A Shepherd and His Flock [Altair Loros' Epic Quest]

At Jared's words, Altair whirled around, staff pointed at the man's head.  "I'm sorry, i didn't quite hear you.  It almost sounded like you thought you were in the right?  Like you are a saint to my sinner?"  Fire burned in Altair's eyes, causing even Melek to flinch.  Melek's eyes went went wide.  What was his friend doing?  This was completely out of character for him!  It was time to intervene. "Altair, a moment outside. Now." Altair looked to his friend, giving him a look that said "I'm in the middle of something", but Melek's gaze held solid. The pair headed outside, where Altair was met with a full strength right hook to the jaw from Melek, knocking Altair for a loop. When he recovered, he saw another one heading his way, but this one he caught. "What the hell Melek?!"
"I could ask you the same thing! Do you know what you were doing in there? You just threatened Jared! How are you going to get him to listen to you if you keep acting like such an ass?!"
"Well it's not like he doesn't deserve it! He's blinded by my Uncle's lies!"
"Were they lies Altair? Because right now you're acting just like he described. What happened to you to make you act like this?"
"What makes you think anything's happened? I am acting exactly li-" A very clear image popped into Altair's head. An image he hoped he had forgotten, but one that might explain his irrational anger at Jared. Back in Imuchakk there was a pirate ship commanded by a crazed captain. Altair had found him in the act of raping and killing a girl, and had given him hell for it. To this day, that man lives in an Imuchakk cell babbling about being eaten alive by children. Altair had lost it back then, and had done something that no one should ever subject another to. No matter what they did. Altair stopped. His mind clearing of the fog it held. He suddenly felt calmer, more like himself. "Oh Ilah, what did i do... Melek..." Altair sank to one knee. "Mind magic. That's what's making me act like this... And because of it, i've probably just ruined relations with this tribe for the rest of my days." Melek smiled. This was the Altair he knew, always thinking about someone else.

Altair walked back into the tent, and took a seat. Melek held his sword and staff, and stood at the door. "Jared, i... I'm sorry. I wasn't myself. Things have happened to me Jared. Things that i wouldn't wish on some of the worst people in the world. I've done bad things myself. I'm not perfect, nobody is. But one thing i do not regret in the slightest is cutting off my Uncle's hand. He tried to kill me when my back was turned, and i wasn't about to let that happen. I won't preach to you about how i'm so much better than my Uncle. You probably wouldn't believe me anyway. But i challenge you to do something then. If i truly am running the tribe through fear and intimidation, why don't you come see for yourself? You said that if you had a witness that you could be swayed. How about seven thousand?"

Jared listened to Altair’s words when the man re-entered the tent, arching a brow at the apology and invitation. He considered the words with deep thought. He knew magic was powerful, but could it fool the entire Loros tribe? He doubted it. He was willing to try and find out the facts for himself.

“I would appreciate that opportunity, Altair Loros. Me and several of my tribe members will be by tomorrow evening, once the horses are brought in, if it is not too much trouble. I do not intend to spread slander, and I would very much like a better account of what happened.”

Jared would offer a small bow of respect before the men left, a seed of doubt sown in his mind as to Marcus’ honesty. If Altair had truly done the things Marcus accused him of, would he welcome someone in to see for themselves the truth of the matter? He would find out soon enough.

Altair bowed to Jared before leaving the tent. He walked back with Melek to tell the Elders about what would be transpiring the next day. While their talks had not gone exactly as planned, the result may turn out the same. Once Jared and the Nihad got a chance to talk to the other Loros tribe members, they would see that what Altair had claimed was indeed true. Altair turned to Melek as they walked. "Melek, i'm thankful that you were there for me today. To show me some sense." Melek shook his head, smiling slightly. "Don't worry about it. Like Jared said, that's what friends are for. To stand up for each other. And sometimes to tell them something they need to hear." Altair rubbed his jaw, which was developing a nice bruise where Melek had slugged him. "Yeah. And not always with words either." They both laughed.

As they arrived back at camp, Altair retreated to his tent, claiming he wanted to rest up for the day tomorrow. But in truth, he was studying. He wanted to know everything he could about the negative effects of using Mind Magic, and how to counter them. Preliminary tests proved nothing beyond simply being witness to the minds of others. But as he delved deeper... he still found nothing. This was puzzling. On the surface it offered no negative effects. So what was he missing? Looking up, he noticed that it was late into the night. Altair decided that it would be best to simply sleep on it. He had other things to work on in the meantime.

Waking up the next morning, he noticed that his jaw was incredibly sore and bruised. Pulling his staff out, he cast his Four Fold Sigil of Healing to take care of it. While he appreciated Melek's... persuasion... he didn't need it on his face. It would take a few minutes for full effect, but it would work. Altair spent the day tending sheep with some of the others, getting to know the people better, and meeting some of those he hadn't seen before, while waiting for the Nihad to arrive.

Jared and several members of his tribe arrived as the sun was setting. The horses had been brought in and secured and so they cautiously entered Loros land and made their way to the village. Jared had given specific instruction to those with him to mingle as much as possible and to keep a sharp ear out to gather as much information as they could about what had transpired when Altair had taken over the tribe.

Jared would approach Altair respectfully, but doubt still burned in his eyes. He felt it only proper to greet the tribe leader and the Elders first before going about mingling with the other tribespeople. The Nihad and the Loros had always been on good terms, even more so after Marcus had resolved tensions with some of the other smaller tribes. He found it hard to believe Altair’s words about Marcus, but there had been no sign so far that Altair was ruling the tribe in fear as Marcus had suggested. People were visiting and laughing, not a frown to be seen among the sheep herders.

“Alright, Altiar. No tricks, no magic. Just truth. If your words prove to be true, I will do what I can to mitigate the damage Marcus is spreading. If I find your words false, you can guarantee things will not go smoothly. Let me hear these testimonies. I warn you, my people are going around, asking questions to everyone they meet, so do not think you can fool me with the words of one or two people.”

"I guarantee you will find nothing of the sort. And just put any kind of doubt you may have of their words aside, no one besides the elders knew you were coming today. Your visit is unannounced to the majority of them, so you can expect truthful answers from anyone you speak to. Your people are welcome to ask whatever to whomever they wish." Altair swept his hand over the land as he spoke for emphasis. But his brow furrowed when he considered his next point. "Oh, and one more thing Jared. I know you have your reasons, though your thoughts may have changed while i was away, but i need to ask you to do something. War is coming, Jared. I don't know when, but i know from where. That much is certain. Kou will be upon us soon. And to fight them, we'll need the power of all the tribes, not just the largest. I understand that in the past you groomed fearsome warhorses for the Gats. Nearly weapons themselves, they charged over battlefields with no fear of death, giving every man a partner that they could count on till the gates of hell. I know that you stopped when the Gats lost power, for fear of others taking control of your tribes resources. But with Kou breathing down our necks, we'll need that power again, and soon. I will compensate you, and your tribe for your assistance. I'll give you the best land to train your horses and grow your crops, as well as promise you protection. But again. I cannot force you to do this. i can only ask that you consider it. I ask this because i am confident that you will see that i am being truthful with you. Even now, our people are talking and exchanging stories. Once you see that what i say is true, give me an answer. Until then, please, enjoy yourself. I will remain here, tending the sheep until you are satisfied." As if to make his point clear, he leaned down to pet a sheep that had wandered close to the men. It rubbed itself on his leg, clearly enjoying the attention, before going over to Jared to ask for the same.

Jared listened to what Altair had to say, rubbing his chin in thought. It was a dangerous thing Altair asked for, they had not trained warhorses in a long while, an agreement made to ease tensions with the other small tribes so they did not feel threatened. When a sheep butted up against his leg, he leaned to gently pet the creatures head with a smile. One thing could be said for animals. They may lack the intelligence of humans, but their ability to detect bad people was generally spot on and it was quite apparent that even with Altair’s absence, the sheep still loved him.

“Very well, Altair. I will give your words thought as I visit with your tribe and find out the truth of the matter. I make no promises, but I will consider them.”

Jared would then give Altair a nod before moving to visit with the Loros tribe. He greeted the Elders before joining in the chatter that was normal when tribes came together. With careful words, he probed about what had happened, getting a general feel for Altair’s leadership style and what had transpired when the man had taken over. The more people he spoke to, the obvious it became that Marcus had lied to him. Which left him to ponder on Altair’s request. While it was true they were very good at training warhorses, it was not something they had done in years. The trainers he needed were still in the tribe, though, and capable of fulfilling Altair’s request. With Altair’s offer to grant them more lands, including crop land, he did not think he could afford to turn down the request.

He leaned heavily on his staff as he stood staring out at a large flock of sheep, the gentle sounds the fluffy creatures made soothing. Horses tended to be quieter unless riled up, but sheep were vocal and their calls were reassuring. Making up his mind, he signaled to the other Nihad weaving amongst the Loros, calling them back to his side before he approached Altair. They all had received a similar story of Marcus and Altair’s spat, as well as what had followed with Altair’s mother.

“Altair, your words ring true, we all agree. As for our request… we will do it, on one condition. You ensure that the other tribes know we are doing this on your request. We stopped training warhorses to ease the minds of our land-brethren, wanting to keep tensions at a minimum. But if what you say is true, then warhorses will be needed. We will do what we can, in the time we have, we have several horses that would be perfect for your request and we will begin looking into trading some of the less suitable ones off for a heartier stock horse. We will also do you the kindness of letting others know that Marcus spews lies and filth. I cannot guarantee they will listen, but we will tell them of what we have learned this day and warn them of the incoming threat. Perhaps they will be able to help in other ways.”

He held out a hand to grasp Altair’s arm in a sign of trust and alliance.

“Do we have a deal, Altair Loros?”

Altair smiled wide, and gave a hearty clasp of the arms to Jared. "Agreed. I'm happy our tribes were able to reconcile after this unfortunate incident. May you and your people prosper under our agreement." Altair called a boy over and told him to write letters to the neighboring tribes saying that the Loros specifically asked for the assistance of the Nihad in preparation for the war effort, and that they are being conscripted to raise warhorses once again for this campaign. The boy nodded and ran off. Altair noticed that the sheep from earlier was still hanging around Jared. "He seems to have taken a liking to you. Why don't you take him? As a symbol of our alliance. My gift to you."

Altair would watch the Nihad depart before heading to sign the letters that the boy wrote. He sent them by Dart Owl, knowing that at this distance they should receive the letters by the morning of the next day. Afterwards, Altair told the Elders about the agreement with the Nihad, that the Loros would give them portions of land in exchange for their services training warhorses. Altair would adjourn then to his tent for a good night's sleep.

A few days later, after everything with the Nihad had been taken care of, Altair sent a message to the families in the Loros. The message read "Those who are of able body and courageous heart are called for training exercises to prepare to fight against Kou. Bring your Rods or another weapon you favor. We will meet in Lancing Field at precisely noon two days from now." Altair himself stood out in the field, having been warming up since dawn. He hoped that the Loros were as courageous as he remembered.

Altair’s call to arms for anyone in his tribe to seek out training met with quite a larger turn out than he might have expected. It was not just grown, able-bodied adults but younger children as well, each of them wanting to pitch in and help out as much as they could. Most of them knew that other tribes fought with Kou regularly, trying to keep the threat at bay, and were of the mind that it was past their time to do their part to defend their lands. The tribe did not have much in the way of weapons, most simply showing up with the staffs they used to shepherd the flock around, but some got creative, bringing large sticks, axes, bows, and hunting knives. There was even a stubborn girl of ten there, dagger in hand, a look on her face that she would not be refused her chance. Her parents had been killed by a Kou soldier and one of the other families had taken her in. This was her chance to get revenge for the loss of her mother and father, who had died making sure she could get away with her favorite pet sheep.

Altair would have to sort through the throng of people and assign them tasks appropriately without risking damaging anyone’s pride. Along with training for battle, however, the tribe would also require various supplies and other tasks that were equally important, all without letting the flocks suffer or go unattended. How he chose to divide these people up and train them would speak volumes as to the type of leader he intended to be.

---

Marcus and Aruno were discussing the best times and routes to bring troops in when a messenger arrived, panting heavily.

“Sir, we have confirmed the location of the person you asked about. We have also received word that we should be expecting a… guest, of the Emperor, to assist us.”

Aruno nodded, dismissing the messenger before looking to Marcus.

“Now, Marcus, are you certain that would be the best time to attack?”

Marcus nodded and smirked.

“The tribes keep a very regular rotation schedule, to keep the fields from growing barren. A tight schedule keeps the fields and the people happy, they won’t stray far from what information I gave you.”

Aruno gave a nod before turning to look back at the maps, waving the prior Tribe Leader away so he had time to think. If the Emperor was sending someone personally, then either he had lost trust in Aruno or he wanted to ensure victory by bringing in enough power to defeat whatever the tribes might throw his way. Either way, he needed to prepare for battle.

"Whoa."  Altair whispered.  He honestly never expected the turnout to be this large.  He thought he recognized members from other tribes among them as well, making him wonder if news of his training had spread a little farther than intended.  Altair unfurled his, newly acquired flying carpet that he got from a traveling merchant, and stood on it, flying up to a height of 20 meters so that everyone could see him.  He projected his voice as best he could, but there were those who still could not hear him.  Thankfully, there was a Sound Magician among those gathered who used a spell to amplify his voice.  "Such a big turnout!  To be expected of the Loros, always seeking to make ourselves better!  Now, i must make something clear.  Not all of you here are cut out to be warriors.  But i will find a use for all of you that have come, for you are clearly brave and courageous enough to bet your life on your tribe.  First of all, if you are younger than 14, please move to the hill.  You will not be fighting.  I will not have people saying that the Loros are cowards for using children.  I do have a use for you, but you will under no circumstance be on the fields of combat.  The rest of you, please separate yourselves by your strengths.  Fighters, magicians, beast tamers, archers, and those of you with other talents.  Do this while i speak to the children."

Altair flew over to the hill and stepped off.  The very first thing he heard was that of the young girl with the knife.  "I'm going to fight whether you want me to or not!  I'm big enough to do it!"  Altair stopped her with a hand, and knelt down.  "Listen to me.  All of you.  You are clearly brave, there is no doubt of that.  But the battlefield is no place for children.  The things you would see and be forced to do are too terrible.  Now, i'm not going to ask you to leave and go back to your families.  That would be insulting your courage.  Instead, i have a special job which only you can do.  You see, someone has to be quick-footed enough and have enough strength to run messages to those on different fronts.  You won't see any fighting, but you will have a huge impact on how the battles may turn out."  Altair could see that some of them, the little girl included, weren't on board yet, so he thought of an example.  "Say that one of the battlefields is under heavy fire from archers.  They say to one of you "Go get me some shield bearers".  So you run as fast as you can to base and give them the news.  The shield bearers move out then, potentially saving the lives of those on the field.  And you made that happen.  You see, alone you are merely one person, easily picked off in battle.  But by doing this, not only do you save lives, you could potentially turn the tides of battle in our favor.  This way, you are hundred of people, instead of just one."  He watched as many of the children got the message, nodding their heads in agreement.  But the girl with the knife stood fast.  "NO!  I have to avenge my parents!  They saved me!"  Altair remembered the little boy and girl from Heliohapt.  How the boy wanted only revenge, more than life.  This girl mimicked that boy.  And Altair knew what would work to change her mind.  "I see.  So, you want to die in a futile attempt to take from Kou what Kou took from you."  The girl looked shocked at his words, and was about to protest when Altair continued, grabbing the girl by the shoulders.  "You want only revenge.  You want it so much that you are willing to throw everything away.  How would your parents feel if they knew you were doing this?  I'll tell you what, they wouldn't be proud.  Altair changed his tone then, growing softer.  "You have a chance to do something great.  You have to stay strong, and know that by doing the job given to you that you are doing far more than you could with that knife you hold.  Stand up.  Be strong.  And help us the best way you can."  The little girl looked away for a second, but started to nod.  "I'm keeping the knife though."  Altair patted her on the head.  He sent them back into the village with instructions to practice their running.  They would have to run long and fast if they wanted to help.  He kept the little girl with him though, because she really wanted to help.

He got back on his carpet as the children ran off.  Now he needed to take care of the other groups.  Flying back up, he saw that he had far more warriors and beast tamers than the other groups, with archers coming in second, the special group in third and magicians in last.  He would have to weed out those who weren't suited for combat from all groups.  But how to do that?  The people who would be fighting would have to be ready for anything.  "How do you test for..."  Altair got it.  He signaled to the sound magician from before and then spoke.  "Alright.  First things first, i'm sure you're all thirsty from standing around, so let's go to the stream and have a drink."  He knelt down and gave the girl special instructions.  "Watch how they drink.  Tap them on the shoulder if they drink with both hands.  Be quick now!"  He said before letting her off the carpet.  She ran down the line, tapping people on the shoulder as she went.  Making it down the line in record time.  When the people finished with their drink, Altair called them to the field.  "I want to make something clear for all of you.  Before we even start, i need to know that you are committed.  I cannot guarantee your life.  This is war, not a friendly fight.  The men you fight will kill you without a second thought.  And if you do live, you may not be the same afterwards.  So, right now, i give any of you a chance to leave.  We will not think any less of you.  There are jobs that need to be done on the home front as well.  We cannot abandon our crops or our sheep.  Some of you should stay behind.  Do not think of walking away as being cowardly.  Instead, think of yourself as the one who will protect our ways of life.  For when all of this is over, you will be the ones to help us rebuild, heroes in your own right.  Those of you who wish to leave, do so now."  At his words, some people in the crowd began to walk away.  When all was said and done, he had lost perhaps 1/5th of the men and women.  To those remaining he spoke again.  "Now, i have perfomed a test, to see which of you has the strength of mind to endure the harsh fields of battle.  As i said before, you will not come out of the battles to come unchanged.  Whether that change is physical will be up to your skill as a warrior, but if that change is psychological, that will be something that no one can control.  And it is something that i cannot allow on the battlefield, both to protect you, and to protect those you fight alongside.  Those of you who were tapped on the shoulder, please step over here."  Altair said, pointing to an area to his right.  The people moved again, but this time the change was more startling.  Half of the numbers assembled moved to the right, but keeping to the ratio of types of fighters.

Altair spoke to the men on the right first.  "You here have shown that you do not possess the mind of a warrior."  Immediately this raised yells and concern from those in the group, but Altair quieted them with a hand.  "You were seen drinking from the stream with both hands.  You did not keep a hand on your weapon, or leave a hand open for action.  This speaks volumes of your personality.  You see the world as safe.  You see it as one that will not, and could not, surprise you with its violence.  This makes you a bad candidate for a fighter."  The yells started once again, and again Altair quieted them.  "Please understand what i am saying.  You are not fighters, because you are too connected to each other.  You feel more closely and more deeply than others.  These emotions are powerful, and while they are important to life, they are a strain on the battlefield.  Let me ask you this.  If one of your brothers fell on the battlefield while you were fighting another, would you abandon that fight to slay his foe?"  Many of the men responded with yes, while the others stayed quiet.  "You see, it is this reaction that makes you dangerous to those around you.  You are not fighters, because your passion burns to bright.  You are instead healers, smiths, tacticians, those who will support the men on the field from behind, pushing them forward with your faith in them.  Your passion fuels their fire, making them stronger, faster, better than they were before.  You give them a reason to fight.  And it is for exactly those reasons that you must remain behind.  I offer you this instead.  We will need supplies.  Weapons, food, clothes, animal handlers, and a steady stream of information.  Your passion for life makes you the best at these tasks, because you put your everything into them.  So,  return home.  And make preparations so that we can move at a moment's notice.  Your work will be the foundation upon which we build our armaments, and the wall which our enemies will never conquer.  Go, and use that passion to make us indestructible!"  Despite their original complaints, the men rallied, and moved back into the village to start their work.

Turning to the men remaining on his left, Altair congratulated them.  "You who remain have the potential to become great warriors.  But we have a lot of work to do to turn you into seasoned fighters."  Altair lowered the carpet and got off so that he was speaking at eye level then.  "Now, i may still make cuts from those of you that are here, based on your performance.  But this doesn't mean that we won't need you.  It simply means that you will have to work twice as hard to train yourself.  Now, let's get to work!"  Altair paired everyone off with someone of the same style of fighting as them, except for the archers whom he had work on their target practice by having them quick fire at magical targets made by a volunteer.  In the first round, they would determine who among them would win a fight, and then every subsequent round was spend teaching them, until they were able to win against that same opponent.  After that, they switched opponents to someone of a different style, and started again.  They would repeat this two more times, until everyone had fought every type of opponent.  From each group, Altair selected leaders, the best of the best, to train those beneath them.  Altair made sure to train them well, treating them like a real military.  Altair would stay with them personally for a full week before handing it off to the leaders he selected.  He made plans to check in often, to make sure the men were staying in top shape.  Everything seemed to be going the way it should.

Word of Altair’s call for warriors had spread amongst the smaller tribes and slowly more warriors trickled in to volunteer and were sorted into their respective specialties. Jared made good on his promise, wasting no time in setting up training areas for the horses and picking only his most talented of trainers for the task. It was no easy task, training horses to be comfortable around the sounds of battle, the metal clashing spooking them, the screams making them skittish, and the movement of the riders making them unsure of what they were supposed to be doing.

He spent tireless hours, personally overseeing the training, first getting the horses used to the overall noise of battle by having men from Altair’s warriors come train near them, the sounds of metal screeching eventually not spooking the first batch of horses. It would take weeks to form them into what Altair had requested, but he was lucky enough to still have one trained warhorse, his own mount, to lead by example. He went to bed each night saddle sore but knowing he was working towards a greater good. Within a week or two, another of the horse-driven tribes came with more horses to add to the training, the two tribes being on friendly terms and Jared’s tale of Marcus’ lies spreading almost as fast as the lies themselves. There were advantages to being a horse breeder, you could get word out quickly.

---

The Tjaq tribe was making their way quickly, Donnel wanting to arrive early to catch up with Altair. He had brought about 20 magicians with him, including Sophie, their most talented clairvoyance mage. They would arrive within the next day or so, judging by the fields of sheep they were coming across. As they traversed the plain, a group of 50 or so sheep had taken to accompanying them, the sheep used to simply following people moving towards ‘home’. Donnel chuckled as Sophie squealed and hugged a fluffy sheep to her chest. It looked like the winter coats of the creatures were coming in nicely and it showed they were well cared for. Sophie almost asphyxiated from squealing when a lamb came up and head-butted her side to get her attention.

It would be good to mingle amongst the sheep herders once more and his mages needed to see more of the world before they were sent off to Magnostadt.

The next morning, Altair heard the news of the Tjaq's arrival.  He went out to meet them himself, walking for a bit before seeing them coming over a hill.  "Donnel!  It's good to see you.  It's been what, seven years since we last met?  Back when my father was still tribe leader."  They exchanged pleasantries as they walked into the tribe, people coming out to meet them on the way.  "You know, you're a little early.  Its a good thing we got all of your preparations squared away.  You have tents set up over here for you.  Oh, would you like to see the men in training?  Perhaps your men could even join them while we visit the elders.  I know that some of our magicians could use a hand with their more complex spells."  Donnel raised an eyebrow at the mention of soldiers.  "I'll explain more at the meeting, but the short is that Kou is at our backs.  We must be ready at all times to respond to an attack.  That is why i organized some of the Loros into a militia.  Your men have my permission to join them if they wish.  If only for a little workout.  After you get settled of course."  Donnel smiled.  "Yes, i think that would be good for them.  Those that i brought haven't yet gone to Magnostadt for their training, so a little battle practice would do measures for their confidence."

Altair sent a one of his "runners in training" to the field with the news that some of the Tjaq would be joining them shortly.  Then once Donnel had arranged himself in his tent, he took him to the Elder's tent to greet them.  Altair opened the tent flap and entered.  "Elders, may i present Donnel Tjaq, the first of the tribe leaders to arrive."

Donnel was happy to let his students join in the training of the Loros tribe, the combat experience important because of the Academy entrance exam. He would visit with the Elders as his tribe got comfortable with the Loros members. He found the overall mood of the tribe to be upbeat, but determined to prepare for battle. It was almost like stepping into a tribe of one on the eastern front.

“Altair, you seem to be doing a good job of leading the tribe, thus far. I commend you. Not so many would be able to make such radical change in such a short period of time. I also hear the Nihad have returned to training warhorses for you. A wise step, if the threat you speak of is truly as bad as you say.”

He had his doubts about Kou managing to push this far into the Plains, but he would humor the man. After all, it would do no good to be caught by surprise, Magnostadt had made that mistake once and paid dearly for it.

---

Aruno was cautious with his plans, but a scouting party was necessary to determine what type of strength the Loros tribe had. They were large, but they were not combat-hardy so he wanted to see how much their numbers aided their cause. He spoke with several of his commanders before deciding to send a small contingent of 100 men to the Loros tribe, leaving several back to watch at a distance to see the outcome. He made sure the troops were made up of mostly their entry-level soldiers, not wanting to take good soldiers away from their training for a little test. He gave the orders and the troops prepared while Aruno looked over more plans. The sound of someone entering his tent made him look up and he arched a brow to see a familiar figure there, someone he was used to seeing at the side of the Emperor’s throne.

“Ah, Contractor. I assume you are here to escort our guest?”

The odd looking man with a top hat grinned and nodded before waving someone into the tent and Aruno’s eyebrows shot up. This was their guest?

---

The contingent of 100 troops waited until sundown to make their way towards the Loros tribe. It seemed as though there was a celebration of some sort going on and it was apparent the tribe was not expecting an attack. Commander Geo nodded before giving a yell and the 100 men went running towards the tribe with swords drawn, crying out their violent intent. Staying back with the Commander were 5 people on horses, their only task being to watch the events and report back without coming to harm.

It was late in the evening when Altair got wind of someone nearing their borders.  Altair looked to his runner that knelt before him.  "You're sure of this?  What did they look like, and how many?"  The man nodded.  "Kou soldiers, sir.  Just over one hundred of them, coming from the west."  Altair frowned.  It was too big to be just a scouting party, but not by much.  "Wait, did you say from the west?  But how?  They'd need intelligence on our whereabouts...  It's too late to think about that now.  How far away are they?"
"We have about an hour before they arrive at our border."
"That seals it.  They wouldn't be able to get that close that fast without us noticing unless someone is helping them.  Probably dear old Uncle.  Well, at least we know now instead of later.  But this doesn't give us much time to plan."  Altair thought hard.  They would be expecting an easy fight, probably a slaughter, before retreating.  Their numbers weren't big enough to fight an invasion, but they were bigger than a normal scouting party.  Altair snapped his fingers.  "They're testing the waters.  Seeing how prepared we are."  he thought.  A plan hatched in Altair's mind.  "Alright, everyone listen close, we don't have much time..."

Altair had issued an alarm, putting everyone who wasn't fighting into their tents. He split their forces into two parts, keeping one to surround the tribe, and putting one in line to receive the incoming forces. Archers in the back would launch two volleys, trying to take out as many as they could before the main force engaged. Altair was a clever fighter, and it took a lot to catch him by surprise, but as far as commanding a fighting force, he had never done anything like that before. Suddenly his father's insistence on him learning how to play chess made sense, and he wished he had listened back then. The two forces clashed, swords rang, spells ripped through the field, and beasts roared. Altair himself did not join the fighting directly, instead staying to the back to organize the troops as best he could. He told a runner to head into the village and tell him if anything happened while he was away.

Commander Geo watched from the back as the soldiers on the field engaged in combat. As arrows and swords came for them, the soldiers showed why Kou was such a fearsome force to collide with, even their least talented soldiers taking out at least two men before they were felled, with the exception of the 20 or so lost to the initial arrows. Once the soldiers knew to prepare for death from in front and above, they altered their strategy accordingly.

A signal from one of the other scouts made him look over, the whistle indicated some troops were trying to circle the village. With a return whistle, Geo ordered those soldiers nearest to him, approximately ten of them, to focus on protecting their retreat while calling anyone able to into an organized retreat. They were expendable and Geo felt no remorse about leaving behind those that delayed in the order. Two of the scouts on horses took arrows, any information they had falling with them to the ground. It would not take long for the remaining troops and Geo to retreat, the ten soldiers buying them enough time to be out of danger’s way. He had lost just over half of his troops in this testing of the Loros tribe, but the number of magicians on the field indicated it was more than just the Loros. Marcus had specifically stated the Loros tribe did have magicians, but not very many.

Geo contemplated the strategy as he rode quickly back to the main camp, not allowing his horse to slow. They were more prepared than he had expected but still nothing that would prove too troublesome for their full contingent.

---

Lilly giggled as she skipped beside the Contractor, who gave her a humoring smile. The troops attacking at the front would provide ample distraction to allow Lilly time to become more accustomed to her new dark metal vessel. The young psychopath was enjoying her field trip to the Loros tribe and wasted no time in cutting through the few guards at the opposite end of the village from the main attacking group. She was ruthless and joyous in her slaughter as she killed with the black dagger she had been given. At the prompting of the Contractor, she focused her will to feed magoi into the dagger, something the Contractor had taught her how to do.

She felt the power feed into the vessel and suddenly the small blade dagger seemed to absorb the blood around her from the guards she had killed and the dagger itself formed into something more similar to a lance. The lance glowed red with the blood of those she had slain and she felt more powerful than she ever had before.

“Now remember, you can do more than just slice with that toy, Lilly.”

The Contractor’s reminder made her giggle madly and she entered a tent before calling on the power of her Djinn Weapon Equip and pointing the glowing lance at the terrified mother huddled before her, herding her children behind her to try and protect them. The mother’s efforts would mean nothing as she felt an odd sensation followed by pain and she looked down. Lilly bounced as she watched the Blood magic work. By combining water magic and life magic, she was able to call on the water and the bacteria in the blood to manipulate the flow of blood itself. With a laughing order, the blood in the mother’s veins suddenly expanded as it tried to rush from the woman’s skin, breaking veins and capillaries.

The two children huddled behind their mother gave confused screams as their mother keeled over without being touched but Lilly did not allow them to suffer as orphans for long, using the lance to slice through both of them. The lance was light as air, making it easy for the tiny child to manipulate. She only took the time to pick a small trinket from the tent before moving on to the next. By the time she made her way out of the third family’s tent, cries of alarm were drawing more forces to her end of the village and she could see people running towards the other end of the village. There was no doubt that soon her fun would be over, but the Contractor did not seem in a hurry to drag her away just yet, so she looked for her next playmate.

The enemy started to retreat, but the cost to their own numbers was great.  Altair lost close to 100 fighters in the combat.  The Kou soldiers were well trained, and his own forces had only been training for a few days at most.  They couldn't in their current state combat a full invasion.  Which is no doubt what would soon follow.  Altair was helping the soldiers return, and getting the wounded to the healers when he was approached by one of his runners.  the boy was in tears, and clutched at a place where his arm used to be.  He was bleeding profusely, as if the blood in his body was actively trying to escape.  Altair caught him before he fell to the ground, blood now starting to come from his eyes and nose.  It was a horrifying sight.  "Son, please, you have to tell me who did this to you.  Please, stay with me now.  I NEED A HEALER!  Stay with me, stay with me!  What happened?"  The kid barely spoke two words, "A girl," before he practically burst, blood pouring from every pore on his skin in an explosive fashion.  Altair was covered in blood, holding the bones and entrails of what used to be a boy of no older than ten.

Altair stood slowly, and walked into the village.  He drew his blade, following a trail of blood until he saw her from a distance, right as she killed another young child.  He whispered, straining to contain his rage.  "Oh great spirit of insight and resolve, I command thee and thy household.  Dwell in my body, and transform me into a great liberator.  Reave, Caim."  Magoi flashed, changing Altair into his Djinn Equip.  He charged forwards, completely silent, but with a fury that threatened to destroy the very earth beneath him.  Using Caimian Kosshi, he moved to push the sphere of Razor Magic into her, and then follow up with a vertical slash from his blade.  He didn't even think of causing her pain, he was well past that.  He simply wanted her dead at his feet.

Abilities:

Magoi/Stamina: 240/300

Lilly giggled as her blood lance struck through three more people, tribe members that were only trying to escape the carnage. She skipped towards a child frozen in fear.

“Play with me, no one else is any fun!”

The child sobbed as the lance almost pierced her body, stopping with just the tip embedded in flesh and Lilly fed magoi into the lance. The lance glowed brightly as it attracted the blood in the girl’s body, drawing it up the tip and twining around the length of the lance, making it glow brighter. The girl fell over from the blood loss just as Altair came rushing forward. Lilly frowned in petulance at the man before his attack would slam into an invisible wall, the impact making a shimmer appear in a sphere around Lilly. Behind her within the protective sphere, an odd-looking man emerged from a magic transfer circle. The Contractor looked Altair up and down before setting a hand on Lilly’s shoulder.

“You can’t play with him, not yet. He might break your toy. But how about we bring him along to play?”

Lilly began to throw a tantrum at being told she could not play but the promise of a playmate cheered her up. With a wave of his cane, Altair would find himself in a bubble and forcible moved into the transfer circle with them before the trio vanished.

If one were to look around, they would see the carnage the small child had wrecked upon this village. Everywhere for almost 50 meters was blood and bodies, well over 100 people having fallen to Lilly and her new ‘toy’. She had taken a liking to the blood lance, though it was harder to use than her dagger, it made for prettier art. The survivors of Lilly’s rampage being quickly tended to by the healers, Donnel himself rushing about to try and heal what he could.

The Tjaq tribe leader would rush up just in time to see Altair disappear with the Contractor.

As the date of the meeting quickly approached, more and more tribe leaders came in with members of their respective tribes. After Donnell, the next to arrive was Muti Muzzafar and five members of his tribe, setting up their tents near the edge of the Loros village and keeping to themselves, content to simply observe until the date of the meeting. Within a week, Akil Hamal and forty of his tribe members trickled in, greeting the others in the Loros tribe in a rambunctious manner, eager to hear about Altair’s plans. Shockingly, three days after Akil arrived, the shadow of a golden griffin was seen before Fatimah Ishraq landed, her face cold as she looked around. She had not initially intended to be at the meeting, but the large movements of Kou troops from Balbadd had spiked her worry and she had come to see for herself what was going on.

The absence of Altair was noted but the tribe leaders knew something must be done.

---

Commander Geo snorted and shook his head as he discussed plans with General Aruno, slamming his hand on the table.

“That was a cheap trick. I am a soldier, not a butcher. What you sent her to do was inexcusable, General.”

“Bite your tongue, Commander. If you do not have a stomach for war, I suggest you report back to my father with your resignation. Perhaps he will let you keep your head. But I am not losing this opportunity to show my father that, illegitimate or not, I am more worthy of leading once he is gone than that pansy Yoshiro.”

Geo groused and stomped out of the tent, shooting a glare at the odd-looking man and his tiny demon friend. The horror that small girl had spread would only get them all killed in the end.

Aruno pondered on his Commander's words but knew that he had to strike soon and strike hard. The rest of the troops had nearly arrived and they planned to march on the Loros on the night of the full moon with a force 5,000 strong.

The Contractor paced around Altair’s unconscious form. Thus far, the man had shown an incredible amount of resistance, but the Magi was beginning to see the cracks in the King Candidate’s resolve. It would not take much more to begin turning Altair to depravity. Perhaps it was time to bring Lilly back. With the recent unfortunate events in Reim, her services would no longer be needed there.