The Lost Royals of Atlantis: Disputed Call of Duty.

V: Bastardized Stigmas.

"No? What do you mean 'NO'? We're you even listening to what Storm was saying the whole while?" Deniz sounded exasperated and angry. But Storm hadn't uttered a word. He was intently looking at Percy, waiting for him to explain.

Percy awkwardly cleared his throat, "With all due respect for the risk your taking for us sir, I cannot make myself to take a name. I do not wish to be known as someone I'm not. I wish to rise through my own talents and abilities and... make a name for my own." 

"You're in the teenage fever kid. The entire world seems conquerable. You'll regret it later, and there will be nothing you can do to change it." Deniz tried making him understand, but Storm raised his hand, asking for silence. "You have been raised away from civilization Caspian. You do not know how deep and.. illogical these stigmas are. Are you sure you want to be known without a family name?" Percy nodded after a few seconds of hesitation. 

"Very well then, it's settled. I cannot force you into doing anything, but can merely advice you. I truly hope you are doing the right thing soldier-to-be. I hope to not see regret in your eyes the next time we meet, whenever that is. You can continue to the hall with your comrades, Caspian." Percy muttered a quick, 'You will not, sir." before giving him a quick bow.

Just before he lost sight of them, Percy turned back and asked. "Will I be treated any differently it I join your cohort, Major General?" he called out. 

"You'll have to be the best of the best soldier to get a pick of your own kid, stop dreaming!!" Deniz muttered. Storm just smiled at him and said, "Make no mistake, prejudices are very much prevalent in our cohort too. But it is one of the best place you'll find. You'll be treated no differently than I would treat Deniz here." 

Deniz eyes widened up at this. "That is not a reassurance I will cling my hopes to Casp." he warmed direly. Storm smacked his head lightly and both of them cackled up. Percy smiled at them and turned back, making his way to the training hall. 

******

The training arena was more like an indoor stadium. The damage from the recent battle could be seen at the southern end, where a part of the arena had collapsed. But other than that, it was intact. There was enough seats to fit in more than five thousand merpeople at a time. 

All the volunteers who had wanted to be soldiers had been divided into groups of ten. A parchment was being passed around to note down the team number and it's members. Their team was the thirty-second team, which consisted of six boys and four girls. 

When the parchment came to them, a boy who had the physique of a rugby player, Ryan, took hold of the parchment and started asking for their names. Gilly Thallassa, Murial Shelley, Sabrina of House Eldoris, Nori Yara, Augustus Waters, Aron Waters, Jordan Zelva, Ryan of House Murigen, Zale of House Morgan, and finally he said, "Caspian". "Caspian what?  He further enquired. "Just Caspian." Percy replied firmly. 

A sneer broke on his face, "Look, look guys, we have a bastard amongst us." he called out. "My father will be terribly displeased when he learns that I will be sharing barracks with a bastard." one quipped up acidly, the one who was Augustus Waters. "My father too." added Aaron Waters, as though the two of them didn't share the same father. Zale just shrugged in indifference. Jordan wasn't even paying attention to their conversation, he was already polishing his golden sword.  

Though the girls weren't as vocal at the boys, disgust was clearly written on Nori's and Murial's face. The others just looked apprehensive. "Too late to change things now." he found himself thinking, when their attention was called on by three mermen, two mermen and an ichthyocentaurs, half brothers of centaurs and mermen, to be exact. 

The fish pony guy was old with grey hair and the beginnings of a pot belly. He had a pale blue tail which slightly blended with grey. "You are all survivors of the Second Titan War, hence you are no strangers to death and misery. We have lost nearly forty percentage of our population, soldiers mostly, to save our father land. Now, the king calls upon you, citizens barely of age, to fill their shoes in battle. We've only got three days to train you newbies before all the main troops at the capital split up and go in different ways to fulfill their duties. You are all supposed to go with them. So learn as much as you can in the next three days and try not to die when you get into a real battle."