Elsewhere

Marc grunted after another blow from his superior. Blood dripped from the corner of his mouth and hatred spewed from his eyes. He did his best to restrain it, but the officer looming over him could still see the looks.

"So you want to give me a look, do ya? You can aim your look that way!' The officer yelled and punched Marc with a hook to the face.

The officer shook out his hand, "you will not ever desert the battlefield again, you understand? Next time will be death by firing squad."

With some difficulty, Marc got the words out of his mouth, "yes...sir."

The officer nodded, satisfied with his work and went back to his luxurious tent. Marc was left standing in the open area of Galbury Castle. He looked around him.

There weren't too many soldiers around, seeing as the Kingdom's forces captured most of them. He clenched his hand, angrily looking at the officer's tent.

He wanted to storm in there and open fire right now. But he needed to bide his time. If he wanted to have a chance at meeting anyone in the higher echelons, then he needs to get promoted.

Marc walked to where his unit's tent was, and a couple of corporals were standing in there. "Well if it isn't the deserter! How are we today punk? Still alive?" He laughed.

Marc tried to pass them while looking at the ground, but one corporal put his hand on Marc's chest to stop him. "Hold on one second there friend. I don't think you understand that your punishment isn't over." The corporal cocked his arm back and swung with all his might at Marc's gut. Marc had the air knocked out of him and threw up on the ground. He stood back up, not saying a word. The other corporal in the room grabbed Marc from behind. "I still don't think he's had enough!"

"Well let's finish the punishment then, shall we?"

Blow after blow, the corporal's fists landed against Marc's body. The other one held Marc's arms and laughed.

Soon Marc slumped over, and they tossed him on the ground. "You are at the bottom of the food chain, so learn your lesson soon punk." The corporals walked out, laughing as they did so.

Marc shakily stood back on his legs.

'Not yet,' he thought to himself, 'but I will have my chance.' Marc went and laid down on his bed near him. Staring up at the flapping roof of the tent, he clutched his head, and quiet sobs resounded from him.

............................................

Inian was walking along the forest floor. He had spent several days flying and had finally reached the free woods. Looking around him, he saw the looming dark trees that nearly covered up all the light in the sky.

Suddenly he heard a voice coming from behind a massive tree, "I have found you my liege. I was getting nervous that you would not come."

A giant bug came crawling around to meet him. Inian stopped in his tracks, only having a single thought: 'what?'