by Pirateaba
Once she thought she saw Toren. Her skeleton danced among the undead, sword raised, stabbing, cutting. His fellows seemed to only half notice him, only fighting back after he’d made the first blow. But he was only one, and she couldn’t tell him apart from the other skeletons.
Erin ran back and forth, ducking under slow swings, throwing the few jars of acid she had at the ghouls as they bounded towards her, hitting skeletons aside, and seeing the black shapes protecting her. Each time a sword thrust at her heart or she stumbled, a Worker would be there, grappling a zombie away or seizing a ghoul by the throat.
The girl fought, and every time she turned around, another Worker, another friend, was dying.
And then she turned around and there were only the dead. The few Workers that remained struggled alone, isolated.
Erin backed up towards her inn. Eight Workers came with her. The rest lay silent. They barricaded the doors even as the undead began breaking through the windows. Erin tossed aside the frying pan that was bent nearly out of shape and realized she’d torn the skin from her palms even as she grabbed a chair.
The dead battered at the door as the Antinium clubbed at arms and heads breaking through the shutters, and outside Skinner’s crimson gaze lit up the inn. He was close.
Erin was bleeding. Blood dripped from her arms and legs. Something had stabbed her in one of her breasts, and she was sure she’d never heard of that happening in a story. She clutched at her bleeding chest and sat down.
Just for a second.
It was very dark.
—-
Zevara stood in the center of the street, as the undead rushed towards her. She took a deep breath and breathed fire.
A stream of bright flame shot from her mouth incinerating the front rank of the undead and making the others stop to claw at their burning forms. Zevara kept up the stream of bright fire as long as she could. Five seconds. Ten. And then she had to stop and gasp for air.
The world was dark. Spinning. She couldn’t breathe. But the enemy had been stopped for a moment. But only a moment.
They were everywhere. And they had pushed the defenders of the city back, back, until they were battling down the main street, next to the barracks, outside the entrance to the Antinium’s hive. And though the battle still raged on, Zevara knew this was it.
The end. Once their lines broke this time, there would be nowhere else to go. The children and those citizens not fighting would be exposed. Already they’d been crammed like sardines as the guardsmen had them move further and further back from the fighting. Any more and—
It wasn’t her fault. That was what Zevara wanted to say. She’d done her best, damn it. With hundreds of warriors she’d held off thousands. Who could ask for more than that?
But she’d failed, even though she was always going to fail. The Watch had never been meant to protect the city from siege. They were over four hundred guardsmen in the city that held over ten thousand civilians. They were able to quell fights, catch thieves, stop bandit raids—
But never an army. And especially not an army of the dead.
How many were there? Hundreds. Thousands. They kept getting back up. The living became the dead, and the dead refused to die. Stab wounds didn’t slow them. Fire melted their skin but had to crack their bones before they stopped. Beheading didn’t slow some skeletons and the Crypt Lords could kill scores before they were brought down.
If. If the walls had been held the Watch would have prevailed. If they had held the first few streets instead of fighting in every damned alleyway, they would have held the line.
If she’d let Relc try to kill Skinner, they might have pushed the undead out of the city. And if the Antinium had joined them, they might have won.
They were still fighting. Ksmvr’s Soldiers guarded several streets leading to their Hive. More warriors stood guarding the sloping tunnel into the earth, but none had joined the Watch. They were all back, protecting their Queen.
Another group of undead ran down the street. Zevara gulped down more air.
Damn him. Damn him. She’d counted on the Antinium. They were what had been needed, but he’d refused to send them out. Three hundred Soldiers and the Workers would have made all the difference. But Ksmvr had refused. He was heartless. Not at all like his predecessor.
A Ghoul bounded ahead of the running Zombies and skeletons. Too fast. Zevara raised her sword and slashed at his chest. The dead woman stumbled, but then raised a hand. Too quick, and her sword was caught on bone.
Zevara opened her mouth and exhaled. Fire ignited in her lungs and spilled out her mouth. It burned the air, the dead, and even her. It was her ancient birthright, but it was not hers.
The world greyed out and spun as Zevara stumbled. The ghoul was lurching back, screaming and clawing at her ruined face, but then she lunged forward. A spear tip punctured the tip of her head and she fell down.
Someone was at Zevara’s side. The Watch Captain felt a huge arm helping her up.
“Careful, Z. You’re running low on air.”
Zevara gasped and shook Relc’s hand off. She tried to inhale air, but her breath was coming in short gasps. She gasped and clawed at her throat. She could barely breathe, but she had to. She spat fire again, and a crowd of the undead went up in flames.
Coughing. Gasping. It was pain and she couldn’t breathe. Zevara stumbled backwards as the undead seized the lull in the deadly blasts of fire and surged forwards.
Relc stepped forwards, spear blurring. He stabbed two zombies in the chest with blinding speed, pivoted, punched a skeleton down, and then raised his spear as another zombie lurched at him.
“[Triple—]!”
The zombie’s head exploded as Relc’s spear struck three times at once. The Drake caught a bit of flesh in his open mouth and gagged on the rest of what he’d been about to say. He spat, coughing, and whirled his spear around.
More guardsmen rushed forwards and Zevara stumbled backwards. She’d given them all the time to rest she could. Any more and she would stop breathing, she knew.
She gasped for more air and then raised her voice. She had to know.
“Tkrn. How are the others doing?”
The guardsmen fought in front of her, a thin line of weary soldiers, blades and armor covered in gore. Zevara looked around.
“…Tkrn?”
The Gnoll was nowhere to be seen. Zevara tried to remember where she’d seen him last. Running down a street to deliver a message? She shook her head.
Gone. They were all gone. Or going.
Relc fell back cursing as the undead pushed forward. The thin red line grew redder and fell back as the undead pushed forwards. And this street was not alone.
Across the city, guardsmen fell back as the barricades broke. Ghouls raced over the rooftops, too many to be stopped by the few arrows and spells coming from below. They raced towards the streets where the citizens of Liscor were guarded by the wounded, sensing their prey was helpless.
“We’re out of healing potions.”
Tkrn appeared out of the chaos, limping to tell Zevara that as the Watch fell back another street. She just nodded at him. What else was there to say?
“Fall back towards Market Street. We’ll make a stand there.”
He nodded as the guardsman ran or carried each other past Zevara. Relc brought up the rear, spear still blurring with speed. But even he was slowing down. Exhaustion was doing what all the undead could not.
“Relc. Can you…?”
He grinned at her.
“Leave it to me. Just save a spot for me when I get back, huh?”
She nodded and ran with her guardsmen. Back, back again. Relc didn’t need to say anything. Both she and he felt it.
The guardsmen met a larger force holding the entrance to Market Street. The burned out road had been torn up again, this time so that stalls and doors could be turned into another barricade. The Drakes and Gnolls who held this spot were exhausted, wounded, but the dead clogging the street were a tes
tament to their will to fight.
Zevara took to the front of the line and looked back over her guardsmen. She knew she had to speak, to give them hope, a reason to keep fighting. She just had nothing left to say.
A voice raised above the shouting and ever-present noise in the distance. A calm, emotionless tone.
“Watch Captain Zevara. I must speak with you.”
Zevara turned and saw Ksmvr. The Prognugator of the Antinium strode towards her, two Soldier Antinium at his side.
His exoskeleton had been crushed on one of his arms and something had torn open his side. A gauze binding had already turned dark green with blood, but was otherwise unharmed.
One of the Soldiers limped as he walked and Zevara saw his left foot had been half torn off. But the Soldier did not cry out or show any sign of distress. They halted before her and Ksmvr nodded as if nothing was urgent in the world.
“Watch Captain Zevara. I regret that we must part ways now.”
She stared at him.
“What?”
“This battle comes too close to the hive. I must pull back the Soldier Antinium from the streets, to better guard the hive. I tell you this as a matter of courtesy.”
Zevara struggled for words. The only reason they’d held on for so long was that the Soldiers were blocking off several streets. Without them—
“Coward.”
Tkrn barked it at Ksmvr. The Antinium flicked his gaze towards the Gnoll, and then away dismissively.
“I regret this decision. But I must prioritize my Hive. I hope you understand. Your duties are similar to mine in nature, Watch Captain Zevara.”
She stared at him. Tkrn was growling, but she put a hand on his shoulder.
“I understand.”
Ksmvr nodded.
“Good. I wish you—”
“I understand that you’re a coward and a fool.”
Ksmvr paused. Zevara raised her voice as the guardsmen around her looked around.
“We’ve fought and bled for this city, and your blasted hive. If we fall here, everyone dies! But you won’t even give us more than a handful of Soldiers! Don’t you realize what’s happening? Or is your damned Queen not aware of what’s happening?”
The air around Ksmvr and the two Soldier Antinium froze. His hands touched at his sword hilts.
“My Queen completes her duties. As do I. Insults to her name—”
“Eggs rot your damned Queen!”
Zevara shouted at Ksmvr. She pointed at the destroyed streets and ruined buildings.
“We’ve kept Liscor safe! We’ve held up our end of the Bargain—you Antinium swore to protect this city from attack! And where are you when we need you!?”
Ksmvr paused.
“I must protect my Hive.”
“Liscor will fall!”
“Liscor may. But the Hive shall never be taken, even if ten thousand undead should attack.”
What was worse, Zevara believed him. She cursed him, but Ksmvr remained impassive. He shook his head.
“Say what you will. But the Queen’s safety is—”
“Zevara!”
Relc shouted behind her, desperately. A Crypt Lord had appeared down the street, from the wrong side. He must have broken through somewhere else. Guardsmen streamed towards him, shouting as Relc held off the undead coming from the other direction.
Zevara cursed and turned towards Ksmvr, but the Antinium was already striding away. She opened her mouth, and then closed it. There was no point in wasting her breath.
The Captain of the Watch stared bitterly at Ksmvr’s back. She longed to plant a sword in it, or strike at the Antinium, but that would just see her dead sooner. Instead, she turned. Drakes and Gnolls were already fighting the Crypt Lord as he spat black blood at them, slicing at them with claws made of broken bone.
Zevara raised her sword and ran back towards the fighting.
For the last time.
—-
“Erin.”
For a moment, Erin thought someone else was shaking her. When she looked up into the dark eyes and saw the four arms of the Antinium, she remembered someone else.
“What?”
The Worker pulled her upright.
“You must not sleep. Here.”
He shoved something at Erin. She took it and stared at the red liquid. A potion…? A healing potion. Hers. That was right. Hers. She’d—bought it after that day.
“Drink.”
The bottle was at her lips. Erin swallowed, grimaced, and felt life returning. She was tired. So tired that the world seemed to call her back to sleep. But the potion made her live.
She got to her feet. The Worker helped her up, and she saw he was wounded. He was missing an antennae and two fingers on one of his right hands. His carapace was broken in places, but when she offered him the potion he shook his head.
“Drink.”
She did, finishing the foul liquid and feeling life return with every gulp. Erin threw the bottle across the room and struck a skeleton in the face as it sought to climb in. It slowed the creature long enough for another Worker to behead it with an axe.
Erin looked at the Worker who had given her the potion. It seemed silly, with the undead clawing at the walls and howling outside, but she had to say it.
“I’m sorry. I’ve forgotten your name.”
“Bird. I am Bird.”
He nodded at her. Erin nodded back.
“I guess this is it, then.”
“We will protect you until the end.”
“Which is now.”
“Yes.”
She paused. Erin’s head was still spinning, but she looked around and saw only the dead. The undead, but also fallen Workers. Death.
Crimson light was what she saw by. Skinner’s glowing red eyes lit up the inn brighter than the light from the moon. Bird had taken his place by one of the windows, a sword in his hand, a buckler in another.
“There are few undead left. Many are moving towards the city.”
“But that thing is out there.”
“Yes. It is close.”
Erin peeked outside. She could see Skinner, his massive, obscene frame a shadow around the two red spotlights in the darkness. A guard of undead stood around him, silently waiting in the darkness.
“He’s waiting.”
“Yes.”
Bird nodded again. Erin looked at the undead. They were still bashing at the doors, the walls, trying to climb through the windows as the seven other Antinium moved around the room, slicing off limbs and bashing heads.
The inn’s walls were protecting them. For the moment. But Erin knew it wouldn’t last.
“We’ve got to go. They’ll tear this place down around us if we stay.”
Erin walked into the kitchen. She had one jar of acid left. She took it. Bird grabbed her arm as she walked towards the door. The Worker stared at her.
“It is death out there, Erin Solstice.”
She nodded.
“Yeah. But it’s death everywhere.”
He paused, staring at her face. Another Worker turned.
“Better to place the enemy in check than suffer it yourself.”
Erin blinked at him, and then grinned.
“Right.”
She opened the door. A zombie stared at her in surprise, arm raised to hammer at the wood again. Erin threw a jar of acid in his face and he staggered back, screaming. She was nearly out of acid. She’d rained it all down on Skinner and the other undead.
She had a knife in one hand. It was sharp. Erin held it in her hand and thought she was dreaming. She stepped around Knight’s body, heart beating faster and faster. The knife was slippery in her hand.
Skinner looked at her, eyes projecting fear. Erin gritted her teeth.
“Go to hell.”
She ran out the door, and the eight Antinium followed her. Erin stabbed a zombie in the face, punched him, and looked up as Skinner’s massive hand flattened the undead Gnoll. Two glowing eyes stared down at her.
She raised the kitchen knife.
“Come on. Let’s end this.”
—-
Ksmvr strode through the streets as the noise of battle receded into the dull roar of sound around him. He thought as he moved, considering all that was occurring and would occur.
Zevara and the guardsmen would soon fall. Perhaps the citizens in Liscor would make a stand. It was possible they might prevail—the undead horde’s numbers had thinned. But they were still a danger.
Duty towards Liscor and the Bargain obliged the Hive to send soldiers to defend Liscor. But as Prognugator, Ksmvr was able to determine whether such actions were wise. And with the Queen still occupied by the Rite of Anastases, he had determined her safety was paramount.
Zevara had cursed him. Shouted at him. Her anger was understandable, but there was nothing Ksmvr could do. His actions were the only sound choice.
They were logical. He knew that. The Queen had to be protected, especially when carrying out the Rite. It was quite clear in the priorities he had been given. Her life and the well being of the hive were far more important than the agreement made with the city of Liscor.
He spoke to one of the Soldiers accompanying him. To speak to one was to speak to all.
“Pull all Soldiers back. The streets are meaningless. We must protect the Hive.”
The Soldier didn’t respond, but Ksmvr could feel the other Antinium abandoning their position at the street entrances. They would retreat to the Hive, guarding both entrances within the city.
There were three entrances to the Hive, only two of which were known to the Council of Liscor. The third remained outside the city, buried by several tons of dirt. They could be easily excavated, but the undead had not located that entrance as of yet.
Ksmvr continued to consider the siege as he stood at the entrance to the tunnel, watching the streets for the undead as Soldiers ran past him into the Hive. The Antinium had food and supplies for at least a month of continuous operation, which made things simple. The creature that had appeared with the undead was still at large outside the city, but it had shown little interest in the Antinium.
