'Make sure those supplies are tied down tight, I don't want to lose them to the river!' Captain Hawthorn commanded Shoulderside Castle troops at the dock. Rowing boats were lined up and packed with supplies at their rear, with space left over for soldiers at the front of each.

Fayyim stood and watched as the castle garrison and her Red Front hurried with their preparations to head down the River Spot to the City of Rest. The waters had long melted and the opportunity to ride over the thick ice the way they had before was no longer available. Fayyim made the choice to leave her horses at the castle and travel to Rest via boat, then on foot. A much faster option for tackling the wooded terrain. At Rest she would take new horses and ride North to Fort Tumblestone to break another siege. This time against the infamous Princess Ashara herself.

Days had passed, enough time for Ashara to reach Tumblestone. The Red Front would have to deploy soon. Fayyim had been denied access to the docks by the castle's Commander due to internal issues that did not have anything to do with her. A rare item had supposedly been stolen during the siege, and the castle Commander, rather than own up to losing the item while under his guard, chose to blame Red Front troops for the theft. Fayyim entertained the man for a short period, despite trusting in her soldier's honesty, discipline and honour. When a short investigation drew no thieves into the open, Fayyim urged the Commander to allow her deployment. When he denied her, she urged him at the point of her sword.

Hours before her own planned departure, Fayyim sent two of her most valued men on a boat ahead of them. These two would gather the horses and carts they needed to leave the City of Rest as soon as possible. They were also ordered to find extra infantry to travel back to Shoulderside Castle, to strengthen the garrison. Bitterness over the relocation of troops by a politician that was named to her as Giles Thorn, ran strong in Fayyim still. She took it upon herself to go over his head and rebuild Hurdland's first line of defence, even if only a small amount.

'I want our men boarded and ready to deploy within twenty minutes!' Fayyim commanded. Her men obliged. 'Anyone who isn't ready by then will swim. If you can't swim, you'll walk. Under the water! Get a move on!'

Hawthorn completed securing the supplies and began organising soldiers, placing them on the boats. Fayyim watched for a minute before heading to the castle from the docks. She entered through the western gates and stopped in the main yard. Stablemen were tending to the horses while a Captain of the guard oversaw the reorganisation of his men on the castle walls. The Red Front Commander called out to him. 'These horses are yours now! Use them for your rangers, have the new troops I'm sending from Rest to man the walls. You must send men out to range again.'

The man bowed and then continued with his work. Fayyim headed into the castle proper through an arched doorway. She made her way through tight corridors until at the main hall. The castle Commander was shifting in his seat at a long table, Fayyim could see his agitation over the loss of a valuable item. 'Don't worry too much over this, things happen in troubled times. Your main concern should be with the running of this castle and the protection of the territory.'

The man gave a “harrumph” and looked away from Fayyim.

'Listen here. Amaratsu is making multiple assaults inside Hurdland territory. The sieges here and at Fort Tumblestone are just the tip of the spear. More will come. You are our first line of defence, possibly the most important force in our military.' A half truth. 'Get your god-damned head out of this knife business and back into the war!' Fayyim left the dejected Commander at that and went back to the yard. She caught the captain of the guard as he was climbing the stairs down from the stone walls. 'You.' She pointed. He immediately approached her, knowing better than to react any other way to her rude ordering. 'If your Commander doesn't pull his weight, if he does not order a renewal of the ranging, if he does not pull his head out of that deep dark hole he has got it stuck in, you have my permission to lop the thing off and take command yourself. Understood?'

The man hesitantly nodded. Fayyim stormed off to the docks, finding her forces boarded and ready to leave. Not one man was left standing on the dock. The Red Front was a force of one-hundred and fifty troops, though today only around eighty were present, thirty of which were NPC Soldiers. Still, these were highly trained men and women, and Fayyim was confident that they could do what they needed to do.

She leapt into the first of the eight boats and ordered them away. Tethers were untied, ropes pulled in and oars were dipped. The Red Front was away.

The River Spot ran fast, though not particularly turbulent. Trees appeared to fly past as the Red Front travelled. An hour passed and the oars were raised for rest.

Fayyim sat at the bow in calm contemplation, ruminating on the current situation. She was there for a time before word came from behind her. The tributary was coming, rapids ahead. 'Oars!' Fayyim shouted. She heard the command echoed behind her by many voices. The boat's oars were dropped and the sound of rushing water came from ahead. 'Get us through this safely and then we continue on foot!'

The river rushed, the water went from brown-green to white. Each of the boats were dropped one by one over a small fall, then they manoeuvred to avoid rocks and swirling water traps. Fayyim's boat passed through with no issues, but she heard a frantic shout from a boat behind. A command to slow and turn or some such thing, it was difficult to hear over the churning water.

Her boat connected to the much larger River Spine and was pushed down stream to the north. She had no time to check on her force behind her, she commanded the rowers to pull into the left bank of the river, sandy ground. The boat washed up on to the sand and everyone jumped out. They pulled their supplies off, backpacks mainly, and then pushed the boat back out to find its fate alone on the river. The other seven boats came after, finding a place to depart on the left bank. Some stopped close to Fayyim, others further down the water.

Not ten minutes later had all eighty troops departed with their supplies on their backs and their weapons at their sides, ready for the long march through Hurdlands's massive forests. They would follow the river upstream which would take them a ways west, just outside of the City of Rest.

The walk was tiresome, quiet and boring. There was a bear sighting, though Fayyim never saw it. There was some chatter every now and then, when the ground became difficult, it made things easier to complain a little. Fayyim ordered silence each time. The order stuck after the third. Her men were usually much more disciplined, but Fayyim had to admit that this march was not easy.

The edge of the river became higher and ever more rocky, the ground was wet and slippery from the spray, so Fayyim ordered the march away from the water a little deeper into the forest. The trees were thick around them, the ground was soft but riddled with roots. The light of the day was filtered green through the canopy, the air was still and the sounds of nature were few and far between.

Fayyim fell back to the centre of the march, finding Hawthorn for a brief meeting on the go. 'Is it just me, or does this atmosphere feel a little off?'

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'How so?' Asked Hawthorn.

Fayyim shook her head. 'I don't know, like we're being watched?'

'That's clichéd.'

'Maybe. I feel like we should be hearing and seeing more out here.'

'Don't underestimate the size of these woods.' Hawthorn replied. 'And don't forget that we're eighty men, we'd scare any animals away.'

'That's true.' Fayyim said, then countered. 'But I've not seen anything scared away, in fact, there's been nothing to scare away. They're already gone. No birds or anything of the kind.'

'We saw a bear.'

'You think you saw a bear, and that was a long while back.'

'Well... OK. Still, it's probably us.' Hawthorn said confidently, but his eyes gave a flicker of doubt.

I win. 'Order some scouts ahead, and some to the left and right flanks. I want a forty yard distance.'

'That's not a great range.'

'I know, but it's all I'm willing to take while we're on unknown ground.' If only I kept those Long Strides with us. Fayyim marched back to the front of the line. Hawthorn was left to follow her orders.

It was not even two minutes after she reached the front that her suspicions were proven correct. Her orders shown to have come far too late. 'Fire!'A voice cried. Fayyim followed the sound and saw as the canopy above them became awash with fire. Golden flame was about them, the trees dropped burning limbs and rained ashen leaves. It made her think of the last time they were caught in a forest fire, and she did not like that.

'Form up! Form up!' Hawthorn was shouting.

Fayyim could see that he had made visual contact with some enemy from the north. She rushed to him. 'Shields!' She commanded, her Knights rallying to her. 'Shields up front! Archers behind!' The Knights attempted to form a wall, the Bowmen and Soldiers came hurrying to their rear. Fayyim had a brief moment to flash a triumphant smile at Hawthorn before balls of fire came from above, narrowly missing them, splashing against the ground and the trees behind them.

Their aim is off. We have time before they adjust. Fayyim took a calculated risk. She drew the sword at her hip and raised it in to the air, running forward ahead of her men. 'Charge! Charge!'

Her forces eagerly followed. Their battle cry was deep but loud. Fayyim dashed past flaming trunk and burning moss, the trees were a blur to her. North of her was a group, their numbers hard to count due to the smoke and fire. One thing she could be sure of, they were Amaratese Flame Pitchers. Dangerous alone, never mind in numbers.

Fayyim leapt, clearing a small gouge in the earth, flying through a wall of flame. Before her were five Pitchers, readying another salvo of fire. Beyond them were typical infantry, Soldier's in red.

The leader of the Red Front brought her sword back, ready to strike. Her first target, a Flame Pitcher, re-aimed his hand and attempted to blast her away. Fayyim dug deep inside of herself and gave rise to her rare Accessor abilities. She read the Pitcher's personal attributes with psychic power. Information appeared to her, hovering over her target. A health bar, a stamina bar, a mana bar, a list of learned powers and items in his possession. She honed in on his powers and duplicated them for herself, all within under a well practised second.

The enemy's ball of super heated energy was launched at the silver haired Commander, but with a downward slice of her sword blade the fireball was dispersed to nothing. She gained on the man and thrust forward with her slender rapier. The blade tip was ignited with orange fire and it found its target in the centre of the Flame Pitcher's chest. Before she could move on to another target, ready to fire off her own volley of small balls of fire, the men under her command washed over the Flame Pitchers and then flung themselves into the enemy infantry. Screams and grunts and shouts spread over the area, drowning out even the sound of popping and crackling and falling wood around them all.

The skirmish did not last long, the enemy was destroyed completely. Fayyim performed a head count and came up with twenty-two men short. Soldiers who had fallen to the raining fire. 'Everyone head west, get away from the fire before it spreads. Regroup and take defensive positions.'

Once clear of the fire and the battlefield, Fayyim and her Red Front dispersed into smaller groups and sent out scouts while in hiding. The scouts returned with no word of the enemy. Fayyim ordered a regroup, a loose block formation. Spotters ran ahead and took the flanks. She ordered Hawthorn and two other higher ranked Soldiers to her side. 'Ensure that our knights take outside positions in the formation, their armour will make a better defence against any other Flame Pitchers.' Hawthorn nodded and dashed off to relay the orders. 'Shanks, Lupin, what's your take on this?'

The two Soldiers answered. First was Shanks. 'One of two things. The Amaratese were either left behind by Princess Ashara, to ambush anyone escaping Shoulderside Castle. Or they were remnants from when we broke the siege, people who escaped us and headed north to regroup.'

Lupin broke in. 'I'd go with them being escapees from the siege, heading north to inform Ashara maybe. I personally wouldn't leave troops behind in these woods if I were her, not with the Forest Temple so close. The Druids aren't Hurdland supporters, but they like fire users in their woods even less.'

'Informants then, remnants of those we destroyed days ago?' Fayyim asked.

'I'd say so.' Shanks confirmed. Lupin nodded in agreement.

'We hardly left anyone alive at Shoulderside, which means we shouldn't see any more opposition on the march.' She nodded to herself, pleased with this conclusion.

'If I may, Commander?' Shanks requested.

'Yes?'

'Lupin gave me an idea when he mentioned the Druids.'

'Go on.'

Shanks continued. 'We've lost quite a number of men on the journey, we're weakened. I think we might have a chance of convincing the Druids at the Forest Temple to join us. At least if only breaking the siege at Fort Tumblestone. If Princess Ashara wins, these forests will be swarming with fire elementals.'

'I agree.' Fayyim brushed her ponytail from over her shoulder. 'Who do we have that is familiar with the Druids? A messenger.'

Lupin cracked a mischievous smile. 'I'm not one for meta-gaming, Commander, I know you frown on it...'

'Go on...' Fayyim was cautious.

'I have a cousin who is training the Shifter progression right now. I could call-'

'No.' Fayyim interrupted. 'However, if you think you're fast enough, take two others who can keep up and head to the temple. Maybe you can convince your cousin in-game to take up the cause.'

'Of course, I'm sorry.'

'It's fine, now get going. And no more from the other world.' Fayyim commanded, Lupin obliged. 'Shanks. I want you to find another two of our fastest, command them to go ahead to Rest. Make sure the outer city patrols are aware that we may have Druids travelling to Tumblestone. They are not enemies.'

'Yes Commander.' Shanks bowed and left.

The Commander headed to the front of the still moving block. She fingered the hilt of her sword. The ambush had slowed them down. Merely five Flame Pitchers had proven the overwhelming strength of their Job Class, despite Fayyim's quick thinking and luck. Again the fire users had harmed her, and perhaps they would continue to do so... Doubt crept back into her mind, doubt in her ability to lead her men to victory against the opponent that smashed them at The Sands: Ashara. She who was the greatest of all the magic users.

No. She told herself. I will not do this to myself again, not in this place. This isn't home... Here I'm strong. Here I'm the best. I didn't become an Elite Class by doubting myself. I didn't get to lead this army by doubting myself. I did it because I'm good here. I'm good, damn it!

Fayyim's hands shook, her throat tightened. 'I'm good.' She whispered. 'I'm good.'

'Commander Tallhart.' Hawthorn's voice hit her like a soothing warm breeze, something she did not know she needed. 'Are you OK?'

She exhaled and then balled her hands into fists. 'I'm good.' Fayyim replied. I'm good.