“Halt!” cried a voice from one of the courtyard walls. Men in chain mail had appeared on the battlements, with bows and crossbows aimed at the newcomers.
Simultaneously, Voll and Johan raised an arm to halt their men, and both groups came to a sudden halt. Voll removed his helmet, his sweaty blond hair matted to his head.
“Cripes Gillihan,” he shouted up towards one of the battlements. “It's Sergeant Voll, from station three-two.”
“Voll?” the voice called down again, a tinge of uncertainty in its voice. “What's the watchword of the day?”
“The piking hells should I know, you daft fool?” Voll yelled, his voice wheezy. “I just lost half of my men dragging them here. The least you can do is let us in without having your boys pincushion the lot of us! Meridia's flame Gill, I'll plow your sister again out of spite if you don't let me report in!”
“Yeah, that's Voll alright,” a second voice from the battlements chuckled.
“Aye,” the first voice, Gillihan, said loudly, chagrin in his voice. “Come on in boys.”
Johan and the others followed Voll through the courtyard, weaving through the obstacles placed there by his comrades. As they drew near, the large stone doors smoothly and silently opened outwards to greet them. A dozen soldiers, armed with halberds, stood ready just beyond the threshold. They parted out of Voll's way. While Voll led them through the halls of the garrison, Johan saw groups of soldiers in various states of readiness. All of them looked equal parts grim, determined, and terrified. Johan could relate. He felt the same way. He suddenly felt a strange breath on his neck.
“Why are we tarrying here?” the Underking's voice whispered behind him. “We have made it. The exit gate is near us. We should go while we have the chance.”
“Indulge me a moment,” Johan replied, not looking back. “I'd be rather derelict in my duty if I didn't find out what the hells is happening here to report back to Tethis.” The Underking didn't respond, instead Johan heard a soft grunting sound and a quick shuffling of feet. Garm must not have liked the Underking's tone, he thought with a small grin.
After ascending a narrow staircase, Voll led them into a large chamber, obviously a command room of some sort, Johan saw. There was a large map of the city spread out on a table in the center, with a cluster of soldiers standing around it. Young boys in page attire were running to and fro delivering messages and orders to the various officers. For a moment, Johan was transported back to his time in the Hammer Legion back in Tethis.
“Gods this is familiar,” Ryker murmured as Voll gestured for them to stay put while he joined the group around the table.
“I was just thinking the same thing, actually,” Johan said.
They watched as Voll stood in front of an officer and saluted. The officer saluted back and the two of them began hurriedly speaking together. What they were saying was lost in the din of the rest of the room, but Johan guessed it was about Voll's journey through the city. Johan's guess was confirmed when the officer gestured to the map and Voll began speaking. The officer tried to listen, but his face grew frustrated and he pounded on the table once with his gauntleted hand and the room fell almost completely silent save for Voll.
“In the western boroughs it was only men,” Voll went on, not missing a beat. “The pikers that burned our barracks were some of Gustav's boys alright. We got a few of them. Then we saw your summons flare and we made our way along this route,” he traced his finger along the map. “I hooked up with Liney's group here, but we encountered...stiff resistance a few blocks east.” Voll poked the map hard. “It was where we first saw those...things. It didn't go so well for us. Liney's group broke off from us then. He was going to try and make it to the mechwerks to get some backup.”
The officer shook his head. “The mechwerks are lost. I just dispatched Lieutenant Betwa and his engineers to destroy it using liquid fire on the crystellium reserves. It is too valuable a target to let Gustav keep.”
Voll was silent only for an instant. “Well so much for Liney then, I guess. Anyways, once the creatures began to appear, we noticed that they didn't keep killing everyone they could. The creatures would take prisoners at times.” Voll ground his teeth. “Especially children. We found no bodies of children.”
“A few of the other groups suspected the same thing,” the officer said, nodding his head slightly.
“After the pitched battle near the mechwerks we began encountering less and less of the Watch, men or creatures. A few roaming packs here, a pair or so there. The largest scrape we found ourselves in after that was when we found them,” he gestured with his head at Johan and the Outriders. “About a dozen of the things were ravaging the Selectmen's Neighborhood.”
“Did any of the Selectmen survive?” one of the other officers asked.
“Didn't see any, sir,” Voll said. “I'm just an enlisted man. I doubt I'd have been able to tell the difference between a Selectman and one of those monsters anyhow.” That brought a round of chuckles and snorts. “Once we hooked up with the Tethis folk, we made it to the eastern end of the wall road. Found no resistance whatsoever.”
“Okay...thank you and your men, Sergeant,” the officer said as he leaned over the table and began making marks with a red pencil. “You filled in a lot of blanks for us. Go back down below. Get some sack time and some warm food. I'll send for you when the next step happens.”
“Captain,” Voll saluted in crisp fashion, took a step backwards, turned on his heel and walked past the Outriders, his men following. “Good luck to you, Commander,” he said as he passed by and descended the stairs. Johan turned and saw the captain looking at him. As soon as their eyes met, the captain gestured for Johan to join him.
“So, some of Tethis' Outriders have decided to join us,” he said, a sad smile on his face as he extended his hand. “Glad we rolled out the royal welcome for you. Knight Captain Garrey, at your service.”
“Outrider Commander Else at yours,” Johan replied as he took Garrey's hand. “Looks like you're having a long day.”
“You don't know the half of it,” Garrey said, blowing out a breath. “Normally I'd ask what your purpose was here in our fair city, but at this point I'd simply settle for asking for some more swords.”
“Sergeant Voll mentioned something about the City Watch and you butting heads. Is that what this is all about?” Johan asked.
“It would certainly seem so,” Garrey replied. “Long story short, the Watch Commander, a prig named Gustav, had been pushing to get the army removed from the city. Said we were an unnecessary element in the city. Well, now I understand why. He simply wanted us out of here so he can make his move. I just never thought he'd go so far as to use whatever dark magics he's deployed against us.”
“Why hasn't he moved against you here yet?” Johan asked.
“My best guess is divide and conquer,” Garrey replied. He motioned for Johan to look at the map. “There are pockets of resistance throughout the city.” Garrey pointed at a few locations marked in blue. Independent mages, mercenary groups, gods honest blacksmiths with hammers refusing to go down without a fight. Not everyone was taken quietly in their beds. It looks like Gustav's forces are rampaging through the city proper looking to stomp these sparks out before they turn their attention to us. It makes some sense. The last thing you want is to be attacking a stronghold with some pissed off and armed people at your back.”
“Have you reached out to these groups?”
Garrey nodded. “As many as we can get to.” He pointed to a large green line drawn from the inside of the outer wall, snaking through the streets and hooking back around to the wall farther to the south. The largest portion extended almost half a kilometer from the wall. Where the garrison was, and the immediate area around it, was circled with blue. “The blue is us, obviously. Nothing has made it this far. Within the green we've had a growing number of attacks and assaults, yet nothing overwhelming or hinting at a breakthrough yet. Beyond that is a seeming wall of those monsters
and traitors. They have slowly been drawing the noose around us, but Gustav has been taking his time, giving us time to prepare. He can send the full weight of his monsters at us, and we will break them.”
“Are you sure?” Johan asked. “No offense to you or your men, Captain, but those monsters are infernally strong. And they control the outer wall in places. When they come for you, it won't just be from all sides. They'll also be above you.”
Garrey nodded. “Indeed. I have stationed assets on the wall above, as well as in the tunnels below. Gustav may have been cunning enough to begin this coup, and he may know how to police a city, but he is no military planner. His tactics have been simply to have been point his beasts in a direction and let them loose. Massing his forces against us was smart, but it bought us time to gather our own strength. If only we had had more time, we could have readied our golems.”
“You have golems?” Johan blurted, his mind flashing back to the clockwork golem Tethis had stationed in Newcomb Square when they had first become Outriders. It had looked quite formidable, even though it hadn't aided them in their troubles.
“Yes we do,” Garrey said, a small smile cracking his otherwise grim visage. “Nine of them, in fact, created and delivered before the Craftsman District began exploding. The Dominion of Tethis doesn't have a monopoly on cutting edge technology,” Garrey said, pride showing in his eyes. “Gustav doesn't know of them, or else he would have hammered us sooner. But their power cores aren't charged, so they are no good to us.” Garrey cleared his throat. “With or without golems, however, we wait for him to attack us, then we spring a trap of our own. I have scorpions and small launchers ready to deploy along the walls, with archers and armored lancers as escort. Once the majority of Gustav's advance forces have been withered under liquid fire and shredded by our blades, the rest of the army should arrive from Flinthold and we can venture into the city and retake it.”
“I see...” Johan said, gazing at the map.
“Now,” Garrey said, his tone changing slightly, “as I said, I'm in need of good swords. And strong hands to wield them. I can't keep you or your men here, but I can ask for your aid. Tethis boasts that one of their Outriders is worth six of their regular soldiers. So what do you say, Commander? I could use the strength of thirty-five men at my side.”
Johan smiled as he studied the map. “I think that's the first time anyone has ever outright complimented us, Captain. It feels...odd. As it stands, we weren't actually here for leave. We were here on a somewhat...ah, covert mission.” He looked up quickly at Garrey, and his smile faded. “Nothing to do with your government or your city, I swear. More like a...private in-house matter. And we really...we need to return home as soon as we can.”
Garrey sighed. “Yes, I understand.”
Johan looked back down at the map. The safe zone around the garrison, and the area just past it seemed to scream at him. He looked over at his men. All of them looked expectant. Even the Underking, though his face was hidden, seemed to radiate an anxiousness to leave. But the map, and what it represented dragged his attention back. Could he really just walk away from this city? No one, not his men, and not his superiors, would blame him for making a break for it now. It wasn't his city, they weren't his people. But...weren't they? Did he swear to protect the innocent of only Tethis, or of innocent people everywhere? He tried to fight the next question from forming in his mind, but it surfaced, like a bubble rising in quicksilver.
“What would Sir Aldir have done in here?” And as he asked himself that question, his whole body, his whole mind, seemed to snap into place.
“I beg your pardon?” Garrey asked.
Did he actually whisper that out loud? Regardless of whether he did or not, he knew the answer. “Just one thing before we depart, Captain.”
“Of course,” Garrey replied.
“Where have you sent your people?” Johan waved his hand over the safe zone on the map. “At least the ones within your safe zone? Do you have shelters beneath the garrison, or are they all out of the city by now?”
“I've sent teams to collect as many citizens as they could,” the Captain said. “But I dare not go out in force. I need my men here to prepare for Gustav's next stroke.”
Johan looked up at him, his smile coming back. “Looks like you just bought our services. For a time at least. We'll help evacuate as many people as we can before taking our leave.”
“We appreciate the aid,” Garrey said, running a gloved hand through his hair. “Two more teams were about to go out,” he said, gesturing to two other officers in the room. “Dixon! Mangard!” The two armored men perked up from across the room and hurried over at their captain's voice. “Take your squads out, bring any survivors you can back here. Tell Schmidt to gather his men also.” He to the green zone indicated on his map. “Aid anyone you can and send them to us. Repel and destroy as many of these traitors as you can.” The two men saluted and left the room in a hurry. Garrey looked back at Johan. “It will be tight, but we've stores and shelter enough for a thousand people.”
Johan nodded. “Good. We'll help get as many of your people out as we can. We won't stick around after that. Has there been any indication of these monsters outside the walls?”
“No, thank the gods,” Garrey said. “Other than reports of increased nighthawk activity in the area, it seems outside the city is safer than within.”
“Good. If it comes to it, we can evacuate your people out of the city through your gate.” Johan paused as he studied the map again for a moment, getting his bearings. “Just give my men and I a moment to gather ourselves and we'll head out. We'll sweep the perimeter of this area here. Try to get to the people who are about to find themselves beyond any chance of rescue. Once your men have secured as much as they can, then we'll take our leave.”
“I appreciate it, Commander,” Garrey said.
“Just one thing, actually,” Johan said. “Could you bring me a set of manacles, a blindfold, and a gag?”
“Um, of course,” Garrey said, taken off balance by the sudden shift of topic. He spoke briefly to a soldier, who produced two strips of cloth and a pair of manacles from a kit on the far side of the room. Johan took them from the man with thanks and walked back to his men. All of them regarded him with anticipation. Ryker, however, had the look of someone waiting for the floor to give out below him.
“Garm, bind our friend here with these,” Johan said as he handed over the cloth and manacles. “Gag him too.”
“What is this, you foolish imbecile,” the Underking snorted as Garm, smile on his face, bound his hands behind his back. “I gave you my word, did I not?”
“Yes, you did,” Johan nodded. “However, we won't be able to keep eyes on you for a little while.” He appraised his men. “We aren't leaving,” he said simply They groaned, with Toma and Vegard handing coins over to Alek, who beamed. But it wasn't a groan of fear or terror, however. More like the groan of recruits told they had to do more pushups before they could rest, and it brought a small grin to Johan's face. “At least, we aren't leaving yet. We are going to help evacuate as many people from the city as we can. We find some folk, bring them back here, that's all. When it gets too hot for us, we pick up our cargo,” he gestured at the now bound and gagged Underking, “and we head home to collect the reward and adoration we so justly deserve. Any questions?”
“Will we be getting double pay for this?” Ryker grumbled as he took off his armored jacket and shook it.
“Tell you what. After all this is over I'll send Captain Garrey a requisition. It'll be up to him.”
“Good enough,” Alek said, cutting off another glum comment from Ryker.
“Alright,” Johan nodded. “Let’s get to it.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Edda and the others in the wagon had remained quiet since leaving Titus' manor. They were in that strange urban sprawl part of the city that acted as a buffer between where the affluent lived and where the rest of the rabble did. They had run into a fe
w of the perverted City Watch, but had been able to drive them away each time. The three golems had done an excellent job at keeping some sense of a perimeter around the wagon, and that had given them all a slight sense of security. Yet two things still nagged at Edda. Well, two things other than the entire city apparently turning into a monster-infested hell. First, where the hell did Nerthus run off to? And secondly, how were Clyde and the others doing as the city fell apart around them?
They had just finished crossing a small bridge and were on a road that would take them into the city proper when they caught sight of a slowly falling blue light, drifting in the night sky over the city.
“What do you make of that,” Egveny asked from the front of the wagon.
“Blue flare, a large industrial version of Morning Sun,” Edda said, sitting next to him. “Military recall, probably. There's a garrison on the eastern edge of the city, which is where that flare hopefully came from,” she said, recalling the maps she studied on the trip there. “I hope that the army hasn't fallen under whatever pikery Gustav has done to the Watch.”
“I would seriously doubt it,” came a voice from behind them in the wagon. Edda turned her head to see the male Forn, Krif, looking at the two of them. The female Forn sat next to him, her arms folded on her lap. Across from them were the two Fabricators they had pulled out of the fire. Both were nigh unconscious due to the tranquilizer they had imbibed. Four new arrivals were packed in there, survivors they had picked up on their mad ride through the city. To all fit in they were sitting on the floor and on each other. Egveny and Edda just couldn't turn their backs on people they could save. Especially not with Egveny's three golems at their disposal.
Chasing Down Glory: The Outrider Legion: Book Two Page 36
