text: [Themes: grimdark fantasy, fantasy, serious, war, grimdark]
  
  This is no way to live.
  
  Working on a barely profitable rundown farm with far too many family members to feed. It's a damn good thing you're an excellent hunter. However, lately there's even been a shortage of game to thwart your efforts.
  
  You didn't really want to be working on the farm your whole life in the first place, you wanted to see the world but when dad died, things got a lot harder for the family and you had to take over as "man" of the house and stay put.
  
  Something is going to have to change.
  
  While you'd like nothing more than to go through with your childhood dreams of becoming a traveling bard without any responsibility you don't have that luxury. Hell, you barely have time to play your lute anymore in the small amount of free time you do have. You doubt if you'd even be good enough to make a living for just yourself doing it.
  
  But you need to get away, but what can you do that won't allow you to completely abandon your mom and all your brothers and sisters?
  
  You suddenly think of the choice that many in your desperate position have thought of many times before.
  
  The army.
  
  Its not exactly ideal, but you be traveling and seeing the world so to speak. You'd also be making enough money that you could send to your family. Your own living expenses would be provided for by the army.
  
  Of course there's all that fighting that usually goes along with it that you're not to keen on. Not that you aren't a stranger to battle as their have been the occasional bandits or kobold thieves that have attempted to steal from the farm in the past, but you prefer not to fight if possible, especially not up close. The bow has always been your weapon of choice. There's also the matter of mass combat on a grand scale that usually accompanies army life. A lot different than chasing away some thieves in the chicken coop.
  
  As you're thinking about this, you also realize that there is another option. There's a small mercenary company passing through the area. They've been hanging out at the local tavern for a couple days. They don't seem to be the noblest sort from what you can tell, but fortunately they seem to have kept their revelry confined to the tavern. Who knows how they act away from "civilization" though.
  
  Still, it's something to consider. There probably is less attention to discipline and a little more relaxed on rules and regulations. You probably wouldn't be fighting in some mass land war that governments are fond of waging. Mercenaries travel a lot and tend to make more, however they tend to get hired for a lot weirder jobs, usually ones that the employer doesn't want people to know about or ones that nobody else seems to be able to handle.
  
  > enlist in the army
  Well, as much as you're going to hate the whole uniform thing, you'd rather there be some sort of guidelines. The mercenaries look like a rough bunch. You get the impression
  you'd have to be watching your back as much as your enemies if you signed up with them.
  
  You explain your decision to join the army to the family one night at dinner. Your revelation comes as a shock. Your smaller brothers and sisters don't want you to go, your
  brother Mallack really doesn't want you to leave since he'll be next in line to take the brunt of the manual labor!
  
  Your mother surprises you as much as you surprised everyone else. You expected her to be the most vocal about you not leaving, but she sees that this would help out the family. She gives her blessing.
  
  Before you leave the next day with your packed belongings, your whole family comes to say goodbye to you. You almost hesitate to leave, wondering if it would actually be better for you to stay, but your mother urges you on.
  
  "Don't worry! Mallack is old enough to take over your responsibilities on the farm. He's not quite as skilled of a hunter, but he'll be able to do it. I've always known that you've had a desire to travel. The army isn't an ideal life I hope you realize though." Your mom says.
  "Yeah, I know, but I've thought it through."
  "Very well, you're old enough to make your own decisions and live your own life, though I'm glad to see that you still want to help the family as opposed to just leaving in the middle of the night."
  "I'll start sending money as soon as possible. I'll also try to write and visit when I can."
  "I know...okay, you best get going. It's still quite a walk to the capitol."
  
  You begin to leave the farm as your family wave goodbye to you in the distance.
  
  Soon you're on the road to your nation's capitol. You've been to Zal once before a long time ago with your dad when he was trying to sell some kobold eyes to an alchemist there. You remember being overwhelmed with how many people lived there and how big it was. You always did want to go there again one day; you just didn't think it would be to enlist in the army.
  
  Eventually you arrive at Zal. The place is even bigger than the last time you came here. So much has changed and you're a little overwhelmed. You don't have any knowledge of the city so you ask the gate guard who is giving a watchful look to everyone coming in and out.
  
  "Excuse me..."
  "Whadda ya want peasant? I'm busy! Market square is three blocks down as soon as you get inside the gate here!" The guard snaps.
  "No, I was wondering where I could enlist in the army."
  
  The guard seems to change his tone to a somewhat more cordial tone.
  
  "Oh I see. Well, as soon as you go through the gate, take a left, and walk two blocks. The recruiting office is on the right hand side across from a general store."
  
  You thank him and proceed, but you can't help overhearing the guard laughing to his buddy as you walk away. You don't make out all of it, but "Dumb fucking hayseed peasant." was definitely in there.
  
  At last you arrive at the recruiting office. The man sitting at the desk looks bored at first, but perks up a bit when he sees you.
  
  "Well now, this is a nice break in the monotony. Have a seat."
  "I want to enlist in the army."
  "Well of course you do son, why else would you be here? To join the Zalan Empire's best right? Okay, but before we start I need to ask you some questions just so we can get a feel of where we think you'll best serve in the Emperor's glorious army."
  "Uh, okay."
  "Good, so where are you from son? You certainly don't look like you're from the city here. You look like a farmer."
  "Well I sort of am sir. My family owns a farm a couple miles from the city, I decided to enlist to help my family monetarily. Times are hard on the farm."
  "Mmm, noble of you. Your sense of duty will also serve you well too. Any combat experience?"
  "Some, but nothing major I'm afraid. A few bandits. Kobolds in the chicken coop. That's about it."
  "Don't worry you'll learn to be a killing machine, but your past experience are more than some we've recruited. Any other talents?"
  "Besides farming? Um...I'm a good hunter, I use this bow all the time!" you say and show the recruiter your worn bow.
  "Good. Good. We can always use good marksmen. But you'll get the chance to use a better bow than that old thing you've been carrying around. What's that other thing on your back?"
  "Oh this? Well this is my uh lute."
  "Lute? Ha ha! You a bard or something?"
  "Well not really, but..."
  "You planning on charming the enemies with your music?"
  "Uh..." you say begin to get a little anxious.
  "Hah! Settle down son, I'm just messing with you. But I'm afraid whatever your musical hobbies may be you'll most likely be abandoning them. Can't be picking your lute while an angry ogre is charging at you or you're storming a castle. This is the army, not an entertainment company!"
  
  The recruiter at this point begins to look through some papers and grabs one after looking it over.
  
  "Ah. Here it is...you know how to read and write?"
  "YES!" you say indignantly for the first time.
  "Okay, okay, don't get testy. Its just most of you peasant farmer types don't. Anyway just sign here and we'll get you started on your basic training."
  
  You take the paper, and give it a pointless look over like you actually understand all the legal mumbo jumbo and sign. The recruiter takes the paper from you and then shakes your hand.
  
  "Congratulations son! You're in the Zalan Army now! The best damn one in this world!"
  
  Somehow he's more enthusiastic than you are...
  
  > It's boot camp for you!
  6 months pass...
  
  Six months of the most grueling physical training you've ever had the misfortune of dealing with! However you fared better than some of your fellow cadets. Guess all that farm living paid off.
  
  You've certainly improved what combat skills you had, but your marksmanship has improved greatly. You know that Drill Sergeant Kosser has been paying special attention to your abilities. You're not sure if that's a good thing of not.
  
  In any event you're being told where your first assignment is going to be. Most of those in your group are being sent to Tulan border. Not the most pleasant assignment. The fighting is getting worse there.
  
  What started as a minor border dispute has turned into a series of battles with neither side making too much progress. Even before you joined the military you'd heard stories of the greedy king who runs the Tulan Kingdom. You heard from traveling merchants about how he allows a few demons to walk around in his lands! Utter madness in your opinion. The Zalan Empire might be a little strict on the rules and regulations, but better that than demons letting walking around, in your opinion they should all be killed on sight regardless on whether they're obeying the "law" or not, they're evil.
  
  You sit anxious on your bed in the barracks as name after name gets called off. Finally Kosser calls off your name, and you fully expect to get sent to the Tulan border.
  
  "I want to talk to you in private." Is what you hear instead.
  
  This makes you even more nervous. What's he going to do? Send you on? A mission to assassinate the Tulan King?
  
  After everyone else has gotten there assignments you follow Kosser back to his office. He sits down and speaks direct.
  
  "Alright farmboy, I'm sure you've noticed me watching your marksmanship skills. You're one of the best ones that have come in here for awhile. You have a natural talent and you've only improved it through training. It would be a blessing to have someone like you up at the Tulan border. The gods know we could use anything to help break the stalemate there."
  "...but?" you ask hoping that there is one.
  "But...your skills might be better served in a place that has a better mortality rate, yet still needs taking care of."
  "Where's that sir?"
  "Here." Kosser points to a map to a nearby location. It's the Retlad Kingdom. You can't imagine what's going on there, since as far as you know, you're Zalan is at peace with them.
  "Retlad? I thought we're at peace with them?"
  "We are...in fact rumors are saying we'll probably incorporate them into the empire in the near future. I dunno how much you know about politics out there on the farm, but Retlad is basically a bankrupt kingdom. Their dumb ass royalty spent a shitload of their treasury on building ships in some vain attempt to find more land mass on this world. Hah! Doesn't exist! We learned than centuries ago! Anyway now they don't have enough to pay for a proper military and their kingdom is being overrun by hostile Quillar tribes. They want us to help. Begging us practically and we have, but it's a pain in the ass. Quillars are fast and as their name suggests shoot multiple sharp quills at their enemies. I've seen them go through plate armor."
  "That doesn't sound good."
  "No, it's not good. The Retlad knight orders got decimated within two months of the first invasion wave. We're taking a better approach. We need to have equally quick troops that can at least match the fire power. We've sent a couple of war wizards, but most of them are serving on the Tulan border. Gunpower weapons are a little too slow for this sort of thing, so we're looking for people good with a bow. Quick enough to at least get a few shots off from a distance and run. Because hit and run tactics are what the Quillars excel at, so you'll have to do likewise."
  
  Kosser pauses his talking for a moment. You take this opportunity to interject a question.
  
  "And this assignment you say has a lower mortality rate?"
  "Well, we haven't sent as many people there yet, but so far we've made a little more progress there than at the Tulan border. But of course I won't say it's a safe assignment. Those Quillar bastards are vicious and merciless. Up to you farmboy. You're getting a bonus here. You're actually getting to choose your assignment. Not many that get out of boot camp get that privilege."
  
  Some "privilege"
  
  > go to the Tulan Border
  You don't like the sound of the Quillars and it doesn't really sound all that much safer. You decide that at the Tulan border you'll at least be with a few people you already know from boot camp and you'll be fighting something less scary. (Or at least human)
  
  "I'll take the Tulan Border assignment sir."
  "Hm, I'm surprised. Hope your skills come in of some use there. Here's your first month's pay, I suggest you live it up here in Zal, for the couple of days you have off before you leave."
  
  You take the small bag and look inside. This will certainly help your family. You take a few coins for yourself and then ask if arrangements can be made to have your payment sent to your family from now on. He tells you yes, but asks that surely that you will still want some of it. You agree to just taking 10% of it. You don't need much.
  
  "Sheesh, living bare minimum huh? Don't you want to eat anything other than military rations every once in awhile?" Kosser questions again.
  "Nah. If I need extra food, I'll just hunt."
  "You know there aren't many luxuries on the border, but when a traveling merchant shows up, you might regret not having enough money. You sure you don't want more?"
  "Nope. I'll be fine. My family needs that money more than I do."
  "Alright then, family man."
  
  You exit the barracks and wander the city a bit. You find it very interesting. You sort of wish you could stay longer to take in more sights. However one thing catches your eye. A small store and in the window is a lute. Looks almost like the one you had before it was taken away from you in basic training. You haven't gotten a chance to play in six months and you'd really like to...
  
  Hey you're a soldier now, you've proven yourself. You figure you can take one personal belonging with you to Tulan as long as you keep them packed properly. You enter the store and with the little money you have you buy the lute. You spend the most of the day and the next practicing it. You didn't forget as much as you thought. You also finish up writing a letter to your family and give it to a Zalan messenger carrier.
  
  Finally the third day arrives for you to move out. A couple of officers arrive to take all of you. You're stopped though as you're picked out.
  
  "Hold up you. What's that?"
  "It's a lute sir."
  "A lute? What the fuck do you think this is? An acting company? Get rid of that thing, you won't be needing that where you're going!"
  "But..."
  "You disobeying me soldier?"
  "No sir!"
  "Alright then, get rid of it!"
  
  You sadly get rid of your lute which you never got to play and basically wasted your money on. You don't know what you were thinking anyway. You're in the damn army. You're going to be doing a lot of fighting and all of that, not playing some stupid instrument. You should've realized that the first time it was taken away from you in boot camp.
  
  You've made this choice; you need to just put these dreams of being a "musician" out of your head right now. You weren't meant to be one, and all those years of deluding yourself in between real work were just fleeting dreams of a teenager. Time to grow up.
  
  While you resign yourself to this mindset, you aren't particularly happy with it. When you get to the Tulan Border you're even less happy. Your first battle is filled with all the bad stuff that usually accompanies such things. It's definitely not a fun assignment and your only consolation is that you know your family is getting more financial aid for you doing this.
  
  After a few months, you're absolutely miserable. You don't have your music to keep your mind off of the conditions and everything is bad here. The fort you're currently stationed at supplies only the bare minimum of living, no magical back up, the captain is a real asshole and the rest of those you serve with aren't too much better. Though so many are killed everyday that you never really grow to dislike (or like) anyone that much in that department. More are sent in and more die, it's like an ongoing cycle, everyone's so expendable in this ongoing border war that gets worse with each passing month.
  
  It doesn't even come to your surprise when the day comes that you're mortally wounded while on patrol. One of the new soldiers tells you to hold on and that he'll get help, but you know he won't get any in time and it wouldn't matter anyway.
  
  As you lay dying, your only regret is that you didn't get to play music like you always wanted to, and now you never will.