Chapter 1: The Shepherds

**Grace**: \*yawwwn\* Well, here we are. The Shepherds' Headquarters. Make yourself at home, Joos!

**Joos**: This place looks awful big for three people...

**Knifez**: It is a bit big, but there's more than just three of us. Excuse me while I find my sister.

**Joos**: Alright, I'll wait here.

**Knifez**: Ahem, FLORENCE. GET DOWN HERE, YOU SLUT. NEW RECRUIT!

**Joos**: Ah! I wasn't expecting you to yell...

**Knifez**: You've never had a sibling, have you?

**George**: Bad question.

**???**: KNIFEZ. HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU TO STOP YELLING?

**Knifez**: The girl you see screeching like a tortured mouse is my sister, Florence. Say hello.

**Florence**: Oh, a new recruit! What's your name?

**Joos**: I'm Joos.

**Florence**: I see. No offense, but that's really kind of a weird name.

**Joos**: Tell me about it...Hey, what are you doing?

**Florence**: Stay still. I'm circling.

**Knifez**: She does this to all our new recruits. The male ones, anyway.

**Florence**: Gotta see them from every angle possible.

**Joos**: What should I be expecti—EEP! What was that?

**Florence**: He has a nice ass at least. He screams like a girl though. ...I like it.

**Joos**: Oh my god.

**Florence**: So, you met my baby brother Knifez! Did he give you a lecture about how to date his sister?

**Knifez**: No, because we're the Shepherds, not Florence's Harem.

**Florence**: Damn. Well, maybe the next one. What's he do? Is he a mage, or an archer or what?

**Knifez**: Tactician.

**Florence**: Are you sure about that?

**Knifez**: Of course I'm sure.

**???**: Hey, what's going on in here?

**Knifez**: Oh hey, you're just in time. Joos, say hello to Jimmy. He's one of the best damn horseback riders I've ever met.

**Jimmy**: Heheh, I don't think I'm *that* great, but if you insist.

**Joos**: Nice to meet you. I'm Joos.

**Jimmy**: Hey bud. Glad to have you. And, uh, you'll get used to Florence hitting on you. It happened to all of us.

**Joos**: I'm not too worried about it.

**Florence**: What's that supposed to mean?

**???**: Knifez! There you are. I've been looking all over for you! Where've you been, man?

**Knifez**: Oh, hey there Sam. Me, Grace and George were out on patrol.

**Sam**: And you didn't bring me? Why not?

**Knifez**: Patrol isn't an all-team endeavor. All I needed were Grace and George.

**Sam**: Uh, huh. And did a fight break out?

**Knifez**: No! ...Maybe. Yes.

**Sam**: I knew it. And how'd you do?

**Knifez**: Great actually.

**Sam**: Oh, I see how it is. You don't need your trusted Tactician anymore because Knifez is a big boy and can take care of himself!

**Joos**: (Grace, did he just say Tactician?)

**Grace**: (Shhhh!)

**Knifez**: Oh, come on. You would have been bored to tears overseeing that battle. Trust me, it's best that you stayed. You know I would have brought you along if I was expecting a difficult fight to break out.

**Sam**: Point taken. Now who's the new guy?

**Knifez**: Say hello to Joos. He's our new recruit. We found him while we were out on patrol. He conked out and can't remember a thing save for his name and how to fight.

**Florence**: So we're recruiting amnesiacs now are we? What's next, people in wheelchairs?

**Knifez**: Stop it, you.

**Sam**: Nice to meet you Joos. And what do you do?

**Joos**: Same to you, Sam. I'm a Tactician.

**Sam**: …Wait. Why?

**Joos**: I have no idea.

**Sam**: Do we really need two Tacticians for the same force? That's a terrible idea, Knifez! We're different people, probably with different upbringings and opinions. We'll have too many disagreements to function correctly. Imagine we're in a life or death situation and we think the same unit should move to two different places. What do we do then?

**Knifez**: You—

**Sam**: We die! That's what we do!

**Knifez**: Calm down, Sam. If you have a conflict of interest, I expect you to settle it rationally like civilized, grown-ass adults, alright?

**Joos**: Knifez, he kind of has a point. Two Tacticians at once is, tactically speaking, not a very good idea at all.

**Knifez**: And with that, my point is proven. I sense a lot of similarities between you two, even if you don't think they're there. I trust that you'll both make similar, rational decisions. Now stop being babies about it.

**Sam**: If you say so.

**Joos**: I'll trust your judgment, Knifez.

*A distressed villager runs in frantically, clutching a crying child to his chest.*

**Villager**: Lord Knifez! Brigands are advancing on the town! We need you to protect us!

**Knifez**: Alright. Shepherds, let's move! Joos, I want you to advise us in this fight. Prove to everyone you have what it takes to serve alongside Sam. Sam, you follow Joos' instructions. Just this once, alright?

**Joos**: Right.

**Sam**: Got it.

***[IF KNIFEZ, JOOS OR SAM DIES, IT'S GAME OVER.]***

*The battle against the attacking brigands goes swimmingly. Sam inspires the others with his swordsmanship and magic prowess. Watching Knifez and Florence fight together is like watching synchronized swimming with swords. George curses at least three people to eternal diarrhea while Grace heals his meager wounds. Jimmy hangs back and chooses the perfect moment to impale enemies on his lance or take their head off with a deft swing of his sword. Joos jumps into the fray against the head bandit and, together, he and Sam burn him to a crisp with their fire magic. After the battle, everyone celebrates by patting Joos on the back.*

**Knifez**: I told you you could do it.

**Jimmy**: Good job, dude.

**Grace**: Hey, way to go!

**George**: I guess you were alright.

**Florence**: Way to go new guy.

**Joos**: Please don't wink at me like that.

**Sam**: I have to admit, you did pretty well for what, your second time? I still think we should have pressed forward instead of waiting for them to make the first move like they did, but there's still time to teach you.

**Joos**: Thanks. I think. I don't know if that was a compliment or not.

**Sam**: That's why there's still a lot to teach you.

**Knifez**: Alright everyone. Rest easy. Tomorrow we set out for the capital. In a week's time, Florence and I have something very important to attend to, so we'll need to make haste. We wake up bright and early!

**Florence**: Joos sleeps in my bed!

**Joos**: No thank you!

==> CHAPTER 2: ARROWS IN THE WIND

## Current Party

**The Shepherds**

* Knifez. Lord. Captain of the Shepherds and Prince of Waydrn. Treats his men firmly but fairly.
* George. Dark Mage. A harrowingly optimistic Waydrnite who loves bad jokes.
* Grace. Cleric. An affectionate and cheeky Shepherd with a possessive streak.
* Joos. Tactician. A traveler with no memory of the past, but a gift for tactics.
* Sam. Tactician. The Shepherds' original, no-nonsense Tactician.
* Florence. Lord. A Shepherd and Knifez's sister. Always ready to lend an ass-kicking.
* Jimmy. Cavalier. A quiet Shepherd who knows exactly when to get to work.

## Information

* The chapter was originally posted to the Total Drama Writers' Forum here.

Paralogues: Paralogue 1: From Sickle to Sword - Paralogue 2: The Secret Seller - Paralogue 3: Taylor's Dilemma - Paralogue 4: Rides With Wyverns - Paralogue 5: Wings of Justice - Paralogue 6: Tournament of Kings - Paralogue 7: All Buns go to Heaven - Paralogue 8: The Lyin' King - Paralogue 9: Doing God's Work...Kinda - Paralogue 10: Nose in the Book, Head in the Clouds - Paralogue 11: Fast Fingers and Freedom - Paralogue 12: Witchcraft and Wizardry

DLC: The Conquest of The Domain [ Xenologue 1: Twenty-One Years Ago... - Xenologue 2: Fight of the Mapmakers - Xenologue 3: Capital City Onaw ] Days of Future Past [ Xenologue 4: The New Shepherds - Xenologue 5: A Glimmer of Hope - Xenologue 6: Beginning of the End ]

Non-Canon: A Very Forum Emblem Christmas! - Reawakened - Tales From the Barracks [ Second Seal Scramble ]