Step One: Surrender

Aetri was torn from the dream this time, one dizzying rip and he was returned to the waking world, staggering in the ruined lodges ground floor as if he had never left.

"Holy s-shit." He said dizzily, an unruly thunder skipping in his guts "I'm burning up, it's tearing up my guts... it's a fucking pain." He lurched, a confused Kara watching as he lurched to spew on the singed floorboards.

The Huntress wept quietly, pulling her clothes back on and rushing to his side, worry swelling in her throat and choking the sense out "A-Aetri, A-Aetri you're sick, you need help."

Aetri confronted her with a wicked eye, he looked sharper, darker somehow, like an Ox unleashed from its cage. "You don't understand... I'm... Awake. It was hidden behind a wall, but I broke it down."

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Kara snapped

"I was taught about this by my governess, about the complications of my kind, I didn't realise how fucking disorienting it would be. Kara..." He stepped forward taking the Redhead in his arms "...I will not be the man you know, I will be... myself. I've hidden away in an igloo long caved in, and I've forgotten the sensation of flame.

I fear it, I know you notice how I can't be too close to the fireplace or the torches, I cannot speak of the origin of this phobia, but I can say that it is vicious and it is blinding. That beast Baldwin has is an Ignix, an Avian Fire Drake with blood that runs hot with flames... are you getting my problem, here?" Aetri inquired.

Kara had been listening keenly, although reluctantly "Yes, I get your problem. But You're not some coward, I know that Lee and Crow know that, Frigga knows that."

Aetri rubbed his arm in a self-comforting gesture.

"You're opening up to me, and I adore you for that. I'll give myself body and mind." Kara whispered gently

He considered her gently, the sun-gold of his eyes resting on the Red beauty, his outcast lover "What about the Soul?"

Kara did not answer this, she merely moved closer, helping him dress and leading him out into the darkness of the late evening. Un-pitching Mystery, Aetri clicked the Great Oxen to follow his mark, the huge beasts rumbling along aggressively, but obediently.

Thunder cracked in the Pouring sky, an essence of wrath had shaken the heavens, and lightning cracked the spring midnight. Aetri dashed along the path, mystery bolting with oxen, a hundred strong behind her.

It was a short time before they reached the camp, the Uld had shed their weight, dropping plated arms and wearing light leathers, single breastplates with deer-skin trousers and boots built for rough terrain. They grasped their weapons proudly, faces stained with warpaint of a furious black and blue; the colours of death.

Lee sitting on a log, grinding at her eastern blade with impeccable focus, cast aside her grinding stone, and called to the quiet Uld who had shed ferocity for shadow.

"Shake awake in your little boots, it's time for war." Lee roared, instantaneously picking everyone up into a swift bolt of efficiency. Everybody had done their part, all the hay was gathered; the oxen already looked like they would charge at it, if not for Kara kicking at them apologetically.

"Tyrg, where's Tyrg?" Aetri called.

A white head peeked out from the group. Tyrg wore no armour on his torso, only black paint covered his skin, including the burned half of his flamed face. Still, the New Jarl gripped an axe in each hand, looking with furious anger in his eyes "We are ready, merely give the word."

Aetri road to a halt, Kara dismounting and stopping beside him as Lee and the Uld stood to attention.

"Tyrg, it's time. Now listen, all of you, if we divert from the plan if we take one step out of turn then we are dead, is this understood?" Aetri asked in a booming tone.

They looked at this man, unbraided, with fiery golden brown hair and aurous eyes, and saw a warrior the likes of which they had never encountered before. "Y-Yes." Red Knot Lok himself looked stunned by Aetri's appearance and looked at the wonder of his full visage.

"Jesus Christ Kid, You are one pretty motherfucker." Lee spoke as if the words had slipped free of her mind and shot from her lips, a concern following as Aetri quickly threw up his hood and closely hugged his scarf around his neck, it's warmth slipped to him quietly, its stripped soft length coiled around his face.

He really hated that part of himself, and He wished that He could make it stop... that would be one part of Aetri that He would miss.

"Focus on yourselves, if you want to live." He warned, and that seemed to shapen them up a little, although none were as intense as Aetri himself upon mystery "Now I have out Oxen friends here, that's that last piece of the puzzle. We can begin with our Campaign:" Aetri raised his arm and everyone readied their call "Stop One!?"

_"Surrender!!" _everybody called, a few sniggering before bursting out in laughter, the hard warriors cheering and laughing their way into hell, Aetri joining in on a chuckle, Lee-fu the Black Iron bitch, giggling almost like a noble bride lady at a party.

Eventually, they settled down as the lightning flashed above "Yes, very good, Step two!?"

"Rain Oxen Hell." Crow's voice echoed from behind them, lingering in the shadows, stroking the bearded necks of the Oxen who would be a key to their victory.

"That's right, now Step Three!?" Aetri roared

_"Flood of Uld!!" _The called back.

"Good, remember, keep to the shadows, take no risks, we will have our slaughter in due course." The Raiders rumbled with approval at Aetri as He held our four digits "Come on Step four!"

_"Crow feather!!" _The Uld shouted, Black-Crow merely continued brushing the Oxen affectionately with her hand.

"Stay out of her way and remeber the pattern of her little traps, You really do not want to get caught in those" Lee warned sharply.

"Step Five!?" Aetri asked

"Vengence," Tyrg whispered, his Uld brothers and sisters, young and old, standing ready by his side.

"We will tear the flesh from their gullets, hammer their bones to ash in the name of One-Eye and In the Name of VALHAL!" Aetri howled, the Uld howling with him, eerily echoing into the stormy night sky.

"What's step six?" Kara made herself heard, stepping out so that she could be seen.

The Uld darkened, Lee frowned and Black-Crow sturred, turning her silver mask to face them. Aetri smiled at Kara, an eerie bloodthirsty grin "Step six: Clip their wings."

Kara stared at him confusedly although her expression quickly melted into one of deep concern "No..."

"Yes." He Growled, leaving her no words and stirring his horse onwards. Lee and Crow jumped to action, already armed and ready for battle. Black-Crow had set her traps, and the time for war was nigh.

The Uld garrisoned behind, wielding their axes, painted black as the darkness around them. The archers with their curved northern bows draw fast and hard of their arrows, notched with small locks of hay.

Aetri rode at the summit, Tyrg drawing to his side on his White bay. "Tyrg, get me your fastest rider."

Tyrg looked out to his men "Sten, Jalk. Come here." Tyrg beckoned the two men, one gatekeeper, one watcher, both sufficient scouts.

"What can we do for you, Jarl?" Jalk inquired, half-blind as he was, he had nose and ears enough to outwit three men.

Aetri leant in and reached down, tugging at the edge of his black cloak, drawing his sidearm and cutting his skin.

"What are you doing, boy?" Lee asked, clearly stirred by the sight of Aetri's blood.

He smeared it on, the blood-stained into the fabric and folded it neatly. Sten took it with a confused look, but Aetri clued him in fast "Take that to the enemy line, Stright to Baldwin, say _I parley, and challenge that you and I might fight in our armies places, in the middle of the field... on dragons blood that You now hold in your hands. _Can you remember that?" Aetri asked sharply.

Sten like the others was quiet at first, but he nodded and Jalk focused on Aetri for a moment, merely left with another nod.

Dashing off to deliver the message.

Lee drew in, and whispered as the Uld all gazed decisively at him "They are figuring it out, Idiot." She grunted in annoyance.

Aetri smiled "No they aren't." He held up his hand "STEP ONE!?"

_"SURRENDER!!" _The Uld screamed in response, still in tune like a well-oiled machine.

Aetri winked "See?"

The Young man was certainly a bit of a cocky prick, but that was in folks like his nature, they will do anything for power, it is written in the annals of Humankind that those of his blood will fight, fuck and conquer its way through the world, it is what makes them special, and outlandishly dangerous.

Less than maybe half an hour had passed and the boys had ridden back, followed by a dual team of two sparrows, who fluttered along as the gates closed.

They spotted Aetri and immediately dropped two cylinders both containing separate orders.

His eyes widened as He unrolled the first... it was old and crusty, but in faded black ink, it said his name... had the face of a fearful kid long forgotten, with a bounty; to be captured alive, One hundred thousand Pounds.

the second was a letter, which Aetri read aloud

"I accept you in one on one combat, although be it of note, in a battle sanctioned by dragon blood, I am entitled to bring my beast. I wish you great fortune in the battles to come.

Your faithful adversary
Sir Baldwin of Black Alley"

Aetri tossed the second document aside, but despite the dark implications of the Letter, Aetri and the Uld all exchanged quiet smiles. Step One, Surrender, was complete.