The wind whipped around the Captain as she reigned her troops to a halt, the sea of gray behind her bringing an air of death with them; a stark contrast to the green banners and pennants that flew from the army of Fretan now facing them. 

Captain Medea inhaled deeply, the smell of blood and metal catching her nose, as she surveyed the standoff. “This was typical of many negotiations,” she pondered, as she watched a small detachment break away from the opposing forces. “All you have to do is wait till someone cracks.”  As members of the Fretan army approached, Captain Medea spurred her horse forward, signaling a handful of soldiers to follow her. 

Silence enveloped as the two factions met, the nickering of horses and the flap of banners giving the only indication that time was still moving. A burly man who Medea could only surmise was the leader moved forward from the pack, “General Ere of the Fretan army.” the man said, giving a gruff salute, earning a scoff from the woman.

‘I’m not here to exchange pleasantries, general. I’m here to claim what is ours.” Ere stiffened at the remark but kept a civil tone.

“Our troops are leaving the fortress now.” He gestured behind him, revealing a small stream of weak and injured soldiers being escorted away from the stronghold. “Give us a few more minutes and it's yours.”

“That's not the only thing we'll be taking.” The two generals fixed each other with a hard stare, Ere resting a heavy hand on the hilt of his sword.  “My master was very clear in his orders when he sent me to capture this holding. He wants a message sent to your queen. And I'm more than happy to do so.”

“What are you talking about?”

A horn blast echoed from the ranks of Mordal’s army, sending General Ere’s horses skittering back as the grey army charged forward. Captain Medea drew her sword, thrusting it into the chest of one of Eres men as she led her army forward, a murderous glee sparkling in her eyes. She would make her master proud, and show him her true might and the might of his army. As the shrill ring of metal echoed from behind and in front of her, she knew that his orders would be fulfilled.

“For the glory of Mordal! For Morena! CHARGE!!!!!!!!!!!”

*

Consciousness slowly came to Elsie as she slowly got up from where she had landed. The orb had deposited them in the middle of a forest, the cold hard ground giving a good indicator of what had knocked her out. “Where the hell are we?” She asked, rubbing the throbbing mound that was beginning to form on her temple.

“Well in a general sense, we are in Elvara, but thanks to you brother, I have no idea where we are!” Elise looked up. Henrick and Aron had found their way into the branches of a tree, a terrified Max hanging onto the former's leg.

“Max! Wha- why do you follow me!?”

“I’m sorry El! But I couldn't let you go alone!”

Henrick nimbly dropped to the ground, taking Max with him. “She wasn't going alone you dolt,” he said, straightening his cloak. “She was going to have us!”

“I don’t know what makes you think that you have a right to take my sister!” 

“We had a deal!”

“You knew you would win!”

The bickering continued, Elsie becoming more annoyed by the minute. Finally, enough was enough. “Max! Stop it!” She yelled, sending the two boys in front of her into silence. 

“Max. I get that you're looking out for me, but we have no idea where we are. Even the guys that brought me here are lost because you threw them off their mark.” Max looked down, not wanting to meet the eyes of anyone in the group. His good intentions, he now realized, had done more harm than good.

“Um, guys? We might have a problem!” The trio looked up to see Aron still in the trees, peering out towards a clearing nearby.

“What is it?” Henrick called up. Silence ensued as Aron tried to make out the image.

“I-I don’t know Hen. I see the Fretan army, but they aren't moving. Wait. Is that?” Henrick's face paled as the full situation became apparent. “Oh, gods.”

A whistling sound pierced the air, followed by a loud thing and a shout of pain. The trio looked over to find Max slumped to the ground, and an arrow sticking out of his shoulder. 

“Max!” Elsie screamed as she and Henrick ran to his aid. Aron jumped down from the trees and began to follow suit, stopping when he began to hear a faint rumbling coming from the direction of the valley. 

In a sudden flash of green, hundreds of men and women ran into the clearing, many failing to notice the small group as they continued their run. Henrick stopped a soldier from running, a bleeding leg making him slower than his comrades. 

“Soldier, what happened here!”

The man's eyes went wide, as the horrors of his experience undoubtedly played in his mind. “Morena. They are coming!” The man screamed and ran off to join the rest of his group leaving them, once again, alone.

“Who is Morena?” Elsie asked, watching the man run away.

“It’s not who is Morena, it’s what.” Aron corrected drawing his sword. “And what they are is an enemy force that'll kill us if they see him.” He pointed at Henrick, who had gone deep into thought. “Um, hello?” Aron asked, trying to get some sign of life from him. “You with us buddy?”

“Hang on a second,” he said, looking back up at the group. His eyes fell on Elsie and Max, the two close together, obviously unnerved at the turn of events. He looked down at Elsie's hands, which from panic had begun to emit a faint blue glow. 

“I have an idea.” He grabbed Elise’s hand and Aron’s cape dragging both away towards the faint sound of horn now sounding in the distance. 

“Wait, Henrick what are you doing!?” 

“It’s not what I'm doing,” he said, passing a cloak to Elsie. “It’s what you're doing.” 

He continued to run ever closer towards the encroaching army, Elsie being pulled along, and growing more panicked by the minute. Once they were a suitable distance from where they landed, Henrick turned to face Elsie, leaning in to whisper in her ear. Drawing back he could notice the fear in her eyes, but it quickly gave way to determinations as they looked towards the noise of the encroaching army. 

“Are you ready for this?” Henrick asked, pulling out his dagger.

Magic sparked in Elsie’s fingered as determination replaced fear. “Let’s do a test drive.”      

*

Captain Madea gently spurred her horse forward. With the clearing now hers, she and her army had no choice to continue their master's orders. “Master said he wanted us to conquer as far as possible” Madea mused, as she methodically wiped a pool of crimson from her blade. “And so we shall” The last of Queen Viras' army had retreated when they saw the desolation that Madea could bring, and the army now made its way ever further into Fretaniese territory. 

She didn’t get far however before she was calling a stop to her army once again. In front of her stood two cloaked strangers, standing directly in front of her horse.

“You! Make way for the army of your salvation!” The figure didn't move, prompting the captain to take a more direct approach. “Did you not hear me, peasant? Move!”

The figure gave a grimace before throwing off his cape, revealing his brown hair and forest green eyes. “Now is that a way to treat anyone lady? I mean… I get that you are a person that could kill me, but I think we can show a more common courtesy than telling someone to move.”

The boy's indignant tone angered Madea. Riding closer, she was stopped by his hand, a teasing finger, halting her advance. “Before you continue, I would like to introduce you to someone. This is my friend.” He gestured to the still cloaked figure beside him. “They're going to take you down.”

A chuckle erupted from the soldiers behind Madea at the boys' confidence. Suddenly a spark of recognition hit the captain. “Wait. You are prince Henrick, are you not?”

“I am. Thus I expect some respect here.” Madea gave off a wicked grin before stalking towards the prince and his cloaked friend.

“Well, I don’t know about respect, prince, but my master will be truly happy to know that you are in my grasp. You'll make a lovely trophy.”

“Oh, I doubt that.” Captain Madea didn't have time to register the treat, before the cloaked figure shot out their hands, enveloping the area in a menacing blue glow. 

It was then that hell decided to break loose.