“Soldiers of the First Hillview Infantry, this is what we’ve been training for.”.
     Kenrick stood in front of the people he’d been training for the past three months.  The majority of them stood in formation with their polearms shouldered.  Owen led the formation with Baldwin strapped to his side.
     “One weeks from today, this portal will open again.  Unlike what you have faced before, this will not be a mass of mindless foes.  They will be led by true soldiers of Belfar.”.
     Kenrick was wearing his formal clothes, fully looking the part of an officer addressing his troops.
     “They will have the advantage of numbers, and of training.”.
     The ranks shuffled nervously at that statement.
     “However, we are not without advantages ourselves.  Belfarius has never had to face one of his own people.  His people will emerge disoriented.  They will have no magic.
     “We are not fighting a losing war.  Not yet.”.
     Kenrick turned to face the wall where the portal would form.
     “You fight for the only home you have ever known.  I fight for a home of my own.  We can, and we will, be triumphant.”.
     Kenrick turned to face his troops again.
     “First Hillview Infantry.  You are dismissed.  Return tomorrow for your drills.”.
     The formation broke apart, and people put their polearms back on the racks they were stored on.  Owen relaxed his stance and walked over to Kenrick.
     “Nice speech.”, he said.
     Kenrick replied, “I’ve been working on it.”.
     Kenrick shifted into his human form, although his clothes stayed the same.  He adjusted his coat and scarf before he excused himself from the basement to change.
     Murray came to Owen’s side and watched as Kenrick left.
     “Does he really think we have a chance?”, he asked Owen.
     Owen turned to Murray as he said, “Would you want to know if he didn’t?”.
     “Not really.”.
     Owen shrugged his shoulders, “We’ll just have to trust him then.”.
     Owen stepped forward, and when Murray made no move to follow he left the basement himself.
     He sped up as he neared Beth’s door, not wanting to have to explain why he had a broadsword at his side.  He ducked into the stairwell, and breathed a sigh of relief that she hadn’t chosen that moment to leave her apartment.  Fortunately, he reached his apartment door without incident.
     Owen entered to find Kenrick sitting in the living room, staring at the medallion that had been given to him by Tal Wenden.
     “Is something wrong?”, Owen asked, removing the sword from his side.  He stood it against the wall and walked to Kenrick's side.  The demon was turning the medallion over in his hand.
     “Unknown allies make me nervous.  I like knowing people’s motives.”.
     Owen shrugged his shoulders, “I thought you said it didn’t matter where it came from?”.
     “I’ve been to Scotland before.”.
     Owen started, “I thought you couldn’t leave the area of the portals?”.
     “When I first travelled through the portal, I made a mistake.  I came out in 1432, somewhere in Scotland.  That’s where I met Kenrick.”.
     “I’m not sure I follow you.”.
     Kenrick paused for a moment, then explained, “If this medallion was sent to me from Scotland, it means there may be other defectors.  That’s a best case scenario.  I don’t trust in best case scenarios.  Someone may be taking advantage of this war.  Someone who wants us to win.”.
     Owen nodded, although he wasn’t sure he fully understood.  Kenrick put the medallion around his neck and stood up.  He walked into the kitchen and fetched a plate from the pantry, then started piling food on it.
     “Do you want this last piece of chicken?”, he asked Owen.
     “Tandoori?”.
     “No, fried.  From Wednesday.  It should still be good.”.
     Owen declined, and Kenrick rounded the corner with the chicken leg held in his teeth.  He held out the plate to Owen, who took a slice of cheese and a carrot.
     “I’m going to go watch TV.  The news should be on soon.”, Kenrick said.
     Before Owen could respond, the telephone rang.  Owen put the last of the cheese into his mouth and ran to answer it.
     “Hello?”, he said after swallowing.
     “Mr. Buchanan?”, a familiar voice came through, although Owen couldn’t place it.
     “Yes, speaking.”.
     “Please hold for Mr. Allebarr.”, came the reply, and Owen placed the voice as that of Norman.
     “Okay, sure.”.
     “Thank you, Norman.  That will be all.”, Jerome’s voice could be heard, suddenly more clear as he spoke into the phone, “Owen, how are you?”.
     “I’m fine, and you?”.
     Jerome paused for a moment, “To be honest, Owen, I’m a little worried.  A week has passed since I last heard from Avrianus.  Have you seen her lately?”.
     Owen breathed a sigh of relief, “She’s been a bit shy ever since Beth and Julie took her out last Friday.  Beth told me she got a bit drunk.”.
     “In public?”, Jerome was suddenly worried, “She didn’t… do anything, did she?”.
     “She became very multilingual, and fell over a couple of times.”.
     “Are you sure there wasn’t anything they didn’t tell you about?”, Jerome pressed.
     “Not Julie.  She’s never bothered by embarrassing a friend.  What are you so worried about?”.
     Jerome hesitated, “I’m simply remembering what transpired the last time she was inebriated.  I mean no offence to your friends, but I don’t believe either of them would be fast enough to catch her.”.
     “Uh, okay…”.
     Jerome continued, “And it’s much easier to restore her state of dress when she’s wearing a robe.”.
     “I’m sure it is.”, Owen agreed, “Are you sure she’d want you telling me this?”.
     Jerome replied, “No, but I am sure she’d not want a repeat of that incident.”.
     “Well, I don’t think either Beth or Julie are in any hurry to take her out drinking next time.”, Owen reassured him.
     “Very good.  I hope there will be a next time.  Avrianus can be a little strange to those who don't really know her.”.
     “I’ve been her friend for months and I barely know her.”, Owen confessed.
     “Yes, but she has her reasons.  Still, having met you, tell Avrianus I said that you are…”, Jerome paused as he considered his next words, “Tell her I said you are trustworthy, and I’ll defer to her judgement.  Assuming I don’t see her before your next encounter.”.
     “I’ll tell her that.”, Owen promised, although confused.
     “Goodbye, Owen.”.
     “Yeah, bye.”.
     Owen hung up the phone, shaking his head slightly.

     “So how did you get wrapped up in all of this?”.
     Owen looked over at the man sitting across from him.  They were both sitting on wooden boxes, keeping one eye on the wall for the slightest shimmer.
     “A portal opens up into my pantry.  That and Kenrick lives in my closet.”, Owen answered.
     Owen offered a bottle of water to his companion, and Adam nodded his thanks but declined.
     “How about you?”, Owen asked.
     “I saw somebody run into the basement with an axe, and I followed.  It was kind of stupid, really.”, Adam explained with a grin, “So you know the Major?”.
     “For several months now.  He’s really not a bad guy when you get to know him.  He is a soldier, though, and he takes that very seriously.”.
     Owen opened up the bottle of water, and held it to Adam once again.  Adam shook his head, and Owen drank it himself.  His eyes didn’t stray from the wall for a full minute when he stood up, strapping Baldwin to his side.
     “What is it?”, Adam asked nervously, tightening his hands around his polearm.
     Owen didn’t make a sound, just gestured for Adam to hand him the weapon.  Adam relinquished it, and Owen walked over to a spot three paces from the wall.  He held up the polearm, the blunt end towards the wall.  He pushed the weapon to the wall, trying to tap it against the cement, but the wall yielded like dry topsoil.
     “Get everyone.”, he ordered.
     Adam leapt to his feet, and Owen moved backwards.  He kicked the crates to the side when he reached them, and drew his sword as he settled into a combat stance.
     The wall shimmered as the dull grey cement shifted to the obsidian shading of the portal, and three figured strode out.  The first two resembled frilled lizards and towered a full foot over Owen.  They carried halberd it their hands, and each turned after exiting the portal and took up a place on either side.
     The third was a black lizard sporting red tiger stripes.
     “We meet again.”, it said, stretching out its hand as a broadsword appeared in its grasp.
     “You grew a new hand.”, Owen commented.
     “I’ve come for the head of the traitor.  Stand aside, and I might grant you a quick death.”.
     Owen shook his head, “I will not abandon my post.”.
     “Then I must kill you.  Do you give your name before a duel?”, the demon stepped forward and touched his blade to Owen’s.
     “I am Owen Buchanan.”.
     “And I am Togret Pretzen.”.

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