I retreated to my tent. In it was a large table with the map of Ardentus spread out. We had poured over the battle plan all day and into the night. My commanders were comfortable with our conclusion, I was not. I was never.

They are fighting for their very existence, we are not.

Ardentus stretched from the Southern Range to the Great Sea and back to our newly secured fertile valleys of the Earthcut. Three years ago I stood victorious over our enemies there which brought unprecedented glory and prosperity to the kingdom.

With it, of course, came the envy of our neighbors. There is nothing in this world that a man can gain that is not the loss of another.

A sentry interrupted my solace, “General, sorry to disturb you, we have captured a group of enemy scouts. Captain Moore is with them now, he requests your presence.”

I was expecting them to watch us all night. I was not expecting them to be so careless.

“I will not see them. Double the sentry patrol now and send the rangers to search the woods.”