Captain Nathan Holland

As we rode on the back of the carriage, I felt the carriage hit a bump. I managed to ask the old man for a ride through gestures as we looked out; the vast, beautiful fields swayed by the dirt road; it looked...too beautiful; this wasn't natural...

"Cap...how do we get home?" I finally heard the dreaded question we all had in our heads as I turned to Cole, seeing the other two look at me from the corner of my eye. My men always looked to me for guidance and help, and I always answered wisely and carefully...

"...I don't know," I said honestly, as I saw the despair in their eyes. "...all we can do is keep going...what matters now is that we stay alive," I told them softly as I glanced to the front of the carriage, as I could see a distant structure ever so emerging from the top of the hills.

As we reached the top of the hills, I could see, stone walls, standing tall, with a big Tate on the front, as I could see distant figures standing guard. "Alright...heads up...be prepared for anything," I told them as I glanced at my men, watching them load chamber rounds into their M16s as my Winchester close to my chest; I always carried it on my back if we go out on patrol, as I sliced my M16 on my back.

As the carriage stopped, in front of the walls, I could see a large wooden sign with writing I can only describe as English had a threesome with Russia and Japanese, I saw a man walk up to the carriage, he wore iron armor, with a painted symbol of a line painted from bottom to top with an 'X' on the middle, the armor looked like an mix of Templar Armor and old British medieval knights.

"Ja, Kali de Fal carne?" The guard asks as the old man grabs a cloth sack and pulls out five silver coins, giving them to the guard the old man points at us while looking at the guard.

"Je la, de pakse la margana." The old man says as the guard turns to us, walking to the back of the carriage as he reaches for a sack on his belt. He pulls out a flask; we all glance at each other with confusion as he hands a flask to Diego, motioning to us to drink it. Diego glanced at me, a worried look in his eyes. "...drink it, who knows, maybe it's magic for us to understand them," I say sarcastically.

As Diego opens the flask, he shows it to us. "Fuckin glowing..." He says, as I could see the liquid glowing pink. Diego takes a sip quickly, and we all tense up, and Diego swallows it. "...Taste like...cheese?" He says before passing it to Cole, then to me. As I glanced at the glowing liquid, I hesitated before I quickly took a sip; as soon as I felt the liquid hit me, it tasted like cheese with hot sauce, and I swallowed it.

"Ja ka-understand me?" I suddenly heard the guard speak in perfect English as I turned to him. "Can you understand me now?" He asks as Diego looks at me with a perplexed look.

"Uh, yes," I say as the guard nods. "Welcome to Village Margala of the Jalan Republic." He says as I glance at the old man, who smiles. "I paid for that potion." The old man said as I gave him a thankful nod. "Just got to see if you have any weapons." The guard says as we all glanced at him and our guns in confusion. "We have...blades," I say, showing him the bayonet. "Hmm...alright, looks good, just don't pull it out, proceed." The guard says, giving us a small respectful bow before getting off the carriage.

"So, what brings you boys to the forest I found you in?" The old man asks as I turn to him. "We got...lost," I say as he chuckles, and the carriage starts moving again; as we enter the village, houses from medieval times appear. "Ah, always you youngins get into trouble, are you brothers?" The old man asks us as Dash just shrugs.

"Yes sir, brothers, the handsome over there is the oldest," Diego says playfully, pointing at me as I can't help but chuckle despite the current situation.

"Ah, and I assume the young lass over there is the oldest's beloved." The old man says teasingly as me and Dash quickly look at each other, could feel the blood creeping on my face as I see Dash have a perplexed, embarrassed expression.

"No, sir, just friends," Dash says, as the old man laughs. "That's what they all say-aye, here we are." He says as the carriage stops, we look out to see what looked like a market place.

"Aye, it's been nice talking to you kids, but I'll have to drop you off here." He says as we get off. "Thank you, sir," I say, offering a handshake as he takes it with a firm grip. "Any day." He says as the carriage begins to ride without us.

"Alright...we found civilization...now what?" Diego asks as we stand in the open of the marketplace, looking out of place as we get looks from people with confusion and disgust as if we didn't fit the area...which we did. "Find local authority...explain our situation?" Dash suggests

"W-wait...what if they try to kill us? We don't know where we are, what they do..." Cole says as I sigh, this was indeed a tough-

My thought was cut off as we heard a scream; we glanced over to see a woman, half-naked, her dress torn, trying to escape two men who had a grip on her, laughing.

Without a second thought, I quickly rushed over, as one of the men turned to me. "Hey! You want in on this whore-" I cut him off as I smacked him in the face with a backhand; as he stumbled back, I turned to the other man, and I quickly kicked him in the groin.

I quickly grabbed the woman, moving her behind me as I shouldered my shotgun and aimed it at the men. "Don't," I say as two guards quickly rush over, detaining the two men as I lowered my shotgun.

I glanced back at the woman, seeing Dash and the others rush over as Dash covered the woman's exposed torso with her field jacket.

"Are you okay ma'am?" I ask her as she sobs, desperately pointing at the house she ran out of. "T-Theres more! Hurry!" She says as I glance at a guard. "...Go, odd adventurer, we'll meet you soon when reinforcements arrive." The guard says, surprisingly accepting us as I nod.

"Let's move!" I say as I rush to the house, the house is made of a mix of wood and stone, and I  glance at Cole and Diego, Dash staying back to help the woman.

I slowly entered first, shotgun shouldered as I see a open door with staircases leading down to a set of staircase going down. I could hear muffled sobbing and the laughter of men as I moved carefully, stepping slowly as I kept my shotgun raised.

I slowly move down the stairs while Cole and Diego clear the other rooms; as I move down the stairs, the voice gets louder.

As I reached the bottom of the stairs, my boots moved carefully as I peered around a corner, and I felt my eyes widen in horror.

I saw multiple women, chained against the walls, struggling against it as four men began to strip off their clothing, their mouths covered by some form of iron gag. It was disgusting.

I slowly pulled out my M1911A1; I couldn't risk hitting any of the women with the shotgun, so I slowly peered the pistol over the corner and pointed at one of the men.

"Hope Jacky and Robby manage to snag that one that escaped; I'd like to have a piece of her-" I cut him off as I pulled the trigger; I felt the .45 ACP Leave the chamber and hit him in the back of the head. As I turn to the second man closest to me...

"OH WHAT THE SHIT-"

I was cut off as I was tossed across the room; the man had suddenly turned into a huge beast with canine-like features; I could only describe it as a werewolf as he growled. Just as one of the men pulled out a dagger, rushing towards me, I heard gunshots erupt from the staircase as the men fell on the ground, Diego standing at the staircase with his M16 raised.

Taking this chance, I quickly grabbed my shotgun as the wolf man lunged at me; just as soon as his jaws were around my arm before he could chomp down, I shoved the shotgun into his mouth.

"Fuck you-"

As I pulled the trigger, I was Temporarily blinded by blood as it sprayed all over my face. As I quickly wipe the blood off me, I look next to me to see the disfigured, mauled head of the wolf man; as I glance at the other man, seeing Diego tackle him into the ground.

I stood up, grabbed the shotgun, which was covered in blood and meat parts, and wiped it off. I then turn to the women, seeing them look at me with confusion, shock, and fear. "Don't worry... you're safe now..." I say, taking deep breaths as I pump another round into the shotgun while I stand up.

???'s POV

Ten Minutes earlier

I water in line patiently, tapping my armor as I looked out at the busy marketplace, it was probably one of the biggest in all of Jalan. As I stepped up, I saw the old man smile happily.

"Ah, your highness, would you like the usual?" He asks me as I smile softly. "Yes Jakrat, and do not think  you can give it to me for free, just because I am a princess doesn't mean I won't pay." I say as he puts some apples and grapes in a cloth bag. "Here you go, Princess Hadley." Jakrat says playfully as I can't help but smile as I take the cloth bag.

I was one of the four heirs to the throne of Jakrat, I volunteered to be a warrior unlike my sisters who chose royalty life. I wasn't spoiled, wasn't greedy, I cared, and I love helping people.

As I scratch my short red hair, Jakrat turns to me. "Oh right, I have just met a group of wonderful teenagers, they wore odd clothing and carried these...odd black sticks, but they were so respectful! The children should take notes from them." Jakrat says as I chuckled.

"Indeed-" I heard shouting and what sounded like loud pops from a nearby house, I quickly pocket the cloth on my belt, as I drew my sword, rushing over as I saw two knights, with two men on the ground tied by metal chains.

"What's going on?!" I ask them as one of them rushes over. "Your highness, we found an Daleria trafficking cell, some...odd adventurers went in, we heard small explosions-"

The guard was cutoff as we heard footsteps, as we turned, I saw...a man, wearing odd green clothing, covered in blood as he breathed heavily.

"...Howdy."