text: [Themes: grimdark fantasy, grimdark, villain protagonist, serious, fantasy, dystopia, war]
  
  Year 0
  
  "Is this the one?"
  "Yeah I guess."
  "What do you mean you guess? It either is or it isn't."
  "I dunno I lost the list."
  "You what? That's just great. You realize how much we're going to get our asses chewed out because of your fuck up? I'm sick of paying for your mistakes."
  "Will you calm down? How the hell are they gonna know anyway? You seen one ugly little baldy, you've seen 'em all. All babies look the same."
  "Not the elven ones."
  "Enough with your elf fetish. These babies are all under the care of the Empire anyway, they're here for the taking.
  "Yeah, the key word being the Empire. You know we need the proper paper work, which you just fucking lost!"
  "So what, I can forge it. You really worry too much, there's so much red tape they ain't gonna know the difference and what does it matter? The Empire's getting a body for their purposes anyway."
  "Yeah, but you know how they like the best."
  "How the fuck can they really tell at this age? They do all the real testing later. Look he's got all his limbs, and he doesn't display any signs of impurity. I'd say he's a prime candidate for whatever they have in store for this poor little bastard."
  "Yeah I guess...damn. I can't imagine what it's like being brought up like that."
  "Me either, this program has only been going on a few years, but I've already heard some fucked up stories about it...y'know its things like this that sometimes make me question the logic of our glorious leaders."
  "Shhhh! Are you mad? Don't talk like that! It's not our place to question anything, we're just supposed to do our jobs! Besides, the logic is quite obvious. If they train people from birth they'll have superior combat skills and utter loyalty to the Empire."
  "That's my point though. Is it really necessary? The Empire already produces so much propaganda that it does the job pretty well in producing loyal citizens and if that doesn't work it also instills so much fear in most that even if someone wanted to start a rebellion; it's highly unlikely they would."
  "Don't be so sure, it has happened in the past."
  "The past? When? Like four hundred years ago when the Empire was still in its own infancy? Pfft. Wouldn't happen anymore and as for having elite combat troops, again what's the point? We've already got camps to train elite groups like the Shadow Guard who are not to be fucked with and we have more than enough resources to create an army of golems that would be just as loyal and kick the shit out of our enemies."
  "Look, I don't want to talk about this anymore! Our superiors have their reasons, as does the Emperor! Let us just take this baby and be done with this task!"
  
  The two clerks left the infirmary with you that day where upon you were accepted as a suitable candidate and put into The Eternal Program.
  
  You don't remember too much during the time of your very young years, except that you are mostly confined to a room where all your basic needs are met. On a daily basis, a couple bigger people come in to check on you. They have you perform various physical tasks as well as spending time to teach you things like basic reading and writing. Sometimes they ask you various questions and write down your responses while other times they come in and stab you with painful needles with fluid in them. (You don't like those times)
  
  You don't really understand it all, except that you know that the Emperor is always watching you. He is everywhere even if you don't see him. He is keeping an eye on your actions and you must always obey his will, lest you be punished. You know this to be true because you have this repeatedly told to you.
  
  Eventually your relative isolation would come to an end.
  
  > Continue
  Year 5
  
  You are sitting in a gray room at a desk with several other children your age. All of you glance at each other a lot and it is obvious that there is much curiosity, but nobody speaks. This is very unusual for you, up until now, you have only had minimal contact with others. Most of them are male like you, but a few of them are female.
  
  Soon the silence comes to an end when a dark skinned woman walks into the room. She has long hair and sharp features. One thing you notice is that despite her long hair covering her ears you can still see that the tips of them are pointed. She must be elven, but in the pictures you've seen in books, you've never seen one with dark skin before.
  
  "Hello children, and congratulations on maintaining dignified silence during your time by yourselves. It's nice to see that your previous human minders aren't totally incompetent. Still, if you were Svelk children you would've been much better trained by now. Ah, but it is not my place to dwell on the limitations of the lesser born. I am merely here to oversee your training into proper Eternals so that you may serve the Emperor to your fullest capabilities. Now before we begin, I suggest you all ask questions now, because this will probably be the only time I will be in the mood for your ignorance."
  
  For a moment nobody speaks, but when the elven lady insists, one brave soul raises their hand.
  
  "Yes, you."
  "Are you an elf?"
  "Yes, I am. While the ignorant would use the vulgar term dark elf to describe me, my kind are more properly known as the Svelk. In fact WE are the purest of the elven race. All others you may have the misfortune of meeting are merely diluted members of our bloodline. They are truly pitiful creatures really only fit for extermination. Remember this."
  
  "Yes, you."
  "What is your name?"
  "My name is unimportant, but you and the rest will always address me as Mistress. Failure to do so will earn my wrath, and more importantly the wrath of the Emperor. Remember this."
  
  "Yes, you."
  "What will you teach us?"
  
  A second passes after the question, when a small bolt of light from the Svelk's finger tips and hits the child in the chest asking the question. He falls backwards out of his chair and on to the floor. The rest of you jump in your own chairs and look back at him. He is breathing very erratically.
  
  "I will teach you to OBEY my commands when I give them!" Mistress shouts, she then warns the rest of you.
  
  "Don't you dare touch him, let alone help him! (Sigh) And here I thought you lot had been trained better! It occurs to me that I will have to be extra strict in my discipline. As to the question about what I will teach you... I will teach you to be warriors. I will teach you to be wizards if you display the talent. I will teach you to shed yourselves of weakness. I will teach you to serve the Emperor without question and kill without mercy and you will always obey for you will find strength in obedience. You will find joy in order. You will find love in murder. You shall be instruments of terror and genocide if he so wishes it. You will be Eternals...or you will die. Remember this."
  
  After Mistress' speech, the child she struck down eventually struggles back up and gets back in his seat, clutching his chest and still wheezing.
  
  "I trust you have learned your lesson?"
  "Y...yes...Mistress..." he gasps.
  "Good, now one more question before we begin...you there. What is your question? Speak up!" Mistress demands while pointing at you, though you have not raised your hand.
  
  You don't wish to disagree with Mistress, so you stumble and try to think up a question.
  
  "Uh...er...I was just wondering when will you teach us to fight Mistress?"
  Mistress raises an eyebrow and gives a smirk as she approaches you.
  "Fight? And what makes you think that YOU are even ready to learn yet? Do you have even the slightest knowledge of combat tactics?"
  "No, Mis..." before you can even complete the sentence Mistress knocks you out of your chair with a quick jab with her hand, the pain from your face spreads to your chest when Mistress steps on it with her boot. She digs it into you and presses all her weight on it, while the rest of your class looks on.
  
  "Damn right, no you don't. You weren't even alert enough to anticipate my attack. You let me get in close and now look at you, you're completely at my mercy. I am in a position to do whatever I like with you, while you are only in a position to beg or die. So what will it be worm? Are you going to beg for your miserable life, or should I save the Empire's time and money by killing you now?"
  
  > Beg
  The pain is great and you want it to be over with as quickly as possible so you cry out and scream for mercy to Mistress. To this, she merely laughs cruelly and continues to step on your chest.
  
  "Ha ha ha ha! If this was a real fight do you think an enemy would should you mercy? You truly are pathetic, how did the Empire ever decide that YOU would be a worthy candidate to be an Eternal? Begging for your wretched life as if it was important. It isn't. Your life is nothing! ALL of your lives are nothing! Your lives will never be anything more than warm bodies to serve the Emperor! The question is, will you even be able to live up to that honored status? The answer is no, if you do not learn mercy is for the weak. Remember this."
  
  At this point Mistress finally takes her foot off of you and much like your other classmate hit by her magic bolt, you slowly get up and back in your seat, clutching your chest. You sniffle and try to keep yourself from crying, but the tears are still there. A glare from Mistress causes you to quickly wipe your eyes and try to compose yourself the best you can.
  
  Time passes by under the harsh guidance of Mistress. She teaches you all that she promised she would and then some. Your lessons are not only that of a combat nature, but of an academic one as well. You wouldn't be aware of it, but you and your classmates are probably much better educated than other children your age.
  
  As for you, Mistress never lets you forget of how you begged for your life in front of everyone. While it is true that she sadistically taunts everyone at one time or another, it doesn't make your emotional and psychological scars go away.
  
  This shame you experience causes you to become more insecure and you constantly feel the need to prove to everyone that you aren't weak. When you are called upon to spar with your fellow classmates, you always fight aggressively. For the most part you usually win, and you typically break a few bones of some of your fellow classmates. The lessons of being humiliated by Mistress have not been forgotten. You can't ever let yourself be put in a vulnerable position again and you must be brutal, it's the only way you'll be able to please the Emperor.
  
  Your personality doesn't go unnoticed by your instructor and watchers, they make note of it and decide how you should be handled in the next step of your training.
  
  Year 12
  
  You are in a room with a few of your fellow classmates standing in a row. Most of your class has been separated for reasons unknown to you. All you know right now is there is a scarred orc in worn battle armor arguing with a well dressed man who is human. They are speaking about you, but not actually speaking TO you...
  
  "What? I thought the whole point of this program was to create an elite fighting group like the Shadow Guard, why are you splitting them up and intending to put some of them in regular military units?" the orc questions.
  "Things have changed since the program's inception. Besides, if the latest military reports are any indication I'd say you could use a better quality of recruits, or at least I hope that's the problem and it isn't due to a lack of proper training." the man dressed in black formal wear calmly retorts.
  "Hey! I train every grunt I get to be the best killer they can be! I've conquered more territory for the Empire than anyone! My record speaks for itself and I could do a hell of a lot more if you put me on the front lines again, so don't try to tell me I'm not doing my fucking job!"
  "Be that as it may, I'd say you still could benefit by having a few Eternals in your ranks, if nothing else than to be a good example."
  "Good example? HAH! We haven't even seen one of these so-called Eternals in action yet! It's all been just speculation, and a waste of time and money if you ask me! The Empire should be providing better equipment and more of it, for soldiers on the Rask Frontier, it's a fucking meat grinder out there and we're constantly having to put down rebellions by the natives."
  "Well nobody ASKED you, captain and your problems are not mine to deal with. This is the Emperor's project and he has his reasons. If I were you I'd watch your tone. Victories or not, you are a servant of the Emperor and you will obey orders or you will be replaced."
  
  The orc captain steps back from the well dressed man then he takes a deep breath, before speaking.
  
  "You are lucky that I do serve the Emperor, for that is the only thing keeping me from ripping out your throat, human...very well I shall take these so called Eternal whelps, but let it be known that I shall be testing them to the limit and then some. If they fail, they shall die like anyone else unable to keep up."
  "As you wish commander, I leave it in your capable hands. You will keep me apprised of their progress on a weekly basis. Good day." The well dressed man says and leaves the room, leaving you all alone with the orc commander. You've never seen a real orc in person before, but he looks every bit as intimidating from what you've read about them, even if he is much more articulate than you expected.
  
  He walks up and down the row sizing you all up before speaking.
  
  "I am Captain Gruz, and I will be in charge of the rest of your training until the Emperor deems otherwise. I imagine that your former instructor was that dark elven bitch, so I trust you all know by now that failure and weakness have no place here. Correct?"
  "Yes Captain!" you all shout in unison.
  "Heh, well glad to see her skills in teaching discipline are still as effective as ever. Good. Now let's see how good your combat skills are..."
  
  At this point you and your fellow classmates instinctively start to pair up to spar with each other, but Gruz stops you.
  
  "What are you lot doing? I didn't tell you to get out of formation!"
  "But captain, you said to prove our combat skills." One boy speaks up.
  "I...oh wait I see. She had you fighting each other. Typical dark elven training. Create mistrust and loathing even when there is no need for it. (Sigh) I can see I'm going to have to undo some of the shit she instilled in you if I'm going to mold you into the proper killing tools."
  
  Time goes by and Captain Gruz begins to train you in various forms of combat, though it's different. He teaches you and your classmates to fight as a team. This usually involves various large beasts similar to what you have already fought or even small groups of goblinoids. It takes awhile for you to adapt, but after seeing the first couple of casualties, you and the rest manage to pull together to defeat your enemies.
  
  Academically speaking, you are not taught much. Captain Gruz figures that Mistress taught you enough math and literacy to get by in life. Besides not much need for all that fancy learnin' stuff when you're going to be chopping people's heads off on the battlefield.
  
  Captain Gruz is just as uncompromising as Mistress in his training, but he seems less gleeful about it. His verbal abuse is more direct and to the point rather than gloating about your failures. He still reminds you all regularly about how it is your sworn duty to serve the Emperor, but you hardly need him to tell you that, to believe otherwise is unthinkable.
  
  As for you, you find yourself given a role of leadership. Captain Gruz noted your tendency to be one of the first to charge into battle. He however also has some advice for you.
  
  "I respect your desire for battle, but if you do not control your insecurities you will one day find yourself needlessly unprepared. I suspect that dark elven bitch did something humiliating to you that has resulted in your behavior. Effective in some ways I suppose, but if you truly want to be a leader of men and command respect, you need to master your emotions as you would your weapons. You must do away with insecurities and be fully confident in your abilities. You must walk into battle already KNOWING that you will win, not charging in with a chip on your shoulder with some misguided desire to prove yourself. That's a quick way to get yourself killed. Contrary to popular belief, your goal is NOT to die for the Emperor. Your goal is to survive and make the other dumb bastards die so that you may continue to serve the Emperor. Think on this when you lead your fellows into your next training assignment."
  
  The captain's words carry much weight with you and in the years during your training you manage to purge most of your doubts about yourself as well as becoming an accomplished warrior.
  
  Your instructor and watchers once again note your growth and skills, and as usual they make decisions on how you will best serve the Emperor.
  
  > Continue
  Year 16
  
  You are called into Captain Gruz's office, when you arrive you see the well dress man that you saw four years ago standing with him... and debating with him again.
  
  "I'm telling you Mr. Mol, I think they should work in the same unit. They've trained together and they've worked together so well at this point that splitting them up would be folly. Hell, these people have known each other since birth! You know that better than anyone!" Gruz says.
  "Yes, captain I'm well aware of the situation, and normally I might agree if their were more of them, but I think their expertise would better serve if we deployed them separately in problem areas of the Empire." Mr. Mol replies.
  "You don't break up a well oiled machine! I guarantee having them all in the same unit will be a better idea. I mean we still haven't sent them into a real battle yet! Wouldn't it be better to see if they can get the job done first before placing them in charge of others?"
  "And what a perfect opportunity to lose them all, if something unexpected should happen."
  "Oh for...look that could've happened here! And if you're so worried about them all getting killed in battle then what was the fucking point then? Besides, if they do prove to be useless in battle, better we find that out sooner rather than later when they're in charge of others and getting them killed as well!"
  
  Mr. Mol thinks for a moment and then replies.
  
  "Hmmm, very well you do have a point captain. We'll try it your way at first and go from there. Have them deployed in the Nalin province. Your services here have been useful as ever. Good day."
  
  Mr. Mol, steps out and commander Gruz addresses you.
  
  "Well you heard all that, you and your fellow Eternal babies are being sent to the Nalin province. It's not the Rask Frontier, but it's a suitable first challenge for you guys. We've been trying to settle the conquest of that place for a few years now, and technically it is part of the Empire, but we're still having problems with the Kobold population there. Little bastards are determined to resist and have been conducting a fairly effective guerilla war since we arrived. Though I blame that more on the incompetence of the commander in that region. If I was stationed there, this shit would've been taken care of a long time ago...but I'm not, so unfortunately you will have to report to Captain Pollo."
  
  Captain Gruz approaches you closer before continuing.
  
  "Now I'm putting you in charge of your unit for reasons I'm sure you're aware of. While I'm confident I've made the right choice, the burden will ultimately be on you to prove to be an effective leader. Remember, you're not just a normal soldier, you're supposed to be an Eternal. An instrument of destruction ordered by the Emperor himself. Failure is never an option for you. Even now there are rumors about your kind, and when you finally show yourselves you will be met by fear, awe, hatred and even distain. Prove yourselves and you will live up to the name that your were given. Anyway, the caravan picking you up will arrive tomorrow. Good luck and dismissed."
  
  With this you leave and tell the rest of your people about where you're going and the general nature of what to expect. They all seem pretty excited to prove themselves, and to be honest so are you. At last you will get the chance to prove yourself and can only imagine that the Emperor will be pleased by what he will see.
  
  The next day, you and your unit are picked up and the ride there is uneventful, but your unit spends a little time talking about things they see on the way. This is the first time all of you have probably been away from the training center you've spent all your lives in. Curiosity about some of the surroundings is natural, but it isn't just the casual talk that's different.
  
  Your comrades are different. They are less reserved than they once were. Captain Gruz might've been a strict instructor, but in addition to encouraging teamwork he was also prone to encourage you guys to have a few hours of free time. This loosening of the reigns a bit, allowed a certain amount of familiarity with each other that wasn't just on a professional level anymore. Even you have felt yourself changing personality wise.
  
  Still you are all Eternals, and you are loyal to the Emperor. You will never forget that your duty comes first.
  
  Eventually you all arrive at Fort Glory in the Nalin province where you are stared at by several soldiers who whisper among themselves. None of you pay it any mind though, you simply report to Captain Pollo. He doesn't look anything like Captain Gruz. He's human for one thing and wears lighter armor which is impeccably clean. When he sees you, he almost looks bored, like you were interrupting him, but you when you came in he was reclined in his chair and not doing anything of importance.
  
  "So...you are the Eternals I've heard so much about. Humph. I don't see anything special except that pretty one over there. Oh no, not you dear. That blonde muscular one in the back. Yes, delicious." Captain Pollo says pointing to one of your men and not even getting out of his chair.
  
  "Captain Pollo, we are here for our assignments so that we may serve the Emperor." You say.
  "(Sigh) I suppose you are this unit's leader?"
  " Yes, captain. I am currently their leader and holding the rank of sergeant due to my excellence in my training exercises."
  "Sergeant? YOU? Why you're a mere boy! All of you are just children! I ask them for more men and they send me children! The only thing you all would be good for is cleaning the fort! In fact that's what you can go do right now, starting with the toilets!"
  
  This is exactly what Captain Gruz said would happen. This is your first test.
  
  "Captain, we have been trained in several forms of combat and fully ready to fight. Send us into battle and we will prove ourselves. We are here to perform our duty for the Emperor and all that entails."
  "All that entails eh? Okay, you want a fight? A few miles east of here, you'll find a town called Dalt. Its filled with ignorant peasants that constantly whine to us that there are a nest of kobolds lurking in the hills near them. We're stretched out as it is and can't spare anymore troops to waste on towns that are of no military importance in the grand scheme of things. Go there and take care of their problem, then maybe we'll have more to talk about."
  
  You nod and all of you leave, but before you are able to Pollo calls you back.
  
  "Oh one more thing sergeant. Order one of your men to stay here with me. I think you know by now which one I mean."
  
  At this point you're in genuine shock. You may be young, and even a little detached from normal 'society" but you know exactly what Captain Pollo is implying. You can honestly feel more than surprised by this though.
  
  "Captain, I will need all of my team to have the best chance to succeed in this mission." You say.
  "Oh? Well sorry, but you'll have to make do like everyone else here does. Or you could clean the fort like I first ordered you to do, which you chose to ignore."
  
  It's a no win situation, though you try to figure out a loophole that takes the responsibility off of you.
  
  "Captain, you are of a higher rank than me, surely you could just order him yourself."
  "Ha ha, nice try. No. You want to be a leader of men? You need to make this decision yourself. Tis quite easy I would think. Sacrifice one for the good of the rest. If anything I'd say he's the lucky one. He gets to stay here enjoying the pleasures of the flesh, and won't have to be mucking about with kobolds and dealing with idiotic peasants."
  
  > leave him behind
  Unfortunately Pollo is right, the only decision that makes sense is to leave Gerald behind.
  
  Still, you aren't fond of the idea though not necessarily for the moral reasons that most would be. This is an unproductive use of your team's talents and pointless in the scheme of things. You can't believe the Empire would allow such a petty man to be in charge of the safety of a province and why isn't the Emperor aware of such inefficiency?
  
  "Very well."
  "I knew you'd see things my way. Have fun playing with the kobolds. You're dismissed."
  
  You leave Pollo's office where your team is still waiting for you.
  
  "Gerald, I regret that you will not be coming with us on this mission. The Captain wants you to stay with him." You say.
  "What?! But I'm ready to fight!" he protests.
  "There will be other missions, I promise you. We will prove ourselves so well on this one, that they will have no choice but to send us out on a regular basis. However, your orders are clear in this matter, you are to remain here with Captain Pollo."
  "B...yes sir."
  
  Just before Gerald goes into the captain's office, you whisper into his ear.
  
  "Accidents happen."
  
  He's a little puzzled by this comment, but you and the rest of your team proceed to your assignment and nobody says anything more about it.
  
  When you finally get to the town, it's a sorry sight. A lot of the buildings are damaged and the streets are filled with debris. There are a few people attempting to clean up the place, but it's clear that they're all very demoralized.
  
  'Oh, I see the Empire has finally decided to help us; well you're too late! The kobolds raided this town last night and as you can see completely trashed the place!" says a disheveled man.
  "The Empire has many places it has to protect citizen. It is regrettable that your town was attacked, but we are here now to eliminate the problem."
  "You're here now? Where the fuck were you last night when my wife was killed by those ugly little bastards?" the man says getting in your face.
  "Calm yourself citizen, this will not help your situation."
  "My situation? I just said my wife is fucking DEAD! I don't give a shit about my situation anymore you fucking Empire dickhead! Fuck you and your fucking Emperor!"
  
  It is at this point the man unwisely pushes your chest with his hand and you instantly grab it and break his whole arm. He predictably crumples in excruciating pain, screaming as the bone juts out of the skin and blood runs out of his body into the mud. All the other towns people who have seen this back off or hide, as they are rightfully worried about what you're going to do next.
  
  "Now listen up citizens of Dalt! I understand that you've all been through a lot, but that is not a reason to give in to insolence! You are all Empire subjects and you will show proper respect or what's left of this town will suffer in such a manner that you'll think what the kobolds did was a birthday party."
  
  The man whose arm you broke begins to scream more obscenities at you in between his regular howls of pain. You look at Kane and nod. Kane finishes the man off by quickly decapitating him. You take his head and throw it before one of the crowd of peasants who look on in horror.
  
  "Remember this." You say.
  
  You remain in the town of Dalt for the night and get rooms from an overly cooperative innkeeper. He also tells you a little information about the kobolds such what direction they came from, what sort of equipment they were using and how many there were during the attack. Before getting some rest you spend a little of the time discussing strategy with your team. You all don't show it too much, but you are all a little excited about tomorrow.
  
  The next day you set off towards the wooded hills, it doesn't take long before you see a kobold patrol wandering around. They look exactly like how you've seen them in books, sort of like scaly goblins, but from what you've heard, a lot more cunning.
  
  Your team attempts to be stealthy, but perhaps it's due to the excitement of this first "real" battle. Edgar isn't as silent as he should be and clumsily steps on a few twigs alerting the patrols.
  
  The kobold patrol sees all of you, yell excitedly in their language and run away. Edgar is about to chase them, but you knock him to the ground.
  
  "What the hell?" he says wondering why you stopped him.
  "Trap, Edgar. Look." You say and point to a tripwire that would've triggered a spiked log that he almost stepped on.
  "Oh." He says.
  "You were trained better than that Edgar and we went over this last night! This area is probably going to be filled with traps. Now come on, we don't have the luxury of a surprise attack any more."
  
  The remainder of this attack is a tedious exercise in cautiousness broken up by quick battles. The kobolds really have set up traps everywhere and take full advantage of your team's slow movement to launch periodic ambushes themselves. Fortunately they are very poor warriors even in large numbers and you easily dispatch them. All your fighting eventually leads to a cave, which you sort of figured it would. You warn your team that this place is probably going to be a maze and heavily trapped as well.
  
  "Should we split up so we can cover more ground?" Brenda asks.
  "No, we're going to be neck deep in them when we go into that cave. They may be poor warriors, but even enough of them could overwhelm one or two of us. If we stick together we'll be fine. Besides, we're going to be here awhile anyway."
  
  There "awhile" isn't an exaggeration. You spend the remainder of the day and night killing kobolds. Your team seems to enjoy it, but you eventually start to get bored of the monotony. You don't even bat an eye when you come across what seems to be a breeding chamber and you exterminate all the female kobolds and their young. Eventually you reach a large cave clearing where you meet the leader.
  
  "Sssss! Defilersss! Murderersss!" a slightly larger kobold hisses at you from some sort of primitive throne and then orders his guards to attack. It's rather pathetic, as they fare no better than the rest. A few quick sword and axe blows and this kobold chieftain is alone.
  
  While the rest of your team is eager to kill him like the rest, you have a slightly better idea for him. You engage him in singles combat, which is over pretty quickly. You then subdue him with some rope you have in your pack.
  
  "Why are we taking him as prisoner? We're Eternals! We don't take prisoners!" Edgar shouts.
  "Yeah, we also aren't supposed to miss obviously placed traps either, so there's a first time for everything. Besides I've got a good idea for this one."
  
  You drag the kobold leader back to town who curses you the whole time in a mixture of his language and yours. When you arrive it is now dawn and the townspeople are surprised to see you back, let alone with a kobold in tow.
  
  You tie the kobold leader to a tree near the center of the town and address everyone.
  
  "Citizens of Dalt! The kobold nest has been completely destroyed. This...thing was the leader of this particular nest and most likely orchestrated the raid; do with him as you will. There of course are other kobold nests in this province, but the Eternals will be taking care of this long overdue problem. All the Empire needs in this matter is your continued obedience and loyalty."
  
  After giving this speech you and your team take your leave and hear the screams of the kobold leader as the villagers torture and rip him apart.
  
  When you arrive back at Fort Glory, other soldiers are surprised to see all of you back alive. It was assumed that at best, half of you would be dead. There is a possible thought of whether you actually succeeded and didn't just come back in failure, but given that Kane took it upon himself to take "trophies" his gruesome necklace of kobold ears makes it pretty clear that the job was done.
  
  When you report however, it seems the fort has undergone a change in leadership
  
  "I'm Lieutenant Anu and now in charge of Fort Glory until further notice. First things first, did you accomplish your mission?
  "Mission accomplished, we killed them all lieutenant. All of their warriors, all of their women, all of their babies, pets, their leader, all of them."
  "Well always helps to be sure. Which brings me to the next point. Your man Gerald is currently in the stockade. In fact he may be facing execution."
  "Might I inquire why, sir?"
  "I'd say you'd probably know as much about it as I do, but if I had to guess? Captain pervert put the moves on him and your man took exception to it and killed him. He claims it was an accident, but there's no way the captain twisted his own head ALL THE WAY AROUND just by tripping and falling over."
  "If Gerald says it was an accident, then I believe him sir."
  "Okay look, I'm not going to sit here and say that the captain wasn't complete scum. I should know I had to serve along side him for the past five years. I saw how he'd have teenage boys brought to his office. Now I know you guys are these Eternals that we've all heard about, but dammit man, we can't just have murders within the ranks, we have to respect some sort of order here!"
  "We're all about respecting order sir...I suppose if it is absolutely necessary to execute Gerald, then that will be regrettable. I would however say that Gerald's actions actually contributed to more order here and will better for the Empire in general."
  "How so?"
  "The removal of captain Pollo, has allowed you to move up in rank and judging by your feelings on this matter you are a person who respects military decorum. I have no doubt, the fort will be run more efficiently now."
  
  Lieutenant Anu chuckles a bit. "I'd almost think you were trying to butter me up to save your guy, but I already know you genuinely believe what you're saying and you're right anyway. (Sigh) Well...I suppose accidents do happen. Nobody here is going to miss Pollo, so I'll have Gerald released and write up a report."
  "Sir, can I make a request?"
  "Don't you think you're pushing your luck?"
  "Not my intention sir, but I was going to ask if there's anything my group could do here that's a little more challenging than killing kobolds?"
  "Hmm, yes I imagine you would feel that way...well on the furthest southern edge of the province there have been bands of nomadic raiders and there have been rumors of them organizing under some sort of shaman. Dunno if it's true or not. Of course we could also transfer you someplace where the battle is a little more suited to your violence level."
  
  > Request transfer
  You don't see much point in staying in this place anymore, you would most likely serve the Empire better elsewhere. Captain Anu grants the request, though he mentions he knows that a Mr. Mol is taking interest in your progress here, so it'll have to go through him first.
  
  A couple days pass and it is all straightened out. Mr. Mol approves, but he goes with his original plan of separating you all. Brenda and Gerald remain in the Nalin province, Roldan and Warrick go to the Felkan border. You, Kane and Edgar all wind up at the Rask frontier, specifically Fort Defiance. The split is a little odd for all of you, considering you've all been together so long.
  
  You say your goodbyes to Brenda and Gerald first when the caravan comes for you. Next you say your goodbyes to Warrick and Roldan when they make their stop. The remainder of the trip is in relative silence, though sometimes Edgar remarks about how he can't wait to display his true combat skills against better challenges.
  
  Eventually you arrive at the Rask frontier and make your stop at Fort Defiance. You haven't gotten off the caravan five minutes when a man wearing battle armor approaches you.
  
  "Hey are you the Eternals?"
  "Yes we are."
  "I'm Captain Ian, I've heard about you and while you don't look like much, we'll take anyone at this point. Though I would've preferred more battle mages or even orcs at this point.
  
  Captain Ian begins to give you a run down on the entire area. He mentions that the mortality rate here is high so morale isn't the best. He goes on to mention that Shadow Guard detachments have been assigned here to help out, but between the ogres and the giants there's only so much that even they can do. He mentions since you three have already worked together he's just going to leave you together, but will be assigning you to a new unit where you will have others to command as well.
  
  With the caravan leaving, the three of you head to your new unit. When you see them, quite a few of them are predictably much older than you, but surprisingly you see that half of them are around your age.
  
  "So, you're those Eternals huh?" one the older soldiers says almost dismissively.
  "Yes? Did you need something corporal?" you say sensing the hostility.
  "Nothing, sergeant. I just wondered if you were." He says backing down from confrontation.
  
  The three of you settle in as you begin your assignment at Fort Defiance.
  
  Year 18
  
  "Kane watch out!" you shout as the wind whips around you and the snowfall nearly blinds your vision.
  
  You can just make out the figure, which you know to be Kane roll out of the way of a club strike from an ogre attempting to attack him from behind.
  
  You look around and see the bloody dead bodies of several members of your team and the ogres that ambushed you. You knew that patrolling the Kragen Pass during a blizzard was a stupid idea, but Captain Ian insisted that you had to go and do it. It's no wonder progress hasn't been made up here with the captain making inept decisions at every turn. He's not like Captain Pollo, but he's not much better. You are starting to seriously wonder about how the Empire keeps allowing such incompetence to pass through.
  
  You run as fast as you can in the snow to help Kane battle the last two ogres. You cleave at the legs of one of the large monsters causing him to fall into the snow then finish him off with another strike through his head. Kane dispatches his own ogre opponent and the battle is finally over.
  
  "Looks like we're the only two left again." Kane says.
  "Yeah, I'm getting used to that scenario. Come on, let's head back. This blizzard isn't letting up and we've done all we can here."
  
  You and Kane leave behind the bodies and make your way through the blizzard in silence. It's times like this you half expect Edgar to start going on about how well he did in battle, of course he hasn't done that ever since you lost him in that battle against some giants last year. You never exactly approved of his reckless ways and it's ultimately what got him killed, but you still miss him sometimes.
  
  You are almost at the end of the pass when a large rumbling is heard. You look overhead and even in this blizzard you can see the large figures looming on the cliffs and it's what you originally were concerned about when you had to patrol this path.
  
  "GIANTS! RUN!" you yell and the pair of you attempt to make it out of the pass. Large boulders crash down along side the cliffs with an equally large amount of ice and snow. Kane runs faster and makes it ahead of you, but this only results in you seeing him crushed completely by a falling boulder. You are engulfed in snow and swept up and buried in the stuff. You're disorientated, tired, freezing and slowly suffocating, but with determination, you manage to dig yourself out.
  
  Unfortunately several giants face you when you do dig yourself out. You're out numbered and trapped in the pass. You know that this is most likely going to be your last battle.
  
  You draw your sword and walk towards the giants. It will be a good death, but your only regret is that you will not survive to serve the Empire for longer than you would've liked.