It is no surprise to learn that leadership is a needed quality in the military. Discipline, bravery, follower-ship, and honor are all of the upmost importance when you are fighting for your brothers-in-arms. Not many act on these simple ideals, and yet many men wonder why we, the Second Legion, the orders we have been given. I question them, as do all of my men. Should we go against Rome? Or should we carry out the orders we have been given under Lucius Manlius, and destroy Carthage once and for all. I think of these orders often... replacing my time for rest. Will Lucius Manlius lead us to victory, and the destruction of Carthage? Or will we all fall in battle against the greatest general Rome has ever faced.... Hannibal.

"Lucius!" Said an all-too-familiar voice, snapping me out of my thoughts. Thanks the Gods that was so... I fear that I would have been thinking them forever. Gaius jogged up to me, with a wooden gladius in his sword hand and a wicker scutum in his left hand. "We should train together, we both need practice." He says, smiling. "Alright, fine. The rest of our Conturbernium is practicing anyway..." I picked up a nearby gladius and scutum, rolling my shoulders. I gave the wooden sword a few slow swings, before twirling it in my hand fancifully. I exhaled sharply with a grin, before raising my shield and drawing my sword back to a middle guard. "You know I am better." I said, watching him. Taunting.... although I hated having to use such a tactic, it worked. Infuriate your enemy and he will eventually become blind by his anger, and begin to swing aggressively, leaving their bodies open to a quick, precise strike. Gaius scoffed, returning my grin. He readied himself, drawing up a high guard. He let loose a battle cry, charging at me with his sword raised. 'Wait until the last moment, and then move.' Marius' words echoed in my head. I waited, and his sword came flying straight down towards my head. I ducked, raising the wicker scutum above my head, and thrusting my gladius at Gaius' chest. He used his own scutum, bashing my blade away as he changed the grip of his blade, grabbing it reversely. I rolled backwards, using my shield as a prop, before returning to a middle guard. Gaius laughed softly, advancing slower this time. Now, I had the advantage of attack. I used my shield to bash at his own, tipping his shield into his chest. I followed up with a thrust above my own head, sword arm angled downwards at him. He deflected my blade with his own, countering throwing a cut off of my blade. I caught it with my scutum, angling it parallel to the ground, before spinning across Gaius, dragging the dull, wooden blade across his Achilles' tendon. I followed this through with a reverse spin, passing the blade in front of his throat. "Good work Lucius, but you need know, those fancy moves will not work in a formation. I know you learned from a gladiator, but remember whom you are fighting alongside...." he warned. "Shall we continue?" He asked. "Yes, we shall. Ready yourself." I replied, choosing a low guard this time. Gaius matched me, smirking behind his shield. We both advanced, inching forward as though we were in formation. Left foot, close. Left foot, close... Gaius swung first, a right side cut, level to the ground. I deflected it with my blade, and slid into his body, shoulder charging him. He was sent back, yet maintained enough of his balance to not collapse onto the ground. He reset into a middle-guard, and thrust. I deflected upwards, before closing distance and guiding the pommel into his face, pushing him rather than striking. I followed through with a diagonal cut, from 11 to 5, and then thrust my sword between his chest and arm. Gaius smiled at me. "Now you are fighting like a Roman. Once more, and then we can join the rest." He said. I nodded in response, choosing a high guard. I attacked first, thrusting low. Gaius blocked this, and struck at my face. I deflected, and bashed at his face. Gaius ducked, thrust his sword into my stomach, and struck me in the face with the pommel of his sword. With that, the world went black.....