A/N: Here's the next chapter. This has been a real challenge so far, but I like it. Hope you enjoy.


Seven months later…

Chapter one

February 25th, 5,003 A.S.


Windbreaker was a SkyWing that was somehow tired of flying.

Although, it might've had something to do with him flying for hours straight.

Below him, green lands and forests stretched out endlessly until the land started to turn into the signature tan of the Sand Kingdom so many miles away.

The sky was mostly clear of clouds and the sun was high above them. The wind, despite it being slightly cold to him, felt great underneath his wings as it pushed him exactly where he wanted to go.

The Claws Mountains were just as many miles behind them. Even from this distance, they dwarfed the land surrounding it, their brown and white-tipped peaks standing so high they split the clouds in two.

Precisely the kind of weather a SkyWing would strive for.

And still, he was tired of flying. Why?

A draft of wind hit his side. He felt the pull of a leather harness on his chest.

Ah.
That's why he was tired.

He almost forgot that he was carrying several dozen pounds worth of equipment.

They'd been stationed a few miles from Her Majesty, Queen Scarlet's Palace, before they'd been sent northwest close to the Sand Kingdom's border for message running duty.

He recalled his orders, given to him by a SkyWing officer who didn't seem very happy to see them (although she was never happy, it seemed):

"Bring this enclosed scroll and extra provisions to a Lieutenant Falcon, who was recently sent out to the Sky Kingdom's northwest borders to set up an outpost. Station yourself there and await further orders. And tell him he isn't allowed to give his post a stupid name."

Ahead of him, the only other SkyWing with him was the one he'd go anywhere with: Stratus, his superior.

Officially, at least. To say he really was his superior would be a total overstatement.

True, he held rank over him. But they'd grown up together, looking out for each other (which usually meant Stratus would beat up whoever was looking for a fight and Windbreaker would join in after the swings started) until they got old enough to be sent off to the military.

When it was time for that, Stratus went with him. He was honestly a big brother to Windbreaker, which was a bit ironic if you considered that Stratus was smaller than him. His orange, stocky body had a scar here and there, trophies of his many fights.

Windbreaker would never want to challenge his position, though. He really didn't like having to charge into battle. He also certainly didn't think of himself as a leader.

He still provided suggestions when he thought it prudent, however.

A growl emanated from his stomach, providing a suggestion of its own.

"Stratus, I think we should stop for a bit. Little hungry." Windbreaker said.

"Agreed," Stratus replied simply.

They quickly found an open field with several deer grazing blissfully. As they swooped down together, their prey didn't even see them coming.

As soon as the deer's heads turned skyward, Windbreaker grabbed one mid-flight and snapped its neck with a flick of his talon before coming to a three-legged landing by a patch of wheat.

The rest of the deer scattered as quickly as they could, bounding down the field and disappearing behind a nearby treeline. No real loss; eating light was necessary anyway.

Windbreaker didn't realize how hungry he was until he started eating.

Together, they made their meal disappear quicker than he'd expected.

Satisfied after their lunch, his curiosity eventually went to the message he carried. Windbreaker opened a sealed pouch on his chest, pulling out a scroll with a protected case around it.

He'd made a habit of peeking at the correspondence whenever he found he was able to get away with it. Sure, it was a terrible thing to do. But Windbreaker didn't like flying into a thunderstorm with no idea where the lightning was striking.

Not to mention, his habit had given him an understanding of the war itself better than a fair few, so he'd continue doing it unless had a very good reason not to.

"I'm about to peek at the letter." Windbreaker warned.

"Rule isn't broken if no one knows you broke it," Stratus said, licking his still-bloody lips.

Windbreaker smirked. Stratus was learning fast.

Unrolling the case and handing it off to Stratus, he slowly rolled the rather tiny scroll out in his talon.

"So what do we have?" Stratus asked.

"Let's find out." Windbreaker replied before reading aloud.

To Lt. Falcon,

We in the capital are aware of your current situation. However, due to the uptick in Mud Kingdom activity and the rapidly intensifying conflict in both the western Sand Kingdom and our southern border, we cannot send many additional reinforcements from the capital itself, and all units nearby you are to stay where they are. Therefore, a pair of message fliers will deliver this letter and what additional supplies that can be spared. Effective immediately, they are under your command until overridden by a higher authority. We would like to warn you that you should expect some form of resistance from Blaze's forces, who are likely to take advantage of our disadvantageous situation. We cannot provide any updates on the Sea Kingdom's military as they have been quiet for the past two months save for a company-size unit supporting Mud Kingdom forces in the south. On that note, within twenty miles south of your assigned position will be a combat-ready squadron of thirty-five dragons under the command of Lt. Starling, located on Point Sunset. In the event you are compromised, fall back to this position, repel any attackers, and prepare to counter-attack as soon as physically possible. The garrison is NOT allowed to leave their post, but they have been instructed to support you if necessary.

With regards,
Ensign Bonfire

"We're going to be his relief? Great." Windbreaker sighed.

This was going to be a long day.

"Did you catch what they meant, though?" Stratus said. "We can't really help you, but here! Have some help that won't help you!"

"Pfft." Windbreaker replied, replacing the letter as Stratus went silent, presumably to enjoy the peace and quiet.

Meanwhile, Windbreaker himself thought about what he'd read.

Sea Kingdom's Military has been quiet for a few months... That doesn't sound very promising. A buildup, maybe? According to the maps, we'll be in range of the ocean, but we'll have some backup within a few miles of us, so I guess that is fine.

Windbreaker watched the clouds that dotted the sky for some time. For about a minute, he'd been staring at a cloud he'd thought looked like spilled paint until a thought occurred to him.

Would that SeaWing I met be in that one unit that's south?

Windbreaker closed his eyes. It'd been months ago, but he remembered it clear as day. The first SeaWing he'd actually met, and she was nowhere as bad as he'd been taught.

By the moons, she'd even brought him something to eat.

"Because it's not true." Were her words to him, her words that reminded him of things he never should've forgotten in the first place.

"A painting has layers, that add depth to the colors, Windbreaker."

Wait.

That wasn't Squall. Those were Crimson's words, his advice to him.

"When you make a work, it isn't just about the first stroke." He'd said when he first learned to paint with him.

"Same thing with dragons. Everyone's like a canvas, and nobody's work is really finished until the final stroke is made. That's why you need to try to look at the entire picture, not just the individual lines, even if they don't look right at first. The colors might be that way for a reason. Did you get that, Windbreaker?"

"Windbreaker?" He'd heard him. He was just engrossed in figuring out what his colors were.

"Windbreaker?"

Well, that wasn't Crimson's voice either.

He opened his eyes. Stratus was standing in front of his face.

"Hey. Don't daydream. We should go before a patrol catches us slacking." He said.

Windbreaker didn't respond. He really didn't need to.

In just a few more seconds, they took to the skies, reinvigorated and ready.

The rest of their flight was uneventful with Windbreaker simply staring at clouds until they'd arrived at their destination.

"Look alive," Stratus said when they did arrive, pointing a talon. "There it is."

About nine hundred yards away, a collection of at least eight tents sat on the foot of a small forested mountain, surrounding in a circle a single stripped pine tree with the banner of the Sky Kingdom hanging atop it. Around these tents was a clearing at least forty yards wide, made of uprooted earth and tree-stumps. A pile of logs sat alone just at the edge of the clearing. A short, dirt-colored trail went up the side of the mountain to an overlook, where Windbreaker saw an orange SkyWing standing by themself, gazing in the desert's direction.

I don't see many patrols. Don't tell me this place is that tiny.

A SkyWing that appeared almost bronze-colored sitting on the peak of the small mountain spread their wings and took to the sky, flying toward them.

That's the sentry. Only one?

Little security presence, small camp, a soon to be very disappointed commander…wonderful.

"State your business," the bronze Sky-Wing said disinterestedly when they reached him, flying around them and joining the formation on the other side of Stratus.

"Message from the Capital itself. Where's your commander?" Stratus said.

"Standing on the overlook." the bronze said. "Can't miss it."

The Sky-Wing that joined them broke off and went to land once they were overhead the camp. Windbreaker and Stratus instead landed on the trail going to the overlook and made their way up to see the dragon in charge.

The commander of the camp himself was distracted when they reached him. He still was staring out to the west.

Windbreaker could easily tell at a glance he'd been a soldier for a long time, just by counting the scars. If that wasn't enough, the fact he was at least five feet taller than them both despite his thin frame made it clear he'd been alive at least longer than him and Stratus' ages combined.

Stratus had to hiss to catch his attention.

He looked at them with amber eyes, seeming half-lidded at first, but they lit up at the sight of them.

Windbreaker stood at attention with Stratus, waiting for the call to be relieved.

"Sir. Specialist Stratus reports as ordered. Specialist Stratus has-"

"Stop it." The large SkyWing said.

They were all silent for a few seconds.

To Windbreaker, the commander didn't look grumpy or annoyed, just tired.

The sound of rocks being knocked around made Windbreaker look down. The tip of Stratus' tail was rubbing the dirt. He was fidgeting, as he would sometimes do.

"Stop what, sir?" Stratus said.

"You're doing it again." He said. "We are many miles from the Capital, Stratus. You can lighten up with the etiquette, I'm not one of those officers."

Windbreaker could see Stratus loosen up, and he could himself feel his internal sigh of relief.

Maybe this new post wasn't going to be that bad after all.

"Right. Thanks." Stratus said. "Falcon, right?"

Falcon regarded them with a surprisingly warm demeanor. "Yes. I'm in charge of this place. Lieutenant Falcon, at your service. Welcome to Camp Nowhere."

Camp Nowhere. Looking around, Windbreaker was going to see if that was true.

They were within about fifteen miles of the ocean (He was correct with his guess earlier. They were, indeed, in sight of it) and the Sand Kingdom's huge expanse was visible in the far distance to the west. The ground changed hints from a green to an earthy tan the closer his eyes got to the border. From here, the northern point of the Five-Tailed river was the halfway point of completely barren and still livable, the blue waters and forest on one side contrasting sharply against the sandy colors ahead of it.

It wouldn't make a bad portrait, all things considered.

Windbreaker was glad he'd never had to go there. Any soldier he talked to about the Sand Kingdom seemed three times as bad as one of the SkyWings from the palace (and they were bad).

Perhaps they were right when they said sand got everywhere.

He had to withhold a chuckle at the thought.

"So, your name is?" Falcon said, addressing him.

"Windbreaker." He replied.

"Good to meet you both," Falcon said. "I see you're under load. I'm guessing you have some provisions and a message?"

"Spot on, Falcon," Stratus said. "Windbreaker?"

Windbreaker was already going for the easiest to reach pouch on his body. He pulled out the message, which was enclosed back in its protective case, and handed it to Falcon, who took it with one of his wing digits.

"Good work. Get unloaded, we'll see what your orders are in a bit."

Windbreaker and Stratus gave sidelong glances at each other.

That was their cue to leave.

They both saluted and about-faced, going back down to the rest of the camp below them.

"So. Which tent's going to be ours?" Stratus said as they reached the bottom quite quickly.

"Let's go find which one's empty." Windbreaker replied.

"Hey! You just arrived, right?"

A small, nearly scarless flame-colored SkyWing approached them.

Was that the one that'd just talked to them?

"Yes?" Stratus tried.

"Cool! So you're part of our garrison, now? What're your names?" She said.

They traded glances, once more. She was actually welcoming them.

"New, aren't you?" Windbreaker asked, which made the SkyWing scrunch her snout at him.

"Sort of. Why do you ask?" She replied.

"Well…Usually, we don't get approached like this. And usually, everyone says hello by grunting at each other." Stratus said.

"Oh, we have someone like that here." She said, the lightest of friendly smiles on her face. "I call him Grumbles."

Her response earned a chuckle from Windbreaker.

"I'm Windbreaker, and this is Stratus." He said, tapping a wing against Stratus when he mentioned his name.

"Yours?" He asked.

"Kite." She responded.

"Ah. Hello, Kite." Stratus said. "We're to remain here until further orders come, which probably means forever, seeing as we are basically in the middle of nowhere. Maybe we can wait this war out here."

"I wouldn't be so optimistic. They just don't know we're out here yet." Falcon's voice, already coming down.

"They as in the enemy." Stratus guessed, his neck craned around to see Falcon behind them.

"Maybe we should take that obnoxious thing down, then. Wouldn't that be great?" Kite said, flicking her tail at the flagpole that was clearly made from a raw tree.

Falcon frowned at her, but didn't say anything.

However, Windbreaker smirked.

He was liking her already.

"Would love to chat, but we need to find a tent that's empty." He said.

"There's one on the opposite side of the circle, take that one." Falcon said, passing them.

After that, they left to find their living space.

Following his directions, they'd found a large brown tent that was fortunately empty. A peek inside revealed plenty of room, which Windbreaker thought was perfect. Stratus let his own bags down inside quickly, and they left to sort their cargo out.

It took them quite a while to unpack, sort and set up their delivery. By the time they were finished, the camp had four more tents, one of which now stored what spare equipment they'd brought that day.

Windbreaker had unpacked everything but his own belongings- that was the two pouches and a satchel on his left side, the satchel he really anticipated opening.

While Stratus was outside inspecting their tent, he let down the bags to the ground in a corner opposite his friend's side.

While opening it, Windbreaker could've held a record for the widest smile in Pyrrhia as he pulled out several paint canvases, a brush, and several containers of various colors.

He could've been happy that his things made it, but he was happier that no-one managed to notice that some of their things were missing before they left.

Windbreaker didn't start out as a thief, not in the slightest.

But when Crimson no longer became a part of his life, he found that getting what he wanted got harder and harder.

So he stole. He'd started out doing it for necessity's sake. But soon he started to steal whenever he knew he could get away with it. Honestly, Stratus didn't like it very much, but the Kingdom was stretched quite thin. Supply troubles were a real issue, and soldiers didn't get the things they needed often.

Because of that, Stratus didn't complain when he had a chance to eat an extra deer's leg or suddenly had a broken dagger replaced on the occasional rainy day when they would rest at a town or bunk at an outpost somewhere.

As Windbreaker spotted Stratus walk back into the tent and freeze, he had to remind himself that his best friend still had limits, however.

"…What is this?" Stratus said, looking at the collection of things that were most definitely not what they were ordered to carry.

"Stratus, it's nothing."

"Nothing?" He said.

Stratus paused, looking at what he'd taken.

"I'm not sure about this." He said.

"It's not that bad." Windbreaker replied. "There was room left in the storage and I wanted to compensate myself. Besides, I can say I paid for it."

"Paid for it? With what treasure?"

Windbreaker smiled and emptied another one of his bags-a small pile of gems, mostly rubies, spilled out.

"This treasure."

If Stratus looked horrified then, he looked like he was going to die now.

"How did you even... Why?" Stratus said.

"All of these are my belongings, Stratus." He replied.

"I'm...sure they are." Stratus said, giving a 'Let's stop talking about this' look, which was fine with him.

While Stratus fully entered the tent and closed it behind him, Windbreaker looked at the few canvases he'd had to work with.

Maybe he could try doing the moons when everyone was asleep? One of them was going to be full tonight, he'd been watching it wax for the past few weeks.

No, no…not the moons. Done that enough times…Perhaps the mountains?

No…probably not. I'd be surprised if everyone was awake wh-

"Everyone, report to the center of camp now!" Falcon's voice, again.

"Great. He read it." Stratus said, sighing while he sharpened his dagger against a stone on his side of the tent.

Windbreaker and Stratus eventually lazed their way out of the tent and went around, only to see that clearly something was very, very wrong.

In front of him, the entire camp was gathered. At least twelve SkyWings, three of them his newfound acquaintances, stared out past the trees and the sunlit fields into the distance.

A sinister column of black smoke stood menacingly over the entire landscape, towering over everything for miles.

"Someone bring me a compass. Where is that?" Falcon said.

"We came from that direction, Falcon." Windbreaker said, approaching them. "That's due south."

"South…" Falcon echoed.

"Are you serious? Are you seriously serious?!" Falcon roared.

South. Where Point Sunset was.

Where their backup was.

Falcon whirled around to face the gathered soldiers, looking like he'd aged eight years in five seconds.

"Listen up, everyone!" He said. "Get armed and report to me in fifteen minutes. Move now!"

As Windbreaker and Stratus turned to get back into their tent, he felt a painful twinge in his stomach.

They'd just got here, and the war had already come for them.