The East, late February, X994

"How far are they?" Baron's voice spread over the cold desert sands of Araham under the million twinkling stars. "You sure we are on the right track?"

"Yes I am. And we are almost there," Bezel replied in an upheaving tone, enraged.

Baron was a young man, barely nineteen. Still, walking was bothersome for him. He crossed his hands under his grey cloak bringing them closer to him. In the scene of the sinister night, he seemed to dissappear under his dress. Only the stars and the faint crescent moon on the left showed his presence.

"But we have been walking this way for hours. How much has it been?"

The young boy in black looked at the woman walking close behind him. Her deep green cloak almost seemed as dark as his. Catelyn's hood shadowed her face, but Baron could see the glitter in her eyes under the mystifying blue atmosphere. "Quit your yapping," she commanded. "Besides it hasn't been more than two hours since the camp."

Baron saw the woman's eyes under the green hood. She wan't even looking at him, kept her gaze on the ground but eyes as wide as though she had seen a ghost. Baron saw the tension, fear enough to scare even the bravest of the brave. And to add to it, she was a woman who was in their squad of four as an arch priestess.

Baron shared her fear. It was something everyone fears when marching an uncertain march. Walking uncertain of the enemies, it was suicidal in most cases. In most cases only, but not for them though. For they had someone with them to sink their fears. It was their captain, Tamaron Pan. Though he was commonly famous as Captain Pan. A young man of twenty, he was a brilliant mage, people heard so. But he rarely fought with magic. When asked, he simply says he likes using his hands and feet more than standing in a single place and scaring his enemy.

"Calm down, you two," Bezel said. "I am a man of beliefs. And my intuition speaks for your safe return to the camp tonight." Catelyn and Baron immediately knew that he was referring to them. "But how can you be so sure?" she asked.

"Look to your right," Bezel said smiling leading the pack. Behind him was Baron, and Catelyn and Captain Pan walked at the tail. Catelyn looked to her right and found the light of life though in complete darkness. She could hear the sound of their captain walking, feel the beat of his heart and see his face even in the cold darkness of the desert night. She walked close to him, now braver than ever.

Captain Pan was not from Araham. He came here for the war. The alliance of the thirteen nations send their best for the war. Nobody likes it, but that's whats going on. Two great nations at war, and plenty of deaths, killings everywhere they go. The entire southern region of Araham turned into a battlefield between mages. And when such forces collide, the nation is sure to suffer internally as well. Catelyn shivered in fear just by thinking about it. Or perhaps it was the cold. Deserts can get really inhuman at night, as much inhuman as they are during the day.

Baron felt something under the cold desert feet. What is it? He slowed down a bit and let two behind, overtake him. He turned around to his left but saw nothing except dunes of sand. He looked to his right and saw nothing. Only his captain and the shaking woman close to him walked a bit forward. He stopped to feel the strange sensation. "Oh maybe I need to take a piss," he said to himself.

"What's up, Baron?" Captain Pan asked.

"You see something?" Catelyn added.

"Um, no. Keep going. It's nothing," Baron said loud enough for them to hear.

"Is it fear that I smell?" Bezel said grinning."Fear enough to unman you?"

"Stop it Bezel. Don't make any unnecessary noises," the captain commanded."We do not want to give out our presence to the enemy. Anyway, since I brought up that topic, are you sure you saw them?"

"Have I ever failed you. Scouting is my forte. I saw them. There were four tents set up. No camels or horses just as I said before. Surely, they are spies from Xihalba."

"Hope you're right. We better not have walked all this way for nothing," Captain Pan said. Sometimes his words scare more they are supposed to. Even though he is just about twenty, his words scare even the generals. But Bezel knew him well enough to tell if he is serious or if he is kidding. Right now he had his whole faith on Bezel. And Bezel believed what he saw. He knew there were enemies up ahead. Waiting to be captured.

Baron was done with his thing and walked fast towards the group. As he trotted in his heavy boots, he felt a shadow pass by behind him. He turned around but there was nothing. But he was sure he had felt something. He looked around but nothing was there except sand. Maybe I am imagining things now. The sun must have got me during the day, he thought. Satisfied that there was no one there, he decided to meet up with his group. Baron turned around and felt a hand hit him. The blow hit him on his neck. He choked and fell on his back. Trying to shout, he held his neck in pain but could only cough up blood. Trying to get away and warn the group, he stood up looking at the man behind him. But as he did so, he felt a chill run down his back.

Baron could not move. Rather, he had nowhere to go. In front of him was another person with a dagger in his hand, his clothes dancing in the cold desert wind. In the cold ruthless night the dagger moved fast, straight at him and pierced close to his stomach. The boy cried out in pain and fell to the ground, the dagger still lodged in his gut. He could not move, only breath. He looked at the two shadowy figures standing atop him. Men they were. Black headdress hid most of their faces. Baron closed his eyes, took one last breath and faded into oblivion as death wrapped him in its arms.

---

Elsewhere Captain Pan seemed worried. His man had not joined them up and he was nowhere in sight. The large dunes separated them. He got impatient. "Bezel, stay here and look after Catelyn. I am going to bring Baron back."

"But shouldn't we go together?" Catelyn was worried too. Bezel put his arm forward as if to shield her from something. "Let the captain go. You are important. We can't afford the healer to get hurt. Besides the captain is strong enough to handle himself." Catelyn was still scared of the unknown. But she forced herself to stay strong, "Okay, but return safely."

Captain Pan walked away. Catelyn and Bezel stood there, in the middle of the dunes where they were safe. If someone were to attack them, it would be easy to spot them climbing down the sand dune. A minute passed but their captain did not return as well. He was nowhere to be seen. The two got worried. First Baron, and now Captain Pan? What is going on in the other side of the sand.

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"We should go check on them," Catelyn suggested. Bezel did not want to approve it. His captain had given him an order and it was always his job to make everyone in his team adhere to them. Baron and Catelyn were knew to the squad brought especially for this task. But he had been working together with Pan for over two years. The war had begun almost four years ago and all this time he had obeyed every comman issued by the captain. How could he disobey a direct order from his captain now?

Under the million twinkling lights in the night sky, two shadows loomed in the darkness, behind the dunes, searching for a chance to strike. When the two figures a little far away from them seemed busy enough in their own talks, the two shadows made their move. In the freezing blue-black sky the two shadowy figures leaped form their hiding. They jumped high in the air about fifteen foot length and came down fast, straight at the two figures at the bottom of the dunes, dagger in their grasp.

"Two more down," one of the figure spoke as they neared their targets. With the cold steel of their dagger, the two flying figures stabbed their prey.

Sand. Dust. And little gravels. They felt them all. The two hunters dragged their faces over the cold desert. Their bodies rolled and jumped a long five metres before finally coming to a stop. The two hunters lifted their heads and searched for their prey. There was no one there but a little more farther away were two figures looking at them from the distance.

"I take it you two are spies from the land beyond the sea? Xihalba?" Bezel said in a rough voice. "You know, we don't let our enemies go away."

The two man stood on their feet. They understood they were tricked. "Illusion magic!" One of them said loud enough for Bezel and Catelyn to hear them.

"Yes. But I am also good at hand to hand combat. Courtesy of the captain. He wanted a team that only breaks the enemy, not kills them. Get ready. You two are in for a world of pain." Bezel said this in a way so confident that it made Catelyn almost believe that he could win. But she stayed back, for her safety and for the welfare of the team.

The two hunters started to move towards them, initially walking but quickly charged at them. Holding the dagger high in the air with his right, one of the hunters brought it down. Bezel put his arm in the way and stopped the hunter's arm from stabbing him. And with his right he punched him in the gut. The man jumped a feet in the air and moved back holding the pain with his hand. Out from the side, the other hunter came to stab Bezel. Bezel skipped to the side and caught hold of the hunter's arm which had the dagger. He landed a blow on his hand near the shoulder. The dagger fell off the hunter's hand. Bezel thrust him away with his palm.

Bezel took to the other one. But he was late. The man was about to stab him straight through his chest. There was no choice. He had to do it. Bezel decided to sacrifice his left hand and put it in the way of the steel. A split second decision saved his life this time. But there was not a second to waste. Bezel caught hold of the mans arm. He turned around and pulled him from above his back, slamming the man to the ground. The fallen man let go of his steel dagger. Bezel crushed the mans head under his boot. The did not break though, but was enough to put the man out.

The other figure knew that they had lost. It was useless. This man was too good at combat. But what about the woman? The hunter's instinct told him that the woman must be important to them. Or else why would they bring her there? He ran towards Catelyn. Bezel was too far. He could not catch up to him.

"Catelyn run," Bezel shouted. Catelyn turned around to run. She started but the man had almost reached her. She felt her in his clutches. "No," she screamed, rather in a low sound. No, not like this. She thought. Just as the man was about to catch hold of her, out came a blow from the air and the man slid on the ground as he fell unconscious.

"Captain!" Bezel exclaimed in a relieved voice. Catelyn looked back and stopped. She turned around saw the figure in the dark. She could still make out the physique."Captain Pan," she said.

The captain looked around at his teammates. His face reflected a little of the light. It was almost morning. And light seemed to shine behind the dunes. Catelyn looked at her captain. He had tears in his eyes. "Captain, have you found Baron?" Bezel asked. Pan looked at him. Bezel noticed the sights he must have seen. His eyes told it all.

"Baron is dead," the captain replied in a low voice and fell on the ground in a seated position, covering his face with his arms. Bezel looked down as if in mourning. Catelyn looked straight at the captain, then at Bezel. She could not believe her ears. "You must be mistaken," she said. Bezel looked at her, his eyes almost about to burst free of tears.

"You are lying," she shouted. The captain still hid his face.

"Catelyn..."Bezel shouted.

"You are lying," Catelyn continued. "I will go find him and I will heal him. He is not dead," she said shouting and turned to go to where the body lay. She had only walked a few steps when she felt arms around her. Warm hands held her by below her breasts. It was the captains hands.

"I'm sorry. I am a useless captain. Not fit to be one. I am the reason Baron is no more with us. I am so sorry." Bezel turned away his gaze, teardrops fell. Catelyn turned around and hugged Pan, crying, almost like a baby. Pan hugged her even tight.

Some time passed. Bezel wiped his tears with his cloth covering his arms, then with the back of his palm. He looked towards the light. It came up from the behind the dunes. The light was not what usually happens. This light was different. He looked the opposite. The sky away from the light was still black and stars still twinkled in the night sky. He looked towards the light. No, it was no ordinary light. It danced in the darkness like a peacock dancing to mate. Bezel looked closer and saw smoke.

"Fire," he said. The captain and the woman looked, first at him, then towards his gaze. It was a fire. But not the fire they had thought of it to be. Smoke rose all over the dunes towards the light. The captain let go of the woman and ran towards the top of the dune. Catelyn quickly followed him, Bezel did not. He turned around to tie up the two unconcious bodies. He had ropes under his cloak.

The captain ran with all the energy he had in him to the top but slowed down as he reached the top. When he peeped over the top of the sandy dune, his eyes set their gaze at the sight in front of him. Catelyn soon reached him. She looked over the other side, her gaze still, as if it had seen the colour of death itself.

Fire! The camps that Bezel had mentioned earlier were all on fire. It was a scene of insensate destruction. Only remains of dead bodies layed scattered over the desert skin. The captain looked at the sight, his eyes searching for life. No, there were none. Was it on purpose? Did the fighters from Xihalba burn their own camps and flee? What on Earth is this? Captain Pan looked around. No, no one was around. Only bodies of the dead. As his eyes wandered around the burning mess, he saw something among the flames. Two figures walked out, slowly.

The figures moved lazily towards them. Pan's vision saw eyes in the flames, eyes, paired in red and green, unlike any others, cold and almost inhuman. Eyes that scared even the captain. Walking out from the flames, were two human figures in black cloaks. But their cold eyes still glowed bright among the dancing flames. "A friend or foe?" the one with the red eyes said out loud in a cracking voice, the voice of the murderer.

Captain Pan hesitated but he forced the words out of his throat. "We are from the alliance. I am Captain Pan, from Daxam."

The two figures looked at each other, then back at the two on top of the dune, their wide grin enough to give Catelyn goosebumps. "Do not fear, Captain," the one with the red eyes spoke. "We are the Peacekeepers."

The camps that Bezel had mentioned earlier were all on fire. It was a scene of insensate destruction. Only remains of dead bodies layed scattered over the desert skin. The captain looked at the sight, his eyes searching for life. No, there were none. Was it on purpose? Did the fighters from Xihalba burn their own camps and flee? What on Earth is this? Captain Pan looked around. No, no one was around. Only bodies of the dead. As his eyes wandered around the burning mess, he saw something among the flames. Two figures walked out, slowly.

The figures moved lazily towards them. Pan's vision saw eyes in the flames, eyes, paired in red and green, unlike any others, cold and almost inhuman. Eyes that scared even the captain. Walking out from the flames, were two human figures in black cloaks. But their cold eyes still glowed bright among the dancing flames."A friend or a foe?" the one with the red eyes said out loud.

Captain Pan hesitated but he forced the words out of his throat. "We are from the alliance. I am Captain Pan, from Daxam."

The two figures looked at each other, then back at the two on top of the dune, their wide grin enough to give Catelyn goosebumps. "Do not fear, Captain," the crimson-red eyed murderer spoke. "We are the Peacekeepers."