Baldur lay on the mat, his chest exposed and gasping desperately, yet unconscious.

There was Aquilax again, staring at the man he had gone to severe lengths to save. He was sincerely worried, but also expressed a bit of frustration.

"I seriously hope this is not some sort of habit for you," He said, dismayed at the slender Ravenborn.

Next to him was his sister Nywin, Geowyn, and Rorarix examining the nearly lifeless body. Baldur's wounds extended beyond his arms and into his chest. More than wounds, they looked more like fissures, burned and scarred, with a weak icy light magically that repaired the limbs little by little, regenerating skin where there was none, but leaving it fragmented with gleaming fissures, like broken pottery being restored.

He looked next to him and saw Sword Sister Eowyn wetting a piece of cloth in a pot with icy water, putting it on Baldur's temple. Women of her kind not only trained in the way of the sword, but also worked in the rear of a battle, healing the sick and splinting injuries. After the healing powers of the priests, no one was as adept as the Sword Sisters in terms of medicine.

"Is the fever still going?" he asked.

"It hasn't stopped," She replied, "These wounds of light... they seem to keep his temperature high all the time, but look, it also seems that it is healing him... I think."

Nywin was listing numbers as she checked on survivors and dead alike.

"This one was close, brother," she said, "We had been able to quell or discourage any attacks on the Lion's Camp in the last months, but this attack just gave them the intelligence they needed to gauge our force. Next time there won't be a detachment, it will be the entire horde on the move."

"I know." Aquilax said, "how much time do you think we have left?"

"Two days?"

"Maybe one" Aquilax said.

Rorarix, who was sitting on the other side of the tent with Geowyn and Gruffendrix, giggled.

"Your eye for strategy continues to amaze me, Aquilax," he said, exhaling, "the boy sure was a relief when facing the witch of the Noads. For so long had she eluded and tormented us with those hellish rocks of hers."

Aquilax humphed.

"You speak as if I had known about the incoming attack, Rorarix. Believe me, I would've prepared better defenses then, and perhaps the Noads would've noticed and ultimately decided not to attack us... we lost too many during this engagement."

"Still, this was such an opportune time to recruit a guy with his talents." Gruffandrix said as he bandaged his arm with the help of another Sword Sister.

"Talents..." said a voice entering the tent, "that is a strong word for a monster like him."

Aquilax and the others turned to see Falax the priest coming in with an escort.

"Priest..." Aquilax greeted, "you'll have to forgive me, but I am not in the mood for a lecture on Chantry sanctity and how it is a sin to keep him here."

"Captain, forgive my manners, I simply wished to check on the guy... Baldur, right?"

Before Aquilax could respond, Eowyn stood up and gripped her sword. Falax was taken aback at first but then grimaced at the bronze-haired girl.

"You sure are bold, Sword Sister, no doubt has this demon tainted your judgment with his dark influence."

"The only dark influence I see here is you, Priest. I will not let you harm him. He saved us."

Falax considered Eowyn for a second, then raised his hands in surrender. "Your passion is palpable, sword sister, perhaps a little too much for a guy you just met. However, you mistake my intentions: I merely wish to check on the man. Despite my reservations, I wish to respect the Captain's command of holding him as a guest. A priest must always respect honor."

"Eowyn!" Geowyn finally said, "Stay this madness! Do you have a death wish?"

The girl blinked and retreated back into the small chair she had been sitting on again, this time looking at Baldur with sorrowful eyes.

Nywin approached her, kneeling to her side. Aquilax could not make sense of the things the two girls spoke about, but whatever Nywin had said, it had a great effect on the Sword Sister—in getting her sadder.

"You wanted her to cry?" Aquilax asked.

"No, I wanted her to show her feelings, let go a bit from the tension she's having, and that happened," Nywin commented, stopping next to him.

Aquilax nodded, "Then... Falax, how many?"

"About 500 hundred dead so far, most of them died roasted by that witch's fires. We have an even bigger number of wounded," he answered, then turning to see Baldur again, "I hate to say this, but had he not intervened at the time he did, we would have perished, our little resistance effort crushed."

Hearing the number of fallen soldiers, Geowyn grabbed her subordinate by the shoulder gently, "come on child, let us tend the wounded."

"I want to stay here mother Geowyn," Eowyn answered stubbornly.

"It was not a request, lady, it was an order. Look, your little man has things covered, his skin seems to regenerate. Our help is needed outside."

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Eowyn sighed frustrated, but she complied. The two Sword Sisters left the captain's tent, leaving Aquilax and his lieutenants to contemplate Baldur while Nywin checked the fire's warmth.

"Now... Let us assess our situation," Aquilax said.

"We have lost nearly half of our forces in yesterday's fight. It was unexpected and bold of the Noads to hit us like that," Rorarix said, "We cannot withstand a full assault from the Skull Horde now."

"Let us arrange the wounded for the mountain crossing, captain, these men cannot fight, and they will not survive if they stay," Falax advised.

"No matter what we try, our defense in the Marunath Valley is over Aquilax. We should retreat to the mainland where we can gather more men and build a new army to defend our country." Rorarix said.

"Maybe, just maybe, if we leave the Ravenborn here..." Falax said.

"What good would leaving him here be to us?" Rorarix said, a bit worried.

"This individual holds power... Maybe he could divert the Noad's attention once we depart."

"After everything he has done? Really?"

"He's been here for just three days... Come on, all of us have more right to live than this abomination."

"That is not...!"

"Enough!" commanded Aquilax.

Everybody obeyed. Aquilax contemplated his options, and then looked at his totemic sword.

"Our defense is over," he said closing his eyes.

It was one thing that Rorarix or Falax said, but when Aquilax pronounced those words a frightening realization dawned on everyone: They had lost.

"However, once the Noads learn that we are retreating, their bloodthirst will make them charge mindlessly towards the mountain, catching up to us..." Aquilax examined, "we will not survive the mountain pass."

He went to Falax, "take everyone with a will to live and survive this day to the mountains, have them prepare themselves for the long journey and go. Rorarix, Gorax, Gruffandrix, protect the weak and escort them to Saragos. Tell the lords of what has happened here. Hopefully, they will see that Lord Marunath is dead and send their armies to repel the invasion."

"Woah, hold it, captain, why are you sending us and not mentioning yourself at all?"

"Obviously, I will stay and hold them as much as I can."

"Unacceptable!" yelled Gorax, "The men will definitely stay with you if you just say the word, do not take their oaths lightly!"

"Firstly, they swore no oath to me. Oaths are for the Lords and the Chantry, everyone came here of their own free will and I will keep that intact. They will lead their loved ones and friends to safety, or I'd rather slash them now than make them believe my leadership is worth the lives of hundreds!"

"Captain," Falax said, "You are a Spirit Champion and you can take on a hundred men with that sword, but you will certainly die in the process."

"Then my fate is sealed," Aquilax said, "go, priest, and get the Chantry to help as well."

"Ivernia needs leaders like you, captain, please... come with us and ensure our safety." Falax remarked.

"You have everything you need to beat the Noads. My path ends here."

The four lieutenants looked at each other, clearly agreeing that Aquilax' statement was wrong.

"Now go," he ordered.

"If I may, sire," Gruffrandrix interrupted, "Who is to take the Rave... who is to take Baldur?"

Aquilax looked at the slender, pale man, gasping for air.

"Falax, will the Chantry even consider pardoning him for what he did today?"

They all turned to the priest, who considered the question, only to close his eyes in denial.

"He would certainly die, by the hand of priest Jazax of the Mountain, as he was the priest who discovered him, once the Chantry realizes who he is, he is doomed."

"Then his fate is sealed, one way or the other..."

Aquilax considered his options, then turned to the priest, "He dies with me."

He looked at his subordinates, "You have all performed admirably, giving your lives for the sake of many more, rising up to positions of leadership no one asked you to but certainly needed, and giving more than what you were expected to give. It was an honor to serve with you."

Reluctantly, they left one by one, each giving a different stare at their captain. Rorarix nodded in respect, Gorax grunted, Gruffrandrix simply sighed, Falax closed his eyes once again and bowed.

When they all left, the weight of his words finally downed, and he felt a pressure seating right on his shoulders, making him lose composure briefly. He shrugged off this fear, this dread, as he pictured himself at the hands of the witch... or worse, the bloodthirsty leader of that barbaric horde, Blackskull.

Still, there was one person left to persuade.

"Nywin" Aquilax said.

As he turned, he saw her sister dressing metal plates and armor, tearing her dress for better mobility, and considering different swords at her disposal. Aquilax was taken aback for a moment, but then recollected himself.

"What are you...?"

"Don't you dare think my path leads elsewhere too." Nywin silenced him.

"I will not have this! You go beyond the mountains, find a man to marry and have our lineage continue!"

"I worked hard to preserve the beauty of the Marunath Valley for months as well, I treated the wounded, healed the sick, sought that each mouth was fed and full of strength to follow you in battle. I will certainly give my life for it as well. You will see my resolve is equal, if not greater, than yours."

"No! Father would've sent you on the first caravan to Saragos if he had known the Noads were coming."

"Father is not here, he did not lead thousands to defend the valley like you did."

"I still want to honor his wishes."

"My path is here, brother, with you... this one will do..." she said as she finally took a sword.

"No, I said no! Listen to me!" he said as he grabbed his younger sister. However, as their eyes locked, Aquilax sensed her strength, her sheer willpower that guided her movements and decisions. For once he felt disarmed, and his own will be shattered by the confidence in those eyes. Now that he was fearing the worst for his life, he could not bear to have his little sister at the hands of those savages, what would they do to the beauty of the forest such as Nywin. His strength, once capable of felling hundreds, now escaped him. He kneeled before, his head down.

"Please... Nywin..." he wept, "I implore you, you don't owe me anything... Find happiness..."

Nywin dropped the sword and rushed to hug him.

"You keep saying that to everyone... You took on the mantle of protecting our people when nobody asked you to. You were chosen by the spirits of the Valley without your consent. You carry a burden too big for you, Aquilax. You speak of oaths, but you fail to see the bond that binds us... blood."

Aquilax looked at her. Nywin smiled as she caressed his hair, "You always needed someone to arrange your mess of a mane."

She saw how he was not yet convinced, not quite yet. She hugged him again. "My place is here, I choose my path, and that is to fight so that others can live, like my big brother."

Aquilax sunk his face on his sister's bear pelt, weeping.

They stayed there for a second, but then Aquilax rose from the ground, collected and confident.

"Very well then, sister, let's wait for dusk and see who else stays."

Nywin smiled, standing right beside him, as they walked towards the balcony where they gazed at the valley once more.