Seth couldn’t find sleep after the meeting. Not that the gods would be merciful enough to give it to him after everything that’d been said the night before. He slowly sat up from his cot and looked around his modest little tent. His freshly packed backpack, containing everything he had in the world—namely two cotton shirts, trousers, and several rudimentary books on understanding runes—sat in the corner ready for a grudging journey to Brighmont he might never take. You wanted a chance to gain more merit? Well, now you have it, and you’re in bed with the General now.

“Not that I had much of a choice in the matter,” he said, and his mind turned to the cache at the corner, right beside the flapping tarp that let in the smell of freshly baked flour and light of the early morning sun. The cache contained the enchanted armor the General had promised. It was a Knight-issued Light-bearer armor, and Ellie had delivered it just before the last of the morning patrols marched past his tent.

Much of the previous night was still a blur. The alcohol had done nothing to obfuscate his memory of the General, but the sheer shock of it all left him numb.

He’d seen a vampire knight and an Aqus Junior knight fight before. He was in his second year and was only eighteen at the time, and he remembered thinking that the Aqus knight would trounce the night creature. Her name was Nisi, and she wielded the glave like she’d been born with it. Her runes shone an ethereal light as she danced and reaped the lives of dozens of half-bloods with each slice of enchanted weapon. The vampire she faced was a master of shadows, able to generate seemingly endless specters of himself. She lasted two whole minutes before he tore open her chest and ripped out her heart.

His entire body shuddered. What was the General thinking? What were they thinking? What was Ellie thinking? She’d gone too far this time. This was too risky, even for her. If he hurried to her tent and talked some sense into her, then maybe they could run and survive another day or week before the General’s knights found them and executed them. At least, it was better than dying at the hand of some vampire or ending up as a half-blood.

He drew in a deep breath and slowly exhaled, letting the idea die. He moved closer to inspect the cache. At the top was gambeson and plate armor, enchanted, of course. He raised it to inspect. On the plate armor, there was an inverted triangle containing three tight circles of spindling runes. The first two circles were packed with Air runes, with markings for Cushion and Haste. And the last was Earth reinforcement.

Personally, he would replace the quietness rune for a Fire Stream rune, but the armor had better enchantment than most he’d seen on most noble knight candidates and junior knights. The runes on enchanted armor contained spells and effects activated with the user’s voice and magic. For non-magic users, each rune only lit once and stayed activated until the magic sealed within ran out. Maybe we’re not doomed after all.

He’d developed an interest in runes in his first year in the army. It seemed like ages ago now. He was far less cautious then and was so terrified of Judgement then. He convinced himself he was a blessed one.

They were one of the few humans blessed with a talent for magic from birth. He’d been absolutely shattered when a local priest read his heart and told him he was just like every common human in the Empire. He would be lucky if he had enough magic to activate runescrived or enchanted weapons by calling out the words, but he never stopped studying runes. Runes were rare enough that only mages and talented knights could read them, and he thought the knowledge would be useful when he got his own set. He never imagined the first time he’d put his knowledge to real use was the day he marched off to die.

He pulled free a long and short sword from the cache next. Both were lusterless and plain, except for a swirl of runes high up on the blade of the shortsword. His heart quickened as he traced the glowing letters to read, “blade of light.” It was his first time seeing a light rune so close. Every other armor or cloak he'd studied danced with earth, water, air, and fire, but never light. There were few Mages of Light and fewer Runescrives who could write runes with Light mana.

This is a welcome surprise.

He rummaged through the rest of the cache with an eager smile and found a pair of pauldrons, a belt, a helmet, and three sets of health potions with wooden stoppers.

Satisfied with all that laid before him, he began to dress. When he was done, he slipped through the flap of his tent when the camp began to stir. The indiscernible muttering and yawns of waking soldiers fluttered past his ear. He was almost late.

He hurried towards the meeting point at the edge of camp, and halfway through the jog, he decided to give it his all. There was no escape. For better or worse, he was set on this path. The General promised weapons, and he delivered. He had no doubt there would be an Igrit junior knight waiting for him at the meeting point. There was no reason to doubt him yet, and perhaps he would deliver all he promised. Perhaps.

Fear offered him no aid in the battle to come, so he tried to banish it and dared to hope. Maybe Ellie was right, he thought. She hadn’t stirred him wrong yet—well, she had, but they’d always managed to pull through somehow.

Tried though he might, the fear still clung to him. A small voice warned him in his head. Nothing good would come of the trip.

Four figures waited for him at the edge of the war camp, just past the last of the tents. It was a hidden hollow by the barrier where the scouting teams entered and exited camp when they left on missions.

Brick and Sera stood to the side with a junior knight, all draped in near-identical armor. Sera had a shortsword on her belt, several daggers, and a bow and a quiver on her back, dripping off. Brick had two axes and a dagger on his belt. He also had a tower shield strapped on his back. The General’s knight traveled light, with only a dagger on his waist, though his Light-bearer armor suggested he was better protected. Instead of their three, it shone with five runes and bore black metal trimmings on the shoulder, collar, and bust.

Ellie stood a few ways from them, with a single rapier, one thin shortsword, and a sizable backpack with the General’s house crest embroidered on it. Runescrived items? Seth thought. He never mentioned anything of the sort. Perhaps I underestimate how badly the General wants this. She waved him over as he approached.

“You are late,”

“Almost,” he corrected with a smile. “The cooks are still baking, and most of the camp is still asleep.”

“You could have been here earlier,” she insisted.

“Can we get on with this,” Sera called out, interrupting the two. “We have to leave before anyone sees us.”

Seth noticed that the junior knight standing with Sera and Brick watched them. He was a tall man with a lean build and yellow wavy hair. He had a stern countenance that oozed confidence reinforced by decades of mastery and privilege.

“You should show your betters more respect, Knight Candidate. The General only picks the best among you to head dedicated teams. Do not let your fear distract you from that,” he said to Sera, and she gave him a long appraising look before she answered.

“Of course, Junior knight Hanson.”

Hanson quirked a brow that revealed at her that revealed no deeper emotion than mild intrigue, then his face went back to his stone mask of confidence and strength.

Seth and Ellie joined the rest of the team, and Seth briefly touched eyes with Sera as they hurried past the very edge of the camp. She flashed him an icy glare that warned him from approaching. She’d said nothing at the Bonfire, but he knew she was upset. This is going to be a long mission.

A thin milky screen scrawled with dancing runes forced them to stop as they neared a depression that marked the end of the hill. It stretched upward and in both directions to form a large dome of dancing multicolored lights.

Ellie fished out an artifact from her bag. It was a gilded compass covered with glowing runes. The barrier doorways shifted every day or so, and the captain had to find it each time they left and returned from a mission and open it with an incantation that only worked twice.

He’d seen it hundreds of times over his years of service, and it never ceased to amaze him. His eyes fixed on them with a deeper appreciation, knowing he might not get another chance. After all his years of study, he was no closer to the meanings the runes carried.

Brick came up beside him and nudged him. “Come on now, you’ll have enough time to study all of them when we get back.” Seth never took his eyes off the array runes.

“We’ll be lucky if the vampires don't murder us with a sneeze."

“Don’t lump me in with you,” Brick said. “I have a new axe now, a runed one at that,” he puffed his chest. “I reckon I’ll bisect two vampire knights this time around.”

Seth chuckled, finally looking at him. Brick always knew what to say. Growing up in the seedy underbellies of Brightmont capital, he’d seen battle before his first month on the frontlines. He’d never said how much, but his offhanded jokes and ridiculous stories had gotten him through his first few battles.

“Killing is a sordid business,” he’d always say. “Best put your mind off it till the very last moment. It’ll make things easier.” It was the reason why he was so aloof, even when he was off duty. Seth thought he’d use that advice now.

“Thank you, Brick,” Seth said, thoughtfully patting the giant's shoulder.

“What for?” he asked.

Seth's lips curled into an affectionate smile, “you know what for?” He and the giant held an awkward stare for too long before Brick spoke.

“What do you think he’s like?”

“Who?” Seth asked, following the giant's eyes. “You mean Hanson?”

Seth knew next to nothing about the knight. In fact, he hadn’t heard or seen the man before that morning.

“Intense and knightly,” Seth shrugged.

“Loyal to the General and powerful,” Brick corrected. “If we’re lucky, we could end up like him. Powerful, and in the service of someone who’s willing to take us to the top.” His aloof facade rolled back for a moment, and Seth took in the intensity of the man.

“I suppose you are right,” he said, even though he didn't particularly understand the sentiment. His eyes wandered to the barrier.

Ellie still struggled with the entrance, and Sera had set aside her anger to help her. Her search was taking too long. Hanson stood to the side, watching them work, with both hands tucked behind his back.

“If we don’t die, we could end up just like him,” Seth quipped. “Come on, let’s help them. Something could be wrong,” he pulled the giant, and they both approached the border.

Ellie finally found the entrance just as the men approached. It was to the side by a small boulder. She stepped forward and produced an emblem from her waist pouch. She muttered an incantation and compass over the spot. The runes on the artifact flickered rapidly, and that section of the barrier unfurled to reveal a clear arc that they all hurried through. The arc closed behind them as the runes shifted back in place, and they began their slow descent down the hill.

They crisscrossed in silence, trailed along hidden footpaths worn into the hillside by a thousand descents. They slowed down their advance at the very base of the hill behind a collapsed hut to discuss strategy.

“First order of business, I don’t believe we’ve been properly introduced to Junior Knight Hanson,” Ellie announced. It was mostly for Seth’s benefit, and he recognized that.

“It’s an honor to meet you, sir. The name is Seth Ryall." Seth offered the man his hand. “The General spoke of your skill, and we’re glad to have you here with us.”

“Likewise,” Hanson said in a clear voice. “It’s not every day I get to hunt down vampires with the General’s favorite scouts.” He took Seth’s hand. His presence dominated the room, and his hand felt like stone under his leather gloves. Seth gave the man a wide smile. He was an absolute monster, of that Seth was sure, and he was glad to have him on his team.

Brick and Sera introduced themselves next, the latter with less enthusiasm. It appeared they were repeating the ritual for his sake.

With the introductions done, Ellie produced a rough map of the ruined temple she’d drawn from her memory and spread it in between them.

“Last I was there, I saw 2 squads, each draped in enchanted armor, patrolling the temple. I propose we isolate each squad and attack.” She set the backpack she carried down and pulled a wooden box with metal trimmings covered in glowing lines.

“Diffusers,” Seth gasped, and Brick whistled. “The General was not kidding when he said he would be providing us with everything we needed.”

“Of course, he wasn’t,” Hanson said, with a bit of edge to his voice. “When the General gives his words, he honors it.” His calm gaze swept the circle. “He demands nothing but the best from all of you, and while I am here, I would have the same,” he said. “Anything less, and we are sure to fail.”

He folded his arms and focused on the map. Ellie took it as a sign to continue.

“A diffuser is no different from most barrier artifacts we’ve used. We set up a quick perimeter with four anchors” --she raised a metal bolt from her bag that looked like arrowheads-- “and let the runed boxes do their jobs.”

“By ‘job’ you mean?” Brick asked.

“It lets out a wide-range sound and lightwave that fries the vampires’ ears, fuck with their concentration and magic, and gives us enough time to run them over with our blades,” Seth supplied, his heart fluttering at the sight of the artifact. He nearly took back all the curse he quietly muttered at the General when he got back to his tent the night before.

“Damn,” Brick whistled. “That makes things a lot easier. What of the pegs?”

Seth fished a peg from the bag and studied it closer. The runes were almost artistic. Identical, yet different from every other lettering he’d seen. Dancing loops, playful cursive. They were clearly the work of a master runescriver. One of the small pleasures of serving as one of the scouting forces was studying runed artifacts up close. Were this a normal mission, he might have insisted he’d be the one to activate it.

“They keep the sound wave in, I think, and make sure whoever is in the temple doesn’t hear us coming.”

“Not quite,” Ellie said, retrieving the second peg from her brother. “Actually, they keep the second vampire team from learning of our advance. We will stand no chance if their squadrons unite.”

“Shit,” Brick muttered. “I suppose we wouldn’t be getting Prof-- I mean the rewards, we were promised if it really was that simple.” His eyes nervously shifted to the knight at the corner at his blunder, but it seemed he paid him no mind.

“No, we would not,” Seth muttered. It was optimistic to think that all they had to do was set up traps and stab fallen vampires.

“Can’t we use them more than once?” Sera asked.

Ellie shook her head, “It wouldn’t be so valuable if it were reusable.” Her words further sullied their collective moods, and emotions Seth had shelved away that morning bubbled to the surface. He felt a chill under the armor.

“But that is what the weapons and armor the General provided us are for,” she quickly added. “Each one, you found a weapon enchanted with light runes in your cache, didn’t you?”

Seth perked up, and so did the faces of the rest of the team. Seth drew his Shortsword and brought it to the fore for all to see. “It’s a light rune, Blade of Light. I couldn’t figure out what it does yet, but I could feel its power.”

Ellie grinned, her white irises glittering, “It is powerful, and so is every other equipment you were given. The spell on your shortsword is powerful enough to deal a death blow to a vampire if you get the blade anywhere close to its chest. All you have to do is call out ‘Blade of light’ when you strike, but be careful. It only works once.”

“Impressive,” Seth whispered, his eyes studying the shortsword with a renewed appreciation. Brick’s eyes glazed over the runes, too, “one use is plenty. I think we can manage to sneak it past their armor before they whack us dead.”

“No bisecting vampires, unfortunately,” Seth smiled at Brick, who frowned at the jab.

“What of what is waiting for us inside?” Sera asked, her face twisted in a sour expression. “We’ve hardly talked about them, and I doubt these runes,” she gazed dubiously at Seth’s shortsword, “will be enough to take down Shadow mages with vampires as their guards.”

Seth sheathed his blade at her words. They carried a darker truth to them he hadn’t considered in his excitement.

“The diffuser is not all the General gave,” Ellie said in a slow, measured voice. “There are other gifts... sensitive and powerful, provided to deal with the ruined temple itself. Do not worry about what we face on the inside. What we need to concern ourselves with is the second squadron,” she gestured at the rough map that laid before her. “We only have a single diffuser, so I propose we use it on the strongest squadron and confront the second with our strongest fighters. Once the first squadron is dead, the rest of the Ravens will rally, and help us take down the rest of the vampires if any still survive.”

Seth found her dismissal peculiar, and from the look the others gave, he was not the only one, but she’d promised it was potent, and Hanson gave no comments, so he left it at that and turned to more sensitive matters.

“How do we find their strongest squad?” Seth asked, concentrating on charcoal scribbles that represented squadrons.

“I believe junior knight Hanson could help us with that.”

“I can sense magic when it’s near,” Hanson explained. “Shadow magic, in particular, has a sinister smell to it.”

“Is that a particular rune?” Seth wondered out loud. He’d never heard of or seen a rune that allowed you to smell shadow magic. Perhaps it was one of those profane runes the General promised. If it were, it would be evidence that they could serve and use the promised runes without issue. It would do away with one of his many reservations about the mission ahead.

“It was not given to me by the General. It was something I learned myself through practice and patience,” Hanson explained.

“Oh,” Seth said. He didn’t think that was possible, but he’d heard and seen stranger things. Dragonkin could breathe fire, and Serpent people could turn invisible. A nose for magic wasn’t the strangest thing out there.

“I know what is on your mind,” Hanson said to all of them. “Let me assure you that you need not worry about Judgement. I, and hundreds before me, received runes from the General. Prove yourself, and you’ll know what it means to have true strength.”

The air thickened in the old mossy hut, and Seth saw Ravens looking at each other with differing emotions. Ellie had a smile so slight only Seth could’ve noticed. Her face was otherwise a stoic mask. Brick’s face was split in half with a broad grin, and Sera’s blue eyes grew even wider in fear. Seth struggled and failed to emulate his sister. He’d gotten his answer, but he still questioned the General’s reason for using them. Wouldn’t sending a whole team of knights be better?

Hanson continued to speak. It appeared he wasn't finished.

“The General didn’t only send me here to support you. I am also here to monitor your performance. You will become one of his knights when this mission is over.”

Seth’s eyes widened in surprise.

“We will not disappoint him,” Ellie declared, stepping up to meet the knight. He gave her a nod, and she began shelling out orders before Seth or any of the Ravens could get a word in.

“Seth, Brick, and Sera will use the diffuser, and Hanson and I will face the weaker Squadron. If we are lucky, this goes down without a hitch, and we’ll have plenty of energy to face whatever is inside the temple, with support from the General's artifacts, of course," she nodded to Sera.

With that said, Ellie led the team out of the hut and past the battlefield. It was dotted with misshapen weapons, armor, and war machines caked in rust, grime, and ash. Seth spotted large dark gashes in the earth half-filled with mud water and the buoying remnants of soldiers, unlucky enough to be caught up in a wide area spell. Their bones were black as night, and the armor they formerly wore melted and mixed to preserve their terror.

He remembered the battle well and was glad to be away from it. An unsettling silence dominated those lands, and it was so malicious, even birds of prey avoided it. Sera once told him it had something to do with Vampire blood mixing with humans and the rage of the divine at the very union.

His eyes wandered to her, and he found she was almost as unsettled as he was. He was glad when they padded past the first trees and disappeared behind the swelling fog.

An odd calm washed over him as they advanced deeper into the Foglands, towards their ultimate goal. With everything that Hanson had revealed, he was more certain about their futures if they survived. He didn’t think the man was one to lie, but then again, he knew nothing about the man. One way or the other, he was certain, their fates would be decided in the hours to come.

I prefer this, Seth thought to himself. Fighting the vampires, as scary, they were, for runes seemed preferable than just hoping the magnanimous gods found him worthy, his achievements withstanding. They’d never been kind to him or his sister before; why would they start with Judgement? Perhaps that is why she did it.

He looked ahead to his sister, who led their team through the mist, and found slow anger bubbling within him when he recalled everything she’d done. He needed to have words with her.