Cycle of the Stars

Shadows Cast by Moonlight (1)

Lerae Sordin, the fourth son of House Sordin, stood on the precipice of destiny, a destiny woven in the harsh threads of familial turmoil. In the realm of the six great families, one might assume a life of leisure awaited awaited one.

Yet, Lerae learned the bitter truth that not all sons were favored. His father regarded him with a cold indifference, and his mother harbored a deep-seated hatred that cast a shadow over his existence.

It was the republic that offered Lerae a chance to escape the shadow of his family.

His decision to join the West had cost him disownment by his father and an attempted murder by his brother, Diallo.

Despite the bitterness that could have consumed him, Lerae found solace in the loyalty of his comrades within the republic. They became his new family, a brotherhood forged in the crucible of armed struggle.

When orders arrived directly from the Republic's President, Dorund Kocelli, commanding Lerae to lead a deployment south toward Lavla, he didn't question. Instead, he embraced the opportunity to prove his worth.

"Tiernan, Kilan, Kentraes, Feresin, and Oldaris," he bellowed. "I hereby appoint the five of you officers for this mission."

"Yes, General!" The five responded in unison.

"Have each of you selected two men you trust, as I asked?"

They all nodded in affirmation.

"Very good. Now, for the logistics of the mission." Lerae began.

"General," spoke Commander Favilan.

"Speak your mind."

"I don't like the idea of you riding south with only a few dozen men. You'll be doomed if you run into Eastern forces," he spoke.

Favilan's pessimism was as relentless as winter's chill, but his rational thinking had saved Lerae on more than one occasion.

A contrast to his other aid, Commander Edeas, a genius in the art of war, but a fool in all other matters.

"And you, Commander Edeas, what do you think?"

"Small units may be weak, but they can move fast. Unless they send a smaller deployment themselves, we can outrun them."

"What of the objective?" questioned Favilan, "President Kocelli wants us to take the town of Torer near the southern coast, what if they have troops stationed."

"Is there a reason we're taking this random town in the first place?" interjected Edeas.

"Our scouts believe it is being used as a secret supply depot," Lerae stated.

Though the information was not very conclusive, he thought to himself.

"Why would they use a town as a supply base?" asked Kentraes.

"Because Torer is highly defensible," interjected Tiernan, "The only route there from the north is through a mountain pass. With just 50 guards, they could probably stop 1000 invaders."

This Tiernan, he seems to have a noble background yet I've never seen nor heard of him before being assigned this troop, Lerae noted.

"You're familiar with the area?" he inquired.

"Aye, sir. I've been all over Lavla."

"Do you know another route?"

"Not without a ship, sir."

Lerae understood the dilemma. To take the town of Torer with the meager force at their disposal would be futile. The best solution lay in dismantling the supply depot and getting out quickly.

"Did the message state that we must take Torer, or that we must destroy the supply depot?" asked Favilan clearly arriving at the same conclusion.

"The latter," said Lerae.

"Then I have a solution, General. Take a handful of pyromancers, sneak past the gate, and burn the city down."

"Insanity!" exclaimed Edeas. "You suggest burning innocent civilians."

"The moment the town began being used as a supply base, they chose their side in the war," argued Tiernan.

"How do we know the people agreed to this? Does the republic not fight for the people?" Edeas proclaimed.

"Enough, Commander," Lerae interjected. Time was of the essence, and he could not afford to let his men squabble. Edeas' point was valid; the republic fought for the common people, but those ideals would do no good if they lost the war.

"We will go with Favilan's plan, and that is the end of it," declared Lerae.

"Edeas, gather five pyromancers. The rest of you, prepare to ride out. Favilan, I trust that you will handle everything while I am away."

The men dispersed to fulfill their tasks, leaving Lerae to contemplate the weight of his decision.

An hour later, Lerae, Edeas, and the five officers, accompanied by five pyromancers, were prepared to set off.

"Two men to every horse, one pyromancer for every officer," announced Lerae. "The goal is speed; we will be there and back in under ten days."

And so, beneath the cloak of night, they set forth toward the town of Torer.