Hello, Gwynbleidd...

Chapter One: Please-...Please, help us...?

A girl of nineteen...

From a humble home...

And humbler pass times...

Forced to join the army, finding that she didn't dislike it...finding that keeping people safe made her happy...

So, this young girl stayed in the military, the Marines, for four years, then signed up for more time...happy to serve...

Her name was Sergeant Jordan Raven, and she was a force to be reckoned with...

***

Jordon walked out of the showers on her base where she was stationed, in the blazing wasteland that was an Afghani desert...but she didn't mind the heat. She minded the company of her brothers and sisters in arms even less...

She towel dried her dark blonde hair as she walked back to the barracks in a green t-shirt and standard issue, desert uniform pants, along with her tan combat boots.

A full regulation uniform was a little more that suffocating on a hot day on the edge of the Triangle of Death...

Jordan smiled as she walked by the men's barracks, hearing classic rock music blaring from inside where the boys partied...

"Jordan! Hey, Jordan!" Ivana, a friend of Jordan's called as she stood in the doorway of the female barracks, waving to Jordan. Ivana was a New York girl. So, coming to Afghanistan was her first time seeing so much sand in all her life, "Mail arrived from home! Your dad sent a big package!" she giggled and Jordan grinned jogging after her.

"What the hell did he decide to send this time?" Jordan laughed, "I swear, if it's another book about Arabic For Dummies, I'm gonna shoot him," she chuckled, reaching her bunk where the box lay on her green regulation blanket.

She sat down, Ivana crawling on and sitting cross-legged in front of her and the care package. Jordan pulled a knife, which she typically kept hidden under her pillow as, in her profession, you're never truly safe...

Jordan cut the tape which held the box shut, then opened it, pulling away a few layers of paper before grinning as she found books upon books, pocket sized, leather bound editions of her favorite novels and a small journal of a contrasting leather to the rest- a fine turquoise blue.

And under all the precious books and tomes...was a glint of silver...

"Oh! Did he send you jewelery...?" Ivana asked excitedly and Jordan's eyes widened as she pulled a pendant from the box, a wolf's head of silver, with ruby eyes, bound on a strong chain, "Wait-...what the hell is that?" Ivana asked with a slight sneer, yet a small grin crossed Jordan's face.

"It's a necklace from my favorite game..." Jordan smiled fondly at the talisman, "...it's called the Witcher," she sighed as she pulled the chain over her head, smiling as it lay perfectly in the middle of her chest.

"Don't let the Commander catch you wearing that ugly thing," Ivana giggled, "We're not supposed to wear affects like that on patrol, you know?" she may not have shared in Jordan's nerdier interests as much, but nonetheless...they were like sisters...

"Hey, I'll have you know this is a symbol for warriors to wear, Missy!" Jordan retorted proudly, "Maybe it'll bring me luck..." she added, mostly for herself...

***

That night, it was Christmas Eve and the whole base was happy to celebrate, except for a few solid patrols. Ivana and Jordan being two of the members, walking the perimeter.

Naturally, the two soldiers were dressed in full combat gear, assault rifles in hand, cradled in arm as they walked the beat, both humming Christmas songs as they went...

Jordan was content as she strode...but stiffened when a bright light flashed out of the corner of her eye. She whipped around and raised her rifle to line of sight, but froze when she saw a man and a woman.

The man was robed, urging the girl along as they hurried up the hill, "Freeze!" Jordan snapped and the two paused. She assumed they were refuges from some village that had burned, looking for amnesty...or trouble.

The man stopped first, in front of the girl, "What is this place?" he asked with an English accent, his hood up.

"This is Afghanistan. More specifically, American territory with lots of guns. So, state your place of origin or be detained," Ivana ordered, raising her rifle as well.

Jordan narrowed her eyes at the man and woman, unable to fully make out their faces in the dark, "My name is Avallac'h. This is my student, Cirilla. We only need a bit of food and water. Then, we'll be on our way," the man said.

"That's not how this works," Jordan said with a glare, "You're in a war zone. On a military base- on Christmas Eve- in the middle of the night, in Af-fucking-ghanistan," she scowled at the man, "So, joking around like you're from the Witcher will get you arrested," she added with disdain, thinking then that they were planning to infiltrate the base or worse.

"You know what a Witcher is...?" the woman spoke up and Jordan knew her voice.

"Yes, Ciri. I do. All about Geralt, you, the Wild Hunt, etcetera, etcetera. I read all the books," Jordan answered dryly, "Now, since you seem content with acting, you'll be coming with-"

Avallac'h raised a hand and light burst forth from it, sending a blast of a spike of ice straight passed Jordan's head, missing her by mere inches and shattering against the side of a battlement.

The soldiers stood in shock, "You will hide us..before the Hunt finds us and claims you all," Avallac'h demanded.

Jordan was about to open fire, safety off, finger on the trigger...but the woman, Ciri, seemed to flit out of nothing but blue light from where she once stood, to standing straight in front of Jordan's face, a frightened and pleading look in her eye.

"Please-...Please, help us?" she pleaded, her voice cracking and Jordan was speechless...

She had witnessed real magic...