**_During the briefing_**

As the others greeted one another and exchanged words with one another, Freiya found herself reaching for her wine-skin once again. She had not made any friends during basic training and the ones who knew her knew to steer clear of her by now. It was not a fact she lamented, however. She'd gotten used to being alone by now and she could readily admit it was her own fault. She was not an approachable person. But she would not change for anyone. Not now, not ever. She cast a glancing look over the recruits, recognizing a few faces from the crowd.

Varkasan. Freiya did not know what to think of him. He was the spiritual backbone of the recruits. All laughs and grins, fiercely loyal and by-the-book Paladin. She however refused to simply accept that is all he was. There was no way such a perfect person could exist. Everyone had skeletons in their wardrobes, even if they were minor. Yet... he was a good person. His joviality was not a mask. And she could rely on the man when it came down to it, even if he disliked her. He wasn't rare in that aspect.

Dysmoira, or Dys, for short. Freiya quite liked the dwarf woman. She didn't beat around the bush and openly said things the way they are. Freiya could respect that. She was also strong, another thing Freiya could admit to admiring. There was no one else Freiya would rather fight alongside, even if Dys shared Varkasan's opinion of her. Except perhaps...

Alicia von Eternus. The rising star of the upcoming Paladins. Freiya did not envy her. The amount of popularity Alicia had amassed during basic training would be plenty enough to make Freiya uncomfortable. But like many others, Freiya did admire the younger woman. She was capable and dependable like Varkasan and even more so on the battlefield than any other recruit, even if she tired quickly. She was the cream of the crop when it came to their batch of recruits. And like Freiya herself, Alicia did not socialize much. Freiya could count the amount of verbal exchanges with Alicia with one hand.

The rest did not matter. They were simply beneath her notice, with most of them avoiding her like plague.

As Captain Tines finished briefing, Freiya couldn't surpress the smile forming on her face. Sure, they were just bandits. But the idea of finally being sent to battle filled her with excitement. Finally, she would have a purpose.


_**During the battle**_

The journey hidden amongst the crates was not one Freiya would openly attest to enjoying, but at least it had passed quickly. She had to force down a chuckle as other recruits complained about the cold, with herself being nice and warm by the contents of her wine-skin. Then the commotion outside had started. There were approximately forty bandits, with four of them already cut down by the captain. Freiya saw Alicia strike out like a serpent, fast and deadly. Varkasan trailed behind her, supporting Alicia.

A cold chuckle left Freiya's throat as a wolfish grin spread across her scarred face. Unsheating her claymore, Freiya launched herself into the fray with a defiant roar. Smashing her shoulder into the chest of a bandit who had not reacted fast enough to her approach, Freiya felt a grim satisfaction as she felt the man's ribs crack and bend against the weight of her armour. _One_.

Spinning around on her heel, Freiya brought up her claymore down upon the head of one bandit who had seen fit to try and attack her from behind. The club in his hands fell as the man's limbs went limp, her sword embedded deep into the bandit's skull. _Two_.

It was strange, though, Freiya thought as she pulled her sword out before neatly sidestepping a spear jabbing at her. These men have no fear in their eyes. No, not just fear. Nothing. Their eyes were devoid of any emotion. Freiya grabbed the spear she dodged, jerking its wielder towards her to land a rough uppercut into his jaw. Flesh and bone submitted against the armoured gauntlet, bruising and cracking. _Three_.

A small of ember of fury was lit within her as her mind came to a conclusion. Magic, it had to be. What else could rob even despicable men like these bandits of all emotion and fire? Her face twisted into an angry snarl, Freiya parried the blow from a club before counterattacking with a quick stab of her sword into the assailant's chest. _Four_. She had time to ponder about the strange nature of this whole thing later. For now, she had criminals to deal with.