His enemies called him ‘The Scorched Spear’. ‘The Red General’. ‘The Butcher’. And several worse names that never made it to official reports.

  But to his men, to the subjects of the Empire, he was simply ‘The Ashen Prince’.

  A general of immense talent, perhaps the main reason the Empire was able to hold on for so long against its many enemies. A genius in commanding soldiers, and a monster with the spear.

  His signature flaming spear left only death and ashes in its wake. His ruthlessness scared almost all enemies before the battle began, his half-burned face being the last thing many famous generals saw before death.

  ‘So this is why he was disfigured in my time,’ Raen thought, staring at the unblemished face in front of him. ‘It was because of the attack tomorrow. The explosion beneath his tent.’

  ‘A bastard son of the current Emperor. The royal spear of the future Emperor. The last tactical genius the Empire would ever produce …’ Raen gulped inwardly.

  ‘… is standing right in front of me, the injuries that marked him for the remainder of his life … not present.’

  ‘I’ve already changed the past, and not by a small margin.’ Raen thought, a storm of possibilities swirling in his head, trying to think of how this would change things moving forward.

  “I know it’s your first time meeting me, young squad leader, but you need to relax a bit.”

  Raen’s mind snapped back to reality, his thoughts interrupted by the commander’s voice. He took a quick glance, noticing that everybody was looking at him with confusion, as well as some concern.

  “I think he may be starstruck, sir!” Tarris said, laughing off Raen’s weird behavior while patting him heavily on the back – hard enough to cause shockwaves to pass through his body, pain jolting through it.

  “Commander – my wounds,” Raen spoke through clenched teeth, causing Tarris’ hand to freeze mid-air, glancing at Raen apologetically.

  “You were injured?” The commander asked, observing his body, searching for visible damage.

  “Self-inflicted, sir.” Raen lowered his head quickly. “I overstrained my body. I will be fine after a day of rest – two at most.”

  “No need to be so formal.” Kaelen’s voice was warm, unlike what a superior officer’s would usually be like.

  “I like making friends – especially talented ones. Not to mention that you inadvertently saved my life.”

  “Had you not blown the whistle on the spies, I can only imagine how bad our situation would’ve been right now. Not to mention that I would have been caught in the explosion, potentially losing my life.”

  “Therefore, I, Kaelen Vale, give you my thanks.”

  The battalion commander gave a slight bow of the head, and Raen quickly hung his head low.

  ‘Vale. Of course, he would use his mother’s family name.’

  “I am not deserving of such praise, Commander. I just noticed one thing. It was thanks to Thatch and Commander Tarris that the entire conspiracy was pulled apart.” Raen paused, meeting Kaelen’s eyes. “I am, however, grateful that my hunch was right.”

  “Had the enemy succeeded, we would have no scouts. And many of our officers would have perished.”

  Kaelen stared at Raen, not breaking eye contact before smiling.

  His smile was warm, genuine. The kind that would bring people to follow him wherever he would lead them.

  “Humility doesn’t suit someone who may have just saved an entire army, but I’ll respect it.”

  He then turned to Tarris. “Commander, I want a full report on what transpired and what you have found out so far. Leave nothing missing.”

  “But not here.” He swept the camp, noting the soldiers and officers converging on their location. “We reconvene at … what major tent is still standing?” Kaelen asked one of the men standing next to him.

  “Other than this one and the scout regiment’s, ummmm … I believe the night watch commander’s and Captain Donovan’s are still standing, sir.”

  “Captain Donovan’s tent.” His eyes swept over everyone present. “Ten minutes.”

  “That includes you as well, squad leader. I want you present, and I want to hear everything you noticed, everything you suspected, and may suspect further.” His voice dropped slightly. “Something tells me this was not a mere spy’s network. This couldn’t have been their plan. There has to be more to it.”

  Raen’s pulse quickened. Just how much had the battalion commander guessed?

  “I want double sentries around camp. If a fly flies close, I want to know. Understood?!”

  “Yes, sir!” The officers shouted, saluting Kaelen.

  “And where the hell is that damned Vares? Did anyone see him?!”

  “Here, sir,” Thatch spoke out, presenting the blackened skull.

  Kaelen stared at it, then glanced up at Thatch, then back at the skull.

  “He was the ringleader. I fought him.” Thatch said, his tone flat, almost disrespectful. “He exploded. This is all that’s left.”

  The battalion commander didn’t seem to mind it.

  “Ah, I see … well … I will need a report from you as well, about what happened.” Kaelen placed a hand over his forehead before turning around, glancing at Anderson.

  “Good news, Anderson. With the situation as it is – with the regiment commander impossible to reach – I’m invoking emergency authority. You are a Major. From now on, you are responsible for the three companies.”

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  Kaelen patted Anderson on the shoulder. “See you in the tent.”

  And with that, Kaelen left, making his way over to the tent of Captain Donovan.

  ‘With Donovan’s company and a couple of other companies out of camp thanks to the enemy, we were more vulnerable than we thought. That’s what led to the massacre …’ Raen thought, moving toward the tent with the others.

  “Raen.”

  Raen turned around, facing Tarris, who had arrived behind him.

  “A word of advice. Do not attempt to lie or hide anything from the battalion commander.” Tarris spoke, his voice calm, filled with authority.

  “He will know.” He continued. “I have known him ever since he was a fledgling soldier who just joined the army. He is a man born to lead others, one whose eyes can see through things that most would believe are hidden.”

  “So, don’t attempt to say anything but the truth.”

  Raen was slightly taken aback, not expecting Tarris to tell him such things, or for his demeanor to shift like this.

  ***

  Ten minutes later, everybody who was supposed to be in the tent was there.

  Other than the people who were at Anderson’s tent, Captain Merrick of the 2nd company, Captain Sylva of the 1st, and Major Adamson, the senior officers of the battalion were all gathered in one space.

  Everybody started by giving their reports, starting from the highest-ranked individuals and working their way down to the lowest. Among the lowest were Thatch and Raen.

  When Thatch gave his report, it was brief and fast. It was the same version he’d given before, which led to some officers’ faces changing, disbelief at what they considered to be ‘inappropriate’ behavior palpable. Kaelen signaled that it was fine.

  “You wish to keep the skull to study it further?”

  “Yes, sir,” Thatch said, unbothered by the hostile glances he was getting.

  “That is outrageous! A mere soldier behaving like this, asking such a thing from the bat –“

  “I allow it,” Kaelen said, cutting the officer off. His voice and the subtle glance he gave the man made it clear there would be no further discussion about the topic.

  “You may leave,” he said, turning back to Thatch. “I am certain that you will be able to find things others wouldn’t. But I expect a report from you, soldier. Am I understood?”

  He rested his head on his palm, and briefly – almost undiscernibly – formed a symbol with his index and middle finger, which Thatch noticed.

  He saluted the battalion commander with a knowing look on his face and left the tent.

  “Squad leader, it seems you are the last one left,” Kaelen said, all eyes turning to Raen. He smiled and saluted the battalion commander, unbothered – just like Thatch.

  “You found enemy troops disguised as our men during patrol. Found out spies were present even back then. Fought bravely during the skirmish, saving your Captain’s life. And were the key person in the discovery of the enemy spy network.” Kaelen narrated Raen’s accomplishments, giving rise to several astonished stares from the officers present.

  “Had it not been for you, squad leader Raen, who knows just what would have happened.”

  “So, tell me,” Kaelen leaned forward slightly. “How did a mere squad leader manage to do all of this?”

  His smile was still there, but his eyes pierced deep into Raen’s.

  “I was lucky, sir.”

  “Oh?” Raen’s answer gave birth to an even wider smile. “How?”

  “My man, Thatch, helped immensely with gathering information. The biggest reason I suspected the scouting routes is because of him.” Raen chuckled before quickly continuing, “I was lucky to have such a capable person under my command. And I was even luckier to have both Captain Anderson and Commander Tarris believe me, otherwise it would have been impossible.”

  “This is the second time you deflect your accomplishments. I do not know whether to admire you … or pity you as a na?ve man, Raen.” Kaelen chuckled, shaking his head.

  “You said you heard the same chants the spies, which you believe to also be cultists – back at the Field of Reckoning. Correct?”

  “Yes, I heard it very briefly. I wasn’t aware what it was at that time, only after hearing it again did I connect the dots.”

  “You also sent Thatch over to Vares’ tent, why?”

  “He is a Major,” Raen said. “I believed that if he was one of them, he was highly ranked. And there might be one or two capable individuals guarding him.”

  “I believed only Thatch could do the job without any issues.”

  “I see.”

  Kaelen looked over the notes, then back at Raen.

  “So, Raen. What do you think the true goal of the enemy is?”

  “Excuse me, sir?” Raen asked, his eyes widening slightly.

  “The reason the spies showed themselves was that Vares blew himself up,” Kaelen said, his smile bright. “Which they mistakenly believed was the signal to start whatever they were planning. Only to all perish as a result.”

  He leaned back in his chair.

  “That can hardly be called a plan. So, what do you think they were originally going to do?”

  “I’m afraid such matters are impossible for me to figure out, sir,” Raen said, sighing and shaking his head.

  “Really? Because I beg to differ.”

  Kaelen suddenly stood up.

  “Let me change my questions. I will tell you what I believe they were planning, and you tell me how much you agree. Agreed?” Kaelen asked, his smile sending a chill down Raen’s back.

  “Yes, sir.”

  “I believe that the explosions and the chaos inside the camp were only the beginning of their plan.”

  “They would do the same thing, only later – maybe in a day or two – when our camp was even weaker than now.”

  He started pacing slowly, his eyes sweeping the tent.

  “With the camp in turmoil from inside, the enemy would attack from the outside. Thanks to the factthat our scouts were nearly decimated, the makeshift teams annihilated, and spies present in the regiment, we would never see them coming.”

  He stopped pacing, but his smile was still in place

  “What would await us at that time would be … a massacre. Nothing less than that.”

  He stared directly at Raen. “What do you think of that, squad leader?”

  ‘This man … just how did he figure everything out so fast?’ Silence fell over the tent as Raen thought.

  Captain Merrick was the first to sound out his opinion.

  “A massacre.” His voice was hollow. “If that truly was the enemy’s plan, we would stand no chance.”

  “How many soldiers would they bring with them for such a plan?” Major Adamson asked, his brows furrowed.

  “Large enough to destroy an injured battalion caught by surprise.” Kaelen’s smile didn’t waver. “Small enough not to be discovered prematurely.”

  “Elite troops most likely.” Captain Sylva cut in. “With our scouts gone and the camp in chaos, I’m afraid all they would need are around 400 elite soldiers to deal immense damage to us.”

  “W-we should probably evacuate.” One officer stammered. “Fall back to the fortress at –“

  “And abandon this position?” Captain Sylva asked the officer, his voice low and chilling.

  “Too many good soldiers died protecting our position; to just leave it to the enemy would be … too disgraceful.” Major Adamson added, crossing his arms.

  “But what if –“

  “If I remember correctly.” Kaelen cut off another officer who was about to speak. “I asked the squad leader a question. It is only polite for the rest of you to wait your turn.”

  The officer shut up immediately, the stern look of the battalion commander causing him to tremble slightly.

  “Squad leader Raen. Do you believe my words to be correct?”

  Raen forced his expression to remain neutral. Kaelen had just reconstructed the plan that led to the massacre of the entire battalion, as well as the regiment they were a part of. And he did so in mere minutes.

  “I…” Raen hesitated, weighing his words carefully. “I think you are right, sir.”

  “Just ‘right’?” Kaelen's smile widened slightly. “Not ‘probably right’, ‘maybe’, ‘possibly’, just … right?”

  “Yes, your logic is sound, Commander. The timing, coordination, and the spy network – they all point to a much larger plan at play. Tonight’s events are too simple. Premature. Too coincidental.”

  “So, if that is the case, wouldn’t that mean the enemy is still not aware that we have found their plan out?” Kaelen asked, his eyes fixed on Raen.

  “I … do not know.”

  “Make a guess, indulge me.”

  Raen took a deep breath.

  “In that case, I think they believe something had gone wrong. They were most likely waiting for a signal of sorts, probably from the men we killed that planned to ambush the scouting teams.”

  “And the spies?”

  “Depending on how far they are stationed, they might have noticed something.”

  “So, a fifty-fifty chance. Yes?” Kaelen asked, to which Raen nodded his head.

  “Then, squad leader Raen, what do you believe is the best course of action right now?”

  “Sir?” Captain Sylva asked from the side, eyes fixed on Kaelen with confusion.

  “I-I don’t think I am worthy enough to –“

  “I have asked you a question, squad leader. You are to obey and answer it. That is an order.” Kaelen said, his smile disappearing.

  Raen met his eyes, exhaled sharply, and opened his mouth:

  “I think we should attack them.”