“You joined Earl Darius and Princess Janize haven’t you?” Ayax growled, raising her staff.

Elizabeth drew her hammer and shut the visor to her helm. “Call them off, Leila. This is your only warning.”

“Wait, wait! Can’t we just talk this out?” George stammered, waving his hands.

“No, George. My friends, my battalion is out there. They have orders not to attack, but I don’t think your soldiers have the same orders, don’t they, Leila?” Elizabeth hissed.

“Nope. They have orders to attack the Lightning Battalion.” The former classroom bully, now grinning maniacally, opened her arms. “But are you really going to attack one of your own classmates now? In front of everybody?”

Elizabeth froze. Leila had a point. The argument they’ve been having had turned from extremely tense, to just plain deadly. Now that she looked around the room, she saw every one of her former grade eight classmates had their hands on their weapons. They were all looking at one another, trying to figure out who would pick which side.

Elizabeth was only sure of Ayax, who was already by her side, and Nicole and Jim, due to their common mentor, Earl Forowena. The mage couple had also gone back to back, staves raised.

Jim hissed, “Liz, she’s right, let’s… let’s not make any hasty moves.”

Ayax had a white-knuckle grip on her staff and Elizabeth had never seen her girlfriend glare at anybody so coldly. It was enough to make Leila look away. And yet, even Ayax nodded at Jim’s statement.

Forcing herself to exhale, Elizabeth lowered her weapon. “Ayax, we’re leaving. We have a battle to get to.”

Nicole and Jim both nodded. “We’ll join you. Anybody else who doesn’t want to get involved in Janize and Darius’s insanity can follow us,” said Nicole.

Leila looked almost disappointed as she smirked, but she gave them a small mocking wave. “Good luck with that.”

“No. She’s not leaving,” hissed an Asian boy, pointing at Ayax with his sword. Elizabeth recalled it was Daniel, one of George’s friends.

Ayax, her staff back up to guard position, arched an eyebrow. Elizabeth glanced at Leila, but she looked just as confused.

“She’s a dirty fae-kin. She dies, just like her father,” Daniel hissed.

George stepped in front of his friend. “Daniel, what the actual fuck are you going on about? Ayax is one of the good ones. She’s on our side.”

Elizabeth stepped back. There was a manic, dangerous light in Daniel’s eyes. He wasn’t smiling. He was just glaring at her beloved Ayax with a sick look.

“There are no good ones, George. Just dirty fae-kin, keeping us here in this filthy third-world country. They’re all the same and they need to learn that we don't care who they fight for, whether they surrender or not, they all need to die.”

Jim frowned, “You could just summon yourself home if you want the internet so much, Daniel.”

“And let you all gloat over me if you succeed? No. I want this and I want her to pay.” He started toward Ayax, but George grabbed Daniel’s shoulders.

“Daniel, she’s not Holly. She wasn’t the one who stabbed you in the back!” George hissed.

“What the fuck is going on?” Elizabeth hissed, putting herself between Ayax and Daniel.

“Daniel fell in love with a troll called Holly, who turned out to be an Alavari agent disguised as a civilian. George and him were nearly killed by her,” Nicole rasped into Elizabeth’s ear.

“Daniel, calm down!” George growled, wrestling with Daniel. The smaller boy pushed George back and stepped away, scowling.

“Come on everybody. What have these Alavari done for us other than make our lives a living hell. What have they done other than refuse to give their king up? No matter how many we kill, there are more coming after our heads.” Daniel pointed his sword at Ayax. “Now you expect us to believe that there are ‘good ones’?”

Leila nodded slowly, smiling mischievously. “Huh, nicely said, Daniel.”

“Yes, Leila, which is why she and Elizabeth should not be allowed to leave,” Daniel said, pointing now at Elizabeth as he spoke over his shoulder.

Leila blinked. “Excuse me what?” she stammered.

Daniel, still looking at Leila, flipped his helmet’s visor down. “Elizabeth is lost and will defend this filthy fae bitch. She won’t leave without her, so let’s skip the arguing and get down to it, shall we?”

Leila’s eyes were wide. “Wait, Daniel, yes we want to kill the Alavari, but if we’re going to fight our classmates, let’s fight them on the battlefield, not here!”

Daniel laughed, his helmet only adding a menacing ring to his voice. “Leila, you silly girl. This is war. We fight where there are enemies, and I see two right in front of me.” He took one step forward, sweeping his sword up.

He never managed a second.

Elizabeth had been watching her classmate during his diatribe. She’d already identified him as a threat, who wanted to hurt Ayax, and herself. After that, it was all too quick to decide what she was going to do. Consequences be damned, her classmate was insane and too much of a danger to the one she loved.

The moment Daniel took his eyes off of Elizabeth to speak to Leila, Elizabeth took a step forward, keeping her hammer down. She continued to inch forward, small step by small step, stalking her opponent just like she’d been taught. Her mentor Igraine’s words were loud in her mind.

Be like the mouse in the barn. Be as still as the tree on a windless day. Coil yourself like a snake, and when you are ready, burn. Burn like a forest fire. Burn for all you hold dear and strike.

Daniel started to turn back to her and lift his sword to a guard position. As soon as his eyes were on her, he’d realize his danger. She had to strike.

She had to strike.

She had to strike the human in front of her. A classmate, a peer. Someone barely older than she was. Elizabeth hesitated, and then she remembered. This was someone who’d threatened Ayax, the one she loved. Someone who wanted to kill this world she loved and the people she cared for.

Both hands gripped her hammer. Her arms swung in a practiced upswing. Her warhammer’s head smashed his left arm into the side of Daniel’s chest. The ringing of hammerhead against plate steel rang through the hall as the teenager was sent spinning into the air. Daniel spun like a top for a brief moment before gravity smashed him down into the floor.

Gasping, crying, Daniel tried to rise, but Elizabeth was too fast. She pinned his uninjured right arm with a foot, flipped her hammer and brought the point down on his visor once, twice.

Elizabeth stood back up. Daniel’s dying body remained for a second and then he disappeared, leaving behind broken armor and bloody clothes. Somehow holding onto her hammer with shaking hands, Elizabeth faced her wide-eyed classmates.

“I’m sorry,” she stammered. “I… I didn’t have a choice—”

George let out a roar and charged at Elizabeth. She dodged his sword swipe and had to twist out of the way of Leila’s spell. Ayax was suddenly beside Elizabeth and sending George flying into the air and crashing onto a table. Nicole was firing at Leila. Jim was blocking another fireball from a mage.

The great hall of Lehrbeck, where the grade eight class of Grenfall High had once eaten together, laughed together, and shared their hopes and their dreams, became engulfed in a chaotic melee.

Ginger and Martin watched the approaching enemy army their thoughts awhirl with strategies and ideas.

And they were riding towards them, flying a white flag of truce, backed by ten of their best troops.

“So, what do you think?” Ginger asked as the enemy army halted, and a small part of their own rode forward.

“I’m thinking I’m about a thousand two-hundred paces out from our line,” said Martin, muttering to himself.

Ginger chuckled. “Our cannon’s effective range is around nine hundred paces right?”

“Yup. That’s why I dropped that flare back there. It’ll go off in about five minutes,” said Martin.

His finance chuckled nervously. “I was wondering about that. So, what names do you think they’re going to call me?”

The knight arched an eyebrow. “Um, is this really what you want to make fun of?”

Brushing some hair out of her eyes, Ginger sighed, “Well if they’re going to try to insult me, like they always do, then I might as well make a game out of it.”

“I see.” Martin took a deep breath, deliberately ignoring the approaching group of enemy riders. “Well, I bet they’re definitely going to call you a whore, even though it is wholly unoriginal and untrue.”

Ginger pursed her lips. “I bet they’re going to call me a convict or murderer.”

Martin took a deep breath, “About that… there wasn’t a time to tell you earlier, but… my mom Rachel got appointed as King Jerome’s Chief Magistrate and she’s writing pardons for you, and everybody else in the battalion.”

His fiance’s eyes widened. “Are you serious? But… we haven’t served our time yet.”

“I think that given what you and everybody else has done since Erlenberg, I think it was long overdue,” said Martin, gently.

Ginger took a deep breath and beamed at her fiance. “Thank you, dear.”

They faced the enemy riders, quietly watching them as they pulled up, holding their own white flag. Each of them were knights or nobles with heavy cuirasses and helmets.

The leader, a woman with the tanned skin of the Dale-folk, wore a gold-engraved helmet. She addressed them with a barking, imperious tone.

“I’m Sir Nellia of Whitefield, daughter of Earl Darius. Surrender now and we’ll let the humans in your battalion go free.”

“And what about the Alavari and those from Erlenberg?” Ginger demanded.

Nellia narrowed her turquoise-green eyes at Ginger. “We’ll put the Alavari to good use, miss?”

“Ginger. Just Ginger and that’s a no. We’re not surrendering our friends, so here are our terms.” Ginger pointed a gloved finger at Nellia. “Lay down your arms and surrender, or face a traitor’s fate. King Oliver was more than clear when he declared King Jerome as his heir.”

“Says the whore convict,” Nellia hissed.

Ginger pulled off her glove and wiggled her ring finger. “I’m literally betrothed, you dimwit. Besides, my fiance is more than satisfactory.”

Behind her, the Lightning Battalion cavalrymen whistled and chortled as a quiet klonk sounded from Martin slapping his gauntleted hand against his helmet.

Nellia sneered at Ginger before turning to Martin. “Martin of Conthwaite, you soil your line by marrying a commoner like her and consorting with the Alavari. Join the right side and—”

“My mother Count Esther married a commoner. Edana Firehand is a commoner as well, and so I remember, she’s descended from a troll. Her wife Lady Igraine was also a commoner at one point in time,” Martin said, keeping his tone level, but doing nothing to restrain his drawl. “Even our kingdom’s founder, Lady Grey, was but a commoner before she became Queen. They’re all better than your murdering father. So either stand down, Lady Nellia, or go to hell. I’ve had enough of your shit.”

Nellia spat on the ground and turned her horse around. Martin glanced at Ginger, rolled his eyes and the pair began to ride back to their forces.

As they rode back, the flare that Martin had dropped lit up. A bright golden light burned on the soft grass field. When they got back to their waiting troops, Martin took a deep breath.

“I’m not one for speeches, but I know this,” he bellowed. “Before today’s battle, I’ve asked my mother, the new Chief Magistrate, to pardon every single convict in the Lightning Battalion. You’ll all be free!”

The convicts, a good third of the Lightning Battalion, cheered at Martin’s proclamation. They were also joined by congratulatory whoops from their fellows and friends.

Ginger pointed at the enemy horsemen, who were not trotting forward towards them. “And for those who are already free… fight for that because they certainly aren’t fighting for it! Now, let’s go to work!”

The soldiers chortled, or smiled grimly as they took their final places. Martin rode to the cavalry behind the army and Ginger to her place with the infantry. The battle was on.

Ayax had lost sight of her girlfriend in the insanity taking place in the hall. Somewhere between the dining tables and benches, amidst the duelling Otherworlders, was her girlfriend.

She couldn’t tell who was on which side. The troll had no idea which Otherworlder was on her side and who was supporting Darius. As she whirled her staff to scatter Leila’s fireball, she saw that a number of Otherworlders weren’t fighting. They were backing away, trying to disengage and get to the sides of the hall.

Great, now they’re some neutrals. She didn’t have time to consider this further because Leila sent a bolt of dark red magic scything towards her. The troll only managed to dodge it by leaping into the air and onto a table, landing with cat-like grace.

“Stop running and fight me you coward,” Leila hissed.

Ayax arched an eyebrow. Honestly, she’d had quite enough of this idiot. Taking a deep breath, the troll raised her staff and began to whirl it, focusing on the ends of her weapon. She sung in a low tone, remembering the storm that they’d fought in during the Erlenberg campaign.

Leila wasn’t going to let her finish her spell. She fired two more bolts that Ayax narrowly dodged, allowing the bolts to sail by with barely an inch to spare. Suddenly, the troll whipped her staff towards the human mage and yelled the key note.

Her cousin’s lightning spell was extremely hard, and Ayax’s attempts had never been as spectacular. But while Leila threw up a magic barrier, Ayax’s bolt of lightning deafened nearby fighters and slammed the human mage off the table and into the floor. Racing after the teen, Ayax leapt into the air to smash down onto her opponent, bellowing a word of power as she did.

Leila rolled just out of the way, and Ayax’s staff smashed into the carpeted masonry, sending shards of stone flying and some scratching Leila’s cheeks. The girl screamed, throwing an entire bench at the troll, who was forced to roll underneath it and come back up to guard position.

Leila scrambled to her feet. “Foul fucking Frances. How is she always ruining my life!”

Ayax narrowed her eyes as something about what Leila said tickled the back of her mind. “What do you have against my cousin?”

“Cousin?” Leila blinked and groaned. “Oh of course some monsters adopted that garbage-eating bitch.”

Ayax’s eyes widened. “You were one of her bullies. You… you’re the one who beat her up at school.”

Leila blinked and slowly, a sneer came over her features. “Oh. Oh yes I did. She was an excellent punching bag. Never ever screamed, but she did whimper. Just enough to let me know I was hurting her. She must have had practice from whoever was hitting her at home.”

Trolls had sensitive ears. They could hear a lot, and yet at that moment, Ayax heard nothing but Leila’s words. The sounds of battle was but a buzzing whine. All her attention had narrowed onto the girl facing her.

That was when a dismayed-sounding voice cut in.

“She was what?” Jessica asked.

Leila blinked her eyes widening. Ayax noticed, but didn’t care.

“You knew. You knew that Frances was being abused at home and you still bullied her? And you call me a monster?”

“Well look at how she turned out! She was already weird and jumpy at school, always rummaging in garbage cans and hanging out alone. Now she’s an unstable monster-loving lightning-happy super-mage who went toe to toe with King Thorgoth and lived! If I hadn’t put her in line she might have turned against us—”

“You could have told someone!” Elizabeth screamed from where she stood across from Leila, the agony and rage in her voice seizing Ayax’s attention. “You could have told anybody! At the very least, you and Jessica could have not bullied her!”

Leila rolled her eyes. “Oh come on, it was all in good fun and didn’t hurt her too much—”

“Didn’t hurt her? Leila, we left her whimpering in the corner of a bathroom, soaked from head to toe!” Elizabeth and Ayax blinked as Jessica stumbled forward, looking like she’d been shot.

The other girl stared at Jessica, frowning. “Jess? What are you so upset about? You were the one who helped me realize Francey was weird, and you were right. I mean, don’t you remember the time she snapped at us and nearly beat us to death?”

“Of course! But she snapped because of… oh my God.” Jessica covered her mouth with her hand, tears filling her eyes. “Oh my God it was right in front of me all along I… I just…” Jessica looked at her friend. “Leila, why didn’t you tell me she was being hurt by her parents? Why… why didn’t you stop me? Stop us?”

Leila blinked at the scarred girl. “Why would that matter? I mean, it was even better for us that she had parents that didn’t love her. That meant we could have all the fun we wanted. I mean, you had fun too, didn’t you, Jessica?”

Ayax and Elizabeth watched Jessica flinch like she’d been stabbed. They watched the blonde girl stare at Leila, knowing that she was suddenly seeing her old friend for who she was for the first time.

“Leila, what the fuck happened to you?” Jessica whispered.

“What do you mean, Jessica? Nothing happened, I’m still the same.” Leila reached for Jessica, who backed away. “Jess? Come on, Jess. I’m still the same girl who studied with you. Who slept over at your place. Jess? Jess?” Leila reached forward and Jessica continued to back away. “Jess? Don’t look at me like that. Please, don’t look at me like that.” There was a pleading, desperate note to Leila’s voice, and somehow despite the danger, Ayax and Elizabeth couldn’t help but watch. They weren’t the only ones, a number of Otherworlders were watching, or had paused in the middle of their duels to observe.

Jessica shook her head. “You… you’re a monster.”

Leila’s jaw dropped open. The Indian girl shook her head. “Jess… don’t call me that.” She reached forward again.

“Stay away!” Jessica exclaimed, raising her staff.

“Don’t look at me like that!” Leila wailed. She threw a fireball at Jessica. The blonde screamed a Word of Power to throw up a shield, but Leila blasted another fireball that shattered the shield and sent Jessica tumbling to the ground.

Ayax and Elizabeth charged. Catching sight of them, Leila turned to face them and Ayax was forced to step in front of her girlfriend to block a cone of fire with a blast of wind.

“Liz I got this, we need to retreat! This fight is pointless!” Ayax exclaimed.

“Agreed! Everybody with me, fall back!” Elizabeth bellowed.

All around, the Otherworlders began to disengage from one another, racing for different exits on opposing sides of the hall. Elizabeth however, stayed near the duelling Ayax and Leila.

Fire chased the troll dancing over the tables, and leaping over benches. Ayax occasionally threw a magical card, but saved most of her offense for when she managed to get in close with Leila.

The teen however, was unfortunately quite skilled. Every time Ayax got close, she backed the troll off with waves of fire or blasts of magic.

There was a gap between these bigger spells, though.

Taking a deep breath, Elizabeth pulled a vial from her pouch and just as Ayax was backed off, she threw it. The vial smashed into the floor at Leila’s feet, smoke spilling out of it.

Ayax instantly noticed this and yelled a Word of Power to whip up a wind that blew the smoke into her opponent’s face. As Leila coughed and was wrapped up in grey, the troll legged it. Together, Elizabeth and Ayax bolted for the hall doors and slammed them shut behind them.

Rounding a corner, they found Nicole, Jim and a group of about thirty or so exhausted Otherworlders.

“Right, where to?” gasped Nicole.

“Where… where are the others?” Elizabeth asked.

Jim swallowed. “About twenty went with Leila. I think another group of about the same size just ran for it, and the others… well they were killed.”

A cold dagger plunged into Elizabeth’s gut. “We… we’re down twenty or thirty Otherworlders?”

Nicole grabbed Elizabeth’s shoulders. “Yes! Why the hell did you kill Daniel, Liz!”

“I… He was about to kill Ayax!” Elizabeth sobbed. “I… I know I messed up, but… I—”

“Nicole, this isn’t fair to Liz. Daniel… he’d gone off the deep end, thanks to this war. Like Leila.” Jim gently tugged Nicole away from Elizabeth. “Besides, this isn’t the time. There’s a battle taking place outside for sure. I can hear the cannon firing. What are your orders, Elizabeth?”

“What—me? But I—”

Ayax grabbed her girlfriend’s hand, and put her hand on her shoulder. “Elizabeth, you’re the only commander here. Lead us. Lead them,” the troll whispered.

Elizabeth swallowed, staring at the wide-eyed, desperate band of teenagers staring at her, looking at her for guidance, for leadership, and for support.

“Don’t bother with your things. We’ll come back for them but we need to win the battle outside. We’ll head out the main gate. Jim, Nicole, you’re our rearguard—”

“Wait!” Jessica, rounded a corner and ran up to them. Wiping her eyes, she straightened. “Take me with you, please. I… I’ll fight. I’ll fight for King Jerome. Just… let me help stop her.”

Elizabeth didn’t have to think twice. She nodded. “Okay. You’re with me and Ayax. Everybody else behind me, but before Nicole and Jim. Let’s move!”

From his position with the Lightning Battalion’s four hundred cavalry behind the infantry ranks. Martin watched the more than a thousand enemy horsemen trot forward. A wall of horse and riders with couched lances and swords and axes at their sides. They weren’t just running pell mell. No, they were conserving their energy for the final hundred or two yards.

Martin sighed as they rode over the burning flare he’d left on the ground. They weren’t going to be trotting for much longer.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The three four-pounder cannons that the Lightning Battalion had fired almost at once, sending scything balls of shot into the ranks of the enemy. He watched, transfixed, and yet horrified as soldiers and horses crumpled, either horse legs shorn off, or riders blasted off of their steeds.

And to think that these were technically light cannons. Most field guns were either eight or twelve-pound monsters. Still the once formidable wall of cavalry rippled, their formation shaken and shivering as the cavalry started to speed up.

As instructed by Martin and Ginger earlier, the gunners continued to target the wings of the approaching mass of horsemen. They had a reason for this. If the cavalry were to try to flank them, the shots that pounded into the sides would dissuade them.

That being said, this was why they had cavalry. If the cavalry did try to flank them…

There! Martin saw a group of horsemen peeling off to the left. Waiting, hands gripping his stirrup, he watched until the group of three hundred had separated before he turned to his own cavalry.

“Follow me!” he bellowed. Touching his heels to his horse, he thundered toward the enemy, watching his own cavalry form their line of battle. Although not as heavily armored as the enemy cavalry, the Lightning Battalion’s cavalry all had pistols and wickedly sharp sabers. With their greater numbers, he knew they were more than a match for the flanking force.

The infantry however, had to stand up against the rest of the enemy cavalry, and that might not be so easy.

In the front rank, behind several rows of planted stakes, Ginger narrowed her eyes at the approaching horsemen. Pikemen, but mostly musketeers, including elite Leipmont rangers armed with guns and bows, made up the infantry.

The cannons continued to fire, the horsemen thundering toward their lines. Suddenly, an artilleryman shouted.

“Switching to grapeshot!” he bellowed.

“Roger. Weapons ready!” Ginger screamed. Her command was echoed by the other battalion officers and the first rank of the battalion dropped to their knees and readied their firearms. The second rank raised their weapons. Behind them, a third rank, mostly of pikemen, levelled their pikes through the two ranks. More ranks behind them sporting either pike or musket waited nervously.

Grapeshot was only effective for about four hundred or so yards. Ginger knew her gunners would have enough for maybe two shots before the horses hit. Not a lot of time to do damage.

Yet, she still winced as her guns boomed. When firing solid cannonballs, the cannons had torn thin slashes into the ranks of the cavalry. When firing the canvas bag of small iron shot, the effect was to blow chunks into the formation. As far as she was, she could see the spray of blood, hear the whinnying of wounded horse and the crying of dying soldiers.

And still the cavalry charged, formation long forgotten, the horde flung themselves headlong at the braced battalion.

Right into the range of their muskets. Right into the trap that Ginger had been rehearsing her soldiers with, under Elizabeth’s careful instruction.

“Fire by rank! GO! GO!” Ginger bellowed.

The kneeling first two ranks of musketeers fired. The crack of muskets sent up a cloud of smoke that blinded Ginger for a moment. Just like they drilled, the front ranks retreated between gaps in the lines allowing for the third rank to step forward, raise their guns to their shoulders and fire again before turning around.

Ginger watched grimly, eyes wide. The fire by rank, or volley fire was an idea that Elizabeth had suggested to their musketeers. They’d used it in smaller skirmishes, but never on this scale and against charging horsemen.

The effect was horrifying. Instead of a solid line of horsemen reaching their stakes, a broken line had to leap their horses over the small stream, where they had to try to jump their horses over the stakes. The few that managed to get through the stakes were met by the line of reserve pikemen who toppled the armored knights to the ground with well-aimed stabs at their horses.

Many horsemen reached the stakes, but they weren’t getting or finding a way through them fast enough. Ginger was so close, she had to step back as a crimson-caped knight threw a lance at her. Her retreat meant the lance buried itself into the ground in front of her. The knight dismounted, stepping past stakes and using their armored forearm to block a pike strike.

Only for the fourth rank of musketeers to discharge their guns right in the knight’s face and its fellows. Bunched up in front of the stakes, they were easy targets.

This was followed by the first rank. What few horsemen that made it past the stakes were dispatched by the pikemen, or even by musketeers that clubbed the outnumbered horsemen to death.

Ginger wiped smoke from her eyes and tore her attention from the sight in front of her to what was going on in the battlefield. All along the line, the same scene was happening. Traditionalist knights assailed the Lightning Battalion, and they all were falling, dying.

Some were however, making their way around the edges of the line, where the stakes ended. Only, they were met by pikemen that Ginger had made sure to place on the infantry’s flanks. More volleys from the musketeers on the flanks put stop to that attempt.

And suddenly, as Ginger watched, the knights were fleeing. Those that still had horses were running away. Those that didn’t were desperately trying to catch up. Narrowing her eyes, Ginger scanned them. They couldn’t just be running. It’d barely been a few minutes.

“Hold! Keep firing! Don’t leave your positions!” Ginger bellowed.

Being disciplined troops, the battalion did just that. They kept firing. The cannons continued to boom, until suddenly, Ginger realized that no, she hadn’t been seeing things. The enemy were running.

“I want the 1st and 2nd companies with me to our left flank! Everybody else, general pursuit! After them!” Ginger yelled.

Letting out wild whoops, the Lightning Battalion charged through their stakes and after their broken and fleeing enemy. Ginger, however, ran to her horse and rode to the battalion’s left flank, crying out for the 1st and 2nd companies of the battalion to follow her.

The cavalry melee was still ongoing. Each Lightning Battalion member wore a light-blue scarf around their heads or arms. From the looks of it, they seemed to be winning.

Ginger was going to take no chances. She waited for the two hundred pikemen she’d assembled to form up before she drew her sword.

“Forward! Let’s finish this!”

Just before they’d made contact with the enemy knights, Martin’s cavalry had unleashed a volley of pistol and carbine fire at point blank range. This had disrupted the enemy charge enough that the Lightning Battalion were able to break into the gaps in the line and start hacking. The Traditionalists heavy lances were just too cumbersome compared to the saber armed Lightning Battalion cavalry.

Martin was in the thick of the fighting, sword ringing off enemy armor as he duelled what used to be his peers. He was roaring orders, or just roaring. He wasn’t sure. The chaos of the battle was all around him and all he could do was try to stay alive.

So it took several moments for him to realize the enemy knights were running. There were Lightning Battalion pikemen with blue sashes spearing enemy horses. Knights were fleeing, routing off the field, being chased by the Lightning Battalion cavalry.

“Martin! Martin!” he heard someone scream. Someone he loved very much.

“Ginger!” He steered his horse toward her and found her, galloping towards him. “What happened, did we—”

“We won! We beat them!” Ginger cried in joy.

Martin laughed. He laughed, hating that so many had died, but he was so relieved that that didn’t matter.

“Pursue them! Take as many of them prisoner! Go!” he bellowed. Turning back to his fiance, Martin collapsed her arm. “I take it that it worked?”

“Perfectly. It… it’s kinda scary how well it worked,” said Ginger. She looked up at the castle and grimaced. “We should call Elizabeth. I forgot to because of the battle, but she’s been in there for some time.”

Martin frowned. “You’re right. 4th company belay that order! Follow me! We need to investigate the castle!” he yelled.

“Wait, there are people approaching!” Ginger cried out, pointing at the castle.

True enough, riders were coming towards them. They were too far to identify, and so Martin and Ginger quickly corralled as many soldiers as they could to face them.

They needn’t have worried. The group of thirty or so people that arrived were led by Elizabeth. Martin and Ginger smiled in relief as they rode up, but their smiles faded as they took in the expression on her face.

“Liz? What’s… what’s wrong?” Martin whispered.

Elizabeth’s eyes were dead. The look on her face one of complete devastation.

“I messed up. I… I failed.”

“Liz, it wasn’t your fault,” Ayax hissed. She turned to her friends. “There was a fight. Some of the Otherworlders were… they wanted to join Earl Darius and one of them wanted me dead. Liz killed him to protect me and everybody started picking sides.”

“Shit. How… how many do we have now?” Ginger gasped.

Elizabeth bowed her head. “We had one-hundred and five, not including Frances. Twenty-two we think went with Earl Darius, including six mages. Twenty-four, including four mages, just ran. The rest… thirty-four, including ten mages stayed, but… we lost twenty-four Otherworlders. We… we killed each other.”

She buried her head in her hands. “I killed them. I know they aren’t dead but I… Oh God. I didn’t have a choice. Why… Why did it turn out like this?”

Wordlessly, Martin and rode up to Elizabeth and gave her a quick hug, before nodding to Ginger and Ayax, who took their places beside her. As Martin rode off to meet with the Otherworlders and reorganize the battalion for marching, the two girls led their sobbing friend away.

This had been a victory, but as always, it had a price.