Yellow sails were seen in the harbor. Not the most unusual thing to see, but the crew most certainly was. When Keiren heard that the Basitins were here already, he didn't believe them. He summoned Keith and Lynn, and went to the docks. Sure enough, Basidian soldiers were disembarking from their ship, which had been moored there since dawn. "So. This is our garrison, I take it?"

"It would seem so." Lynn replied simply. "I told you it would not be as long as you thought."

"I wasn't sure what you had meant by that, but I really wasn't expecting them so soon. It's been what, four days since I sent my request?"

"That is correct. We are lucky they arrived, though they should have been here sooner, I do wonder what delayed them…"

"Sooner?! Wait, how long were you planning this? Weeks? Months? Years?!"

Keith rolled his eyes, and Lynn smiled. "No, no. I only hatched this plan after the attack. But we are not blind to the world. We have been aware of what is happening on the mainland for several years now, and have been preparing ourselves for whatever may come. There are a dozen ships across the southern seas that have been reporting their findings, and this ship happened to be closest. It also happens to have one of my most trusted friends on board, which will benefit us both."

"I will never get used to you goats. Come on, let's go greet our guests." The harbor was a flurry of activity. Humans and Keidrans pulled ships and cargo from one area to the other, and several of them were colliding, trying to watch the Basitins. Keiren walked over to the closest one and said "Excuse me, I'm Keiren, Chief Prefect of Edinmire. I'd like to speak to your commander."

The Basitin looked up at him and turned. "Speaking. Commander Telk [TellK] at your service." He was dressed in plate armor that covered his chest, arms, and legs, and held a spear. Keiren knew Basitins were short, but this one was barely four feet tall, one of the shortest he had ever seen.

"How convenient. I'm glad you came to our aid. We've been struggling to keep the city safe for the last few months, and we nearly were overrun last week."

"We know. We were watching."

"You were?"

"Oh yes, that was our job. To watch, but not interfere. We could not do so without risk of war, and there is far too much of that right now. Since you have asked us to help though, we can do so without such risk."

"Err… yes. Right. So, how many soldiers do you have?"

"Soldiers? Or troops?"

"There's a difference?"

"Yes. Soldiers are our fighters, our archers, the ones who put themselves on the line in battle. Troops, however, would refer to our soldiers and our supports. In total, we have seventy three."

"Seventy three soldiers or troops?"

"Troops. Of those, fifty eight are soldiers."

"So few?"

"More than enough to hold a town like Edinmire from the rabble of wolves you have been dealing with. Though, if the Templars move against us, it would be a different story. Things would not go as well, as we have no way to counter their magic. Keidran magic, we at least can shield ourselves against, but Templar magic is far stronger. They also would be more coordinated, more dangerous."

"Hopefully it won't come to that."

"Indeed. Shall we head to town? I wish to see what I am working with."

"Straight to the point, I like it." Keiren led the four back, but couldn't help asking "Lynn said you were friends. How do you know each other?"

"Lynn is a friend of mine from when we were children. He was always the strange one, studious and book smart. I don't know why we became such close friends, since we were practically opposites. Still, he's been good to me for years."

"Since you were kids? I'm sorry, but how old are you? I thought Lynn was ancient- no offense."

Lynn smiled. "None taken. I try to act above my age, and putting on the part of the crotchety old man makes people underestimate me."

"He's a year younger than I am." Telk said. "I'm thirty nine."

"Really? For as healthy as you look, I would have guessed no higher than twenty."

"You flatter me." Telk said.

"Lynn said you were delayed? Is he right?"

"Yes, we were delayed, though not by much. The wind was not in our favor. It slowed us by almost half a day."

"That's not as bad as I thought."

"Half a day is more than enough for an empire to fall." Telk said grimly as they approached the city. The walls were still a mess, but they at least didn't have a giant hole in the side. Telk walked to the front, and began surveying the town from the outside, doing a full loop before getting back to the main gate. "I've done more with less. Where will my troops be staying?"

"I actually hadn't thought that far ahead." Kei admitted, frowning a bit. "I really wasn't expecting anyone to be here for at least another week. For now, it might just be wherever you can. We don't have enough room in the barracks or prefectures, but we can at least give you quarters."

"I have no need for fancy quarters. If my men must stay in tents, then so will I. You will find I do many things differently. By being the last one to get quarters, I show everyone that I am dedicated to my people, that I am willing to put them above myself. In battle, I will lead the charge, face the enemy before they do. I am not just a commander because of rank. I am a commander because I lead them."

"It's what sets you apart from many other Basitin commanders." Keith said. "I know your reputation, in spite of my exile. I am shocked you were not present when I was back home."

"I had other duties to attend to. I have not been home in three years."

"Well, hopefully you can get used to a home away from home." Kei said, smiling. He led them through the gate, and proudly proclaimed "Welcome to Edinmire!"