Author's note:

As the morning sun rises over Tyrin, a young lady with fiery-red hair walks out the front door of the Coppereye inn with a shortsword strapped to her belt. Dressed lightly and looking full of pent-up energy, she begins her morning exercise routine. She runs several laps around the exterior walls for a total of about 5km distance. This is followed by sets of push-ups, sit-ups, and muscle training.

Since she and her friend Laila took the young girl named Lyssa into their care, she hasn't been adventuring as much as before. They could look at the local Warrior's Guild building, but the jobs they offer tend to be on the dangerous side. Lyssa has a serious illness and her two guardians don't want to force her to move too much or put her in danger, especially now that they were finally able to enter a town without getting thrown out. This leaves few chances to train, and so Selene has to spend her time wisely.

Selene gazes at the distant horizon with longing eyes. The sky is deceptively clear, with no sign of the troubles that lie ahead.

"It's been a few days and he isn't back yet. Why did he have to leave so quickly after I found him..."

After their brief reunion, Rigel left Tyrin with a shadowy group of people from Zamora. He didn’t mention where he was going or for what purpose, but he did say he would be back in a few days. Selene was disappointed to see him leave to quickly after seeing him again.

"Those people he was with, they all looked strong and their gazes were cold as ice. Why would Rigel join such a shady group? He has nothing in common with them. Agh, I don't get what's going on!"

Selene ends her morning routine with an hour of swordsmanship practice. However, she's having difficulty focusing on her sword like she's supposed to. Thoughts and worries are bothering her more than usual. She takes another look at the horizon, hoping to see a group of six riders coming up the road. They are nowhere in sight.

"You better come back like you promised."

<><><><><><><><><>

She returns to the inn where she is greeted by a middle-aged man in the lobby.

"Welcome back, miss Gaios. Your meal has been prepared and miss Melanthios is waiting. As promised, everything will be free of charge. Please let me know if something is not to your liking."

The man is the inn's owner and he has been very apologetic since an incident recently took place. One of the workers put sleeping powder in the food of a number of guests and then attempted a robbery during the night. Since he is responsible for the actions of his employees, the inn's owner offered the victims a month's stay for free. In return, he asked that they avoid spreading news of the theft as it could ruin the inn's reputation. Selene and Laila were reluctant, but they eventually accepted the offer at Nashira's request.

"I'll let you know" Selene responds and then returns to her room upstairs.

After a quick wash with clean water and soap, she joins her fellow warrior Laila Melanthios in the dining room. Lyssa is not with them, as she is still sleeping in Laila's room.

"I think she should stay in my room. The beds are small and you move around too much in your sleep, Selene."

And so they agreed that the young child would stay in Laila's room. Of course, Lyssa is free to decide for herself if she wants to. Her two guardians aren't too fussy about rules.

Laila greets her friend at a wooden table in the dining room with a grumpy look on her face.

"Find anything?" Selene asks.

"Thief had an accomplice. Both left town in the middle of the night. I'm told they were a man and a woman around my age. The guards gave me a description of what they look like but it’s pointless. Brown hair, brown eyes, average height, vague features. The trail's already cold."

"It’s only been a day. We know the man's face so we could hunt him down easily if we just follow the road—"

"Don’t forget we have Lyssa with us now."

Selene lowers her gaze in contemplation at these words. Sure enough, they can’t just run off on a thief hunt like they used to. They have a young, blind girl to care for. The thought of leaving Lyssa with Nashira crosses her mind but she immediately discards it. On top of getting free magic lessons, she doesn’t want to impose any further. Nashira is not their nanny and shouldn't be treated as such.

"The thieves were on horseback. We won’t catch them unless they’re stupid enough to come back here" Laila continues. "Let’s just be glad the robbery failed and forget about it. Nashira said this as well."

"She said to forget about it? That does sound like her… She is really strange for a magic caster."

Laila shrugs and says "Can’t deny that. I used to know a guy in Lapithos who tried to blackmail someone from the Magic Guild branch. Days later, his entire house burned to the ground with him inside. The perpetrator was never caught, but I’m sure it was the Magic Guild’s doing. After that I always thought that mages are cruel and ruthless. When we found Lyssa in that disgusting pit, I was even more convinced. Never thought I’d meet someone like Nashira Malik."

"You know, she once bowed her head when she thought she offended me" Selene remembers with amusement.

"Hahaha. You should tell the fellas back home that a mage bowed her head to you. They won’t believe you though."

"But wait, Rigel is a mage too and there's no way you can call him cruel. You know, bandits attacked us on the way to Lapithos and Rigel took them down without killing them. There wasn't even any blood."

"When you first told me that story, I thought you were full of it."

"What about after meeting him?"

Laila shows a knowing smile. "I guess I believe it now."

<><><><><><><><><><><><>

Roughly an hour later, Selene brings Lyssa to the local Magic Guild branch where her new magic teacher is waiting for them. Compared to the Warrior's Guild, this building is a lot quieter. This is normal since there are rooms reserved for meditation. Loud noises would disturb the mages here, so anyone who causes a commotion is thrown out immediately.

Due to their extensive influence, a number of important matters are handled by the Magic Guild. They have relations with the nobility and the military, but that is of no concern to Nashira, who is not a member. She is here to teach meditation techniques to Lyssa and nothing else. Getting involved with the Guild's activities would be nothing but trouble to the mysterious woman who was once regarded as the Chaos Mage.

"I’m very sorry we’re late" Selene says with her head lowered.

Lyssa imitates this gesture while saying "I'm sorry". Her small voice shows genuine remorse. The young girl is still learning proper manners for living in civilized society. After losing her memories, she has had to relearn a number of things which would already be common sense for a child of age 9. In this case, Lyssa was the cause of their lateness and Selene wants her to express a sincere apology.

Nashira shows a warm smile and says "You are forgiven. Come, Lyssa, we are using a different room this time. Selene, you may observe the session if you wish."

"No it's alright, I have something to do. Laila or me will be back to pick her up after the session. Thank you so much for doing this. Lyssa, you better behave yourself around Nashira, alright?"

"Yes, big sister!" the child responds cheerfully. She seems to be in high spirits, even though meditation itself is nothing to get excited about.

"I will watch over her diligently until your return. Good luck in your endeavors."

As Nashira leads the young girl into a room further down the main corridor to begin the meditation session, Selene leaves the building and heads toward the city's main gate. Meditation usually takes several hours and there's no reason to wait around that long.

<><><><><><><><><><>

The two female warriors arrive together a short distance away from the walls of Tyrin. Several dozen people are grouped here. All are wearing partial or complete sets of armor and all carry swords or spears, with one exception. This is a gathering organized by the Warrior's Guild for the purpose of training. The instructors are always Silver or Gold rank, meaning they are exceptional warriors, and they usually teach swordsmanship to the lower ranks. Wooden swords with a blunt edge are used to prevent serious injury during sparring.

The atmosphere is noisy like a tavern. Everyone is waiting and chatting. A few of the men are doing a push-up contest, a common sight among warriors.

Seeing the two arrivals, the only man here who isn't carrying a weapon calls the Guild's warriors to attention. He is a staff member from the Guild and is in charge of organizing the event.

"Everyone please quiet down! Our instructor is here." He then turns to the two arrivals. "Miss Gaios, thank you for coming on such short notice."

Selene nods. "I brought my friend, Laila. She is the same rank as me. It's not a problem, right?"

"Certainly not. Unfortunately, the payment must remain the same as written on the request. Of course, you may split it however you wish."

"That's fine." She turns toward the group and says "Everyone gather over here!" loud enough for all to hear.

As the armed men approach, faces full of surprise or disbelief appear on many of them.

"Huh, that's the instructor?"

"It's really a woman?"

"The instructor, that mean's she a Silver?"

"What a joke..."

Lots of comments can be heard as the atmosphere gets noisy again. All of the warriors here were taught by a Guild instructor in the past, but now is the first time that person turned out to be female. The organizer frowns and steps forward.

"Everyone be quiet! If you anger the instructor, you may be subject to a penalty at the Guild's discretion!" He turns toward Selene "I'm sorry about this, miss Gaios. I warned them in advance, but as you can see..."

"We'll handle it ourselves. Right, Laila?"

"Yep, figured this would happen so I came to keep order" she replies with a confident voice.

"I understand. Then I will observe for now" the man replies and then moves to the sidelines.

*ahem* "The name's Selene Gaios and I'll be your instructor for today. If you listen to what I say, we'll get along fine. If you refuse, you will be told to leave. If you still refuse, my friend here will escort you out by force. She's a Silver too by the way, so you might leave with some bruises."

A few people laugh and cheer at this part. Most of the group is silent, however, and some unpleasant stares are aimed at the two female warriors.

"I know most of you can't take what I'm saying seriously, so let's start with an example. One of you will spar with me using the wooden swords. Any volunteers?"

A man with a large, muscular frame steps forward immediately. He is almost a head taller than Laila and almost two heads taller than Selene. This means his arm, and therefore his sword's reach, is longer than Selene's. He is wearing only thin leather armor, so he must be fairly confident in his body's toughness.

"Right, we have our volunteer. Everyone make a circle around us and make room."

<><><><><><><>

Selene and her opponent take their positions face-to-face. Excitement is spreading through the surrounding spectators. Remarks like "she's pretty nice" and "hope she doesn't get hurt" can be heard.

As expected, they're interested in Selene's looks, not her sword skills, Laila thinks to herself.

"Hey missy, what age're you?" Selene's opponent asks in a thick, loud voice.

"None of your business. Don't you know you shouldn't ask a woman her age?"

Muffled laughter is heard from the group. While she switches to a fighting stance, her wooden sword raised high, the man shows an intimidating gaze. The match should be starting but he doesn't seem too eager to fight.

"I don't want to hurt a little girl." He motions to the side. "Your friend over there looks stronger. Get her to fight me."

Selene sighs. Although she's used to being treated like this among warriors, it still annoys her. There's only one way to change their minds.

Words don't work. Warriors respect strength. Show them what you can do, Selene!

As if responding to Laila's thoughts, Selene dashes forward in a straight line. Her opponent receives a solid hit on the left shoulder which is not covered by armor. A grunt of pain comes out of his mouth. She circles around his back with nimble movements and makes another swing, but this time it's blocked by the man's weapon. She then jumps backward to gain distance.

"If this was a real sword, that one hit would've left a serious wound. You'd be dead in a few hours without treatment" Selene remarks.

"...Don't get cocky. That was just a free hit!" the man replies as he readies his stance. He moves the wounded shoulder a bit to show he isn't impressed by her previous attack.

"That so?"

She takes three steps sideways and then abruptly dashes forward again. The man is expecting it now and is prepared to guard. What he didn't realize is that Selene was only using half of her normal speed during the first exchange. She moves at an angle from the right side toward the man's shoulder that was hit before. Without any feints, she grips the sword with both hands and swings under the man's raised sword. With eyes wide from surprise, he receives the blow on his chest, just below the sternum.

He falls to the ground coughing and wheezing with his hands gripping his chest. The attack wasn't aimed at a weak point, but with Selene's full strength it still knocked the wind out of him and caused a lot of pain. The man's leather armor and muscular body absorbed the shock, so his heart and lungs were spared from serious injury. It wasn't her intention to kill him, after all.

"I held back so your bones should be fine, but you should get a healer to check anyway."

"I can use healing magic, miss Gaios. I will take care of him" the Guild's organizer replies.

"Alright. As for everyone else, I hope you learned something from my opponent's mistakes. He had more muscle strength than me, but his movements were slower. Strength is important, but speed, technique and good judgment are just as important." She puts emphasis on her next words. "You better make damn sure you listen to your instructors if you want to survive this war. If anyone still thinks I'm too weak to be your instructor, come over here and I'll teach you personally" she threatens while pointing the wooden sword at the ground.

No one dares to step forward.

-------------------------------------------

A powerful army moves toward Tyrin with a quick pace from a south-eastern direction. The Zamorian soldiers move in a steady well-timed march, a mark of good discipline. The bulk of the army numbers roughly 10000 men, but most of them are trailing behind. On their King's orders, they move as quickly as possible through the Amisos grasslands. It cannot be helped that some soldiers will be slower than others and thus fall behind. 2000 horseback riders are on the front lines. They could reach the city quickly at full speed, however they cannot just leave everyone else behind. After the information he received from Asher, king Hamal knows his cavalry would be insufficient and heavy casualties would ensue.

Among the troops which are trailing behind are those belonging to a different faction, the Gordiana clan which rules these southern lands of Amisos. Once they approach the destination, they will raise their flags, but not before then.

King Hamal is near the back of the army, riding in a comfortable carriage. Although made out of fine wood and pleasant to rest in, the carriage's appearance is remarkably plain. Its simple carvings and modest design do not seem fitting for the ruler of a major country like Zamora. What it lacks in appearance is compensated in other ways. The body of the carriage contains hidden magic catalysts which can be used to heat up or cool down the vehicle, depending on the weather. There are also enchanted suspensions on the chassis which reduce vibrations felt by the people inside. The catalysts have to be charged and maintained by a mage who specializes in enchantments.

Inside the carriage, Hamal's white beard reaches down his chest. On his wrinkled face are two eyes which show a high amount of vitality for a man his age. He is dressed in a luxurious green robe with strands of colored silk adorning it. Instead of an uncomfortable crown, he wears a simple headdress made of soft, green material. Green-colored dyes are quite hard to come by in both Zamora and Amisos, which is why nobility often prefer this color. These clothes are among the best in Hamal's personal wardrobe and he certainly wouldn't wear them every day. Today is a bit special because he has a couple of important guests.

Sitting on the padded bench opposite to him are two people. One is a middle-aged noblewoman wearing a dark red dress. Her hair is tied in a bun and held together by a large, decorative hairpin. Her expression shows fatigue, but there is a certain determination in her eyes. The other person is a somewhat timid-looking young man dressed in a nobleman's robes. From his small stature and weak presence, one can tell he is not a fighter.

Between the woman and king Hamal is a small chess board. A wooden frame for the board is built into the carriage due to Hamal's fondness for this game. The pieces have a weak enchantment which causes them to stick to the board so they don't fall over from the carriage's vibrations. It is a good way to spend time on long trips.

The woman's focused gaze is aimed at the board in front of her. She appears to be taking the game very seriously, a somewhat unusual attitude for a noblewoman to have.

More wrinkles have appeared since we last met. What happened to her husband must've caused many sleepless nights, Hamal ponders. His thoughts are interrupted by the young man next to her.

"Your Majesty, my mother and I are very grateful for the vigorous response to our request. We never expected such large reinforcements so quickly. With such numbers, we will surely be able to take our country back from the traitors."

Hamal nods and says "It is thanks to your initiative that I was able to respond quickly. Rest assured, the treachery that took place in Delos will not be allowed to continue. King Leo was like a brother to me. His death will not go unpunished."

A wooden *toc* is heard from the chess board. After making her move, the noblewoman raises her head toward Hamal.

"Any news of my husband?"

"Unfortunately nothing else was found. My best men are on the job. I will be sure to immediately deliver any news that reaches us. We will find lord Raoul Gordiana at any cost."

"Raoul has already crossed Hades' door" she says bluntly. "He would never give those fools any information no matter what they do to him. You won't find more than a corpse. What I want to know is who did it. Raoul wouldn't be caught by some dirty trap from that cretin Lachlan. It was definitely the work of a traitor. Someone sold him out."

The noblewoman speaks with a strong tone and is unafraid of saying harsh words. Her son, who doesn't have the same courage, is shifting nervously in his seat. Her attitude could be considered rude, especially since she is talking to the king of a country.

Hamal remains unperturbed. He has spoken to her and her husband on many occasions. Raoul Gordiana was an important figure in the Amisos Royal Council and a major supporter of King Leo, up until the point where he disappeared in the chaos that erupted in Delos. His current whereabouts are unknown, so it's assumed that he was captured or killed.

Hamal wishes he could offer some consolation to the wife. She will calm down with time but there is only one thing that will satisfy her for now. Since her husband's disappearance, her attitude could be described as sanguine. She wants blood. Hamal wants to grant her wishes, but for now he is simply keeping her company during the trip to Tyrin. With a soft motion, he picks up a chess piece and moves it.

"I believe it's best to be optimistic, milady Gordiana. It would be a great loss if lord Raoul's life was claimed by this senseless conflict. His contribution to this country is as irreplaceable as King Leo's. We should act while believing he is alive."

She stays silent for a few moment while observing the move Hamal just made. She then makes her own move.

"Very well, let us speak of another matter then. What of King Leo's son? I received word he was discovered alive."

"It is difficult to say. Without anyone to confirm his identity, all that can be said is that we found someone who matches prince Rigel's description. It's still possible he is an impostor. We will see the truth with our own eyes soon enough."

"I see. May I ask how long until we reach Tyrin?"

"With these road conditions, it should be no more than two days."

Wrinkles appear on the noblewoman's forehead as she looks down at the chess board again. A restless foot taps softly on the wooden floor. Her impatience is obvious, but there is little he can do about it. She inherited an appreciation for chess from her husband, so Hamal thought a game or two might help her relax. It doesn't seem to be working too well.

I may have some explaining to do once we reach the city. Although his identity isn't certain, perhaps I should've changed my strategy. Allowing the prince to fight like a common soldier is unwise. It's a bit strange... I didn't think prince Rigel would have such a thirst for blood. Perhaps the war has changed him.

While Hamal ponders what he knows about the young prince, the chess game continues in silence for some time. With only a king and a pawn on each side, the game is nearing a draw.

"At this rate it will be a threefold repetition. Shall we end it here and begin another game? If you are tired and wish to rest, I won't mind."

"Mother, how incredible, to have achieved a draw against his Majesty! Few can boast of such a feat!" the young man says excitedly.

"Nonsense, Enrich. His Majesty is simply being courteous. In a serious match, I would lose one hundred games out of one hundred. Even your father was never able to get more than a draw."

"Oh, I see.."

"You are too modest, milady. Your skill has greatly improved since we last played. I doubt any other noblewoman would be a match for you."

"Raoul taught me whenever he had time. I really should've been more..."

It seemed as though lady Gordiana wanted to say something else, but she stopped after remembering Hamal's earlier words. Perhaps she should be more optimistic. Gods willing, the time and fond memories she shared with Raoul may not be the last.

"I'm sure he enjoyed sharing his love of the game with you."

<><><><><><><>

The three of them feel the carriage slow down and then stop. Someone knocks on the door and a man's voice calls to them. The young man, Enrich, opens the door for his mother and the king. Two men stand outside the carriage with their heads lowered. The skies are dark and the rumbling sound of thunder appears in the distance. A thunderstorm must be close.

"I beg pardon to his Majesty and his esteemed guests. A private courier has arrived from the lord of Myletus. It is addressed to Lady Gordiana."

Hearing this, the noblewoman stands up and swiftly moves toward the door. She turns toward Hamal and says "Excuse me, I must go. May the gods be with you."

"We can speak again tomorrow. Rest well."

She nods and exits the carriage with quick, yet soft steps as befits a proper lady. A guard helps her to the ground and then another one leads her away from the vehicle, her son following closely behind. Once they are gone from view, Hamal's expression becomes more serious.

"Did Henin send you?"

A familiar soldier steps forward beside the carriage door and makes a deep bow for his king.

"Yes, lord. Captain Asher has asked me to deliver a report."

He hands the king a small roll of paper sealed with a special type of mana-infused wax. Being impossible to falsify, this seal is proof of the sender's identity. Hamal breaks it with a single motion and looks over the contents with great interest.

Asher sent the message immediately after the clash between Bloodmoon and Councilor Hadwin's forces. It mentions the outcome of the battle and all of the relevant information they obtained. Despite the dirty conditions in which it was written, the report is still clean and perfectly legible.

"Nine casualties..."

"Yes, lord. The enemy had some powerful fighters. We did our best, but even so..."

"There's no need to explain yourself, soldier. I trust captain Asher's judgment in these matters. He decided to engage the enemy because it was the best course of action. This outcome, you should consider it a victory. Continue following his orders at all times."

"As my King says" the man replies with a gesture of loyalty.

Hamal returns his eyes to the report. In it, Asher points out that unusual weather is playing a big role in this conflict. The area around Tyrin is affected by winds and heavy rainfall. Councilor Hadwin's forces are caught in the storm and will be slowed down greatly by the harsh conditions. Any upcoming battles will be affected as well. Asher shares some observations he made during the last mission and offers some suggestions. He correctly anticipated that Hamal wishes to defend Tyrin, so his ideas are meant for this objective. The old king shows a smile as he finishes reading.

The means to vanquish an enemy are provided by the enemy himself. You remember well, Henin. If Bloodmoon didn't exist, you would make a fine general.

He then turns to the man waiting silently outside the carriage and says "You have done well, soldier. Bloodmoon is grateful to have you in its ranks. What is your name?"

"They call me Jahan and I'm unworthy of your Majesty's praise. I've only done my duty."

"Very well, Jahan. I will give you the next set of orders. Make sure the message reaches your captain. The fate of an entire city may depend on it."

"We live to serve you, lord Hamal."