In the cold silence of the night, the soldiers stood side by side, motionless and speechless, the gruesome sight of their allies some writhing in pain, some still as dead, a dreadful silence as their minds raced across their meagre options – Can you patch them up? - her voice a whisper, Ostribide looked into the man’s eyes, but not a spec of light came to them, cold and harsh his face a stone mask while he shake his head – Truth be told, I have already made what I can- a grimace almost broke his features- we were not equipped to deal with this kind of thing, and the more competent of the healers is already among the dead- swallowing, his eyes focus in nothing, and the next sentence almost gets stuck in his throat – With how far we are from camp or any help, and the kind of injuries they have, the only thing left for them is dying slowly, or dying...fast...- his pale almond eyes came into focus again, a frightening intensity to them- I will do it corporal, you take the men and start marching to the camp, let two others with me, we catch up as soon as…- his words cut short as she raised her good hand, a resolute look in her eyes- Nonsense- dry and parched, her throat almost betraying her- instead, take half the men, pick the ones who know this forest better, go to the city, and come back with help, I don’t care if you have to drag that fat bastard of the mayor out of his bed, you bring help, I stay with the other half and try to make a camp, with any luck you could be here before sunrise- and before we freeze to death… a bonfire will help, but even that is almost beyond us now not to mention that is incredibly dangerous, yesterday was cold and cloudless, that means today will snow… or was the other way around? -But- Franc scowls even more- you will freeze, and the rest of the platoon, we barely made it as is, the men are exhausted, I doubt they will make it to the city, even if we manage to find our way in a dead dark forest, you are basically throwing away your lives- at this point Franc voice is barely a raging hiss, his eyes nailing Ostribide while she stares back, her black eyes as hard and unwavering as his…

-Hello, somebody hear me?- a high pitched voice sounds in the middle of the silent night bringing a jarring end to their discussion, with a hurried rustle of metal and fabric the remaining soldiers arrange themselves in formation, the more keen standing well away of the lantern some dropping in a ready stance with their light-spears, Ostribide and Franc move deftly, taking cover behind some nearby trees, a grimace of pain crosses her face when the sudden motion rattle the wounded arm and nearly make her cry, with a glance Franc take stock of the officer plight, a silent nod is the only answer to his questioning glance – Who’s There!?- he bellows- show yourself!!-

All around the little clearance soldiers ready themselves, even a pair of the wounded ones struggling to get a hold of their weapons. - Look- the voice goes on- I can barely see in this dark, and I’m hurt, just, hum… walk this way, I’m from Diaz same as you!- the voice is almost pleading, but the soldiers keep leering at the night, no one moves nor speaks all too keen in possible ambushes, a pair of soldiers hush among them, with soft paces one walks trough the shadows among the bushes until the officer is an arm away, there he talks briefly while the other soldier props himself against a tree a good five meders of them before clearing his throat -So you say!- his voice rang clear in the night- prove it! Dance A jig!- in the night the silence hangs, least than a heartbeat later came a yell -You play the pipes and I will do a Morris!- the soldiers, look one another, some of them aghast, some just failing to understand the whole thing, with a humourless grin the yelling soldier step from the cover and walk to the officer – It is ok. Corporal, whoever this is, is at least from Anchoa, we should be safe- Ostribide keeps her expression neutral, while Franc scowls even harder – You thrust your live to some child’s wordplay?- the tone is even, yet the words promise a hell of a punishment, in case they make it past the night that is -Well, ya- the soldier nods, and his partner chime in- it’s an old joke, bet you people of the plains don’t even know it exists, besides, she sounds like upper quarter, not many people can fake that…- Ostribide let that sink in, she was certain that the voice sounded like the local troops with that odd accent of theirs, but  still, even a local can be a bait, or worse yet a traitor, the cornys have been sending small parties in terror raids since the very start of the war, and even now with the Blighted burning half of Lusoll and the Domain to the ground they persist in acting like selfish ass-holes, the Kales and even the nut jobs of Sturmstein have signed truce and sent aid, no doubt with several strings attached, but still…

Pausing her musings, Ostribide nods and take a step out off cover – You, you and you- she stabs the air, picking some men- with me, fan out, eyes open mouths shut, anything weird, we bolt back- another pace and the looming from of Franc at her side grunts- I shall go with you, it could be a trap- a cold smile crosses her face- Oh, I’m betting is a trap, that’s why you keep the other men and get ready to bail us out, hopefully, here- with a simple gesture she hands over her light-spear- I’m out of shots, and I reckon half of the men are the same, see what you can do to retrieve some off off the fallen, along their weapons, lets hope that we can come back for their bodies before the scavengers, now, move- her words clear, not a trace of the fear that she feels as she walks into the dark forest If I don’t make it back she was all but telling clear this place, and take care of the men – Understood. It shall be done- a simple nod came back, without a word, the burly man handles the weapon and gestures to a man crouching near to go for the others -I must admit, I’m a poor shot, never managed to catch with this new fangled weapons- his hand goes to the pommel of his sword, with a little shrug he continues- and I can’t see you handling mine- the chunk of enchanted steel would probably be too heavy and unwieldy for her even using both hands- Go, we wait.-

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The next couple of minutes feel to Ostribide like the more long and jarringly short in her whole live, with the men in a loose line stalking the forest in pitch black night, literally inching their way least the treacherous terrain make them stumble or give away their position, all ready to pounce or duck or run, only the nerve wrecking call of the voice…

Truth be told, when the group found the origin of the voice, Ostribide was so keyed up that her teeth rattled, her blade was naked and ready, and she was all but eager for a fight, just so this night was over I’m shuddering...what was I thinking?… damn shoulder is killing me… keep it straight… keep...it… with a start, she found herself standing in front of some sort of hill, a pair of boulders jutting from the ground, each taller than her by a par of meders forming some kind of grotto, a handful of spindly trees growing about, and resting against one, a young wisp of a girl barely taller than her own weapon,the whole tableu almost like ripped out of fairy tales, almost being the fact that the young one looked like dead warmed over, with an all too big set of militia garb, more bruises than skin and a wicked looking blade in her right hand pointing straight to Ostribide... mid section, for the combined shake of hand legs and head made the girl drew circles...

-Hum- a slight cough- help?-

  Nidia has been thinking, in the dark cold night her chances of finding the soldiers were close to none, calling for help was her only sound option and even that was a far shot, someone in the other side has made and old joke rekindling her hope, and with fear and joy in equal parts she waited for what felt a lifetime, until a ghost stumbled in her sight, there under the dim starlight she face it, tall and terrible, drapped in the almost garish ensemble of the Diaz phalanx a gleam of steel in her hand, the apparition stood still heavens please, let this man be honorable -hum- her voice a raspy whisper after the strain of yelling and running and heavens know what else, she clears her throath - help?- she struggles, but that is it, sudenly she feels all the weariness of the night weighing down on her,  but not only that, beyond the pain and exhaustion something even bigger lays, sapping her strengh, clouding her mind, a voice calls to her, but she is frozzen, only the ghost in her visión moving and making noise kicks some gear in her head dragging her back from the brink- sorry sir, im...im what?-

- I asked your name and unit kid- the voice is even and somewhat cold, very firm, the voice of one accostumed to give orders it's a woman in the frightened receses of her mind Nidia ponders the knights have no women, the mages neither that I know, the infantry? I don't know, I don't care she is help thats what it is...- Nidia Purivie, from Anchoa... Im with the first militia corps... Unit... Fourth? Fifith?... We were riverside during the fight I... I...- grasping for words she let her blade drop slightly, everything else forgotten but the voice...- My brother, he's hurt...I can't carry him...I can't see in this dark... please help...-with a gesture she turns and points to the grotto her face a mute plight...

  Ancestors help me... after the girl ended her strutering speech Ostribide could feel her stomach turn and knot, helping her will be already a miracle, and now they are two!... That brother of hers... He probably carried her all the way here after wathever the hell blinded her, only to drop dead...poor thing haven't realized, she's what sixteen?... And even if he's alive, then what? We can barely manage with my wounded... Options, options... Turning back and let these two for the wolves and the scavengers... Or worse yet sparing them the suffering... In the bleak place that the world was turning to both options weight heavy on her mind... Then with a shiver and a sigh, she made up her mind: hopeless or not she owe these two the same that to every other soldier in her care, a fighting chance. Whatever happens now, they face it together, hell or high water, she owed them.

And she owed it to herself.

-Jules- out of a nearby shadow a soldier steps - make a torch or something, we follow the girl, you two- a pair of pale and haunted faces turn to her- watch this point, anything weird, make a beeline to Franc, tell him what happened- the men nod, if they harbor any doubt the don't show...-Ma'm excuse me?- one of them, almost an old man by military standars calls- Yes?- -Even weirdest than thos' blighted keelin' over on their own?- -That's...- Ostribide ponders, this night was already beyond her paygrade, and just starting.- Just keep your eyes open, we are wasting time Jules?- -Fixed somethingh Ma'm- -Good- with the blind girl as guide both soldiers crouch and enter the cave -Weirdest than that... How can that be...-

  A brief moment later she found the answer.