Start of the Raid, Part One

"Hey... Hey, get up..." Mizuno whispered and nudged me awake. When I opened my eyes, she had her index finger to her lips, signifying me to keep quiet.

I nodded to show I understood.

"Good," she whispered and removed her hand. Then, crouching low, she gripped her longswords beneath her cloak.

I assumed my own stance to remain stealthy and looked upward to see that the dawn hadn't yet fully appeared. Instead, the wilds were misty and dark as the Sun rose from beneath the treetops.

'An enemy patrol, maybe,' I thought, retrieving my blade. I then turned to see Joseph and Barik. They were wide awake, each bracing themselves against a tree next to one another.

Joseph brandished a long sword and a leather-banded, thin iron shield he must've stored inside his pack. Beyond that, his expression was one of anxious anticipation. It was a look I knew all too well.