Eilownia held up the hem of her dress as they traversed through the thick foliage and rough terrain of the forest.

One of the soldiers carried her bag of things in the rear while the others formed a tight circle around her. Prav held the map out in front of him as he consulted to find the safe house.

Eilownia sighed, "We’ve been walking for forever....."

"It should be coming up soon. I don’t think we’re too far now." Prav reassured her.

Finally, a small, rickety cabin appeared in front of them. Moss covered its roof and overgrown grass covered up the pathway.

"Wait here." Prav instructed as he rolled up the map and pulled out his sword. He entered the cabin in a defensive stance as he looked around. After finding no threats, he peeked his head out of the doorway.

"All clear!"

Eilownia and the rest of the soldiers entered as Prav lit a few oil lamps.

"Best not to light the fireplace. Too much smoke." He said as one of the newer recruits from his class bent down to light it. They hesitated before giving an awkward nod.

Eilownia sat down on the couch, sending a poof of dust flying upwards. They all covered their mouths and coughed before it settled.

"How long has it been since he used this place?" Prav asked before sneezing.

Everyone looked around and shrugged. "It doesn’t seem like he’s been here anytime recently. Is there any food?" Asked Etil, a young soldier asked.

"Ummm...Let me see." Prav searched through the cabinets and drawers.

"There’s only a few rations that look like they’ve been eaten through by rats or squirrels or something." He held up an old bag with a hole in by its corner with a disgusted look on his face.

Eilownia let out another sigh and stared at the door.

"What’s going on? I want to be with Marix. We can’t just leave Marix!"

"Sola has infiltrated Viraaz. Marix is busy leading the army and fighting them off, defending our home." Prav said, kneeling in front of her and giving her a reassuring smile.

Eilownia gasped and stood up. "We have to help him! He’s out there by himself?!"

"Not by himself ma’am! He has the entire Viraaz army....minus us." Etil said with a salute.

"It would be better to stay here and wait for him. General Marix is a very capable fighter. I’m sure he’ll have no problem and I have full confidence he will arrive here when he is able to." Nascor, an older soldier with an eyepatch and silver hair said.

Eilownia chewed on her bottom lip as her eyebrows furrowed. She began to pace back and forth, occasionally glancing at the door as she did so.

The rumbling got louder and louder.

Marix’s head shot up to see what was making the noise, his eyes widened.

Sola was bringing in their cannon unit.

Marix turned towards his soldiers and waved his arms, "THEY’VE BROUGHT THEIR CANNON UNIT! MOVE OUT OF THE LINE OF FIRE!"

A group of Solan soldiers rushed towards him, their spears and swords aimed straight ahead.

Marix spun out of the way and brought his sword down on the back of one, sending him to the ground. He lifted him up and tossed him at the spear bearer, piercing his body through the core.

Another soldier rushed towards him and clashed swords with him. Marix parried as he shouted, "BRIGGS! BRIGGS!"

Briggs was busy fighting off two soldiers who were coming at him at the same time. He used the scabbard of his sword and his blade to block their attacks and fend them off.

"I’m coming General!" He yelled over the sound of cannon fire and screams.

He shoved his sword’s scabbard into the stomach of the one on the left, knocking the wind out of him as he kicked the other away, bringing his sword down on the one on the left before slashing the one on the right across the stomach in a swift motion.

Briggs then ran up to Marix who was parrying with another soldier and rammed him with his shoulder.

"General! I’m here!" He said with a quick salute before getting behind Marix and pressing his back against him, "What is it?"

"Why have our cannon and archer units not arrived yet?! Where are they?!" Marix screamed, his voice full of gravel.

"I don’t know! I’m sure they were alerted! They should’ve been here already!"

Marix turned around and spun Briggs to face him, then grabbed him by the collar and yanked him towards him.

"Go get them NOW! Make sure they arrive this time! I don’t care if you have to wheel those cannons in and use a bow and arrow yourself!"

He shoved him away, sending Briggs stumbling backwards.

"Yes sir!" Briggs yelled before quickly running off to go find the units.

"GENERAL!" Tryde’s voice pierced Marix’s eardrums as he felt something hard hit him in the side, throwing him to the ground.

Marix’s body skipped across the cobblestone street, screeching against his armor.

Just as he looked up, he saw Tryde get slashed across the back.

"TRYDE!" Marix screamed as he jumped to his feet to catch him.

Tryde fell into his arms. The soldier lifted his sword to attack again but Marix stabbed him first and threw his body into a nearby soldier that was parrying with one of their comrades.

Tryde’s body was limp and heavy in Marix’s arms. He groaned and wheezed.

"I-I can.....still fight...General.....AUGH!"

Marix lifted Tryde up and adjusted his grip on him, "Don’t be an idiot! This wound is serious. That’s just a death wish. What are you looking to do? Be a meat shield? Not on my watch!"

Marix groaned as he used the hilt of his sword to smack into the forehead of another soldier, straining with effort.

"Yes! Use me as a shield! Allow me to go out as a hero, instead of a coward who ran with an injury!"

"SHUT UP!" Marix yelled as he dodged another attack.

"GENERAL! WATCH OUT!" Tryde lifted his arm with a loud hiss and groan as blood poured out of the wound in his back, the movement causing it to open wider.

"AUGHHHH!!!" He screamed as he shoved his sword into a soldier behind Marix with a herculean effort.

The soldier let out a pained scream, it wasn’t enough of a blow to kill him, but at least his sword dropped to the ground with a clang.

Marix glanced over his shoulder to find his target, then leaned forward and kicked his leg out behind him, sending the soldier stumbling backwards.

As quickly as he could, Marix spun around, holding Tryde tight to him as he cut the soldier down.

"You are not going to go out as a hero if you just give your life up now! You still have loved ones to answer to. You aren’t helping the cause by being just another casualty! Be a hero by surviving and securing our home!"

"Leave me! You’re being held back and distracted! I’m slowing you down! I’m just dead weight to you!" Tryde desperately tried to push off of Marix, but his strength was weakening by the second.

Blood was dripping out of his armor and down onto the streets beneath them.

"Absolutely not. I’m not going to leave you. You just saved my life multiple times after all." Marix said with an exhausted smirk.

"General! You’re injured too! I know that’s causing you enough trouble!"

"I told you before to shut up! This time it’s an order! Don’t go against your General’s command!"

Cannon fire was loud around them. The booms from the cannon ball’s expulsion from the cannons, and the contact with stone as they barreled into buildings was near deafening.

Buildings were crumbling all around them, sending debris flying into the air. That mixed with smoke was beginning to make visibility near zero.

Marix turned towards his allies, or at least the direction he was sure they were in.

"TRY TO KEEP THEM CONTAINED TO THIS AREA! DO NOT LET THEM PUSH FORWARD!" Marix screamed as he dragged Tryde over towards the shops.

There was a pile of rubble from the seamstress shop, or at least what used to be the seamstress shop.

Marix laid him down behind it.

"You should be safe here, at least for a bit. They won’t aim for this area again."

Marix began to place a few pieces of rubble over him.

"Play dead. They’ll just expect you got hit in the blast. I’ll come back for you when I can."

Tryde nodded slowly. "General. If something happens to me. Tell Aleiza I love her."

"You won’t need me to." Marix said before rushing back to the battle scene.

"Thank you, General!" Tryde weakly called out as he laid there, slowly closing his eyes.

As Marix approached, arrows rained down into the Solan army and Briggs appeared before him.

"Our archer unit is here! The cannon unit had a bit of trouble but they are on their way. We just need to hold out a little bit more!"