Lee wasn't sure what to make of his newest skill. Stanley had explained how it worked, but the problem was that it didn't seem to work the same for him. Lee didn't have psionic power, so it probably had to be somewhat different, and yet… "Light," Lee whispered, and a glowing light appeared in the air above him. The strangest part was that the light was coming from a runic symbol. Dispelling the light was as easy as thinking about it, and the rune vanished back into his Soul.

Stanley claimed that for him, his Soul was empowering the skill, and it did the same for Lee, only in an alternate way. Lee couldn't seem to manifest anything without runes becoming involved… So he lay awake, alone in the dark and thinking about it.

Lee also watched over his growing kingdom as he mused. It was peaceful in the predawn darkness, with most people still waking up or spending some quiet time having breakfast with family. Most, but not all.

Maria and Alejandro were dealing with two opposing forces while trying to have a family breakfast. Anita was vibrating with eagerness to get outside and had eaten her food in two seconds. Gabriel was almost not eating as he distractedly doodled runic symbols on the tabletop. While Alejandro was also receiving near-constant calls on a rune disc from his subordinates.

Downstairs, May was absent this early, but her apprentice was hard at work preparing for another day of forging. May hadn't moved into the building for some reason, but Lee could see her in the neighboring building with her beanpole-of-a-husband having their own breakfast.

Similar scenes played out in Lee's Mana Mind across the fort. Guards patrolled the walls and escorted the farmers to their fields beyond while the more early bird hunters set out for their preferred hunting zones before anyone else would be there competing with them.

There were a small number of people who still refused to do anything, claiming the protection of the fort while not contributing. They received enough food to survive, but it was the least popular stuff no one else wanted. Even then, time was running out for them. Lee wasn't looking forward to throwing them out to die, especially because some had children… whom he couldn't kick out for the sins of their parents, but then he would be condemning the parents while basically abducting their children… It was a mess.

Lee wanted nothing more than to join the hunters, to get out there and keep grinding cores. But it was too risky right now, especially when Stanley was fucking with B Grades. If the aliens didn't know he had the Source, then he wanted to keep it that way. The elf had known, obviously, but from the way that fuck had talked about it, it sounded like the monster had been too greedy to tell anyone else.

The other thing Lee was worried about now was if he could put the runes on the walls without revealing the Source. His power would have to pass beyond Three to do so, after all. Nevertheless, he had some plans for how to test it and others for how to make it work regardless. The more minor concern was how many attributes the process would cost him and how he would compensate for the loss.

Lee was already taxing everyone he could. The crafters all sold their goods to the hunters and then paid a small tax to the fort that sheltered them while they worked. The hunters were taxed even less, primarily just for a safe place to return to and rest, but Lee also rented out some of his rune weapons to them as well. They were simple things. Usually, just a blade that could cut through anything, and one primarily held in reserve for an emergency since the runes would eventually drain if used non-stop. His Undying Runes would keep them from completely fading, but it took time to recharge afterward.

The guards… were another issue.

Greene had nixed the idea of paying cores to them in lieu of claiming every collar his men could use. He had a rotation that sent them all out hunting at least once every other day, and the zealotry Greene was cultivating made those hunts… aggressive. Lee couldn't complain. The man's methods were effective, and Lee had yet to see a single one of the Guard shirk from a fight, no matter how impossible or bleak their chances. Speaking of which…

Lee saw the monsters enter his Mana Mind when they killed the outer wall lookout. The man died with a rune disc in one hand and his blade in the guts of the monster that was tearing his throat out. Then he vanished into thin air with a twisting of space, leaving behind the rune disc and reappearing inside Saira's grove while encased in a Stasis bubble. A vine emerged from the dirt beneath the bubble and grew slowly as it first wrapped around and then crawled into the frozen space at a glacial pace.

Meanwhile, the monsters at the outer wall ignored the rune disc that fell to the ground and charged over the short obstacle toward the early-rising farmers.

Lee could act once they were inside his range and could quickly immobilize or throw out the monsters, but Greene had spoken with him privately and asked that he not do that. "Let them fight, Sir. Let them die. Only act if they fail." Lee had a feeling that the guards would have a very bad time if Greene considered them to have failed… So he only watched on as the guards did what they had been trained to do.

The first one had gotten the warning out before he died, and reinforcements were already emerging from the barracks, but they wouldn't be in time to save the people outside. That would be up to the guards in the path of the charging beasts. They formed up quickly and without hesitation as they herded the farmers together and back toward the incoming reinforcements.

The beasts, Lee was pretty sure they were a kind of beast, crashed into a wall of a half dozen shields and spears. Two of the beasts were struck true and died instantly, but the eight remaining ones clawed over the shields and killed two guards in retaliation. The surviving guards didn't flinch at the death of their comrades, instead using the opportunity to strike back and kill one a piece, leaving the fight evenly matched at four on four.

The farmers were running full tilt, and the beasts were eager to get around the guards to go after the softer targets. Lee would intervene if that happened, as that would be a failure on the guards' part, but he didn't have to. Instead, the guards worked together, with sword and spear, to corral and cut down the beasts even as they died themselves. They weren't throwing their lives away recklessly, but if they saw a chance to trade lethal or crippling blows, they took it.

In the end, only one guard remained standing, though he bled from numerous claw and fang-inflicted injuries. Below him, two others clung to life briefly before succumbing to their own wounds and vanishing. Finally, the lone survivor retreated from the carnage to meet up with the farmers and guard reinforcements.

He left them there, all heading back out as the new farmer guard duty, and continued on toward his ‘dead’ comrades, passing the harvesters along the way, also already heading out to collect the fresh beast corpses.

Lee couldn't pick out the Souls from so far away, but he knew the guards were fast earning a reputation among the people here. He had seen many guards getting special treatment or gifts from the populace. Lee had also witnessed the penalty Greene had dished out when one of his men had tried to leverage his position in a very unsavory manner. The man hadn't survived… and that was after losing his collar.

So Lee couldn't complain.

He waited for Jamaal to start cooking breakfast before finally getting up. Then Lee ate quietly as his mind turned over the problems that were his alone to solve. The issue of something detecting his Source was worrying, but for the moment, it looked like they were safe from the kind of Invasion Stanley had just dealt with. One of the hunter teams had been pulled into an Invasion relatively close to the Fort, close enough that it should theoretically prevent the massive scale Raid that was required if B Grades wanted to come through.

Lee closed his eyes and focused on the flavors in his mouth as he tried not to think about that. He failed.

Stanley had fought two B Grades, both with the Source… Lee wasn't sure if he could fight something like that himself. He didn't have that many attacks like Stanley… but what he could do was improve the defenses. With what he had planned, even B Grades wouldn't be able to breach the walls. If nothing else, it would give him time to come up with another strategy.

He had discussed the topic of Invasions with the leadership council, including the idea of trying to trigger smaller Invasions nearby to prevent a Raid. Greene had volunteered his people for the job, but Lee was unsure about whether or not the collars would work if separated from their safe space and healer while inside a dungeon. Lee was worried not only about losing some of the guards but also about possibly losing collars as well.

"If they can't handle a small Invasion, then they shouldn't have put on the collar!" Greene had been undaunted, but Lee had brought him around to the idea of including healers on any teams tasked with potentially triggering Invasions, at least what healers they had available…

Lee eventually finished eating, thanked the chef, and triggered his collar. Space twisted around him, and then he was in his apartment. He focused intently throughout the process, doing his best to study the teleport and exactly how it happened. Unfortunately, he was no closer to figuring out how the effect worked.

Lee hadn't intentionally created a teleport function on the collars. Rather, it had come about from an interaction between his Absolute and Freedom runes. He had wanted freedom, and a part of being free was not getting trapped or locked up anywhere. His Soul had run with that idea as he created the collar, and in the end, it had the ability to teleport…

It was something Lee dearly wanted, and he would have it… in time. If he could create teleport discs… or portals… now, that might be very useful. He could probably brute force something using his True Runes, but it wasn’t enough of a priority just yet.

More monsters attacked throughout the morning from various directions, and Lee watched but didn't interfere while the guards handled each incursion. The farmers farmed. The hunters hunted. The crafters crafted. Three watched over him, and Lee watched over them all until it was time.

"I know generally what I'm doing," Lee told the gathered people. "But there are variables that I can't predict once I start."

"The Guard stands ready, Sir!" Greene had no problem with Lee's vague speech.

Alejandro was more concerned, but he kept it from his expression and only nodded. As the Mayor, he would be the one responsible for dealing with any civilian fallout in the aftermath.

Bradley also nodded at Lee in acceptance. He was now the de facto leader among the hunters after he'd been somewhat usurped in his position as General by Greene. However, Bradley claimed to be happy with the situation, and Lee sensed no animosity between the two, so it was all good.

Mar was lurking in the room and hidden from sight, despite her claims that she didn't care about being involved in the meetings. Though, to be fair, her mother and boyfriend were in attendance.

Saira entertained her youngest child in a rolling ball of vines that careened around the courtyard with the sound of giggling. She, too, gave Lee a nod of agreement. "Let us begin then!"

They split up, Lee staying where he was while the others moved off to their respective positions around the Fort. Once everyone was in place, Lee enacted the first part of his plan.

Mana rushed from him as runes manifested in the sky above Three. Giant glowing symbols appeared in the air, then spread across the sky to enclose the entire Fort in a repeating geometric pattern of Power. No one could miss the light show as the entire Fort was veiled in a curtain of Power that sealed it off completely from the outside world. It was partly for this reason that they'd needed to prepare, which meant bringing everyone back inside the walls. Aside from a few holdout hunters that had been warned but not compelled to return, and Bradley. He was outside because he knew about the Source, and would sense if the shield didn't work.

The initial rush of Mana subsided, and the Well began the long process of refilling Lee's entire Mana Pool. It would take slightly longer than normal because he was still maintaining a trickling connection with the shielding runes around them. Just enough to keep the runes fully topped off in case of a problem during phase two.

Once he was refilled, Lee checked in with Stanley before starting the next phase, just in case.

"Hold up a second," Stanley said, "I'm giving a speech, and I want to get the timing right…"

Lee didn't know what his twin was talking about, but he took the extra time to clear his mind as he prepared… "Now!"

Lee touched the Source, and it flowed into him like the rising tide. Inevitable and inexorable. He couldn't help the smile that crawled onto his face as the Source flooded into him. This was Power! With this, what did he have to fear from any B Grade? There was even an attack that he could use with this, a simple one that should handle any threat he faced. After all, what could possibly stand up against a Source Beam? Lee doubted even Three could survive something like that…

Despite the near-giddy sensations he was experiencing, Lee didn't delay. This power wasn't free, and every moment he wasted was more attributes lost. He hadn't done much testing of his new skill [Rune Manifestation], other than the shielding Runes he'd just placed over them, but now he would truly put it to the test.

Bradley had done what he could with the walls. Had made them as strong as possible. Then Three had claimed portions one at a time to add its own touch in improving what was already there. Three still couldn't claim the entire wall, but it wouldn't matter after this. Lee was going to do that for the building.

He began. Only this time, instead of Mana, the Source roared through him like a freight train through a too-small tunnel. It scraped and chipped away at the walls of his channels, but it could not be stopped or slowed by such minor obstacles. The Source raged out into the world, and Lee guided it to its destination by the power of his Soul, Class, and the Skills that came with it.

"Three…" Lee spoke the words along with his Rune, not that the new Skill could compete with the power already being wielded, but it couldn't hurt. The words came from his mind and, more importantly, his Soul. The actual strongest power that Lee sent out into the world right now wasn't truly the Source. No, it was his Soul. His Twin-Soul. The Source was nothing more than energy to fuel his Soul along its way.

His Soul touched the wall surrounding his Fort, and Lee poured into it his Will and Intention. Three was created by Lee, created out of Lee and Stanley's Twin-Soul. Now Lee intended to create something new. Something that, while new, would connect with the old and bind them together into an even stronger creation. He poured that intention into the forming rune. This wall would connect to Three, would be a part of Three, and would Become Three! Lee didn’t think he could ever duplicate what he’d done to create Three initially, and this way, he didn’t need to.

"Shield…" Lee tied the first rune into the creation of the next, even as it was still forming. They would be more than a sum of their parts. Three was and already had been a shield for Lee. Three had protected him countless times and now would do the same for all within its walls. Three would be a shield, a flexible, adaptable, and unbreakable shield.

"Walls…" Lee spun the first two runes into the third and final rune as they all grew into what they were meant to be. Three had walls, but not like this. These walls would stand on their own, would never need repairs, would never be broken, and could never fall!

Lee wove all three runes together in a beautiful yet simple web that spanned the length and breadth of the wall while still being only three small runes. It wasn't a mistake or chance that he'd worded it the way he had. He had known before seeing their newest skill that words held power. Names held power.

Three was a deliberately chosen and powerful number in this situation, yet it also rang out as the name of a newly created and powerful lifeform. A life created by Lee and Stanley. A life that made them Three instead of two.

Shield, because he wanted to be safe, wanted his friends and family to be safe. Three Shields to protect them all. A shield for the Soul, which Three had already done once with the Tether, and still did with the Twin-Soul Mental Fortress. That led, of course, to a shield for the Mind as well. And finally, a shield for the body, which Three had always been for Lee.

Walls, because what is better than a shield other than a shield wall? What is better than that, other than Three Shield Walls.

It all came together rather nicely in Lee's mind, and he somewhat reluctantly released the Source. It was done.

He pulled back his shielding runescape next, and the relief in his Soul was palpable.

Skill Level Up: [Soul Reinforcement]

Lee checked his other Notifications as he gazed upon his creation. It was beautiful… and Three was already connected. Lee could see where Three had let some of itself go when the Soul strain got too high for him to maintain everything. Three now only held the garage and the first floor, along with the two apartments under Lee's and Lee's actual apartment. Luckily, the courtyard floor was included with the garage, so Lee could still access the Well. As for his Notifications…

Skill Level Up: [Rune Manifestation]

There were a few of those.

Class Level Up: [Creator Runic]

A few more of those. A lot of body Attributes were lost, and…

Caffeine has Sacrificed -900 of All Body Attributes. You gain +900 All Body Attributes.

"Caffeine…" Lee had used to think of Caffeine as the original third with him and Stanley, but the little pug had made a choice when they found the Source, a choice that bound him more tightly to Lee and Stanley than they were to even each other. Lee was almost positive that Caffeine Was their Soul. Or an important part of it, at the very least. Lee was certain they would die without him… that wasn’t even counting all the times he’d saved them already. "You really are the best…"

"Hey!" Stanley was trying to get his attention, so Lee went into their Soul space. "Did it work?"

"Yeah…" Lee said, looking over his latest creation again. "But definitely give Caffeine some extra treats for me."

Stanley laughed. "Don't worry. I stuffed him with tons of giant boars last night!"

"Good… great!"

"Did you keep the Source hidden?"

Lee considered the matter. It was likely that everyone inside the Fort had felt what he did. As for outside the walls, Lee thought he could sense some strong emotions from a group of people just outside his Mana Mind range, but it was hard to tell for sure. Especially considering that his shield meant to contain any trace of the Source would have been a light show in itself. "I don't know yet…" He could sense Bradley returning and was pretty sure his Soul was calm.

He also wasn't sure if the other people out there were actually from his Fort…

******

Colonel Whitefield snapped out of his astonishment. "Sergeant, report!"

"Unknown, Sir! We are detecting extremely high Mana usage, but the target and purpose are unknown."

Colonel Whitefield was studying the Mana-generated light show ahead. He could feel it as well, and extremely high might be an understatement…

"Orders, Sir?" The squad was crouched in ready positions, surrounding him, with weapons pointed in every direction as they scanned for threats.

Whatever that was, it was receding from what was most likely the place he was looking for. "Proceed, Sergeant."

The stone walls were impressive. Whitefield had to give them that. Towering things that had to be impractical as hell and were probably useless when it came to keeping the beasties out. But still impressive. He could see people atop the walls, and they watched him approach with his men through the expansive fields of crops. He suspected a large number must reside within to require so much food.

When they reached the gate, one of the men jumped down, and two more followed. "That's close enough, Colonel." Clearly, he recognized the insignia on the uniform, which probably meant a military man. He did have the look of one… but his tone could use some work. They all carried spears and shields, with swords on their hips. Leather and metal armor adorned them, and red cloth covered each one's neck. A uniform of sorts, no doubt.

"Colonel Whitefield," he introduced himself. "As the highest-ranking officer, I have taken command of the North Island Air Base in Coronado." He noted that, unlike his own soldiers, these men did not carry any guns. Most likely civilians, then.

They all just stared at him after his introduction.

"Captain Greene. Thank you for telling us, Colonel. Now how can I help you?" The first man spoke while the other two didn't even glance his way. They watched his men as if expecting a fight…

"Very well. Right to the point, then. I have encountered a group of… reptilian… creatures. One of which claimed they served at the whims of a human around these parts. Would you happen to know what I'm talking about?" He saw the flicker of recognition in the Captain's eyes and knew he had come to the right place. Finally!

"The Skirathian. They have sworn to the Commander." Apparently, this Captain wasn't a big talker.

"Might I meet with this… Commander?"

"The Commander is busy, but you are welcome to wait."

"Very well…" They made no moves toward the wall or to go inside. An understandable precaution, if undeserved. "Mind telling me what that light show a minute ago was all about?" No response. It also didn't appear that this place was under attack at the moment.

"Did you serve before, Captain, or am I mistaken?" Whitefield asked, changing the subject.

"Army."

So he'd been right in the assumption. "Retired?" The man didn't look very old, but it was getting harder to tell these days. Or perhaps he was only enlisted? Though, he did have the air of someone used to giving orders…

A figure emerged suddenly from the ground a few feet away. Whitefield concealed his surprise but held up a hand when his men reacted with the expected alarm and raised weapons in preparation for an attack. The newcomer only glanced their way but otherwise didn't react to the threatening display before him and instead strode to the Captain. "Greene, I'm going to start letting the hunters out. Any objections?" He wore no armor and carried only a staff taller than himself, but something told Whitefield that this man didn't need more…

"Nah, just send 'em out the other way. This Colonel is waiting for the Commander." His inflection on the word 'Colonel' was… disrespectful. Not uncommon for the disgruntled lower-rank enlisted.

"Lee's on his way and should be…" he trailed off as the smooth stone wall towering beside them abruptly split open, revealing a tunnel leading into the dark. It wasn't dark for long, however, and glowing lights lit up the interior a moment later. The tunnel stretched a surprising distance, which meant the wall must be exceedingly thick.

The Captain had turned to look as well, and Whitefield finally saw the small device around his ear with tiny glowing symbols covering it. The man touched it with a finger and spoke, "Understood. Coming in now." It was likely a communication device. Whitefield wanted to ask about it, but the Captain turned to him. "The Commander will see you now." Then he gestured into the tunnel.

"Thank you, Captain." It was possible that this was a trap… but Whitefield didn't think so. They were treating his small squad as more of an annoyance than a threat. Something that was disrespectful… but tolerable for now. It was always better to be underestimated, he supposed. "Jenkins, stand down. Protocol Epsilon until I return."

"Sir!" Jenkins saluted while he and his squad stood at ease, though in a circular formation that covered all approaches.

"You two keep an eye on them," the Captain said, then waved at Whitefield and entered the tunnel. His men nodded, the most significant reaction he'd seen from them so far, but never took their eyes from the soldiers.

Whitefield followed the Captain into the wall. It was a calculated risk to go alone, but based on his observations, this place and its people had seen their share of the fight. They had strength earned in battle and would not react well to a strong approach. So he would take the gentle path instead.

The tunnel ended at a blank wall, and they stopped walking. Behind them, Whitefield saw the daylight vanishing as the tunnel closed up. No sooner had the daylight disappeared before the wall in front split open to reveal a new figure, presumably, the Commander.

It was an older white-haired man with disturbing eyes. They were dark pits with specks of blue light making up the iris. Aside from that, his attire was plain, with no insignia or uniform, though with a metal band around his neck.

"You wanted to see me?" the man spoke, and Whitefield realized that a nearly invisible sheet of glass was still separating them. Or what looked like glass, at least. Were they truly that paranoid? "Are the Skirathian causing trouble?" The sound seemed to pass through the clear obstacle without issue.

Whitefield judged this man to most likely not be former military as he inspected him. His gaze was distracted as well, unfocused and wandering. "Not exactly," he responded, "though they did request rather enthusiastically to search our base, which I found… disconcerting."

"Did they tell you their mission?"

"Yes… to hunt slavers and retrieve the slaves."

"Have you seen any? Slaves or slavers, I mean."

"I have not…" Whitefield eyed the metal collar. It was very similar to the one the reptile had worn around its own neck. The Captain's red scarf could be concealing the same on him…

The Commander must have noticed his glance because he touched the collar. "Yes, this is what the slaves would be wearing, and no we are not enslaved." He pulled on the band of metal… and it appeared to stretch and expand easily as he pulled it over his head. Was it not actually metal? With magic in the world, it was hard to be sure of anything…

He was sure of the intense emotions in the man when he spoke of enslavement, though. Something had definitely happened here. "I am glad to hear that. Does it mean you have a way to free them?"

"Yes. If you find or even hear about any slavers, just tell the Skirathian or let us know here, and we'll deal with them." The man was angry but trying to hide it.

"Of course."

"Speaking of which, how did you get here? Last I heard, the way to Coronado was impassable because of the sea monsters."

"It has been a long struggle, I admit, but I believe it is time to start taking our country back from the monsters and aliens. That goal is one of the reasons we are seeking out the strongholds of humanity that have weathered the storm so far."

The Commander bristled ever so slightly at his words, and his gaze sharpened.

"Relax, Commander." It pained him to address a civilian as such, but he could consider them honorary soldiers if nothing else. Everyone had been forcibly conscripted into this war, after all. "We are not here to dictate or command. I only want to create connections and lines of communication. We are all Americans fighting for our country, and working together is the best thing for all of us." That seemed to do the trick, and the man's gaze started wandering again.

"It looks like you've done a fine job here, and you must be protecting a great number of Americans with this fortress. Though, I must admit that I am concerned about your recruiting of the reptiles…"

"It was that or kill them, and I think we need all the weapons we can get."

"That… is true enough," Whitefield conceded.

"I see that your men have guns. Can you make more, and is it something anyone can use or a Class thing?"

The Colonel hadn't brought any guns in here, so either the Commander had been watching earlier or his men had reported the information to him. Though, he didn't see any communication device on his ears… "It is, unfortunately, a Class thing, as you said."

"Shame, but still… If you guys are pushing the fish back, then I bet we could get some trade going. I'm sure our crafters would like having more people to sell to, and yours probably would as well. I think we might even have some people with merchant classes that would be thrilled."

"Indeed. Cooperation is key. Though, we would need to be able to see what was on offer…"

The Commander smiled. "I know you want to get a peek inside, but we just finished some… renovations."

"That light show?"

"Yes… I was enchanting the walls." The Commander was nervous. Not extremely, but he was definitely hiding something.

"You're an enchanter, then? I have to say that was an impressive display, but how do you deal with the flying beasts?"

"Why do you think I needed to enchant the walls?" The Commander was studying him now. "I'm guessing you have a leadership class?"

That was a very astute guess, or he was hiding some kind of analysis ability. "I do, but how did you know that?" The Commander didn't respond other than to smile slightly.

It was clear that trust was not going to come quickly to this group. "You have nothing to fear from me, but if you know of any other strongholds, I would like to seek them out…"

"We've absorbed most of the nearby Forts, but I heard reports of a large settlement down in TJ somewhere…"

Mexico. They weren't Americans, but it wouldn't be a problem if America's borders were to expand after the dust settled… Everyone would fall in line… eventually, and America would rise greater than ever before.

"As for this," the Commander continued and tapped the glass between them. "It wasn't for my protection. It's for yours." The smile on his face was a bit… sinister.

"I see. Good to hear. As I said, we didn't come here to threaten."

"It's good… that you didn't." Whitefield was starting to pick up the fact that the Commander was tired… and he was getting the feeling that his welcome was wearing out.

"Thanks for meeting with me. I do have a lot of ground to cover today, so we'll be heading out." The Commander nodded. "I'll be sure to send one of our logistics members to figure out our trade situation." The Commander nodded again, and daylight bloomed at the far end of the tunnel. Apparently, it was time to go. Nevertheless, it had been a decent first meeting, though he would have liked to get a look inside and see a bit more of what they were working with.

Captain Greene followed him as he walked toward the light. "Have you considered rejoining the service, Captain?" Whitefield asked as they neared the exit. "You swore an oath then, and your country needs…"

His voice choked off as something slammed into him from behind! A great weight descended like a mountain that drove him into the unyielding stone below, crushing him, grinding him down into dust… and then, a heartbeat later, he was standing in the tunnel. Unharmed. The weight was gone, and he could breathe again.

"Don't go trying to steal my people away right in front of me," the Commander's voice echoed down the tunnel, sending chills down his spine, and Colonel Whitefield took a single step toward the light… then fell to his hands and knees. Sweat ran into his eyes and dripped from his nose, splashing onto the stone beneath him. He couldn't understand… What just happened? Why was he too scared to look back…

Captain Greene crouched next to him, apparently untouched by whatever that was. "I did swear an oath when I joined the Army," he said quietly. "And I've upheld that oath my whole life. As far as I'm concerned, Sir, I've found my Commander in Chief right here. He's done more for me and mine than my Government or the Brass ever did!" he spat out the words with venom, but when he continued, his voice was calm. "So no, Sir. I won't be rejoining… because, in my eyes, I never left."

Then strong hands lifted him back to his feet, and a bored voice drawled, "Come on now. You can't stay here."

He emerged into the sunlight, half carried by Greene, and Whitefield found his squad in various states of consciousness as they struggled to remain standing. Greene's own men were as he'd left them, still standing and also seemingly unaffected.

It was a struggle, but Whitefield managed to activate a Skill. "Form Up!" The effect was immediate, and his squad roused from the attack to get into formation. He could see in their faces that they wanted to retaliate for the unprovoked assault, but he couldn’t allow that, not with the dread still ice-cold in his heart. A few more skills on his part had his men back in fighting form, and Whitefield took a few moments to compose himself as Greene stood patiently beside him.

"I respect your conviction, Soldier," he finally said to the man. "I won't try to recruit you, but my door is always open." He was proud that he kept his voice steady.

"Word of advice then," Greene said softly. "Work with us. Be an ally, and we'll be the greatest ally you could ever wish for. But if you betray us, then you'll find out exactly why I chose this path. Though you will wish you hadn't…"