ROLEPLAY HQ - take-me-to-war

Cridia was a kingdom of knowledge and history, making great strides towards magic and technology, a peaceful little kingdom it seemed. Except for it was in the middle of a war with the kingdom of Langua. No one knew why it started, but the troops soon enough was sent off to war, and the one leading them was the Silent General, Atlas. War was something Atlas didn’t want to be dragged into. The soldier never liked the idea of war, never liked the bloodshed or violence, training was different from the real thing, one small mistake could cost a persons life. And yet, Atlas had a duty to their kingdom, to the king who put them in charge of the army. To fight and protect their people, to protect their men. It’s what they were trained for, delivering marching orders, trying to protect what they could. The men that were lost Atlas would mourn for through the night before having to pack up and march out again. A strong willed general. A general their father would’ve been proud of. But the battle wasn’t supposed to end like this. Rain poured on the bloody battlefield as Atlas stared up at the gray sky with their equally gray eyes. They could feel pain echo through their body, their sword only a few inches away. From the sounds of it, most of their men were retreating, knowing when they have been outmatched. Atlas couldn’t help but to close their eyes, their breathing becoming ragged. They had to get up, they knew that. But their body felt so heavy with the rain. From their left Atlas could hear footsteps approach, causing them to open their eyes trying to reach for the discarded sword, trying to will themselves to get up once more. (edited)

4:48 AM

@Black981

Aurgest lead what could be called one of the more technical advanced kingdom in these lands. Known for the use of artillery caused mass destruction to any kingdom that came to face them. The battle against cridia had been going on for years and it never got any easier watching the amount of bodies, that covered the battlefield soaking blood into the soil beneath their feet. Today’s battle ended like many times before with cridia men running away from the mass amount of bloodshed. Augrst made his way through the battlefield in the pouring rain, checking over the dead bodies before noticing him lying there in the middle of the battlefield on his back. Augrst made way up to atlas lying on the floor before kneeling down next to the with a gentle smile. “Greetings commander it looks like your men have left you to die in these fields, I could kill you right now and storm your kingdom but that’s not what I’m going to do” Augrst said softly before whistling for his men to come. Before turning back to look at atlas “you are coming back with us you will be fead you will be treated like a prisoner but if you play your cards right I’ll let you see daylight one day” Augest smiled before standing up and walking away as two men came over handcuffing atlas before picking him up and walking him back to kingdom behind Augrst.

Atlas couldn’t help but to glare at Augrst when he spoke. They knew their men retreated by their orders, being left behind was always a possibility in of itself. Yet, Atlas couldn’t seem to speak, to retort the opposing generals response. The cuffs were tight, uncomfortably so with their good hand, heavy and cold, slicked with rain. Atlas couldn’t struggle against the men, their strength being lost due to the wound on their side, their clothes stained with blood. Atlas could feel each step they took, a painful sensation, the bobble of their head and vision blurring. The last thing Atlas had saw was kingdom of Langua in the distance ready to welcome its men back home, before everything went black. Atlas awoke soon after, lying on the floor of a small cell. Sitting up, they winced feeling the sharp pain where their wounded side was. Their coat and vest seemed to have been taken, leaving them only with the bloody white tunic worn underneath their uniform. They could feel bandages wrapped around their body covering the wound and their head seemed to pound. “Dammit.” They muttered slowly getting themselves into a sitting position, noticing how their metal arm seemed to hang loosely. “At least the cuffs are gone.” Silently, their good hand ran over a sting of magic symbols inscribed into the metal connecting to the shoulder. A small spark came from their fingers as the symbols glowed, enveloped by the magic. Slowly, Atlas moved the metallic arm making sure that the functions were still there, before looking towards the door of the cell.

6:28 AM

@Black981

Augrst was sitting on a stool facing atlas cell sitting in the darkness watching him use his magic on his arm. “You would be happy to know it was I how patched you back together and impressive magic you got” Augrst spoke from the darkness before standing up and took a step closer to the cell stepping out of the dark. “You’re wound’s will need time to heal before you can get back to war until then you’re mine so atlas what does your king have in plan as you become captured, are they going to send a rescue team after you or will they possibly leave you here to die” augrst said softly kneeling down to come to eye level with atlas. Before looking down letting out a gentle sigh “I don’t want to kill you atlas your knowledge when it comes to magic is intriguing. Before augrst could continue with what he was going to say a guard came down the stairs staying out of sight from atlas ready for their watch.

“I have no information to give.” They finally spoke after studying Augrst for a while. It wasn’t a lie per se, as Atlas knew word of their disappearance wouldn’t heard until the troops get back to camp. “And if I did, why would I tell you?” Their hands rested on their lap. Atlas knew they couldn’t do anything, not at the moment. Their mind went over what they could do however, stall, maybe give false information. Atlas narrowed their eyes slightly. “I’m not going to betray my kingdom, General Augrst.” They spoke once again, maintaining eye contact. They really couldn’t betray their kingdom, remembering the oath that was made. “I have made my own oath.” “Once you make an oath to the king, you can’t betray it Atlas.” Their father use to say. And it was something that they still believed. The main reason why they had even fought in the war.

8:32 AM

@Black981

Augrst nodded before standing up “we will be ready for anything your kingdom throws at us,see you later atlas” Augrst said before heading towards the stairs leading up and out of the cells. Augrst went on to continue his duties before going to his workshop and started to work on a new invention, he wasn’t sure what it would be just yet but knew it would either work for him or the army in the next war. The guard patrolled the cells before standing In front of atlas cell, as atlas was there high value prisoner and didn’t want him trying to escape and run back to his kingdom. “Augrst is trying to what’s best for the kingdom” the guard spoke not with a male like every other guard in the kingdom it was a woman, in full armour and wearing a helmet to hide her face as she didn’t want anyone to see her face while she was on duty.

9:32 PM

@Sad Boi Micha

Atlas was silent, staring out of the cell as they heard the woman spoke. They knew that it was the truth, almost in the same vein that Atlas was doing what they could for their country. “I understand that.” They spoke quietly, almost mumbling as the lifted their metallic arm, where as the clear symbols were on the shoulder of it, Atlas could see faint marks and lines where the magic segmented and connected. From the way that they could see Atlas was due for another maintenance soon. Minutes turned into hours as Atlas started to grow restless. It was to be expected, however the constant feeling of being watched by the guards was uncomfortable. Atlas never spoke, it seemed that they lived up to their reputation of the army. Atlas glanced over to the cell bars, before closing their eyes again.

4:34 PM

@Black981

Augrst came back a few hours later taking the guard off their post before walking up to there cell. “Atlas I have sent word to your kingdom to send someone for your arm” augrst said calmly kneeling down to match their eye level. “I know about your arm and I’m not going to make you suffer while you are here, we may be in war but I’m no monster” Augrst said softly before grabbing his stool sitting down in front of atlas.

“I appreciate it.” Atlas nodded slightly. “I’m surprised you would alert my kingdom, but grateful nonetheless.” They watched at Augrst grabbed the stool, sitting it in front of them. Atlas didnt seem nervous, or at least, didn’t show it to the other general. As he sat down, Atlas couldn’t help but to sigh. “So, what happens now?” It was a genuine question, after all there should be protocols and procedures for taking a prisoner of war. Atlas knew Cridia’s by heart, but things were different now.

10:42 AM

@Black981

“Well that depends how you take things if you cooperate with us I will, put in place that you will be allowed out of your cell for a couple of hours to let you spread your legs and have a look around our kingdom if you don’t try to run off back to your kingdom” Augrst said softly looking at them with a warm smile. “You may be a prisoner here but we are not monsters here and going to make you suffer, if you accept it once you have proven yourself to us that you’re not going to try and run we will treat you like a guest with a guard escort.” He added before slowly started to stand up from his stool and stretched before looking back at them and bow.

Atlas simply looked away. A small frown on their lips. It wasn’t that they didn’t believe Augrst, but simply that there wasn’t enough information. Atlas was a soldier. Atlas was born into it no matter their feelings. They worked solely based on fact, and knew a few things. One, they were currently at war even if the history behind it was faded by time. Two, they were captured by the enemy, one who seemed to be offering a preverbal olive branch. Three, that olive branch came at a price. Four, they were still healing from their injuries, there was nothing they could do but sit and wait. Atlas was a strategist, it was what they did. Coming up with possible outcomes from dire situations. They just had to take it one step at a time. “We will see with time.” They spoke, mainly to themselves, as Augrst stood. “The cards that are casted always change no matter how we play.”

7:11 PM

@Black981

“That is the art of war, you may have the best cards in the game but there is always a chance for someone come in and change the game not just in the war. But the people who are just trying to live their lives away from the war may be affected by the cards in play” Augrst said gently looking at them. Augrst stretched back walking away into the dark for a few minutes going to fill a tray with food before carrying the tray back to their cell. Before putting the tray down in front of the cell door “You must be hungry by now so please eat I don’t want to see you starving in there you may be a prisoner right now but I’m not starving you like some people would” Augrst said softly.