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? ? ? Sages of the Hidden Lights ? ? ?

Arki Darkwater

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-Chapter 20-

Bodey

Camp Stormgazer, Bælan

"We'll move Scorpion Battalion here," I said, pointing to the map in front of me. Several pairs of eyes moved along with my paw and the croupier stick that glided a pawful of small figurines across the map. "Those forces will be led by General Bakla," I added, glancing at him from across the table. The martin looked at me with stern, light-green eyes and gave me a gentle nod of confirmation.

"So what about Aey'Áris? Invading straight through the Northwestern Front won't do much for us or for them," said Tokato, a young lieutenant standing to my immediate left. He was a noticeably short fox with dark-brown fur and the tendency to talk so frequently that it made me wonder if he ever stopped to breathe, much less allow for any silence. I had only been at the camp with him for a few days, yet I already was quite fond of that particular trait, and learned--as any reasonable person would--to dread it.

"That's where we come in," I responded. "I'll be leading Python Battalion here, over the Little Mountua and into Agu Morran-occupied Aey'Áris." Bakla moved the other set of small wooden figures to where I had pointed as I continued. "We'll wait a full twenty-four hours until we make our advance, which will give Scorpion Battalion an ample amount of time to make their mark. With any luck, the Agu Morran troops will send all their available forces to help fight us back in the North, which will allow us to make a clean and easy entrance in the West."

General Bakla added, "Once our forces have secured the Midline Theatre, our additional battalions will all be prepared to engage Agu Morra's forces on the southern half of the kingdom. They'll have no place to run with the Midline Theatre blocked off, allowing for an easy and successful recapture of the southern half of Aey'Áris, including the capital."

"Exactly," I said, "so if we stay strong and stick to the plan, we will emerge victorious. Yes?"

"Yes!" chanted the soldiers surrounding me.

"Alright. Meeting adjourned. Scorpion Battalion, be prepared to launch in two hours."

Everyone exited the tent, and most of the soldiers--all of whom wore tan uniforms embroidered with scarlet and yellow, in stark contrast to myself--scattered into the camp outside. Bakla ordered a few of his subordinates to go deliver our new plan to the personnel at the neighboring military facilities.

Remaining by my side was Bakla, as well as two of his lieutenants; a young, strong-looking bobcat named Jadia Lytra, who served as Bakla's 1st lieutenant; as well as Lieutenant Tokato.

"Jadia, I think that your skills would be best utilized if you lead our troops across the river alongside Lieutenant Aráshvahr," the general said, "and both you and Aráshvahr will receive the temporary rank of raid commander. Understood?"

She nodded and replied, "Of course, Sir."

She then turned to me. "It will be a privilege to serve with you, Aráshvahr," Jadia said. She gave me a confident nod, then turned back to Bakla. "Is there is anything else, General?"

"No, that will be all," the general replied. With that, Lieutenant Lytra strolled away to attend to other business.

"Tokato, you will serve as 1st Lieutenant to Commander Aráshvahr. I assume that you will be compliant with him and assist him in any way that seems appropriate," Bakla said.

"Of course, General," Tokato replied. "You have my word."

"Good," Bakla said simply. He then turned to me and firmly placed a paw on my shoulder. "Bodey Aráshvahr, I wish you the best of luck."

"Best of luck to you as well, Sir."

The martin nodded and left to go convene his troops, leaving Tokato and I alone. The young fox began speaking immediately.

"Sir, I have a question about--"

"You always have a question, Lieutenant," I muttered, starting to stroll away.

"But Sir, I thought it was important, considering that it's releve--"

"Shut up!" I barked, not bothering to turn around and face him. I continued walking and heard no further sounds besides my own footsteps and the casual, quiet chattering of the camp's soldiers as they prepared for the night before them.

I walked until I found my personal tent; I had been given the honor of having my sleeping quarters all to myself. No more constant bickering from any of the soldiers or that bloody obnoxious fox. It was just me now. The tent was a much needed sanctuary.

I thanked the heavens for the divine and holy gift of privacy.

I strolled in and laid down on my hammock, which almost sunk down far enough to touch the floor after having my weight placed upon it. I folded my paws together and gazed up at the roof of the tent. Suddenly I was hit with a massive cascading wave of all the thoughts that hadn't received a chance to fully express themselves during the busy day.

That damn lieutenant is so bloody obnoxious! I thought. How can it even be possible for a person to have said so much in just one day?

Maybe he was just excited. Or perhaps nervous, frightened by the prospect of the war, and he was just seeking confirmation on things--he seemed pretty young, so it was only natural for him to have been so skittish.

But then again, it's not like I was that much older. The lieutenant needs to get his head on straight, I decided. We're about to venture out to the front lines, and we can't afford to have anyone acting like a chicken with its head cut off.

I let out a deep sigh. The sun had finished setting a number of minutes ago, and even within the confines of my tent, the sky's encompassing darkness still met my tired gaze with its cold embrace.

Tomorrow was sure to be an important day in the course of the war. It was make-or-break, and I had no intention of letting anyone down--not General Bakla, not the Árisian people, nor Queen Marvhalien, General Uhruan, and my father, who were all waiting and counting on me back in Uthalia.

With all that weight on my shoulders, I would need to get sufficient rest tonight. I closed my eyes and, gazing up at the unparalleled darkness above, drifted off to sleep.

-Chapter 21-

I woke up restless and tired the following morning. My fur had acted like a sponge, soaking up all the late-night summer humidity and effectively turning me into a giant ball of sweaty fluff--not exactly the most comfortable way to sleep. I rolled out of my hammock and stood up, receiving a bit of lightheadedness, but nothing too serious. Forcing my eyes open was difficult, but I could see that the morning sun was definitely out, as were many of the troops, engaged in early-morning chit-chat as they strolled past my tent.

Ugh...why does it have to be morning already? I thought groggily.

"Good-morning, captain!" said a chirpy voice as I exited my tent.

I was about to say good-morning in return, but I bit down on my tongue just in time for the imminence of my return to be ignored.

"How did you sleep, Commander?" Tokato asked. "I slept rather well myself. And today's the big day, huh? We're gonna go take the first steps in taking back Aey'Áris! That's exciting, right? Well I mean, not really I guess...it's war, and people die, so not exciting like that, obviously. But it's good to know that we have a solid plan prepared for tonight! I'm feeling confident about gaining back the southern Árisian territories. And if things go really well, we should gain back the capital too! Think about how happy King Llarene of Aey'Áris will be when we save him! I bet we'll have the Árisians on our side for good! Err, I mean, they'll be on Bælan's side for good, I'm not really sure about your country, Sir. Uthalia, right? Speaking of which, what is Uthalia like? I've never been there myself, but I hear it's really pretty and that there are lots of mountains and forests. And do all of you guys over in Uthalia have those funny accents? Or is it just you? Y'know, I've been thinking, what if--"

"Lieutenant."

"Yes Commander?"

"How the bloody hell did you get promoted to your current rank?" I looked down at him sternly.

He returned my gaze with a pause--a brief one, but a pause nonetheless--and a shy expression crept onto his face. "Why do you ask Sir? Do you believe that I shouldn't have been promoted so early?"

"Promoted early?" I repeated harshly, glowering down at him. "You shouldn't even be in the bloody military to begin with! You have absolutely no discipline whatsoever, no bloody common sense, and to top it off, you talk so damn much that I can just about feel my ears starting to bleed!"

"S-sir, I--"

"I don't care, Lieutenant!" I bellowed, walking away in a fit of anger.

That would teach him, I figured.

-Chapter 22-

Specter

Lieutenant Tokato sat beside the morning fire as others came by to pick up their breakfast. Camp Stormgazer felt remarkable empty compared to the previous night, when the members of Scorpion Battalion were still around. Although there was plenty of food, the lieutenant didn't feel like eating. His appetite had been trounced by the adverse chain of thoughts now coursing through his head.

Maybe Aráshvahr is right about me, he figured. Maybe I don't deserve my rank, or a position in the military in any capacity. Tokato knew that he had a tendency to babble incessantly, but often, he simply couldn't help it! To him, life itself was such a copious source of adrenaline and excitement! There was a deeply instinctual need to express himself to others--by sharing his enthusiasm, relishing in life's vigor, or voicing his every concern.

He knew that most people found him to be an annoyance. He could see it every day in the way they treated him, whether it be the casual rolling of their eyes, or the glares he was given whenever he got too carried away, prattling on about whatever anecdote or stray thought had most recently crossed his mind.

Contrary to Commander Aráshvahr's rebuke, the lieutenant rarely received criticism from his superiors. Tokato always made sure to be thorough in the completion of his duties. General Bakla himself had given the young fox his promotion, because he was so impressed with his efficiency. But the more Tokato thought about it, the more he seemed to realize the rationale in Commander Aráshvahr's words.

"Not hungry this morning, Lieutenant?" said the familiar voice of Jadia Lytra. Tokato looked up at her as she circled around the fire and took a seat next to him.

"Oh! Umm...nah, I guess not," Tokato replied, chuckling nervously.

"Well, you should still eat something. You're gonna need the energy for tonight when we disembark."

"Yeah, I guess," he said, taking a small, cautious bite of the food that had been sitting dormant on his plate.

A concerned look crossed the bobcat's kind face. "Is something the matter, Rigel?" she asked.

"Oh! Well, I'm not sure..." Tokato said. He stopped eating and looked up at her, scanning the commander's face with newfound curiosity--very few people called the lieutenant by his first name.

"If something is, you can tell me. I will listen," Jadia replied, giving Tokato a comforting smile. Tokato looked down at the fire. He didn't want to waste Commander Lytra's time with his silly doubts and insecurities. But then, she had the most uniquely alluring tone in her voice--tranquil, intelligent, warm and benign--and listening to it, Tokato felt tempted to take her up on her offer.

"Well, do you think I belong here, Jadia? Do you think I deserve the rank of lieutenant, or...do you think I'm competent enough to be in the military at all?"

Jadia raised an eyebrow, surprised by what she obviously found to be a most peculiar and unfounded inquiry. "Well, Rigel. You're one of our brightest soldiers, and reliable in a pinch. You've shown an exemplary amount of skill both on and off of the battlefield. Not to mention that you're an excellent archer."

She paused for a moment, and then queried, "Why do you ask?"

"Well, it's that Aráshvahr guy. He seems to really hate me for some reason! Earlier today I went to say good-morning, and I just tried to converse with him a little, but then he got super mad and told me all this stuff about how I don't belong here..."

"You conversed with him just a little?" the lynx responded, letting off a modest smirk. "That doesn't sound like you at all."

"Okay, so maybe I got carried away! I can do that sometimes."

"Yes, I am aware," she replied with a chuckle. "You and Aráshvahr are very different people. As far as I can tell, he seems to be very sheltered. With someone as introverted as him, I'm sure you can understand how someone like you could easily get on his bad side. Especially when he's got an entire camp full of people to deal with in addition to you."

Tokato placed a paw on his chin, giving Jadia's words some thought. "Hmm, I suppose you're right. So I guess for now, I'll try to stick to business around him and avoid asking him too many questions?"

"Exactly. That sounds perfect."

"Alright," Tokato responded. A moment of silence passed, until he finally added, "Thank you, Commander."

"Of course. I'm always a friend, whenever you need one," she said, giving Tokato a kind smile before getting up and walking away.

Feeling much better now, Tokato quickly finished gulping down his food, then stood up from his place by the fire and ambled away to attend to his duties.

With his newfound confidence, he planned to prove to Commander Aráshvahr just how capable he truly was.

-Chapter 23-

It was later that night when everything was finally starting to come together. It had been a day full of hard work and preparation, and Python Battalion was almost ready to depart. They would be leaving for the Little Mountua River shortly. The hazy darkness and heavy fog that night would provide the perfect environment for a sneak attack.

The troops began to converge near the center of the Camp Stormgazer. Commander Bodey Aráshvahr stood on top of the podium to face his warriors. Commander Jadia Lytra stood beside him.

"Alright. The time has come. You all know the plan. We go in, we do our thing, and it'll be quick and easy, because you are all warriors of one of the strongest military brigades in all of Theria, and I won't be expecting anything less of you! Is that clear?" Aráshvahr bellowed in his authoritative baritone voice.

"Sir, yes Sir!" chanted the crowd. Commander Aráshvahr smirked.

"Excellent! Onward we shall go!"

As Aráshvahr stepped down, Commander Lytra stepped forward to take his place. She began to speak her part in an equally loud and commanding voice.

"According to our sources from Bælanian Military Intelligence, Scorpion Battalion has been successful at creating enough ruckus to attract a significant amount of the NA's attention. It'll make our job a lot easier, but I still urge everyone to be cautious and attentive during our offencive. Now prepare your squads! We'll be heading out in half an hour!"

In a small bustle of unorganized chit-chat, the crowd disbanded and began to saddle up. Aráshvahr returned to his tent, pleased with the morale of his troops and ready to make the final preparations before the battalion's departure.

He sat down, grabbed a cloth and began cleaning his precious blade, a sword that had forsaken his family's name for generations. Only a clean blade can serve as an honorable weapon in combat, he affirmed to himself.

His thoughts of his glorious soon-to-be-victory were cut short by a set of hurried footsteps that barged into his tent. To Aráshvahr's most unfortunate surprise, it was no other than his new biggest annoyance.

"Commander! I have some urgent news!" Tokato exclaimed as he barged into the tent. Aráshvahr glared at him, despising his presence with every muscle in his body. Tokato stood as still as stone and gulped in his nervous state, fearing that his commanding officer would once again repent him for his loud-minded behavior.

But alas, the commander simply sighed and said, "Alright, Lieutenant. What is it?"

"Sir, it's umm...it's another message from Military Intelligence in Tatego. They have another mission for us."

"Oh?" Aráshvahr seemed rather surprised. "And what might that mission be?"

"Well Sir, it's about Windstrom, a small village in Aey'Áris, and it shouldn't be too far off our designated course. Military Intelligence believes that it's been made the site of an important NA military facility."

"So we're supposed to infiltrate the village, disrupt their activities and learn as much as we can about the NA's war effort?"

"Yes, Sir."

"I see," Aráshvahr replied thoughtfully, "well then it looks like we'll have to add that to our agenda. Go inform the others, Lieutenant."

Tokato saluted him. "Yes Sir, will do!" he said confidently, before exiting the tent and vanishing from Commander Aráshvahr's sight.

-Chapter 24-

Bodey

Little Mountua River

The sky was almost completely invisible. Everything was wet with the night's dew, and the air was humid as it hovered above the ground in a foggy haze. The weather was hardly desirable for anybody wishing to relax or have a pleasant midnight stroll. But for a preemptive strike, the forest around us simply beckoned to our call.

We had been trudging through the lush Bælanian forests for hours at that point. According to both the map and my instincts, the trees would be soon to dissipate and reveal the winding form of the Little Mountua River. I was in the leading position of our battalion's formation as we pressed through the forest, with Lieutenants Tokato and Riicau on either side of me. Commander Lytra and Lieutenant Kovarti took positions to the left and right of the center of our formation, while Lieutenants Corow and Nuuva took the trailing ends. Our formation had been planned very carefully--courtesy of myself, of course.

As I pushed several large leafy branches out of my way, my eyes finally laid rest upon the river. I stood there within the growth for a moment as a pair of nearly-silent footsteps trotted up from behind.

"Commander, according to our map, I believe we missed the mark by about a third of a mile," Tokato reported, map in paw.

"That's fine," I responded. "We'll cross here. It shouldn't be too bad, it's just a little wider and deeper here. We can't risk breaking formation."

"Aye Sir," he said, then added, "ready for a swim, Commander?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," I replied, chuckling at a strange mixture of humor and misery that seemed to go paw-in-paw with the present circumstances. I listened to Tokato's faint footsteps as he sneaked away through the undergrowth. Just a minute later, I saw him and a few others begin to stealthily dart out of the woods and over to the river's shore. Recognizing that it was my turn to go, I waved my paw to the soldiers behind me and then charged towards the water.

The water was rather warm, although that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. With the heightened air temperature and complete lack of wind, it made for quick travel across the river.

Once the entire battalion had made it to the opposite shore, we resumed our advance through the forest. Although the sodden plantlife surrounding us appeared to be no different than before, there was one key difference: we were now in enemy-occupied territory.

According to our map, there would be a small outpost located just half-a-mile into the forest. Unfortunately, we also had to compensate for being slightly off course. I would have to trust that Tokato and Riicau would help take us in the correct direction.

After traveling for a short time, the order to stop finally passed around. The soldiers in the upper-right section of our formation must have been in position to attack the aforementioned outpost. Knowing that my services were best not wasted, I snuck forward to find the outpost for myself.

Through the bushes, I could now see the building--a tall tower with moss and vines covering the aging stonework. Several Agu Morran guards were posted outside, taking the night shift. I tilted my gaze upward to see Tokato and two other soldiers atop the trees, situated on the large overhanging branches and waiting silently, armed with bowstrings drawn and ready to fire in a moment's notice.

The air was perfectly quiet--a deadly kind of quiet, if you weren't observant. In the blink of an eye, multiple Agu Morran soldiers were struck with arrows and fell like dominos, queuing our ground forces to move forward and capture the small, lifeless keep. I drew my sword and charged forward just behind them, my body colliding with brush as I ran.

I launched myself towards the first enemy soldier I saw. He swung his sword to counter mine. The two pieces of sharp steel collided together in an entanglement of metallic noises. But the guard was no match for me, and after just a few thrusts I felt my sword pierce through his flesh.

A moment later, I pulled the sword out of his gut. He dropped to the barren dirt ground, now just as lifeless as the keep he died protecting.

In a matter of minutes, the entire keep uttered nothing but silence.

Tokato and Riicau confronted me.

"All clear Sir," they reported in tandem.

"Excellent. Spread the word around; we're switching to our second formation. It's time to light this place on fire."

After getting a curious glance from both of them, I added, "Only figuratively, of course."

Riicau nodded and ran off. Tokato followed him, but not before giving me a smirk and saying, "No promises, Sir."

It was a slow process, but I was finally starting to like that fox.

"Alright," I shouted to the troops behind me, "let's get a move on it! We have a kingdom to take back!"

The near-silent trodding of footsteps once again raced across the ground. The dark cast of the forest loomed ahead of us portently, and the trees began to gently sway in the newfound winds, an early sign of more triumphs to come in the wake of our first victory.

Our advance had begun.

-Chapter 25-

Specter

Camp Stormgazer, Bælan

General Uhruan took a sip of his tea as he gazed into the heart of the broiling fire. The night was beginning to get chilly and the wind had started picking up, blowing large tufts of vile dark clouds across the horizon. Although it was unanticipated, a powerful storm appeared to brewing amidst the desolate prospect of the heavens above.

Just a few hours prior, the general and a group of his soldiers had arrived at Camp Stormgazer. Although the sky was seamlessly black in the midst of the late night--the elements at this point had yet to begin stirring--the camp was still bustling with activity, and when Uhruan and his men had turned up, they were immediately met with a cordial welcome and remarkable hospitality.

Ever since then, Uhruan had been huddled around the bright sparkling flames of the campfire with two Bælanian Generals, Brimson and Louskayous, both of whom had come to oversee the invasion of Aey'Áris and, like Uhruan, had arrived mere hours ago.

"And I swear," Brimson concluded distastefully, "that bastard was a cheater, through and through!"

"The final score was 5-23?" Louskayous asked for clarification. "I've seen worse turnouts in Mountain Blocks before. He was probably just a prodigy, Brimson. Some people are just born with incredible paw-eye coordination like that."

Brimson's face flushed an angry red color, and a scowl spread across his muzzle. "I'm telling you!" the coyote insisted, "he was a cheater! I've never lost that badly before, not even close!"

"Or maybe you're just embarrassed because you're bad at Mountain Blocks," Uhruan jested with a snarky grin, giving Brimson a playful punch in the arm.

Brimson buried his flustered face in his paws. "Or maybe you're a cheater too! Winning every time like you always do..."

"Jeez, it's just a silly game. Just drop it already," Louskayous asserted, a small hint of annoyance seeping into the dark-furred ferret's otherwise tranquil voice. "Do you two always have to act like children around each other?"

"Only when I 'cheat' at Mountain Blocks, apparently," Uhruan grumbled, rolling his eyes.

"Generals!" shouted a distressed female voice. All three of their heads turned to greet 1st Lieutenant Shilao, the red panda that served as Louskayous's lieutenant, as well as Lieutenant Bahrú, who came up running just a few yards behind her. They raced to the fire, panting in exhaustion and sharing the same deeply-troubled look on their faces, a surefire sign that whatever news they brought couldn't be good.

"Shilao, what is it?" Louskayous asked promptly.

"Sir, we have, umm...we have a problem," Shilao replied, scratching the back of her head nervously.

"A very big problem," Bahrú emphasized. "Just take a look for yourself."

From the same direction that the two lieutenants had come from, three more figures emerged from the darkness--three Bælanian soldiers, one of whom had his arms tied behind his back and was being reluctantly dragged forward by the other two.

"Who's this? What's happening?" Brimson badgered, glancing between the two lieutenants and the soldiers coming in behind them.

"A spy, Sir," Bahrú replied, motioning to the fox with his paws tied up. "He was stationed at an outpost northeast of here. Some other soldiers caught him when they discovered he had been sabotaging the flow of military information."

"He's done WHAT?!" Brimson roared, glaring down at the lieutenants threateningly.

Louskayous wore an ominously stern look on his face, but opted to remain silent and simply observe the situation as it unfolded. Uhruan and Brimson, on the other paw, took a few daring steps forward, towards the NA operative.

"Bahrú, what did he do?" Uhruan inquired while observing the spy carefully. The fox had been forced to kneel down, and his eyes were now busy scanning the ground meticulously.

"Most recently, he misdirected Python Battalion with orders to investigate a village where the NA has an ambush prepared," Bahrú responded.

Uhruan grimaced. "You mean to say they're walking right into a trap?"

Bahrú nodded warily, his dismal eyes scanning the cold earth below his feet.

"Soldier?" Brimson hissed at the spy, glowering down at him with his arms folded across his chest. "It would be in your best interest if you told me everything."

For a long moment, the air was cold and silent. Uhruan shot a worried glance at Bahrú, who simply shook his head in dismay. Shilao and Louskayous were both gazing intently at the spy, who stayed utterly silent, staring down at Brimson's feet.

Then the spy looked up, with a perfectly calm and composed complexion about his face.

"I serve the proud and noble kingdom of Agu Morra," the spy finally said. "I will tell you nothing."

"You BASTARD!" Brimson sneered, swinging his leg back and kicking into the spy's stomach as hard as he could, sending the fox sprawling onto the ground, gripping his gut in pain. Uhruan took a step forward and grabbed for Brimson's arm to try and pull him back, but the coyote shook him off reached down, grabbing the spy by his throat and hoisting him up off his feet.

"I'll fucking kill you, you filthy piece of shit!" Brimson howled, his face's features contorting into a vile scowl, fuming with anger. Within the general's tight grasp, the fox started choking quietly, but he met Brimson's harsh glare with a steady impassivity.

"Brimson, let him go," Louskayous ordered coolly. Reluctant to let go of his anger, the coyote held on for a few more seconds--but then finally released his grip on the spy, letting him plummet to the ground, gasping for air.

"Umm...Generals?" Bahrú said hesitantly. "There's something else you should know."

Three pairs of eyes slowly turned to the lieutenant.

"Yes, Bahrú?" Uhruan croaked out nervously, already fearing what the skunk might have to report.

Bahrú sighed and shook his head apprehensively. Uhruan could see the reluctance in his eyes--whatever fearful words lingered on the tip of his tongue, it could only mean certain disaster.

He opened his mouth to speak.

"It's Scorpion Battalion, up in the North. They've been wiped out. They're dead. All of them."

-Chapter 26-

Bodey

Windstrom, Aey'Áris

"Commander! Windstrom is just ahead!" Tokato shouted to me.

And it's about damn time, I thought as a smirk crossed my muzzle.

After trudging through the massive bog of mideastern Aey'Áris, being on dry land had never felt better.

So far that night, we had already taken a total of five different keeps, each one a critical military installation along the Midline Theatre. None of them were any match for us, of course. Even now with our battalion dispersed in preparation for our takeover, we still managed to slide behind the enemy's back and cut them down with ease.

"Alright!" I announced, "everyone lay low and stay quiet; we'll want to take them by surprise."

In suit with Tokato and I, the party of troops behind us settled into a stealthy forest crawl through the shady grove of trees.

A few minutes later, I began to see the peaks of buildings come into view from above the forest canopy. The dense treeline thinned out in exchange for the open grassy plain on which the village of Windstrom was built, and I suddenly felt a rather strong breeze come in, sending chills down my spine.

More wind? I thought. The forecast mages hadn't predicted any weather for that night. And it looked like it was coming in fast, too.

"Sir?" Tokato said, an obviously confused inflection seeping into his wary voice. Step by cautious step, we lingered through the village's dirt streets.

The village was completely unoccupied. Looking around, it was actually very tidy and clean. There was laundry hanging up on clothes lines, streetlamps gleaming with their gentle torchlit light, and the streets were free of any mess, be it from panic, mayhem or massacre. Everything appeared to be normal...except that the village was empty. No people, no patrolling guards, nobody. It was as if the entire population had just vanished from thin air.

A few soldiers started popping their heads into some of the smaller houses on the outskirts of town. They each came back out and conveyed their findings to me with a simple nod of their head--no people in there either.

Never before had I heard such obscene quiet. The only sound was the gentle, eerie swishing of the wind--a prelude to the incoming storm, looming overhead from the West. Coupled with a newfound coolness in the air, the sensation was remarkably dreary--I might've even considered it frightening, if I was susceptible to such petty feelings. But fear was a pointless emotion, and so I had ejected it from my conscious long ago. I certainly wasn't the type to be so easily frightened, much less by something purely abstract.

But then why am I shaking? I asked myself, looking down at my quivering paws.

"Where the bloody hell did everyone go?" I asked Tokato quietly, "and where's the NA? You said they had important military operations based in Windstrom."

"Perhaps they're hiding. It could be a surprise attack to catch us off guard," whispered Tokato, following close behind me.

"Where, though? We've already searched half the bloody town. There's nobody here."

Tokato stopped in his tracks, placing a paw on his chin as he tried to come up with an explanation.

I turned around to face him. "Lieutenant?"

"I'm...not quite sure, Sir."

"Not quite sure?!" I barked, no longer seeing a point in keeping quiet. "Lieutenant, this town is empty! I need to know why!"

"I was t-told that the installation would be here, S-sir!" Tokato stuttered out with a timid expression crossing his face, clearly falling prey to my intimidation.

I glared down at the meek fox and crossed my arms.

"Well it's gotta be somewhere, Sir," Tokato said gingerly. "Perhaps it's disguised?"

"Lieutenant, who exactly gave you the orders to infiltrate Windstrom?" inquired the cold and dark voice of Kovarti, a wolf with bright yellow eyes that glistened under the pale moonlight and stuck out vividly from his pitch-black fur. He was usually very quiet--until he had spoken, I didn't even realize he had come over to us. Tokato gulped and remained silent.

"It just doesn't make sense," the logical canine continued. "It's a small village, with relatively no importance or strategic value. Even if there is a military base here, hidden underneath a commoner's house or something like that, there's no way it could provide enough space or have enough security for the magnitude of importance that you described."

Tokato nodded his head shyly, acknowledging the logic in Kovarti's argument, then replied to his question. "A young lieutenant gave me the orders, when I was doing a routine check-in with an outpost northeast of our camp. Outpost D3, I think is was. Why?"

"Interesting," Kovarti mumbled thoughtfully.

"Is there something that you're trying to suggest?" I asked sternly.

Kovarti's answer was interrupted by the sound of a massive explosion. Like a bolt of thunder, it cracked through the air and hung there, sustained by the sheer power of it.

"Shit!" I screamed, covering my ears and glancing around, trying to locate the source.

After a moment, I found it. Large red fumes were towering above the treeline from less than a mile away, in the forest just north of Windstrom.

"Riicau and Nuuva's regiment!" Tokato yelled over the echoing sound. Kovarti and I both nodded, and together, the three of us ran off in immediate pursuit of the anomaly.

As we ran past a small, relatively-inordinate house in the village, a figure darted out and tackled me from the side, sending me plummeting to the ground.

"Sir!" Tokato yelled.

"Fuck!" was my reply.

I darted around to see my attacker. He wasn't there, but out of the corner of my eye I could see Tokato and Kovarti drawing their swords and charging towards something behind me. A moment later, they both went flying back in the direction they had come from.

I quickly spun around on the ball of my foot to face my enemy. He was a brown bear--large and burly, dressed in Agu Morran colors, and a general by the look of his uniform. He had a sword, but it sat dormant in a sheath tethered to his hip.

Of course, he just had to be a bloody mage, of all possible things!

"Who the hell are you?!" I demanded.

With the flick of his paw, I felt my a wave of sheer cold rush over me and carry me off my feet.

Just a few seconds later, I felt my heavy form crash straight through the brick wall of the house that the general had come from.

"Who am I?" the bear scrawled at me, his fists blazing with frigid white energy. "Why should I tell you? You lowly creatures are of little importance to me. Telling you my name would be a waste of my time."

I managed to slowly push myself up from my position against the wall of the house--or, to be more descriptive, the pile of fractured bricks that used to be the wall of the house. Despite aching all over from the house-shattering impact, I didn't appear to have any serious damage, so I just brushed the rubble off and got to my feet.

Behind the general, Tokato and Kovarti both laid sprawled out on the ground. Kovarti was attempting to get up, but Tokato appeared to be unconscious.

"Dammit! Go to hell!" I bellowed, drawing my blade and charging towards the general at full speed.

The general drew his sword to counter mine. It was slightly shorter, but what it was lacking in length was made up for in bulk. He made a swing for me, accompanied by a few jabs towards my stomach. I stealthily dodged and blocked his hits. While defending with his blade, he used his other paw to send several more blasts of ice towards me. I dodged the first two, but the third managed to sweep past my evasive maneuvers and hit me square in the chest, knocking me off my feet. My skull made contact with the ground with a loud thudding noise.

From behind the general, a sword swung swiftly and silently with the intention of taking off his head. The bear blocked Kovarti's blow and turned around to focus on him instead, knowing that I would be off my feet for a moment anyways.

After colliding with two hard surfaces in a matter of just a few minutes, my head was expectedly aching in excruciating pain. I might've had a minor concussion, but fortunately, my skull didn't feel broken--I silently thanked my father for my thick frame and all the mornings he forced me to drink a whole half-gallon of milk in one sitting.

As I tried to prop myself up from the dirt, I took the liberty of peeping a glance into the structure my frosty friend had made his dramatic entrance from. The house wasn't very large, but there was a dim light emanating from the end of a hallway on the far end of it.

I carefully pulled my weight back up onto my own two feet, being careful to not stir the general's attention from a three-on-one fight with Kovarti and two other soldiers. I walked into the empty little home and followed my curiosity towards the end of the hallway.

There was a set of crooked stone stairs, accompanied by a sturdy-looking steel door, shielding away the mysterious contents of the basement from the outside world. A smirk was promptly erected on my muzzle.

Bingo! I had found the goods.

I trotted down the stairs, sword still in paw and at the ready. My head was still violently buzzing from the impacts, but I managed to make my way to the basement without tripping or falling.

I opened the steel door with a little bit of muscle and a lot bit of a loud screeching noise. It opened to reveal a hallway with several prison cells lined throughout.

I walked down the hallway. Cell number one: empty.

Curious, I thought.

Cell number two: also vacant.

Cell number three: still no occupants, although there was a small metal dish and a broken wooden spoon on the floor.

I was gonna be very disappointed if this detour ended up being for nothing.

I came up to cell number four. It was the only cell that was locked up, and sure enough, I finally found someone. He was a wolf with snowy white fur--or at least it would have been snowy and white, if it wasn't thoroughly embellished in a mixture of dirt, grime and blood. His clothes were tattered and torn, and one of his eyes was badly bruised. He didn't look very old. My presence must have awoken him, because he slowly began to stir awake from his trance-like sleep on the cold stone floor.

With the swift chop of my sword, I removed the rusty lock from the door and opened it. I walked inside and kneeled by the young wolf's side as he raised his head and squinted his eyes at me, trying to get a sense of his new surroundings. Now even more than the moment before, I could tell that he was in pretty bad shape.

"Hello? I need you to wake up. I'm here to help you."

"H...huh...hmm?" the wolf mumbled, still trying to grasp onto consciousness.

"My name is Bodey Aráshvahr. I'm a warrior from Uthalia. I was sent here to Windstrom to infiltrate the military's operations here. What is your name?" I asked, offering my paw to help him up.

"My name..." he mumbled to himself. A moment later, he finally reached out placed his small, frail paw in the palm of my own.

A sudden, unexplainable wave of intense emotion flowed through me the moment he touched me. Time seemed to come to a complete halt in that moment as I gazed down into his swollen, tawny-brown eyes. They stared back at me earnestly, and through them, I could see the pain and anguish lurking inside of his heart. They served as a gateway through which I could travel to the very core of that same heart and feel those emotions coursing through me--only to unite with my own inner torment.

Our two strifes were completely unalike, yet somehow, I could truly feel everything he felt--and looking into his eyes, I knew that somehow, he understood my pain as well. He embraced my pain, and I embraced his, and through that strange and brief sense of unity, I could feel a blazing fire ignite between us, fracturing the shared pain and nullifying it's deadly cast.

I wasn't sure what to say. I didn't even have the words to describe it. The feeling was surreal, unlike anything I had ever felt before. It may have only lasted an instant, but it was the longest and most emotionally impactful instant I had ever experienced.

I was hopelessly bewildered and my mind was racing, but I didn't have time to waste. I clasped onto the wolf's weak grip with a much stronger one that I used to pull him up to his feet.

He gazed up into my eyes once more.

"My name is Aiko."