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Upon the windswept hill on this moonlit night

The black forest behind and town in sight,

A small figure sits among the grass

All alone in sorrow.

A pair of crimson horns and a queen's tail,

Golden eyes and a smile impaled.

As the night wears on and cold sets in,

Her thoughts retreat and hide.

In time a new light shines,

These boots approach with unhope.

As they halt behind there is no pain or shine

In this silence wings beat down the earth,

The cold is gone replaced by warmth.

"Hmmm now that seems better, but it still feels like it's missing something? No," I sigh, "It's already good enough; maybe it's because no one would ever find such a scene believable. Maybe it'd be better to put the education I received during training to better use then writing silly fantasies. It's just so stupid when I think about it now. Maybe some fresh air will help to rid me of this loneliness."

The sounds of a wood being dragged along wood and clothes being ruffled are heard before the pounding of boots set off into the night.

Outside in the open horses whinny in their sleep alongside the grunts of pigs and soft coos of chickens. Several small wooden buildings with a window on both sides of the door, identical to the one I just left, comprise the barracks for the small fort. Across from these buildings lie the open forge, currently quiet due to rain, filled with unused metal sheets besides racks of swords and armor waiting to be repaired. Next to the forge lies a small hut that leaks glowing lights and ever present smell of sulfur; this hut is home to our wizards Goblin and Ezren, alongside the alchemist Bomanz. As I walk through the center of camp I pass the bonfire that's been lit to help dry clothes and keep the night watch, alongside others who aren't ready to sleep yet, warm.

"Hey Lucky," one the men call out, "care to join us? We could use a fifth."

"Sorry," I tell him them as I walk by, "you'll have to play this one without me."

Past the bonfire I can make out silhouettes with ghost lanterns walking along the border of the wooden wall, keeping their watchful eyes open for any signs of danger to their current home. As the squelch of my boots pulling up mud approaches the gate one of the lantern bearers stops.

"Well if it isn't our good old annalist Lucky coming to keep us spooks company tonight," says the man with his gruff voice. A voice I'd recognize anywhere with how many times he has come to save me.

I respond in the most casual manner I can, "Very funny Jayce. I'm actually heading out for a bit to take care of some business in town," but I can't help but feel a smile start to play its way across my lips at the memories of ridiculous times we've had in this town, "I'll be back before the night is over so no need to worry."

He responds in his usual tongue-in-cheek manner as he opens the gate. "Yea yea, just make sure you stay out of trouble, I don't want to have to come and pull you out of another fight."

I nod with a smile as I exit through the gate and start following the winding path that leads toward the town. However the ground is thick and noisy thanks to the rain this evening which has made travel quite difficult. I look toward the forest path that twists and turns.

It isn't long before the fort I've grown use to is just a speck in the distance and I am alone walking beside the forest. I sigh as shiver makes its way through my spine.

"I hate this forest; I wish they'd just clear it out. Then I wouldn't have to worry about it being a possible home to orcs, goblins, and who knows what else."

As an annalist for my company I have learned our history and names for most of the men; however this also means that I must learn the history, stories, and legends, whatever it may be, of the land.

Even though I've been here for over a year I still find the path to the town confusing. The path itself is not long, just full of twists and turns that help to avoid the steeper hills. With the rain the dirt has turned to mud or formed pools of water in some areas, and at night I end up stepping into several times. As I near the hills I begin climbing the one closest to where the path slopes down. As I reach the top though I see the thing I least expected to, a person.

As I keep walking forward I ask, "Hey, didn't expect anyone else to have the same idea I had. Are you from the town?"

Several moments go by with no response.

"Hey," I ask slightly worried, "is everything ok?"

As I get closer I can start to make out what the persons shape, her shape is. Her body is small and lithe with hair, disheveled by mud and leaves, which runs down to the small of her back.

Curled up with knees brought to her chest and arms wrapped around she stares, body rocking ever so slightly, at the flickering lights of the town I've come to see and guard. It's then that I noticed she's shaking; it's cold out but not enough to warrant shaking unless she's been out here for a considerably longer time. By this point I'm standing beside her small form and looking at the town.

I let out a long sigh of exhaustion, take off my cloak and drape it over her shoulders. "This should help to keep you warm for a while."

I stand on the hill overlooking the town until most of the lights are out before I turn to head back. Before I can even take my first step I feel a hand grab hold of my sleeve as I realize the girl I gave my cloak to has stood up as she holds it tightly while looking at the ground.

"Is everything ok?" I ask.

She responds with a simple nod.

"Well it's a start," I think before saying, "Do you need a place to stay? If so I'm sure our fort can accommodate you for at least the night."

Another nod from her and then as we start walking I hear a soft but sweet, "Thank you." The voice itself, so filled with sadness, seems as if it's muffled by a liquid.

As the walk continues on I remember that I haven't even introduced myself. I say in a voice as cheerful as one can get when exhausted, "My name is Lucas. If I can somehow be of help let me know."

"Eve." I hear meekly, "My... my name is Eve."

The rest of the way back to fort is quiet and uneventful. However it is completely the opposite once I arrive at the gate and Jayce spots my new found companion.

After scrambling down the ladder Jayce says, "Welcome back, Lucky. I see you brought a friend with you."

I motion for Eve to wait where she is as Jayce waves me over him where he proceeds to place his arm around my shoulder locking me against him and interrogating me.

"So where'd you meet this one?"

"Over on the hills outside of town," I say.

"Know anything about her?"

"No, she just seemed lonely and she wanted to come back." I rush out the last part before he gets any ideas.

"Uh-huh. Well if you wake up missing your pouch don't come crying to me. Just make sure she stays out of trouble." And with that he lets me go and climbs up the ladder.

I walk back to where Eve is still standing and say, "All right follow me. You'll be staying with me tonight if that's ok."

She nods and we make our way across the fort to the small office I call home. From the outside it looks like a smaller version of the barracks home to little paper soldiers and the leather forts. As I open the door the room is in the same order I left it, the single light on the table strewn with open books, papers on the men here, ink stains and quills, and several personal writings. Beside the table sits a bookshelf full of the different stories and laws of this region. On the opposite side of the room lies my simple bed, a mess as always.

"Please make yourself at home," I say closing the door, "I'll get you something to eat and drink."

I receive a nod from her and make my way back outside and to the mess hall to grab some bread and ale. Even at this late time in the night the cooks are still baking loaves of bread for the night watch. The time I actually spend in the mess hall is brief as all I do is walk over to one of the cooks who hands me a tray and pitcher before getting back to work. With food in hand I head back to where I left Eve.

"I hope you are ok with bread and ale," I say closing the door, "there isn't much out at this time of night."

It's only a few steps to the bed where I place the tray before going to clean off the desk where Eve sits. During the time I was gone she seems to have cleaned herself up a little and is looking at some of the books and papers on the table.

As I approach the table, without looking at me Eve says, "You really enjoy writing don't you?"

The most intelligent reply I can come up with is a witty "Huh?"

"These poems are yours are they not?" Eve asks, "They are quite interesting ideas."

"Oh," I respond, "they're just flights of fancy since I had thought of being a bard when growing up."

"Why didn't you?" she asks.

"Well you see I-" is all I get out before the alarms were sounded.

The alarms in this case are several brass bells suspended on polls throughout the fort. The procedure for once one is sounded is for all able bodied fighters to get to onto the wall while designated members escort any civilians and non-combatants away from the fighting as fast as possible. In this case it involves Goblin and I along with any other men we grab along the way. The moment the alarm goes off I've hauled Eve up from the chair and am pulling her out the door with me.

"Seems we have company coming," I say before opening the door, "make sure you stay close to me and don't wander off."

She nods and I open the door in time to see a fireball easily the size of a wagon slam into the wall. In the center of the fort by the bonfire I see Goblin gathering up people to make so that we can make our escape. As I pull Eve with me to him I spot One-Eye atop the wall, tubes connected to his body leaking drops a blood used in his spells, throwing a variety of different spells into the unknown attackers. Beside him I see the line of rifleman firing and reloading as fast as they can.

"Lucas son, it's good to see you're ok," Goblin asks in a nervous, "is this the only one you have?"

"It is," I tell him as I look around at our small group, "how long will it take for you to get us out?"

"But a moment, all I have left to do is burn the necessary materials and say the words."

"Alright then lets start so that we can bring reinforcements."

Goblin, a short, lean, and ugly man who does not leave much to the imagination has been alive longer than anyone else at this fort besides One-eye. He leans over and begins his spell to get us out as the battle outside gets closer. During his incantation I gather everyone close so that no one is left behind.

A pounding on the gate gets me to yell, "Goblin hurry up, it looks like they'll be in here in a moment."

Goblin seems to not even hear me, so caught up in his spell he looks to be meditating though I know from experience that he knows exactly what is happening around him. It's in this moment that the battle falls silent as a loud crack tears through the night. I turn, along with the rest of the group, toward the front gate. As the gate begins to crush into itself two large hands grip are seen on the sides before it is pulled from its hinges. Behind, crushed gate in hand, stands a giant of a man. Easily over eighteen feet tall and rippling with muscle as hefts the gate and utters a roar before heaving the gate over the wall and toward us.

As the gate leaves his hand I start to turn, intent on telling the others to scatter so that at least some will be unscathed. As I start to turn I feel a hand on my shoulder and see Goblin smiling the largest grin I've seen in ages. It's in the next moment I after I've blinked a few times that I realize we aren't in our fort anymore and are instead outside the gate of one of our sister citadels.

Goblin says to me chuckling, "Don't worry lad, I'll make sure you live a full life. Now then I'll go update the commander about what's happened and make sure he sends reinforcements."

I nod still stunned slightly before he slaps me on the shoulder and says something about checking the others while walking off. How he remains so calm I'll have no idea but I do as he says and go to check on everyone.

When I reach Eve I ask, just like I have with the rest, "Are you hurt? Is there anything you need?"

"I need meet with your commander."

"Huh? Do you know something?"

"War is coming to these lands and your commander has yet to pick a side."