Baron paced back and forth in his office. Which was also his bedroom. Of course, being the general he could have a lavish bed and could have a much better tent. But Baron used his old ragged frayed tent, from his time as a captain. Which he was still called by many. His tent was a deep red, made of rough cloth. Baron’s bed was a small cot with one blanket and a pillow. The bed was made neatly but hadn’t been touched in a while.

In the center of his tent, there was a large oak desk with one chair on one side and two on the other. Both the chairs and the tables were old and had chips and chunks missing out of them. Sharps had always carved into the wood with his knife when nervous. Baron looked at the side of the desk seeing the familiar mark sharps had left behind. It was a large S with an eye under it.

On the desk were paper maps and notes. The maps showed the Highway they were currently were on. 10 miles away from the Captial only ten. Some of the maps were detailed close-ups of certain parts of the stretch of Highway, while others were of the whole highway.

The largest was on the table had small painted stones. Red numbers and blue numbers. The red outnumbered the blue three to one. Baron’s army was all technically traitors. Baron had assumed command of the 5th army and of the 6th, while only being a captain. And against headquarters orders, he struck the Iberians. And he was doing well. He had pushed them back out of Normandy and drove them to their home. But as the gamble played out. Headquarters had stopped providing supplies to Baron.

Thankfully Baron had enough for a month. And by stealing from the Ibreains he would be able to stretch it by a few days. Then Locke contacted them. Locke was the owner of many military industries and had a seat at the Ibearns war concal. Locke was the main supplier of goods and supplies for the Iberian military and had made himself indespesbol. He helped develop all the tactics the Ibearns used with his new weapons. But he had a secret.

Of course, no one knew who he was. At the meetings, it was rumored different people would show up all calling them selfs Locke. And all of them would have the knowledge and intelligence of Locke. He was a mystery. most people thought he was a rebrand able to change his face to look different.

But one month ago when Crow was trying to spy on Locke using his ravens Locke took one of the birds and brought it inside. Crow was one of the 75 astride who had powers. He could change his feather from his wings to ravens who he could see and hear out of and control them.

Locke then held a meeting with the bird. Telling crow of how he actually hated the Iberians. How he had always planned to betray them seeing the upcoming war he had fled to Ibreai with many friends. They called themself the Norman volunteers. Normal men who wanted more in life.

Locke built his empire from the ground. Playing both sides. Building trust within the higher-ups. Locke had told and shown a force 20,000 large of trained freshmen. Not much but it was something to Baron’s dwindling forces. And the plan was made

The plan to strike deep into the heart of Iberia Baron will use his mouth to drive towards the capital, and Locke will arrive to fight with six blimps to flank the Iberians.

But that was supposed to happen three days ago. Four days ago crow’s raven that had been with Locke died in a fire at Locke estate. And there was no more contact from him. He seemed to have vanished.

Baron was levied on that day. He had broken a fist on a tree, of course the tree had a chunk taken out of it. Thankfully only Crow was there to see that. Baron prided himself on keeping his cool. But this was to much. Too many dead. Too many lost arms and legs, it was all to much.

And now Baron was at a tipping point. They couldn’t attack such a vast army. Three times there size, but they couldn’t stay or retreat. He had betted everything on this. And now he failed.

Walking back and forth Baron’s eyes darted back and forth across his room till the tent flap opened to show Crow walking in.

Crow had dark black hair. It used to have been longer and shaggier. But with his year with Baron, he copied Baron’s style of hair. Very short sides and short top. But both Crow and Baron had been to busy to cut their hair so both of them had longer then normal hair. Giving them a little savage look.

Baron looked at Crow, eyes wide, asking for something, anything.

“It’s not good Baron” Crow said walking to the desk and taking seat. Baron took the one opposite of Crow. Baron feared what Crow had to say. Crow raised a few paper that was yellowed and folded

“The new Ibearn orders. I was able to snacth one of these. There plans arent good, it really leaves them up to an attack. Not one would could win thou but one were we could really hurt them. But it by who sent them. Thats whats the problem.”

Crow unfloded the papers and showed it to Baron. On the bottom of the last page their was a star. Not the normal drawn start. But locke’s star. A diamond with trigals on the sides, and smaller trianlges on the corners made by the first triaglnes and diamond. Making the star. And next to the star was Locke’s named.

Blue sparks came from Barons hair. Rippling around and causing his hair to be lighter gray. Baron took a deep breath. Then another. And the sparks died down, and his hair turned back to its normal dark gray.

“Bastred” Baron mumblued to him self. And stod up. “New plan Crow. were not taking the capital, our new objective is to hurt them.”

“What do you mean”

“Our plan surrounded the idea of taking the capital and capturing the headquarters and splintering the contral the genrales have over the armier. But now we cant win that way. We cant win at all. What we are going to do is hurt them as bad as we can. Take an arm or leg of their army. We cant do a victory but if we can get a peace deal that would be much better then death.”

You said their plan opend them to attack. Well we will take that. Not to push them back but to take as many of their soilders lives as we can. Make them feel loss. And hopfly we can call a truce and make a deal.”

“That to much Baron, I want to hurt them yes but we can’t do that. We are supposed to be better than that.”

“We would be better then them still!” Baron barked out. “They bombed our towns with gass. Turned our people to monsters. It was their soldiers who did that and they should be punished.”

“Baron it might not even work” Crow said standing up. “ if its Locke in charge you know how he is. He has no regard of anything. He even says that nothing holds him back from what he wants. If he wants Iberian to win the war losing a massive part of his army won’t stop him.”

“No” Baron said softly looking at Crow with dead eyes. His vivid blue eyes were replaced by a sad grey. Crow had only seen him like this once. It was when he had learned that sharps his old right-hand man had died after being sent on a suicide charge. Baron was done. Broken.

Crow looked at the ground. “We’re not gonna make it are we.”

“No”

“Out with...style then I guess,” Crow said eyes back up to Baron. No more fire in his eyes.

“Out with honor,” Baron said walking around the table and holding his hand out to Crow.

“Out with honor” Crow took Baron’s hand. Giving one firm shake. Then moved in for a hug. Baron took it but only for a second. They separated, and Crow’s face dropped.

An explosion shook the ground and the noise priced their ears. and making the ground rumble. Baron dashed out with Crow. Crows mouth agape.

West of the head camp of the normas, a column of smoke steadily rose out in the distance. triwlling as if it was dancing.

“Hell,” Baron said disbelievingly

“SIR!” yelled watchmen high in a wood tower made only to give him a sight to the western hills. Baron looked up at him the watchmen waving frantically

“Captain get up here,” the watchmen said pointing at the telosoce in his hands.

“Crow what is it?!”

I… I don’t know sir” Crown said still shocked

Baron growled and ran to the tower. When he arrived at the tower he claimed the ladder at an inhuman speed.

When he reached the top the watchmen gave him the brass telescope and helped Baron to face the right way

In the scope of the telescope, there were six airships over the Iberian camps. In a v like how birds fly together. They were large balloons framed in a long stretched sphere. Under the sphere was a white room with colored strips. Blue, red, black, green, purple, and brown. A cooler for each airship

From the rooms, there were streaks of light that streaked towards the ground. And after a few seconds, another explosion happened. It was a lot smaller than the one before.

On the lead ship, there were two figures on the top of the balloon. And Baron could see a hint of purple on one. Locke had always worn purple, at least when talking to crows and ravens.

A smile gripped the corner of Baron’s face. Was this really his fate. To believe victory was impossible till Locke saved him.

Baron laughed. Laughed hard till tears fell slowly from his eyes.

“You won’t take all the glory, Locke. This is my victory, '' Baron said to himself. He turned to the crow and yelled down. “Prepare for an attack!”