"I'm ready!" Yelled Yorik, from his front door, Bronze Spear in hand and copper pot mounted crookedly upon his head. Although his voice matched the strength of his spirit and heart, his body from the waist down suggested otherwise. In a torrent of profuse quivering, the farmhand looked foolish and comical as he stood at his home. The family peeked cautiously behind him, all equipped with household utilities in arm and upon head in a do ill fashion.

"Don't get yourself killed boy!" Wretched then mother, as she patted her son's back. However, in reality with her mountainous physique, it was more like a forceful shove. Toppling forward it took Yorik almost every ounce of his mettle to keep from planting face first into the ground. Looking back at his family. A smile crept passed his face as he rose his spear high above his head proudly, the trembling ceased.

"I'll do my best Ma!" Jogging off, Yorik was keen to find the young tactician, it would be through him victory would be assured.

"Yeah, I figured as much. I don't know any other Falcon Knights besides my mom..."

After the male tactician introduced himself, and explained the whole situation, Leo took his turn to speak. "Hi, I'm Leonardo Silverstone! But um... everyone just calls me Leo." The male Falcon Knight replied with a smile. "This is my Pegasus, Fortuna!" He gestured to his steed. "She used to belong to my mom, but now she gave her to me. I'm just traveling around Ylisse right now. I know male Pegasus Knights aren't exactly... common... but I never understood why a man couldn't ride a Pegasus." Leo cringed at the sight of the three corpses. Even if he was a Knight, and violence seemed to be everywhere, the sight of dead bodies was still unsettling. "Oh, I'll do anything I can to help! It's kind of my job after all! I can also wield a staff and heal your wounded if it's needed."

Jacob then walked towards the Inn, and offered them a meal, which reminded Leo of the reason why he had come to this village in the first place. "Oh, thank you! Fortuna and I could use some nourishment. But... uh... I'm kind of short on funds at the moment, and won't be able to repay you..."

Rachel stood silently with her head tilted down as Jacob introduced himself and told his story. She could only listen in slight irritation as he mentioned, and pointed to his earlier triumph. Rachel couldn't help but interrupt him there. "You mean you slew three men without it even occurring to you to try and take one, maybe two alive? Then we could've interrogated them as to where their base was instead of sitting here waiting for an attack. If the fight happens here, or around here there's a much, much greater risk of the village or it's occupants coming to harm." No, fighting here was a tactical mistake. The bandits had no stake in the village's preservation and would use every kind of dirty tactic to get what they want. Her hand drifted to her forehead, maybe she should've waited on Lieutenant Walsh. No, by then this village would be just another razed husk.

After her interruption Jacob seemed to take far more interest in her. He made a pretty good guess as to who she was, but unfortunately he was wrong, though she neglected to correct him. Robin's skill was legendary, and any Tactician worth his salt would cherish the opportunity to study under him. Rachel herself had only met the men a handful of times, and each one was seared into her memory. Jacob continued talking and Rachel couldn't help but question him. "You mean to tell me you came all the way from Regna Ferox, from the service of the Khan himself, only to deal with a small horde of bandits in another country? You must either have entirely to much free time or the Khan places more concern on bandits in Ylisse then his own country's military matters."

Rachel shook her head, pretty well ignoring Leo's introduction to the other tactician. She was thinking about what the next move should be. If the villagers had the fortifications up in time it might be the smarter plan to just hole up here and let the bandits throw themselves at us. While not nearly as heroic it would still prove to be better then the three of them fighting all the bandits at once outside in an open field. Rachel wasn't entirely sure one way or the other, so she merely sighed and followed Jacob to the inn.

Jacob spoke as the neared the inn. "I was not willing to take prisoners in the case that I could not be there to guard them, I would not risk one of them getting loose and harming a villager, I put people before information. Now as to why I am here, I left my post to return home, Khan Basilio understood my desire to return home and aid my people. After all Ylisse was hit the worst by the Risen, also I believe this is not a small horde, the attacks are organized and planned, take the dead scouts over there as a example as well as the fact that all the attacks have cut off escape and ensure the death of all villagers." As he opened the door to inn he froze, his eyes resting on the top of the hill. "I believe dinner will have to wait... Their here, top of the hill, look."

Jacob drew his sword and yelled at the top lungs. "Villagers, take positions!" He then raced towards that gates looking back at the other two. "Well come on then, we need to keep them from entering the village!" He stopped outside the gates villagers rushing around taking positions as above on the hill that looked to number near fifty were angry, blood-lusting bandits decorated in scraps of armor. Yet they did say anything nor did they move they looked like they were in three groups two on the flanks and one up the middle. Definitely not your average bandits that simple strategy was to much for them normally.

As soon as the first spear poked over the hilltops ahead, Menkar had begun walking towards the deadly army. An army of villagers had begun assembling behind him, but he was keen on giving these bandits a warning. He could sense that the army behind him was scared for him, but he had no fears of death anymore. As the first bandits approached him, he shouted in a commanding, but still shaky voice. "Petty thieves, I am the elder of the village, and I am giving you your only warning. Leave us at peace or we will kill every single one of you." The voice was very difficult to make, and he worried he may have given hints of his true self in between words. The lead bandits looked at each other and laughed, and one walked forward, his axe ready to behead the "village elder" before him. Menkar laughed internally at how heavily telegraphed the attack was, and when the bandit swung it at him, he released his cane, which stayed upright due to the metal spike planted in the ground, and grabbed the axe with both hands, leaving the two of them locked together.

"Rule number one..." Menkar said in a frail voice as he kicked the bandit before him in the groin. The bandit loosened his grip as he winced pain, allowing Menkar to seize his axe. Then he spoke again, not in the frail voice of an old man, but in the deep, commanding voice of a hardened warrior. "Never underestimate your opponent!" Feinting an attack to the bandit's right hip, he quickly changed his target to the neck, cutting the bandit's head clean off. As the corpse tumbled to the ground, Menkar tossed the axe aside, and removed his hood, revealing the unforgiving face of a man who appeared to be in his late 20's, with dark cyan hair, pointed ears, and red irises with black slits. Lifting his cane into the air, he pointed the metal spike at the dumbfounded bandits, and yelled out a single word to the villagers behind him.

"ATTACK!"

"Hmph. I think I'm going the right way." Crowen said, checking his map once again. He was on his way to a small and quaint village, hopefully one where he could find some work. It wasn't very likely, in all honestly, but what other choice did he have? He had already combed the other town clean, at least this one had a chance of producing a pittance. Being a Mercenary was generally unpleasant. You saw death constantly, work was sporadic, and there was no guarantee you or your client, in some cases, would even live to see your paycheck, but it was the only thing Crowen could do. He was a born fighter, simple as that.

"That's life, I guess." Crowen mumbled to himself as he slipped the map back into his pocket. Once he looked back up though, he was greeted with a surprise. Though he could barely see it, there was a mass of people gathering. Judging by there armor, they were bandits, but this was much to organized for a regular attack by them. They wanted this village, and they were going to great lengths to get it. Luckily, every bandit was much more focused on what was in front of them then what was behind them, so Crow could sneak around them in the heat of battle, and kill off some of the stragglers who broke off slightly from the main west-flank group.

He ultimately decided to chop his way through to the front of the village. He dashed through the west flank of the army, and began slicing up bandits. He was covered in the blood of four men, and sporting a few small axe wounds, before he made it to the front. He normally never exerted himself this much, and decided that he needed a pick me up. He quickly made his way to a robed fellow, and introduced himself. "Hey, mind protecting me for a second?" Crowen asked, gasping for breath as he downed some of his vulenrary. "You guys need help? I can add in my blade, for a price." Crowen said as he rearmed himself and faced the bandit horde in front of them.