Twenty first day of Tweleth month of forty third year after the foundation of the Union.

John Edwards Sergeant 44th Blue Guards Union Army

The fort was a hive of activity with soldiers moving about their duties. Outside the fort two newly formed elven regiments recruited from Dyffryn Dwfin were doing training exercises learning how to fight like union soldiers.

Located next to where the elves were going through their drills were rows and rows of tents, these tents made the camps for the human regiments that were also amassing for the next campaign against the elves.

The sergeant looked at all the regiments amassed, in the union's history they had never brought together as many soldiers as it did now.

It wasn't just soldiers of the Union that had been brought to this location. The paladin and priesthood orders of union had answered the call for war. They are ready to add their heavenly given power to the war effort.

On top of that the sergeant had heard that fifteen monster elimination squads were also gathered here. Hero's and legends from all over the union were here now to finish the conquest of the Elven Confederation.

He was here with the Captain to meet up with the new leftenant. They had left half the company under leftenant Jones at the mine. Now they were getting a replacement for leftenant Jones. He did not know why they were heading into the inner parts of the fort to meet the leftenant.

They entered a room the sergeant had never visited before.

"Captain Wayne, Jake, I would like to introduce you to Leftenant Llysgennad Lard Longau Llwyd."

Standing next to Major Hooke's was an elf. The sargent had served with elves in the past so he had no problem serving with one of long lived.

A ebony coloured mask almost covered all the elfs face, part of his chin was still visible, on the chin was the end of a wicked scar. The sergeant wondered how the Leftenant had received the scar.

"Llysgennad is my protege so I hope you will look after him."

A voice called from the shadows of the room. At the back of the room sitting in a chair behind his desk sat General Milwrol.

"I expect no special treatment Captain, I graduated top of my class from Sea Gaurd. I know what is expected of a leftenant."

The leftenant stated. The General moved out of the shadows and his face entered the light. The way the light hit his face allowed the sergeant to see for the first time a large scar which had been carved into the General's cheek.

"There is another reason I have brought you here Captain Wayne. I would like you to take your company to Dyffryn Gwanwyn."

The General continued. Dyffryn Gwanwyn was the elven city which was formally controlled by Prince Gwyrdd before the union forces killed him when they stormed the city.

"I would like you to escort Prince Ceidwadwyr down the Green River back onto Union territory. I have decided that the Prince would better protect our interests in the region if he was in a more secure location. Major Hooke's will provide you with more details. Llysgennad has met the Prince before, his presence in your group should assist in making the Prince comply with our request to transfer him."

They saluted the General and exited the room. Major Hooke's followed them out of the room.

"Here are your written orders."

The Major passed a document to the Captain.

"We have a ship waiting for you at Green Glen. The ship will take you down the Green River to Dyffryn Gwanwyn where you will take charge of Prince escort him back to the Union."

The Major left them as they walked out the gates of the fort and headed to where the rest of the company camped nearby.

"Right everyone gather around first thing this is leftenant Llysgennad he is now second in command of the Company"

The sergeant introduced the leftenant.

"We have been given orders so I want this company ready to move in twenty minutes.

After twenty minutes the company was ready to move out. The Captain and the new leftenant inspected the soldiers. Then the Captain gave the order for the company to move out.

The sergeant was surprised to see that the boy paladin and the warrior women appeared to be staying with the company. He saw them speaking with the new leftenant just before they headed out.

They marched through the massive camp. Pass the fort and the new human buildings that were been built for the growing human population that had moved to the city.

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A new road had also been constructed which would make the journey to Green Glen quicker. It would still take a few days to reach the town.

Twenty third day of Tweleth month of forty third year after the foundation of the Union.

Bertram Hanlen Paladin for the order of Torm.

Finally they were out of the forest back to the civilised lands of the Union. They were getting closer to the town of Green Glen. It was only a couple hours March from the forest.

Already the young paladin could see the civilised effects of the union. Next to the road was a state run farm. These farms were the bread basket of the union. He could see hundreds of orcs working the fields. These orcs were gaurded by a score of human supervisors some were armed with muskets though most seemed only armed with a whip which they used to motivate the orcs.

The road was also approaching the river. On the river a large barge pulled by a pair of ogres from a crude road that ran pararel to the river. They were pulling the barge along the river heading down the river towards the town.

When they got closer to the town, the young paladin saw that over a dozen large barges filled with the resources that had been brought out of the elven confederation.

In the middle of the town on the river was a large dock. It had a number of piers. At the end of one the piers was a large river ship. This was the ship which would take them to there destination.

When Leftenant Llysgennad had first spoken to Bertram he had told Bertram that the orders leadership had required that he return to order and report everything he had witnessed. He felt conflicted. He knew it was his duty to follow orders but he did not want his adventure to be over.

He looked over at Awewe who was also returning to the Union. Apparently the union leadership wanted to question Awewe about the battle at the mine. So at least he would have her company on trip back to the union. He learnt that they would first be heading to the elven city of Dyffryn Gwanwyn to pick up one of the captured elven prince's and escort him back to the union.

The leftenant also had a lot questions for Awewe about the elf that had almost killed her. The paladin sensed that Leftenant Llysgennad, had similar experience and suffered an injury from the elven priestess, he wondered what injury the leftenant was hiding behind his ebony mask.

He almost asked the leftenant if he would let him have a look at the injury perhaps he could use his healing spells to fix the injury. But he assumed the leftenant would asked priests with greater healing powers to fix the injury.

They moved through the town of Green Glen, thewthe townrtown him of his home except instead of being next to the sea, this town rested next to a large river.

The Leftenant Llysgennad spoke to the captain of the ship.

"Captain Simms, we have orders to take your ship up the river to Dyffryn Gwanwyn."

The Captain of the ship called out

"Come aboard, welcome to the Green River Pride, it is the fastest ship on the Green River."

Once all soldiers from the company was aboard the ship. They started there way up the river.

The Captain of the ship was very proud of his vessel. The young paladin heard him as he was talking to Captain Wayne and leftenant Llysgennad he proudly stated.

"The reason why this ship is the fastest on Green River is because I have the best rowers. See I pick the largest and toughest orcs fresh from Orc Empire. I will have you in Dyffryn Gwanwyn in next to no time."

They pulled away from the town, and started up the river. The rows of oars hitting the water in time with each other and pulled the ship through the water they kept time with a large drum.

The young palafin got comfortable on the ship since it would still take a few days for them to reach the city.

Twenty seventh day of Tweleth month of forty third year after the foundation of the Union.

John Edwards Sergeant 44th Blue Guards Union Army

With nothing to do on the ship the sergeant was taking a nap, when a large bang or explosion brought him out of his slumber.

There were more explosions and the sounds of a battle. Captain Simms called down to drummer who was keeping a beat which the rowers were following.

"Speed up the beat, there is a battle happening up the river."

Captain Wayne yelled at his soldiers

"Everyone get ready for combat."

The sergeant grabbed his musket. He started loading.

"Load your muskets"

He yelled

The soldiers lined up on side of the ship. Muskets ready to fire. Captain Simms had his saliors load a couple cannons.

In the distance they could see smoke. The ship quickly made its way up the river towards where the sounds of conflict were coming.

They rounded a bend and an elven villiage came into view. A union ship was docked at a pier. The sounds of fighting had ceased.

The ship sped towards the pier when a large splash covered the deck with water. The sergeant looked at the shore and saw a stone giant that was throwing large boulders at the ship.

Strapped to the giants back were three gnomes and one of them fired his gun at the ship. Dispite there being quite a bit of distance between the ship and shore. A soldier standing next to sergeant collapsed to the deck dead.

Hundreds of armed elves lined the shore. The ship turned in the water as Captain Simms steered it away from the shore. The sergeant heard the new leftenant curse.

"Lancia"

The sergeant looked over to where the Leftenant was fixated. The elf the bore ire of the leftenant looked like he was leading the enemy forces.

"We need to land here and engage the enemy"

The leftenant yelled.

Captain Simms replied

"The mission was to get you to Dyffryn Gwanwyn, I will not risk this ship in engaging the enemy. We will pull to other side river and row as fast as we can past their position."

The leftenant seemed enraged behind his ebony mask. He might said more to Captain Simms but Captain Wayne spoke.

"I must agree with Captain Simms the mission is to get to the city and escort the Prince back to Union."

So we continued our journey up the river. The new leftenant stared at enemy. There was a cold hatred to the stare. The sergeant could only guess what the enemy had done to deserve the animosity which was displayed.

Once they travelled far enough up the river that the enemy were no longer in sight. The leftenant finally gave up his visual, and went back to issuing commands to the company. The sergeant was however worried a cold hatred like that in a leftenant was bad news it was likely to get a lot of soldiers killed.