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"Forgive my suspicions mage superior." This being said Galdin gave a slight bow. "We are actually coming from the nearby village, but let us discuss this as we travel towards the camp; unfortunately there is not a moment to spare."

Once the three had started moving, Galdin looked at Sarah once again, "Judging by your previous tone, you probably know about the occupation of the village by the Dragon Slayers. I wanted to ask what our current plan of action is." He knew that the tactics of the Dragon Slayers were common knowledge by now, but if Algren had thought of this as well, he could have changed his plan entirely, and if the foresters plans depended solely on the idea that Algren was setting up a trap, then they could be heading towards an dire outcome.

Sarah walked quickly and silently, her footfalls barely stirring the earth.

“I do not know. I am coming from a post different from the one we are heading to. I was coming to see a friend at this post when I came upon the village. I can only suspect that the Foresters of the nearby post are planning an attack, seizure, and restoration but they do not know the numbers of this regiment. We are easily outnumbered ten to one. There is no way we can win this one, not without at least five other Forester posts on our side. The Dragon Slayer’s attack is a trap, and if we don’t get there in time, the Foresters will fall right into it and more than the number of the village will die . . .”

Sarah fell silent and continued walking along quickly.

“I fear the Monarchy is trying to wage war. They would slaughter every man, woman, and child in order to get to the Foresters. Times are becoming more and more dangerous; the number of people having to be rescued is growing. All the Foresters at my post can feel it. It is in the earth. The elements are weakening. You can see this every time an Expert advances to Superior because they are not as strong as those that have come before them. The very spirit of the Earth is ready to give in. I do hope we will not let this happen . . . we cannot let this happen; we are so close to the Repent, I can feel it. And . . . there have been whispers of the Messiah . . .”

He passed the girl to one of the villagers. "Keep her safe, and press hard on the wound to stop the blood." He said. He then turned his attention back to the man. "Where I come from, making that much noise is dangerous and fatal. My old regiment could take out your six regiments without breaking a sweat. Especially in the forest." He said after the man blew the horn. "After I'm done with you. I will start to systematically annihilate your regiments." He then waited for the man to get close to him. Just standing there, he closely watched the man to see what kin of fighting the man would use.

“It’s not far now.” Sarah said quietly, “And, please, call me Sarah. You need not address me as someone above you for we are equals. Rank means nothing to me, it is just a mark of skill, not humanity. Superiority is what has gotten us into this mess in the first place. The Monarchy abuses their superiority and look at what it has done . . .”

She fell silent again and continued on. The small group was past the boarders of the Forester post within the next minute. She could see the Forester regiment already forming in the central square. This wasn’t good. She had to stop them before it was too late.

Sarah was able to point out the Lieutenant with an expert eye and, motioning to Galdin and Cadencia to follow, she walked to him.

“Lieutenant,” she said urgently, “I am Mage Superior Sarah from the post to the west. I have seen the damage in the village and I warn you, you must not go. Their number is far greater then ours. It’s a trap. If we leave the forest they will surely destroy it and we will be left without an advantage.”

The Lieutenant eyed Sarah and nodded, “Stand down, Superior. We are not going to the village but to the edge of the forest to face off the Dragon Slayers. Through a few of our runners we have discovered that they intend to set flame to the forest. It won’t be long now for they have already issued the cry from the battle horn. We have gathered every Mage Superior we have and they will be able to keep at bay, if not prevent or eliminate, the flame.”

"Of course you are right, Sarah.... however I only addressed you as mage superior in respect of the skills you must possess, and your bond with the world."

Looking back at Cadie, Galdin couldn’t help but smile slightly, “Theres no need to worry, before I joined I doubted the stories of the foresters as well…. But I don’t seem to remember you calling me crazy until now…. Maybe I’m getting senile in my old age.” Galdin laughed at this before turning his attention back to Sarah.

Galdin remained silent until he heard what the Forester's plans of action were. However when the lieutenant seem to have nothing more to say, Galdin cleared his throat then stepped forward.

"Correct me if I'm mistaken, but the way you speak of the plans, it makes it seem as if we are doing absolutely nothing to help those in the village. If this is the case then I must protest our current course of action, when the Slayers realize that we are not moving for the village, they will not hesitate to set it a flame, and slaughter every man, woman, and child present." Galdin spoke steadily, but there appeared to be a slight trace of anger in his words.

Galdin understood the importance of stopping the Slayers from setting fire to the forest, but if it was learned that the foresters had a chance to save innocent villagers from their fate, but they chose to fight for their own benefit instead, they might lose some of their reputation. However, more importantly to Galdin was the lives of the villagers, this was his entire reason for joining the foresters, but if they weren't about to do anything, he wouldn't stand for it.

The silver spear spun in the air, the dismal screech echoed as Algren let his sharp, canine teeth taste the air, his tongue licking wildly, before he took in a deep breath and exhaled slowly, and then, as the flames around him burst into new heights of raging power, he charged, his footfalls hammering upon the grounds like the thundering of a berserk hound. The blue eyes were set upon his foe with an intent furry and there was no pity in his heart as he spun in a long elegant circle and brought the spear twirling like a falling star towards the foresters upper torso as the lips upon his faces smiled.

For as he had engaged in the elegant dance of death, Asmudius, from behind, had freed his left arm and had closed the arm around the shark skin handle of his blade. Though he was still within the earth, he was close enough to the forester to mange a sweeping cut, the broken blade arcing towards the forester’s exposed knees.
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And all the while as this battle was rolling, the legions of the Dragon Slayers marched in bold formations, the banners waving high in the air. Their spears shimmering in mighty rows like forests of moving steal. The Dragon Slayers were the greatest assassins in the world and only thrity-nine could say that they were of that number. The rest of the ranks of the Dragon Slayers were full of hopefuls. Men and women who had proven themselves worthy to undergo the assassin’s training. Most would die before a year in the service was complete. But some few would prove themselves to the Dragon Slayer Captains and become the most feared force in all the Empire, the Thirty-nine Assassins: the leaders of the Dragon Slayer leagions, the greatest killers of the world. And now, at the head of this great horde of oncoming killers rode six of the thirty-nine, their horses black and their long cloaks billowing in the winds that wrapped around them. Each was deadly. Each had stained their hands in blood. And each was a warrior worth a hundred. The butchers had come, the forest was in their sights.

But then three of these black captains gave the order to hault and their legions stopped their movement. The other three figures began to argue and after a moment, two black-cloaked figures recommenced their march, their pace quickened as the moved towards the distant village ahead, their legions following close behind. The remaining four and their troops watched the other two forces press on and a tall, read haired women threw back her cowl and leveled yellow eyes upon the scene before her. Another man threw back his cowl to reveal an old and sunken face. The old man turned to look upon the women.

“Mistress Blood, why do we stop the advance?” The red haired woman spat and her salvia began to eat away at he earth, acrid smoke rising up. He fist tightened upon the reigns as she replied, her voice icy and harsh.

“Because Algren is a fool and I will do nothing to help him in his mad crusade. When lands are conquered, one must preserve what is captured or the victory is hollow.” The old man smiled and shook his head.

“No, that’s not it. You just hate him because he has never lost a war, never failed to kill a target. Never not done anything he has said he would do. You hate him because your father, the Emporer, loves Algren, an orphan, more than you.” Mistress Blood curled her lip and said nothing as the clouds began to gather overhead.

Cadie smiled but was quiet. She could see that whatever she might have to say would be of little consequence. It didn't sound too good, in fact the situation in the village sounded pretty much hopeless. Cadie looked down, thinking of the villagers she had known. She hadn't been close to many of them, but she'd become good friends with most of the children, they were the only ones who would really even speak to her. She looked up at the mention of one of the foresters being recently blinded by a head injury. She didn't have any formal medical teaching, everything she knew she'd learned having to fend for herself. She had helped a couple of the villagers in the past with injury related blindness though, which made her wonder if she couldn't be of any help. "Um...excuse me, but...I think I may be able to help her...the blind forester, I mean." she said quietly, looking at Sarah and hoping she wasn't speaking out of turn.