Stannir looked around with the soldiers all lined up ready to march out. He walked out in front. "Lets move warriors... We're going to hold this point, the longer we hold the point the more we take their flag... That is our job today... Hold the line and draw more of their group to us... Understood?"
"Sir... Yes, sir." Stannir smiled. "Lets move out..." He waved his hand and led the warriors out of the keep and into the forest. He looked down at the copy of the map he was given and followed the path until he hit the first point. He stopped and looked around listening to the sounds around him. "Warriors... Now is the time for quiet... We'll have half on one side hidden off the path, and the other half on the other side... When they arrive, form the line we have been training, and than I will push them from the rear squeezing them. Now move... And be quiet about it."
He watched the warriors move off to the side of the paths, and lay in wait. He smiled. "They didn't turn out bad at all..."
"That sounds like you are proud of yourself..." He smiled, nodding. "Yes, I'm proud of the work they did... They may not fight well with swords, and spears, even bows, but get them in a line with spears and shields... No one is getting passed them easily at all."
"Good plan for them... You taught them a technique, that they can understand, and easy for them to use together." He looked at Salina with a smile. "Its what they are best at... Holding a line, and thats all they need to do, while I move around taking the enemy out."
"What about the snipers, if they go through here as well?" Stannir shook his head. "They won't come this way... Those with bows and fire weapons, will want high ground... However, we have a very scary falcon flying up there waiting for them to arrive, and an even scarier storm just waiting to blow them away."
"Will Mouse and the brothers be fine." He nodded his head. "Mouse could wipe everyone off the map, but chooses not too... The brothers are going to cause trouble at their keep, they're the ones I'm least worried about."
"Than who are you worried about the most?"
He turned and looked at the hiding warriors, and walked over to a tree pushing it over the path.
"SNNAP! CRASHHHHH!"
"The ones I'm worried about the most, is this group here. That is why I'm here. This is the weakest link, and you do remember the old monster saying where a firewarrior should be?" He sat against a tree trunk watching the path ahead of him in the distance. He turned and looked at Salina sitting next to him. "I remember what he said, and I always see it replayed again and again in your dreams, when you aren't dreaming of me." Stannir felt his face start to turn red as he felt Salina'a head rest on his shoulder. "Should I be jealous you dream of the old monster?"
He shook his head. "I remember when he was shouting at me... It reminds me that I can't run from responsibility..."
"That also means, you also don't be stupid and run into something you know isn't a winnable situation." He nodded. "Yes... I won't... I'll do what I can for the unit, and make sure they hold them here as long as possible." Stannir looked up at the sky watching as the stars started to shine through the tree tops. "A beautiful evening, turning into a beautiful night..." He looked down at the path in thought. "If I was them, they should of left by now, and have started heading this way to have our keep already surrounded by sunrise."
"Are you sure they will do that?" Stannir nodded. "It's the only way to try and get some sort of surprise especially if they want to do hit and run tactics." He watched as Salina nodded. "That makes sense, so, why this path?"
"This path is the most direct, widest and quickest route to each keep, its been slightly cleared for a reason." Stannir looked down the path, and than looked up at the sky. "I guess in half a mark they'll be here." He turned and looked at the hidden units near him and nodded. "They'll be here soon... Prepare yourselves." He heard slight movement around him as the warriors got ready around the fallen tree. He stretched his arms, and stood up stretching his legs. "This will be a nice warm up..."
"Remember no killing..." Stannir nodded. "I won't forget that... We are all comrades in arms here, both trying to fight the same enemy in the future." He sat back down and focused on the road ahead. He looked at Salina staring at him. "What is it? Do I look weird in my armor or something on my face?"
"Hahaha... No it isn't that... This is how a general should be... With their warriors, ready and waiting for the battle to begin... You're becoming a great leader... My general." He watched as she saluted him and felt his face turn red. "You have never done that before... Why now?"
"The reason why now, is because I know your heart, and I know what you're thinking... Ignore those thoughts of feeling low and not strong enough... Now you need to lead and show your team, and the warriors around you that you mean business... Also, that you are serious about becoming a guard, with your fire eater unit as your support."
Stannir stood up and walked to Salina to hold her...
"Crack... This is the fastest way to their keep... They won't see us coming at night... Our firewarrior is very smart." Stannir crouched down and formed gloves on his fists. He looked at the warriors crouching ready and waiting for him. He nodded. "They're a little early... It seems they left before dark."
"I wonder what their faces will look like when they see us surrounding them in the morning?"
"Hahaha... I bet they'll be scared shitless, and just hand the flag over to us."
Stannir smiled and waited for them to stop at the tree trunk frowning. "There's quite a large force here... We better hold them, so the others can do their thing."
"They'll be fine, like you said they would... Now focus on this battle."
"How much further do we have to go from here?"
"Just a few more hours... We're getting closer to those that enjoy living in their shells... A guard of the Supreme, doesn't stay in a shell. They come out and fight."
"Hahaha... You sound like him... Where is he by the way?"
"Oh, he told me he is going for higher ground, while the others are with our shadow taking to the trees to break the shell open from the inside."
Stannir shook his head smiling. "They won't be getting past them... I trust them wholly to complete their mission... Especially Mouse." He felt his body shiver when he said the name, and his heart rate started to increase. "Just saying his name, makes me want to spar with him... I need to cool down." He took a long breath and let it out as he watched the group stop at the fallen tree.
"Lets keep moving... We can rest when we get there and light the campfires around the keep... They will never know what hit them." Stannir waved at the warriors around him and slowly moved behind the large group. He stood up and waved his hands at them. "Sorry to disappoint, but we'll have to hold you here." He smiled as the warriors formed up and created a perfect line with their spears out ready for them to attack.
"Ambush... Get ready... Release the signal." Stannir ran forward and punched the soldier that was about to throw something into the air. "Sorry I can't allow you to do that... We just need to have a little chat about a few things?"
He carried the passed out soldier with him and put him on the ground. He turned and stood as the enemy soldiers started to form a line against him, and the spear line he had spent time training. "I thought we were going to talk... Pity."
"What do you want to talk about? Surrender? Changing sides?" Stannir shook his head. "I wanted to talk about, how would you feel if you just dropped your weapons, and let us keep walking to your keep?"
"Our keep is safe... No one will get in there without being seen by our archers and snipers." Stannir smiled and played with a glove on his hand. "See... For some strange reason I doubt you... Just like I'm sure that any snipers around here are on my side, and they're already on the hunt."
"Call the shadow... He'll come." Stannir moved again causing another person to fall on the ground, and he threw that person near the first he had punched. "As I told you, I can't allow for that to happen... All I wanted was to talk. I don't think you'll survive if we started fighting."
"Hahaha... Funny... This guy is funny. He has a line of spears pointed at us, and he isn't worried at all." Stannir pointed at him and nodded. "That person is smart... You should also have a look at their armor... Someone I know worked very hard on it... I don't think any of you have a chance to get past us... So are you willing to talk?"
"Maybe we'll just keep you here, so when our units get to your keep, there'll be no one there to defend it, since it seems you are all here."
"Hahahaha... Funny." He pretended to wipe a tear from his eyes. "I don't think everyone is here, its just us."
"He's right... See its just him and those soldiers. He got the same number of soldiers just like us, but their weapons and armor seem impressive."
"Carin said the forge was dead... Could their forge be working, and they were given an advantage?" Stannir shook his head. "Allow me to answer that for you. Our forge was dead as well, but our blacksmith did some crazy stuff, and got it working. Another one of my team helped with the sourcing of materials... So we did well I think..." He looked at them with a smile. "Do you still want to try us?" He took a step forward and swung his fists in the air with a few practice swings.
"Don't worry there... We'll get through here, and we'll beat you black and blue, and find out what other things your team members can do... We'll bring them to our side, when we become guards."
Stannir smiled. "I don't think any of you have the qualities for them to follow you, or even think about joining your team... Don't forget my shadow took all your tags..."
"Enough talking... He's just making us waste time, so we can't support the others at the keep... Attack." Stannir smiled. "Hold the line..." He jumped into the middle of the enemy line punching and throwing kicks causing whoever they touched to fall onto the ground unconscious. He looked up at the others about to attack his warriors smiling. "Do you think you can take them on and me at the same time?"
"Your fight is with me..." Stannir turned and smiled at the newcomer. "Hello... I have been waiting for one of the five to come and play with... May I know your name?"
"I'm the team blacksmith, and boxer Carin... I will beat you to a pulp and get you to tell me how your blacksmith did that." Stannir turned and looked at the warriors holding the line. "Keep holding... Just liked we trained in." He looked at Carin, with a smile. "Our blacksmith is quite secretive with his skills... Even if you managed to meet him, he would push you so far into the ground with his skills, you wouldn't have any idea that you lost or how you lost... You see he moves like the wind."
"I see. so he uses batterys? That's the only answer. A fraud of a blacksmith than." Stannir scowled at Carin. "No he doesn't use batterys, however you have broken one of my rules, and for that you have to pay with a few broken arms and legs."
'You're threatening me, because I said your blacksmith was a fraud? It seems I touched a sore spot... Than listen to this idiot... YOUR BLACKSMITH IS A FRAUD AND AN IDIOT!"
"SMACK!" Stannir jumped and landed in front of Carin, punching him in the face causing Carin to fly back and land in a heap on the ground. "Carin... You have pissed me off. People should never... ever... piss me off." He started running towards Carin watching as he slowly stood up, shaking his head. "Bring it..."