T O R P E D O ! : prologue

The impending sense of calamity writhed in the general’s stomach as she led her troops through the conifers that set the border for Bile Forest. Their heavy tread could not be masked in total silence, but she was certain - tonight was the night; the cricket chorale bellowed their loudest tune as the Hellhounds of Sarticia carried out a border raid by the light of only the summer stars, for the moon was taking a leave of absence.

A gentle breeze ruffled Lexus’s heavy fur as she clambered to the top of a large boulder and stood in silence, scanning the forest for the slightest sign of the enemy approaching. Just as she was about to leap off the rock and continue with the mission as if nothing had happened, a twig cracked under the weight of something much smaller than a hellhound of the General’s forces.

Without a word, the general raised her muzzle and, pointing it directly where the moon should have been, let loose an eerie howl that tumbled beautifully with notes of a battle cry. No sooner than when the enemy revealed themselves in the clearing were they surrounded.

Although there were twenty of the Bileans, they were outnumbered two to one. And as every Bilean warrior knows, even one hellhound is too much for a single soldier, except for the strongest and most experienced of the guard.

The fearsome general, satisfied by the promptness of her troops, cheerfully leaped from her perch and quietly landed on the damp ground below. She proceeded towards the captain of the Bilean patrol and sneered before a truly evil laugh erupted from her maws.

“You are in charge of this pitiful band of inexperienced children?” she snickered, brows devilish but her lips curved upwards. She circled the captain, but he remained statuesque as his comrades slowly backed off and watched with terrified eyes and tucked tails.

“I have no idea why Sinai kicked me over your border to deal with incomprehensive, uncoordinated children,” she sneered, licking her chops. She emanated some sort of a canine purr and closed her eyes with delight.

“It seems as though your life has come to an end.” Her eyes snapped open. “There is an easy, guilt-free way of dealing with this… dilemma. We spare you, Captain, and take your patrol back to Sarticia. There, they will be hardly fed and treated as dirt. Or, we slaughter you where you stand, take half of your patrol, and sell off that said half as slaves. Which will it be?”

Lexus chuckled. “The suspense is killing me.”

The Captain’s brown eyes lit up with an idea. “Hellhound, I have a proposition for you.”

Hellhound? Lexus snarled and leapt up. As quick as a flash, one of the patrol members collapsed in a pool of sticky, spreading crimson. Bug-eyed and gulping, the nineteen remaining members listened intently to their leader. “I am not a hellhound. I am General Lexus."

“G-G-General Lexus, may I sug… gest something?”

“If it is brief.”

“What if you took all twe – I mean, nineteen, of us as slaves? Nobody would die on the trip up there, nobody will ever learn of where we went, and we can be trained as warriors for Sarticia.”

Lexus raised a brow, and her lip lifted in disgust. “You do have a point there.”

She contemplated for a long moment, and then continued.

“I shall choose those who will become warriors for Sarticia. The rest will be executed upon our entrance to the Homeland. You will not know who you are, and you will die quietly in your sleep. Now, come. We must return.”

The General of War turned about and strode off into the forest, retracing her steps with great speed. Even if she had abandoned the actual mission, Sinai would be pleased – these Bileans would look mighty fine as trophies in his throne room. Especially the Captain.

Two hellhounds accompanied each wolf, except for the Captain, who received four guards, as there was no twentieth wolf.