Rise of the Crimson Standard

Prologue

Benjamin was walking back home to his village when he saw them. Soldiers on horses. Wearing black coats and breeches and shouldering Quillspike rifles, a bolt action rifle that used smokeless powder. Not that Ben understood any of that, but that's what the military said. Ben's shoulders relaxed. Embersteel Corps, the main army body of Emberfell. One of the four divisions of the Emberfell military. The other three were the Ridge Wardens, the ones tasked with garrisoning the forts, the Ember Chantry, Emberfell's official group of battlemages, and the Recon Vanguard, the division that conducted occasional raids into Beastmen and their territory. These days nobody knew when the beasts would attack. They usually came at dawn or day, making off with the sheep and sometimes even killing a few villagers. Beastmen, they were called. And yet they had a name for themselves. The Silvantide Woodmen. But there were creatures worse than the beastmen. Worse than anything mankind had known. That was why they'd erected walls around every town and city. So that the Nightstalkers couldn't enter. At least the Nightstalkers only came from the forests and their town was miles away from the nearest Nightstalker infected forest. Thank god for small favors. Ben walked upto the soldiers and took off his hat to the horsemen. Never disrespect a man who's on a horse, his grandma used to say. And wasn't going to take any chances. "Sirs", he said in a respectful tone. And after a moment "Sirs", he repeated.

One of the soldiers, an officer by the sneer on his face, looked at Ben and said "Well?"

Ben, not to be deterred by a cold glance, said "Well, sir, I was wonderin' whether you've come for the Beastmen or them Nightstalkers".

Before the officer could reply, another one, probably higher in rank than the first one rode up to them and glared at the officer. "What the Devil are you up to, Collin? Go and get the rest of the cavalry up here".

The officer nodded, threw a cold glance at Ben, and rode away. Ben looked at the new arrival and sighed "Sir, I was wonderin' what y'all have come here for?"

The officer squinted at Ben as if he had just now noticed him. Then he nodded "You're the village headman?"

Ben nodded eagerly. The officer looked at him and gave a troubled look "We've heard that the beastfolk are about to launch an attack on Greenhaven".

"PERCIVAL!"

Percival woke up with a jolt and groaned. It was probably his stepfather shouting.

"Percival!" The shout was indeed his stepfather, James, calling from downstairs. Percival groaned and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. He could already sense the urgency in James's voice.

He threw on his clothes, a simple set of work trousers and a shirt, and hurried down the creaky wooden staircase. The farmhouse was a flurry of activity. His mother, Eleanor, was frantically packing a small bag with essentials. "Percival, it's not safe here," she said, her voice trembling with fear. "The soldiers have come to warn us. The beastfolk are planning an attack."

Percival's heart raced, and he couldn't ignore the knot of anxiety tightening in his chest. Beastfolk attacks were nothing to be taken lightly. He rushed to help his mother, adding a few more provisions to the bag.

Outside, the soldiers were assembling, and an officer was giving orders. The villagers, too, were gathering, children clutched in their arms and fear in their eyes.

Eleanor turned to Percival; her gaze filled with worry. "You must go with them, Percival. To warn the neighboring villages. We'll join you as soon as we can."

Percival nodded, a mix of determination and concern on his face. He kissed his mother on the forehead and made his way to the soldiers. The officer glanced at him in annoyance and ushered him to join the other villagers, who were evacuating.