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Turmoil...

"I can't begin to understand how you're all feeling right now. I am not a leader. My squad is all I've ever been put in charge of, nothing more. Even then, I am firm in allowing their self governance. I cannot pretend to have even a fourth of the charisma of Colonel Sarcosa. I cannot pretend to be nearly as brave as war heroes like Turlington or Zegna. I am not nearly as talented a shot as Malary. I cannot claim swordsmanship to the talent of Kender. I am only me. That being said, I am willing to die here." Mika paused staring down at the faces of all the frightened men and women before continuing her speech.

"I have two of my closets friends fighting for their lives at the moment. I have no family, I have no lover, there's nothing waiting for me back home. I understand that is not the case for everyone here, but, there are people here for you now; are you all so willing to just abandon that? To give up the bonds of your fellow soldiers and to forget the bravery and blood of those who have fallen before you? Should I abandon Oshar to her fate! Should I not fight to protect her from further harm?! Am I not only obligated to protect her as she clearly would have protected me like she did Kender and he her but should I not also be glad to do so!" Mikas voice was shakey, it was clear she was pulling from a place she wasn't prepared to. She hasn't experienced anything like this before. The explosion were coming closer and some people were running away while others began to pick up arms and prepare for the coming wave.

"My men have collapsed with smiles on their face, both seem to think they saved the other. Kender and Oshar might die tonight. I might die tonight. You might die tonight. We all may die tonight. We are short on supplies. We have barely any men. Most of us aren't even combatants. We must clearly make a formal complaint to not only our superiors but our superiors, superiors. How might we go about that if we are dead? Now you can probably run. I wouldn't blame you, my every instinct is telling me to do so myself. So you're all welcome to do so but leave your weapons here, I'll kill you myself if you do so and if I don't Malary will gun you down before you can think of escaping. Sure you'll escape death for now if you run, but you'll be hunted down by both the enemy and our army. If found by either you'll be killed either in the name of their god or in the name of the state. And I promise if I survive, I will remember each one of you; I'll remember your abandonment of us. I will assure you death, by hanging preferably. So on that note I offer you an out. Die here with us so you might live. Fight, Kill, Survive." Mika pounded her hand to her chest, stomped her feet together and stared upward. "For life and love, with the cries of our people, we promise to defend." She shouted before stepping over towards Malary and taking up arms. Prepared to fight and with blood in her eyes Mika made an oath to herself to not allow her subordinates to die.

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