□henne□□o□an□nvadin□arm□rea□hedAldor□a,□arcuswast□efirstt□volunt□er□o□□fendhis□omeland.W□th□iss□ordin□andandarmorshi□inginthesu□light□her□□eouttomeet□he□nemyontheb□□tlefield.□□eo□dsw□reagainsthim,bu□Marc□s'sunwaveringresolvega□ehope□ohisco□rad□sa□d□□ruc□fear□ntot□□h□ar□sofh□s□o□s.<□p> W□ennewsofanin□a□ingarmyreachedAl□□ria,Marcusw□sthe□i□sttov□lunteer□odefendhishomeland.With□isswor□□nhanda□darmor□hininginthesu□li□ht,h□ro□eouttom□ett□□enemyontheb□ttlefie□□.□heoddswereagai□sthim,b□□Marcus'sunwave□□ngresolvegavehopetohisc□mradesands□ruckfearintotheheartsofhisfoe□.□□ W□ennewsofa□inva□ingarmyreachedAldor□a,M□rc□swasthef□rs□tovolun□e□□tode□endhishomela□d.Wi□hhisswordinhandan□armo□shininginthesunlight,□e□o□eouttomeetthe□nemyonthebattlefield.Theoddswereagainsthi□,butMa□cus'sunw□veri□g□e□olv□gavehopeto□iscomrad□sandst□uckf□□rintotheheartsof□i□foe□. Whenne□sofa□invadinga□myrea□hedAl□oria,Marcus□as□hefirs□tovo□untee□tod□fendhi□□omeland.Withhisswo□d□nhand□n□armorshining□nth□s□nlight,□□rod□outtom□ettheenemyonthe□□t□le□ie□d.Theodds□er□ag□inst□im,butMa□cus'sunwaveringre□ol□egave□opetohiscomra□esandstruck□earintotheheartsofhisfoes.□>