"While I have every desire to see both of these blights erased from the Empire's lands, I believe my abilities would be best served in leading the attack against the Wendigo tribe, captain." You say.
"I had a feeling you'd be more drawn to that idea, and you are probably the best person for it, seeing how many victories you have against the barbarians tribes here. Very well, I shall send another officer to lead the mission against the elves and I hope those mercenaries lower their price in exchange for a chance to kill their tree loving kin. In fact I may go along on that mission." Captain Krozer replies.
"You are captain?"
"Yes, someone needs to keep an eye on those shifty bastards. Besides I find that I've been getting stuck behind the desk too much lately. It'll be good to be back out in the field. Don't want to become like one of those fat self-important generals that do nothing except point to maps and make equally fat musings on tactics. A true leader should lead from the front, I'm sure you agree."
"It is preferable yes…but I do understand the need to keep those with keen military minds safe from major war zones. Such people have their place as all do in their service of the Emperor."
"Why lieutenant, are you complimenting me on my intelligence? It's not like you to flirt." Captain Krozer asks in a tone slightly friendlier than usual, it catches you a little off guard.
"I…no! I mean yes, you are very intelligent, but…"
"Relax lieutenant, just having a little fun, didn't mean to put you on the spot. Anyway, we'll pick this up later, you better get prepared for your mission, and good luck."

You do exactly that, get prepared. You know this will not be an easy battle. You fought a member of the wendigos by yourself before and it was one of your greatest fights. Fighting an entire tribe of them even with an entire company behind you will not make it easier. Most of the men while capable soldiers, they are still just recruits in some ways when facing the shear might and savagery of these barbarians, let alone a tribe like the wendigos. At this point you wish you had a few battle wizards or even orcs in your ranks, but most of those have been assigned either at Fort Defiance or on the frontlines of the Felkan War.

You march through the ice and snow towards wendingo territory, along the way you come across a small village completely decimated. Looks like it was a fairly new one made up of some determined settlers. Still, no amount of determination could have possibly made it a good idea to start building a new settlement that was so close to wendigo territory without Empire protection.

Houses have been burned, and the gory bodies of the dead are everywhere and in pieces. Some of the bodies have even been partially eaten. Not surprising, considering the wendigo tribe will cannibalize their own people if necessary. A couple of the newer recruits throw up at the grisly sight.

The march eventually leads you a wooded hill area where they make their home. It's there where you have your first major encounter with the wendigos. Their aren't a lot of them, but they're completely vicious and without fear. They think nothing of attacking you despite being outnumbered and bellow their terrible howl. A howl so dreadful it can affect the mind and causes a few of your men to lose their courage completely.

"It's all in your head! The Emperor's Will protects us! Find your nerve or die!" you shout and clash with the nearest wendigo.

It's just the first of many such battles. The only good thing is the wendigos are pretty easy to find and make no attempts to hide from you, meaning you don't really need to make a big effort at hunting them down. The bad thing of course is little by little your company is worn down by their attacks along with the land already being harsh and food being scarce.

It's not just that though, this land of theirs, it's making you feel weird, to say nothing of your men. The howls of the wendingos seem to be on the very winds here. It's constantly there sapping your mind and making yourself feel strange thoughts.

"Lieutenant, I'm starting to feel really hungry. A lot of the men are." Your second says to you.
"We just stopped to eat."
"I know, but I dunno I'm still hungry."
"Well we're not stopping again. We need to keep moving the quicker we do this, the quicker we can go back home and have a proper meal."
"Yes, a proper meal with meat. Lots of meat. Heh heh." Your second says and walks away.

By the fifth day, you finally come across a large wendigo encampment and it is there where you see some sort of leader. You knew they had to have one, these types always do. He's predictably the largest of his kind and covered in pure white fur. When your company arrives, the wendigos make their howl, but more disturbingly some of your men make a rival howl of their own and charge into battle even before you give the command.

The battle is a slaughter on both sides. You struggle against the wendigo leader striking several blows that would kill a normal man, but of course then you're not fighting a man. He swipes you across the chest destroying your breast plate and lands another blow to your head which probably would've killed you had you not been wearing a helmet. It is enough to knock you down however.

"Your combat skill is impressive, Bane of Rask. It will be an honor to add it my own when I devour your heart." You suddenly hear in your head as you struggle to get up. You've heard this sort of talk before. Namely when you were fighting against the usksha shaman.

You shake off the wendingo leader's mental attempts to throw you off guard and narrowly avoid his foot stomping on your head. You grab your sword nearby and with all your might, you swing it at the very foot that just tried to crush your head and chop it clean off.

The wendigo leader howls again, but this is one of pain as he tumbles to the ground. You waste no time and shove the blade down the beast's gullet. While this would be enough to kill most, the leader manages punch you aside with all his thrashing and then tries to stand up on one foot with a sword still stuck through his mouth and coming out the other side of his head.

It would be a darkly comical sight under different circumstances watching this beast hop around trying to pull a sword out of his head, but you're in no mood to laugh. You charge into him as hard as you can to knock him down and grab the sword yanking it back and forth until you succeed in sawing off the top part of his head.

To their credit, the remaining wendigos continue to fight and die with their leader. The battle is won and even you take a moment to rest.

This rest is to be short lived.

"Bane of Rask, you've just won a fierce battle wouldn't it be nice to celebrate by filling your belly with meat? There is a lot in the pot over there."
"…what?" you say to yourself and hold your head in your hands.
"The pot over there. Lots of tasty meat that this tribe was going to eat before you so rudely interrupted them. No sense in letting it go to waste."
"…no I just killed you."
"Did you? Of course if you wish you could just pick a body on the ground and start eating. Why not? You deserve it."

You know what's going on here. The wendigos aren't truly flesh and blood creatures! They're some sort of spirits or something otherworldly. No wonder you've felt strange the entire time you've been here.

You get up and call your men to leave immediately, only to see some of them have already fully succumbed to the wendigo curse. Eating the bodies laying on the ground and beginning to look less than human and more feral.

You fight

As grim as it might be and as tired as you are, you can't just let the spirits infect your men. For one thing it isn't any way for a soldier to go down. For another they'll just become the "new tribe" you just cleared out. Maybe this land is cursed, but you'll not let it be infested with hosts for the spirits that dwell here.

You draw your sword and several of your men who haven't been affected do likewise. Those that have been infected finally stop their gruesome feast and look at you.

"So hungry, must have more flesh, must be fresh, must be YOU!" your second in command screams ghoulishly and attacks you.

Another battle takes place, though not as long or nearly as hard as the first, but you and what's left of your company make a full retreat as fast as possible when it's over. It isn't a smooth retreat though. The thoughts of hunger are filling your minds constantly and being tired just makes it easier for the spirits to infect your men. Several more times you have to put down members of your own company who have turned.

It isn't until you leave those accursed wooded hills that you start to feel more like yourself, but even then the journey back isn't easy. The cold, the hunger, and the overall mental and physical exhaustion takes its toll on your last remaining men. By the time you reach the nearest friendly settlement you have six left.

"Heh, just like the old days, you silently chuckle to yourself, briefly thinking of your six Eternal fellows.

You don't think you've ever been pushed to the limit like this before. Truly it is only by the Emperor's strength that you managed to make it through. You only hope you have not shamed him too much with your failure.

Eventually you arrive at Fort Destiny and report to Captain Krozer, who is celebrating with several others in the fort. You don't know what's causing this unorthodox behavior, but you're certainly surprised by it.

"Captain, I have my mission report."
"Hey! You're back Bane of Rask! Isn't that what they call you around here? Ha ha! I'm glad you're back, I figured your mission would be as successful as mine! Have a drink!"
"Uh maybe later captain, but I…did you say there was a victory?"
"Well we wouldn't be sitting here getting drunk if there wasn't now would we? The campaign against the forest elves was completely successful. I have to give those svelk credit, they can sniff out their kin better than anyone. Was hardly even a fight, when we eventually did find their major home as it was filled mostly with non-combatant women and children. We'd killed most of the warriors trying to get there. Still, always grim business dealing with the enemy civvies. We managed to enslave most of the children at least without killing them, though if the svelk had it their way they would've raped and killed everyone. Uncivilized vicious bastards." The general says taking another drink.
"You enslaved them?" you ask being slightly confused by the idea.
"Well sure…what you think I'd just kill them? I know that's the way you do things lieutenant, and probably with those shape shifting barbarians its for the best, but let's just say I'm a little more merciful than you. Hope it doesn't ruin your perception of me."
"Uh… not at all. I'm sure you are right captain. The elven children can be indoctrinated to become productive citizens of the Empire. They will learn that our way of life is superior and the correct way."
"Ha ha, that's why I like you lieutenant. You don't know any better. Hey let's take this conversation back to my office, it's a little loud here."

You say okay and begin to follow her, but she grabs your hand in an effort to lead you. You aren't sure of how to react, so you just let her. When you get there she sits on her desk and smiles at you.

"Relax, lieutenant. I know you're an Eternal, but you're always so serious."
"It's just I really need to report my mission to you captain."
"Oh very well, I know it's important to you." She says taking another drink.

You tell her exactly what happened and she listens intently to your story.

"Well lieutenant, looks like you managed to pull out a victory against all odds once again. I figured you would." She says.
"Victory? I don't feel like it was a victory, captain. I lost most of the company." You reply.
"Normally I might agree, but from what you told me, it's amazing you survived at all, let alone bring anyone back alive. Evil spirits, cursed lands, having to kill your own men turning into insane beasts…not something I'd want to face and I've seen my fair share of battles. Besides it sounds like the spirits can't leave that area and you eliminated a majority of their hosts, as well as depriving them of more by doing what was necessary with our transformed soldiers. We'll probably always have the odd wendigo running around due to idiotic adventurers exploring places where they shouldn't, but the danger has been curtailed greatly thanks to you."
"The Emperor's will guided me and his vigor gave me the endurance to succeed."
"Perhaps, but you really should've had a battle mage with you. I have no idea why central command has not sent us any despite my requests, things can't be that bad with the Felkans! Sometimes I wonder what the hell they're doing down there. Oh well at least I had you right?" she says and gets off her desk.
"Of course, I'll be here for as long I am needed here general."

"Good." She says and puts her arms around you and kisses you on the lips. You're taken completely off guard and are completely out of your element. You're reminded of Captain Pollo's advances on Gerald, but this is different since you feel a little something for Krozer even though you've tried to not think about it. As the time you've spent here has gone by, your thoughts of Captain Krozer have sometimes been more than a little "friendly", but you've tried to suppress them.

You don't know how to react except you sort of back away.

"Is something wrong lieutenant?" the general asks
"I…uh…I don't….should we be doing this?"
"Oh the ranks? Forget about it. I just want sex, it's not like I'm planning on falling in love. Unless you really feel uncomfortable about protocol, I'd respect it of course, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed."
"Well, no, I mean… I've been having these feelings of lust for you too captain." You say untactfully.
"Ha ha! Well that's good to know I guess." The captain laughs. "So what's the problem then?"
"…I just…I've never…"
"Never…ohhhhh! Really? Though I guess it makes sense. You were trained to kill from birth; going from battlefield to battlefield quoting Empire doctrine (sigh)" the captain touches your face. "Sometimes I wonder if we go too far. Well don't worry about it; we'll have time to catch you up. And like I keep telling you, just relax… and call me Alison."

You and the cap…Alison have an interesting time. It certainly isn't anything you've experienced before, but its possibly the most pleasurable thing you've ever experienced. You understand a little more to as why other soldiers hold it in such high regard.

You know not to let it affect your duty and after a few days of down time, you are ready to serve the Emperor again. Everyone is, Captain Krozer is going to do it elsewhere though, namely the Arat province on the Felkan border.

She calls you in to tell you that someone by the name of Mr. Mol has been impressed with your abilities and thinks you are able to handle the Rask frontier without any supervision. As of now you are in charge of Fort Destiny and been promoted to captain. You don't know what to say.

"Congratulations on your new command, though I will say I don't envy it! After being here for six years myself, I'll be glad to be sent to the Arat province. Those Felkans can't possibly be any worse than the shit we've faced here."
"It was an honor to serve with you captain." You say respectfully.
"Oh come on, you don't need to put up a tough front with me, I know you'll miss me and cry in your pillows at night." She says with a smirk.
"I…won't! I mean I'll miss you, but…"
"Keep working on developing that sense of humor, but it's nice to know I'll be missed." She says and kisses you on the cheek

"Good bye and remember to take a rest from all the killing sometimes and enjoy what you can okay?"

With those last words, Alison walks out of her office…or rather your office.

And so begins your command of Fort Destiny.
Year 25

"Another protest? What the hell is going on now?" you say.
"I don't know the exact details, just that the miners are protesting their work conditions in the town of Keplavisk." Lieutenant Verant replies.
"I'm getting sick of these protests, the Empire provides everything for these ungrateful wretches and they complain? They ought to be lucky we haven't sent slaves to do their job! Alright send a detachment there and if they don't break it up, kill a couple to make a point and remind them that it could be much worse."
"Yes sir."

You sit stuck at your desk wondering when something worthwhile is going to happen. When you were first assigned to this job, the frontier was still dangerous. Even with the elimination of the wendigos and the elven home, there were still minor hostile barbarian tribes running around and sometimes even tribes of ogres or the odd giant who had wandered down from further north.

Eventually you eliminated all of those threats to a degree that they were no longer a factor. Then boredom set in as the area became peaceful. For a moment you tried to take Alison's advice she once gave you, but the problem is, the peace lasted too long, at least for you.

Lately though the boredom has become annoyance. There has been a shift in the average Empire citizen's attitude, namely one of insolence. many have started to complain about their jobs, their food, their freedom, everything. At first you questioned if it wasn't some sort of supernatural influence as that could at least be a rational explanation of this mass madness. When the first open protests started, you handled them in an efficient manner and they stopped for a while, but only for a while. It's as if the citizens want you to kill them.

And apparently the problem isn't just here. If anything this sort of open disobedience has been rearing its ugly head in other parts of the Empire a lot more than it has here and a lot sooner.

Don't these people understand that the Empire protects them and gives them everything? If it were not for Emperor's wisdom to expand, they wouldn't even have their homes, jobs in whatever province they hail from, never mind the constant vigilance to protect them against monsters that would rip them apart.

Sometimes you wish you had been transferred to the Arat province. At least there's a war going on there. You can only imagine that Warrick and Gerald don't have to put up with this nonsense. Assuming they are still alive, as you have heard nothing about them and despite your new ranking, you can't seem to get any information on them either. No word about about Roldan or Brenda either, but you do know that the Nalin province is known to be one of the most orderly places in the Empire now.

You would even settle for being transferred to Fort Defiance at this point, they at least have to still have to stem the tide of beasts and monsters from the north. You've also wondered about Kane and Edgar. They're the only two you do have some updated information on, but while you've all been in this territory for years you haven't seen them since the day you separated company. Oh you've heard a few stories about Edgar killing giants single handedly, but that's about it. In fact you're surprised that neither one of them has earned command of Fort Defiance like you have with Fort Destiny.

Sometimes it's funny how thinking about something causes it to happen.

You get a message from Fort Defiance and it's from Kane! He states that he's just taken command of Fort Defiance and would like to speak with you in person about some possible joint military operations. You naturally leave for Fort Defiance immediately. A certain excitement and even happiness dwells within you, it'll be good to see a fellow Eternal again, even if Edgar is probably going to still be combative with you. Who knows though? Maybe he's changed, it's been years after all.

Your trip to Fort Defiance is uneventful and when you arrive at the fort it's as large as you've heard, but then it would have to be to fend off giants. You are greeted by several heavily armored orc troops and what looks to be a battle mage. (You still never managed to get either assigned to your fort)

"Welcome to Fort Defiance captain! I am to take you to General Kane. He is most eager to see you! Come this way!" the battle mage says and as you are escorted through a series of dimly lit corridors one thought goes through your mind: "General?"

When you arrive at Kane's office he looks a little different with his head completely shaved, but other than that he hasn't changed. He also has another man in his office dressed in dark leather armor, with a cloak. You've heard of their reputation, but this is the first time you've seen a member of the Shadow Guard. You knew a few were stationed up here though.

Kane stands up and greets you.

"Well if it isn't the Bane of Rask! Ha ha ha! How are you my brother?" Kane says in a jovial manner.
"I'm fine…brother?" you reply being a little confused by Kane's demeanor and him calling you brother.
"Yes! Of course! We are brothers! We grew up together, we trained together, and we fought together, and we are Eternals! Would that not constitute a brotherly bond?" he says.
"Heh, I suppose it would. Never thought about it before I guess." You reply with a smile.
"Hey I'd like you to meet another brother of ours, this is Cyrus. Remember him? He was in our class, but he got transferred to the Shadow Guard when they first separated us."
"Cyrus…oh yes, I do remember him. I have sometimes wondered what happened to some of during that first separation. I guess the rest went to the Shadow Guard then?"
"Yes, but only a few of us survived Shadow Guard training. Very few."
"Sounds like us, a few of our class didn't make it through our training either."

"No, it was nothing like what you went through. Trust me." Cyrus says coldly.

Kane quickly intervenes.

"Don't mind Cyrus, he's a little on the serious side, sort of like you eh?"
"As I recall I don't remember you being so talkative or jolly either." You say.
"Hey what can I tell you, I've changed as the years went by! I've learned to take more joy in life and not worry so much about duty or about the Empire!"

This last comment is cause for concern.

"Not worry about the Empire? What kind of talk is that for an Eternal? And I have a few questions, how did you get promoted to general? I mean why would they need a general up here, this fort has been doing fine without one, the Rask frontier is as quiet as ever and there's a war going on with the Felkan Kingdom. In fact, where is Edgar? I've heard so much about his deeds that I would've figured that he might get promoted to command here and certainly not to general."

At this point Kane and Cyrus look at each other and Kane looks back at you with a less cheery disposition.

"Very well. It was only a matter of time before I was going to have to bring this up to you anyway. I've made myself general and as of recently this fort is no longer under Empire authority."
"You what?!"
"I saw the light, with the help of Cyrus here I suppose. The Empire is crumbling, I give it a decade at best and we need to make sure we have a good position when the shit goes down. Don't you see? That's why I called you here. You've got the plebs further south of the Rask frontier under control and if we combined forces, nobody could stop us!

You're in shock for a moment. Nothing could have prepared you for something like this.

"…Kane, you can't believe that I would go along with something like this!"
"But why not? Surely you have heard the reports of the mass civil unrest going on in the Empire, why even in your own area you have had to put civvies in their place."
"Yes, and that just means we have to work harder to preserve the Empire, not abandon it in its time of need!"
"Bah! Why bother? It had its time in the sun and now its time for something new to take its place. What better than us? We're Eternals after all. Just think we could even unite with some of our other siblings in this dying Empire to make ourselves even stronger!"

You hold your head in your hands at Kane's words of secession and treason. This is not the same man you knew, and he is certainly not your "brother." You never thought the day would come when you'd have to kill a fellow Eternal.

You accept his offer

It takes everything in you to not attack, but you're hoping you can bide your time to gain a better advantage. You're never really lied before though, so you take deep breath before speaking.

"Kane… I think you're right. Maybe I've always known on some level, but it just took someone close to me to point it out. I will join your cause… my brother."

Kane smiles and is certainly overjoyed at your response, but Cyrus looks less than enthusiastic, in fact he's looking past you.

"That's great! I knew you'd join us! I told you Cyrus!" Kane says looking at Cyrus, but Cyrus is still looking past you, he makes a nod.

"Cyrus…wait no!" Kane shouts
"He's lying Kane! Kill him!"

You attempt to get up and attack the battle mage behind, but unfortunately he's already anticipated that and stepped far enough way for you to not get to him in time before he's already cast a lightning bolt straight in your face. If it had been your body, perhaps you would've survived, but a straight blast to your face fries not only your eyes so badly that they melt, but your brain as well.

You drop down dead before you can hear Kane's argument that you could've been "turned" to the cause.