They were given more time than Kinnese had expected, but far less than they needed to grab as many survivors as they could. In that time Kinnese, together with Pela and a reluctant Undis, were able to evacuate three houses, a storefront, and pulled some thirty people off the nearby streets and into the Steel Bells. What Kinnese had found within the tavern had come as somewhat of a surprise as well. Almost fifty lightly armed men, women, and children were hastily preparing themselves when Kinnese brought in the first wave of survivors. A hardened, no-nonsense man named greeted him at the door, a sword in hand.
“How bad is it out there,” the man asked bluntly.
“It's...bad,” Kinnese said, lowering his voice so the others didn't hear. “I'm hoping to shelter as many people as possible before the Watch arrives.”
The man shook his head. “They won't be helping anyone. From what I’ve gathered, the Watch is behind this. But we can take your people. The more the merrier, actually. We've blocked and barred every window and door but this one and the one leading to the stables, but more people to stand and fight will help. ”
“You move damn quick,” Kinnese said. “The shit just started to go down.”
“Yeah, we were expecting a...different kind of trouble,” the man admitted. “It's why we're going to make a break for the Garrison Gate as soon as we are ready. We've sealed up this place, but nothing will hold very long under a determined attack. The next lull comes, we are out of here.”
“That's going to be dangerous,” Kinnese said, not wanting to press the man with questions. He looked at the motley assortment of people in the tavern. They looked a determined folk, he had to admit. Laborers, smiths, and other craftsmen he guessed. They weren't soft by any means. But they weren't warriors.
“Yeah,” the man said. “But there really isn't any other option than to wait here to die. At least we'll be doing something.”
“True. Alright, we'll go with you, I just need more time to find survivors. Plus I've got someone who may be able to help shore up whatever defenses you've made here to buy us more time.”
“Thanks,” the man said, extending his hand. “Name's Clyde.”
“Glad to help,” Kinnese said, taking the hand. “I'm, er-”
“I know who you are,” Clyde said quickly. “But I can't be too picky about friends right now, can I?”
Kinnese smiled sadly as they ended their handshake. “No, I guess not.”
Naria and her girls, at Kinnese's urging, quickly did a once-over of the hastily prepared defenses Clyde and his people had erected. There was little more they could add, aside from a few hastily prepared spells to make the bars a little stouter, or to make the wood a little more flame resistant. It was really all they could hope for with so little time and resources.
Kinnese had just enough time to bark out a few orders before the second wave was upon them. This time, Kinnese thought, the monsters would find the defenders ready. Naria and her girls stood a few feet apart from each other before the the main door of the tavern, their arms angled downward. A few brave citizens, burly looking laborers armed with heavy hammers and makeshift spears stood with Kinnese and Pela a little further out from the tavern. The citizens probably wouldn't last long, but Kinnese couldn't deny them the chance to fight and die on their feet.
When the abominations arrived again, Kinnese immediately felt that something was different. Again, six of the monsters approached. But behind them stood an even taller monster. This new beast retained much of its human form, but its arms and legs were too long and spindly, with extra clawed digits on its hands. It wore the tattered remains of some sort of dress, but the body underneath was so knotted and deformed that Kinnese couldn't make out any other feminine features. Its face was concealed by the now-familiar stained bandages.
The tall monster extended an arm and four of the mutated monsters bounded forwards without a sound, straight for Kinnese and company. Kinnese, Pela, and the armed men brandished their weapons, but they held their ground, allowing the monsters to charge them. The four creatures were about a hundred feet from the defenders when they slammed into a crimson wall of Power. The lead creature was all but incinerated, with the other three were staggered backwards, engulfed with bright red flame.
A half battle-cry, half howl erupted from the tall being, Spindle, behind the abominations, and a burst of violet Power lanced out from both of its arms. The violet Power had a crooked, wobbly look to it, as if it was refracted through multiple prisms, but it hit the crimson wall with tremendous force. For an instant the two colors mixed and twisted around each other, but then there was a deafening crash and a blinding white light, forcing the defenders to shield their faces from the blast. When Kinnese opened his eyes he saw that the burning monsters had been thrown backwards, almost to Spindle, who had also been hurled backwards, and was slowly rising to its feet. Turning, he saw that Naria and her witches in training had been hurled to the walls of the tavern by the feedback of the two spells colliding.
On its deformed hands and knees, the slowly rising leader pointed a crooked figure towards the tavern, and the two unhurt abominations at its side rushed forward. Kinnese, Pela, and the men exchanged quick looks and rushed out to meet the creatures. As he engaged one of the monsters, Kinnese heard Clyde shout from the tavern behind him.
“They're hitting the stables too!” Clyde yelled before ducking back into the tavern. Kinnese sighed despite himself. Suddenly, Spindle utter another of the long, piercing howls they had heard earlier before vanishing into the darkness. Beckoning more of its creatures to it, no doubt. Ducking one monstrous claw and parrying another Kinnese knew that he was in for a long night.
Chapter Twenty-Three
The monster thrashed backwards, Vegard's longsword impaled through its throat. As it scrambled backwards away from its foe, the Outrider medic launched himself into the air feet first. He planted his feet on either side of his blade and thrust his legs forward in a powerful kick as he gripped the hilt and pulled the sword free. He fell to the ground as the monster went sailing backwards, its wound ripped open further by the force of Vegard's legs. Aleksander shook his head as he helped his friend up.
“That was...kinda cool,” Alek said, dusting off Vegard's shoulders.
“Thanks Tiny,” Vegard said, allowing himself a small grin.
The only remaining monster dispatched, Alek turned as Johan and Ryker led an elderly couple and a young child from a house that had its front door smashed in by a pair of the corrupted City Watch. The Outriders had arrived in time to save them, with Ryker of all people taking on the first monster on his own before Garm and Toma could come to his aid while Alek and Vegard engaged the other.
Behind the Outriders stood a group of over two dozen people armed with knives, sticks, and one family sword. They were the result of the Outriders' foray into the barely contested area of Bellkeep. There was only the occasional roaming monster here, or perhaps a pair. Nothing like the groups they had encountered deeper in the city. Garm guessed that the creatures were sent in such small numbers to act as skirmishers of a sort, to keep what there was of the Bellkeep army distracted and off balance while the monsters massed in other locations. But just one of the monsters was enough to ravage a family if it caught them unawares, so the townsfolk had stubbornly refused to leave their houses as monsters prowled their streets.
At one point they had passed Mangard's group, one of the other units that Knight Captain Garrey had dispatched to round up survivors. They had had the same experience so far as the Outriders. Just enough of the creatures to make it lethal for unarmed people to try and venture out on their own. Mangard had a group of almost thirty people of his own and was heading back to the Garrison. There were still a lot of people out there, he told the Outriders. He had hoped to convince Garrey to send out another unit or two to help. Johan had wished them luck as they left, but Alek had begun to feel uneasy. He was no military strategist like Johan, nor a battle hardened warrior like Garm, but he thought it was stu
pid for this Gustav guy not to attack the army sooner. It made Alek feel like the hammer was hanging over their heads, ready to fall at any moment.
Johan and Ryker brought their new charges over to the group of survivors, with Garm and Toma acting as guard. The Commander motioned, and Alek joined them, with Vegard right behind. Johan looked at each one of them, ending with Alek, who had to look away. Ever since Johan had started to pry into his past, Alek felt a little uncomfortable with his friend's gaze. He knew Johan meant well, but he could almost feel the Commander's disappointment, or was it mistrust? behind his eyes now.
“I don't like this,” Johan said at last. “This seems far too easy all of a sudden.” The rest of the Outriders found themselves agreeing, Alek included. It was funny how often the Commander was able to speak what was on the minds of his men. Must have been something he was taught in leader school, Alek thought. “I like Captain Garrey. I think he has a good head on his shoulders, and his strategy seems rather sound,” Johan continued. “But he doesn't know enough about what is happening in other parts of the city. He suspects, and so do we, that these monsters are only a preview of the kind of hell that is ravaging the rest of this city. What I want to know is when it is about to fall on us.”
“Think maybe it’s time we gather up our...cargo and get out of here?” Ryker asked.
Johan shook his head. “Not yet. There are still a lot of people here we can get to safety first. That said,” the Commander continued, his eyes lingering on Alek, “I'd like some reliable intel on what is happening nearby.”
“There has to be only two options sir,” Toma spoke up, his bow still drawn as he scanned the nearby alleys and rooftops. “The monsters are either choosing not to attack us now, or they can't.”
“Good brains, kid,” Alek said, tousling the scout's hair. Garm nodded next to them at Toma's words.
“Exactly,” Johan said. “And I want to know which it is. So we are going to keep on getting people out of here. Except for Alek and Garm.” Alek felt his shoulders droop slightly at hearing this. He hated these kinds of special assignments. “You two gentlemen are going to perform a little scouting mission for me.” He pulled out a small, hastily scribbled down map that Garrey had provided. Johan looked over at one of the locals they had saved and gestured. An older woman, thickset with callused hands walked over and the Commander asked her a few quiet questions and she answered, pointing to the map. He thanked her and looked back to Alek and Garm. “We're here,” he pointed at a spot on the map. “This area is what Garrey was calling the safe zone,” Ryker snorted at that remark but kept quiet. “I want you two to go a little past it. Look around. Skirt the edge a bit. But don't engage if you can avoid it. I just want to see what’s happening out there. When you get to about here,” he pointed to another spot on the map, “this big tavern looking place, haul ass back to the Garrison. Got it?”
“Want us to bring the kid along, sir?” Garm asked, indicating Toma.
“No,” Johan said, “I'd like him here. You two are a little more...ah, durable. Plus Toma's eyes will be needed here to make sure we don't walk these people into some sort of ambush.”
“Yes sir,” Garm said, saluting quickly. Alek did the same thing, in his usual half-assed manner. He still felt that him having to salute was a little odd, but he tried to do it when everyone expected it.
“Get back safe you two,” Ryker said as the others began moving down the road. “I'm ordering a fair amount of R&R when this is over. It'd be a shame for you to miss it.”
Alek couldn't think of a funny retort in time, and as the Outriders departed, he found himself looking at his scarred companion.
“Well, shit,” he said.
“Yep,” Garm said.
Both men loosened their swords, stretched their arms and legs quickly, then set off at a jog.
Alek and Garm only had one brief scrape, rounding an alleyway a little too quickly and smacking headlong into two of the creatures ripping into a scattering of corpses on the cobblestones. Alek could no longer simply feel when the monsters were nearby, he realized. There was so much dark Power being used throughout the city, so many of the monsters crawling all over the place, that he didn't have the finesse to pinpoint them anymore. He had almost become accustomed to the dark, sickly feeling within him.
Garm and his greatsword made quick work of one of the monsters, while Alek's own sword, aided by his strength, clove the other in two. He felt Garm's eyes on him as he cleaned off his sword blade.
“You can do more than that, can't you,” Garm whispered as they began jogging again. It wasn't a question.
“Huh?” Alek responded, a hint of unease surfacing in his belly.
“Just slashing your sword like a child. You're stronger than that. Better than that.”
“I guess,” he whispered back.
“You guess. You ripped Samnusen in half like it was nothing. Yet you don't seem to be too keen on doing something like that again.”
Alek shrugged, but that unease intensified. He hated talking about crap like this. But the directness of Garm's questions, the man's iron glare...he couldn't just skirt around the question like he could with Johan. Nor did he want to try lying. He suspected Garm would see through his bullshit rather easily.
“I don't have to really try to be all that strong, you know?” Alek's whisper was softer than he had intended. “When I try to do more it feels like...I dunno. Feels like I'm tied down. Held into place. Does that make sense?”
“No,” Garm said.
“I guess...I know I can do...more. I just don't really know how. It's like my arms and legs are bound. In my mind, I mean. I think I was able to do what I did with Samnusen because I had to. I just did it. I didn't think about it.”
“Heh. Thinking doesn't seem to be a thing you struggle with,” Garm grunted.
“Yeah, I know I...wait, what?” Piking Garm just busted on him? Alek chuckled. He felt like he was turning into Ryker all of a sudden.
They moved through the city in silence for what seemed like an hour. All they encountered was dead bodies, smashed and burning houses, and empty streets. For part of the city that was supposedly crawling with monsters and traitors, it was eerily silent.
Alek heard, or at least thought he heard, a faint rustling sound ahead of them and he put his hand on Garm's shoulder to slow him. The scarred man looked back, a question on his face. Alek pointed at one of the side streets that was ahead of them, peeling off from the main thoroughfare at an angle. The two Outriders slowed almost to a walk, moving as silent as they could. As they drew closer to the side street the sound of rustling was unmistakable now. Even Garm could hear it. As they drew to the corner Garm peered over.
“Pike me,” he whispered.
Garm moved so Alek could look. Walking down the side street away from them was a handful of the abominations. But they weren't alone. There were regular human members of the City Watch with them, cudgels out. The Watchmen were walking almost casually, as if it were just another day on patrol, oblivious to the monsters walking amongst them. The abominations remained silent, but they loped along the road, their malformed heads focused on the ground in front of them.
Alek was about to turn back to Garm to say something when another of those piercing howls tore through the night. The effect on the abominations and Watchmen was immediate. All of them stood upright, like they were just called to attention by a drill instructor. There was a moment where they were motionless, and then as a whole, man and monster, they broke out into a run. Without thinking, Alek followed, ignoring Garm's curses.
Jogging after the monsters, Alek saw that they maintained a sense of order even as they ran. The abominations didn't scatter wildly, nor did the humans try and move out of the monsters' way. It was as if one mind, one purpose drove them suddenly. That idea seemed to be confirmed in Alek's mind when the group started darting down certain avenues and streets. They were obviously heading to somewhere specific. Then, with an abruptness that surprised Alek, t
he group reached an intersection and the human members, still wearing their City Watch garb, went one way, leaving the monsters on their own as they raced towards their unknown destination.
“What the hells do you think that's about?” a gruff voice said behind Alek, who nearly jumped in shock. Turning, Alek saw Garm standing there. “What?” Garm asked. “Didn't think I'd follow?”
“Just didn't hear you, that's all,” Alek said, trying to regain his composure. “So, which group should we follow?”
“The monsters,” Garm said. “They are the bigger threat, so I think the Commander will want to know what they are up to.”
Alek nodded and they raced after the departing group of creatures. They were still careful enough to take cover behind buildings and stalls and the like, but the creatures were driven so strongly to reach their destination that they never bothered to look around them. It wasn't just the creatures they were following that were focused, they discovered. Two more had appeared behind the main group, entering the street from an alley. They must have heard the same beckoning call and were attempting to join their comrades. However, the creatures entered the street almost an arm's length from the two Outriders, who hacked them to pieces. They were so focused on moving through the city that they never even tried to attack or defend themselves.
“Like ants,” Garm whispered as they ducked into an alley. “Or new recruits.”
“How do you mean?” Alek asked.
“They don't seem to think for themselves. Unless they are told to, at any rate,” Garm said. Before that howl or whatever it was we heard, these things would have tried to rip us to pieces if they saw us. But whatever instructions they heard in that, it overrode their seek and destroy mindset.”
“So if they were told to go someplace, that's all they'll do?” Alek asked.
Chasing Down Glory: The Outrider Legion: Book Two Page 38
