"Sleep well last night Ardis?", asked Coban while eating breakfast, "Come, sit, eat with us." Ardis sat down and took some bread and ham. "So, Craven. Did the commander tell his pet what's our plan for the battle"-smirked Runco. "No.", responded Ardis whitout looking up at him, "But I'm sure a big man like you will be in the vanguard." "Ha. That's funny Craven. Making fun of my size. You know,I may not be as tall or as big as you or have the boyish looks which the ladies love", Runco took a bite of a carrot," But when it comes to fighting. I can slice your, noble arse like a piece of cake."-said Runco as he took out his knife. Ardiss beagn to draw his sword, ready for a fight. "Oh, I'm just fucking with you. Wouldn't want to bring the Berserker's wrath on me." The rest of the breakfast went without conflict. The seas were calm, but the sky was clouded which made Ardis feel uneasy. After traveling for five more hours, there was a message from the other ship. "Change of plans. You and your men will disembark befor we reach Gelunt. The king wants you to attack from the ground while we will come from the sea."-Shouted the messanger. Lorin agreed and they changed course. The Bears left the ship and continued on horses and on foot. "Men. I know the cold is gruesome, but we will endure it. We are the Black bears. Not the Desert mouses. With me now!"-Lorin encouraged his warriors. Everyone wore thick animal coats trying not to freeze. The only lucky part was that there were no mountains to climb. Ardis hated the cold. Its sting always felt unnatural to him. The journey was hard and some of the men deserted and some horses freeze to death. But most warriors stayed loyal and marched on. "Stop!"-shouted Lorin. "What is it commander?"-asked Ardis. There are men approaching from our east. An army I can feel it."-Lorin responed while looking in the distance. And sure enough, Ardis saw an army himself after a couple of moments. "There must be a couple thounsend of them."-exclaimed Arids in shock. "Aye. But look at their banners."-responded Lorin. Ardis looked closer. And it was the two-headed black eagle of Elias. "Come with me we will see what is happening."-Lorin started riding toward them. The horses had a harder time moving through the snow so they had to be careful while riding. "Why are you here? Has the king changed the plans again?"-asked Lorin one of their liutenants. "A scout ships saw the Ascoria fleet. They had twice the warships. We decided that it was better to fight them on land."-responded the soldier, gasping for cold air. "We are doomed", Ardis though to himself, "The voice I heard was right." "I'll tell the man"-Lorin said and rode back to the company. "Is it truly better this way"-Ardis asked. "I am not sure. Our men aren't used to the cold and fighting in the snow. I must speak with the king tonight."-responded Lorin without lifting his head. Ardis could sense the worry in his voice. No matter how great a man is, he is always afraid of death. That night Ardis didn't eat with the rest of the men. He lied alone in the tent while the cold air pierced his throat. He waited for the voice to come to him again. But there was only silence. He yearned for warmth and the clear skies of the south. At the about midnight, Coban stumbled drunkenly into the bed. "You know Ardis. It must be nice to want to achieve something. You want to reclaim your honor. Runco wants to go back to his family to feed them. But I don't know what I want. I don't even remember my life before the company. Before every battle I ask myself why am I risking my life, but before I can find an answer there is a man trying to kill me." "I know it is hard Coban. But you mu-."-before Ardis could respond Coban was snoring. Ardis laughed, turned around in the bed and went to sleep. This time he didn't see anyone in his dreams. He only saw snow falling from the sky. But once he looked to the ground the sonw wasn't white anymore, but crimson. He heard screams, but there was no one around him. The last thing he heard before waking up was a woman's voice echoing "Tomorrow…" He woke up to a loud noise of iron clinking and men shouting. Confused, he peaked out from the tent and heard someone shouted. "They are here!. The Ascorians are here! Prepeare for battle!" Ardis went back to the tent, woke up Coban and put on his armor. It was a modest cuirras with metal plate sleeves and legs, but still a much better set than a mercenary would usually have. He took his sword and the shield with a bear drawn on it and headed out. "Get on your horse and meet me at the king's tent!"-shouted Lorin to him. While riding through the camp he watched the men. Some were sharpening their weapons or training while others were praying. But he could see fear in everyone's eyes. Once he came the king and his generals were all devising a plan. "The ships must have been a trick!. They came earlier than we thought. They will continue to march at us we just have to wait for them to come to us."-said one man. "We must use our horses to outflank them on the left where there is a forest. They won't be able to see them and it will be a massacre"-said another general. "Lorin what do you think about this?"-asked the king. "The plan is good, but we must not understimate the enemy. They certianly have a plan if they chose to meet us in open field."-Lorin responded. "Very well. Inform the men of the plan. Lorin you and your squire will be with me in the rear guard and the rest of your men will be in our vanguard. That is all"- said the king and left. Ardis didn't get the chance to say goodbye to Coban, but he went to pray for him and the others.His hands trembled. Every sound, every movment made him shakein his boots. Finally he rode out to meet the reargaurd which consisted of high ranking officers, including Lorin and king Elias, who commanded the battle. Being here, Ardis knew he was much safer than if he was in the vanguard like the other Bears. But it also felt unjust to him that while others like Coban are on the front lines, he is sitting here safely. Everyone was silent. A calm before the storm. Only sounds that could be heard were the howling of the cold, northern wind and the clanking of metal. The army was spread out in two lines. There must have been at least five thousand warrriors on the side of Elior. This nameless snowfield was about to become the place where many will die, but some will be born anew. Every minute they waited they became more nervous. Finally, somethin shone on the horizon. Through the snowstorm that was gathering, the adversary could be seen. They didn't differ much form the Eliorian warriors. Most were commoners and some were noble knights on horseback. The only difference you could see was that on their banners there was a snow leopard instead of an eagle. They lined up about 400 m from our army. Their king, dressed in white was but a small snowflake from where Ardis was standing. He made rounds across the line and cheered on his men who roared in response. Ardis didn't know muchvabout him, but just like Elias he seemed to inspire his people Now it was time for Elias to do the same. He rode to the front lines on his black stallion, drew his sword in the air and shouted from the top of his lungs. "I know you are afraid. I know the cold is biting your skin. But I also know that won't hinder you. Because we have a cause to fight for. You know ruthless war can be. But God sent us here today to stop these bastards from bringing that hell upon our children. We are here to ensure the future of our kingdom and its people. They will sing songs about the men who died her today to save them. To make their lives easier than ours were. For Elior!" The men cheered on, but Elias was calm. He knew that anything could happen in the next few hours. Elias came back to the rearguard and still everyone was silent. The soldiers of Ascor began to advance. They fought in a tight shield wall. "Wait!", shouted a general, "No one move until the king says so!" The soldiers stood still for a couple of moments than the king shouted as loud as an eagle cawed:"Advance!" The men ran at their enemies. Shields smashed against eachother and the fighting began. The cold wind carried the screams and roars of men. The first few minutes were undecieded. Neither side could break through. The strong winds and the falling snow rendered archers almost useless as they couldn't aim accuratley often hitting their own men. Neither side wanted to risk that so both kings waited staring at each other across the battlefield. The Acorians had about the same numbers as the attackers, but their forces consisted mostly of footsoldiers while the invaders had a large amount of mounted knights. "Your majesty how much longer will we wait."-asked Lorin as he saw his men in the thick of the fight. "Until I say so!"-responded the king still looking at the battle. With each man Ardis saw fall he became more and more restless. Each face for a moment he saw as his own. He looked for Coban on the battlefield, but couldn't find him The sky was covered in clouds and the white snowfields started to become red. It was still unclear which side had the upper hand. "We must help them!"-Ardis shouted at the king. Elias turned towards him not saying a word. He drew his sword in the air, the ruby in his hilt shined like a red Sun and shouted "Now!". The rearguard consisting of mounted knights swooped around the left flank through the forest. Like a spear in the side of a giant they crashed the enemies flank. Ardis counted:one, two, three, four. Until he couldn't anymore. It was a massacre. The Ascorians began to retreat running for their lives. "After them!"- Ardis shouted. Again. An unexplicable rage cam over him. He didn't care that he just overruled his commander and a king. He just followed his instinct. The men followed him. "No! Wait!"-Lorin screamed. But Ardis and the men didn't hear them. They chased the retreating soldiers and cut them down like they were wild animals. Ardis was the one leading them all. With each strike he became less and less angry. A strange, ominous feeling came over him. He began to imagine the life of every man he had struck down. Their families, lovers and friends. All mourning them because some brute ended their lives too early. Until he saw a man with his face laying on the ground. Ardis saw his mother running for her life and his father begging for his. And finally, himself as a helpless child who can't do anything to save them. Suddenly he heard screams behind him. He turned around and saw his own men falling from their horses. The snow here was much deeper and softer and the horses became to stumble. Rivers of fresh men of Ascora came pouring down from the sides. Ardis was in disbelief. He led these men to their demise. He alone was the one responsible for their deaths. He tried to run, but his horse stumbled and he fell on the ground. Everything went dark. The last thing he saw was a man dressed in white saying something which he didn't hear. He closed his eyes and heard the woman's voice say slowly :"Let yourself become one with the stars, Ardis."
