Part 1

Chapter 1

Smoke from our campfires hung in the air, stubbornly refusing to rise or disperse. I knew how it felt. The weight of so many lives depending on me...

I glanced around the quiet camp. A dozen Zibong Reborn lay sleeping on makeshift bedrolls they had crawled into who knows how late last night. They weren't bothered in the least by the early morning sun, washing over the rocky terraces of the Wilderness Highlands. We had held these Highlands for a week, with no place else to go some of us were getting to think of this as home. I wasn't one of them.

My home was an empty cottage in southern Buya.

We held the few accessible passes into the Highlands, against Immortals and the Royal Army of Kugnae. Carefully guarding against allowing any of our members to be the focus of magical Approach spells, blocking the Mages of Rowann's Royal Army turned out to be the easy part. It isn't possible to block against the Approach of an Immortal and Rowann had several at her disposal. In the early days of the fight, we took heavy causalities from the Immortals.

I smiled. Scattered around the campsite were several more Reborn. Hard to say if they were aware of my attention or not, as they spent their entire watch phasing in and out of Zibong form. If an Immortal chose to pop up in the middle of our camp, we couldn't stop him. But they discovered quickly enough that if they did, several Death-Touch spells awaited them, sending the hurtling back to Heaven. In pain, too, I guessed. Anyway, they avoided such direct action.

The Highlands turned out to be a fortunate location for our stronghold. No doubt, my reputation as a military leader was growing considerably in Kugnae. I hope they don't find out that stumbling on the Highlands was just a lucky accident.

I had intended to seek sanctuary in the lands of the Sanhae. We had been crossing the northern edge of the Wilderness, after leaving Buya, when one of Rowann's blockades trapped us. I guessed that she wanted us to try moving across the open pasture, but I was having none of that. I ordered several of the Reborn to attack anything and everything around the blockade and while the Guards were preparing for our attempt to break through, we just disappeared.

I smiled, again. A woodcutter's grove hid us while we regrouped. North was no longer an option. Turning back east was the most likely strategy; I hoped Rowann didn't think I was fool enough to cross the pasture. There was nothing west of us but the Chung Ryong shrine and the road leading south to Kugnae, we couldn't march right into Rowann's home could we? No, she probably planned for that, too. Blasted woman.

"South," I told the messenger, a young Rogue that popped invisible every time there was a loud noise.

"Across the pasture?" He was disbelieving. "We will get cut to pieces!"

"No, straight south. Past the Shrine on the road to Kugnae."

"General, sir, the Royal Army is IN Kugnae!" He popped invisible, certain I had lost my wits. I already had heard them call me the "Poet General" behind my back. So much for writing during the campaign.

I cast a weak heal spell around me, then fizzled it before it could work. Mostly a waste of Mana, it did tell me right where the young Rogue was standing. I faced him.

Relay the order, tell anyone that questions it that we will turn off the road before we get to Kugnae," I could tell he was uncomfortable that his invisibility spell wasn't hiding him.

Poet General, indeed! Let them think I can see invisible Rogues.

Past the shrine was one of the entrances to the rat caves. Cold smelly places, no one would hide in the rat caves, not even us. All around the caves, though, were rock terraces and that gave me the idea for the stronghold.

I hope Rowann chokes on the fact that her strongest enemy is less than a day's ride north of her home.

I smiled a last time.

Chapter 2

With an unnatural screaming noise, my Forsaken blade snapped. No steel sword should ever sound like that, I thought, staring in amazement at the jagged blade ending inches from my hand.

Too tired to be afraid, I glanced up at the young Royal Guardsman I was facing. He quickly realized that I was disarmed and smiled, dramatically raising his sword for his coup d'grace.

I threw myself at him, under his swing. My bulk drove him backwards, away from the line held by the Reborn, knocking down several Guardsmen in our path. I landed on top of the young warrior, and smashed my still plumed but dented Phoenix helm into his unprotected face. He was out of the fight.

I rolled off his unconscious form to my left and came up with his steel blade. The Reborn hadn't missed the fact that their General had fallen. The air around me was thick with the gray fog of Zibong Death Touch, heavily laced with Hellfire.

"Forget about me!! Hold the line!!" I shouted, which of course, merely drew more attention to me. "Stop that! One Healer on me, let me fight my way back!"

The gray fog lifted around me as the Reborn concentrated farther down the Battle line. A small contingent of Royal Guards had managed somehow to scale a section of the rocky wall surrounding the Highlands. If one of our scouts hadn't been coming back on the same route, they might have had time to get more Healers and Mages up the wall. As it was, this group was plenty tough and I recognized several wearing the insignias of Rowann's personal troops. I thought that was actually a good sign. If she felt she had to send in her best, things can't be going all that well for her.

Of course, I also saw several of the enemy wearing Clan insignia, too. If the Clans were involved, we were in serious trouble ourselves.

"Speaking of serious trouble, " I said aloud. With the wave of Death Touch and Hellfire over with, the warriors in the group surrounding me finally had time to re-group. "If only you guys were Ogres."

As the swords and spears started striking me, I took a deep breath and refreshed my warrior spells, barely trying to block the blows. When I was completely refreshed, I faced my line that I was now behind. One warrior stood between my goal and me.

Contemptuously ignoring the weak spear hacks at my lightly armored back, and the swords trying to beat through my side and shoulder armor, I addressed the young soldier in front of me wearing a very new Royal Guard uniform. "You're in my way, young man."

"Surrender, in the name of the king," he said, his chin high. "You are out numbered."

"We can do it your way, if you insist," I turned to my right and slammed my gauntlet into the face of the warrior furiously trying to block. Bending on the waist, I kicked backwards like an ornery mule, my heavy boot catching the swordsman behind me in the stomach. Straightening and planting both feet, I swung with all my might at the spearman that was behind me, sheering off his spear inches from his hands.

I turned back to the young soldier between the Reborn and me. "How are my odds, now?"

"You old fool! You can't win!" he snapped, pulling out a yellow scroll. "The Gods are on our side!"

"That's where you are wrong, young man," I said sadly, "Unfortunately, I can win. Ask Rowann if she is prepared to pay that price."

As the young officer disappeared, I sat heavily on the steps of the Pass, uncertain if I had the strength to stand.

"Messenger!" I shouted and here he was, almost before my voice echoed back to me down the pass. "I need a complete list of casualties and an update on status from all squad leaders."

"Already done, General," the young rogue beamed proudly. "No casualties to report, Sir. Also, the squad leaders reported only four enemy healers had made it to the cliff top before we ignited their ropes. The Reborn hit the healers first and all of us had a hand in mopping up the fighters."

"Good work," I noticed my old Forsaken blade lying in two pieces on the ground. I nudged it with my boot. "Think we can repair it?"

The young Rogue eyed the black blade, suspiciously. "I hope not!" he said, firmly. "What a terrible weapon!"

"There are worse," I said, cryptically, glancing around at my troops. For all no casualties, we looked more like the loosing side. Warriors and Rogues sprawled wherever they had ended up at the end of the fight, the Mages in hardly better shape; only the Poets looked at all hole. They were systematically covering the field with Heal spells, spreading out their Mana, rationing a now precious resource.

"If everything is in order here," I told the Rogue messenger, "Make a circuit of the sentry posts."

The Rogue saluted and disappeared.

Again I stared at the broken Forsaken blade, then back at my new weapon, taken from the soldier I had flattened. A Steel blade was not much of a weapon. Perhaps this was a sign that our fight was over and it was time to reach a decision about the future.

Perhaps it was time...

Shouts from the far side of the battlefield created a sudden change in everyone. Sprawled fighters leaped to their feet and charged at the noise. A moment earlier I was certain that I couldn't move if I tried, yet there I was running after everyone, Steel blade upraised.

Near the western slopes of the Highlands, a large group of Reborn had surrounded three men who had obviously just crawled up the slope. Several Reborn were already phasing into Zibong form to attack.

I couldn't see clearly from the back of the crowd, but a flash of red caught my attention, as the sun reflected off the helmet of the tall figure in the middle.

"Hold your attack!" I yelled, pushing my way through the crowd.

The three men were as different as possible; the tall Warrior in the middle was dressed in bright green armor, watching the crowd like a hawk. On his head he wore a Phoenix helm much like my own, without the dents and bent plumage. Next to him a Rogue dressed in black lounged against a rock, seemingly unconcerned that a dozen Reborn were ready to Death Touch him. He looked as though he was ready to climb another cliff if he had to. The third figure hadn't done so well with the climb. A young Poet was lying face down on the ground. Anyone might have taken him for dead except for the loud wheezing that was coming from him.

Of course the most amazing thing of all about the three was that I knew them.

"Hail, Phoenix, brother!" The knight in green armor boomed.

"Hail, Kimpo," I replied, somewhat mystified. "What is up with Beorn?"

I nodded at the Kinsman sprawled on the ground before us.

The little Poet was still prostrate and his breathing certainly wasn't any easier. I knelt next to him gently rolled him onto his back. His eyes were open and he smiled when he saw my face.

"Hello, brother. We are here to join you." He wheezed. I smiled back at him.

"You are welcome here, Little Brother," I straightened up, feeling the pain from my run on exhausted muscles.

I turned to the crowd of confused Reborn.

"I need a good Healer to stay with him," I pointed to one of our better-robed poets. "Get him back on his feet."

Only then did I turn back to Kimpo.

"What are you doing here, Kimpo?" I could hardly believe my eyes, my fellow knight was the most lawful of men. "I must say I am surprised. You are welcome of course."

"All the Kingdom knows you are here," Kimpo began, while I led him over to the rocks where the silent Rogue still lounged against the rock.

"I expect they would," I chuckled, "When we escaped, I bet Rabsha forced the Royal Families of both Kingdoms and all the Clans to condemn us."

"No one stands against the Gods," Kimpo nodded, "We all believed that, some still do. Many now believe that Rowann's difficulties in removing you means that the Gods do not truly rebuke you.

"What do you believe, brother?" I asked, trying to get comfortable sitting on a rock.

"I heard the words of the Angels, Gareth," Kimpo said, seriously. "The judgment of the Gods was that all Reborn were to be Revoked, because they were a danger to the kingdom. I believe in our Gods and trusted their Angels, though it was personally painful to me. Then, when you rescued the Reborn, and led them out of the kingdom, I was ashamed, for I had followed my sense of duty and not my heart.

I was confused.

"What stake did you have in all this?" I asked, "I was avoiding Banishment. I really didn't have much to loose. Why would you join me?"

Kimpo was staring over my shoulder, for a moment I thought he hadn't heard me.

"My reason?" he said at last, "is standing behind you."

I turned around, standing behind me was a young warrior in blue armor.

"Leno?" I asked, recognizing one of my Reborn.

The boy looked past me, seeing only Kimpo. "Hello, Father."

Kimpo and Leno wandered off by themselves talking quietly. I sat on my rock, watching the Healer work beside young Beorn. He was sitting up comfortably now, and you could hardly hear his breathing anymore.

I had been away from Phoenix Clan for too long, it seemed. Kimpo had a son The years really sneak up on you.

"So, not curious why I am here?" A deep voice said from behind me. I turned around, the black armored Rogue was now there, I hadn't heard him move.

"Well met, Kraki! How is your wife, Wildroses?" I clasped his arm. "Curious? Of course, but you are famous for keeping close council."

"She is well, Brother. This time I might make an exception," he smiled, like a dagger being drawn from a sheath. "After all, we are in danger of being Revoked just for being here."

"I am proud to have you with us, brother" I said at last, "but you may find this Slash and Heal type fighting a little dull."

"Then we shall have to make it more interesting," he said, eyes gleaming. "The Taint took many Rogues, too, lost to Zibong form during Resurrection by that evil mage Spellblaster. How many Rogues are in your Reborn? Perhaps I could help them somehow."

"Good idea, Kraki," I nodded enthusiastically. "Right now, I am using the younger Rogues as messengers and sadly, the higher ones are side by side with our Warriors."

"Rogues usually don't have the temperament to stand and fight," Kraki pondered. "It is a tribute to your leadership that they do."

"Thank you, Brother," I smiled, "but the truth is, there is something of a morale problem amongst the Rogues."

"Then perhaps they could be organized more usefully... doing tasks they are better suited for?"

I laughed. This was just what I needed- fresh ideas and another pair of hands. "Have at it, brother. You are the most senior Rogue present anyway. Report to me or Kimpo, that is IF I can convince him to accept a command job."

"How about me?" Another familiar voice from behind.

"Beorn!" I cried, turning to clasp the young man's arm. "Good to see you on your feet!"

"I was alright," he said, defensively. "Kimpo helped me most of the way. I guess it was a dumb idea to try and bring this."

He opened his pack and dumped out an amazing number of Herb pipes! It must have weighed half as much as the young man alone. Our Mana troubles were over for a while anyway.

"Messenger!" I hollered, and my young Rogue popped up next to me. "Please distribute these to the Warriors and Rogues. The Mages and Poets will have to rely on Invoke spell for Mana."