-44-

The inn was probably one of the few structures in Prontera that was not damaged. This might explain the fact that the customers in it were still making merry and drinking away with carefree, while they could. And it was rather ironic that people were fighting among themselves, like one between the drunk rogue and the bard, instead of preparing themselves mentally for the upcoming showdown with the orcs.

The noise from the bedlam faded away as Cerberus departed long ago. The knight took his time during his walk to the barracks, while he looked around him wistfully. The rather empty streets seemed to him that this might just be a preamble to the result of the struggle against the orcs. But so what if they could resist them, or defeat them? By doing so they were killing the small fish, and not the big one. It was the four that had to be destroyed.

Being submerged into his thoughts, he did not realize that he had entered the Prontera square, where the statue of Odin rested on a large fountain. A handful of civilians were still staying around the area, holding chatting sessions that mainly regarded the four and the orcs. Cerberus looked around again. Constructors were still working half-heartedly on the repair of the gates even though it was about an hour before midnight. Orders had been issued that the gates must be reinforced before the break of dawn, otherwise those green-skinned beasts would be behoved.

Yes, he had been hailed as the hero of the south gate. But the knight thought otherwise. Surely, the people did not know the definition of a hero. What kind of a hero was he to relieve those defending the south gate, yet he did not prevent the other losses incurred? And, if he was a hero, nobody would have died fighting off the orcs at the west gate. Then, the city would not be brooding over the dilemma of a shortage in their military. Then again, he could have saved his childhood friend, Kera, from his brother's clutches. He felt that he was just a… nobody.

Cerberus avoided those loitering about the fountain. He did not want to be seen, so as not to hear the word "hero" in their speeches. Taking brisk steps now, he headed in the direction of the barracks, where he was requested to attend a brief meeting with the two warlords. Along the way, all was silent. Not that Cerberus sensed something imminent, but he suddenly felt an emptiness, or loneliness, to be exact. Weeks ago he had happily been in the company of his guild mates. It was as if he would never understand what solitaire was. Yet, now he did. He had a sudden urge to find out what they were doing, or whether they were moving on fine. Whenever he thought of Skull though, he was forced to raise his doubts. After all, the king would not let the high officials keep a lax security.

When the knight walked past the guards at the barrack entrance, they kept a grim look and greeted him with less enthusiasm than usual. Cerberus did not blame them, however, since they too dreaded the impending invasion in which they would likely lose if the orcs persisted, instead of doing a hit-and-run.

The barracks, low buildings made out of stone, lurked at the corner of Prontera. But the barrack belonging to the two warlords and their Fiendbane Enforcers were significantly spacious than those of the other departments and it was elaborately decorated with flags and emblems.

"Ahh, there you are, knight," Smith said when Cerberus emerged from the top of the stairs.

The knight nodded and walked to a large wooden table in the mass hall. A few maps of different sizes and scales were unrolled over it, a couple of it totally covered in circles, crosses and other markings drawn by a very sleepy Larzen. Two tall mugs of ale stood near the maps. The large barrack was empty except for the two warlords and Cerberus. It seemed that Cerberus and Smith were the only ones fully awake. Larzen was slumped over the chair, snoring blissfully with the marker still gripped in his hands.

"Durned fool, get your ass up and shining!" Smith called out as he slapped a hand hard down Larzen's midriff.

"Oww! What? What?" the other warlord awoke with a start.

"You dead log! What have you done to the map!?" Smith snapped in irritation. "For Odin's sake you're a warlord! Not some wannabe artist!"

"Oh that… Damn I must be sleep-drawing. Sorry," Larzen spoke sheepishly.

"Yo, Cerberus, come here," Smith ushered the knight to a seat, ignoring Larzen's trash-talk.

Cerberus kept a gloomy expression as he took a seat on a pulled out chair. Although he had only been in here no more than once, he had to admit that the barrack was filled with loads of banners, flags and badges of different colours and sizes that marked things like the city of Prontera itself, and the symbol of the military.

"Where's your men?" Cerberus asked as he scanned the hall.

"Ahh, my boys are still busy with the works at the west. They won't be returning soon, knight. Meanwhile we'll deal with some difficulties we have 'ere."

Cerberus watched as the dwarf-like warlord shuffling the maps, finally placing a fresh one on top. Then, he began marking out spots near the west gate, some on the south.

"First and foremost," the warlord began. "We can't do shits without a good number to settle our shortage. What say you?"

"We've all heard of Payon's distress, and we cannot afford to offer them any help right now, in return they too cannot afford to help us. Every other city must unite with us in this final struggle, even though they have their own difficulties and their pride. They may not look upon the idea of an alliance the same way we do."

"But they had better understand the gravity of the circumstance! Who gives a hoot about their pride and difficulties!? When the four's done with, they can clean their own asses for all we care!"

"Yeah they better learn," Larzen added as he took a seat beside Cerberus, finally shaking off the fuddle in his brain.

"Ahh shut it, Zen, unless you have better ideas up rather than parroting what I say!" Smith retorted.

"Ok, I'll mark out these maps then."

"No! Enough artwork, Zen! You should be overseeing the boys and not idling!"

Cerberus shifted about in his chair as he looked casually at the maps.

"Say, Smith, since Izlude would be reluctant merge forces, what do you think of Morroc? Those assassins and rogues might be handy."

"Its not a bad idea, but I'm thinking Alberta."

"We could arrange for the two to merge instead of choosing one," Cerberus suggested.

"Nah, the Alberta smithies have got no likes for the desert ruffians, they term. I've got no idea what their problem is, saying that they are nothing but a bunch of barbaric punks," Smith brought up. "What's more those smithies might be helping out their neighbour Payon."

"Bah! To think that at such a time they failed to bury these petty quarrels."

Smith made a "calm down" motion with his hands.

"Chill, knight, we got other options –"

"No we don't, Smith," Cerberus interrupted. "These are the few and only options we have. By the time we contacted the cities far beyond those of our neighbouring cities, we would all be dead!"

"Not necessary. Not necessary," Larzen suddenly spoke up.

"What do you mean?" Smith asked without irritation for the first time of the night.

"Now that the orcs have failed rampaging St Caprina, they won't be wasting their time on that settlement. If my guess is right, they should all be coming down on us in full throttle. Now this is gonna permit the monks to aid us. What's more they're just within a couple of miles from us!" Larzen explained.

Smith nodded slowly to absorb it, then grinned.

"Very well. At least, you're useful for once."

"After all I've said this is the only "compliment"?"

Larzen snorted, and stood up to leave.

"Where ya headed?"

"Like you said, those boys need supervision."

Just as the big man crossed over to the staircase, a group of men clad in ninja suits clambered up before he managed to head down.

"Yo! I was about to look for y'all!" Larzen exclaimed. "I thought y'all not supposed to get off until after midnight?"

The Fiendbanes trudged past the warlord without answering him, and reached for their rooms. A haggard expression was worn on their faces, some looked like they were starved for more than three days. It looked as if they were a zombified version of the Fiendbanes. Smith looked up from the map and glanced over them in shock.

"Yo, what's going on? The works?"

"Nah, just tired, tired and tired," one of those at the front replied hoarsely. As if to add some effect to his statement, he reached his hands to his shoulders and started massaging himself. A couple of them even exaggerated by collapsing onto the floor, moaning away like a zombie prisoner in Glast Heim.

"We've been going at it non-stop since this morning, boss. Any further we would be dismantled!" another remarked monotonously.

Smith shook his head and slapped his palm on the table.

"Tired! I see! I'll be damned if the people were to think that I rose a group of soulless dead for some embroidery and pastry making club!"

"No, I mean, this monstrous labour is killing us!" the first person who spoke earlier made a rejoinder.

Larzen walked over to the table.

"Yo, Smith, just let them break a little. They're overworked!"

"Who knows that's an act? Ahh forget it, I'm busy now! Just go handle those boys yourself!" Smith said as he waved a hand to drive him off. He thought he saw a glint in the Fiendbanes' eyes when he finished his piece.

"Excuse me, but what are those that you're constructing?" Cerberus asked when there was a brief silence. "Quite a number of residents are intrigued as to those hammering and clanking under your workshop."

"Bah! They'll know in due time, but I don't mind telling ya," Smith said.

Larzen waved the Fiendbanes off to their respective rooms, and took a seat beside Cerberus again.

"Right. We're getting up many pipes up the walls. Best by the break of dawn, to make up for the shortage of our forces."

"We've designed a system of pipes and hose that ends all the way up the walls. When the orcs come, we'll load up with whatever we can find, be it acids or flammable liquid, and get it all on 'em!" Smith explained further when he noticed the nonplussed look.

"Maybe Piffy could help on that," Cerberus suggested.

Larzen took out the blueprint of the system, and unrolled it over the Prontera maps proudly.

"Don't give that look like you've done all these alone! I contributed half of that!" Smith reminded his warlord counterpart.

Cerberus skimmed through the blueprint without interest. He sighed as wherever he went, nobody seemed to be taking this battle seriously. They either did not appear worried, or they were making merry in the inn. Even in the barracks, where they were not supposed to be taking this lightly at all. Contrary to that, the Fiendbanes were complaining of their exhaustion and not completing their task before dawn.

"We've got much to do this night. Come on, Larzen, we gotta be heading down the other departments! Larzen?" Smith called out. When no reply came, the stocky warlord saw Larzen's eyelids slammed shut, while soft snores could be heard. Cerberus thought Smith was almost tempted to break the chair apart with his hammer.