wall of shields and spears was maintained and the unit
continued to march forward in one tight unit.
Tim had trained them this same formation with two men deep, three men
deep, and even four. He began feeling confident about his troops and about
any battle that may come about soon.
Tim ordered the men about the field. Having them turn this way and that,
even ordering a retreat, and the men performed spectacularly.
About the grounds, the other companies were training. The higher officers
had realized that the sergeants in command were not as experienced as Tim,
and were lagging in the training, so experienced men were put in charge, and
they began following the same guidelines as Tim. All of the new recruits
were becoming soldiers.
After a while, Tim gave the men the order to put up their shields and
spears. They then formed a half circle about Tim.
"Alright, I want to tell you boys about what it means to be a soldier,"
began Tim. Tim was barely a few years older then most of the men. In fact,
one was older then him. But it was obvious that they were all novices in the
art of warfare.
"There is the warrior, who fights for himself, and the soldier, who fights
for his country. The enemy we are fighting is an evil one. We are not
fighting a rival country, which would gives us more taxes. Instead we are
fighting moogles. Moogles consider humans inferior to themselves, and they
would treat those they capture as slaves. That is why we fight. To protect
ourselves from a most debasing slavery. Remember that as we march out to
battle, as the cold night makes you shiver, as you hear your friends
screaming their last on the battlefield. You must fight, to save yourselves,
and your countrymen, from the moogles evil tyranny.
"Now, when in battle, you may wonder how to continue on. If you are
fighting an enemy, and they don't want to stop. And you feel tired. Your
arms become sore, your mind becomes dazed, and you just want to run away.
The discipline of the soldier will keep you, and your fellows, together.
That's why we train you so hard. It's not to make you good at cleaning
floors, or at chopping firewood. We train you so that when the time comes,
the enemy is about to attack, you stick together and do not turn tail and
run. Running from a battle means you loose the loose battle, but it can also
mean you loose your life, and the life of your friends. Staying together,
staying in formation, means you can stay alive and keep the enemy back.
That's why officers will use any means necessary to keep their men together,
even killing deserters. We do not want the integrity of hte unit to fall
apart. If one flees, why not another? And then another? Soon, the whole unit
has fled, and the purpose of training you soldiers, of bringing you out to
fight is for not.
"There is being a soldier and being a warrior. A soldier will fight
because he is trained to. A warrior fights for life, survival. There will
come a time out there that you will feel tired and weak. And you will wonder
how you can continue on. That is when you look inside and find the warrior
within. There is a warrior spirit within all of us, and when we tap into
that, it gives us strength and courage. It makes us feel stronger then we
are, and we are able to carry on the battle. You can find that within
yourself and use that spirit.
"It takes time to figure out how tap into that spirit, so do not worry if
at first you do not feel it during the heat of battle. But after a while,
after a few battles, you will come to learn of it. You will see it, hear it,
feel it, taste it even. It will come to you and you will know that you are a
warrior at that moment. Things will slow down, the enemy will become easy to
see and slower. And you will be able to fight them like a madman. They will
not be able to stop you. Just make sure that the feeling of invincibility
does not take over you.
"I have felt that feeling, and it is intoxicating. I once slew five men in
a battle, on that warrior's rush. I could see them moving slowly as I flew
through the air and cut them down. I saw a sword point come at me and almost
stepped into it, thinking that it could not hurt me. But I realized that I
had to avoid it. I had to step aside and not meet that sword point. That is
the thing you must be wary of."
Tim looked about.
"Well, it's time we began sword practice," said Tim.
He then led the soldiers in sword drills. Later, he had them try their
hands at bow and arrows.
--Sky
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From: "Sky Hall"
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Date: Fri, 17 Dec 1999 12:43:20 PST
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Subject: [ffml] [MW] Learning the Way of the Warrior
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