Year: 2077CE Erikur awoke to the sound of swords and axes. He found himself surrounded by war. The ground shook and people screamed out in agony. Instinctively, he reached for his longsword but felt nothing in his grasp. The foot soldiers slipped on the muddy field, bodies piled up on the ground. Erikur stumbled on a body but got back to his feet. Standing before him was a beautiful woman. Her royal braids drew an odd contrast against her commoner's attire. No one seemed to notice the woman. Erikur was dazed and confused. She stared at him for a moment before speaking in Elder Tongue; "Bienéde an varre di poll a rosa." The woman walked up to Erikur and pressed her palm against his unshaven cheek amidst the battle. Suddenly, a horse galloped between the two. The nord barely managed to move out of harm's way. Soon after, a man clad in gambison came up from behind him and charged in with a broadsword and a shield. Erikur, being classically trained from the age of six, saw the man's telegraphed movement a mile away. He quickly grabbed hold of his arm and performed a hip toss. He took the man's broadsword, placed the tip on the man's throat and pressed down as hard as he could. The sword slid in cleanly. Covered in blood and dirt, Erikur looked back up. The woman he saw was gone without a trace. Before he could process what was going on another man came in from the side and swung an axe towards Erikur. He side stepped him and sliced upward with an unterhau, slicing the man's arm. The man cried out as he dropped his axe. He took this moment to go in with another strike, repeatedly swinging until the man eventually ceased to be a threat. On his last swing he felt a sharp pain from his back to his stomach. He looked down at his gut, revealing the tip of a blade. He fell to his knees as the battlefield grew darker and darker until finally pitch black. Erikur's eyes opened. He bolted out of bed in a flash. He was back at his camp in the woods. There was no battle and certainly no woman. He rubbed his neck and sighed. Erikur often had nightmares about war but he never got used to them. Soldier's Sickness they called it. He sat back down on the bedroll and thought about his dream for a moment. "Bienéde an varre di poll a rosa," he repeated to himself. It was a common saying in Elder Tongue. Literally translated it means, "Love and war is but a rose." He didn't fully understand the meaning behind the saying however. He shrugged it off and continued on with his day. He began the day in his usual manner. He ground sage and salt into a paste. He smeared it onto a linen and began to clean his teeth with it. He relieved himself before putting on his armor, it was old but it served him well. A set of gambeson with a breastplate over top. Cavalieres didn't commonly wear a full suit of armor because it was too hard to put on without a squire. Cavalieres worked by themselves. Erikur looked into the distance. Plumes of smoke rose above the horizon. He glanced around at his damp campsite and decided to take the chance and check out the smoke. Beginning his trek towards the dark plumes, he took in the environment. The woods lacked the green they did in the summer and the snow was bright, even in such densely wooded areas. With each of Erikur's steps, a muddy slush filled his footprint. Erikur neared the plumes of smoke. To his surprise, it was not a village but an abandoned campsite. Sitting there were two horses, a wagon, and a couple of bags. Erikur walked over to the bags and began looting. Suddenly, he heard a muffled shriek. While quickly turning around, he drew his longsword. The sound came from the cart. He walked over and slowly peered over the side. Inside the cart was a bound and gagged woman. She had short blonde hair and her eyes were bright pink. Erikur stood as still as stone. He looked around to see if anyone was watching before hopping into the cart and ungagging the woman. "Who are you? Why are you tied up?" The nord human said. "Please help me. I am in danger," she replied. Erikur was taken back, he had never heard such an accent before. She didn't speak the language well.