Chapter Two

Oakhaven was a quiet town that had existed in this lush valley of giant, leafy oaks for hundreds of years. Its size grew very little. Its people were of the best kind. Although most were quiet, hard-working farmers of all varieties, the town had an ancient histroy seldom talked of outside the village lodgehouse.

The children of Oakhaven had always been its legacy. In the three hundred years of the town's history, two thousand of the young ones had served in the Emperor's Royal Guard during times of conflict. Not one had ever been last in combat. Not one had ever been wounded. They always came home.

Oakhaven was, without question, the single greatest fighting force Eros-Sur had never discovered. And despite the many years of service its residents had given during the Emipre's times of conflict, once the conflict was over, Oakhaven became the quiet farm community no one ever gave a second thought to.

To the residents of Oakhaven, the answer to this peculiar existence was all but self-evident. Within their own numbers was an ancient soul that had existed since perhaps the beginning of time.

She'd had many names, more than even the town historians could even remember, but to this generation of Oakhaven residents, she was known as Julianna.

As Seer, Prophet, and Revelator, Julianna was the very heart of the community, their guide in all things spiritual, the guardian of their souls. The farmland in Oakhaven produced only the finest crops, enough to sustain its people in any season, be there drought or famine, Oakhaven never wanted. And whatever stock or produce was taken to market always faired better than any other. The people of Oakhaven were not blind to their good fortune. They knew they were a blessed and fortunate people, so it was no miracle to them that their God had raised and hidden an army of the finest soldiers within the city to protect His vessel.

So, when Mufaun appeared before the Elders of Oakhaven, alone on the night of their arrival in the valley, with a plan to protect and preserve their secret, he had been surprised to see smiles on so many of the faces gathered for the meeting. It seemed there was no fear from the army gathering just a short distance from the village. It was Julianna who had asked to hear Mufaun's plan, despite an uproar of protest from the Elders. And though Mufaun had stood solemn, listening intently to the debate, he could not believe this people actually believed they had the means to thwart his battalion of soldiers which would shortly be joined by the Grand Marshall's own host of brutal warriors. Yet, it was the desire of Julianna that won out and Mufaun laid his plan before them. When he was done, there was no discussion. Julianna stood, her eyes intent on Mufaun, and quietly gave him her blessing, saying "Although you have surely brought war to our humble land, you, Roz Mufaun, son of Haim Mufaun, whose grandfather was once counted a friend among our number, will be the leader of our leaderless army. Your heart is pure, your mind sound, and your soul is not unlike your great-grandfather who once served me as an Elder in this village so long ago. Make your plan, but choose your captains well for though your heart and mind are strong, your faith in this, your decision, will be tested as it has never been tested before."

Mufaun watched Julianna leave the meeting hall under the quiet, watchful gaze of the Elders and chosen men of the meeting. She was intoxicating of spirit. Never had his soul been moved in the presence of anything or anyone, like it had been touched by this woman. Surely she was a vessel of the living God whom he had sought to serve his whole life.

There had been little to do to prepare the village for what was to come. Their resolve was unique. Their path had been chosen and they walked it without question. Mufaun had left after only a few short hours with the villagers, returning to his camp where he chose the five Knight Captains who had been loyal to him for as long as he had been a soldier.