CHAPTER 1: REUNION

The viking winter, one of the most harsh and unrelenting climates of the war torn world. Below zero temperatures, howling winds, and blizzards were deadlier than the vikings themselves to anyone not prepared for its fury. 2 months before, a large legion of knights were dispatched to bring the fight to the vikings, after countless raids against their outer villages. The leader of the legion was a high ranking Lawbringer named Michael Stoneblood. Stoneblood was an efficient leader and soldier, bright and charismatic no matter the situation. But now he was weak and weary, trudging his way through the knee high snow, using his poleaxe to at least keep him standing. He was walking for what seemed like days, the death of his entire legion weighing down on his shoulders. The attack on the vikings had been expected, and before Stoneblood knew it, his men were being massacred in front of him. At least 300 men died that day, and his loyal commanders were nowhere to be seen. Stoneblood leaned on a thick pine tree, breathing heavily and using the trees around him to block the howling wind around him. He wished for warmth, a fire, anything to counteract this despicable winter.

Stoneblood trudged onward, mindlessly going in a direction, hoping to find shelter. The hours went on and on, before through the blinding snow, he saw a deserted viking village. most of the wooden longhouses were crumbled and ripped apart by the wailing wind, but one small, two room hut stood firm in the wind, shielded on all sides by thick trees. Stoneblood, elated at his find trudged his way through the snow to the door. pushing it open, it wouldn't budge. He pressed with more and more force until finally he slammed his shoulder into it, breaking the ice around it and allowing himself to fall to the floor of the hut. Stoneblood laid there for what seems like hours, relishing the cold wooden floor rather than the freezing snow outside. He raised his weary head and was surprised to see a small fire in the hearth. He looked around to see who had started the fire, and in the far corner of the mostly barren house, he saw a large figure under the furs of a bedroll. Grabbing his poleaxe and standing up, he walked slowly to the bedroll, and raised his weapon over his head to kill the barbarous viking. Before he brought the poleaxe down onto the viking, he threw the the furs to Stoneblood. The lawbringer stumbled backward already weary from his trek, and fell backwards onto the floor. He felt his weapon leave his grasp as the towering figure stood over him. He shut his eyes in anticipation of his death, but rather, a familiar voice filled his ears.

"Stoneblood?" The, short gruff voice asked "Is that you?"

Stoneblood's eyes shot open. There was no way who he thought it was. Looking up he saw the familiar mask of his loyal centurion, Kalib Eagleheart. Eagleheart was one of the few centurions left in existence, a warrior of a lost empire, a soldier with no war. He was a master of his gladius, and was one of Stoneblood's most trusted commanders.

"Well i'll be damned." Eagleheart said, sheathing his gladius and reaching his hand to Stoneblood. "I didn't think anyone made it out of that ambush."

Stoneblood was speechless, he was full of confusion, fear, and glee to see one of his closest friends still alive. He took Eagleheart's hand and was helped up to his feet. He stared at friend for a long while before quickly embracing his centurion in a quick hug, before just as quickly pulling away.

"Never took you as that kind of guy." The Centurion chuckled to Stoneblood.

Stoneblood punched him in the shoulder, chuckling lightly to himself as well. It was nice to have a bit of nice of happiness after the harsh cold outside.

"How long were you out there?" Eagleheart asked, seeing his friend shaking under his armor, barely able to stand.

"Almost a day at least." the Lawbringer said weakly.

The Centurion nodded and put himself under his friends arm, bringing him over to the fur bed. Stoneblood understood and laid down, the weariness pulling too hard on his eyes to allow him to even take his helmet off.

"I'll keep watch an keep that fire burning." Eagleheart said behind his mask. "You require rest. You've earned it."

Stoneblood allowed his heavy eyelids to close, and an even heavier sleep overcame him.

*NINE HOURS PASS*

The sound of metal on metal woke the weary Lawbringer from his rest. Feeling refreshed and energetic he shot up and saw his friend, using the axe of his poleaxe to sharpen his gladius. Eagleheart looked at the Lawbringer, and dropped the poleaxe onto the stone floor.

"I can see the look your giving me under that clunky helmet of yours. It gets boring when the only other person here is asleep."

The howling wind was all that was heard for what seemed like a full minute. before an eruption of laughter was heard between the two of them. Stoneblood reached his hands to his helmet and pulled the cold plate and chain-mail off, revealing his somewhat chiseled face and short brown hair, and equally piercing brown eyes. He placed the helmet on the middle table in the house and sat on one of the strong oak benches next to it. Eagleheart looked at his friend's anguished face, full of guilt and regret over the death of his entire legion.

"It wasn't your fault, the ambush." Eagleheart said, staring at his gladius.

"I should have known. I should have been more careful, now everyone else but us has perished. Including...Them."

Eagleheart's face dropped under his mask. Stoneblood's other commanders, the two peacekeepers, Wesley Lightfoot, and Andrea Trueshot, were seemingly killed in the attack, as they were separated by overwhelming viking force. The last Stoneblood ever saw of his two assassins, and his beloved friends.

"I'm sure they survived, you've seen how well Wesley could escape from the most unbelievable messes." Eagleheart said. "Mostly ones he got into himself."

The Lawbringer laughed lightly to himself, remembering how headstrong and daring he was. "It was a good thing he had Andrea by his side to make sure he did not get himself killed."

Eagleheart pondered over something before pointing his gladius at Stoneblood. "You never did tell me why you recruited a male Peacekeeper into your ranks. Such a thing never existed until him."

Stoneblood felt it was a matter of time before he had to spill the story. Straightening himself he spoke.

"He was an orphan along with Andrea, abandoned and forgotten by his parents. He made friends with Andrea and began to do anything he could to survive. He stole, He lied, He even killed. Just to survive the harsh world we've found ourselves in. As the two of them grew, they became adept fighters, and Andrea was pulled in to be trained as a peacekeeper. She agreed of course, she had too; but she said she would only do so if Wesley was trained with her to be a soldier. He was too old to be trained as I have, and the longsword of the warden never suited him. Andrea excelled as a trainee peacekeeper, but Wesley was struggling to keep up with anything. Nothing suited him well, until one day as a joke, the trainers gave him a short sword and dagger as a joke; knowing that he could never wield them well." The lawbringer paused and laughed to himself a bit as he continued the story. "Little did they know, he wielded them expertly, gracefully fighting, even seeming to dance with the weapons as he slashed around with them. The trainers brought in the head of the peacekeeper training, an elderly and retired peacekeeper to see how well Wesley used the weapons. She was astounded they said, watching in awe as he danced with those weapons. After seeing that, and a little bit of enthusiasm from her star pupil Andrea, She reluctantly agreed to train him in being a peacekeeper. After years and years of work, they became wonderful soldiers, and the time came for me to find my commanders, along with two other legion generals. The others chose Wardens, Conquerers, and other Peacekeepers, even Andrea was offered to become a commander in another legion, but declined because she would not be with Wesley. The other students despised Wesley, a male peacekeeper was unheard of, and to the lawbringers and wardens, was heretical. Until It was finally my turn to choose. I looked over the promising lawbringers and wardens, and none of them seemed to have a drive to fight, just to fight. until I laid my eyes on those two, a female and male peacekeeper, shoulder to shoulder, hiding their faces in shame. I remember the exact conversation today."

The lawbringer closed his eyes and remembered the day.

The sun was beating down on the stone training area, the high stone castle walls around them shielding the elements. Stoneblood glanced over the newly trained soldiers in front of him, the wardens and lawbringers had their weapons firmly planted in the ground, posture full of pride and want for battle. Stoneblood looked to the two peacekeepers left, who had their heads hung low, fearing the day they would be used as cannon fodder for an unimpressed commander. Stoneblood looked to the overseer and pointed to the two peacekeepers.

"What about those two right there?" Stoneblood asked him.

The overseer was visibly shooken by his question. "Those are our star peacekeepers, Wesley Lightfoot and Andrea Trueshot."

Stoneblood looked to them in anticipation as they raised their heads in response to their names being told. "How are they in combat?"

The overseer gulped. "They are wonderful soldiers sir but they refuse to be separated, and Wesley is a male peacekeeper! You cannot be serious in-" He was cut off by Stonebloods hand.

Stoneblood walked to the two and outstretched his hand to Wesley. Wesley raised his head and looked confused, his long and shaggy hair covering his light face and brown eyes somewhat.

"Duel me." Stoneblood said

Wesley cocked his head and looked to Andrea, whose curly hair covered half of her confused, pale face.

"Sir Stoneblood you must not waste your time with him! He is nothing but a heretical mishap!"

"Did or did I not just say to shut your goddamned mouth?" Stoneblood yelled to the overseer. "Duel me, Lightfoot."

Wesley nodded and walked to the middle of the courtyard, facing Stoneblood he assumed a laid over stance and drew his weapons as Stoneblood readied his poleaxe. He nodded to the peacekeeper as he walked toward him and attempted to slash at the peacekeeper with his poleaxe. Rather than dodge backward, the peacekeeper dodged under the swing and used the momentum to push the weapon firmly into the stone floor. the peacekeeper kicked the handle out of Stoneblood's hands, and before he knew it, he had accidentally shoved his dagger firmly into the lawbringer's side. After realizing what he did he recoiled backwards, and Andrea covered her mouth in fear. They knew they would be foot soldiers now, doomed to die after one of them stabbed a general. Stoneblood recoiled and looked to his side, then to the shocked peacekeeper. He gripped the blade and pulled it quickly from his side, wincing at the blade being removed. He placed the blade in his hand and the other held his brand new wound. Silence filled the courtyard as the overseer walked over to the peacekeeper, hand up in a show of force. Before the overseer could even strike him once, Stoneblood piped up.

"Don't you dare lay a finger on him!"

"This imbecile stabbed you sir! You can not possibly defend him at this point!"

"You do not have the authority to strike one of my commanders!" Stoneblood yelled back.

Wesley's and Andrea's eyes turned from anger to surprise, and then happiness as Stoneblood walked to Wesley and had given his dagger back to him.

"Andrea Trushot, Wesley Lightfoot!" Stoneblood's voice almost shook the cold stone walls. "Kneel before me!"

Andrea and Wesley almost ran to the lawbringer, and knelt at his feet, heads bowed in a show of loyalty.

Stoneblood painfully kneeled to his poleaxe and brought it to his chest. Lightly placing the weapon's blade on each of their shoulders, before stating

"Andrea Trueshot and Wesley Lightfoot, by the power invested in me, I hereby bring you under my command as my faithful commanders and assassins. Welcome to the Stoneblood legion." They raised their heads to their new general as he outstretched his hand to both of them.

"I hope you won't dissapoint you two, don't make my decision the wrong one."

To Stoneblood's surprise, Andrea almost leaped to him and embraced him, pushing him to the floor. Although Stoneblood did not understand why she did that at the moment, he learned later that she was overjoyed to be brought into a legion, for how she saw it, it was the closest they would ever have to a family.

Stoneblood finished his story as he looked to Eagleheart, who had not wavered in his posture.

"Damn, now I feel sorry for those two. But that does not explain why you chose them."

"Same reason I chose you my friend, I saw potential in all of you, they had untamed passion and loyalty deep inside them, but people took one glance at their appearances and looked elsewhere. I chose you because you had the heart of a leader, the grace of an eagle, and the ferocity of a lion. But people thought you wouldn't fight for the knights after your empire collapsed. You just needed a reason to fight is all." Stoneblood said.

"You flatter me." Kalib said, pulling his iron face mask off, revealing his white face and dirty blonde hair.

"Don't get used to it."

Almost on queue, Stoneblood's stomach began to churn violently, and he grasped it with one hand.

"Find any food in this village?" he asked

"I did, but it's not much, maybe enough to last us a couple days at least." He said picking up a small loaf of bread and tossed it to Stoneblood, who took it gingerly and began gnawing at it.

"We should be able to leave once this blizzard lets up." Kalib said, looking outside in the howling wind through a large gap in the wall

Stoneblood gnawed on his bread for minutes on end as Kalib kept watch for anything outside. After what seemed like hours Stoneblood finished his bread and relaxed in his chair. Hours passed in silence as Stoneblood wondered if his peacekeepers were still alive, and how he would bear the loss of his entire legion on his shoulders for the rest of his life. Only the sound of the howling wind filled the hut until Kalib began to stir.

"Gear up. Now." He said tensely.

Stoneblood was knocked from his daze. "What? Why?"

"It seems we may have some company."

Stoneblood understood and grabbed his helmet and placed it on his head, then proceeded to grab his poleaxe and walk behind Kalib, who had just finished placing his mask back on his face. The lawbringer looked through the gap to see what he had been talking about, and sure enough through the blinding snow, he made out two figures. One figure was short and was going into the surrounding houses, looking for supplies. The other was hunched over and barely standing, it's knees threatening to fail. The first emerged from a house and brought out what looked to be a wolf fur, and wrapped it around the second figure. Stoneblood thought to himself before asking

"You don't think that..." The lawbringer asked in a whispered tone

The centurion shook his head. "Even if they were we would have to be absolutely certain."

Stoneblood looked out at the figures again, hoping. The figures spotted the smoke coming from the hut and began to walk, arm in arm to it. Eagleheart backed away and drew his gladius as Stoneblood continued to watch them approach. Just before they were clear to see, the one without the wolf pelt collapsed and fell unconscious. The other figure finally knelt down and landed in the snow. A quiet whimper was heard over the wailing wind as the other collapsed face first into the snow. Stoneblood could watch no longer, viking or not, they needed help. He threw down his poleaxe and threw open the door, Allowing the wind into the hut. The centurion simply stood disapprovingly in the far corner.

"They need help, viking or not." He said as he slammed the door behind him.