The soldiers withdrew from combat, all eyes staring in wonder at the fallen figure of their former general, Dominic Pericolo. Some gasped, others shook their heads in sorrow, and still others remained without emotion, seemingly uncaring.

Standing before them all, and over the fallen Pericolo, there stood the face-painted warrior they'd came to know as Alex, their new leader. Though some refused to accept it and others were unsure of this new commanders intentions, many threw in their towels and simply submitted under the might of the new ruler.

Standing over Pericolo, holding his sword high.

"Look at this man! He who thought he could take the world with bravery, but without skill! He was not strong enough to defeat me, and so he fell at my very feet. I have slain your former leader and in doing so have brought myself at your heads, the one you now shall follow. Stay with me, and I promise to lead us all to a new prosperity... but cross me, and you will fall with the past, just as Pericolo has."

None dared speak up against the new captain, whose face was painted white as a ghostly demon glaring them in the eye. With sword raised high he lowered it enough to point at each and every one of those he saw before him, a grin slowly spreading across his face.

"Now is the time, men! The time to rebuild, to grow stronger... and to overcome the errors of our ways! The past is behind us, let us make way for the FUTURE!"

A battlecry sounded from the back of the troops, spreading its way forward as more men got into the cries, their voices heard all throughout the land. They would follow this powerful new leader, he who had the power to take down the undefeatable general they once saw stationed on high.

He called the soldiers in formation, all moving and working together in unison and perfect poise: ready to follow the commands of the man. His inspirational speech had done enough to move many of them, and though there may still be some stragglers, within his palm he now held the once great general's former army.

Lifting his sword high once more, the warrior let out his own battlecry, plunging the end of the sword toward the earth, towards the back of Dominic Pericolo. Yet something unexpected to all would occur at this, as the fallen general suddenly rolled to the side, the sword instead stabbing into the earth and sinking into the sand. The warrior staggered yet did not fall, as he turned his head in shock to stare at the now rerisen Dominic Pericolo, who slowly made his way back to his feet and stood-- legs shaking and body swaying under the strain-- before all of them with a look of determination in his eye.

And yet through that pain, through that exhaustion and that determination... a smile. A true, genuine, happy smile.

"You may have the strength to defeat me, warrior from the faraway lands..." Dominic coughed through the pain in his chest, looking at Alex as he stared at him, dumbstuck, "But you will never have the strength to end my existence."

Turning his gaze to the soldiers who only moments before had called out with their new leader in triumph over the fallen body of their former general, his smile spread.

"He will lead you to a new age, and will hold his rank proudly and take you all to such a great new day... and then I will return, and make it even better. I will return to retake what is mine... not yet, not even soon... but on the day that I see it is destined to be."

The soldiers then stared in shock, yet in pure respect, as Dominic then slowly made his way through the vast wasteland they called their battlefield. The face-painted warrior, Alex, smiled softly to himself and nodded-- a complete turn of character about him before those he'd taken command over.

"I will see you again then, general... for your will is much mightier then I ever imagined."

When all crumbled around the general, he would build it back up once again.