The Cursed Devils were headed out the next morning before sunrise. Herod gave his word and replaced the oxen with two powerful horses for the wagon. He greeted Desmond and Aurora with cups of coffee as he smoked his long pipe. He assured them that the road north would be cleared of bandits because Herod gave his word. Beyond the next fifty miles though, that was wild country.

  Skivvy grabbed Kale and brought him back out after Kale was done getting suited. Zylia waited by his horse with teary eyes. Kale went to hug her for a long time. Keely rolled her eyes whilst sitting in the wagon with Audra. Ator sat on Keely’s horse quickly wiping his knife with a rag. Nikolai affixed his goggles over his eyes whilst wrapping a scarf around his neck and face that the old barmaid gave him. Skivvy tiredly sat on his horse looking at Audra for assurance. Audra gave a smile along with some jerky for him. Aurora thanked Simon and Herod as she sat atop her white horse. Desmond sat on his horse as he set Light wielder into the saddle holster. He adjusted his hood as he reset his helmet on him.

  Desmond looked back at Kale who was still hugging Zylia and kissing her neck. Desmond smirked at this. Audra looked bug-eyed at Keely who was annoyed with Kale. Skivvy was too tired to say anything as he sat on his horse chugging a cup of coffee. Nikolai was not paying attention. Ator shrugged. Aurora sighed liked a tired parent waiting for Kale to hurry up. She looked at Audra silently trying to tell her to tell Kale to hurry up. Audra rolled her eyes and yelled, “Hey, lover boy! We’re moving!”

  Kale let go of Zylia and held her hand as he sat on his horse. He smiled at her trying not to let go and neither would she. Simon walked over in his cloak and waited for Zylia to let go.

  Keely finally looked back and yelled in Elvish, “Let’s fucking go! Burning daylight.”

  Kale shooed her off, but finally let go of Zylia’s hand. He gave one arrow with a note wrapped around shaft in pretty, red fabric. He gave a nod and lifted his gaiter over his mouth. He yelled in response to Keely, “I’m ready. Stop being annoyed.”

  “Fuck off and let’s move! LT says so,” Keely yelled back.

  Desmond looked back and yelled, “Moving out! Let’s go!”

  The squad moved out of Vorstock. Kale looked back as Zylia’s blue hair slowly disappeared into the morning mist as the cold air blew amongst the squad and the trees. Once they reached the end of the town the buildings were just brown dots in the morning sun rise as the mist blanketed the town.

  In the frozen mountains of the Dark One’s fortress, he sat back watching the squad move on. He grunted to himself inquisitively, “Interesting… Unconventional, but able to kill without hesitation. Yet there is doubt sown in them.”

  “Master,” said a soft spoken, but raspy voice.

  A cloaked figure in the shadows stood by the entrance of the Dark One’s throne room. The dead human knights and orc Grave Guards still lined the walls as spectral servants were casting dark magic to preserve the dead bodies from fully rotting away. One brought a severed orc arm to the Dark One. He grabbed it and bit a large chunk out of it.

  He asked aloud in his menacing baritone, “What is it that you wish to seek?”

  “I seek only to destroy.”

  “Hmm… Destroy… Destroy… Destroy me perhaps?”

  “No, master. Them.”

  “You carry a debt. A debt must be paid. Go forth from here and track this human hero and his squad. Introduce yourself somewhere along the way. Learn what you can from afar. If the time is right… Kill. He does look familiar?”

  “Master… He comes to you. We should wait.”

  “No.” He rose from his chair and walked over to the arcane visual. “I’m not strong enough yet. Need the blood moon to pass over the sun… Not enough time. I’ve waited centuries to return for my revenge.”

  The Dark One sat up from his throne and said aloud, “I want the gods above to remember why they should be hated. Why they should not be beloved and revered. I gave this world the chance for truth and I was punished to hell for it! Thus I became a demon… Ironic. A devout angel becomes the monster.”

  “Master?”

  The Dark One stared at the robed figure. He said to him, “Stall them. Also seek out those who live in the mountains. They will help.”

  “Master? What of the orcs?”

  “Let me worry about them,” he said as his red, glowing hand changed the arcane visual to show Gorag and his fifty orcs riding through the wastelands northbound. “I’ll release the Nephilim birds on them. They still have a longer way to go. More human and Elvan outposts to fight through. As for these empire knights… You are to head out to meet them. They seek the warlock. Summon what you can for help and learn what you can. The shattered demons that roam the surface will not help. They are too few in numbers. Too selfish, of course… Go.”

  “Master, as you command,” the dark figure walked away.

  The Dark One walked to the dead orcs hanging on the right side of the throne room and stared at them with pity. He said to himself, “Shame your war chieftain was too cowardly to face me. At least the god of war and destruction is partially in Earth Breaker… Curious… How long until the war chieftain is no longer himself? The more it is used the less control he has… I wonder if the human knows of her living in the sword as well? Still wonder what she sees in him? Hmm… She always was an intriguing one with a hidden agenda… What is her plan?”

  The Cursed Devils pushed onward through the woods as the snow and slush got thicker. Not much happened during the next week of travel. Heavy snow, harsh winds, a handful of bandit encounters, a violent and wild giant encounter that the party somehow won without losing a single man or horse, Ator fighting off a pissed off grizzly bear after wandering into its cave for a quick dump, Audra and Keely being happy with their new bearskin cover made courtesy of Ator, Nikolai nearly getting swallowed into a muddy swamp after a swamp squid grabbed him, the party having surprisingly good tasting calamari for one quick dinner after saving Nikolai, Kale hunting for food when needed and playing an accuracy game with Keely in which she never agreed to it, and Aurora taking turns with Skivvy scouting ahead as Skivvy was doing his best to battle the cold with help from Audra; Aurora mostly took the lead in scouting ahead.

  This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  Lastly, Aurora, Audra, and Keely having private “girl-time” away from the men every so often after a long day of travel. All the men were not amused by this and could only theorize the comments and jokes possibly being discussed by the women of the squad. All they overheard was giggling in their expense.

  The forest became thicker and the road slowly disappeared into dead grass and lightly frosted thickets. Aurora and Desmond took turns leading the way cutting down dead shrubs as they pushed forward. They trudged onward through the snow and tall, dead grass as they made it through rough pathway after rough pathway. They set camp for the night and Audra was back at it serving venison steak, canned beans, and canned peas. Skivvy refused to leave the warm tent as he was battling a cold. Everyone else sat by the fire outside.

  Keely was taking watch about 20 feet away on a boulder protruding out from a small patch of dead thicket and tall grass. Ator walked over and gave her a plate of food and his massive wool cloak as he sat next to her. Keely wolfed the food down happily as Ator took his time eating and occasionally fighting off Keely for his steak.

  Nikolai was finishing writing down the progress and looking at the map seeing how things were lining up with the progress they have made.

  “Right on track… One days ride until we reach the Forest of The Kings. Should be hitting a handful of wood-elf villages soon after followed by the one empire fort and from there link up with the Elvan rangers,” Nikolai said aloud.

  Desmond grunted in response being pleased with this. Aurora double checked the route Nikolai made and gave a thumbs up. Nikolai blushed slightly at her praising his work.

  Kale snidely cut in, “You sure you’re prepared to deal with Elvan lands? They are not as forgiving from my sister and I’s experiences. Trust me.”

  “We’ll be ready. We have her,” Nikolai said pointing to Aurora who stood up shaking her head at Kale as she sat next to Desmond. Desmond shrugged silently saying, “Your funeral. Not helping.” Kale rolled his eyes.

  Audra finished cooking giving everyone their dinner. Audra sat down and asked Kale, “Why do you always think negative, Kale?”

  “I don’t all the time. Just experience with those lands and those uptight ‘pure’ elves is all. But again, Nicky is right… She is a decent ranger.”

  “And you’re better? Better than her and Skivs?”

  “Darling, of course I am.”

  “Then why don’t you lead come tomorrow morning,” Audra replied calling his bluff. “You know this mission better than anyone here private, so let’s see why.” Kale blushed in annoyance and snidely replied, “I will, but only when you all fail to read the Elvish land marks and warnings.”

  “Calm down and eat,” Aurora said in Elvish.

  Kale begrudgingly ate with Nikolai and Audra laughing at him. Desmond laughed quietly to himself at the exchange as he looked at runes along Light Wielder’s handle and blade. The runes were small, but beautifully etched flowing seamlessly like a river along the handle to the blade. He wondered to himself why the runes glowed like his hand and what the words truly meant.

  “With honor and might, this blade shall be the instrument of the Light, none shall tarnish it,” is what the runes on the handle said. The runes on the blade read: “The Light will destroy the dark.”

  He wondered why those words were etched into Light Wielder. He initially thought the translation from Tom was wrong when he was studying the history of it, but this was the exact translation. He felt as if the runes were like that of fortune cookie; sounds wise but overall feels empty. However a part him wondered if those runes had merit and weight to them. Aurora sat next to him and nuzzled into his left side as she played with his headwrap.

  At the boulder, Keely was happily finishing her plate as Ator stared out into the nearby clearing scanning the trees and surroundings for any movement. He sat motionless like a statue. Keely finished her plate and snuggled up next to Ator for warmth. He did not mind and barely moved. Keely yawned out, “Despite how cold it is, this is a nice view of the clearing, don’t you think?”

  “…”

  “Bloody fawking cold though. Thanks for the bearskin, but Sarge needs it more. Poor bugger can’t handle cold weather.”

  “Yep.”

  “Curious… Been mulling over this for a while and I may have asked before… Why did you decide to help my brother and I before we were thrown into the brig and penal unit? Weren’t you all set from the recon boys? Plus they were with you… Why?”

  “Sigh,” Ator grunted as he relaxed his shoulders.

  He looked up and noticed the stars as the clouds parted. He peered at the half moon and thought back on what led him to meeting the twins and why he helped them in the bar. It was clear as day in that bar. Kale was holding back a pissed off Keely at a few recon men for making sexist and racist comments at her and Kale. Both the twins were fresh from basic training despite being in different units; though, both were a part of the same company hence why they stuck together when possible. Ator looked over at her and found her very pretty. He tried to tell the recon guys to let off and they shoved him away despite being with Ator. Ator angrily smashed a pitcher of beer over one the recon men’s faces thus creating a bar fight that went horribly wrong. Both the recon men were medically discharged due to the severe beating Ator gave them. He then briefly remembered them being a jail cell and Keely asking why Ator did what he did and what his story was.

  Keely flicked his helmet making an annoying THUD noise. Ator grunted. She asked, “Earth to muscle. You there?”

  “Stop that.”

  “He speaks! Well… Aren’t you going to answer,” Keely asked smiling. Her smile and puppy like eyes were hard to ignore.

  Ator sighed and brushed some snow off her kettle hat. He responded softly, “Force recon is not what it’s cracked out to be… Those who put others down for no reason deserve a good beating. Even if they are MPs or officers… Or a part of your own group. Just happened to be at the same bar as you two were. I was kicked out of my unit because of that one rescue mission gone wrong. You know that one?”

  “Yeah… Still think about it some nights, ox?”

  “Yeah… I miss her.”

  “I know she was special, but she has her place outside of us. Plus she’s in high court now so… Yeah. Damn, she was very pretty though. I wouldn’t have mind a piece of her, honestly.”

  “Should’ve spent more time with her… But being with you and the rest of the squad is just as good.”

  “Appreciate it!”

  “You are the only other person I know who talks to me like I’m a person instead of… Something to fear… Thank you.”

  “No problem. Have I told you how grateful we both were for your help? Especially me? Because thank you,” she said jumping up and hugging him nearly knocking him off the boulder. He gently peeled her off him and sat her back down as he readjusted himself. Ator began to tear up slightly, but was glad his helmet was on. He did not want Keely, to see it.

  He felt conflicted. He wanted to tell her he likes her, but knew this was not an appropriate time for it. He also knew that it would ruin the friendship if he did. He also wondered if she would reciprocate his feelings and if she felt the same.

  Keely yawned out, “The moon and stars are pretty tonight.”