The 3rd of August. Dawn. The sun started rising, and Dissonance was yet to arrive.

For a long while there was nothing. The five stood below their flag, their uniforms and armour on and their weapons ready to strike. Fonda brought along more arrows than he could ever possibly fire, Taza had managed to string together some potions from flowers he found in the forest, Errett cleaned and fixed up his sunglasses, Tom had his tie on right and Will was afraid. So incredibly afraid that all of their work would go nowhere, with them being shot dead right there and then. At least, they could say they stood proudly instead of running, right? That had to count for something in the afterlife. If there even was one that is. Will's thoughts were cut short as an arrow flew by him and lodged itself into the caravan, a small note hanging from it. He barely had any time to grab it as Errett got closer, unfolded it, and begun reading aloud.

No white flags. A war it is, then.

If you have any honour left in you, meet us on common ground.

We will fight by the two towers. Don't back down now.

Fight for your precious nation if it means so much to you.

-Dissonance

"...This sounds like a trap.", Taza muttered under his breath, nervously playing with some of the buttons on his jacket.

They were already getting anxious because of this nervous habit he had.

"If we don't fight then we'll never get what we want.", Tom insisted, moving forward.

"It may be a trap but we have no choice. And don't tell me Dissonance isn't the sick and twisted type to give his enemies a good fighting chance."

"Tom's right. Dissonance has too much pride to set a trap."

Will turned his attention to the front gates of the nation, recalling where the two towers were. From what he remembered, they were two tall watchtowers just past the hill next to Lasenberg, which Dissonance's group used for scouting the woods.

"Then let's go!", Tom exclaimed, turning back.

He raised his sword towards the two towers.

"Let's go and get our independence! Fifth battalion, move out!"

The boy rushed ahead without giving it much thought. Everyone else followed behind, confused above all else.

"Why the fifth?", Will muttered to himself more than anyone else, stifling a confused laugh. Even in a situation like this, Tom didn't stop showing everyone that deep inside, he was still just a kid. Just a kid who was about to lead them into battle - A strange situation indeed.

"I don't know, it just sounds cool! Come on, let's go!"

Tom rushed up the hill, being followed by the other four. And although they were afraid, the group did not stop for a single moment. They had a war to fight - A war where they either died or got everything they wanted. Stakes were higher than they could ever be... but maybe that was what pushed them forward so much.

Or maybe it was just a blind belief leading them into a slaughter.

For Georgie, it was always difficult to tell what Dissonance was thinking.

First there was the mask, covering his eyes most of the time and his whole face during battle, just as it did now. His hood was usually over his hair, but the blond locks always managed to peek out. When around his friends like this, he often dropped that façade of a twisted grin and blood thirsty eyes and was simply a tired guy who wanted the best for his city, in his own weird ways. Maybe if he showed this true personality of his more often they wouldn't be here right now. Maybe if he listened to criticism more and considered the things the revolutionaries were saying there would be no revolutionaries in the first place. Maybe if he stepped back, looked back on everything he had done, and tried to change, there wouldn't be a war to fight at the two towers. But Dissonance was stubborn, and would always get his way, and Georgie, as his best friend, had to support his choice, whatever it may have been.

Looking upon the grass field from up in one of the towers and waiting for the revolutionaries to arrive in silence definitely gave Georgie a lot to think about. It was just him and the leader of the city on this tower, meanwhile Sapana and a friend of theirs, Peija, stationed themselves on the other. Just Georgie and Dissonance... and still, they did not talk. The blonde had been his friend for longer than he could remember - The type of trust they had was unique and irreplaceable. But it was also confusing. Confusing in the sense of... were they friends, or co-workers? Dissonance treated everything so professionally, it was difficult to tell. Did he truly care about Georgie, or Sapana, or was it all business? There were flashes of trust showing, sometimes. Jokes after hunts, quiet evenings patrolling the forest and messing around. Those reminded him there was friendship underneath it all, as rarely as decided to show itself.

But more than anything, Dissonance was a leader, and that was all that mattered to him. He needed to keep his nation in order, and between all the work recently, there was no time for jokes, banter, laughs, or anything else. All that they had time to do was plant that flower field, protect and grow it, and keep an eye on the rebels. Sapana was no longer the slightly crazy friend the other two had to put up with, he was now the one Dissonance gave dirty looks to and refused to speak to after burning their flower field. Georgie was no longer the friend Dissonance had grown especially close to, spending evenings with one another and talking about nothing at all, he had become the one to blame for the failed defence of the flower field almost five months prior and not keeping Sapana in check. The two weren't his friends when this war was happening - They were his co-workers, and ones who had disappointed him greatly. And whether he wanted to admit it or not, even with this, he'd follow Dissonance blindly.

Blindly follow him, hoping for the friendship to emerge again.

The revolutionaries arrived half an hour after dawn.

"...Will Ash... Tom Indeo... Errett... Taza... and Fonda.", Dissonance exclaimed from the tower he stood upon, Georgie preparing an arrow to fire at them any moment.

They could see Sapana on another tower, alongside someone they didn't really recognise from this distance.

"So you came. You truly want to fight for your little trailer park so much?"

"Independence won't come without a struggle."

The President stepped forward, pointing his sword at the masked man.

"Unless you wish to still negotiate the fate of Lasenberg peacefully?"

Dissonance let out a laugh, coming closer to the edge of the tower.

"As if!", he roared.

"That land is mine! I worked for that, I defended you from the forest, I kept all of you safe and you still turn on me!"

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He moved his mask aside for a moment to project his voice more loudly;

"You're all ungrateful! And you're gonna suffer for it!"

"Bring it on, then.", Will was calm and collected - Clearly getting on Dissonance's nerves.

There wasn't much to be said before the fight finally began - With Dissonance making the first move.

He picked up a potion, took a long swig of it, put his mask back on and jumped forward, landing on the ground without any effort. Even though he landed on his feet from a great distance and should have broken something, he didn't even flinch. The potions had clearly started taking their effect. He lifted his sword and spun it around slightly, getting in a fighting stance. As he did this, Sapana followed in his footsteps, meanwhile Peija and Georgie remained on the towers with their bows aimed. Instantly, Fonda and Taza scattered, both taking defensive positions at a distance and firing at the two men on the towers. It was enough of a distraction for Errett, Will and Tom to all be able to fully focus on Dissonance and Sapana, both proving to be formidable enemies with access to such advanced gear and potions. While Errett and Tom went to face the pyromaniac, Will was forced to fight Dissonance on his own. The two leaders meeting in battle – Poetic, in a way.

"You know, Will Ash.", the blonde started, rushing forward.

Will was barely able to dodge to the side at the sheer speed Dissonance did it in, his frequent training shining through his form. The man stopped himself with the tips of his feet, whirled around, and spat out;

"You were far more bearable when you weren't even here half of the time!"

"No one questioning your tyranny must have been wonderful!", Will shouted back, lifting his sword and swinging it forward while the other man tried to catch his balance.

This was enough to stun him for a moment, lifting his hand to knock the other's blade away but also having no ability to dodge the strike. Will spun around with another hit but missed.

"There's nothing to question!", Dissonance yelled, and as Will turned, he took the moment to kick his stomach, forcing him away.

The president collapsed to the ground and started quickly shifting himself away, trying to get to his feet as soon as he was able to. Dissonance walked over him, his sword raised to his chin. If not for the mask, Will was sure he would see that usual grin of his.

"I am the only one who has what it takes to run this-"

Before Dissonance could finish his sentence he was suddenly struck from the side, a figure knocking him over and raising his sword above him. Will shot up and gathered himself, soon finding the tyrant knocking the Lasenbergian vice-president off of him. Arrows were whizzing above them, some fired by Fonda and Taza, and others fired at them from the towers above. Will ran forward narrowly missing each one, just in time to strike Dissonance with his sword, leaving a large cut on the side of his stomach. The man jumped back, clearly surprised with the sudden hit and clutched onto the wound, giving Will the time he needed to help his right hand man up on his feet. The two were ready to strike, but Dissonance, of course, would not be defeated so easily.

In a quick movement he removed another potion from a large belt he had wrapped around his waist, this one with a strange, maroon shade. The moment he used it his pain seemed to ease, but the wound still was bleeding just as much as it had before. Despite this, with a loud shout he raced forward, swinging his sword at Tom, forcing him to block. Will came closer and raised his own weapon above his head but was knocked away with a swift punch – The strength in Dissonance's fist was unnatural. Will tried to stand up and fight but the moment he hit his head it were as if his whole world shattered and only the image behind it could be seen – And that image was a memory;

'...Your eyes should never leave your enemy. Even when they are out of sight, you need to feel where they are. Imagine them, let your mind follow their steps. Never, ever, let them escape you.', the crown, the blood stains and the sharp sword speaks.

He has not seen them in a long time.

'I just- How is this relevant? Just teach me how to swing the sword right-', Will tries to speak, but is instantly hit in the back of the leg with something and falls down.

The crowned man now stands above him, eyes burning with rage.

"You want to live through this? You'll listen."

The man sighs.

"Fighting is about balance. A balance between strength and wisdom. Yes you need to 'swing the sword right', as you so crudely put it, but you also need to know when to back up. Try again."

Will whispers under his breath;

"...Is this even worth it?"

Will pauses, his grip on his training sword loosening.

"I mean... if... if they do come here, are we even gonna be able to-"

"Stop being dramatic and stab the mannequin already. It's way too cold out here to be standing still."

The man points his sword forward, pointing to a wooden mannequin.

"Well maybe you should have thought about that before you settled on the goddamn Arctic!"

Will finally strikes, unsurprisingly, disappointing his tutor.

"Will, just focus! It's not that difficult-"

"Maybe for you, you asshole!"

"Excuse me?"

"The fucking world is ending! Of course I can't focus!"

"Stop screaming-"

"This is pointless! I'm going home-"

"Will!"

For a moment, he stops. The air is unnervingly cold.

"We can't just give up hope here. We've been through way too much. You want a future for yourself, right? You want a future for that kid, too, don't you?"

Will scoffs.

"Yeah, you're first to care about Tom, aren't you?"

The man looks aside, his long hair swaying in the wind for a moment. It's so, so cold.

"We're past all that.", the man finally speaks.

"Just think about it, Will. Think about the future you want, think about the things you sacrificed to get here. And try again."

Will takes a deep breath. He moves forward and strikes, his-

-sword slashed forward with perfect precision, cutting right through the mask of the man standing above him. For a moment, he seemed shocked. The two pieces of the coal-black smile moved aside and dropped to the ground, a large, bloodied cut revealing itself in-between Dissonance's two, emerald green eyes. He stood still for a moment longer – And so did Will.

For the two, the world seemed to freeze for just a few seconds, before it all started moving far too quickly again. Blood moved down Dissonance's face and dropped down from his chin, yet still, he prioritized his attacks. He raised his sword and swung it forward, so Will dodged as quickly as he could. He wasn't sure how, but the memory somehow kept him light on his feet, giving him guidance as to how to move. He dodged every attack with great precision and hit back equally quickly, leaving Dissonance unable to keep up and stumbling away in confusion. He called out to Georgie and Peija, who soon joined Sapana and their leader on the battlefield.

Will smirked to himself. Dissonance was visibly getting desperate.

The president, while he could, looked for Tom. The boy was curled up where he last faced Dissonance, clutching onto his arm and grunting in pain. He was still alive – And seemed like he could protect himself for a little longer. Taza and Fonda had switched to swords and now ran to help Errett, who had been holding off Sapana by himself for quite some time and was clearly getting overwhelmed. While his companions fought off Dissonance's allies, the president gave chase for the man himself. If there was one chance he'd get at killing that psycho it was right here right now, with this strange, unknown motivation and skill he did not know he had. He had almost caught up with Dissonance when the man suddenly turned around, a grin on his bloodied face and a lit match stick in his hand. Will barely had enough time to react as he dropped the match into a small hole, followed by a hissing sound.

"Everyone, run! He rigged the-"

The deafening sound of an explosion was enough to silence the president.

"...Will?"

There's blood everywhere. There's fires burning. Someone's screaming.

"Will!"

He fought. So why did it turn out this way? He thought about his future. Did the crown lie?

"WILL!"

He feels his grip on his shoulder.

"We have to go-"

"They're all gonna-"

"We lost, Will! We have to go!"

"No... no, but we fought-"

"Good guys don't always win."

"You're not a good guy."

"Well you're on my side now, so neither are you."

"Screw you! I should have listened to everyone else!"

He turns away. He knows what he has to do. There's no future left for him here.

"...I won't let you lose. Not again, Will."

The president felt someone lifting him.

"I'm gonna get you out of here."