"You're missing the point!"  Joe yelled at Tyler, waving his arms in the air, the lanyard on his rifle dancing madly around with the movement of the weapon.  The many wounds on his body bled freely through the torn armor and clothing underneath.  His sword sheath was empty and the blade missing, he was low on ammo and no supplies could get through at the moment.

"And what point am I missing, Joe?  What point is there in continuing to defend a lost city?  Admit it, we've lost this battle, but you're too used to victory to know how nasty defeat is to the pallet."

Tyler stared at Joe through bloodshot golden eyes, paying no heed to his own wounds and holding his rifle steady in both hands, barrel pointed toward the cracked and broken concrete.  The buildings around them were in pieces, fires sprang up all over the city and gunshots and explosions could be heard rattling the still air every five minutes.

Bodies littered the streets, both civilian and secret military as well as government military.   The Golden Legion was on its last string of support for the city, the rest had either been evacuated medically or had left the battle to set up fortifications in the others.  It was only Tyler, Jenna, Joe, and a handful of Legionaires.

"What is it you want to do then, Tyler?"  Joe asked almost sarcastically, his tone not at all friendly.  "Your leadership led to the destruction and loss of this city...how do you wish to atone for those actions."

Fury sprang into Tyler's expression as his hand shot forward, closing around Joe's throat with an iron grip.  "My leadership allowed this city to stand as long as it did...the Shadow Walkers defeated us through numbers alone.  We didn't react fast enough, before we got here they had control over a quarter of the business district, and that's the hardest one to penetrate!"

Tyler was screaming at his subordinate now, his grip getting tighter and tighter with every word.  Joe was clawing at  his hand now, anger mixed with fear painted on his scarred face.  As an act of defiance, he spat in his General's face, setting his mouth to a firm expression.

Wiping the spit from his eye Tyler's expression grew even more furious.  "You're about to wish you hadn't done that..."  With ease, Tyler threw Joe fifty feet backward into the remains of a building which collapsed around the warrior.  It wouldn't kill him of course, but he didn't want to get up.  Tyler advanced slowly.

"We've taken too many casualties...we've lost my brother and two other mages, Andrew and Jason, and I'm not willing to lose anymore.  I will, however, not hesitate to kill you should you present further argument to a superior officer.  Do I make myself clear?"

"You're just a---"  Four bullets only millimeters away from Joe's head stopped him in mid sentence.

"Watch your tongue, Commander."

Joe looked up at Tyler in disbelief then sighed and shook his head, standing up slowly.  "Then I'm going to have to take matters into my own hands, General.  I will lead what's left of our forces here into battle against the Shadow Walkers and take this city back."

"You will obey a direct order and retreat with the rest of us, Commander.  If you go out there you go to your death...and if you try to get past me you will face the same fate."

"Try it then..."  Joe slowly began to walk past Tyler, cautiously, as if expecting an attack at any moment.  Surprisingly, Tyler let him pass and he let out a sigh of relief.

Then there was pain.  Pain and a pressure that hit his back first, seemingly ripping through his insides and pushing out his front.  Joe looked down to see Tyler's armored fist protruding out of his chest, his heart resting in his hand.

"I told you...you'd meet the same fate..."

Joe's eyes rolled into the back of his head just as Tyler closed his hand around his heart, squishing it to a crimson pulp.  The Commander hit the broken ground with a resounding metal thud, leaving a puddle of death's residual to dwell beneath.

"You are charged with insubordination and treason...rest in peace you son of a bitch..." Tyler muttered before looking to his wife, who was prepared to move out of the city with the rest of their forces.  "Begin our retreat...the Shadow Walkers have won this day..."

Jenna didn't bother to wipe away the single tear that spilled from her eye as she had watched the scene before her unfold.  She did as she was told and ordered the retreat, moving at the rear of the group out of the city.

Tyler stood where he was beside Joe's body for a few long moments.  Looking back into the city wondering how the war had escalated to the point of breaking the surface and spilling into public eyes.  "This war is far from over..." he mumbled to himself before turning and leaving Joe's body to lay in the lost city.