Age of Warriors

[Joa-Boo]

“I haven’t the slightest clue over any of you men. I hear you though and fear for your families all the same. We can turn around but if we turn around now this could risk failures in all areas. I ask you men to examine yourselves. If saving your families is your top priority then do all that is possible in your mortal beings to save them. We will change direction and move around the back. Muez should have pulled off what ever was back there far enough away from the city that it won’t affect us. We must move fast. Find it in you men. It will take everything you have to give.” Crux said as he walled up to absorb all of the attacks being tossed back at his unit. They formed up behind him while thinking.

“For our families and for our country!” A few of them yelled loudly, making the change of pace and direction. With the energy and fear of their families coming into harm they moved with much more speed then usual. This was personal. Crux followed with pride.

“Let us just hope we drove off enough of the force to make all of the difference for our pushing soldiers. They are doing a shitty job compared to what I thought they were capable of. They should have pushed through already.” Crux finished with low hopes. He turned his attention to running to keep up with his crazed soldiers as they made their way out of the gates to circle around. “Muez I pray all is well. We could use your help.”  

[Dugan195]

The Yultan soldiers didn't pursue Crux and his men as they started their retreat. They had more devious plans in the works. After letting them get out of sight they started their pursuit. As they moved forward they reformed into blocks, they had lost quite a few men to Crux's charge but they were still in fighting condition.

As Crux and his men reached the outer gate they started to cry in dismay. Half a regiment of Yultan soldiers who had been escorting the initial refugees out had made their way back to Kalbor, Muez had not made it back in time, however Calik had made it back and was prowling along his men's line barrnig his teeth.

"Shield of the North, I've chased off your puppet, now it is time to take your head." he called out and he pointed a claw at Crux.

A few of Crux's men looked to him, "My lord, we can take them!" The men charged forward with a fierce war cry. The Necroplian near doubled their numbers and were slowly starting to push the Yultan soldiers back towards the gate. The only thing that kept them from running was Calik tearing throw men left and right, he tore throats out and snapped spears and knocked sword swipes away with ease. He was making his way towards Crux with murder in his eyes. As the two champions neared each other cries of hate came from behind the Necroplian soldiers.

The guards from inside the city had caught up with them and were charging forward into the fray. This brought the Yultan soldiers above the number of Necroplian soldiers and they had them surrounded on all sides. Blood ran through the streets as the frenzy of battle ensued.




After his successful attack on the South-Eastern wall Bammer moved his men into the gate and the ramparts around it. He left none of his men on the ground and had them seal the gate up tight. Bammer was not going to recieve any reinforcements anytime soon and he could potentially see hundreds of men marching on him. Fighting on the ground against the whole of the Javellian guard would be suicide. No Bammer would force the Blood Fiend to siege the wall; and since they were just city guard with only a few musketmen that would be a very long, tedious process.

"Men focus your attention to the outer city, Yulta has to much on its plate to worry about us here on this junction. No I doubt they will send much if any at all at us. Its the men of the South we must worry about. Keep low and keep shooting at them."



Bellacrin remained on the wall and continued to fight the soldiers on the wall as some of his men finished scaling the wall. Some fast climbers had made it to the levers and lifted the gates for the rest of the troops to storm forward. Bellacrin hollered in joy as he flung a spearmen from the wall, "The wall is ours. Forward for the Emperor!"

With the Northern gate open over 5 regiments of soldiers stormed through the gate into the Western district. They were met with the full might of the West though. As the northerners charged they were met with a wall of spears and pikes, killing dozens. However the wall could not hold back the weight of the assult long. The Yultans could not hold rank for long and soon a frenzy started as men dashed about slicing and stabbing at one another.

Brellio hollered and shouted as he made his way forward drawing his great sword. He sliced through a man on his left and laughed, "Oh this is the fun part. Time to pay you bastards back for pellting me with your god damn bullets.



(Yulta: 800
Necroplia: 800
Javell: 950)  

[Dugan195]

Battle of Kalbor battle map 2

 

[Joa-Boo]

A sickening feeling struck through Crux’s veins. As soon he spotted the large wolf man pushing through his ranks he knew things were going to be close, too close for comfort. He could not ignore Calick rampage into the city yet he had a mission to do. What frightened him more was if Calick showed up, what did that make of Muez? That sickening feeling burned. It evolved very quickly into anger and Crux knew just how to translate that. With his full exo-skeleton unraveled from his body, Crux bulleted for Calick and through their lines. The sheer force of Crux’s body plowing forward was like a cannon ball launched from any siege machine. Any contact made with him at this point would shatter bone into mush. He was death bound for the wolf, his determination in full display through his heightened level of focus. As soon as he reached Calick he dove forward into a roll and brought his lance blade across his front the shear through any resistence. None was met other than a few unlucky enemy soldiers whose cleaved bodies fell to the ground in half. Calick had seen the attack coming and launched himself upward over the attack. He clipped a hit across Crux’s back but the warrior hadn’t even noticed. Any other foe and they would be crippled by a hit to the back of the head. Crux would gladly take a hit like that any day.

Calick was quick to make the next move. He wasn’t going to let Crux reload and go for another run like that. He spun in closer to Crux with his claws extended outward, making a wave of slashes in his desired direction. Crux had turned on a dime and brought up his shield. The large nail filer shrieked as Calick’s claws banked against the mostly impenetrable wall. As soon as contact was made Crux lifted and pushed outward to break his shield against Calick. The motion instantly followed with his lance thrust forward. His aim and steady striking would be his best chance at a hit. Unfortunately Calcik was quite nimble and after a good hit from the shield, let the momentum bring him back further outside of Crux’s range. Once Crux noticed this he ran forward with his lance at the ready.

The next hit would be something Crux would never forget. It caught him completely off guard. The technique and movement Calick put into his glorified hit was one Crux would cherish in memory to learn from. Crux’s next launch was with his lance straight for the middle of Calick. It was a quicker attack for him, and a well placed one at that but Calick had already planned his next move and Crux fell right into it. As the lance moved forward, Calick lifted himself into the attack, bent upward so that the blade grazed just below him, and then, with great speed, ran along Crux’s lance. The maneuver brought Calick very close to him so fast that Crux didn’t have time to get his shield in the way. Calick got in around the side, and then underneath to actually bring Crux to the ground. Once Crux’s back hit the floor, Calick was over him with his claws bearing down in a furry of strikes.

Calick had also misjudged and any mistake he made was much less forgiving because unlike Crux, Calick was venerable to a much higher degree. After about three claw strike from Calick, Crux brought his legs up and shot his bone roots from his feet. Most people have no idea that Crux can even do that, Calick being one of them. The blades shot forward into the committed foe, one grazing the chest and the other cut along Calick’s right left shoulder. Once Calick stammered the slightest bit as the pain set in, Crux threw himself up by tossing the weight of his shield across and hit Calick in the gut. This quickly was followed by a spin with his lance once again flaying across the middle area. Calick was at least able to dodge this. He brought himself a good distance away and then glared at Crux while holding his wound. Crux simply fortified and tossed a taunt grenade into the midst. In a way even winning right now was still losing. At times likes these just raise all hell.

Outside the battle of Crux and Calick there men had come into a stalemate, even victory and loss on both sides. It wouldn’t last that way forever.  

[Dugan195]

The grenade exploded wounding men on both sides of the fight. The wails of the dying echoed out into the air as people dropped around the two champions. Spears met swords as the men fought desperately for their lives. The Yultans called for blood of the fallen civilians that laid at their feet. The Necroplians fought to escape, fearing for their families back in their own district. Each side had their own motivation for the fighting, each side fought desperately to win the fight.

Calik dodged another of Crux's strikes and saw one of his friends in the guard get stabbed through the chest. He watched as the man shrieked out in pain and fell to the ground as the Necroplain guard stepped on his back to pull the spear out. Growling Calik jumped past Crux onto the guard who had killed his friend. Calik bite into the guard's next squirting blood all over the front of his chain mail. After letting out a war cry he looked around at then down at his wounds, this was pointless.

He gained his composure and roared out fiercely, "If the Necroplain dogs want to run home, let them. All men fall back, fall back into the city". Calik was met with odd glare and stares, the men didn't understand, but they didn't need to. There was nothing to gain from this fight, only more death and destruction. No matter how many throats he tore or guts he opened his friends, the innocent, and the valiant would never be brought back. They were dead and this fighting would only add to the heartbreak.

The Yultan men hesitantly started to fight towards the entrance of the city and fall back to the streets. Calik stayed until most of the men where safe in the city; his eyes met Crux's and there wasn't hate or fear in Calik's eyes. Just sorrow. Calik nodded gently, "Save the men and woman in your own district Crux, not all of us are butchers such as you." with Calik turned and followed the remaining troops back into the city.  

[Joa-Boo]

A dark chill grew about Crux. Calick’s words hurt more than any hit on him. These were dark times and they pulled people to making some dark decisions. Crux didn’t like it but he did what he had to. There was a debt to be paid and the man responsible would not pay it so innocent had to die.

“Unfortunately Calick this blood is on the poor decisions of your king. He brought this upon those people. They too will have their justice when the man responsible for all of this has paid the price. Until then it is chaos and more innocent will die. If I was you I would get you and your men out of here now. Without the exit covered by my platoon you can rush the rest of your people out of here. Muez will also let you pass. We may never be friends, enemies may be to strong of a word, but you have left an impression on me wolf.” Crux coughed back. Crux raised his blade hand into the air to motion his men to stop fighting. They turned their attention instead to the chase for their territory.

They hurried into the fray of things on their own turf. It looked as though some fighting had already started and the first few buildings had been set to fire. Crux’s men barreled into the fight to slow them down.  

[Joa-Boo]

Dugan195

The grenade exploded wounding men on both sides of the fight. The wails of the dying echoed out into the air as people dropped around the two champions. Spears met swords as the men fought desperately for their lives. The Yultans called for blood of the fallen civilians that laid at their feet. The Necroplians fought to escape, fearing for their families back in their own district. Each side had their own motivation for the fighting, each side fought desperately to win the fight.

Calik dodged another of Crux's strikes and saw one of his friends in the guard get stabbed through the chest. He watched as the man shrieked out in pain and fell to the ground as the Necroplain guard stepped on his back to pull the spear out. Growling Calik jumped past Crux onto the guard who had killed his friend. Calik bite into the guard's next squirting blood all over the front of his chain mail. After letting out a war cry he looked around at then down at his wounds, this was pointless.

He gained his composure and roared out fiercely, "If the Necroplain dogs want to run home, let them. All men fall back, fall back into the city". Calik was met with odd glare and stares, the men didn't understand, but they didn't need to. There was nothing to gain from this fight, only more death and destruction. No matter how many throats he tore or guts he opened his friends, the innocent, and the valiant would never be brought back. They were dead and this fighting would only add to the heartbreak.

The Yultan men hesitantly started to fight towards the entrance of the city and fall back to the streets. Calik stayed until most of the men where safe in the city; his eyes met Crux's and there wasn't hate or fear in Calik's eyes. Just sorrow. Calik nodded gently, "Save the men and woman in your own district Crux, not all of us are butchers such as you." with Calik turned and followed the remaining troops back into the city.

((btw the grenade was just a figure of speech to be descriptive)  

[Dugan195]

Zimbella shot an arrow straight through the chest of an Necroplian girl as tears ran down her face, "Die!" she screamed as she loaded another arrow and shot it through a man running from a store. Zimbella couldn't believe any of this. Her people had been butchered like dogs by the Necroplians, they hadn't done anything wrong. They were all innocent. Vas had been right, the princess shouldn't marry an emperor of such butchers.

Now it was time for her to get vengeance. Two dozen bodies ran the streets red with blood from her arrows. Killing peasants, the thought chilled Zimbella, never in her life did she expect to have to do something so disgusting as this. But her blood lust had overtaken her. All she could focus on was paying the Necs back for every one of her people who were slaughtered for no reason. Unlike the Necroplians she had a reason to slaughter unarmed peasants.

One of her men let out a call of distress, "M'lady m'lady! Look the Necroplains have returned."

Another guard looked and shouted in fear, "Its the Shield of the North! The butcher of our men."

"Kill him!"

"Burn Necroplia"

"For Yulta!"

Zimbella watched as her men forgot about the peasants they had been slaughtering and started to form up to face the Shield's men. Many men on both sides would be sent to the grave in this fight, neither side looked to have a numerical advantage. With a sigh Zimbella gave up her bloodlust, "Fall back men. Return to Javell's district."

"We can take them ma'am"

"Give us a shot."

Zimbella growled, "Retreat now, there is no reason to die upon their spears here. We have paid Necroplia back in kind, now we take our leave." With grunts of disapproval the Yultans started to run in the opposite direction of the oncoming Necroplian guards. Zimbella whirled up a huge gust of wind to blow back the oncoming guards to give her own men time to escape.




Bammer looked from the Eastern wall of Yulta's district at the vast size of the oncoming Javel guard. They were outnumbered beyond belief and their would be a champion or two among their ranks no doubt as well. The guards around Bammer started to pick up fallen firearms and started to reload to meet the horde.

Bammer shook his head and looked up to the sun that was starting to set in the sky, "Looks like daddy has come home. Pack it up men no reason to die upon Yulta's walls. Let that happen upon our own." Bammer's men looked at him in uncertainly.

"You heard me follow the wall to the northern face to meet up with the Crawlers and Brellio's forces. Hopefully I can talk that blood thristy spide into retreating. We can't take this city. Not since we forced the Yultans to join the fray. Best save our strength and make for the capital."



Brellio was slashing all around himself as blades scuffted off his armor. Scores of men had fallen and both sides were fighting with a fierce determination still. Looking around for Bellacrin Brellio saw Bammer and a few regiments of guards atop the wall, "What the hell is he doing here?"

Turning from the front Brellio slashed his way towards the wall. By the time he got atop it Bellcrin and Bammer were arguing and about at the point of drawing weapons on each other.

"No you stupid spider we cannot take this city. No good will come of prolonging the fight."

"You worthless drawf you want to return to the Emperor empty handed?"

"Better to return empty handed than on a funeral litter. We are out numbered without a chance Bellacrin. You must use reason."

"I will never give up!"

Brellio sighed, "Bellacrin, I hate to admit it but Bammer is right. I do not think we will take the city. We should retreat to our own district and see to the evacuation of our men."

Bellacrin turned to face Brellio in disbelief, "No, not you too? Are you both craven?"

Brellio laughed, "Ofcourse not, but if we flee today we can come back in force and crush them tomorrow. We won't be able to do that dead."

Bellacrin cursed out loud and leaned over the side of the wall looking over the melee, "Brave Necroplia soldiers, the traitorous Javellians are marching on us as we speak. Make for our own district with all haste. For the Emperor!"  

[Joa-Boo]

There were no words in the zombie that infested Crux. He wanted to offer some small words of encouragement to his men surrounding him but nothing fit. Defeat was an all over encumbering sensation so heavy it even felt wrong to stand straight. With head broken downward and feet sulking with every move, Crux made his way to the district center to put an end to the scrambling. He could feel the other would be behind him soon. Why wouldn’t they, he would in there place. The center city was lost to chaos. There was nothing left to stick around for. The only thing left inside was a numb slaughter without cause.

Crux was too hung over from battle at this point. The heat of each moment his blade cut through something he believed was justified to kill swept him up like a drug. Now he couldn’t see past the red stains that covered him. It made him sick. To think, he initiated that devastating loss. His words turned cold the actions of many. He felt as though there would come a time when all of those sins would be on him. He may have to answer for the failures in the city but he still sat strong in his belief that this was all on the parasite that took the princess back. How could someone be so selfish that they set the whole world into chaos? Now he was mad. His vision blurred over. His armor tensed up. A powerful compression of air bulged intensely around him until the floor beneath him cracked.

“FUUUUCCCKKK!!!!” In one raging roar, Crux threw his arms up and sent an explosion of rocks in all directions. He didn’t want to harm anyone, or lose his cool. It was just too much for him at once. Strangely, before any of the rocks could do damage they seemed to come together around Crux as if he was some sort of magnet. They closed him in a tight dome with nothing more then tiny cracks of light to see through. The crowds around shrieked, fearing another enemy legend had returned. Crux instantly brought himself into a defensive stance. The thought of being back into a fight calmed him. His addiction was fed and everything seemed suddenly alright. Crux waited cautiously for a strike but none came. Instead a few pebbles formed a face around the side of the dome. “Aaa, Muez, so you are still alive?” Crux added. His exoskeleton shell shrunk back into his body at the sight of his close friend. Muez was one of the only people he would let down his full guard to.

“Pull yourself together Crux. These people are feeling everything you are but they don’t have the strength to get back up like you will. They need you to pull them out. Dry those tears and put on your hero face.” Muez said through the slight shifting of his rock sculpture. Crux gave a make shift nod but it wasn’t enough. The stone walls shrunk more on Crux, leaving him no room for movement. “Very unconvincing Crux! “

“Your right Muez thanks. Let’s get everyone together and out of here. We will win this another day.”

“That’s more like it,” Muez said just before shifting off of Crux and into a rock golem. The large rock puppet moved toward the exit to keep everyone safe while motioning everyone to head for the district center.

Crux stood for what seemed like years. His feet weren’t all that interesting but they were all he could bring himself to look at. The crowds grew larger around him; he could feel their eyes, their sadness. His empathetic powers weren’t so useful when nothing be negativity swallowed everyone. He thought to himself, searching for the right words. There were few, but deep down inside he knew the hero inside him had to come out.

“Good people, I hear you. This is a tragic day for all that is good. We fought hard to cleanse this city from the darkness it has fallen into but our enemies are more. They would seek to shut out all of our light. We will not let this happen. Good people, we will flee to the mother country; regain our strength, our numbers, and our hope. I will not leave your sides again. I will protect you. I am your shield, the shield of the north.”  

[Dugan195]

As Crux finished his speech the other guardsmen being lead by Bellacrin, Brellio, and Bammer marched through the gates towards Crux's men.

"I see you made it back safe and sound Crux," Brellio said in a light hearted voice.

Bammer, "Take more then a few civillians to kill the Shield of the North. I mean its not like they don't have weapons or anything," Bammer said with a bit of disgust in his voice.

Bellacrin scowled at the two and looked to Crux, "The damned Westerners pushed you back as well I see. Damn that b***h damn her to the ten hells. How dare she sneak around our assault and attack our own district."

Bammer spat on the ground, "not like we weren't doing the same thing ourselfs."

Brellio started to walk away from the squabbling two and walked over to Crux, "I'm going to start the evacuation of our people. We have lost Kalbor, no use trying to put up some foolhardily defense. If you would be so kind take fifty of our best riders and make for Necroplia and report the loss to his majesty the Emperor."  

[Joa-Boo]

“The words are heavy but I believe it is necessary burden I should take to our lord. Muez, my battalion, and I will ride. Muez round the men up, we are leaving.” Crux carried a respect for Brellio. Bammer could be stuck up and see the things that happened for whatever he wanted but that was in the past. True leaders would need to push on. Crux couldn’t afford to reflect on his actions or the consequences that come. It was time for action and he had to lead.

Muez’s stone puppet shattered into pieces as he sucked the life out of it by a simple tug of his strings. The Muez saw it, anything could be given life or have life taken from it. Life was just an illusion. The only thing that made something real was a conscious to choose for itself. This time Muez infected a set of flags which he set to dance in the square. It moved about quickly until all of the soldiers are put together.

Once gathered, they all left the city and onwards to the capital. The lord awaited there word. None wanted to share. It was a cold and quiet trip. They had lost.  

[Dugan195]

Crux and his men rode on to Necroplia without meeting any resistance from either Yulta or Javel. Enough blood had been spilt on all sides today. No one wanted to see anymore spilt. The men rode hard and fast on their way North. Within hours the green forests that surrounded Kalbor started to melt away into the tundra of the north. The temperature dropped with every mile they went north. The ground became hard and then froze, frost being kicked up like dust around the stampeding horses as they pressed on.

Very few plants grew up north, the ground was too hard and the air too cold for them to take root. The land was so bitter and so barren that the Necroplians had been driven underground long ago to escape the hard landscape. Only a few scatter clusters of huts and buildings inhabited the tundra of the north. There were no cities or villages until you got to the frozen wastes of Crux’s home land of Sinvil. Had it not been for the fact that the men that rode with Crux were from the North they would find making the trip this quickly hard if not impossible. But they were men of the north and long use to the bitterness that they rode through.

By nightfall they reached the entrances to the vast caverns that held the entirety of the Necroplian kingdom. There were over a dozen entrances to the system of caverns that were each guarded by ancient fortresses that were built into in the cavern walls. Long ago before the creation of the arena when the kingdoms fought wars against each other thousands of soldiers could manned the fortresses fending off armies ten times their size. The fortresses had been breached very few times in history, they were considered to be some of the strongest forts in the entirety of the Kingdoms. Though now barely a hundred guards manned each fortress as the wars of the Dark Times had long since past.

The riders met no resistance from the guards manning the gates to the caverans and they were given fresh mounts to traverse the series of caves and tunnels that lead to Empire. The cave system was so vast that there was multiple cities built entirely underground, each miles away from one another. The caverns and caves that connect the cities were a mixture of man made tunnel and natural caverns that had taken a thousand years to complete in their entirely. Fortunately Necroplia was not far from entrance that Crux and his men had taken.

Be that as it may it was long past midnight by the time they arrived at the underground gates of Necroplia. Necroplia did not have one gate, but a series of many small gates that were connected by narrow passage ways. The city itself was as big with Kalbor and went as deep as a mile into the ground. Houses and shops were mined out of the walls of cavern, with only the rich being able to build actual constructs in the series of giant caverns that made up the city. The Palace of the Emperor was in the Center of Necroplia, it was small in comparison to keeps in the other kingdoms, but no less grand. The entire thing had been carved out of stone, no metal made up the keep. The palace walls, inside and out, had been etched with murals, pictures, and designs that had taken as long as carving the entire empire tunnel system to make. Thousands of stone carvers had spent their lives adding to the beauty of the underground keep.

Crux’s men were sent to guard barracks throughout Necroplia to rest as Crux was ushered to the palace of the Emperor. Once inside he was sent straight to the throne were where the Emperor kept his vigilance and ruled the empire. The Emperor sat in a giant stone throne and had sat there for two hundred years. His skin had withered and looked like more like parchment stretched over bones than actual skin. His eyes were so sunken that the entire cavity was visible around the pale blue eyes that never seemed to close. Rich velvet robes clung to the skeletal body of the Emperor, they were among the finest in the land and had actual gold stiched in as lining. Even Crux, one of the richest men in the land, could only dream of wearing such fine clothing.

As Crux knelt before the Emperor Silv Blan, the hand and regent of Empire, called up him to report of the happening in Kalbor.

“Crux, Shield of the North, Champion of Sinvil. Rise and tell the Emperor of his men’s righteous battle against the traitorous scandals in the Sout.” Silv said in a soft, but menacing voice. Silv Blan was near 100 year old, and was the champion of Necroplia before Bellacrin. He was a short man with skin pale as the moon and blessed with eyes as pale blue that were only beat the Emperor himself. His skills in the arena were legendary and all who spoke to him feared and respected him.  

[Joa-Boo]

“Your majesty, Ill tales are all I bring. I wish it was differently but the report I bring has no gain. We have lost the city due to being out number significantly and have accumulated a sure number of casualties. I did my best my lord. Do you really see no other way then war?” Crux asked in the end while brining his stance from out of his bow. The answer bewildered him. He had to know. There must be some other way to stop the many destructive years to follow. The future may never be the same.  

[Dugan195]

Silv stared with his cold pale eyes at Crux as he reported the loss to the Emperor. The Emperor seemed to take no notice of the report, his head nor his eyes moved as Crux spoke. Not an inch of his body flinched with the tale. Silv seemed to be the only paying any attention the the report. As Crux finished his report Silv turned his head toward the Emperor and stared silently at him for about a minute.

No sound passed through the room as Silv and the Emperor stared at each other. Finally Silv nodded his head and said, "Yes your majesty I will tell him." Turning his attention to Crux Silv took a step toward him and motioned for him to stand up. "Crux, Shield of the North. You have fought well for us and should not be ashamed. The Emperor now feels he rushed to hastily into the battle and should have exercised more caution. Your words for peace have been heard by the Emperor, but sadly they fall deaf on his ears. War cannot be averted, not now. The Dark Times seem to fall over the lands once more and war will destroy the lands. The system used to avert war has gone under and back into a corner the country is. Now is the time for blood and death. Crux the Emperor has a very important mission for you. One that most be done in upmost haste."

"Ride to Minimoto and see if they intend to honor tradition and join arms with us. Act as our ambassador and make haste with your regiment. Take your hundred men and see if honor still exists in the East."  

[Joa-Boo]

Crux was beside himself as Silv’s words carried the Emperors intentions. It happened almost in slow motion as if he was distant from everything that was really happening. He wished it was all a dream but Silv’s words kept ringing and this war would go on. Crux’s eyes dropped at the sound of the others disbelief that there was another way. He feared there wouldn’t be, practically know there wasn’t, only hopped for some positive light. That is when it occurred to him. They still had the East to convince. With them on their side it would be a fair fight and a very winnable fight at that. Once Silv mentioned his new assignment, Crux lit up. It was a fresh breath of air. His men would be excited to visit there friends in the other provinces. Hopefully they would be willing to assist tradition and help them. There bond may not be strong but that is what Crux was for. He carried the responsibility proudly.

“Your majesty you will not be disappointed. If there is anyone right for this mission it is me. I will take to the roads and head east. They will be marching with us in the next heat. You will see.” Crux said proudly and standing. When he stood he shot out his bone exoskeleton and hit his lance against the shield to show his enthusiasm. “Muez, rally the men. Tell them we leave by the end of the week. I want them fully ready and pumped.”

“Will do Crux!”

“What is your next move Emperor? We will need many men for what is to come and a lot more strategy. I would like to propose a new design for our guard. No one is ready to just fight in a war. They have only been trained to keep the peace. We will need them combat trained and I have a new idea for our ranks.”