The main guard quarters exist on the outskirts of the town defending the east which is the principal direction of attack. The unique geography of the isles and the location of the town on Walano make any incursion by the pirates from the west both perilous and demanding. The objective of the pirates was also factored in on the decision to base the guards in the east. As ever since the pirates first came into contact with the isles their aim has been to capture as many slaves as possible to sell to the continent. Escaping with the slaves poses their greatest logistical issue so the shortest route possible to their boats is required. For safety a skeleton unit has been left to the west of the town, but the bulk of the forces have been focused on the other three cardinal directions.

Outside the guard quarters, seasoned warriors mingled around waiting for the appearance of Captain Lizwi. Lizwi had commanded the sea guards since the young age of twenty-two and had been a revelation streamlining the operations of the unit to previously unseen levels. A shrewd tactician with a keen eye for detail, his ability to think outside the box had undone the pirates on multiple occasions. A big part of my decision to undertake the guard training was the opportunity to witness his tactics in action and absorb as much of his methods as possible. A feat made more difficult by the fact that it would be fortuitous to see him in town even once a month. The captain would spend every waking moment in the guard quarters, his vigil unending.

My instincts drew my attention to the forest, just as a willowy figure gently glided out of the shrubbery barely disturbing the leaves as he passed. Lizwi for all his accolades was never a muscular individual, his svelte figure more suited to a scholar than any guard. The only feature that betrayed his true nature being the glare from his hawkish gaze bordered by permanently furrowed eyebrows. Realisation that the captain had arrived slowly diffused through the unit and a hurried hush came over the audience. Only when complete silence had been achieved did the Captain Lizwi finally begin his oration.

“I take it everyone is gathered and clear on the current threat. The pirates are expected to attack tonight under the cover of the new moon. The visibility will be at its lowest and we can expect to be attacked from multiple different directions. Instructions will be simple, I’ve identified some natural bottlenecks between the village and the coast. Ambushes will be set at these bottlenecks, scouts will be responsible for identifying the enemy numbers and clearing up any offshoots. Vice-Captain Ayale will hand out everyone’s individual instructions and roles. Vice-Captain Kali is ordered to take a small unit and organise the town defences in the event that any pirates sneak past us. Tread cautiously I hope to see as many of you alive tomorrow as possible. Is that understood?” Lizwi Commanded

“Yes Captain!” the gathered crowd shouted in unison.

The guard quarters soon became a hub of activity with warriors receiving their instructions and moving out to prepare for the pirates. I waited a while for the clearing to become emptier before approaching Ayale for my instructions. As I expected, I was assigned to be a scout due to my smaller size and cautious nature. The only issue being that my designated location was to the north of the town, a blatant attempt to protect me as it was expected to see the least combat.

The walk towards my position was eerie even though I’d walked this stretch of forest on multiple occasions in the past. The combination of total darkness and knowledge of the upcoming pirate attack worked to increase my apprehensions showing me phantoms all over the forest. Every rustle of the leaves or creaking of the branches felt like an attack was right around the corner. Recognising I was panicking, I took a deep breath and remembered the reason I was out here and who would be hurt in the event of my failure. The remainder of the journey was carried out in complete silence with my goal the only thing in my mind.

Ascending a well-positioned tree north of the town, I had a clear line of sight to the stretch of coastline I was guarding. The next few minutes involved coordinating with my allies to make sure we could communicate when the pirates finally ended up coming. With our respective hand signals understood, I began making sure my position was as concealed as possible. The foliage of the tree provided ample cover especially for someone diminutive like me and the uniforms blended in well with the night. Settling down for the wait, I mentally readied myself knowing I would have to kill today, and risk being killed. In defending what is mine, I must take what is theirs. A sad state of affairs but one I am powerless to prevent, I make a mental pledge to one day find another way.