Three years ago

An unprecedented spell of hot weather had settled over Castle Eden. Near a week it had lasted which was beginning to take a toll on the soldiers. The Wall to which most soldiers are tasked with patrolling is uncovered leaving those on it completely exposed to the sun. With the requirement to wear armour at all times when on duty there was an extreme risk of heat injury. One by one soldiers were dropping from where they stood. At noon on the fifth day a soldier collapsed and fell over the edge of the wall to his death. This was Hanna's first summer at Eden. She was given command over the Wall so that she would get to know the ins and outs of life at Eden. She watched as her soldiers fell to the heat, and when there was finally a fatality she made the decision that all of her soldiers could strip away their armour while on watch during the day. This was her first mistake. Initially things were improving. The soldiers were happier and more motivated. Hanna watches from the courtyard as they all pack away their heavy armour into the North Tower to keep it from cooking in the sun.

"I hope this heat wave clears before we get hit."

This was the first time Hanna and Kiran had spoken. He still had a full head of feathers back then. Still very rough around the edges but somewhere beneath that gruff exterior was a kind and handsome Rae.

"I can't afford any more casualties." Hanna says stoically, as her training had taught her.

"Pexter, ma'am."

"Excuse me?"

"The one who fell over the edge, his name was Private Pexter, he came from the Lakelands up north, this was his first summer too." Kiran stated, his stoicism wasn't an act, it's been moulded by experience.

"I'm sorry, were you cl-"

"Private Reiner of Highwind, Private Dressu of Bright Harbour and Privates Quossard and Poy of my hometown Greytip. Those are the others that dropped and are in hospital. They should all be fine though."

Hanna is stunned, she tries to keep it off of her face but fails.

"It's okay ma'am, nobody expects you to know everyone's story, that's my burden to bear."

Despite the reassurance Hanna still feels terrible. She feels she has failed as a commander if she didn't even know the name of the soldier that died fulfilling her orders.

"I'm so sorry." Hanna says, surprising herself and Kiran.

Kiran looks at her with soft eyes and a kind smile.

"Please don't b-"

"Hey Hanna! Good call on dropping the armour. Things were starting to look a bit dicey. The arcanomancer downstairs said that the heat wave will pass in a couple more days though." Blurts Patris as he sidles up to Hanna.

"Sir, pardon my saying but you should at least keep your chainmail on." Says Kiran, remarking on Patris' wearing of nothing but a set of trousers and sandals.

"Don't be such a wet blanket Kiran, nothing is going to happen. I daresay our friends out there are feeling the heat just as much as we are."

"Sir I really think tha-"

"Also, Kiran, thank you for not letting me finish, I don't feel I could effectively command if I was a hot breeze away from keeling over like your mate Pexter." Patris argues.

A dash of fire lights up in Kiran's eyes. He holds his tongue but his grimace gives away his feelings.

"Gentlemen the heat is getting to all of us, let's just work through it and hope the arcanomancer is right." Hanna says trying to diffuse the situation.

"You're right Hanna, as always, I'd say it's just about time for lunch."

Patris reaches out and gives Kiran a big pat on the back.

"Keep on keeping this Keep safe Kiran." Patris says as he starts to march towards the Mess.

Hanna checks on Kiran. There's a lot of anger in his eyes, she isn't sure how to approach him.

"You coming Hanna?" Patris yells out.

"Oh! Uhh..." Hanna hesitates.

"Go on, officers need to network." Kiran says, staring out at the Wastes.

"Y-yeah, coming!" Hanna stutters as she heads off to follow Patris. As she leaves she looks back at Kiran who remains motionless. She worries about him, worries about how long he can hold onto his frustrations. She also admires him and hopes she can be the kind of soldier that he presents as, after-all, despite the heat he'd only taken off his helmet.

Against all reason the following day was even hotter. Following in Hanna's example, Colonel Farriot issued a directive that all soldiers operating on the wall or in the towers could remove their armour so long as it was within a short distance at all times. This directive was welcomed by the soldiers who all dumped their kit in the nearest tower without a second thought. Kiran, stubborn as he is kept his on however the heat wore on him as much as anyone else, forcing him to keep to the shade and tend to his waterskin. Hanna maintained a watchful eye from the courtyard, she watched as Patris meandered across the top of the wall wearing only boots and trousers, chatting with the soldiers and sharing his ale with them. With so many soldiers clinging to the shade close to the towers, unarmoured and lethargic with overheating and dehydration, it looked to Hanna that the Castle was alarmingly undefended. This observation was not lost on the Dath.

"DATH! TWO THOUSAND METERS! LONE SCOUT ON THE HORIZON!"

The call came from the South Tower. Some of the soldiers sprung immediately into action. Grabbing up their arms and rushing to the nearby towers for their armour. The majority of soldiers however seemed lost and confused; despite going through repeated drills for just this occasion they stood their ground, frozen, looking to the South Tower for confirmation. Hanna too stood frozen, cupping her hands over her brow to try and see the enemy in the distance. Alarm bells begin to ring and finally everyone starts to spring into action, however in more disorganised chaos than a well-rehearsed manoeuvre.

"Hold your ground! Hold your ground!" Patris barks, stopping soldiers mid-run and turning them to face the desert.

"Do not let the enemy see you fly at the very sight of them. You are warriors of Eden. Stand Fast! Stand True!" He yells out at the desert. Hanna observes he is speaking as much to the soldiers as he is to the Dath.

"North Tower! Can you confirm the sighting? I can't see shit!"

"Ain't got nothin' sir! Seismograph is quiet too!" Returns the chief watchman from the tower.

Patris relaxes his stance, placing his hands behind his head and stretching out. He takes a step up onto the edge of the parapet.

"Well team, sounds like a false alarm. Let's go! Form up! No need for armour. Rifles at the ready. We'll give this mirage twenty minutes, nothing more."

The soldiers look at each other with relief. They slowly but steadily take their positions along the wall, rifles loaded. The gun holes in the towers open up for the cannons to peek through. Hanna watches on with intrigue and anger, her command having been swiped away by Patris. To undermine him now would be to the deficit of Eden but she will have words with him later. For now, she watches from the protected height of the courtyard.

The Wall-Guard stand idle. Their sweat-soaked feathers swaying as the afternoon breeze rolls down the mountains and out into the desert. The alarms go quiet and all falls silent. All is still.

...

"Alright, that's twenty. Stand down!" Patris orders.

The formation on the wall dissipates as lazily as it was formed. Hanna takes a breath in an effort to ease her adrenaline. Patris hops off the edge of the wall and is met by Kiran, fully-clad in his armour.

"Sir, I understand conditions aren't great but I recommend the soldiers don their armour and man their posts."

"Are you crazy Kiran? You want more dead soldiers? Look I can see the sweat dripping out of your suit!"

Kiran grips tightly onto his sword.

"Sir, with respect, I don't think this was a false alarm, I've seen this before, they're testing our reaction speed."

"And what would you say of our reaction speed sergeant? I'd say the wall was manned and ready to defend in good time and even if you're right about them 'testing us', we'd be leaving ourselves vulnerable with everyone scramming for their armour. Just hold tight till shift change at sunset, we'll be fine." Patris says with a smile and a wink.

Kiran boils over.

"Good time? That was a disgrace! Do you have any idea how fast the Dath can move?!"

"Watch your tone sergeant!" Patris orders, vanishing his smile.

"I will not sir, you need to start taking this seriously. The soldiers look up to you for guidance and leadership but from what I'm seeing you're leading them straight to hell."

Patris hooks his fingers underneath Kiran's helm and pulls him in close.

"Listen to me very carefully. If you speak to me like that one more time I will see your head buried at the foot of the wall with your friend."

The argument draws in everyone within earshot, a crowd begins to form on the wall.

Kiran pushes himself away from Patris.

"You can threaten me all you like. That won't save you. I'm not your enemy."

Kiran draws his sword and points out to the desert.

"They are your enemy. They are out there and they are watching. They see you when you sleep, when you shit, when you try to catch the good Captain Morton in the shower."

Patris' flushes bright red, so does Hanna's. The crowd of soldiers murmur and snicker amongst each other. Even the watchmen from the towers have stuck their heads out to see the commotion.

"I've had enough of this. Arrest this man!"

The soldiers hesitate and Kiran lets out a hearty laugh. He stretches out his arms in provocative fashion.

"See sir? Nobody respects you. Nobody is going to listen to you! You have no power. Just because you let some of the troops have a swig of your ale doesn't mean they like you. It just makes you an asshole."

As the two seasoned warriors continue to bicker the ground begins to move. By the time the alarms started ringing it was already too late.

"DATH! FOUR HUNDREAD METERS OUT! SWARM!" Screams the watch from the South Tower.

Panic ensues. Soldiers rush in every direction, looking for their rifles and swords left leaning against the parapet.

"On the wall! On the wall! Forget your armour!" Patris cries out.

"Belay that order, into the towers! Don your armour and prepare for battle!" Kiran yells out, undermining Patris.

Without clear direction the soldiers meander about, some manning their posts on the wall, others running into the tower and strapping on their gear.

Adrenaline surges back into Hanna, time slows down. This is it, it's really happening. Ripples in the desert surge towards the castle. Soldiers are running about in panic. Patris and Kiran are screaming at eachother, swords drawn. Most damning of all however is a single soldier, couldn't be more than a year into adulthood, staring directly at Hanna looking for any guidance whatsoever. He knew she was her commander, that she would know what to do to keep him alive. His was a plea of desperation and Hanna had no answer for him. Hanna just stayed silent and watched.

It all happened so fast. They burst out of the sand and started to scale the walls. The crack of gunfire rang out across the wall and from the South Tower. The North Tower was silent, soldiers fleeing out of it. With so little preparedness the North Tower was compromised with ease. Dath were on the wall and now half of the guard were left to defend themselves in a melee without any protection. Patris ran off to the South tower and Kiran led the resistance on the wall, if you could call it resistance. The claws of the Dath cleaved through the un-armoured soldiers like a knife to butter. It was a slaughter.

Hanna watched on in terror. All her training, designed to have her succeed for this exact moment, was lost to her. By the time Colonel Farriot arrived with the reserve the walls ran red with blood. Hanna has little memory of the re-taking of the wall, all she knows is that it was hard-fought and by sunset the Dath were driven off. All Hanna could think of was her ineptitude, her inability to act. Her failure as a Captain of Castle Eden. She had command that day, it was her responsibility, not Patris, not Kiran, hers. She has not had command since. Had a half-dead Sergeant Kiran, hero of Eden, not defended her and her actions on that day, she may very well have had her head hoisted on a pike alongside the chief watchman of the South Tower.