Try for Peace [Closed]

[Aidan Lowell]

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There it was, in the water. Looking at him. It was a face he knew well, he's seen in hundreds, hell thousands of times. Only it was wrong. It was wrong. It wasn't his face, but at the same time it was. He knew it, he could feel it, but how could something he's seen so many times have been wrong?

"Commander Daniel." A soldier spoke from behind him, and Aidan quickly put his helmet back on. There was many reasons he wore this helmet. He stood up, canteens slung around his shoulder, full to the brim with water. He had volunteered, but he took a little longer then it probably should have and they sent someone looking for him. "They're waiting for you." It was a young man, with a lance and shield but a wide smile. The men were happier now then they had been before, morale was up. It was a great feeling. When they succeeded it felt like he succeeded, it was a feeling he's grown to love.

"I'm sorry, lost track of time." He shook his helmeted head with a chuckle. He looked back at the lake for a second, almost wistful, but his covered face didn't betray such a thing.

"Do you need help with that water sir?" The soldier asked, but Aidan shook his head once more. The man going by 'Daniel' was carrying dozens of canteens at once, all filled with water, it was easily a burden on any normal man.

"No, I'm fine. It's no problem." Aidan was a strong man, this armor he wore was almost impossible for a normal man to walk in. At least without a horse to move them about, but he somehow managed just fine. It was almost an inspiring thing for the troops, for them to have a commander with such raw physical strength. Of course Aidan never thought of his self as anything special. He walked back to the camp with the soldier, a grin on his face. They had stopped for the moment, and while the soldiers relaxed he and the other commanders were going to discuss the prospect of peacefully negotiating with a nearby fort full of men and women. They were sympathetic to the Rebellion's cause, but have decided to stay neutral in the conflict. Aidan was sure they could get them to see their way, and they could have a vital defensive point in their cause. They needed a fort to rest, they've been walking for days. Weeks. Months. Ilia was everywhere, it was hard to rest in any place without constant skirmishes. But if they got a hold of this fort... It could change everything.

The fact that it was a mission of peace only made it all the greater. With all the violence and bloodshed, it was good to have a moment's respite. He was looking forward to it.

"Tell the other commanders I'll be there shortly." He tolled the soldier, who saluted and walked off. Aidan, however, stopped in front of a table set up there on the field. Atop it were many canteens, which Aidan added to with his recent stop at the nearby lake. His division was small, and full of greenhorns, but he had grown very attached to them. The other commanders gave it to them as a 'punishment' for being an upstart, a bunch of soldiers who they believed impossible to work together, a disaster waiting to happen. Somehow not only were they far from failures, they had ended up one of the more successful units in their entire legion. Something the infuriated the others to no end, and brought the General no end of joy.

"Water's here! Come on men!" Aidan called as his soldiers lined up to get their canteens. While this really should have been taken care of by another person, especially since he had pressing matters, he thought it was important that he did it. He kept a special eye out for Zach, he was going to need him in the upcoming meeting.

[Augustus Nacht]

The black stallion rode on and the Druid atop it sat in contemplation. Augustus Nacht had caught up with the Rebel army now and was just about to their camp. Truth be told though, he rather disliked the usual military complacency. He'd tolerate for a time, though. And that was all he really needed. A missive had come his way about the negotiations and Nacht felt it was trivial for him to show, but the chance of additional benefits was quite tempting as well. Besides, perhaps he'd find some entertainment out of that Zacharia boy. He'd asked before about teaching and Nacht had left soon after giving his own negative response due to other personal matters. Personal matters that were now settled after his visit to his old homebase.

Nacht trotted into camp after speaking with a number of guards on his identity and purpose. Perhaps it was good timing that saw his ride take him close to the ironclad Commander Daniel, his presence ever unmistakable wherever he went. Truth be told, even Nacht found it a rather inspiring sight in a commanding officer. "Good day, Commander Daniel!" Nacht called as rode past with a wave of a hand. He'd always tried to keep a good standing to the other Rebels, though most insisted on staying away from just how creepy he had a tendency to be. "Have the talks commenced yet? I rode my fastest here to aid you." He sat atop his steed with the reigns grasped in one hand and resting on his lap.

[Euphemious]

Euphemious lined up with the rest of the soldiers to get his supply of water. The knight was busy beforehand getting his equipment ready. It is like his father use to say. I you want peace prepare for war. Euphemious hoped the peace negotiations went well, but he was not sure if that would be the case. It never hurts to be prepared.

The purple knight ended up in the back of the line, just his luck really. Still he was getting water without having to fill the canteen himself so that was a good thing. To his surprise however Commander Daniel was handing the water out himself. With the seriousness of the current situation he would figure him with the other commanders by now. Well he guesses that was his trait, the reason why Commander Daniel stood out amongst all the others.

Euphemious heard the sound of a horse and turned around to see a green haired druid ride in. The man was a bit creepy. He had a presence about him that made Euphemious go on guard. The mood thickened a bit for the knight till he began to speak with their commander. He spoke as if they knew each other which gave Euphemious cause to ease up. IF he knew the commander then he must not be that bad. Still Euphemious kept an eye on the man, something about him was just not right.

[Zacharia]

He could hear Dan's call from afar, and quickly started wiping all the blood off of his hands. He'd been talking about using this talent with the knight the other day, since the mages of Illia's forces(of which there were so few) were as inept as he were at doing such a thing, yet the enemy still managed to get the drop on them when they had went to barter for those supply wagons. Zacharia was careful standing up, scrying particularly drained him of energy, and for good reason. He'd practice, and practice, until it was like second nature to him. "Don't go until you get it right, go until you never get it wrong!!" The words of Khayri echoed through his mind while he zoomed down the hill he'd been sitting on to greet Daniel and take a water break. In a little bit they would be trying to negotiate with the fort looming over them. What was it called again? Fort Macendew? That sounded right when he said it in his mind. In any case Daniel said he'd be needing the mage for the negotiation and that filled him with warm fuzzies for some reason that didn't matter. He wasn't a strategist by any stretch; why did people always assume because he was a kid protected by the general he was automatically tactician?

He came to attention at the end of the line out of breath, just as the general walked to the end of the line, where the pair of them gave a short hello. The men dispersed again, chatting little as they sipped from their canteens. There wasn't much work to be done around the camp currently, and there wasn't much need for a horizontal line if they were to approach the gates of the fort. A position like that would look too threatening to the inhabitants, even without weapons. Zacharia took a large swig of the canteen and caught his breath, and then ran over to Daniel. Running was much easier without that infernal breastplate on, thanks a lot dead guy.

"Dan, you said you wanted to see me, rii--" the dark mage trailed off as he could see the Druid from the other day loom over the general clearly now. "U-Um.. hello."

[Asri]

Asri had stayed with Aidan's army since that ambush. No special reason, by the way. The thief just found it interesting to stay with them. She had to let those angry eyes glaring and observing her everytime though. There was some people who already disliked her. They had pretty good reason, though. She was shady, undiscipline, sarcastic, and sly person despite being charming and sexy. Her suddenly joining them had invited some suspicion too, of course. Asri didn't mind, she was used being hated or scorned in her life. This was nothing compared to her life as a street urchin some years ago or her life when she had just began her "career".

This time she didn't play nice and fair again. The crimson-haired thief didn't line for water like the others did and just stole someone's canteen when everyone didn't notice. Actually, this wasn't the first time. She continued strolling, humming and looking around casually. The druid who had just came didn't bother her much, although she wouldn't trust him as well like she didn't trust anyone in this camp, even Aidan.

Asri gulped her water as she approached Aidan. "Usually, commanders like yourself wouldn't bother doing this menial task. Don't be angry at me. I just want to say that you are unique. Now I see why these men respect you. Oh, Saint Elimine! I wonder if I am falling in love..." she said playfully. Maybe some of the men wouldn't like that this newcomer talked to the commander with this lack of respect, she didn't even address him properly as a commanding officer. The thief then switched her glance to Zach, grinning. "Hey, you don't look so well, Mr Tactician. Staying up all night to prepare for the negotiation?" she asked. Actually, she had somehow noticed that his reaction was caused by the green haired druid for whatever reason but she decided to stay silent about it.

[Aidan Lowell]

The first person to show up wasn't a soldier, it wasn't Zach, it wasn't even a proper member of the rebellion. It was Nacht. Nacht wasn't a member, per se, but he was a man with a vested interest in the rebellion. He was skilled, he was knowledgeable, and he was powerful in his magical skills. He was a man that they didn't want to upset or anger, or keep him on their bad side. The fact he seems to support the rebellion was only a plus. He wasn't a commander, but the other commanders respected him to a point out of honor or fear. Aidan recognized him though, from years ago. He wasn't sure about it, so he didn't say a word, but it was something that always popped into his mind when he met the druid. "Good day Nacht." Aidan treated respectfully, he was no different from the others in that way. He wasn't exactly ecstatic about the information he was joining them, but it couldn't hurt could it? "No, you've arrived just in time actually." He looked at the horizon, it was about midday now. "As soon as I wrap up here, I'm heading over to the other commanders. I assume you're wanting to attend the peace talks as well, correct?" He had a grin on his face.

Then something else caught his attention. Ah, there was Zach. Euphimous was here too, but he was being silent. There were other soldiers around too, but they were busy talking amongst themselves. They came and got their water, saluted, and walked off. "Zach, there you are." He said, sounding rather happy about it all. He looked at Zach then again at Nacht. "Nacht, you know Zach right? He's my second in command." He introduced the young shaman. He looked at the pupil again. "I'm going to go join the other commanders soon for the negotiations, and I wanted you to accompany me." He liked to have Zach along with him when he visited the commanders, for many reasons. He enjoyed having someone he trusted amongst a group of people who didn't exactly love him. He liked to have Zach as a symbol of his unit, untrained soldiers who somehow proved more competent then even seasoned fights. He liked to have him around as a different viewpoint, he understood intricacies of magic that simply were beyond Aidan. He liked to have him around to perpetuate the illusion that he was a talented tactician, something that was easily ate up by the soldiers. The pupil didn't think of himself, but he did have a sharp mind. If he put his mind to it, Aidan was sure the misconception could become a reality easily.

Then came Asri, who had been sticking around since the debacle with the ambush. Not that Aidan minded too much, it was useful to have someone skilled in the art of stealth around, besides Saturos, who was never around anymore. It's been weeks since he saw him, he wondered where the man got off to. It was a little difficult around her though because...

Yep there it was. The empty flirting and the casual petty larceny. "I've told you Asri, if you want water, I've brought a canteen for you too." He held up one of the jugs full of water, jostling it lightly so the water inside sloshed about. "She has a point though, are you alright Zach?"

[Saturos Prox]

"I'd like to think that it's pretty obvious that the green haired pretty boy makes him uncomfortable," said a recently arrived Saturos. He used a finger to trace the direction of Zach's eyes, which were pointed straight at the dark clothed one, while taking a sip from a canteen that smelled faintly of alcohol. "But then again nobody else ever seems to pick up on these things. I don't know how you were planning on going into a negotiation with that kind of social awareness." Casually, the swordsman strode over next to Aidan and patted him on the back.

"Good evening, Commander Daniel," he said in greeting, nodding towards the knight with a smile plastered on his face. Apparently that's what they were calling him now. Not very creative, but at least he bothered with a fake name. He took another swig from his canteen, then capped it and fastened it to his belt next to his sword. It was a privileged piece of belt space, but the two saw about the same amount of use. Well, actually, the flask probably saw more as of late. It had been awhile since he'd been in a scrap. "Glad to see you're still in good health. I'm sorry I haven't been around lately. I've been out gathering; you know, secrets and whatnot." He winked at his friend. It was an innocent gesture, one he figured Aidan would understand. "I'll fill you in later."

The swordsman then paused, scanning the small crowd that had gathered around Aidan for its fair share of water.
"Lots of new faces," he said, placing his hands on his hips with a satisfied nod. "Must be that charismatic personality of yours. Have time to introduce me before your big meeting?" While he asked to be introduced, if just to see what Aidan's reply would be, Saturos had already taken the time to figure out who everyone was. The thief, the dark magic scholar, the stand-in tactician, some Bernese knight...Not a person got within fifty feet of Aidan that he didn't bother checking up on. Everyone was a potential enemy, even him.

[Augustus Nacht]

Nacht turned slightly to look at Zach and then once more as another spoke up. Judging by the face pain that the man wore and his style of dress, the Druid pegged him to be Saturos Prox. He hadn't seen the man before, but he had a rather memorable appearance when one asked after him. However, that red-headed female was definitely a new one entirely. He carefully lowered himself from Midnight before walking over towards Saturos.

"Augustus Nacht. A pleasure." He extended a hand towards the swordsman. "And you must be the illustrious Saturos Prox. Every time I ask someone about you, it's always comments on the face paint."

He then looked over to Zach again briefly. "And good to see you again Zach. Doing quite well for yourself too! Perhaps we'll talk more later after your meeting?"

[Euphemious]

“It was finally Euphemious turn for water. He was last, which was a mixture of being both lucky and unlucky. He was unlucky by the fact that he was the last receive water, however he was lucky because that mean the thief never stole from him. Still however she was a annoying, and Euphemious had distaste for her. It was not because of her profession or because she was untrustworthy. It was because of her blatant lack of respect for their commander and her childish antics like before. It was so simple to just wait in line like everyone else, but instead she had to steal from one of the soldiers. The man she stole from did not know he doesn’t have his canteen, and when he gets thirsty he won’t have anything to drink. For her it may not seem like a big deal, but for Euphemious this was unacceptable.

The man who does not have water eventfully asks his fellow soldier. His fellow soldier eventually denies him. That man becomes desperate and steals from another soldier. That soldier finds out and confronts the man. An argument breaks out and chaos is sewed in the unit. Every action one takes can have an effect on an army even the small things. Some so simple as stealing a canteen can turn around and cripple an army.

“Thank you commander”, spoke Euphemious as he took his canteen. He then pointed towards the extra Aidan was holding. “Sir I can take that to Will. He was the one she stole the canteen from. He is probably going to be looking for it soon.” The knights visor was already down so he felt confident taking a glare at the woman. As much as Euphemious did not like her he did not want to start a ruckus. Commander Daniel thought she was ok and that was fine by him.

The Knight then shifted his eyes towards Natch. It seemed he was not the only one who had some mistrust for the man. He was obviously bothering Zach to have him around. Still the way the commander spoke to him showed that he had some rank so the knight held his tong.

The last person he shifted his gaze to was Saturos. The man stood out with the face paint. Euphemious had never heard his name before till now, but from the way he was speaking he was obviously been with the rebellion for a while. He must be one of their spooks. It was good they had people who knew how to get information. Still Euphemious wondered what part he and the rest of the troops would play in the negotiation.

[Zacharia]

"N-No, I'm just a little woozy from earlier," he replied to the others, who were obviously concerned about their "tactician". "It's great to hear from you." he replied to Augustus with a flustered tone. He'd asked Nacht to teach him last time they met, it had been so long since he'd seen a real master of dark magic, and he could feel the power coming off the Druid in waves. It wasn't really asking, it was more of formal begging. The man had stood there for a minute with a blank expression on his face, and he replied with a "I'll think about it," and that was the last he'd heard from him until today. He glanced at Asri, then Saturos, the most vocal about their thoughts of the green-haired man. The other soldiers looked at him mostly with discomfort and distaste, some even looked skittish. He couldn't blame them, he was equally in awe of and a little scared of Augustus. In fact the druid seemed like he'd practiced intimidation as an art form, he was nothing like Khayri. "I agree, we should t-talk later, after the mission is over.."

He turned back to Dan, trying to push those thoughts from the forefront of his mind. One thought about Nacht kept slithering back to the forefront of his mind, perfectly complimentary to the man's projected character really. "So..." the pupil flipped through his book and pulled out a series of notes Daniel and Zacharia had collaborated on for the talks, completely forgetting about the mage on the horse in front of him. "The fort goes by Macendew in their letters to the outside, and the leader or lord is an old ha-- erm, "elder magus" named Clara who is known for...liking her independence so we better be courteous." He read this out loud to Daniel, mostly because the mage had forgotten what they'd written down prior. "Guess that would explain why she's neutral...the requested time they sent back for talks was about an hour or so after midday. And from the look of things we should start heading out, can't have more than half of an hour left. At least she agreed to talk with us before turning us down." Amazing how Illia hadn't managed to get this fort so far, even considering the distance it was from the capital. "What we want is for them to ally with us, and allow us shelter, right? It doesn't say if supplies are in the requests." Maybe they were already allied with Illia like those caravans? That'd really be a kick to the groin after what happened, another task all for nothing.

[Asri]

"Oh, you did?" Asri pretended to forget when Aidan reprimanded her. The thief didn't really care if he really brought her canteen, what bothered her was that she had to wait in line. It was very simple thing but the thief was too egoistic for something like that. Well, maybe if the commander was more persuasive about it, but it wouldn't be easy. "Next time, I will come to your tent to take my canteen then. Okay...okay...I am just joking....I don't want to spread bad rumors anyway." Actually, she liked bad rumors.

"So, this is Saturos. Hmm...another big shot. I guess I should get in is good side or something. By the way, is it just me or does that face paint really look hot? I wonder if I should try some..." she thought as she stared at Saturos. His name was well-known, especially among her kinds. This man had done some big job, and he did them pretty well too. Maybe his talent was a key factor behind Aidan rise to power, maybe not, but it seemed he had some great influence to help Aidan in his difficult journey. "I know you. Saturos the Wildcard. I guess I can brag for having met you in person, maybe even selling fake autographs." The thief still acted the same way around Saturos, keeping the same brash, playful, and kind of charming attitude. Asri didn't really care who she was talking to, she had her own way to respect people although only a very few who could tell the difference whether it was respect or disrespect that she was showing.

"Ah, so Will is that cute guy's name...." That was the only comment came from Asri when Euphemious mentioned the guy's name. She still kept the same happy smile as she took another sip from the stole canteen. Looking at the knight, she somehow noticed the hostility in the air. "You must have seen me when I "borrowed" this. You have nice eyes, soldier. I am impressed. What a shame, though....I usually don't get caught easily," she said to the knight, laughing.

[Aidan Lowell]

"Saturos." Aidan said, greeting the man, surprisingly unsurprised. He had expected to see Saturos some time soon, the man was long overdue as it were, and this was the perfect type of situation to raise his interest and drop by. Saturos was a... shady person, far more so then his first impression would entail. Covered in paint, wearing not a shirt, tall and strong in form with tanned skin, he doesn't exactly blend in, but somehow he manages to be as stealthy and soft of foot as Asri all the same. Still, despite such things, Aidan trusted him which likely seemed mad to anyone else. It became abundantly clear after he escaped the prison in Bern that his allegiance lied elsewhere from Aidan, but Aidan honestly didn't care. Perhaps that made him simple, or foolish, or a pawn, but Saturos has proved himself time after time, and Aidan cared more about how a man acted then who he worked for. Maybe it was the other branches of the Rebellion, maybe it was Ilia itself as a spy, or perhaps even something more sinister, it mattered not. "I assume you know what's going to happen, yes? In fact I would venture a guess you could tell me a thing or two I had not known."

Aidan looked at Nacht, then at Zach. Saturos had said something, but Aidan knew it not to be true. Sure that's how it appeared at a first glance, but Aidan was close enough with Zach to tell it was something else. Nacht didn't make Zach uncomfortable, well actually Aidan was sure he did since Nacht made everyone uncomfortable, no more then usual however. Zach respected the Druid's power, and had even tried to train under his tutelage. An act that Aidan strictly forbid, but he wasn't a fool despite all the evidence to the contrary, it was probably still going to happen. Aidan just knew that it was important to voice his opinion sternly, hopefully giving Zach second thoughts before diving too deep. That's how it always went, isn't it? Someone tells you not to, and it makes you want to try ever harder, but once you start having second thoughts that person who told you 'no' seems so much more reasonable... No Zach was probably just winded from his magic use, from what Aidan understands it's a very bloody and painful process.

"I'm certain you know everyone already, but ever the same I'll say. This is Zach, an aspiring shaman and my second in command. That is Euphemious, a knight under my command." The others introduced themselves in short order, and Aidan felt that he didn't need to add to it. Aidan turned to Zach for a moment after Nacht spoke, but turn away shortly after. He was wearing his helm, so there was no point in trying to look disappointed in the pupil, he was sure Zach would know anyways however.

Aidan handed the leftover canteen to Euphemious, but before he left he spoke up. "Euphemious, after you finish I would appreciate if you returned. I think I shall have you come with me for the talks if you don't mind." He said to the man who wished to be a commander one day. It was important for the man to learn that peaceful propositions are possible, and that negotiations are important and required a different set of skills then battle. Naturally the best way to learn is to see it in action, and it wasn't as if Aidan was going to be talking much in this meeting. He was a commander, to be sure, but he was the newest and least respected one among the other commanders. The soldiers enjoyed him, but the others felt threatened by his presence.

So that was Zach, Euph and Saturos who would come with him. Nacht didn't need Aidan's 'permission' to join, he'd do so regardless. That left Asri... Most didn't trust her, and he could understand, but Aidan was not like most men. He wanted to give the thief a chance before simply writing her off, actions speak louder then words after all. If worst came to worst, it was likely he could buy her allegiance with coin, she would get paid regardless to be sure, but he would prefer if she desired to remain for reasons beyond simple gold. The people of the rebellion were overwhelmingly soldiers and warriors, having a woman with her talents is a boon, and even with her petty larceny she wasn't a fool. A flatterer perhaps, but not foolish. For Aidan actions spoke louder then words.

Zach gave a short rundown on the information they had on the fort, Aidan simply nodded in agreement. "Very astute, thank you Zach for the refresher." Aidan knew this in the first place, he had to as it was pretty much his job, but he was glad that Zach had bothered to remember it all as well. It helped his image as 'tactician' that everyone believes is his reason as being second in command, it wasn't the official reason, but Aidan did enjoy his council and listened to his ideas so in a way he was a tactician. He was a clever man, more clever then he gave himself credit for. "Ideally we want the fort itself, but that's a hefty proposal that is entirely sure to be shot down. So shelter, supplies, and a brief respite for our soldiers is what we really need." They were perhaps asking a bit much, but after months of marching and skirmishes and being barred from towns and ambushed and hunted down by Ilia... They needed a place where they can rest and feel safe, if only for a moment.

"You don't have to come to my tent, but you can come to me if you want your canteen early without waiting. I'm sure the soldiers wouldn't mind if it lead to you stopping your little theivings." He simply replied to the flirty woman. He looked at Asri on more time, thinking. "If you want to come as well Asri, you can." He offered as a gesture of good will. There was likely nothing of import happening at the meeting worth spying upon, as it appears to be common information for all to know, so it was of no danger. Obviously others may object, but he stood by the decision.

[Saturos Prox]

"I could, and I probably will, but like I said, in due time, my friend," replied Saturos, a twinkle in his eye. "You know I prefer to be debriefed in private." With that the swordsman let out a loud guffaw and slapped Aidan on the back in a playful manner. His laughter quickly died down to a soft chuckle, though, leaving Saturos laughing alone at his own joke in a fairly professional setting. Realizing this, he straightened up and composed himself. Ah, whatever, he found it funny.

Aidan first introduced him to Zach, his supposed second-in-command. The kid wasn't much to look at, and he didn't have much in the way of authoritative bearing, but he sounded like he knew his stuff. Saturos figured he served as more of an advisory role than he did the taskmaster role. A personal assistant, if you will. Then Aidan pointed out the dark-skinned knight clad in black armor. Euphemious. Interesting name, though other than that Saturos didn't see anything of note. Not a big player, the swordsman figured.

After Aidan was done speaking, the green haired man introduced himself as Augustus Nacht, and rather pleasantly so at that. Complemented Saturos and everything. "Illustrious"... he liked the sound of that. The Etrurian had followed him into the camp, the man being a new face and all, and noticed most of the men seemed a bit uncomfortable around him, Zach included though he denied it. Saturos didn't get the vibe. He was taller, sure, and had a bit of muscle on him, but no more than Etrurian did and nobody looked at him that way. Was it the big reaper-like sycthe? If anything, the guy was kind of pale, and his face had a bit of a boyish look to it. The swordsman did notice Nacht carried a handful of jet black books, though, which Saturos instantly identified as dark magic tomes. Dark magic tended to carry a bad reputation, and for good reason...

Then the red-haired woman spoke up with more compliments, though these sounded far less genuine. Yes, she used a unique tone, one Saturos identified almost immediately. The flirter, the scammer, the theif; yeah, he was plenty familiar with that tone, and her usage of his old moniker from back in his traveling performer days didn't help him think of her anything otherwise. He'd have to be careful around that one.
"It seems my reputation proceeds me," Saturos replied with a grin and a handshake, nodding to both Nacht and Asri. "Good thing, too. I hate introducing myself."

After Aidan finished addressing his crew, the swordsman clapped his hands together jovially.
"Well, let's get to business then, shall we?"

[Kelvin H. Calderon]

Kelvin woke with an uneasy start, his body sore from another night sleeping on the rough ground. He longed for the soft bed he had left behind in Caelin and for the peaceful life he had led on his family's ranch. His dreams of late had been filled with terror and images of love ones being slain. He often awoke shouting, covered in sweat. They were only dreams however. Those he loved were safe and far away, including Chelsea, whom he had sent back to his parent's ranch for her own safety. It made Kelvin feel none the better. He could die at any moment and that thought filled him with dread. Yet, he knew the path he had chosen was the correct one. The rebellion needed him to begin and they needed him now. Shakily, he rose to his feet, shrugging off his blanket, and began to dress sluggishly. There was to be some sort of important meeting today, but Kelvin was suspicious. That newcomer Dan had proposed it to him and that was all he needed to doubt it. It wasn't that he had much of a reason to mistrust him, but the knight had to be constantly vigilant. They were at war after all. Ilian spies could be anywhere and he had fought to hard to let the rebellion fail now. He finished pulling his boots on and moved to don his armor. He hardly went anywhere without these days, and had spent a couple of nights wearing it in his sleep. It was one of the few remaining things that made him feel secure these days. He decided against donning his helmet and stepped slowly from his tent.

As Kelvin emerged from his tent, the light from the sun nearly blinded him. It was then that he realized he had over-slept. His eyes flew open as he dashed towards his horse, leaping clumsily onto his back. He urged Kashmir forward and charged away from his camp, leaving it under the careful watch of his sentries. He arrived quickly at Dan's camp and was greeted by a saluting sentry. After being pointed in the right direction, he handed off his horse to the man and ran at a full sprint towards a small gathering of people, one of whom was certainly the newcomer. Out of breath, he arrived just behind them and announced his presence, "You huff... weren't gonna huff... start without me, right?"

[Augustus Nacht]

"Well, let's get to business then, shall we?"

"Of course. We can all talk more later if we want." Nacht primarily listened to Zach and Aidan for the moment. Discussion of plans, potential gains. He'd been involved with one war already, discussion of strategy wasn't a new thing for him. Granted, it was less about allying with a fort and more about how to best crack it and slaughter everyone inside.

"You huff... weren't gonna huff... start without me, right?"

The ex-bandit looked over to see another arrival, a knight dressed in heavy armor of emerald green. He briefly searched through the files of his memory in an effort to recognize this one. The features of his face seemed Lycian, as well as a slight accent of his words. After a moment, it clicked. Another of the commanders in this Rebellion, Kelvin Calderon, also known by another fanciful title he couldn't recall at this moment. "Kelvin, right? I believe this is our first time meeting, but we can talk later. Important meeting and all that."