Dust was kicked into the air as a horde of armor clad warriors charged towards a lone man who stood in the middle of the garrison. They wielded great swords, short swords, shields, bows, daggers and other various weapons as they exuded a lingering battle spirit. There was no bloodlust in the air, no contempt on their faces and no detest in their eyes it was just simple excitement.

This garrison belongs to the Thrane house and these soldiers are part of their forces. The man whom they are charging towards is Jorgen Thrane, their commander, their leader and today... the target of this ambush.

Throughout the years their commander would train them through the harshest training they had ever experienced; however it became known through pure accident that this training was but a portion of Jorgen's prior regimen. Unknown to him a fire was lit in the hearts of his soldiers. They would never admit defeat and would always strive to better themselves, so with it known that there was a better chance for them to do so, they took action.

Their lust for power stemmed from the need to be the absolute defense that protected province, while simultaneously having the strength to be the hand of reckoning should any enemy be brave enough to stand before them. Thus when they learned of how Jorgen withheld some of the training regimen they suffered a considerable blow to their pride and all of them came to the unanimous conclusion, they were weak... far too weak.

The absolute strength of their commander seemed like an unobtainable dream to them. For Jorgen didn't get his position as a pleasantry from his family, no, he earned it. All the achievements he earned over the years serve as a timeline of how his strength progressed to the point that no one could ignore his accomplishments. As a result he became commander of the elite troops.

Their commander is one of the most promising masters of the stasis rune to appear throughout the entire province in the past few centuries! Though adding insult to injury they had never seen him use his prided runic magic outside of dire circumstances and as a result they thought they weren't 'worthy' enough for him to do so in training.

So for the past year these soldiers trained harder, longer and more intense than ever before. At the same time they pleaded with Jorgen to allow them to practice his entire training regimen. The compromise they all agreed upon was that if one person out of the thirty present could land a blow on him, he would yield. They would not only get a better regime but one tailored to their strengths with just as much intensity as his. A tempting offer indeed and one that would greatly increase their strength either way.

Since this deal was made a vicious battle occurred in staggered and unpredictable variances that time and time again resulted in their complete and utter defeat.

'But that would end today!' was the mentality of all the soldiers present. Even though the timing of this wasn't something to be proud of, to them these battles were as good as war. There would be no glorious one on one choreographed battles depicted in the play's of the royal city. No... today was a real battle, to the point of any despicable action becoming commendable. This was as real as training got, there would be dirt thrown into eyes, back-stabs, groin shots and any action that preserved their lives... or in this case their consciousness. Although all these were acceptable, no one ever landed any, thus was their struggle.

They persevered though, for they would do anything to triumph over their leader in the face of promised strength. And finally when they were at the end of their rope... they found a means.

Taking advantage of an uncharacteristically opportune time in their commanders life, they planned. They would use the failed birth of yet another one of the commanders children; it didn't settle well with everyone, however they knew it would possibly be their best chance. Did they know for sure that they had a stillborn again? No, but the fact that nothing had changed in the commander's behavior was proof enough.

Being the man he is there was almost no way he could hide his emotions. He was like an open book, he wore his emotions on his face... except for when something big happened. In that case it would be like he was broken, if one talked about the incident it was like talking to an undead, almost as if he had no memories of it. The only one who could make him talk about it was Emily. They had seen him like this when it happened the first time and then again when they were refused as adopted parents. He had to have been going through a tough time again... but wasn't this their best chance?

Of course all of them felt awful about what they were doing. However in their eyes the search for strength is a winding trail that never ends and if you stop and smell the roses someone else is bound to pass you. This was their best shot and they knew it so they started their plan. A scout was sent to follow his movements at all times, as he drew nearer he would hear the regular clashes of swords indicating mourning practice. This was but part of their ruse orchestrated by another troop under his sister's command, of course this resulted in a favor being owed of them but it was worth it.

Enough of that though, their target was right in front of them.

He stood there preoccupied staring down at the bundle in his arms? They thought for a split second of the possibility of the improbable and quickly rescinded that thinking. There would be no way the commander could keep his newborn baby a secret for over a week. As their minds rationalized what they saw they inched closer and closer to the their target until...

*Whoosh*

Miss Emily?

She appeared in-front of the commander in a flash of bright light. She wore her typical attire focusing on unrestricted mobility with a linen shirt and linen tights that flowed down from under a simple skirt. She still looked like a beauty with her golden locks flowing just past her shoulders, her sky blue eyes and the light freckles sprinkled on her cheeks. Though the usual carefree attitude that surrounded her was gone... she looked pissed. She turned her head towards the commander and stared for but a moment then turned back to the soldiers. Her face was even more red and a tiny vein could be seen popping out on her temple.

The soldiers wracked their brains and after a split second (being the elite soldiers they were) the dots connected to form the bigger picture.

Miss Emily up and about + no baby bump + the commanders strangely normal behavior = that bundle... that bundle he's holding ever so gently.

'We have to abort!' was what went through their minds as they looked at one another mid sprint. Then almost immediately they thought of their fate... miss Emily was still pissed and the one person she really wanted to hit had that bundle... no a baby in their hands! Thus they resigned to their fate and steeled their hearts... they wouldn't go down without a fight!!

"URAH!"

The approaching soldiers yelled their battles cries as they approached their damnation. After-all the person they faced was miss Emily! She was equally as strong or even stronger then the commander in terms of raw power. Plus she only dabbled in the arts of runic magic and the martial way to expand her chances of giving birth. Simply put she was a monster! If she wanted to she might even be able to stand toe to toe with the commander.

Speaking of which during this whole dramatic rush he had simply bypassed the formation while keeping a slow, steady walk. He headed towards the stone steps that went up into the mess hall intending to sit down. All the while soothing the young baby in his hands.

Meanwhile they continued their strides and came within twenty paces of Emily before they witnessed her make a move.

A pale blue flame was ignited on her delicate palm and it continued to get hotter and glow brighter. The more astute soldiers among them noticed the commander cover the baby's eyes with his hands and did the same with his own.

*Flash!*

Nearly half of the soldiers collapsed to ground as they reached for their eyes while groaning in pain from temporary blindness. The ones still standing did so while either hiding behind a shield, a wall of earth or a film of water. The two either shielding them for the light all together or the latter refracting most of the light elsewhere.

Emily's face when from being filled with anger to being expressionless as she gazed at the soldiers still standing. She was serious now!

The soldiers thinking the assault to have paused for a moment began to rid themselves of their various shields.

A particular soldiers wall of earth crumbled to loose dirt by his will, the blood in his face proceed to drain as he gazed at a hand reaching for him at an astonishing speed. The hand reached out from the cloud of dust and grasped the back of his head pulling it downward.

*Crack*

A sound escaped from his nose as a knee met his face. Before he could react to the pain and blood trickling down from it, a brief pain was felt on his neck... his vision immediately blackened as he lost consciousness.

Soon after everyone withdrew their shields they saw another soldier incapacitated and Emily standing over him. A torrent of wind then surged forward from her position and was viscous enough in some area's to sweep a handful of soldiers off their feet, propelling them into a nearby wall. Most of them either knocked out or too injured to go on.

Her figure flew along with torrent of wind as she came face to face with a dense group of soldiers. A pale blue flame radiated outwards on the ground from where she stood. Soldiers prioritized putting out the flames on their boots that threatened to set their bodies aflame and proceeded to fall one by one. A single strike in vital area was all it took to take them down and this pattern continued until only three people were left to oppose her; a women wearing leather armor, a man wearing cloth and another man clad head to toe in plate armor.

They each took up a side and surrounded her in a triangle formation. The one clad in plate revealed his specialty to be of the earth rune as he abruptly forced the dirt under her to soften. Her feet then started to sink after which the man in cloth revealed himself to be of the water rune as he flooded the dirt with water. This was no doubt freezing water as Emily could be seen shaking in her boots. Lastly the women revealed her to be of the wind rune as she swiftly forced a constant funnel of wind onto the mixture Emily stood in. All of this happened simultaneously as the ground Emily stood on hardened in an instant. She was trapped and the trio thought they had bested her.

However while the funnel of air blew on the ground a blue flame surged forward and appeared to be feasting on the air. It swallowed it faster than the air could push against it and as the flame raced towards the women she tried to produce one last burst of power. However it was too close...In fact because of that the flame abruptly exploded and impacted the women sending her flying. Emily then produced a ball of the most ferocious wind in one hand and a ball of the hottest blue flame in another and joined them together.

*Flash*

Heat singed and threatened to ignite the water users armor as he covered his eyes. The earth user on the other hand threw up a wall of earth but quickly found a hand crashing threw it threatening to grab him. Doing the only thing he could think of he willed a pillar of earth to crash into him faster than the hand to grab him. The pillar hit his shield with a thud and sent him tumbling back a couple of meters. As he got up he threw away his shield which at this point had noticeable dent in it. He looked back towards his prior position to find the wall crumbled and Emily among the scattered dust.

Not resting for even a moment she twirled on the spot, her skirt blooming like a flower in response. A crimson flame spread out in a spiral around her threatening to roast the two alive. The man produced another pillar underneath him and raised himself into the air. The water user produced a sphere of water that enveloped him.

As the flame approached the two she vanished in yet another flash of light only to reappear behind the water user, shielding herself from her flame. The flames then hit the sphere of water in two phases and only caused a slight ripple. She prepared to strike at him from behind when the earth she stood on began to quake. Quickly separating herself from the sphere she watched as as spikes emerged from the ground where she once stood.

However to her dismay the ground she now stood on stood doused in water and soon after froze over. The water user utilized his shield and separated a couple of blobs of water that then elongated and froze. The ice spears then sped their way through the air threatening to skewer her.

In response she produced a vortex of crimson flame that emerged from her palm and it quickly melted the ice. Directly after as the man in plate armor lowered himself to the ground a buzzing sound was heard in front of him. A blade of distorted air vibrated intensely and surged outwards, split and went towards both of them. In a panic both of them used their respective magic to propel themselves upwards in order to evade the doom below. The short pillar the earth user used was cleanly sliced in half while the torrent of water used by the other was whisked away. As they flew in the air and reached their peak height another torrent of wind propelled them downwards at a terrifying speed. In a panic the water user made a bed of water appear under him tried unsuccessfully to provide one for his partner.

*Splash!-Thud!*

The knight met the bed at an amazing speed and before he could completely come to a stop his back met the ground. Blood spewed from his mouth as he coughed up a storm. Meanwhile Emily produced one more blade of buzzing wind and sent them towards their unsuspected targets. If this hit them they'd be more than incapacitated... In a last ditch attempt the water user was about to smash his fist into a spike made of his own ice, no doubt attempting to draw blood. However before the wind blade reached either of them and before he smashed his fist into the spike everything wind quiet.

Jorgen stood up from the steps and slowly made his way towards the battlefield, all the while soothing young Isabella. The scene before him filled with silence and stillness.

He continued until he stood in-front of Emily.

"Em... I know you're not pleased with me." He cast a glance at the water user and the state he was in. He then said in a loud voice.

"Do to your efforts today and throughout the year I take this battle as my loss! Had Emily not shown up one of you would have landed a blow on me... that I have no doubt about. So rejoice! When everyone recovers Emily will make a new training regimen for the lot of you with as much intensity as she did with mine."

Pained groaning resounded throughout the garrison as he undid his magic. Steam was left rising where the wind blade once was as it dispersed and vanished. As Emily was released from his magic she stoutly straightened her outfit and faced Jorgen and gently brought Isabella into her arms. After she was safely acquired the smell of something burning filled Jorgen’s nose, followed by a pain that left as quickly as it came . He slowly touched his hand to his face to find one of his eyebrows missing.

“I suppose I deserve that much… anyway my friends! I originally came here to introduce my baby girl Izzy… Isabella to you all.” He quickly corrected himself as he acquired another glare from Emily.

The water user being the least injured patted himself off and strode towards the couple.

“No way! There’s this hulking man and block brain of a commander could have a daughter so cute!”

“What was that!!” Jorgen pleaded in protest….

A heartwarming scene took place among one of carnage, meanwhile a silhouette in the background of the garrison quietly made its way away from the grounds. It walked through the streets greeting merchants and citizens left and right as it made its way through the busy streets towards the only notable landmark, the Thrane Manor...

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Sorry for that brief and unannounced hiatus, I got kind of overwhelmed with RL things. Anyways even though I didn't post anything I made some progress in where exactly I want the story to go, so be assured I will continue to the story till it's end. Anyway I hope you enjoyed this chapter and as always if you have any thoughts, gripes, complements ;) or simply want to bring to my attention some grammatical errors feel free to leave comments down below.