SEASON OF SPRING, 485 - FORTRESS-GONTHIR, THE ISLE

The sun was just rising, and Fortress-Gonthir was as quiet as a mouse. Most were asleep, looking to get their well-deserved rest after the events of yesterday. But, some had other plans...

"Soldiers! Get up, now!" A loud voice spread through the fortress, as sleeping soldiers almost immediately awoke to the voice. The men scrambled to clothe themselves, and got out of their tents.

Maenlich fon Evrersein looked on the activity in the camp, standing firmly with hands behind his back, with the Lutnants by his side. Soon, all the men gathered in front of the Kummandaent.

Maenlich cleared his throat, and spoke loudly. "Men, I have called you here in this day for something important. You may or may not have remembered that I was supposed to organize this event of mine that I've created, but was unable to conduct because of the events of the day before, and let you all have your well-needed rest." He started, looking around at the crowd as he spoke.

"Now, I will conduct this to-day, but I will give you lot half-an-hour to tidy yourselves and break your fast. The Lutnants shall call you after the allotted time for you all has ran out, so do be quick with whatever errands you have to finish. You all may go now, and may you receive Kregnorr's blessings." Maenlich said, as he and the Lutnants walked away and went to the fortress's citadel. The crowd started to disperse and do their own things.

(First Person Perspective)

I suppose I will get something to eat. I thought as I yawned, seeing Kummandaent Maenlich along with the rest of the Lutnants walking off somewhere. I went into my tent to get some of the rations given to me. Some stale bread and salted pork... This will do. I thought as I took the food, and went out of my tent, going to one of the campfires nearby.

I nabbed a skewer near the campfire, and pierced the meat I had with it, and put on a grill that was above the fire. I hummed a little tune to myself as I turned the meat to the other side, with one side finished cooking. I heard footsteps behind me, Who's that? , I thought, so I turned, and saw Aeraeck getting closer, and soon sat beside me. Oh, it is just Aeraeck. "Good morning, Aeraeck." I said to him. He seemed to perk up and smiled at me. "Good morning to you too as well, Caersun." He said to me as he also brought out some of his own rations of meat, and picked up a skewer. I took a look at mine, It is cooked.. I hummed to myself as I took out the skewer from the campfire's grill, and he put his on the grill to cook.

Aeraeck spoke once more, "Hey, Caersun." He called out to me, and I turned to him. "What is it?" I asked, giving a quick glance to my soon-to-be-meal. "I just wanna ask," he started his question out, while turning the meat on the other side. "-about what Kummandaent Maenlich was talking about back there. I am just curious, as you are a Klienilutnant, so he must have told you something." He asked with a serious expression, as he stared at me.

I scrambled my head around trying to memorize what I heard from what Kummandaent Maenlich said to me Come on.. what was it.. "I.. do not remember exactly what he said to me, but if I remember correctly.. he said something about drills?" I answered.. kind of. Aeraeck only looked at me with a thoughtful expression. "So.. training, huh?" I heard him muttering to himself. He then shrugged. "It's something interesting, I suppose." He said as he took out his food from the grill, let it cool for a bit and rest, before taking a bite out of it.

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Aeraeck turned to me. "Say, Caersun, you have some folks back home?" He asked me as he took another bite out of his meal. "Yes. I have my parents and my two younger siblings. How about you?" I answered and threw back the question at him. "Same as you, only I have two brothers. My older brother, Rickaerdt, is an apprentice for some smith in Caeuso¹, and my younger brother, Kohrhaerdt, is with my parents." I nodded, and took a bite out of my meal as well.

We continued to talk and eat our meals, and once we finished, we heard shouting. Must be about the training.

(Third Person Perspective)

As there was a tense "peace" in the northern frontiers, the eastern coasts were much more volatile...

SEASON OF SPRING, 485 - COAST NEAR FORTRESS-MITSCHAELLE, THE ISLE

"We have established a beach head! To arms, brothers! For gold and glory!" A loud, guttural voice screamed, followed by the echoes of many more. The armored raiders crashed against the shield wall of the defenders. Axes large and small crashed against wooden shields, as the fearsome warriors pushed back the garrison.

"Shit! The Vraekkir have landed! Rally the soldiers!" A voice cried out in the fortress, as more men were pulled in to aid the beleaguered defenders. More poured in to help with the defense, but the Vraekkir raids seem to be relentless.

"Frakkonni! Bring out your axes! Carve through these bastards! For victory!" The voice shouted out loudly, as giants came out of the Vraekkir longboats, with the raiders in the back lines making way for the beasts in human form, half naked, and with a bear pelt with its head still attached covering their heads.

Loud warcries echos out as axes taller than a man were swung at, bisecting an unlucky soldier. With the charge of the beastly raiders, cohesion broke as men ran for their lives, as more warcries drowned out any sound.

"Not one man should escape! Rannians², fire at will! Slaughter them!" The loud voice shouted out, as a hail of arrows showered the retreating garrison, killing many of them with sheer accuracy. Many escaped to the fortress, where the gate was closed, rendering some of the slower soldiers trapped, who were slaughtered.

"Break down the gate!" The Vraekkir commander ordered loudly, as several men broke down the sturdy wooden gate. Soon, the gate broke down, and the raiders poured in, commencing a melee in the fort's courtyard. Men swung at each other, as many died horrific deaths, and it was the defenders who were losing.

"Keep pushing!" The loud voice permeated through the air, seeming to drown out any other noise of the battlefield, and the warcries came as the raiders were energized further. The courtyard fell, with many bodies littering the ground. "We still have the citadel to capture! Push inside!" The commander ordered out, as men barged into the keep.

There were scarcely soldiers, but just servants. "Koernil³ Hagarr, what should we do with the servants?" A voice inquired, seeing the terrified expressions of the captives. "Kill the men, take the women. They shall make good bedwarmers for the men." The man, Hagarr, said with a malicious smile, as some of the servants begged for mercy and their lives. "Consider living as my only mercy to you, wenches."

The male servants were killed, whilst the women were arguably in a worser fate. "Koernil! Methinks we 'ave sum'un here of high stan'in! A group of raiders loudly laughed as they threw a finely dressed man to the ground, obviously being roughed up. "Hm, what do we have here?" Hagarr smirked as he used his foot to turn over the man's head to show his face. "Some nobody, Koernil. With how he is clothed, I assume he is part of some noble clan." The man beside Hagarr said as he sneered. "Y-you.. are.. making a big.. mistake..." The man gasped out, wheezing. The Vraekkir commander's smile only widened even further, as he knelt down and grabbed the man's chin. "Your ascertaining is always appreciated, Virumm. And for you, we will assume that you are related to some noble, and we will take you some place far, far away. If they give us the coin, we shall let you go, if they do not... Well, we will just throw you off a cliff and have you be eaten by the depths." He spoke slowly, with malice dripping in his voice.

"You two, take him to one of the longboats. The rest of you, take everything you can! Strip this place clean!" He ordered loudly, as the raiders cheered. "Ah, an honest day's work is refreshing, is it not, Virumm?" Hagarr rhetorically asked his adviser as they climbed to the top of the fortress, witnessing the raiders carry everything they can.

"Always, Koernil. Always."