Cassian shuddered as the cannonball crashed through the castle wall, erupting the hundred-year-old stonework into shards across the tower. Screams of trapped men melted beneath the battle cries. He hugged himself against the wall, bracing for another impact. In a moment of peace, he glanced down the winding stairwell to his comrades. Ash and a reaper had smothered their cries. One soldier pulled himself from the ruins and attempted to limp away, only to receive a warning strike from an arrow.

Cassian scaled the remaining tower wall. Gripping the crossbow, he crawled to the edge and peered over. Soldiers, like ants, were piling through the opening in the wall. The opposition readied the catapults for further assault. From such a distance, he knew he would never reach a worthy opponent, but desperation forced his hand to pluck the last arrow from the quiver. He rose and stood behind the wall, placing his foot on the stirrup, and pulled the bow back, positioning the arrow in the centre. He crouched down and peaked around the wall. The crash of another cannonball erupted from the castle; ash and flames scourged soldiers and crushed fortifications. The cries and commands died away from his mind as he concentrated on his assault. Within seconds, the arrow sped through the stones, breached the soldiers, and pierced the commander of the catapult. A dozen arrows whizzed past Cassian. He crawled behind the wall, dabbing his forehead.

The tower quaked. The shudder of a third cannonball erupted the tower's strength. In a horrid shake and groan, the walls fell.

Cassian, almost reflexively, reached to his side to give the pouch with the amulet a little reassuring squeeze. The familiar soft, green velvet always provided a few seconds of comfort, just as feeling the the amulet inside the bag gave him the smallest dose of confidence. In quieter times, he allowed himself the luxury of taking the amulet out of the pouch and gazing at its wonder, grace, and beauty. The amulet was about the size of the small tadpoles that lived in the pond right in front of Uncle and Auntie's cottage. It was no color and all colors. It depended on the lighting outside, the strength of the magic from the upper realms, and most importantly, the level of his own worthiness at the moment. Cassian yearned for a moment to gaze at the amulet to give him strength and courage as this seemingly endless battle raged around him. He knew that a choice like that would be foolish beyond belief. However, he allowed himself the quiet joy of closing his eyes for mere seconds.

As he closed his eyes, Cassian was instantly whisked back into his most cherished memories. Auntie's ginger cookies and fried eggs. Uncle's tall tales on long, cold, and boring winter nights. Spring time games of tag with his two little sisters, Mina and Corine, in meadows and gentle hillsides covered in yellow daisies behind the cottage. The cold and harsh memories of his parents' tragic death in the fire, the end of winter when the food rations ran low and hunger was his ever-present companion, and the mind-numbing, endless household tasks that meant survival for the small, isolated family usually stayed in the farther corners of his mind, but were never completely forgotten.

A quick flash to the unforgettable night when Auntie and Uncle told him that he was going to leave the cottage and his family behind. It was an exciting opportunity to train with the best knights on the continent. Cassian should have been bursting with anticipation and eager excitement. The truth was that this ten-year old boy was frightened, wanted to stay in his warm home, and dreaded the feeling of having to again be ripped from a family and life that made him happy. The early years of squire training were grueling, lonely, and long. Cassian knew that if the wizard Geezbom didn't come into his life as a mentor he probably wouldn't have survived more than 6 months.

Cassian felt another arrow whizz by his left year and bounce menacingly right at his feet. Cassian yearned for more time. Time to relive the energy, the flow, the joy, the tingling, the thrill, the potency of the magical worlds that became the best parts of Cassian's life. Geezbom left the academy two years ago with instructions to guard the amulet until he returned. He promised that the amulet would infuse him with strength and courage.

Cassian opened his eyes. The west tower just collapsed. This battle wasn't going to last much longer.