Secret Shadow Ops

The Fronts

The next early morning adventurers already started to ride carriages en route to where the established fronts are. The team of Friedenberg was stationed to the farther end of the fronts, close to the eastern part of the continent. They will be dispatched there and they will be sent on foot to the fronts where it would be a days walk or two. The adventurers showed eagerness and determination before setting off, and it would be long before they get to see each other but the royal armies, their own teammates, and the shadows. 

Everyone fell asleep on the way at the carriage, all except Friedenberg, who fell silent and thought heavily on plans and strategies he needed to carry out to keep his team safe, or at least, keep her safe. 

Belladonna rested peacefully on the inner side of the carriage. Her face hidden by her hood with her arms crossed around her chest. She slept beside Lumina, the girl assigned to his team specifically by Captain Donnavan of the Leonharts. Why specifically her? Friedenburg thought. It could be that he doubts the involvement of Friedenberg in the mission. Does he know of Belladonna? What Belladonna has done. What Belladonna had been doing...

Lumina must've been a spy sent by Donnavan, he thought. But do menders have experience in espionage? It is true, that Lumina had been the only one left in the group that hasnt had much connections within it. Had anyone actually talked to her? Friedenberg grew suspicious of Lumina's nature. 

"What's on your mind, paladin?" someone said softly.

Friedenberg turned around and saw Eustace awake as he sat down beside him. The sun had already begun to rise, and the dark sky started to turn blue. Patches of forests scattered in the distance around the plains which had the road they were passing through. If they had failed to hold their ground, it would soon be filled with bloodshed. Fear and anxiety fill Friedenberg's heart. 

"I think we would be alright." continued Eustace. Friedenberg snapped out of his thoughts, and gave a big sigh, and looked far.

"You best be prepared of what you do not know." Friedenberg said with weary eyes.

Eustace nodded. Perhaps he took pride in his skills, but he didn't want to underestimate the enemy. He was better than that. 

"What is it that really drove you to run away from the church?" Friedenberg said, to change the topic.

"Well.." Eustace was nearly caught off guard with the question. Truthfully, he didn't just run away. He rebelled. He denied the church because they do not put their words into actions, and take heed to their teachings only when it would suit them. They are filled with hypocrites and crooks, who use their positions as bishops for power and prestige. When Eustace had told them of what he noticed that was going on in the church, they saw him as a heretic, one who wanted to destroy the church because he didn't believe in their teachings. As Eustace had seen it, they only want to remain in power. So he ran away with the knowledge and spells of the church, and he was to be persecuted, not just exiled. Eustace had sought different towns and villages far from the cities, away from those influenced by the church. It was here eventually he had come across with the order of the four kings, to which he joined in order to gain justice, or for his story to be heard. 

Or at least, to get away from being persecuted.

"I guess I just didn't jive with them." Eustace just said.

"Well, this was not a good get away plan." Friedenberg said, most likely as a warning.

"Tell me about the shadows. It seems they have shook you to your core."

Friedenberg clenched his fist. He was somewhat outraged, he wasn't afraid of them, he was wary. If anything, they should be the ones afraid of them. But because they come from distant kingdoms, they have no knowledge firsthand of what the shadows could do. But Friedenberg looked at the already blue sky. Maybe it was true. He had lost so many of his fellow paladins, perhaps he didn't want to die himself. Or to lose anyone anymore. He looked at Belladonna again. He sighed.