A smoldering campfire crackles and swirls smoke as a burning log falls into the pit. The sound jolts him awake. He was supposed to be on guard duty for the night, making sure the enemy was not going to launch a surprise attack. He looks around, the night sky that was once full of stars, starts to fade as dawn begins to break. “Dawn.”, he thought, “I slept longer than I intended too.” He pulled himself up, off the ground from the place where he had been sitting. Armor is heavy, and does not make for easy or restful sleep. As he rose, he smashed his helmet against the bell that was installed when the camp was setup. The one he was supposed to ring if danger was spotted. Clang, clang, clang the bell rang out. Clang, clang, clang a few more times as it jostled on its tripod. A commanding officer, hearing the noise, ran over. Only to see him trying to hold the bell to stop it ringing.

“What are you doing!” hissed the officer to his subordinate. He was, of course, trying to stop the bell, and said as plainly so. “Don’t let it happen again, clearly there is no danger. We march soon. Go back to your bunk and get ready for the assault the Kingdom of the Mountains, Hafdir”. Off he went back to his units camp to wash and eat some rations. He was green, this would be his first big battle since he signed up with the battalion. 16, he was a man now and he did what was demanded of all citizens, joined up. “Just 4 years.” he thought. Those that served would have land assigned to them by the state. Then comes a family, just like his father and father before him. Nerves, nerves made it hard to eat but he did managed to eat some bread.

The sun was further up now, about 1/8 past the horizon. A horn blew. “It’s go time”, he said under his breath as he grabbed his state issued sword and shield. A horn blew a second time. Now others were falling into formation. Everyone was in the same uniform as he, except for the battle mages. Some incorporated charms of protection in to their armor. Others inscribed runes of power on the hilts of their swords and axes. Magic is a skill he could never preform, most could use it and was part of everyday life. His commander perfected the art of augmentation magic, used it to reinforce his swings and strikes. A horn blew a final time and the march began toward the forest at the base of the Jakall mountains.

It was a blood bath. He lay on the ground, face down in the mud. Eyes still closed, he regained consciousness. “what happened, what was that, why?“. He knew enough about the laws of magic, it was required as part of the training, but what he just saw did not make any since. “We won, right? Well at first, we had them, then that other force came out of nowhere. Wielding elemental magics, they took out so many of us. Then what happened? A bright purple light above us? Was that an attack, from the enemy? It was like everyone around me started gasping for air. Their eyes, their eyes went white as the purple light grew. Then what? An explosion? Then purple light vanished, then an explosion, but it was not on us, it was behind enemy lines? Then black?” When he mustered the energy to sit up, everything hurt, then he looked around. Trees surrounded him, he was in a forest. But the battle had taken place in the plains, how did he get here? Then a rustle of leaves and snapping of twigs alerted him, he was not alone.

“Your alive. I was not sure you were going to survive that.” he swiveled around and looked up to see a girl about his age. She was dressed in the typical green and brown garments of the mountain people. “That’s quite a ways to fall, and you hit every branch on the way down.” His hand felt on the ground for his blade but never found it, this was his enemy, why did she not strike, she was defenseless. “Audra, if you want to know is my name, what is yours?”, “Anular” he said. Still trying to find his blade in vain. “Well your going to have a hard time trying to kill me without your sword, which I assume your feeling for? I am not your enemy. If I were I would have killed you.” She said curtly “So here is what were going to do.”

She quickly flicked her wrist and gust of wind blew, knocking Anular flat on his back. “I don’t get many visitors here and your not from here…” her back was now to him as she was prattling on and on and on about something or another. “Now!” Anular thought as he tried to spring to his feet, but his body did not move. “I’m missing my chance, I have to get back to the battle and see whats going on. I need answers!” but while his spirit is willing his body is weak and moving was no longer an option as he still lay flat on his back. “So do we have a deal?” Audra asked as she turned back to Anular. Exhausted, Anular agreed, it was not like he was going to say no. Audra had the power here. “Great!” Audra jumped with excitement. With another flip of her wrist another gust of wind blew in, a few more flicks and Anular was in the air, floating. Then like an invisible string, one end tied to Anular and the other to Audra, he began to drift behind her as she ventured deeper into the wood.

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