Whenn□wsofaninvad□ngar□yr□ache□Al□oria,M□rcuswasthe□irsttovolunteertodefendhis□omelan□□Wit□□i□s□ordinh□ndand□□m□r□□inin□int□esunlight,herodeouttom□ettheenemyont□e□□ttle□□□□d.Theoddswere□ga□nsthi□,butMarcus's□nw□vering□e□olv□g□veh□p□□o□iscomr□des□ndstruckfea□□ntot□eheart□□fhis□□es.<□p> Whennewsofa□inv□dingar□yreachedAldoria,Marcu□wasth□□irs□tovo□u□t□ertode□en□hishomeland□Wi□hhisswo□din□□ndandar□orsh□ning□n□□esu□light,h□rodeoutt□meettheenemyonthebattlefield.Theoddswereagainsthim,butMa□cu□'sun□a□e□in□resolvegav□hop□□oh□scomrad□sa□ds□ruc□□earintotheheartso□hisf□□s.<□p□ Wh□□n□wsofanin□adingarmyreachedAld□ria,Marcusw□sthefirst□ov□□unteer□odef□ndhi□h□□eland.Withh□sswor□□nhan□andarmo□□hininginthe□unl□ght,he□□deo□□tomeetthee□emyo□thebat□lefield.The□ddswerea□□in□thim,butMarcus'sunwaveringresol□egavehopetohisc□mradesandstruckfea□intot□□□ear□so□hi□foes. Whennew□ofaninvad□ngarmyr□□c□edAldori□□M□rcu□wa□thefirsttovolunteertodefendhi□homela□□.W□thhisswordinhandand□rmo□sh□ninginth□sunlight,herod□□uttomee□the□nem□ont□eba□tlefield.The□□d□we□□againsthim,bu□M□rcus□sunw□veringresolvegavehopetohiscomrad□sandstru□kfearintotheheartsofhi□□oes.