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The clash of steel mixes with the cries of the damned. A shiver passes up Coen’s arm as weapons meet flesh and bone. The ache of strained muscles seems to dull the stinging of the wounds. The blistering snow blows into his face, obscuring his view. Suddenly he’s on his knees, burning pain searing at his side.He sees the strike coming, and knows he can’t defend against it Above the droning yells of those entrenched in the merciless slaughter a single word rises, as the looming foe above him brings the sword down.

“Coen!”

Coen’s eyes flash open, his body flinching at the phantom blow that never comes. He pulls his furs closer to his body, trying to shield himself from the blistering winds. Adjusting his stance, he glances to his left to see if Ajax had noticed he’d dozed off.

“You were mewling in your sleep.” 

Ajax’s words were simple, bearing no judgement. When he looked down to his friend, his smile did have a small jest to it. At Coen’s grunted reply, the giant man grew unusually somber. 

“I get them too.”

Coen looked back out to the treeline with a half-hearted nod. The blizzard had obscured the view at any considerable range for hours now, so the two had resorted to staring at the clearing immediately surrounding the palisade walls. As he watched, Coen let his mind wander. Partly to spend the idle time in some usefulness, partly to distract himself from less pleasant memories. The time seems to stretch as the two continue to stand in silence.

“Ve need more,” Coen says finally.

“Nightmares?” Ajax retorts, leaning over to peer at Coen incredulously.

“People.” Coen’s gaze remains at the treeline. 

“This,” he says, nodding back towards the camp, “This is our destiny, the Volk. To be out here, settling the vilds. Not sitting in Sanctuary, behind valls and surrounded by outsiders.”

Ajax grunts his ascent as he too returns to his watch. “This group is all that volunteered.”

“They’d need convincing. Our people have been at var with each other since Before.”

A sarcastic snort was all Coen received in reply.

“Tvo Volk families come together, neither large nor vell known. Ve achieve this.” Coen turns to the camp to emphasize his point. “With help, of course, but still. Imagine vhat we could do with ten families. A hundred.”

“We’re together cause it’s just us, Coen. Two real families wouldn’t work together like this. Not without a good reason.”

“But vhat if they had that reason?” Coen brings a hand to brush the hair out of his face, wiping the snow from his beard. “Vhat if someone gave them that purpose?”

Ajax turned to look at Coen once more, a large brow raised over his good eye. “And what? That’ll be you? What reason could you give them to come together like that?”

Coen almost didn’t hear him over the sound of his blood starting to run through his veins faster. He nods his head out towards the trees, motioning for Ajax to look too. Off in the distance, beyond the blizzard, the shine of three torches breaks the sheet of white. Both men drop a hand to rest upon their weapons, neither willing to draw their gaze away until the torches fade into the night.

Ajax breaks the tense silence. “They circle us.”

Coen only nods. “And there is our purpose.”

At Ajax’s questioning look, Coen spoke again. “Ve are the Vatchers on the Vall.”

Ajax approved