The general of the Granseal army gave the go-ahead. They swept towards the unsuspecting kingdom like a wave, descending upon the gates of the town. "Attack!!!" cried one of the commanders.

Instantly, the kingdom broke into chaos. The citizens, roused from their sleep, stumbled out of their houses to an instant death. Bloodshed and death was everywhere. Phillip's squad fought valiantly, slowly battling their way towards the castle.

"Bianka!! Behind you!!" cried Dave. Bianka whirled around to see one of the Tiar soldiers behind her. She sunk her laserlance into the soldier, killing him instantly. Dave was having the time of his life. His sword was stained with the blood of many a soldier.

"Thanks!!" called out Bianka.

Phillip and Abat helped pave the way towards the castle. Soldiers were everywhere. Phillip hacked his way through some of the castle guards. Abat ran his sword through the rest of them. "This way!!" he called to the others.

JJ and Ben were mainly defending. Dave was doing most of the killing. Phillip led them through the gates of the castle. Suddenly, a guard ran into the squad. "This ain't your lucky day, pal!!" Dave cut down the man with his sword.

"Dave...must you do that?!?!" Ben said softly.

"Sorry Ben...kill or be killed. That's what being a soldier's all about!!" Dave cut down another guard while he was talking.

"We've gotta get down the drawbridge so the other soldiers can get in!!" cried Phillip. "Abat -- scan the area below for thoughts. Are there any??"

"Nope...all clear."

"Good! Bianka -- use your laserlance to cut through the chain and free the drawbridge!!"

"Good as done!" Bianka ran to the chains that held the drawbridge. She stuck one of the ends of her laserlance against the chains. Within a few seconds, Bianka had cut through the chain. The drawbridge came tumbling down.

The cheers of the Granseal troops filled the air as they stormed into the castle. The castle instantly erupted into a battlefield. The Tiar troops and Granseal troops clashed. The clink of cold grinding metal filled the air.

"This way -- King Tiar and the others are this way!!" cried Phillip.

"C'mon!!" Bianka called. She, Abat, JJ, Ben, Dave, and a few other men followed Phillip. They traveled deeper into the castle.

"Which room do you suppose they're in?" wondered Phillip.

"Maybe this one?" JJ suggested. He opened up one of the many doors in the castle. It was a food storage.

"Cool!! Free food!" cried Abat. "Remind me to get some."

"Hmm..." JJ poked around.

"Behind you!" Abat called to Dave. Dave turned around just in time to block one of the Tiar soldiers. "I'll take care of this joker. I 'heard' all of those nasty thoughts you had in your head!!" Abat ran his blade through the soldier, killing him instantly.

"Cool. I owe ya one!" Dave said.

"No problem."

"Abat, Dave -- watch our backs!" Phillip ordered. "There are surprises around every corner."

"Yes sir!" Dave turned around. "Hey Abat, can you hear their thoughts?"

"It's harder now because there are thoughts everywhere. But yeah, I can I guess. Some of them are...unhealthy."

"Like JJ's?"

"Yup."

"Cut out the clowning -- we've got business!" cried JJ. Phillip opened one of the doors. There were the wives and children of the nobles, being slaughtered by the Granseal troops. Some were battling Tiar troops, but most were doing the killing.

"NO!! NO!! NO!!" cried Ben frantically. "OH MY GOD!!! How could you do that?!?!" Instantly, Ben broke away and collapsed to the ground. "Oh my God!! Oh my God!!" Ben threw up again.

"Ben!!" cried Phillip. "No matter how you feel, don't break away from the group!! It's not safe!"

"Phillip!!" Bianka blocked an attack from a Tiar soldier. "Watch out!!"

Instantly, the squad began battling the Tiar troops there. In the confusion, no one was able to care for Ben. Ben reeled under the memories of the horrors he had seen that day. There would be no escape from this terrible scene. Everywhere he turned, there was death and suffering. The innocent were slaughtered along with the guilty. The totality of it all sickened him. His stomach was acid, churning and burning of sickness. Ben vomited again. He couldn't take it any longer!!

But Ben did not hear the footsteps of another soldier behind him. He did not see the glint of a metal sword. He did not hear the cry "Ben -- behind you!!" He only felt the sharp pain of a sword being thrust through his heart.

"ARGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!" wailed Ben in agony as the Tiar soldier ran his sword through Ben's heart.

"BEN!!!!" cried JJ. He frantically raced over to the side of his dying brother. The Tiar soldier, in shock, stumbled back. Dave, who had seen the entire scene, cried out in shock and denial.

"NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!" Dave rushed at the Tiar soldier and beheaded him in his fury. "Ben!! Ben!! I'm sorry, man....so sorry!!!!"

"Sorry? For what?" JJ was cradling Ben's head in his arms, sobbing. "Don't cry, JJ. Don't you see? I've been set free..." Tears rolled down Ben's cheek. Bianka, Phillip, and Abat stopped fighting and rushed to hear their comrade's dying words. "I don't have to see pain and suffering any longer...I-I can play my fiddle in heaven..."

"Don't say that...don't say that!!" Tears were streaming from JJ's eyes. "You're going to be okay, Ben!! We're gonna go home and Dad's gonna pay for your music lessons!!"

"Oh, JJ...I wish was still at home in Granseal. I wish I was sitting at home looking out at the harbor and practicing my fiddle..." Suddenly, Ben's eyes rolled back. The others stood by in silence, watching the passing of their friend.

"Ben -- !!" JJ buried his face in Ben's blood-stained armor and sobbed. He cried for the brother he had lost and for the dreams that died with him. And the others looked on, remembering Ben in their hearts and souls.

"King Tiar's mine!!" hollered Dave. "I'm gonna gut him!!" The effect of Ben's death was still hanging over the group.

"Okay troops, I've gotten word from the King," Phillip announced. "All the high-ranking officials and the royal family are to die. Abat -- which way are their thoughts going?" asked Phillip.

"This way." Abat pointed towards a wall.

"There must be a secret path somewhere," Bianka spoke.

"Allow me." Abat kicked down the wall. A secret passageway was revealed to the squad.

"C'mon!!" shouted Phillip. The squad raced down the secret passageway. "Abat, how much farther ahead are they?"

"I can't tell...I haven't mastered this completely."

"We'll just have to do it the old-fashioned way!!" exclaimed Dave. "You're gonna die, you bastards!!" His threats echoed through the walls of the secret passageway.

"There!! I saw something!!" Bianka pointed ahead.

"They're mine!!" declared Dave. He rushed ahead of the squad. The frenzied shrieks of Princess Amy could be heard through the walls of the passageway. When the squad came around, Dave had King Tiar at sword-point. Ramsi had his sword drawn and was prepared to cut down Dave.

"Oh, no you don't!!" In a lightning swift stroke, Abat cut down General Ramsi. His lifeless body fell to the floor. Princess Amy and her female attendant shrieked in terror.

"Now it's your turn!!" Dave hissed at King Tiar.

"Please...please...I have gold...I'll pay you handsomely if you just let us go!!" begged King Tiar.

"An eye for an eye!!" Dave screamed. He ran his sword straight through King Tiar's heart. King Tiar gasped, then fell dead to the floor. "There, Ben...you have been avenged!!"

Amy and her servant screamed even louder. "Your turn!!" Dave drew his sword and headed towards the princess and her servant. They fell to their knees and begged for their lives.

"Please, please, please!!" begged Amy. "Please spare me!! Kill her, not me!!" Amy referred to her female attendant.

"In a pig's eye," Dave replied coldly. He raised his sword and in one fell swoop, decapitated Amy and the servant.

"It's all done," spoke Bianka.

"Yup." Abat wiped the blood off his face.

"This day is Granseal's," spoke Phillip. "We'd best head on up and finish the remaining Tiar troops." They stood over the bodies, wondering whether or not this war had been worth its weight in lives.

Ben's body was borne back to Granseal. Like all the other fallen, he was given a proper funeral and burial. JJ was never the same. A shadow of sorrow seemed to hang over him all the time. JJ's father had blamed him for Ben's death; he had threatened to disown JJ if he quit the military.

Phillip's squad was given a brief respite right after they returned from Tiar. King Granseal announced that there would be a banquet for all those who fought in the Tiar War.

"Abat!! Abat!!" Bianka raced to the bottom of the stairs. "Are you ready yet??"

"Yeah." The answered boomed from upstairs.

"Phillip and Dave are here -- we should get going!!"

"Okay." Abat came down the stairs, decked out in his costume.

"C'mon...let's go." They rushed out of the house. Phillip and Dave were waiting in the front yard.

"Isn't JJ coming?" asked Abat.

"Yes he is...but he's at the castle already," Phillip answered.

"I bet he's anxious to see Elis," Dave commented.

"I hope I can shut off my telepathy," Abat mumbled. "I don't wanna see what JJ's thinking."

Phillip, Bianka, Abat, and Dave made their way to the Granseal Castle. Decorations hung from the castle, and soldiers in decorative garb greeted guests at the front gate. All the distinguished families of Granseal were to attend tonight's banquet. An air of pomp and circumstance hung over the castle.

They advanced to the front gate. One of the soldiers stopped them. "Halt," he said. "I need to see your invitation...oh wait!! It's you, Phillip! Sorry...darn visor blocks my eyesight. Go on in."

"Have you seen JJ?" asked Phillip. "He's supposed to sit with us."

"Yeah, I think he's talking to Princess Elis in the throne room," the guard replied.

"Uh-oh," Abat said.

"Okay. Thanks," Phillip spoke.

"I hope I don't have to see Vanessa," Dave whispered to the others. "She's a really good friend of Elis!"

"Oh yeah, that's right!!" Bianka remembered.

"I can't stand to get close to that stupid bitch," Abat remarked. "Her head's filled with crap, if anything. She thinks she's God's gift to mankind or something. She is so vain it makes me puke!!"

"Eww, I know what you mean!!" one of the guards agreed. "That duke spoiled her rotten. John or whatever his name is."

"Do you know King Granseal is gonna make her succeed Sir Astral after he dies?" the other guard told them. "He announced it this morning."

"WHAT??" The others jumped in shock.

"Can you spell wrong?" commented Bianka.

"Let's hope Sir Astral lives for a very long time!!" Dave spoke. "Well, longer than Vanessa, at any rate."

"Vanessa will screw all those kids over!!" Abat commented. "All those kids at the school will come home and slap their parents and demand this and that. Just like Vanessa."

"Hey, isn't Sir Astral's latest class graduating this year?" asked Phillip.

"Beats me," Bianka shrugged.

"Maybe we should pay Astral a visit?" asked Dave.

"Not bloody likely," Abat said.

The squad entered the castle. Dukes and duchesses were everywhere. Phillip and his squad made their way into the throne room. Sure enough, Vanessa was with JJ and Elis. "Hey JJ!" Abat called.

"A little early, aren't you?" asked Bianka.

JJ and the girls turned around. "Oh, hi guys!" JJ called.

Vanessa scrunched up her face. A look of pure disgust was on it. "Oh, it's you lowly soldiers!" she sneered. She grabbed Elis' arm. "Come on, Elis. We're too good for their company!!"

"What? Huh?" Elis spoke. Vanessa grabbed Elis and dragged her out of the room.

"I don't know why you are talking to that ugly soldier!" Vanessa exclaimed, referring to JJ. She spoke so loudly that Phillip and the others could hear. "He's not good enough for you!! God. He's only the son of a colonel!! You should marry a prince! If I were in your shoes -- "

" -- then Granseal would be a very sad kingdom!!" Abat commented.

Vanessa whirled around and gave Abat a dirty look. "Shut up, you annoying brat!!" she shouted. "How dare you even speak to me?? I'm the daughter of the great Duke of -- "

"Yeah, yeah, yeah -- whatever!" interrupted Bianka. "Why don't you do us all a favor and go jump in a lake?"

"No -- it'll pollute the lake and poison the wildlife," Dave snickered.

"Humph!! You haven't heard the last of this!!" Vanessa growled and stormed out of the room, dragging Elis along with her.

"What a bitch!!" exclaimed Dave.

"Man! Sometimes I hate being a leader!!" Phillip growled. "I can't talk that way to her!!"

"I think I agree with you guys," JJ spoke. 'I don't like Vanessa. But I like Elis, though! She flips over my sonnets!"

"Right..." The others exchanged glances. No one spoke, for Elis was the one person that let JJ forget about Ben's death.

"I think the banquet's gonna start pretty soon," Phillip spoke. "We should head on over to the banquet hall and claim our seats."

"I hope we don't have to see the bitch," Dave commented.

"Well, if we do, we can throw food at her," Abat suggested.

"Hey!!" Dave exclaimed. "That's a great idea, Abat!! Well, let's get to the hall! I'm starving!!"

The squad made their way to the banquet hall. Music could be heard from the hall. A group of musicians were performing as the guests arrived. The hall was grand and well-lit. Chatter echoed in the hall. Colorful costumes and elaborate uniforms were everywhere. The hall was a sea of color.

Phillip and the others made their way into the banquet hall. "Hey Phillip, where are our seats?" asked Dave.

"We are near the king," Phillip spoke. He pulled out the invitation he'd received. "This way." Phillip led them to a spot nearby the king's place.

"Cool!! I get to be near the princess!!" JJ exclaimed.

"Oh no...and guess who we're also near!!" Dave said suddenly.

"Oh no...not Vanessa!!" Bianka groaned.

"I think I brought barf bags," Abat said. "Let me check..."

The trumpeting of the horns announced the arrival of King Granseal and Princess Elis. At once the room became silent. All rose for the king's arrival. King Granseal entered the hall first, dressed in an elaborate red robe. A magnificently jeweled crown rested atop his head. Behind him was Princess Elis in her trademark pink gown. Her blond hair was wrapped up in a bun. The Minister and Sir Astral trailed the king, dressed in their usual attire.

"Isn't she so beautiful?" sighed JJ. He gazed longing at Princess Elis. Elis noticed the attention and blushed.

"Sir Astral looks more beautiful than Elis," whispered Dave to Abat. "And Astral is the definition of ugly!!" JJ, fortunately, did not hear the comment.

"Lords and ladies of Granseal: King Granseal!!" the Minister announced.

"Thank you, Minister." King Granseal and the others took their seats. "Please, everyone -- take a seat." At his command, everyone took their seats. "As you all know, the kingdom of Tiar has fallen, thanks to the courageous fighting of our troops." A round of applause circled the room. "I would like to take a minute to recognize that some of the soldiers sacrificed their lives for our cause. Please, a moment of silence."

A moment of silence filled the room. Phillip's squad remembered their deceased comrade. And in that silence, they felt Ben's presence among them. But the silence passed, broken by the sound of King Granseal's voice.

"Those who have fallen shall have their names engraved in a statue in the castle," King Granseal spoke. "Their spirits shall always be with us." King Granseal paused. "I have arranged this banquet for the loyal Granseal troops, who fought valiantly for our cause. We feast tonight in their honor. I will be commemorating a few special soldiers later in the dinner, but it has come time to dine!" Servants entered the room with platters of steaming food.

Suddenly, a commotion in the hall silenced the king. Everyone turned their heads towards the commotion. Suddenly, the door slammed open. In burst Vanessa and Duke John. "I must apologize for our tardiness, my King," the Duke spoke.

"Daddy!!" Vanessa whined. "Shut up!! You're making me look stupid in front of people!!"

"Oh, God -- NO!" Dave groaned. "Someone -- get me earplugs!!"

"Sorry -- left mine at home!" Bianka said.

"Damn!"

King Granseal was shocked by Vanessa's outburst. "Umm...well, please have a seat," he said slowly.

Vanessa barged towards her seat. One of the serving maids was in the way. She was serving one of the guests and had a hot platter of food in her left hand. The maid stood in Vanessa's way. "Out of my way, you stupid girl!!" Vanessa grabbed the maid and shoved her to the ground.

"Hey!!" The maid fell to the floor, spilling all the food.

"You incompetent tramp!!" cried Vanessa. She placed her hands on her hips and glowered at the poor maid. "Now look what you did!! You spilled all that good food!! Don't just sit there and look at me!! PICK IT UP!! You lazy, worthless piece of trash!!" Vanessa raised her hand to strike the maid.

"That's enough!!" Sir Astral stopped Vanessa from slapping the maid. He turned to the servants. "Help pick up the food. Don't worry about it. Vanessa, take a seat."

"How could you let that girl go so easily??" cried Vanessa. "Did you see?? She wouldn't get out of my way so she spilled the food!! Who hires the servants around here??"

"Vanessa...please take a seat."

"That poor servant. Vanessa just made herself look like the stupidest brat in the world," whispered Dave to Abat.

"But she is the stupidest brat in the world!"

"Oh yeah!"

Vanessa and Duke John took their seats. They were at the table near Phillip's squad. The chatter of hall picked up once the food arrived. JJ meandered over to Princess Elis and began to chat with her.

"Princess, I wrote you another poem!" JJ told Elis.

"Oh!" Elis was flattered.

JJ was reciting the poem for Elis when Vanessa interrupted him. "Hi, Elis!" Vanessa waltzed up to Elis. She turned around and noticed JJ. "Oh, eww!!" Her nose wrinkled up. "Why do you even associate with these peasants? You'll disgrace the royal family!!"

Phillip's squad, meanwhile, heard the conversation. "Like she isn't a disgrace to her own family!" Bianka commented. Phillip, Dave, and Abat snickered.

Vanessa shoved JJ out of the way. "Hey, excuse me!" JJ said. "I was sitting there!!"

"Shut up you ignorant peasant!!" Vanessa snapped. "How dare you even speak to me!!"

"Well, I was there first!" JJ growled.

"But I'm the daughter of the great duke! I can have whatever seat I want!! And you have to obey me because I'm the daughter of the duke!" Vanessa stuck her chin up and turned to Elis. "I don't know why you even let him read you that trash he writes! He is the worst poet in the whole world!"

"Vanessa...don't be so mean to him!!" Elis spoke.

"Vanessa, ease up," King Granseal said.

"Yes, you're right...we should talk about people that are actually important!!" Vanessa took a bite of the food. JJ gave Vanessa a dirty look and walked back to his spot. "Well, Elis...how is your life going for you?"

"Daddy promised to take me dress shopping!!" exclaimed Elis excitedly. "But not many merchants are coming in. There are all these horrible looking people roaming around outside!! They scare the merchants off!"

"Well, I'm going to get custom-made clothes!!" Vanessa told Elis proudly. "My daddy is the best daddy in the whole wide world!!"

"I hope Daddy gets rid of all those horrible looking people!!" Elis told Vanessa. "They're bandits and thieves and rough, dirty people...they're evil!! I want him to get them out of this kingdom!! They scare the beans out of me!!"

"Yes, I know." Vanessa took a drink. "Oww!! What's that tickling my shoe??" Vanessa looked down and let out a blood-curling scream. "AAAAA!!!! AAAAAAA!!!" Vanessa jumped up and kept screaming.

"What happened now?!?!" cried Dave.

"She looked in a mirror," Abat said.

"What is it, Vanessa?" asked Elis. She suddenly looked at the object of Vanessa's terror. "AAAA!!! AAAAA!!!" Elis and Vanessa screamed and shrieked, drawing the attention of everyone in the banquet hall. They jumped onto a very tall chair and clung onto each other, shaking like leaves.

Suddenly, a tiny little mouse crawled out from under the table. Some of the people in the banquet hall laughed. "Oh my God, it's a mouse!" Dave said, mocking Vanessa and Elis.

"Oh my God!!" Abat said, joining in. "I'm so scared, Dave!!"

"A mouse...how terrifying!!" Bianka said sarcastically. She took a drink. "Someone should stick that mouse in Vanessa's face." Elis and Vanessa were still screaming at the top of their lungs.

"Hey!!" Dave suddenly stood up. "Bianka -- you're a genius!" Dave walked towards the mouse.

"What's he doing??" asked Phillip.

"I have no clue," Bianka answered. "But don't they need to breathe sometime? They've been screaming for what -- five minutes straight?"

"Whatever Dave does should be entertaining at the very least," Abat smiled.

"Dave is one crazy guy," commented Bianka.

"I've got it!!" Dave bent down and scooped the mouse off the floor. He held the mouse in his hand. He walked in front of Vanessa and Elis, a big grin on his face. "Aww, he's kinda cute, don't you think?" Dave asked the girls.

"GET THAT AWAY FROM ME!!!" shrieked Vanessa.

Dave smiled. "No problem." Dave turned to leave, then suddenly leapt at Elis and Vanessa. He shoved his hand -- mouse and all -- one inch from the girls' faces. "Oogie-boogie!!!" Dave waved the mouse back and forth before their faces.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" They screamed even louder. "Get it away!! Get it away!!"

"HA! HA! HA!!" Dave roared with laughter and turned back to his place at the table. "This is one mouse I'm keeping!!"

Vanessa, meanwhile, recovered from the shock and regained her composure. "You stupid asshole!!" she cursed. "How dare you do that!! I'm going to have you beat to death!!"

Dave, taunted by the insult, whirled around. "You?? Really?? With what army?" Dave suddenly looked at the mouse in his hand. A gigantic grin passed over his face. "An army of mice, maybe?" Dave rushed towards Vanessa and grabbed her by the collar of her dress.

"LET ME GO!!! HELP!! HELP!!!" Vanessa hollered and tried futilely to free herself. Dave threw the mouse down the back of Vanessa's dress. Vanessa let out the loudest scream anyone had ever heard. It echoed in the halls of the banquet hall and echoed through the walls of the castle. "EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Vanessa clawed frantically at her dress, trying to get rid of the mouse. "It's on my back!! It's on my back!!" People near-by tried to help free Vanessa from the mouse. Eventually, the mouse dropped out and scurried off. Dave was laughing his head off.

"DAVID!!!" Sir Astral's voice cut through everyone's ears like a knife. Silence filled the room. King Granseal, Astral, and the Minister stood solemn-faced before Dave. They were obviously not amused.

"He's in for it now!" Abat whispered to Bianka. Bianka nodded.

"David!! What is the meaning of this?!" demanded King Granseal. "How dare you torment my daughter under my roof!! This was totally uncalled for!!" King Granseal was hopping mad.

Dave remained silent. Sir Astral glared at him. "Don't you have anything to say to your king??" demanded Sir Astral. Dave still said nothing.

"He's so worthless!" Vanessa had regained her composure and was standing by the king. "How come you don't punish him for what he did to me??"

"Don't speak to the king like that!" Duke John whispered to Vanessa.

"I can speak to whoever I want however I want!!" declared Vanessa.

The king ignored Vanessa and spoke to Dave. "I shall not let this outrage go unpunished!!" King Granseal spoke vehemently. "You are to take a leave for a week. Do you have anything to say for yourself??"

Dave's poker face faded into a smile. "Here comes the hurricane!" whispered Bianka to Phillip and Abat.

"Yea," he said with a big grin. Dave looked straight at King Granseal, the Minister, Sir Astral, Princess Elis, and Vanessa. Dave suddenly jumped up. "VANESSA IS A VAIN, SELFISH BITCH!!!!" Dave shouted his message at the top of his lungs and darted out the door before anyone could say anything. "HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! Up yours, Vanessa!!" Dave's words echoed through the castle.

Vanessa just stood there with her mouth wide open.