Braziers situated all over the streets of Illiage had a soft glow, shadows dancing against their weak lights. A normally somber town with little to no activity, the past days have seen Illiage filled with the hustle and bustle of the housing of a small detachment of the Lyrian Royal Army. Terial grimaced amidst checking the arrows he had with him. He was one of the scouts the eager young captain of the company employed, and tomorrow was to be the beginning of his work.

He was perturbed-fighting between both Lyre and Shalean had escalated, and now a small rebellion. Already the nation was in turmoil, what selfish souls could add to the suffering by attempting to break off the king's sovereign rule? Already a company -his company-had been wasted to quell it. Much needed men diverted from where the real battlefield was...

He shivered, and pulled his cloak close. He needed sleep soon, but before that it was always best to be prepared...

---------------------------------------------

J'aime stared emptily on his mug. Normally he enjoyed a good drink, but not tonight. Around him laughter and chatter clung heavily, as the tavern was host to a bunch of soldiers, and, as was their wont, bored soldiers tended to become rowdy. He himself was guilty of this; a devilish rogue he enjoyed scuffles, and troubles but not tonight. He was to go home tomorrow, but not in a way he wanted. Truly, not in a way he ever dreamed of…

His thoughts were clouded, but one overall theme dominated it all: 'why?', and why indeed? He had always thought of his home, Se'rin, as loyal to the throne. What could have pushed this rebellion? Especially in the midst of a war that had been lasting for five years. He himself had joined the Lyrian army with the whole village's blessings, so, why...?

"You alright lad?" His friend and mentor, Sakai, asked noting his morose mood. "Hmm?" Lifting his head J'aime allowed himself a half-hearted smile. "Just fine..." He remarked. "It's the mission, isn't it?" the more experienced soldier asked with worry. J'aime tilted his head; Sakai knew where he was from. He was the only one who did actually, as the two were just borrowed for the duration of the campaign. "It's nothing...I'm loyal to the crown..." Sakai just nodded grimly. "Indeed," he murmured pensively. "Indeed..."

---------------------------------------------

Tyerein raised a hand-a gesture of peace. Just from the edge of her sight she could see shadows return the gesture, and disappear as abruptly as they came. That didn't worry her though-you had to have sentries when staging a rebellion.

She had just come back from the nearest town a good two days away from Se'rin. The village people were loath to send her away on this errand-though she herself was eager-but she had not been well known to outsiders, and being female made her all the more unassuming. She and her brother kept to themselves mostly avoiding outsiders. It had only been the villagers of Se'rin that had ever known of their existence. Two siblings surviving together in the woods after all weren't a normal thing, and ever since her brother had left she had grown in her skills-another reason they let her go.

Her steps were made in haste, but she kept alert in case more sentries came upon her. She was a little worried of course, and with reason. The news she brought had danger all over it...

Abruptly tucking stray light brown locks behind her ears Tyerein shuddered. The village she had gone to was rife with rumors brought by merchants, and people who had been to Illiage, the nearest and only town in the immediate area.

They reacted earlier than expected, she thought worriedly. But at least they were expected...hopefully we can prepare...

---------------------------------------------

Jariel rummaged through his old books. It had been ages! He never thought he'd have to once again use the arts, but it was his fault... He had told them of the prophecy, he was trying to dissuade them from their brash actions, but he had failed, and what he told only strengthened their conviction to rebel. Why? The future, they knew the result, so, why...?

"Because we want to live..."

That puzzled him. Live? How could you live in death? How was that possible? The people of Se'rin were committing suicide, and he couldn’t understand why they claimed it was in order to live. As he searched lines played again and again inside his head. Verses painstakingly memorized. It was ironic that what he learned was playing out before him.

The shadows hearken making the two Titans of the east shiver, and clash.
Much blood on either side be spilled. Much wounds attained.
For a decade they must fight, neither winning, neither losing.
Always bleeding...

But from the Titan Lïr comes hope. A defiant limb to be chopped,
more blood as price to pay, but pay it must.
From their blood sprinkled will there be an Eye, shared by both.
An eye to open, an eye to see...

The Titan Shean whose arms entangle Lïr. Lost in combat, always in wrestle,
Fingers intertwine, and the eye strengthens.
It is through these ten that prepares the open.

One Eye, the rogue, of both yet of none,
The all seeing, the guardian against shade.
One Eye of Twilight and may peace pervade...

"Ah-hah!" In his triumph Jariel paid little heed to the dust. This was it! His old spell book! To think he would use it again... "From their blood sprinkled will be an eye," he whispered. He doubted he would survive, but this foolishness had already started. He could run of course, but he felt himself compelled to see it through now. "The Twilight Eye..."

It wasn’t everyday you get to see prophecy unfold after all…

---------------------------------------------

Darrel walked through the main street of Illiage resplendent in his officer's uniform. His armor was shined, and what little light was there gleamed against it, and his sleeve in fine colors of blue proudly displayed his rank. He was just recently appointed captain of a detachment of the Lyrian Royal army's 10th light infantry division, and though proud of his rank, he was disgusted at the fact that all he had to show for it was a mission away from the main fighting to stamp out a group of rebellious villages. It would be a quick mission though as he surmised that his untrained foes were mere rabble unable to truly poise as a challenge.

Abruptly his junior officer Seilil-Seilil, a competent soldier, but lacking the ambition to go far-came to him pressing his open palm, and closing his legs together by his left leg before bowing in the Lyrian salute. "Sir the scouts are ready, and the men but prepare and will be ready as soon as the sun rises high over our heads..." He remarked with the tone of a man just doing his job. Darrel nodded merely. "Good," he said. "Is it wise though to go on when we were directed to wait for soldiers from the 30th light infantry division to bolster our forces?" A lack of ambition, Darrel repeated in his head now in contempt. "These are men likely armed with pitchforks, and slings. They will be but cattle to the slaughter...follow your orders soldier." There was little argument in his voice, and left with no other options Seilil’s mouth tightened, and his free hand was balled in a fist, but it was in obedience that he bowed. “I will make sure your directives are followed then,” he said barely suppressing the protest in his face. “May Ineoil’s voice always find you, and may you listen to its guidings…” He finished in the traditional farewell before taking his leave.

---------------------------------------------

Terial check his gear one last time. His face was hidden by his hood obscuring it in the shadows. It was a chilly morning with the sun not even up yet, but they had their others, and they were to go as soon as possible.

He turned to the others that were to travel with him. The 10th light infantry had, at the moment, ten scouts though aside from Terial only one other were to go. Instead two men were sent from the 3rd Rangers division. Abruptly his thoughts came to the Rangers, small company of soldiers who worked well in small groups, and never fought out in the open. They were some of the most useful soldiers, but also one of the most sparse as they only constituted of five divisions. In the course of warfare he had seen so many unlikely things, but even this was improbable. The lending of Rangers were unheard of, much less two of them. He wondered why, of course, but his mind came with no answers.

J'aime and Sakai were both silent. Already J'aime's shoulders drooped laden with the weight of where he was headed. Sakai's eyes were on his bowstring, as it glimmered shyly with a silken quality. He knew it was a sad fate that befell the lad, but he knew that was how life worked. He sighed resignedly, and waited for the signal to start.

Satisfied Terial looked to the three, and nodded. They were professionals of course. Soldiers who had survived war for so long. They knew what they were doing, and without any other word they made to leave their cloaks billowing with the cool morning air.