"Strategy and battle tactics," she responded promptly. "We have no idea how to fight as a united front, as an army, or how to defend a whole city. This world has not seen true war in centuries. But Fei tells me that you, at least, have not forgotten how to do this. We need your expertise."

"You need more than that," Hyun Woo disagreed. "I cannot teach you everything you need to know in a matter of days, or weeks, or even months. You need a strategist to go with you. At least one."

"A historian would not be amiss, either," Kim Ra Im added thoughtfully, head cocked slightly as he stared at her. "Perhaps others. We need more detailed information from you before deciding."

That didn't sound like if we decide to send people but more as if they had already made the decision already to do so. This abruptness made her head spin. That was it? She didn't have to argue with them, or convince them, or charm anyone into anything? Fei hadn't thought it would be this easy. She shot him a quick look only to find he was just as surprised as she was. He glanced at her with wide eyes and an almost imperceptible shrug as if he found this ready decision just as baffling.

Feeling that she had to clarify, Siobhan ventured, "Then...you'll let us borrow a few of your experts?"

"Yes." Kim Ra Im gave her a small smile in reassurance. "We removed ourselves into these mountains many centuries ago, leaving the anarchy of the world as the governments fell, because we feared that all knowledge would be lost if someone did not preserve it. But would not all of that effort be in vain if we do not use the knowledge we have to prevent disaster?"

Siobhan let out a breath she hadn't known she was holding. "I am so glad to hear you say so. Thank you. Thank all of you so much."

"We might yet be able to prevent this war from even happening," Oh Jae Pyo suggested, sharing a speaking look with Kim Ra Im. "If the economy is the problem, then surely the trend can be reversed?"

"I would think so," Kim Ra Im agreed. "Perhaps we should sit down with Siobhan-jia and gather more information."

"My trader, Sylvie, is the better person to ask about this," Siobhan denied. "She's the one that has her finger firmly on the pulse. Markl would also be a good person to confer with, as he's been making extensive notes and graphs on the matter."

"We will require an introduction..." Oh Jae Pyo trailed off suggestively.

"I will be happy to get you acquainted with them, of course."

"Excellent." Bo Sei Jin clapped his hands, gathering their attention. "I believe we have reached a unanimous decision. We shall send experts back with Deepwoods Guild with letters of introduction to their main guildmaster, and try to nip this problem before it blooms. Tonight, we shall dine together, and become better acquainted. This is agreeable?"

Siobhan put her hands to her stomach and bowed to them, hoping she did the gesture right even as she moved. "Very much so. You have my gratitude." When she looked up again, she was faced with nothing but smiling faces. Oh good, she must have done that correctly.

"Come," Sei Ja Na invited, extending her hand toward the door. "Follow me, and we shall eat together. Man Fei Lei-gui, go and fetch the rest of your guild and your family. We shall all eat together."

Fei bowed in acknowledgement before disappearing silently out the door.

Siobhan got to her feet and was barely able to cross to the door before Kim Ra Im appeared at her elbow. In an undertone he asked, "As we walk, tell me how you gained my former pupil as a guild member."

Another person that wanted stories on Fei? Oh, fun. She hid her eagerness behind a demure smile as she agreed, "As you wish."

Wolf was a simple man. Anyone that offered to feed him was a friend, and they stayed a friend until they tried to stick a knife in his back. It was as simple as that. It didn't matter if they were from a different culture, or the food was something he'd never seen before, or if guests sat on cushions instead of proper chairs. If there was food available, he was fine.

This gathering proved to be better than a simple 'fine.'

The meeting that'd had Siobhan's hair in knots had turned out to be short, sweet, and-judging from that satisfied smile on her face-victorious. He hadn't heard the details yet, but didn't need to in order to know that she had gotten her way. In fact, that expression said she had done better than hoped for. That was enough for him.

The building had a large, open floor in the middle of it, with a part of the room built up a half-step from the rest of it. No one sat up there, which Wolf took to mean that rank didn't matter tonight. This relieved him, because while Fei had drilled manners into Siobhan's head, he hadn't exactly been paying attention. He'd hate to ruin Siobhan's hard work with a careless remark.

As the guild filed in, Siobhan went from person to person, introducing them to the council. Wolf bowed politely, murmured a few words, and kept his eyes on the room in general. It was because of this that he caught the lowering of the table.

Someone had put together a rig so that the long, rectangular table could be lowered by pulley to the floor and back up to hang on the ceiling. As he watched, two men were working the ropes, carefully lowering the piece of furniture. Why...why in sweet mercy would you hang a table from the ceiling? Granted, it would be handy during the day, to just put it 'up' when you didn't need it, but it seemed beyond strange to do that.

With the table settled, the same two men scurried about grabbing cushions and set them out at intervals.

"Please, sit," the woman councilor-he'd forgotten her name-invited in that cool, clear voice.

Wolf had no idea if there was a proper place for guests to be, so hung back until half the guild had found a spot, then he sat with his back to a wall and a clear view of both doors. It was also on the end of the table, so he could stretch his legs out.

The councilor that was introduced as a strategist, Hyun Woo, came and sat directly next to him. Under those bushy eyebrows were sharp eyes, weighing and measuring Wolf without censure. "Eric Wolfinsky, was it?"

"Or Wolf," he invited, "As you prefer."

Hyun Woo's eyebrows arched. "In this land, we call people by nickname only if we share a very close relationship with them."

"In Robarge, you only hear your full name if it's official business or you're in trouble with Siobhan," Wolf responded dryly. "I answer to Wolfinsky just as well, if you're more comfortable with that."

"I am, thank you." Hyun Woo gave him an inclination of the head, meaning he was grateful for...something. Wolf didn't know the nuances of this culture well enough to figure out what. "Man Fei Lei-gui introduced you earlier as an enforcer. I am not familiar with this word. Could you explain?"

"Warrior, or fighter, that is a set protector over a guild." Wolf tapped a finger against the table's surface, trying to find the words to explain something that he just naturally did. "Guardian might be the best word. The safety of the entire guild is in my hands. I am responsible for them."

Hyun Woo's head cocked to one side, then to the other, showing that he had heard, even though he didn't understand completely. "Is not your guildmaster in charge of that?"

"Well, she is, but she runs the guild as a whole. The business side of it is what she does, and looks out for her members on a general level. But if there's danger near any one of them, I am the one to respond. Well, either me, Fei, Tran, or Rune. We're all enforcers in the guild."

"Then, if the guild was a kingdom, you four are its soldiers?"

That seemed an odd analogy to make, in this land that had not seen governments of any sort in hundreds of years, but Wolf flipped over a hand in agreement. "Yes, I suppose."

"Then it is you four that I must teach how to fight as a unit." Hyun Woo sat back, satisfied. "Siobhan-jia stated earlier that the knowledge of how to fight as an army, in a united front, was unknown to the world now. This is true?"

"Very," Wolf grimaced. "Even in a guild, we don't always fight that way. We watch each other's backs, sure, but our fighting styles don't blend well together. We're more likely to get in each other's way."

Hyun Woo nodded, not surprised. "Then first, to teach you how to fight in a unit. That must be done before we talk of battle strategies. An army that cannot be broken into smaller units is not an army at all. It is a mob. Siobhan-jia said that you will stay at least a week? Good. Then gather your fellow enforcers and meet me at the main field in the morning. We will begin learning then."

Wolf felt a thrill go straight up his spine at the idea of learning more tactics. That was always a pleasurable way to spend a day. "I will."

Fei came around the table and leaned down next to Wolf's ear long enough to whisper, "Pour the man's drink. It's a polite way of saying thanks for the offer he just gave you."

He gave him a glance, showing that he heard. Satisfied, Fei moved off, going around to sit at Siobhan's side again. Wolf reached for the small decanter of clear liquid sitting on the table. Lifting it up, he gave Hyun Woo a look that asked, can I?

Eyes crinkling up in a smile, Hyun Woo held out his glass, which was no bigger than a man's palm, and held it steady as Wolf filled it. Putting the glass down, he took the decanter from Wolf before filling up his glass in return. There seemed to be some sort of significance to the gesture, but Wolf filed it under 'making friends' and just let it ride without asking. No doubt Markl would figure it all out, and would explain it to him later.

From the other side of the room, a door opened, and men and women came in carrying platters of steaming food. Wolf made way as best he could, giving them room to set the platters on the table. It seemed not to be just one main dish, but several smaller ones, all of them arranged in a way so that both sides of the table could share. Or so he gathered, watching how people were picking up spoons and eating out of every dish within reach.

He ended up sharing food with Hyun Woo, which didn't bother him.

"Wolfinsky-gui, if it is not bold to ask, may I have the story to your iron arm?" Hyun Woo gave it a look of open admiration. "It seems it would be formidable in battle."

Wolf gave him a grin. Now this was a man after his own heart. "So, you want my story? I will be glad to tell it."

Hyun Woo leaned forward and filled up his glass again, a gesture that Wolf immediately reciprocated. "Please do. The night is long, there is good food to enjoy, and I wish to hear a good tale."

Yes, Wolf had a feeling he'd like it here just fine.

The field that Wolf was directed to that morning sat in a little valley in between mountain curves. It was perfectly flat, the grass cut low, and there were areas off to both sides with benches and awnings for shade. Obviously, this was a well-established training field. There were already several dozen men gathered, most of them either sitting on the benches or under the awnings. Hyun Woo was with them, but he was facing the road, anticipating their arrival. When he saw them, Hyun Woo clapped his hands loudly, calling their attention to him.

"You have come early. That is good. These are all of the enforcers of your guild?"

"Except Fei," Wolf responded. Turning, he gestured to Tran and said, "This is Tran Amar."

Tran bowed to Hyun Woo as Fei had taught him to do the night before, but didn't say anything. Hyun Woo bowed back in response, eyes weighing and evaluating the dark giant.

"And this is Rune Maley," Wolf nodded to his other side.

"Maley?" Hyun Woo asked, startled. His surprise was obvious as he looked at Rune. "Are you related to Siobhan-jia?"

Rune had grown accustomed to this response-after all, he and Siobhan didn't look a thing alike, so no one assumed to them to be kin-and had learned how to handle it smoothly. "She's my adopted sister."

"Is that so." Hyun Woo filed that fact away, but did not say anything more than that, just exchanged bows of greeting. "It is my pleasure to teach you. Today, I wish to start by evaluating your individual skills. Wolfinsky-gui mentioned to me that you all fight very differently from each other."

Tran tapped his heart twice in nonverbal affirmation. "I'm a dual-wielder with short swords. Wolf fights with broadsword and shield. Rune is a hand-to-hand combatant."

Hyun Woo probably guessed half of this just by the way they were armed, but his eyebrows still rose a notch. "Yes, remarkably different in skills. Teaching you how to move as a unit will be somewhat challenging. Regardless, let us start with a simple demonstration of how you fight. It will help me."

That sounded reasonable, and none of them objected.

Hyun Woo turned his head and called to a man standing nearby. "Gil Hyun Lee! Come and be a sparring partner."

A man that looked remarkably like Hyun Woo, only younger and leaner, stepped away from the other men that had been watching on the sidelines. He gave a short bow, more like a nod, toward Hyun Woo.

"Hmm, I think we shall start with the youngest." Hyun Woo gestured toward a spot in the field away from everyone. "Rune Maley-gui, if you would spar? Please do not be too serious in this, I do not wish for injuries."

Even though Rune didn't argue, he clearly felt a little nervous about this. His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed hard. Still, he turned on his heel and walked a few feet away before falling into a ready guard stance.

Tran shifted uneasily next to Wolf and leaned in enough to murmur softly, "Is this a good idea?"

Wolf didn't respond because he wasn't sure himself that it was. Rune had learned over the past six months that killing people wasn't always an acceptable response. But that didn't mean much when he was in a fighting situation. Sometimes, muscle memory and instincts kicked in without giving a man's mind much say in the matter. He was very afraid that Rune would do serious damage without really meaning to. "Stay close and on your toes," he finally responded.

With a grunt, Tran shifted positions to the other side of the yard, making himself available to come in at a different angle if necessary.

"Hame!" Hyun Woo said loudly.

Rune flew into action, coming in low and using both arms to attack in sharp, quick jabs, seeking an opening in his opponent's defense. He kicked, spun, punched without doing any damage, each strike being either parried or blocked. Rune's opponent-what was the man's name? Gil-something or other-was good. Very good. At least as good as Fei, possibly better. Wolf grudgingly admitted the man would even give him trouble.

After those first few attacks, Gil found Rune's rhythm and stopped just defending. His hands lashed out and almost connected with Rune's neck. It was only the former assassin's quick reflexes that saved him. The fight was intense, and fast. Wolf's eyes could barely keep track of their movement and his blood quickened in a familiar rush of adrenaline just watching. Hadn't Hyun Woo said this was a simple demonstration?

In the next second, that adrenaline turned into ice in his veins. An expression he had not seen in Rune's face in months flickered to life and he knew in that moment that the boy felt too pressed by his opponent. Old instincts had kicked in and now Rune was going for Gil with killing intent.

Swearing, he slung the shield from his back and darted forward. From the corner of his eye, he saw Tran do the same, heading straight for Gil. Trusting the man to stop Gil, he focused on Rune instead.

Neither of them quite made it.

Rune went straight for his opponent's throat, expression hard and distant. But the blow he intended to land never made it. At the very last possible moment, his hand instead went into the air right next to Gil's ear and stopped dead.

Wolf was moving too fast to stop himself now and he caught Rune around the shoulders and hauled him back two steps. "Breathe, ki," he commanded into his ear. "Breathe. Calm down." Glancing up, he saw that Tran had Gil by the shoulders, although the other man just seemed stunned to come that close to death without even being able to put up a half decent defense.

Rune grabbed Wolf's restraining arm with one hand, grip hard with desperation as he sank into him, letting Wolf support his bodyweight. His breathing was shaky, eyes wild. Wolf's heart went out to him, as he knew exactly what was going through the poor boy's mind in that moment. He made calming sounds in the back of his throat.

"Shh, shh. You did fine. You stopped yourself. He's alright."

Hyun Woo approached cautiously from the side, his eyes taking Rune in, evaluating every nuance.

Feeling like someone should offer an explanation, Wolf said helplessly, "Our apologies, Hyun Woo-zhi. Rune comes from a very...rough background. He's still learning how to hold back."

"I think that is not the problem," Hyun Woo disagreed. Bending slightly, he put his head on the same level as Rune's. "Rune-xian," he said gently.

Rune's head came up slowly, hesitantly to meet the man's eyes. Hearing Hyun Woo address him like a young son no doubt confused him. It certainly confused Wolf.

"It seems to me that you have come from a dark place," Hyun Woo said, still in that gentle tone. "A place where you had to fight hard to just survive? Am I right? I thought so. In doing so, you protected yourself very well, but you lost your center in the process. Your survival instincts now make decisions for you instead of your heart," the old man put his hand against Rune's chest, "and that is not good. I think you realized this, which is why you have chosen a different path, is that not right?"

Rune managed a nod but words seemed beyond him.

Hyun Woo gave him a gentle, approving smile. "This is good. It takes strength, to change yourself as you are doing. I will be pleased to help you so that you may leave those dark instincts behind you. A man's heart should go with him into battle. If not, he is not a man, but a beast."

Seeing that Rune more or less had a hold of himself now, Wolf let go and let the kid find his own feet.

Rune was glued to Hyun Woo. Licking dry lips, he asked, "Ya think I can? Change so that I don't have to worry about hurting people accidently?"

"Yes, of course." Hyun Woo lifted an illustrative finger in the air. "Storms make oaks take deeper root. You are like a young oak. Your roots are very deep, very strong. Once you find your balance again, little will be able to shake you."

Wolf felt a line of tension he didn't know he had carried ease. Even though Rune had a similar background to his, they were different in very vital ways. He had known lightness before being dragged into a dark guild-Rune hadn't. And that had made all the difference in how they adapted back into being good men. Wolf had struggled for almost two years before he finally felt normal again. Rune wasn't even sure what 'normal' was, or how to attain it. Wolf, Fei, and Siobhan could only teach him so much from their own experiences and knowledge. If Hyun Woo could help him, then so much the better.

Hyun Woo put a hand on Rune's shoulder and promised him gently, "It will be well. For now, stand at my side while I evaluate your comrades."

Rune didn't seem inclined to disagree with this order, but he first turned to Gil and bowed to him. "I'm sorry."

His opponent shook his head, still looking a little rattled. "Your skills are formidable, Rune Maley-gui. I would like to face you again. But later, perhaps, when Hyun Woo-zhi allows it."

Seeing the man was sincere, Rune gave him a quick nod and a fleeting grin.

Taking pity on Gil's rattled nerves, Hyun Woo didn't ask the man to face another from the Deepwoods guild but instead turned and called out someone else to fight with Wolf. Wolf was an old hand at sparring with multiple opponents and he fought the other man to a standstill without either of them collecting more than a bruise. Tran stepped forward next and his fight went more or less the same, although his opponent had to spin and leap free at one point to avoid losing an ear.

Hyun Woo clapped his hands and said, "Enough. I am satisfied. Tran-gui, Wolfinsky-gui, Rune-xian, come." He waved to them with his palm down, like a man calling a child to him. All three men gathered in front of him silently, interested in what he had to say. With their full attention on him, Hyun Woo asked, "When you are preparing to face an enemy, what is the first thing you must consider?"

Wolf, Tran, and Rune shared a glance before Tran offered, "Their fighting strength and what weapons they're using?"

"That is second," Hyun Woo corrected. "No, the first is the angle of the engagement. At all times you want to limit how many angles your opponent can face you. Take this field for example," his arm swept out to gesture toward the empty space, "it is a terrible place for battle. The angles of engagement are many, and they are hard to cover. Of the three of you, Wolfinsky-gui would find it easier to fight here because his shield limits how much his opponent can reach of him."

That made complete sense to Wolf.

"At all times, when you see an enemy approaching, you must find ways to limit their angles of engagement and control how they can reach you," Hyun Woo advised. "Now, keeping that in mind, I think that blending your fighting styles into one cohesive unit is challenging but not impossible. First, Wolfinsky-gui must lead. He is your anchor. If you need to approach an open place, where archers and spearmen are gathered, you must come in to a field of battle behind him, trusting in his shield."