Chapter 2

Six long months had passed since the true battle, that now haunted his dreams, had taken place.

Since then, the captain and his men had been recovering at one of the town's nearby barracks. During this restful time, a lot had gone on with the Captain. Much of which he was not proud of. His distasteful lose had racked his soul to the core.

Soon, morning arrived on a particularly clear blue day, and the captain woke up from the restless night and got out his barracks bed. Since he hardly slept, he had already armored himself and was merely attempting to gain some smidgen of rest. He walked over to a bowl of water and sunk both hands into the chilled water and splashed it over his face.

As he did, he stared at his utterly ruined face in the mirror. He traced the deep line of scar tissue across his face gingerly, from left to right, with his fingers. The scar ran from just past his blond buzz cut hairline, through his once perfectly straight nose, and ripped deeply through his boxy chin.

Exhaling heavily his mud colored eyes drifted down to stare distantly at a painted picture of a woman and a young girl. His former wife, now ex-wife, and daughter. They had left him not long ago, perhaps not even a full month ago.

As he was healing the constant dreams were haunting him nightly. He could hardly sleep making him very irritated and he would take out his frustrations on his wife and child. He had never been a violent man to his wife before their marriage and the sudden change after that fateful battle made his wife very worried.

The finale straw to their relationship was when he started drinking, that was when his anger became uncontrollable. She divorced him and moved away from the military base and back to the capital city to her family's estate.

"I will have my revenge one day, Chief Helgrath, I will have it." He whispered angrily to his reflection.

This scar made him feel like the orc was mocking him every time he looked at it. Turning from the mirror, he started to get dressed and armor himself when there came a frantic pounding at the door.

A messenger burst in and panting he said, "Sir, there's been orcs bearing the flag of the Defiler spotted. They're attacking the town north of here. All units are being ordered to attack!"

"It's him!" The scar-faced captain thought excitedly. He pushed past the messenger, grabbing his sword as he did, and he dashed off to his men's barracks.

"Get on your feet, get ready for battle!" The scar-faced captain yelled busting into the barracks. His men jumped up off the floor and beds and scrambled to armor themselves.

"The Defiler has been spotted north of the next town. All of the other captains are also getting their men ready to engage. We will not allow them to beat us there. We will avenge our fallen comrades and regain our company's honor. Do I make myself clear?" The captain yelled to his men.

"Yes sir." The men chanted back in unison doubling their efforts. They had grown accustomed to their captains urgencies and did their utmost to comply.

"Let's get moving men." Someone shouted from out in the yard.

The captain looked to see who it was. It was that stick-up-his-butt captain from Diamond Company. Most of Diamonds men were already outfitted and mounting horses.

"Hurry up you lazy sacks! Do you want Diamond Company to beat us there?" The captain shouted, furious that he was being beaten.

"Sir, NO sir!" The men yelled and some of them pushed past the captain and headed for the stables to get their mounts ready.

"Let's get moving Mustang Company!" The scar faced captain roared. Turing from the doorway, he also mounted his nearby horse and wheeled it around toward the base's exit.

His men were all soon mounted, and the sat-faced captain spurred his horse on at a gallop, his men followed close behind. A cloud of dust trailed high into the sky behind the two companies as they raced through the town's dirt streets.

In each company, under every captain, there were one hundred men under their command. The military barracks were located in the southern area of town, meaning the numerous troops had to pass through the town to get under way. They were catching up to Diamond Company when they reached the center of town, the marketplace.

"Sir." One of him men called out from behind the captain. The scar-faced captain slowed his horse too let the soldier catch up to him. "It's high-noon sir, the marketplace streets will probably be packed with people. We should make a detour."

"Not happening. The quickest route thru the market. Now get back in formation." The scar-faced captain said angrily spurring his horse faster.

Rounding the next corner, it was just as the soldier had warned. The market overflowed with city dwellers and merchants clogged the streets with their wares, which effectively stopped both the Diamond and Mustang companies. They were stuck.

"Get out of the way!" The scar-faced captain yelled at a merchant who was standing in front of his horse. "I said move it!" He yelled again, only this time he kicked the man's back, knocking him out of his way.

"This way!" Came a shout from behind them.

The captain turned angrily only to see that a third company, Hawk Company, was making a detour that avoided the main crowd.

"Follow them and then pass them." The scar-faced captain ordered the Mustang Company, who immediately obeyed and pursued.

Diamond Company, angry and frustrated at getting stuck in the crowd, also spurred their horses to follow. The three Calvary companies raced each other through the town's streets north ward to the exit that led to the battle with the orcs.

"Sir, sir!" Another soldier called to the scar-faced captain.

"What is it now? We have to keep moving." The captain yelled.

"Sir, some of the men have fallen behind, lost in the crowd. We need to wait for them." The soldier reported pulling up beside the captain.

"Come on! What is it with you men today?" The scar-faced captain groaned.

He then started to grumble inaudible complaints under his breath. He was impatient, for they hadn't the faintest sign of the Defiler in two months. Soon the rest of the men caught up and they resumed their march.

Mustang Company rounded the last street corner before heading on to the exit, only to find that Diamond Company had somehow beaten them there and were already heading out of the town gate. Mustang Company didn't waste a second and pursued with full haste. They were just exiting the town when Hawk Company also emerged out of the town's streets.

"Ignore Hawk Company, keep gaining on Diamond." The scar-faced captain called out over the horses pounding hooves on the path northward.

The three companies plowed their way north, and after hours of riding, they soon topped a hill overlooking the next town. To their disappointment, the town had already been leveled into smoking ash and rubble. In the eerie quite the men realized the battle was already over.

"Not again!" The scar-faced captain sighed. "We were too late."