The heavy rain, turning the ground beneath our feet into a minefield of muddy puddles, was a welcome distraction for my otherwise troubled mind. It made me focus on the drops hitting my hood and my footsteps instead of what Stella and I were about to face. Annoyingly, that didn’t mean my jitters went away, far from it. My hands were cold, sweaty, and shaking; my guts tangled in knots.

“You’ve been noticed,” Traiana informed us as we walked through the woods, inevitably approaching the military encampment. Neither of us could confirm her claim. The encampment was still a few kilometers away, I couldn’t see anyone around, and even my instincts were uncomfortably quiet.

“Mages,” Stella whispered after checking the surroundings the same way I did, and I couldn’t agree more. Mages. There were no eyes on us yet.

“Ehm . . .” Traiana cleared her throat, like a teacher pointing out to her students that they were wrong and should correct themselves.

Stella understood immediately. “Magi.” That’s what they called mages back in these days. To call them anything else could get us into big trouble. Something we both knew, but obviously, the jitters weren’t just a problem I had.

We walked on, battered by the rain, both wanting nothing more than to pull our tails between our legs and get the hell out of there, me even more so as the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. Someone was watching us at last, probably a scout, for he remained hidden in the darkness of the woods, just observing. And it was not a pleasant gaze, for it sent nasty chills down my spine.

I tried to ignore them and keep walking, but the fellow in question made it impossible. It almost felt like they were breathing down my neck, so I looked in the scout’s direction every once in a while, hoping to discourage them from staring so vilely. Whoever it was, bastard or bitch, didn’t get the hint, though. And so, unable to do more to shoo that fellow away, not when we had to get into the middle of the echo, annoyed by the uncomfortable feeling at the back of my neck, we arrived at the encampment. Within sight of it, to be exact.

There, far beyond the tree line, stood a wooden palisade that stretched to both sides and, according to Traiana, encircled the entire encampment. At first thought, quite a useless thing. I couldn’t see the logic of building it when there must be better ways of defense, like ditches, sharp spikes, and barbed wire. It wasn’t hard to imagine the beast easily breaking through it or leaping over it. Hell, I could jump that four-meter wall if I tried. But that was my earthly reasoning. As Traiana had explained to us earlier, the palisade was laced with runes and enchantments so strong that even the best reinforced concrete wall - my analogy; she mentioned some kind of stone bonded with a metal alloy - would pale in comparison.

Hearing Stella take a deep breath, I did the same. You might think that since I had danced with mind mages, faced beasts like Esudein and Zeewet, and dealt with people like Lord Wigram, I’d have no problem dealing with the guards at the gate. The same went for Stella, who had more than once dealt with noble, powerful, and rich people. Yet in the face of what awaited us, all that experience seemed meaningless.

We walked on without stopping, putting on the best fearless facade we could.

“Halt!” shouted one of the soldiers - knights, as they were called these days - standing at the gate when we came within a hundred paces of them. From the looks of it, there was no doubt that they had received the echo about us and knew of our approach. “Hands where I can see them, and don’t even think about using magic.” His voice was strong, almost resonating in my bones.

In a few heartbeats, even before I raised my hands as he commanded, we were surrounded by a dozen knights, their weapons trained on us, all of them strong. Surprisingly, though, not much stronger than Stella or myself. Should I trust my instincts, which I did, and my experience with the system, around level 175. Frankly, much less than I would have expected from the knights involved in this battle. But perhaps that was why they were assigned to guard the rear of the army and this back entrance, which was not even used to supply the army - the reason Traiana had brought us here.

For more than a moment, we stood in an uneasy silence, our nervous breaths drowned out by the pounding of the rain, staring at each other, waiting to see what the other side would do, before the same man who had spoken earlier - according to the insignia on his armor, a Knight Commander - stepped forward. The armor, the same as that worn by all the surrounding knights - silver plating joined with leather and decorated with blue patterns, the most prominent of which was a very intricate circular symbol on the chest depicting the various races united under one flag - made him look even more hulking than he already was.

“State your names and the reason you are here.”

“Stella Palemoon, sir.”

“Korra Grey . . . sir.” Discussing it with Traiana, there was no point in lying about our names, not when no recruiting records of Dia Eichenralke had survived. In fact, it could be detrimental if we were caught in a lie. And yes, there were ways to tell if someone was lying. Still, I was careful with my full name. Even here, it held power.

“Members of Dia Eichenralke, seeking a battlefield to prove our honor,” Stella said, seemingly unyielding. I truly envied her for being able to act so confidently, even when her nerves were on edge.

The Knight Commander raised an eyebrow, sizing us up, while the men and women around us showed no great joy at knowing who we were. “Two Eichenralke hussies, I should have known,” one of them muttered through his teeth, while the woman next to him spat on the ground.

“Silence,” the Knight Commander roared, his eyes never leaving us. “You two are on the wrong battlefield.”

“How so, sir?” Stella asked back, still seemingly undaunted.

“No one here is looking to die.” That was the reputation the members of this company had gained after their demise, and what Traiana had warned us about - they may have been great warriors, but they were far too reckless in their quest to prove themselves.

“We do not seek to die here, only to repay the beasts tenfold for what they have wrought upon us.”

“Strong words for someone of your strength,” the commander said, sizing us up again. “Though for someone your age . . . barely off your mother’s tit, you’re not so weak.”

I was tempted to break it to him that although Stella was a good eight years younger than me; she was still twenty-one, far from being a little girl hiding behind her mother’s skirt. Too daring, I know. It would cause us unnecessary trouble. That’s why I kept my trap shut. Nevertheless, I got the commander’s attention.

“And what are you?”

“Korra Grey . . .”

“I heard you the first time,” he cut me off. “But your name tells me shit about what you’re hiding under that cloak.”

Yes, I had my wings pressed to my body, Sage wrapped around my waist, and my ears pinned to my head. I had a good reason, though. “These are my wings and my tail, sir. And all I’m hiding them from is the rain. It’s pretty annoying when they get wet.”

“”Beastwoman."”

“My partner is not one of those filthy animals.” I have to say, Stella played her indignation well over the scornful barking of the soldiers.

“Then how do you explain her?”

“Curses. We had a run-in with a very nasty beast. There were more of us then.”

“Then perhaps you should have died there instead of dragging the knights into your mess,” the commander growled.

“Our death is not what we seek here, but . . .”

“ . . . to prove our honor. I heard you. Well, it’s not my call to decide what to do with you, and I can’t let you roam the woods behind our rear. So . . . ?”

“So?” Stella asked, knowing as I did what was coming. All according to the plan - sort off.

“You will only pass through this gate shackled and thoroughly searched. How it plays out is up to you.” The options were clear. We could resist the search, or even try to escape; either way, we would be in for a fight with the knights. Or we could take the easy way out.

“Do what you must,” Stella said decisively, not flinching from the commander’s gaze.

According to Traiana, there was no other way to get in, at least not for the two of us. We simply didn’t have the skills to sneak in, and forcing our way in was just plain stupid. So prepared, I didn’t resist when the knights approached me, shackled my hands and feet to prevent me from doing any magic, and conducted an all-too-thorough body search.

“No magical tools on this one, sir. Just two swords at her waist,” a female knight reported to the commander when they were done with Stella. All according to the plan. As Traiana made clear to us many times, our tools were not up to local standards and could raise too many unwanted questions. Therefore, we left them in the cave.

“And the other one?”

“Nothing, sir.”

“Again?”

“Shall we search her again, sir?”

“No, idiots! I’m asking if you actually found nothing.”

“No, sir. She has nothing on but her clothes. But the hussy has wings and a tail. Look, sir.” The man pulled my cloak back more so the commander could see, even holding my tail to make his point. Bastard. It was... very unpleasant, and I had to hold back my growl. However, to their credit, they didn’t take the cloak off me and conducted the search, thoroughness aside, in a fairly civilized manner while I was more or less covered from the rain.

“I see,” the commander nodded, gesturing for the knight to leave my tail alone before looking at both of us. “Didn’t fare too well, did you? Two crappy swords, and your honor is all you have left.”

There were a few smirks among his men. Though, like us, he ignored them all. “Regardless, as I said, it is not my call to decide whether you will be of any use here . . . or let you prove your honor. We’ll keep the swords for now,” he said, turning to his men. “Grand, Eric, take these two to the Cages.”

“Cages?” My mask of a rugged warrior who had been through a lot slipped at the thought of being locked behind bars. “Cages,” the commander confirmed. “Surely you didn’t expect to get your own tent here without clearance.”

“No, that’s not . . .”

“Good. Take them away.”

Two men, no doubt knights from one of the kingdoms involved in the battle, did as the knight commander ordered and began to push us toward the gate. And frankly, up close, it looked more impressive than I had imagined a wooden gate could. The magic that ran through it was no joke, making the air around it visibly tremble under the power. Not even my instincts could stand still.

The closer we got to the gate and the palisade in general, the more goosebumps I got. It got even worse when the gate opened, and I stepped through. I actually felt the resistance, as if the air there was all of a sudden heavier, every inch of my skin tingling with tension, my hair matted, instincts screaming at me to get out.

But as quickly as it had come, it was gone just as swiftly the moment I stepped through the gate.

“Damn,” Stella gushed at the sight of the encampment. I, on the other hand, was speechless.

“Come on, move,” one of the knights behind us growled, pushing me with his hand. And I got moving, taking it all in, for there was a lot. I thought I had a good idea of what to expect here, but the sheer size of the place took my breath away. There were tents as far as the eye could see, and while it was quite a distance on the gently sloping terrain, I could not see the other end. There must have been tens of thousands of people, more likely hundreds of thousands, and they actually were there, we were told. Even the number of people moving back and forth despite the rain and mud under their feet was unbelievable.

Everything Traiana had told us about this place was simply put into perspective. Elea-Den’s 3rd United Army had been camped here for over three years, holding this part of the northern front. Though the holding part was a bit of a stretch. All they managed to do, according to Traiana, was slow the enemy’s advance. With each passing year, the front was getting closer and closer to the encampment.

“Stop wasting our time, you fucking Eichenralke,” one of the knights yelled at us as our pace slowed. The inevitable result of me watching what’s going on around us. Well, sticking to the plan, I did what they wanted and quickened my pace. What they had to do that was so important was a mystery to me, though.

To be honest, this place was a bit of a mystery to me as well. With the number of kingdoms, nations, and even races gathered here, I would have expected this place to be full of tents of all colors and shapes. Yet all I could see were white tents with blue trimmings and decorations.

“This was a time when the nations were truly united under one flag,” Traiana said, seeing my awe and confusion. Unseen by anyone but the two of us, she walked beside me as if she owned the place - which, come to think of it, she kind of did. Aside from that, the worst part was that I couldn’t let on that I could see her, let alone answer her or ask her a question, of which I had plenty.

Like, where the hell were the Cages? I figured they would be not far from the gate. But I was wrong. We walked for quite a while, perhaps the reason for the impatience of the two knights, before we reached the place. And the sight of it made my skin crawl. Dozens upon dozens of cages of various sizes, stacked side by side, forming a small maze city in the middle of the field of tents. Worse, only a few were empty.

“What the fuck is that?” Stella failed to hold her composure as my eyes darted from one cage to the next, to the various beasts inside.

“The cages, or beast pit,” said one of the knights escorting us.

“And the place where you’ll be staying for the time being,” the other added, amused. “Perhaps even a place to fight for your . . . honor.”

“Don’t worry, little ones,” Traiana said, not amused by these two. “The Beast Pit may be what it looks and sounds like, a place to entertain . . . all sorts of folk, but they never sent people there, only captured beasts. They’re trying to scare you by putting you here. It tends to make the interrogation a little easier later on. Most of the time.”

‘Terrific! Why didn’t she tell us earlier?’ I thought as the roar of the beasts grew louder with every step I took. It almost reminded me of the beast's roars I had heard from the misshapen space on the tenth floor, almost. These were not war cries, but ones driven by anger, anguish, and terror.

“What the fuck are you doing here, boys? And who are those two hussies?” The voice belonged to an unpleasant-looking man sitting on a chair under a tarp stretched between two cages. The place seemed to be something of an office as well as a warehouse, a warehouse of chains, shackles, collars, and other such things for dealing with beasts. And the man, no armor, no frills on his shoulders, making it hard to tell his rank, wasn’t there alone. Five others, three men and two women, tended to the equipment. More could be seen moving through the corridors between the cages.

The two knights who escorted us here saluted. “Sir, these two, members of Dia Eichenralke, have shown up at the Forest Gate. Knight Commander Sarralot has ordered us to put them in a cage for the time being.”

“Has he?” the man said, getting up from his chair and gazing at us. “Dia Eichenralke, you say?”

“Yes, sir,” one of the knights confirmed.

“Looking for a battlefield to die on?”

“No, sir. To fight on, to prove our honor,” Stella argued.

“ Yeah, yeah, if you’re so eager, you can prove it in the Pit.”

“We’re not fighting in a damn Pit.”

The man laughed. “Feisty one, that’s how I like it.”

A shudder ran through my body at the thought of what he was implying.

“All right. Come with me, boys; I’ll show you where to put the two hussies.”

“Yes, sir,” they saluted with far too much satisfaction for my taste, before pushing us both to get going. And off we went, following the unpleasant-looking man into the maze of cages, most of which were occupied by beasts of various kinds, some cowering in the corner of the cage, others banging on the bars.

“What do you say, Eichenralke?” the man asked, his arms outstretched, gesturing to the cages around him.

“It would be better to kill the beasts,” I said and added just for myself: ‘. . . to put them out of their misery.’

“Oh, but they’ll die. They’ll just serve to entertain the guys and gals before that. Maybe you will too.”

“It’s impressive that you managed to capture so many of them alive, but if you consider it an honor to die for fun, I’d like to have a word with the Knight Grand Commander in charge.”

‘Nice one, Stella.’ In one sentence, she managed to scratch his pride, shut him up, demand a meeting with whoever was in charge, and infuriate him. I wasn’t sure if it was wise, but seeing the man’s angry red face was worth it. Surprisingly, he calmed down quickly, his grin all the wider. “I like you more and more. Whatever, you’ll have a word with him. I’m sure. But in the meantime, enjoy our hospitality,” he said, stopping at two empty cages. “Your quarters, hussies. Boys, shove them in.”

Neither Stella nor I resisted. There was no reason to. Still, they shoved us in, and did so with considerable rudeness and satisfaction. Bastards. Worse, they didn’t even bother to remove our shackles when they locked the cell door behind us.

“I’ll send someone in to bring you buckets and something to drink . . . and eat,” the man said. “Make yourself comfortable.”

“Wait, buckets?”

The man grinned at my question. “If you can hold it in a day or two, just say the word, and I won’t bother my men.”

‘What the fuck?!’

“A day or two?” Stella gasped in half-feigned panic. This wasn’t part of our plan.

“You thought someone from the command would come to see you right away? Stop dreaming. Usually, it takes a day . . . or two. I’d get comfortable if I were you,” he said, laughing as he walked off with the two bastard knights, leaving us alone in the cages, barely high enough to stand in, surrounded by beasts.

Our plan hit a few hitches.