Charge

Sky: The sun rises.

Warui: He sits on a rock holding a flintlock musket.

Kiel and Khyrie: Sleep on the grass beside Warui.

Kiel and Khyrie: The left shoulder of each uniform shows five upright sword-shaped pillars beneath an arch.

Warui: The left shoulder of his uniform shows a three-pronged spearhead emblem enclosed by a broken circular ring.

Warui: He stands, steps over to Khyrie and Kiel, and gently nudges their arms with his boot.

Khyrie and Kiel: Slowly wake up.

Warui: The task force should be here soon.

Kiel and Khyrie: Get up.

Khyrie: Opens the bag beside her and takes out a waterskin.

Khyrie: She drinks from it, then hands it to Kiel.

Kiel: He yawns and takes the waterskin.

Kiel: Thanks.

Kiel: He gives Khyrie a closed-mouth smile and drinks from the waterskin.

Khyrie: nods.

Kiel: He hears horses galloping and turns.

Ridge: At the bottom of the ridge, a group of 120 soldiers approaches on horseback with one man leading them.

Kiel: They're here.

Ridge: Khyrie, Kiel, and Warui make their way back down to the bottom of the ridge and stand beside each other.

Commander Mercer: He dismounts his horse and approaches Khyrie, Kiel, and Warui.

Tiria Soldiers: Every soldier bears a three-pronged spearhead emblem enclosed by a broken circular ring on the left shoulder of their uniform.

Commander Mercer: He stops in front of Kiel, Khyrie, and Warui.

Commander Mercer: What's the report?

Kiel: They rotated guards at the front battery every two hours.

Kiel: The mounted cannons on the top of the fort remained unoccupied throughout the night.

Khyrie: The trade road to the east through the mountains remained active throughout the night as well.

Warui: Soldiers made their way up to the mounted cannons once the sun began to rise.

Warui: The rear is also significantly less protected than the front.

Commander Mercer: Alright, just as I expected.

Commander Mercer: You three did well, go untie your horses.

Warui, Kiel, and Khyrie: Yes, Commander Mercer!

Warui: He heads toward the horses closer to the base of the ridge with Kiel and Khyrie.

Commander Mercer: He turns toward the other soldiers.

Commander Mercer: We'll bring the horses over the ridge, let's go.

Commander Mercer: He walks to his horse, grabs the reins, and begins guiding it.

Tiria Soldiers: They dismount their horses and follow Commander Mercer toward the ridge.

Ridge: An hour passes.

Tiria Soldiers: The soldiers rest their horses on the other side of the ridge, broken up into groups.

Warui: He walks over with Kiel and Khyrie toward River and Chena.

River and Chena: They look through their bags and supplies.

Warui: He walks up behind Chena and taps her shoulder with the back of his hand.

Warui: Was the trip okay?

Chena: She looks at Warui, then back to her bag.

Chena: Yeah.

Kiel and Khyrie: Speak with River.

Warui: He yawns.

Warui: Can I have a field ration?

Chena: River ate mine.

Chena: You'll have to ask the supply crew.

River: He peeks past Kiel.

River: Sorry.

Warui: He looks up toward River.

Warui: It's fine, I'm not that hungry.

Chena: She looks at Warui.

Chena: Did you get any sleep?

Warui: Of course I did.

Chena: Hm.

Warui: Our first war.

Kiel: He turns away from River.

Kiel: It's not a war.

Khyrie: We would've brought way more than one hundred twenty soldiers.

Warui: I mean there's nothing else to call it.

River: The fort looks like we should've brought most of the army.

Khyrie: If the mission was occupation.

Chena: Sarah!

Sarah: She turns toward Chena while holding two flintlock long rifles.

Sarah: She tosses one toward Chena.

Sarah: I got you, partner!

Chena: She catches the rifle and inspects it.

Commander Mercer: He walks to the front of the crowd and mounts his horse.

Commander Mercer: Soldiers of Tiria!

Commander Mercer: Mount your horses.

Tiria Soldiers: They scramble to gather their weapons and supplies, then move toward their horses grazing nearby in the plains.

Zay: Mounted on his horse, he rides beside Commander Mercer.

Zay: Duncan.

Commander Mercer: Zay.

Commander Mercer: You take roughly 20 soldiers

Zay: I remember.

Commander Mercer and Zay: Turn their horses toward the open plains.

Fort Avelorn: The fort sits in the distance.

Zay: You still think this is strange?

Commander Mercer: It's the mission regardless.

Tiria Soldiers: They gather on horseback behind Commander Mercer and Zay.

Commander Mercer: The operation to open Fort Avelorn will commence!

Commander Mercer: He charges down the main road on horseback.

Tiria Soldiers: The rest of the soldiers follow as sections of the formation yell.

Main Road: Twenty-five minutes pass.

Tiria Soldiers: They draw closer to Fort Avelorn.

Fort Avelorn Front Battery: Soldiers begin turning and communicating with each other. A few run back toward the front gate.

Commander Mercer: He stops his horse.

Tiria Soldiers: The soldiers behind him stop.

Zay: He stops beside Commander Mercer.

Commander Mercer: Keep the horses here out of the artillery's range!

Commander Mercer: He keeps his eyes on the front battery.

Zay: He looks toward Mercer.

Zay: What's wrong? You were confident in the briefing.

Commander Mercer: Your group waits here.

Commander Mercer: We'll create the opening.

Zay: Don't tell me your briefing was one of your bullshit stunts.

Commander Mercer: He turns toward the soldiers, holds his arm out, and sweeps it across a section of the group.

Commander Mercer: Everyone my arm didn't pass over is with Captain Zay.

Tiria Soldiers: Twenty soldiers move closer to Zay.

Commander Mercer: Everyone else, with me.

Tiria Soldiers: The remaining soldiers follow Commander Mercer as he brings them farther forward.

Warui: He remains in Captain Zay's squad with Chena, River, Khyrie, Kiel, and Sarah.

Zay's Squad: They watch Commander Mercer's group ride past them.

Warui: This wasn't in the briefing.

Kiel: Maybe the commander saw something.

Zay: He addresses the squad.

Zay: Alright listen, I'm just as clueless as you are.

Zay: But we follow up on whatever mess the commander has in that head of his.

Mercer's Group: The soldiers gather behind Commander Mercer and watch him.

Commander Mercer: He turns his horse and rides through the group.

Commander Mercer: We'll be riding straight into the front battery.

Mercer's Group: The soldiers stiffen. Nervousness moves through the formation.

Commander Mercer: He reaches the back of the group.

Commander Mercer: Be prepared.

Soldier: C- Commander.

Commander Mercer: He turns his horse and rides toward the front again.

Commander Mercer: He reaches the front row of soldiers and briefly looks to his right.

Commander Mercer: Your chinstrap, soldier.

Soldier: He quickly looks toward Commander Mercer, then fixes his chinstrap.

Commander Mercer: He moves in front of the formation with his back toward them.

Commander Mercer: They'll expect us to break left or right before the guns fire.

Commander Mercer: So don't.

Mercer's Group: The soldiers stare toward the front battery's cannons and armed soldiers.

Commander Mercer: Run straight at them.

Commander Mercer: When the battery fires, your body will tell you to turn.

Commander Mercer: The moment you feel yourself flinch, turn.

Commander Mercer: Not before.

Mercer's Group: Some of the soldiers barely collect themselves.

Commander Mercer: We make our way to the rear!

Commander Mercer: Nobody dies on me.

Commander Mercer: He charges forward on horseback, draws the cutlass from the sheath on his left hip, points it ahead of him, and shouts.

Mercer's Group: The roughly 100 soldiers watch Commander Mercer gain distance ahead of them.

Mercer's Group: Their horses begin moving.

Mercer's Group: The horses trot.

Mercer's Group: They break into a canter.

Mercer's Group: They pick up speed.

Mercer's Group: The soldiers begin shouting with a mix of confidence, fear, and nervousness.