Hmm...I've dared start chapters for this. I may regret this before long as all and any chaptered story I've tried writing has fallen through around chapter 4...but let's see if I can break that pattern shall we!

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To Battle

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Constant courses of Kobold growls and sword clattered echoed vibrantly from the Dunan Castle east wing. Gengen and Mondo were leading a joint training session between the Kobolds and Ninjas to prepare the troops for different types of warfare. It was, for the most part, a good method of keeping reflexes and conscious sharp for true battle, preparing one for unexpected tactics.

And Kasumi was having no part of it.

Normally the lithe warrior would obediently and happily comply with the exercise. With her experience and agility she had quickly become the one to defeat, but also, was the first to assist the Kobolds and other Ninja in improving their ever progressing abilities. Even Mondo was impressed. However, now her mind was else where, gripped by the venomous rejection she had received that morning

"Master McDohl..." She uttered softly while tucked away in a far corner to avoid attention. "What did I do? You were so soft before...so gentle." A small breath flew from her lips. The ninja could vividly remember the feel of her secret love embracing her for comfort. Even as she stared blankly at the floor she could see the intimate look that his eyes had held. Such happy thoughts crumbled slowly and gave way to memories of the dismal and hollow McDohl she'd seen leave the Medical wing.

Her body gave a shiver, causing her eyes to narrow sadly. "You looked so caring...So why then? Why shun me..."

Millions of thoughts raced through the young ninja's mind; all aiming her to believe his blunt rejection was her fault. She must have said or done something to upset him so badly, nothing else could explain it.

Thoughts were interrupted suddenly by the appearance of Sasuke. He crouched beside Kasumi and prodded her with his teenage gruffness. "Oi, Kasumi-donno. What's with you?"

She hid her despair before looking up at him with a kind face. "Nothing Sasuke-kun."

His face cringed slightly. "Then why are you over here?"

"I'm...just a bit tired...I couldn't sleep last night."

A sudden flare of intensity entered Sasuke as he clenched his fist and stood up tall. "Was someone making noise and bothering you! Tell me who! I'll show them the wrath of a ninja!"

Despite her down mood, Kasumi giggled. "No, no it was nothing like that. Demo, thank you for caring Sasuke."

"N-nani!" His face turned red as he took a step back. "I-I don't care! I just hate people who ruin the silence!" Not knowing, or caring how badly his excuse sounded, he jabbered out a jitsu and vanished as quickly as he'd come. The short ordeal with the boy had not fully veered Kasumi's thoughts, but it was enough to make her laugh gently.

"Are you alright Kasumi?"

Recognizing the deep voice of he teacher, she stood up and bowed in a respectful manner. "Hai Mondo-sensei. I was just thinking."

He gave her a look as if a father questioning a daughter. His set and serious face was creased slightly with a paternal affection for the woman before him. "It's not like you to sit out of these little squirmishs. Care to speak of your troubles?"

Where as a person should say yes, Kasumi shook her head and again hid her despair from the world. "I have no troubles to speak of."

"Is that so?" Mondo replied, a frown evident upon his face. "Lies will get you no where. You are a grand Ninja Kasumi, but deception was something you could never do."

There was no answer to his words. She looked away, afraid that if she kept eye contact something would slip free and unveil the reasons for her displeasure.

"Kasumi, you should-"

The sounds of sparring halted suddenly as Klaus entered the room. He quietly pushed his silken hair out of his vision as he crossed the room. All eyes watched the strategist for the look upon his face was serious and grim. "Lady Kasumi, Gengen you must prepare for battle. Secure your troops quickly. The battle to reclaim Greenhill will commence immediately"

A mighty roar echoed from the Kobolds as Gengen riled them vigorously. "RRRUFF! Alright! Gengen will protect all of you! So let's show them what rrrr Kobolds are made of!"

"RUFF!"

Kasumi on the other hand was much less vivacious. She exchanged looks with Mondo before facing the well disciplined ninja. "Let us fight with honor."

They all nodded and bowed respectfully. "Hai Kasumi-sama..."

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There was a terrible cloud of discontent surrounding McDohl that was noticeable by nearly everyone. It made other warriors tense warily and children unhappy as he marched past them with stiff and cold posture. No one dared to bother the distraught hero and simply left him to his turmoil. Even Gremio found it difficult to speak to his charge, something that didn't happen often.

"Young master...?" He tried feebly, not knowing if he was going to get an answer.

McDohl surprised him with a hushed answer. "Yes Gremio?"

Trying to find exactly how to respond, the axe wielder paused for a moment then spoke. "Young Master, You've been in a foul mood since this morning after Kasumi brought you to Master Huan's clinic." He watched as McDohl flinched slightly at the mention of Kasumi's name. "Please tell me what occurred to make you so depressed."

For several drawled moments the warrior stood facing away from his keeper. The air of angst grew thicker about him nearly forcing Gremio to go mad with curiosity and concern. When McDohl finally did look, his eyes were narrowed and his mouth was set in a taunt line giving his normally soft face a disturbing and hard appearance.

"Destiny caught up to me." Was the reply, carried by a cold and hollow voice, one without care of life or reality.

"W-what?" Gremio shuddered, jolted by the abrupt change in the young hero.

McDohl turned away once more and began walking. His destination was unknown but by then he hardly cared. "Leave me alone Gremio...I need to think."

Shocked into a stupor, Gremio could only stare while the boy walked away. "Y-young master...I...I don't know how I can help you." He spoke quietly, barely above a whisper while hanging his tired head. "Something happened concerning Kasumi...but what young master? I can't help you if you won't talk to me..."

"Gremio!" Viktor's voice tore through the shorter man's thoughts and forced him to tear his eyes away from the direction McDohl had gone.

"Hello Viktor. What's the matter?" He was slightly alarmed by the near-serious look upon the mercenaries face.

Not stopping to explain, Viktor grabbed Gremio's arm and began to drag him back into the castle. "We're liberation Greenhill! Common we've gotta go to a meeting with Shu."

Gremio blinked and tried to tug his arm away. "What! Viktor let go! I chose to stop fighting several years ago! Not a word of this concerns me!"

The bear of a man laughed loudly. "This time it does! Riou wants you and McDohl to get your asses in gear and help us out! We're short troops as it is!" A rough pat on the back knocked the wind from Gremio's lungs. "You'll be fine! I'll make sure you stick with me and Flik. Now where's McDohl?"

There was a pause filled with quiet gagging as Gremio inhaled quickly to make up for the breath he'd recently lost. "The young master needs to be alone."

"Wha? Bullshit! He's probably just off fishing again!" Another laugh rumbled throughout Viktor as he pushed Gremio through the Castle doors. "You go on; I'll find the little guy."

Gremio hit the cold floor with a defined thud. As he got up, he rubbed his head lightly and looked back to the doors. "Such a gruff man...I hope he doesn't further bother the young master's depression..." Thinking it was a waste of time trying to decline Riou's wishes, Gremio made his way to the meeting room to be briefed quickly on his assignment.

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The summer season was dwindling to an end, catching the Greenhill region in a final and unexpected heat wave. It was cause for horrid discomfort and the occasional sickness among the troops of Riou's Freedom Army. Every step was that of a heated discomfort or the birth of a blister upon any place being rubbed by material. Despite this, the groans were minimal and the whining thin, all nearly overwhelmed by the synchronized sound of marching.

McDohl found it mildly intriguing. He'd never been in a battle as a troop, but as the leader. There was constant protection and often when a battle looked to severe he had been literally pulled to the rear lines so that his death would be avoided. Now however, he was merely a troop and left to his own devices. Even Gremio had been placed in another unit which left McDohl utterly alone among strangers.

The feeling of loneliness was nothing new. Also, he may have been excited if he enjoyed fighting, but since he did not, he found his drafting into this battle to be yet another cruel twist fate had bombarded upon him. He even christened the heat as a punishment upon his existence.

I've lost my ability to be optimistic... The young hero thought as the march halted. He'd always been one with high hopes and spirit for the people who believed in him. Now he was turning bitter and resentful to existence, so severely he himself could recognize it.

And he didn't care.

Ahead he could see the Highland Army prepared for the battle. A presence he hadn't felt in a long time lingered among them, causing a set scowl to snake across McDohl's face. The Soul Eater pulsed suddenly, its soundless voice echoing within the young hero's mind.

Yuber...

"That's it..." The dull whisper was trampled out by the thunder of the armies charge. McDohl peered on and watched the two armies grew closer and closer together as if he were an old man seeing something he had seen many, many times before. With such disinterest, he didn't bother to move and was quickly left behind.

Step forth Master, fight them.
Destroy them

"What's the point Soul Eater...?"

It is what you are destined to do.

McDohl clenched his hand tightly. The Soul Eater began to pulse and throb pain into the hero's head prompting him to go forward. Fighting the pain, McDohl stumbled and gave a growl in frustration. "Enough." It didn't cease. "Enough I said!" He shouted while forcing himself back onto some sort of balance.

A blaze of fire caught his attention and as the pain surged through his head he watched Flik unleash the power of a Fire Spear. "Flik..." He could hear Viktor's battle cry further ahead, even above all the clatter. "Viktor...You're fighting..." Without realizing it his feet began to pull him towards the fray. Nearest to the fortress he could make barely make out the figures of Riou and his sister Nanami pouring all of their love and spirit into bursting through the cities defenses. "You're all fighting...Why am I just standing here? How can I just watch this?" A new pain, the agony of confusion surfaced in his mind.

Closer to him an arrow shower struck the ground. He turned to see Kasumi's ninjas attacking from a distance, though failing to push back an advancing force. It seems the Highland soldiers had discovered a method of shield cover for arrow defense and merely utilized it when the unit fired upon them. Within a minute or so, the two forces would collide and the ninja would be outnumbered several to one.

A passion flared in McDohl's heart one could not imagine. Without pre-thought he began to run towards the intense battle with a speed aided by winged boots and adrenaline. The grass beneath his feet tore from the ground with every step, creating a bare path of where he'd ran. Sweat began to pour down his face and body as he grew steadily closer.

I'm not going to make it... He thought darkly as he watched the two armies about to collide. At the unit's head he could see Kasumi, standing defiantly prepared for an attack. Her name caught on his tongue as he clamped his teeth together and forced his legs to move faster. He proved himself wrong.

A battle cry flew from his dry lips as he jumped directly into the head of the Highland unit. His foot struck the side of a soldier's head causing a loud crack to emit from a vital point upon his neck. McDohl landed upon his feet quickly and spun the Heaven Fang Staff about with such intensity that every hit dented armor and shattered bones.

His arrival had shocked the enemy troops and left them unaware for several seconds. Seeing such an opportunity, Mondo sounded the melee attack.

"NINJA! FORWARD!"

Kasumi had frozen the moment McDohl had made his dramatic entrance. She knew he had been assigned to Gilbert's Brigade and had been positioned to the Western most area of attack which was nearly on the other side of the battle field. So, why was he there? Had he broken off from the unit to fight with for the ninja? ...To fight for her? She shook her head and gave her emotions a shove aside. Later...I'll ask him later...not now... The ninja gave a shout of her own as she too plunged into battle.

No one was certain how long the battle raged. Minutes, hours, days; they all blended into one blurb of bloodshed, hatred and death. However, when it was finally over and hundreds had died, the Reclamation of Greenhill was a success.

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As always, read and review! Please? ;