09-08-2017, 09:58 PM
The view on the top of the North Wall of Darkshire was impressive. It was the most impressive thing Leonard Snart had seen thus far since he arrived in the Omniverse. Not that he'd seen much. But compared to the white nothingness of the Nexus and the sprawling plains he witnessed in Camelot, the view of the Pale Moors from this post was amazing. He'd never admit it out loud, but he had a soft spot for art, and this 'verse' was certainly a piece of art. The rolling hills that towered above him was beautiful, dotted with forests between vast fields. There was a mist that made him feel strangely comfortable. Most people would find it eerie, but for Snart, it gave him a bit of a chill. In a good way.
He was standing a watch for the Darkshire town guard. He was supposed to wear a uniform, but of course he didn't. But the leather armor and the sword he was given still rested nearby, on the cot he was given to relax in. Instead, he stood in his dark blue overcoat, hiding his figure and weapons, with the big eskimo hood pulled up over his head. Anyone who happened to see him on the other side of the wall would give pause, but fortunately he didn't get much traffic at this post.
This was his third watch in about five days. He had signed up after a couple days of scouting out the town, and then went through a day of initial training. He wasn't much of a hand-to-hand fighter but he was smart (and component) enough to convince the captain that he'd be useful. They needed bodies and he had a clean record (so far). Plus, being on the guard helped pay his rent at the Brass Fang, so there was that too.
"Not bad, eh? Beautiful, even." Came a voice. Snart looked over his shoulder to find a man he had come to recognize, but not actually meet. Captain Atelos was the man in charge of the town militia. He was there when Snart had initially signed up, but he hadn't actually voiced an opinion one way or the other. Since then, Snart had seen him around the barracks and heard him give speeches during the morning quarters. But this was the first time he'd actually spoken to him. "Leonard Snart, correct?"
"Indeed," Snart responded. He looked in front of him as Atelos moved to stand next to him. "To what do I owe the pleasure, Captain?"
Atelos looked at Leonard next to him. He sized him up, from boots to hood. He smiled. "I try to know everyone under my command, if possible. You're not like the usual batch of recruits we get."
"What, handy with a sword? Young and fit?"
"Stupid," the Captain told him. "Eager and naive. Too willing to jump in and get noticed on the first week. Too willing to put themselves at risk. To put this town at risk. These young men, they think only of their own situation, and not of the team. Of the people."
Leonard nodded his head in agreement to what he was saying. "You don't have to worry about that from me. I'm just here to figure this place out. No need for glory."
Atelos turned around so he was leaning back against the wall, and Leonard was next to him, but faced towards it. In this position, they were able to look at each other easier when they spoke. It was a tactic he was using to stress something important. Snart knew it well. He knew the emphasis when a man looked another in the eyes. "I have something that I need your assistance with. I am sending one of my officers with a team out to the Shireen Farm. We have an outpost out there that is late on reports. You've been recommended to the team, and I want to see what you can do."
As was his usual reaction, Snart did nothing. His face betrayed no emotion. He didn't give away his thoughts. "I'm honored you thought of me, Captain, but..." Obviously he wasn't about to volunteer to go on a strike team out to some farm in the middle of nowhere. He was here on the wall because it was where he wanted to be. Where he could learn the most about this city.
"You'll leave at dawn. Consider this a test, Leonard Snart." Atelos pat him on the shoulder. Suddenly things got tense. The pat on the shoulder was very condescending. Unlike Snart, Atelos not very good at keeping his emotions hidden behind a stern face. He was grinning behind gritted teeth. Then he turned to walk away.
"A test of what?" Snart asked. He gave away a little bit of annoyance. On purpose.
Atelos turned momentarily as he made his way to the stairwell leading off the wall. "Trust. Loyalty. A test of whether or not you're here for Darkshire. Or not." With that, the Captain of the Darkshire Militia walked away.
Leonard Snart turned back to the view in front of him. He tried to pinpoint where in the Pale Moors he was being sent, but he had no idea. He had only a name to go off of. Shireen Farm. He couldn't help but suddenly feel sour about his situation. He thought he had found an easy, cushy job to relax in until he figured out his next move. Until he figured out his first mark on the Omniverse. But it wasn't going to be that easy. He wasn't going to be able to just hide behind the walls of a quiet town waiting until the right time to do something.
The Omniverse was going to get what it wanted out of Leonard Snart, whether he was cooperative or not.
He was standing a watch for the Darkshire town guard. He was supposed to wear a uniform, but of course he didn't. But the leather armor and the sword he was given still rested nearby, on the cot he was given to relax in. Instead, he stood in his dark blue overcoat, hiding his figure and weapons, with the big eskimo hood pulled up over his head. Anyone who happened to see him on the other side of the wall would give pause, but fortunately he didn't get much traffic at this post.
This was his third watch in about five days. He had signed up after a couple days of scouting out the town, and then went through a day of initial training. He wasn't much of a hand-to-hand fighter but he was smart (and component) enough to convince the captain that he'd be useful. They needed bodies and he had a clean record (so far). Plus, being on the guard helped pay his rent at the Brass Fang, so there was that too.
"Not bad, eh? Beautiful, even." Came a voice. Snart looked over his shoulder to find a man he had come to recognize, but not actually meet. Captain Atelos was the man in charge of the town militia. He was there when Snart had initially signed up, but he hadn't actually voiced an opinion one way or the other. Since then, Snart had seen him around the barracks and heard him give speeches during the morning quarters. But this was the first time he'd actually spoken to him. "Leonard Snart, correct?"
"Indeed," Snart responded. He looked in front of him as Atelos moved to stand next to him. "To what do I owe the pleasure, Captain?"
Atelos looked at Leonard next to him. He sized him up, from boots to hood. He smiled. "I try to know everyone under my command, if possible. You're not like the usual batch of recruits we get."
"What, handy with a sword? Young and fit?"
"Stupid," the Captain told him. "Eager and naive. Too willing to jump in and get noticed on the first week. Too willing to put themselves at risk. To put this town at risk. These young men, they think only of their own situation, and not of the team. Of the people."
Leonard nodded his head in agreement to what he was saying. "You don't have to worry about that from me. I'm just here to figure this place out. No need for glory."
Atelos turned around so he was leaning back against the wall, and Leonard was next to him, but faced towards it. In this position, they were able to look at each other easier when they spoke. It was a tactic he was using to stress something important. Snart knew it well. He knew the emphasis when a man looked another in the eyes. "I have something that I need your assistance with. I am sending one of my officers with a team out to the Shireen Farm. We have an outpost out there that is late on reports. You've been recommended to the team, and I want to see what you can do."
As was his usual reaction, Snart did nothing. His face betrayed no emotion. He didn't give away his thoughts. "I'm honored you thought of me, Captain, but..." Obviously he wasn't about to volunteer to go on a strike team out to some farm in the middle of nowhere. He was here on the wall because it was where he wanted to be. Where he could learn the most about this city.
"You'll leave at dawn. Consider this a test, Leonard Snart." Atelos pat him on the shoulder. Suddenly things got tense. The pat on the shoulder was very condescending. Unlike Snart, Atelos not very good at keeping his emotions hidden behind a stern face. He was grinning behind gritted teeth. Then he turned to walk away.
"A test of what?" Snart asked. He gave away a little bit of annoyance. On purpose.
Atelos turned momentarily as he made his way to the stairwell leading off the wall. "Trust. Loyalty. A test of whether or not you're here for Darkshire. Or not." With that, the Captain of the Darkshire Militia walked away.
Leonard Snart turned back to the view in front of him. He tried to pinpoint where in the Pale Moors he was being sent, but he had no idea. He had only a name to go off of. Shireen Farm. He couldn't help but suddenly feel sour about his situation. He thought he had found an easy, cushy job to relax in until he figured out his next move. Until he figured out his first mark on the Omniverse. But it wasn't going to be that easy. He wasn't going to be able to just hide behind the walls of a quiet town waiting until the right time to do something.
The Omniverse was going to get what it wanted out of Leonard Snart, whether he was cooperative or not.
Quote:2048/5000 words