Farie was coated in blood. His once shining armour was now scuffed and dirty, covered in grime and stuck with dirt from the times he’d rolled along the ground. His hands felt gritty and sticky from gore and dirt smeared liberally along their surface. His once pressed and clean tunic was now dirty, torn and utterly destroyed. He didn’t look like the noble he was, he looked like the warrior he’d become. His eyes were clouded with anger and hatred, loss and pain, while also holding an edge of determination and intensity. He felt the edge of pain like a dull reminder of the numerous injuries he’d sustained, but he ignored those. They didn’t matter. He had to fight on and he had to kill these monsters. They not only deserved to die, but they needed to pay for what they had done. For those who had died. The man who’d seen Farie fight this day and had not seen him fighting before knew that their leader wasn’t like his father. Farie didn’t fight behind them and he didn’t sit his horse and watch. He fought along side them and he bled to defend them. He  fought with single minded purpose.<br/><br/>Together with Cordian and the Demigods Farie felt a hope he hadn’t before. Determined to die fighting and knowing that they were outnumbered and it had all been in vein no longer made up his thoughts instead his mind was filled with hope. He saw the hoard of Tutari growing thinner as they fought. Saw the Tutari die in greater number then when he’d been fighting alone with Cordian and his men. Now with the Demigods doing more then just killing their enemies moral was rising. The fight was renewed with fervour.<br/><br/>As the Tutari fell before their blades it became more important then ever to keep fighting. Spirits rose at the sight of the carnage. Farie screamed out in triumph as the last of the large group of Tutari fell to his blade leaving the field temporarily clear. For a moment Farie stopped and looked around him. That is when he saw Barth.<br/><br/>---<br/><br/>Cordian was bathed in the river of life and he felt the power inside him. Adrenaline coursed through his system as he screamed out his anger and desire to deal a fatal blow to his enemies. His laughter resumed. His laughter was dark and he took great pleasure in plunging his blade into the enemy. He felt as if his whole world was surrounded by blood and death and he was right at home in the carnage.<br/><br/>For Cordian it was simple. Kill or be killed. He had no intention on being the one who was killed so he fought to end them all. They would all die. And now that the Demigods were on their side there would be nothing stopping them! No one could stop them.<br/><br/>As the last Tutari fell to his blade Cordian laughed and looked for another to kill. For a moment he found the hoard around him to be lying at his feet and it made him grin from ear to ear a truly mad smile. He regarded Farie.<br/><br/><span style="color: #afcfaf">”We bath in blood today!”</span>he declared with enthusiasm looking for the others and taking the brief reprieve from the fight to survey the scene around him.  That’s when he found Barth leading a charge just a few yard from their position and they could easily meet up with the oncoming charge.<br/><br/>---<br/><br/>Farie looked away from Barth and the oncoming charge to Cordian. He let his face split into a small smile. Farie felt nothing of joy in this chaos. He hated battle and  he hated the loss they were suffering, but he had no time to deal with this now. There was something going on. Something bigger.<br/><br/>Farie looked away from Cordian and studied Barth’s charge for a quick few seconds just as they were drawing close to his location. That’s when he saw it. That’s when it dawned on him. He looked at the oncoming enemy again and saw the Drorghans. The huge beasts were the center of it all. If the monsters fell they could easily overtake the Tutari now. Well ok not easily, nothing in war was ever easy, but it would be feasible.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF8080">”We will join up with Barth’s company,”</span>Farie said to the man around him and Cordian. There were cheers that went up. Just as there had been when they had been joined by the Demigods. There was life in the fighting men around them. In the company that had been brought by Farie. His father’s men where his now Farie knew that with certainty as he gazed at their faces. They would listen to his voice. They would hear him not as the child he’d been when he followed in his father’s shadow, but as the leader he’d become. He saw that now, clear as day. In that moment everything made sense. What Barth was doing, wasn’t different then what he’d done by being in the trenches, by fighting on the front lines. It was hope. It was leadership. It was the key to winning.<br/><br/><div><hr style="height:2px; width:100%; border:0; color: white;background:white;"/></div><br/><br/>"Your commander must know something I don't know," Benen said as he hefted the large halberd in his grip, serious eyes fixed on Barth's position. "A line of mortals, charging forward to meet those beasts? We should lend our support, Brother."<br/><br/>"Of course," Roth replied jovially, twirling his own weapon as if he were a carefree child with a stick. "We can aid them with assistance on the field, as well as with some of my exceptional jokes to lighten the mood. Say, Brother, what do you call a deaf man?"<br/><br/>"Roth, now isn't the time fo-"<br/><br/>"Nothing! Because he can't hear you anyway!"<br/><br/>Benen rubbed his eyes wearily; in the distance the Drorghans continued to move closer, and finally Roth seemed to grasp the urgency of the moment.<br/><br/>"Ah, yes, of course we can support the prince and his line of defenders, Benen. A fine idea. That is, if the Lord Knight will have us?"<br/><br/>He looked questioningly at Farie, though the smile remained on his face as the other Demigod turned to regard the knight as well.<br/><br/><div><hr style="height:2px; width:100%; border:0; color: white;background:white;"/></div><br/><br/>Farie had to think for a moment as he watched the Demigods banter back and forth and couldn’t help the chuckle at Roth’s humour. He did enjoy the man’s enthusiasm. It took a few long moment for Farie to think over their offer. It was after all an astonishing offer. One that would dearly help in their upcoming fight. However, as he watched Barth, it became clear that he couldn’t accept their offer. If he accepted their offer to aid in this fight it would undo all that Barth was doing.<br/><br/>He shook his head slowly as he spoke his voice soft, but loud, determined,<span style="color: #FF8080">”I cannot accept you help in this fight, though I am honoured beyond measure to have fought by your side and to have such an offer made again to renew the fight once more by our side. I cannot accept your offer however. It would undo all that our Commander is doing in this charge. We must face this united and without the gods or demigods to aid us. I pray that you will fight in this war with us. That you will continue to lend your aid in another way. On another front,”</span>Farie said his voice thought determined held and edge of regret. For there was nothing more he would wish then to bring the Demigods with him into this fight. He knew however, that to do this and to win that Barth was right, they had to face these monsters alone. Human against beast and he would be seen fighting with Barth so that all Soluunar was united in one front. It was no longer about their differences. There could be no differences amongst the mortals of Soluunar now. Now above all other times they had to be one front. One army. One people.<br/><br/>He could hear the hushed murmurs beginning around him as he finished speaking. He knew his choice was not a popular one, but there was nothing to be done about it now. It had to be this way. Barth had seen that. He'd known that and that was what had led the Commander to lead this charge himself. It was with this that Farie knew he would need to follow through. He would lead his men to meet up with Barth in that fight. To continue that destruction of these monstrous beasts.<br/><br/><div><hr style="height:2px; width:100%; border:0; color: white;background:white;"/></div><br/><br/>Benen's mouth opened, and for once Roth was speechless - the moment passed, and then they looked at each other, exchanging a glance of mingled surprise and comprehension.<br/><br/>"I have lived many centuries and fought in many battles, Lord Knight, and I can truly say that this… this is new to me," Benen said with a smile that mirrored the one on the face of his brother.  "It is not just any man that would turn down help from the Gods."<br/><br/>"Indeed," Roth agreed with a nod, watching Farie closely. "Full of surprises, these mortals."<br/><br/>Benen grunted and moved forward, clapping a sturdy hand against Farie's chest plate as he nodded towards Cordian.<br/><br/>"We will meet again, Farie Shalerin."<br/><br/>Surprisingly, Roth had no humor to inject into the moment; he watched Cordian and Farie for a moment, nodding with an uncharacteristically solemn look on his visage.<br/><br/>"And remember the fallen, lest you join them."<br/><br/>The Demigods were suddenly shrouded in the same blue light they'd been outlined by earlier, and with incredible speed they launched themselves into the sky.<br/><br/><div><hr style="height:2px; width:100%; border:0; color: white;background:white;"/></div><br/><br/>Farie regarded the two with mingled sadness and longing. How he wished he could accept their offer. To fight by their side had been an honour he had never expected and it was something he would never forget. It had to be done and as much as he regretted it. He understood the necessity and prayed that it wouldn’t mean his life. Or needless death.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF8080">”In war a man finds out the true strength of his character. The Gods willing your help here today will have given us the turning tide to win this war. Soluunar must unite. All differences myst be cast aside and we must rise to the challenge to defend our own world from those who would take all we hold dear. Gods willing we will succeed. What the Commander of this force does in this moment will give the humans of this world the hope that they need to keep fighting even in the face of the worst monster in existence,”</span>he was no longer simply speaking to the Demigods now. His words were meant for the ears of his man. Those who’s whispered words of insanity reached his ears. He knew what they were thinking from the looks they gave him and the hushed words he caught here and there.<br/><br/>As he finished and let those words sink in he turned back to the Demigods and spoke once more even as they withdrew<span style="color: #FF8080">”It was the greatest honour of my life to have fought side by side with you, may we life to fight together again!”</span>A solemn oath to never forget. To never waver in his faith and belief in the gods. From this day forwards Farie would be a devoted follower. Dedicated to the Gods in a way he'd never been before. Yes he had faith in them, believed in them, but now he had stood side by side and bled with Demigods. That changed a man. It had changed Farie.<br/><br/>---<br/><br/>Cordian was simply dumbfounded by Farie’s words and the sudden turn of events. The elation he’d felt at the offer to continue fighting with the Demigods died in an instant. Leaving behind a crater of smoking anger. He turned that anger to Farie once the Demigods were no longer standing with them. His dark angry gaze focused on his long time friend and the words that Farie had spoken echoed into his mind.<br/><br/><span style="color: #afcfaf">“Have you lost your mind?”</span>Cordian demanded of Farie. The same thing he saw mirrored in the face of the man around him. Those thoughts were prevalent on everyones mind. Had Farie finally broken? Was the madness now complete? He had to wonder.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF8080">”No Cordian,”</span>Farie said softly. His eyes met Cordian’s angry gaze.<span style="color: #FF8080">”Think of this strategically Cordian. If we defeat these monsters without the Gods how much more hope and strength will that give this army? That is the brilliance of Prince Barth’s tactic. His actions will garner the trust of the mortals of Soluunar to unite against their common enemy regardless of kingdoms and families. Regardless of beliefs and customs. We will be united as one under a single banner. If we fight united now the tide of this war could change surely you must see this.</span><br/><br/>Cordian remained silent for a long moment regarding Farie and in the distance as the engagement began not a dozen feet away from them. Close enough that they could easily join in. Cordian watched the strength and ferocity of the attack. And in that moment he saw what Farie meant. He nodded and said softly,<span style="color: #afcfaf">”aye, you are right,”</span>before he turned to face the man around him grinning.<span style="color: #afcfaf">"We fight! We kill! WE WIN!"</span>he called out raising his sword high in the air just at the ground beneath the Drorghan fell. The man facing Cordian saw in awe that sight and what it signified for this war. A cheer rose up from them. Bloody weapons rose into the air in a thunderous clap of steel on steel.<br/><br/>---<br/><br/>Farie turned to see the man gathered around him. There was still doubt in their eyes, but there was steel there too. Time for words were done and it was time for the actions to speak louder then war. He raised his sword high into the air and screamed. A moment after Cordian and the cheer rose up he saw that doubt shatter. Saw the determination return to their bright eyes. He screamed louder this time that same word.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF8080">”FOR SOLUUNAR!”</span>he screamed in triumph and in answer before he turned and ran towards the battle intent on joining Barth’s charge as it engaged the enemy. The scream was echoed by the man with him and by Cordian as they fell in behind Farie. Ready for war. Ready for battle. Ready to win.<br/><br/>In the back of his mind Farie silently whispered a prayer, a simple answer to the last of the spoken words by the Demigods. Knowing his thoughts and prayer would be as heard as his spoken words. For after all so many prayers were uttered in the silence of the mind.<span style="font-style: italic">I hope and pray that those who have fallen will never be forgotten, not because we fear to join them, but because they gave it all for their home. They died so that Soluunar could have a chance. For that we remember and pray.</span>He held those silent words as his own personal prayer. The one he hoped to speak over their graves one day. The message their loved one deserved to hold in their hearts as they remembered those who had fallen. As the world turned, as the next dawn would come, he hoped and prayed that those who lived to see it would never forget their sacrifice. Farie had hope now that the future of Soluunar was not a bleak one, but one that would see them free of this terror. He would fight to rid this world of the nightmare he faced so that his children and his children's children never had to.