Ster, a bull beastkin, looked upon the burnt-out husk that was once a village, a village he once called home from the day he was born until the day he left feeling the call. Over the near year of training he had in the mercenary group, keeping discipline was one of the core tenets he had been drilled on most. This is why even though not even sixteen, he was the leader of a similar aged squad. He could see some of them, not only from his squad but from others, were planning on breaking ranks.

  “ Do nothing until you are ordered.”

  He spoke softly but his broad voice was not easily muffled. Fortunately, several other squad leaders were repeating the comment in one version or another. None moved as a light appeared in front of them and appeared an army much larger than their own. He, among all the others, knew the band leader was a summoner, but none of them knew he could summon thousands in a single moment. The surprise was not clear from them as a general’s skill, [Issue Orders], overcame them all.

  The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

  “ I want a perimeter set around the village, nothing in and nothing out until we cleared them. Healers and engineers, I want a triage and rest area set up just outside the south gate. Scouts, I want you to find who did this. I want you to track them to their damn hidy hole and let us know. I want you to most of all not let them know we are coming then learn all you can about them. I want information on their defenses, guard patrols, and numbers. I want everything. Everyone else, if you are not on perimeter duty or setting up camp, you are on search and rescue. And I do not give a care how much you want to, do not loot a damn thing. We save who is left then we worry about the rest.”

  -----

  Ster sat by the fire while holding a straw doll. His arms were covered in the soot of his family's home, the soot of his family. In the basement, he found it with the remains of his little sister, who was holding it closely. At firs,t he thought she was asleep, but the lingering smoke in the air told a different story.

  “ Lei, when I find who did this to you...”