Uploads have been getting quite spaced out, sorry for that. I've just been held up by some stuff for school and my personal life. Recently, I started training with my katana again after like, a year, and I also started getting really into Skyrim again. Anyway, I'm ranting, that's not what your here for, so now without futher adieu, enjoy.

Chapter Ten - Calm Before The Storm

It was the day before the battle for Fort Amol. The same nightmare kept plaguing my dreams and haunted me the past few nights, which helped increase my already high stress levels. Some freaky voice kept telling me to, "Let go. Let go of everything."

I need to check over several battle plans, retrieve my new armor set, sharpen IronRend, write a battle song for the army... there's just so many things I have to do today. If it wasn't for Shinoa being with me, I would've gone insane by now.

"You finish the battle song yet?" General Tsorig asked, barging into my room.

I tossed him a roll of paper, before I continued to scribble on a layout of the rearguard formation. I'm gonna be at this for a while. Shinoa's already gone off to retrive my "Berserker Armor" from Arianrohd, so I'm gonna have to be lonely for a while...

General Tsorig's PoV

"Now, let's see what Halflight's masterpiece is..." I said to myself, unrolling the paper he had given me.

"My brother come join me. In battle we are stronger. When Corozin will falter, sacrifice to the alter."

One hundred years of war pass. Now we take what is rightfully ours."

"My brother come join me. In battle we are stronger. When Corozin will falter, sacrifice to the alter."

"Oh my brother, with your courage we can conquer. In your sword I put my trust which you will honor. I will be the higher ground should you concede it, and my body be your shield if you should need it!"

Heh... Halflight is willing to risk everything to save everything. A knight in shining armor would never understand this, because a knight in shining armor in one who has never had their metal truly tested like Halflight.

Shinoa's PoV

"Hey, what's up Shinoa?" Arianrohd said as I stepped into her forge.

"Hey Arianrohd." I replied. "I'm just here to pick up Halflight's armor. He's got a lot to do today, so I figured I'd help him out."

"Alright then, follow me. Fair warning, Halflight's armor can be kind of... intimidating."

Arianrohd walked me to a nearly six foot tall armor stand with a white sheet draped over it.

"Oh dear..." I said as Arianrohd pulled the sheet off the stand. "It seems Halflight really correlates to the wolf..."

The pitch black armor towered over me. It's helm shaped like the head of a wolf baring it's fangs, and it's guantlets with claws for fingers. It also had a cape made from what even looked like black wolf pelt. The armor let off an ominous feeling of destruction. Hell, it was actually freaking me out a bit...

"You got the dark feeling too?" Arianrohd asked.

"Yeah."

Halflight's PoV

I leaned back in my chair, checking for any errors in the Vanguard's battle plans and formation. Everything seemed to be in order. Damn, being Sentinel was a lot more difficult than I thought it would be.

"Hey Halflight." General Tsorig said, barging into my room once again. "You done with those battle plans? The troops are ready for training."

"Yeah, just finished them." I replied, getting up to hand over the plans.

"I see you got your new armor." Tsorig gestured to the Berserker Armor standing in the far corner of my room.

"Yeah, Shinoa said it took Arianrohd and her around half an hour to drag it up here."

"Damn, how much does it weigh?"

"I'd say... around a good two hundred? I think..."

"Seriously? How are you even gonna walk in that?"

"Don't worry about that Tsorig. There's several supports and springs within it. That's how it's standing up on it's own without an armor stand. I designed it specifically for me to freely move without it's weight imposing me. I also hit twice as hard due to it's mechanical arms."

"Uh, badass much? Whatever, I guess I'll take my leave now. Oh, and you can go ahead and take the rest of the day off. I'll finish up everything else for you."

"It's alright Tsorig I can do it-"

"No. Your taking the rest of the day off. I can see the look in your eyes. Get some rest."

"But-"

"No buts. Get some rest. You've got a long day tomorrow."

"Fine."

Shinoa's PoV

I was quietly reading a book when someone knocked at my door. I got up, wondering who it could be, since Halflight had a full schedule today.

To my surprise, it was indeed Halflight at the door.

"Hey." He greeted me. "Tsorig told me to take the rest of the day off, so here I am."

I happily hugged him, earning me aa kiss on the cheek to which I slightly blushed to.

"Let's just take a nap Halflight." I suggested.

"Alright then." He replied.

I could visibly see how tired Halflight was. Infact, the moment he rolled onto my bed he was already dead asleep. Please don't push yourself so hard...

Halflight's Dream PoV

An abyssal darkness surrounded me. I couldn't see anything. I couldn't feel anything. Soon, out in the darkness, a figure emerged.

"Let go..." it said, growing closer. "Let go of everything..."

Then, I could see it. The figure, the beast of darkness, it was a massive wolf, easily the size of a house. Only, it had slit red eyes. It's gaze tore through me like a rain of a thousand arrows.

"Destroy them... Kill them all... the one's who took everything..."

That's not true... Shinoa is still here...

"Kill them... every last one of them..."

Why?

"Show them no mercy..." The wolf let out a bloodcurdling howl of rage.

Halflight's PoV

I woke up, sweat dripping from my head.

"Halflight, are you okay?" Shinoa asked in a worried tone. "You were rolling around a lot and wimpering in pain, so I woke you up."

"I... I'm fine..." I replied.

"Are you sure your alright? I really worry about you sometimes ya know?"

"Yeah... just a nightmare. I was just... scared..."

At those words, Shinoa warmly hugged me. Her warmpth reminded me that I had nothing to fear. A nightmare isn't something I should be scared of. I've faced worse.

"Promise me your really okay." Shinoa said, looking up.

"I promise. I really am okay." I said, recieving a kiss.