September 27th, 5000. It was night, and a blanket of darkness has already covered the land of Chalcion. One could see the vast expanse of green fields, stretching as far as the eye can see. These fields covered the central part of Chalcion, and were a place where wild animals like to congregate to eat and drink. However, most of the land's animals were sleeping, with only smaller nocturnal critters wandering about. These fields are also locations of burnt Chalcionese villages, which have fallen victim to the wrath of the Hadrianites. Houses turned to ash, smoldering burned hay, the corpses of domestic animals accidentally killed during the village burning, as well as dead people - all are testimony of the ruthless tyranny of Emperor Hadrian VII, a man of vice, who above all else desires dominance, authority, and power. He did not hesitate to hack down innocent villagers, who had never wronged him, only to rob them of their provisions. Since King Akakios boldly declined to be a vassal to such a tyrant, he paid a bitter price, but left all his hopes in the hands of one man that he trusted more than many others, since his son too was captured. This is all the cold, bitter and cruel truth of life: the strong prey on the weak, the weak cannot fight back.

The Chalcivitas knights have spent the year scouting around Central Chalcion and seeking aid up north and in the south. They made sure that most of the villages and minor cities of Chalcion were intact and unspoiled by the Hadrianites, but Chalcivitas was still surrounded. Its people were being interrogated, tormented, even slaughtered, in order to accept the dogma and the tyranny of Hadrian VII, or give information regarding Chalcionese commanders. Among those was the heir to the throne, Alexander, who was captured for interrogation and was being forced to submit his kingdom to Hadrian. Stubbornly, Alexander clung to what his father told him, not losing hope that eventually, the men of Chalcion will have rallied to become strong enough to drive the attackers out of their capital.

The Central Chalcionese soldiers were prepared to take back their capital once and for all, with determination, and some aid from cities that either withstood or didn't see the attack of the Hadrianites. Word spread of the genocide committed by the Hadrianites, at Chalcivitas, Fort Agaroth, Analima and Tentaclus especially, adding even more hatred toward the indiscriminate Hadrianite troops. They were currently stationed at a now cleansed Fort Agaroth, awaiting to rally up and march on Chalcivitas.
Octavius, the new leader of Chalcion's troops, was inside his tent in the camp just a few hours away from Chalcivitas, sitting by the entrance, smoking a pipe and looking out to the sky. He knew that he could delay no longer with a march on Chalcivitas, because retaking it would be very influential and may as well turn the tides of the war in Chalcion's favor. It would also mean freeing Alexander, if he was still alive. According to reliable messengers, Alexander still languished in Chalcivitas, which meant that he may yet be alive and that he could still be saved.
Octavius missed Alexander very much. More so because the two argued on the same day that Hadrian attacked Chalcivitas. He greatly wanted to see his brother again and take back the rash insults and ill words he said to him in anger, because now he was close, so close to losing him forever. He would not allow himself to let his family, or anyone else who were his countrymen to die cowering, afraid of the very air they breathe. He intended to summon up the courage of his men and make them more willing to fight for the freedom of their land.

"Gods above, why are my legs so short? Go faster dammit!" Rozalia thought to herself angrily, brow furrowed in determination as she tore through the camp, arms pumping as her legs carried her as fast as they could go. Octavius needed to hear this information as soon as possible, but just as luck would have it, some bandits cut down her horse. Bastards. At the very least they wouldn't be bothering anyone else again, not if her swords had anything to say about it.
"Out of my way!" She practically bellowed at what she was certain was a superior officer as she barreled around the corner, wincing slightly at the angry yells from behind, but ignoring them anyway. There wasn't time. Lives could depend on this information.
After running full pelt for a good hour or so, she finally reached the commander's tent, in the centre of the camp. Legs trembling uncontrollably from the sudden stop, she approached the entrance, only to be pushed back by one of the soldiers positioned there.
"It's late, soldier. Why do you approach?" He began, looking down on this lower ranked woman with stern eyes.
"I have - information." She said between panting breaths. "And - I don't - give a damn - how late it is." She growled in response, momentarily forgetting herself - not that you could blame her. She was exhausted, having been at the city for a good few days, spying on the various different guard patrols in the city, practically running back without stopping, and was still suffering untended wounds from the run in she had had with the bandits. Cuts on the arms and side, they weren't particularly bad - unless you'd been sprinting a marathon with them, that was. Turning her gaze now to Octavius, still panting slightly, and blood still dribbling lazily from her light wounds, she stepped away from the guard. "It's in regards to the city, and the patrols. And your brother."

After taking one more puff out of his pipe, Octavius lowered his pipe back into an ashtray he had put inside his tent after he witnessed the young woman arriving to report something. Obviously she was travelling on foot, and hence, she was very tired. Moreover, she was lightly wounded in the process. It was her duty to scout about Chalcivitas and report about the position of the guards on the walls of Chalcivitas, which would aid in the reclaiming of the city the day after this one. It seems that she succeeded, but without her horse. Nevertheless, Octavius had no time to bother with such things, and he listened to what she was saying, after she spoke to a soldier who was on the night watch. She explained herself by speaking about the Hadrianite security in Chalcivitas and how it could be dealt with, but also news which interested Octavius more personally, regarding Alexander, his brother, fellow prince of Chalcion...
"Alexander?" the young commander asked: "Tell me everything you know."

Pushing past the displeased guard, Roze saluted and bowed in front of her commander. This was the first time she'd even been close to Octavius, let alone talk to him. Although she had joined his troops ever since the beginning - ever since that bastard Hadrian had shown up with his masses of soldiers - she had never really expected to do anything worthwhile, other than kill as many of those motherless sons of whores that followed Hadrian as she could possibly manage, before wounds or exhaustion take her. And yet, here she was, talking to the Commander, with potentially game-changing information for their side. And, oh what information it was. It really paid off how she could pretty much disappear in the shadows.
"Commander. While spying in the city, I managed to overhear talk between the guards. They were being rather generous with spouting out information through boasting. After a few drinks, they’d pretty much spilled where the Prince was being kept. He’s not in the prisons, like we first thought. Hadrian’s keeping him in the palace – third floor.” She began, beginning to regain her breathing as the adrenaline from the run died down slightly. Rozalia’s legs practically screamed at her in pain, but she wasn’t one to complain. Worse things could have happened to her.
“I was also able to mark down the guard patrols on the walls. The sewer entrance I used to come and go in is in a fairly deserted area – there’s only four guards patrolling there, coming by every three hours; two for day, two for night. The idiots aren’t even replaced for meal time.” She added with a scoff, shaking her head slightly. Hadrian was being rather complacent with his win. It was as if he’d forgotten that an army led by Octavius himself lay just beyond the walls.

Flaming hope glimmered in Octavius' gaze, knowing where his brother is kept. Getting inside Chalcivitas itself via the sewer tunnel which Rozalia spoke of would mean that the Chalcionese knights had to perform an infantry assault, leaving their horses aside. This would demand a greater deal of stealth and light armor, so that they would not be so easily heard. With guard positions marked, they would have a clear idea of what pattern they would use to wipe out all the Hadrianites within the city walls. Octavius was more ready than ever to show Hadrian to assert a point: his armies were far from invincible. It has been proven thus far by the resistance shown to his attacks on the southern holds and Canonfire hold, to the north. Out of his own experience, and what Rozalia has told him just now, he learned that Hadrianites are truly devoid of any honor and that they did not value freedom of expression as a sacred right of every individual, if used well.

Rising to his feet, he could see that she was struggling to stay on her feet and that she was lightly wounded while making her return to Agaroth. With sympathy, Octavius responded to her: "I thank you for the trouble you have gone through to obtain this information. When we make the move to head to Chalcivitas, you will show us the carvings, but for now, go down to the medic's tent. You need to heal those wounds."
He then looked at the guard who was standing in front of the tent and said: "Guard, help this lady to the medic's tent. She is not at her strongest now."
"As you wish, general." the guard replied, then leading Rozalia to the tent where the wounded usually received proper treatment.
Pacing around his tent, Octavius decided that it would be best to speak to Marius, the other general of Chalcion's troops, about the possible methods of freeing Chalcivitas. He exited his tent and went to find general Marius' tent. Walking inside, he greeted him by laying a fist onto the right side of his chest: "General."

Rozalia could hardly help herself, darting a triumphant grin at the disgruntled guard as he escorted her to the medic's tent.
"You watch yourself, girl. Just because you're quiet doesn't make you a good soldier. Nor does it mean you have the right to talk to your commanding officers as if they were underlings!" He gave her a slight shove in the back as he said that, stalking away as soon as the medic's tent was in sight.
"Bastard." She muttered under her breath, limping the rest of the way. "Back home, you would be my underling. Have you living in the mud like the pig you are..." The threats were quiet, and made completely in jest, but made her feel better anyway.
Thankfully, the tent was empty other than one of her more idiotic comrades that had shot himself in the foot with a crossbow, so she was seen to swiftly. In no time at all, she was bathed, bandaged, in a cot, and wolfing down a meal as she shared her stories of the city. After hearing she had returned, some of her 'co-workers' had paid a visit, bringing with them plenty of mead and questions. She'd been quite happy to oblige, the mead keeping her awake as her adrenaline eased off.
"Did you kill the bandits?"
"Did I kill the bandits? Of course I killed the bandits, you dog." She chuckled, after having recounted her more than eventful escape from the city. "I wasn't going to just let them walk away after they killed my horse and attacked me. It didn't help that they said they wanted my 'purse'... if you get what I mean." Her voice soured somewhat at that last comment. Honestly, even when it came to war and death, all some men could think of was their cock.
"What did you do then?" One of the soldiers asked.
"Well, they wanted my... equipment, shall we call it? So, I happily obliged and gave each of them one." She paused, smiling as she downed the remainder of her drink. "I did have to remove certain parts first though."

Inside the large red-and-white tent, Marius takes a quick sip of his cup of red wine. He sighs as he finishes, placing it down on his table. It had been a long day for he and the troops, but yet they are just steps away from retaking the capital. All they need to do now was quickly rest here, scout out the area, and put a successful plan in motion. He already had sent scouts to scout around the area and already it has been several hours since they left the camp. He was getting more and more anxious by the minute, not to the fact that he feared of losing, no, but in finally taking back their beloved capital. Yet in the midst of his thoughts, he remembers his most beautiful wife and his son, who are trapped within those very walls. It had been a long time since he had seen them and all the nightmares on losing them both haunted him through the days and weeks... lasting already for a little over a year. He and his army cannot afford to lose this important battle. As soon as he began to take another sip of wine, general Octavius came through the entrance of his tent and was kindly greeted by him. He always respected Octavius for his bravery as well as his skills in battle and honorable personality.

"Ah! Octavius my friend," he answers back with a friendly gaze as he raises his cup, ""Anything to report regarding the guard positions in Chalcivitas?"

Octavius did not beat around the bush nor stay silent for too long when Marius asked about the reports of Guard positions in Chalcivitas. He immediately started explaining Rozalia's information: "We received word that Alexander is held on house arrest in the palace, on the third floor. It seems the guards blurted this out after a couple of ales, according to our scout. She has managed to mark the guard positions on the walls, and discovered that the sewer tunnel is not very actively guarded. Only four guards, switching between day and night shifts. I was also told that they are not replaced between these shifts at all, not even for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. This means they are tired, and that we have the advantage within our grasp! If we can infiltrate the city via the sewer tunnel, it may very well be our only hope of reclaiming Chalcivitas and freeing Alexander and the rest of our people."
Giving the scroll where the guard positions have been marked to Marius, he spoke: "These are the guard positions. We need to devise a method of attack immediately, so that we can give the men instructions."