The sun was shining, the mountains were green with the leaves of its many pines. Sunlight shone through the glass window of my guest bedroom. I woke up early and tried to put my armour on silently, so that I didn't bother my relatives when I left to visit mothers grave. Just as I was about to leave in my loudly clanking metal armour I heard the morning bell toll. I quickly left the guest bedroom and started walking down the winding stone hallways.
The manor was cold in the morning chill thankfully making it easier to avoid the staff, after ten minutes of careful stalking I got out of the manor without any incident but just as I was about to leave the grounds I heard armour clinking, not the clinking of my own armour but the movements of at least 30 people in heavy armour.
I looked over the gates and there they were, Stahlstadt Reichsgarde in even better armour than they usually wore. Armour decorated with rich red coloured fabrics and steel engravings they carried the long Polearms they were so famous for. It was a bit odd to see the old honour guards of the past empire without their wings and armoured horses, but they were no less magnificent. Perhaps they would never reach the fighting prowess of the heroes of the order but they were certainly some of the best fighters humanity could create.
I do have to admit I was a bit of a fan of them, seeing men and women in heavy plate armour carrying massive pole weapons excited me like so few things truly could. In my shock I didn't notice when their apparent leader, a woman in her late 20's with golden hair hidden mostly behind her red and white plumed conic open face helmet decorated with an emblem in the shape of an eagle holding a spear with its claws quickly rushed up to me and quickly saluted in the standard legion manner.
"Good morning Eques, I am Captain Catarina von Trenck reporting in as part of my ancestral duty! We are to serve as your personal guard from this day on." The excited voice of someone, who finally found their purpose filled the empty garden. Huh… Wait what? Reichsgarde… My own Reichsgarde detachment?
I quickly tried to regain my composure and I like to think I was somewhat successful. "I don't remember having a unit of Reichsgarde gifted to me, nor do I remember an ancestral…" Wait a second "Did you say Trenck?" The same family as uncle's past guard?
Her once anxious face at my denial quickly became one of pride as she noticed I knew of her family. "Yes my Lady! My unit and I have been specifically trained for you, we were ordered by Duchess von Augspurg to come and introduce ourselves." Should… Should I refuse them? I wasn't supposed to get an honour guard! I intended to quest on my own, not with half a Centurie of elite knights.
But Reichsgarde… ugh okay stop.
Cost benefit analysis time, my brain was really working overtime, first of all conventional military power would definitely make many things easier but any and all hope of moving around silently would be gone. People in heavy armour wearing bright red capes and massive plumes weren't exactly subtle. Having a bunch of Reichsgarde following me around would also prove the Augspurgs support of me, a very useful thing to have when dealing with the senate and public opinion. They were a very well liked family after all. But I would have to consistently interact with a bunch of people, who I couldn't brush off, which sounds really exhausting.
Then came another benefit and one I most likely couldn't ignore. They were gone whilst I was inside the Manor but the moment I stepped out the shade reappeared, this time they were farther away but still looking right at me. The assurance of Knights capable of killing most monsters around me when I was sleeping would help a lot, but the extra bulk would slow me down, they couldn't keep up with me unless they constantly galloped their horses. Even if they could bear that, even their Stahlstadt warhorses couldn't keep running as long as I could.
I discreetly snuck another glance at the shadow and decided that I would sleep much easier with at least 450 kilograms of steel around me at all times. My cost benefit analysis now over after half a second I gave her my decision.
"Very well, follow me, but you must know that I won't tolerate incompetence. We'll go over your exact duties once my work for the day is done." My slightly cold tone might have been a continuation of my hesitance from before.
"You won't be disappointed Eques!" Obedient and didn't ask many questions. She was way too chipper, but well I could get used to that.
"Well now hurry up, I have a place to visit."
"Yes, my Lady!" With that the wall of steel began following me through the long and entirely stone streets of Mount Unbesiegbar, the streets weren't anything special when compared to Carthage true, but I don't think it was fair to compare a settlement built behind a fort to the capital of the single nation with the greatest amount of land in the world. The Order as a whole was bigger of course, but they were an alliance not a single nation.
I already knew where to go, the Augspurg family graveyard on the northern edge of the city. The walk was dreadful, not because of the path or anything like that. No, it was because with every step I took a sense of … wrongness intensified in my heart and the stare of the shadow intensified. It was getting closer to me, I could feel it.
But I pressed on, that thing wouldn't stop me from getting my closure. The black iron gates of the old graveyard loomed over me, I gently pushed the gates open. The sarcophagi of over a hundred of my ancestors met my gaze, made out of solid stone with iron or steel reinforcements along the edges coupled with silver and gold reliefs telling their life stories. They were masterworks, each and every one of them. I knew Stahlstadt valued their burials, but I hadn't expected something this decadent.
My reichsgarde spread out, ten taking places outside the gates, twenty along the edges of the property outside the fences, eight spreading through the graveyard and 2 following me one of which was Catarina with her great swordstaff. They walked in sync right behind me as I made my way through the artisan crafted sarcophagi searching for my mothers resting place.
Every step sombre, the feeling this place gave off was totally different from the small shrine back home. It felt like my limbs were lead, my mind was unclouded but my thoughts still wandered to other things trying to escape my current purpose. But I finally found it, her first sight there was nothing distinguishing it from the other graves, but the engravings and her name stood out to me. Curator Consort Maria von Augspurg, they remembered her only because of her marriage with Father not because of her own achievements, even if one counted only the things she did for Father she should have had over a dozen titles, Valedictorian, the daring or I don't know the prodigy? Something about her. I signalled my guards to leave me.
I prepared myself for what I was here to do.
"I've heard that some people talk near their relatives to try to reach them. I am sorry for not visiting before, I was a coward. I was afraid of my grandfather, but I guess I am now here. I have so much to tell you, I feel like I am free for the first time in a while; under my Father I couldn't make mistakes. He watched me all the time even when I thought I was alone, I think I couldn't grow when I was constantly under his protection and I started to have doubts when I was young. Was the constant state of warfare between the monsters and humans truly necessary? Couldn't we somehow agree to simply not come near each other, did we have to constantly lose people to raids on the Cities of Water or skirmishes along the borders?
They are parasites, this is certain but perhaps we could find some manner to make peace. I am tired of seeing brilliant minds and talented members of our republic. I don't want to see more of us be turned into thralls, but just killing all of them is out of the option unless Father decides to do so. Ahh, sorry I shouldn't just dump everything in my mind the moment I get a chance to talk to you. I'll tell you some more of my childhood."
I continued talking for a while, maybe hours, telling my mother of the lonely times of my childhood. Father was with me all the time, but even between him and I there was a barrier only mother had overcome. My peers couldn't keep up and adults were always busy, I had only myself and my own thoughts for the entirety of my childhood.
Maybe seeing the few people I could connect with being taken by monsters was what caused my doubts, we had fought them for more than 500 years, we were getting better and better at killing them but still the sheer amount of people along the borders still lost every year was terrifying. My duty was to fight but I had seen that fighting didn't yield much, it was better than submission and extinction but we had to find a better solution. Father probably could find a solution for the monster's birthrates with his knowledge of fleshcrafting but that would strengthen the monsters and wouldn't guarantee that they would leave humanity alone. So continued suffering because of the mistrust and lack of communication between the sides.
They were different from us, their values alien and their morals nonsensical. They were by very definition alien to us, they acted similar and talked similar but understanding was as of yet impossible. There was… there was nothing I could do to stop this. I wanted to protect humanity but every time I imagined the werewolves crying faces as they died or Sonya's terror filled expression hesitance bloomed.
Everything eventually returns to my doubts, I doubted Father. Absolutely unacceptable but I did. I will find a way to end this meaningless war, I will protect humanity from the monsters and I will ensure that bloodshed will one day become a distant memory. This was certain. Until that day comes when humanity can live without being beset by aliens I will kill again and again, I will protect humanity so that one day no human will ever have to take up arms ever again.
I had finished talking, I was tired, my throat ached and it was dry but something was wrong.
A chill travelled up my spine, I tore my gaze up from the cold relief and looked up at one of the cliffs. They didn't try to avoid my gaze this time, they were standing right there staring at me. Covered by a grey shroud only their lower legs could be made out and it clearly announced what they were. Her legs were covered in black fur with beastial feet tipped with claws, she tilted her head downwards to get a better look at me and I saw the glowing embers of her eyes. A hell hound that hid their body and stalked from afar, a behaviour unusual for their species.
This thing was dangerous, my blood was pumping, my sombre mood had evaporated and my muscles were tensing. I laid my hand on the cold stone of my mothers sarcophagi for strength, then I tore my gaze away from the monster, I kneeled and acted like I was praying, discreetly stealing a glance above. I saw that she was still frozen there standing. My guards had yet to notice her, to be fair she was at least 50 metres above and most people didn't look up, I would still have to beat that out of them. Focusing back on my task, I quickly picked one of the smother rocks at my feet up and got ready.
Calm, breathe, focus… Now. I rose up and threw the rock at my target as fast as my transhuman body would allow, it flew straight and true, she hadn't reacted yet. At the last moment she flinched and threw herself back, she was way too fast. Faster than any of the monsters I had seen before. The rock shattered the cliff edge with a resounding boom, thankfully not causing an earth slide, but small pieces of rock still rained down. My guards were alerted.
"Eques! What has happened?" Catarina's voice rang out filled with panic.
"Look at that cliff edge." I said pointing at the destroyed remains of it. "There was a Monster on there stalking me. Send at least ten of your number to look for them, be careful she was fast." Her mouth had turned into an 'o' shape when she looked up. The orders given I turned back at the sarcophagus.
"A monster, Eques? Here in the city? No it doesn't matter, your will be done my Lady!" Good she was smart enough to obey without questioning. "Heimler, Boris, take your squads and get your horses, search the mountain for a Monster!"
"Jawohl" "Understood" to voices shouted back and ten of the twenty along the fences quickly ran off.
They most likely wouldn't find anything, that monster was fast and skilled at hiding herself. I don't know what caused her momentary lapse of skill but I doubt it would hold.
"Captain, come with me, I am done here. We'll be returning to the manor, If the soldiers catch that thing, bring it to me alive if possible."
"Of course, Eques." She and the other Reichsgarde ,most likely the First Lieutenant now that I think about it, started gathering the rest and they formed up behind me as I started my slow walk back to the Manor.
There was an air of tension in the air in the town, soldiers were rushing about, more people were waking up. Something was up. I sped up my walking pace to quickly get to the manor, I should be able to find out what was going on from my aunt or cousins.
"Captain, go and get your horses and recall those that went to find that monster, meet up with me by the northern plaza."
"Are we going to head out ma'm?"
"Whatever they require we will do, get ready for anything."
Separated from my guards I rushed through the streets and quickly reached the gates of the manor, there I found my aunt apparently waiting for me.
"Aunt Nathalie, What is going on?" My voice was even but she sensed my worry still.
"Oh, you are finally here. We got a magical message from a party of Order heroes." Clear and concise but she was clearly worried about something.
"Well, what kind of message was it?" I was curious and it had to be something major for the entire town to mobilise.
"They were being chased by a warhorde of monsters after acquiring vital intel and a magical artefact belonging to a high ranking demon. They wanted refuge inside the walls, however they will most likely get caught before they reach the walls-"
"Then I can go and get them." I would be able to get to them before anyone else, maybe the lightly armed and armoured dragoons could but they wouldn't have the firepower to beat off anything too powerful that may have reached them.
"Absolutely not! You are staying on the walls with Joseph, the girls can get them."
I got shot down immediately.
"Aunt, please I'll be fine if you think it's safer. I'll accompany the knights and outriders, I'll bring the reichsgarde you gave me as well. Think about it, it will be much safer for Katja and Elise." I didn't quite convince her, she was undecided yet, but before she could find some way to refute me an aide came with dire news."
"My lady the heroes have been engaged by a band of monster spell casters, They are requesting immediate assistance!" The panicked speech of the young man interrupted by pants. He must have run a long way from whatever mage was receiving the messages.
Now out of options and filled with the natural worry of a mother she quickly indicated with her head, that I could go. I felt mad taking advantage of her maternal instincts for this but whatever, I'll just have to make sure everything goes right.
I turned and started gaining speed towards the north end of the city. I should be able to spot my reichsgarde easily enough. The problem was the evacuation, the young, the elderly and the untrained were clogging the streets running to the safer shelters to the south. I couldn't just smash through them so I decided to try something nonsensical. I jumped… on the roofs of the stone houses and started hopping from one to another. It was actually quite fast and none of the roofs gave out on me yet.
Oh, why did I think that? The ceramic tiles under me suddenly crumbled and I fell through. Damn it, that hurted. I got up and looked out the window, the streets have cleared up now that I am further north. I jumped down and rushed along the streets turning and twisting until I reached the northern plaza, just like I ordered my reichsgarde were waiting on their horses in full armour and with their arms.
Catarina spotted me easily and quickly saluted
"Eques, we are ready to head out, all forces have been gathered and we are awaiting your orders."
I started walking towards
"Good, we are to meet up with a host of outriders and cavalry. Apparently a band of Order heroes need rescue and are carrying some manner of arcane artefact. Have you seen their rally point?"
"Yes, they were gathering just beyond the gates led by Lady Katja and Elise."
"Good, hurry up, they might just leave us behind." Saying that I led my cohort through the gates passing by the legionnaires stationed on the thick and tall walls and the killzones set up inside the city itself.
Finally just beyond the gates Katja was in sight, her twin must have been somewhere else getting ready.
"Cousin, nice morning we are having isn't it?" I do admit the sarcasm might have been a bit out of character. Katja certainly thought so sein as her eyebrows rose under the fancy and puffed up Barrett she wore.
"Well, if I didn't have to deal with nympho's a morning ride certainly would have been nice." I don't know about that, as far as I know riding the Stahlstadt warhorses with their clawed feet and violent attitude can't have been relaxing. The damned things were larger than normal horses and would quite often throw off their riders unless properly trained.
"Doesn't really matter anyways, did mother send you?"
"Yes, is Elise ready to head out?" We couldn't wait that long for her. Every second endangered the heroes' souls.
"She is over there, look." I turned to where she pointed and yes there she was, dressed in full plate wearing a helmet with its visor opened. Her hair was flowing out the helmet as if it were a plume. Once she got into hearing range for normal humans she began speaking.
"She's coming with us then? Fine, you're bound to be good at fighting given who you are, just try not to fall behind." Directly to the point with only a little bit of sass. Would you look at that? She was improving.
After a minute to order our respective cohorts the small host begann galloping and running in my case to our objective, some kind of magical tracker was provided and we were quickly nearing. The beastly horses didn't have any problems crossing the mountainous terrain and could almost keep up with me even in uneven terrain, I still had to slow myself down a bit.
We were a kilometre or two away from the walls when I finally saw them, four heroes hounded by the coven of witches we were warned about, one was missing, already lost. We were still separated by a cliff of at least 20 metres. Taking the zigzagging mountain ways would have been too slow, I could take such a fall so I increased my speed and jumped…
Jean Paul the Stalwart Paladin
We had been running for days now even my blessed body was tiring, my incantations had grown weak and my prayers could no longer reach the Chief God. The Giant Slayer Archer had run out of arrows, the eastern assassin was running on fumes, her breaths were deep and her face was red. She must have been close to collapsing. Only the Champion was alright, his bloodthirsty smile showing his thirst for battle even better than his blood stained sicles.
And the Prodigious Mage… Clair was gone, turned into something else. Sending those long range messages had taken too much out of her and one of the dark mages had pulled her with telekinetic force. I had not seen her transformation but I had heard her voice calling my name, I would have to put her down.
We were once again tied down by a field of tentacles conjured by some witch or the other. We had to get these troop orders back to Lescatie and this demon heart sealed or destroyed even through the blessed lockbox, I kept it in. My body was heating up for some reason and it was getting harder to keep my mind unclouded. We would fall here, we couldn't keep going any longer.
I had lost all hope then I felt it… Tremors in the earth and the noise of more than a hundred hooves. I quickly looked up and saw them, our saviours, knights and dragoons by the hundreds. The cavalry had arrived, then from the cliff edge something jumped. It was massive but I could see something like a silhouette holding some kind of polearm. Behind them in the sky a bright comet was flying, they descended from the sky with incredible speed, an unstoppable force. After a second they Crashed into the earth and crushed one of the unlucky witches under foot, blood splattering everywhere. The ground cratered, whoever they were, they were massive almost twice my height cowered head to toe in armour with a golden crown of laurels on their helmet. An awe inspiring sight, perhaps we could make it through this. The figure started shouting in slightly accented Lescatian, their voice surprisingly feminine.
"Run towards the mountain slope! I'll hold them back." Booming and authoritarian we could do nothing but obey. While we were running I snuck a glance back and saw her bisect a witch and break the neck of another with a slap. I think she'll be fine…
This was such a Bad Idea. My soles and legs hurt, I am covered in blood and my limbs won't move how I want them to. Every time I killed one of them their blood curdling screams with their childish voices and the look of despair on their faces broke me, I made sure to kill them quickly and silence them before killing. I must have killed at least ten by now but they kept coming, what made them this desperate?
Even dodging most of their spells I was getting constantly pelted, until I noticed that the spells I tried to block with the middle of my halberd simply disappeared. The first few witches to notice that would have complained that it was unfair if they weren't dead. Every time I blocked something my bracelets got hotter. I don't know what this stuff is, but Father gave me bracelets that destroy magic so I am definitely going to make use of it.
Just ignore your head clouding, your limbs getting weak, your eyes wandering and your body heating up. You can do this, you must do this.
Just as I finished loping a blond dark mages head right off two new dark mages showed up, these ones gave off a feeling of danger. Skimpy clothes and exaggerated curves, they were monsters alright. One with white hair and a more petite frame and another with dark blue hair. Even though they saw the carnage I was surrounded by, they were determined to stop me.
"Hey, big sis. We have capture my Jean Paul right. But I don't think we can let this man go either. He's way too dangerous and misguided."
The white haired one spoke first. Her voice was husky and she misgendered me, wait she said my Jean Paul. He must be one of the heroes, then that would make her the fallen hero. I had to kill her for sure then, if she ever got to the other heroes their loyalty would come into question.
"We will little Clair, he doesn't understand the gifts we bring. But be gentle on him he believes he fights for-" Her little speech was interrupted by the boom of my Gun. It hit some kind of dark barrier but it shut her up real quick. If I didn't want to get overwhelmed by the others I'd have to kill these two fast.
"Tch, rude one aren't you?" The dark blue haired one was irritated already but before she could do anything else I got grabbed Mortality Clarified shifted into a charging stance and put all my strength into one push. They couldn't have reacted but the white haired one also had a barrier around her but this time it didn't stop me, my charge broke through the bubble like defence and impaled her in the stomach but before I could finish her off she pushed me with a wave of demonic energy her skimpy dress was already covered in blood from her punctured stomach but her heroic constitution must have withstood the corruption since she could still stand and fight.
One of the witches still alive tried to turn the sand beneath me into some kind of black ooze but reacting fast I jumped towards her and spun my axehead around and sliced through her left arm, before she could scream I put my hand over her mouth and slammed her head into the ground pulping hear head. Dead instantly, don't hesitate, these monsters wearing the skins of innocent girls don't deserve your mercy. Rip and Tear, limbs and heads flew as I danced between magical attacks and blocked those I couldn't. My movements could have been called elegant but in reality I was like a charging bull only slightly more agile, my judgement clouded and my movements only fuelled by ancient recipes of chems and regular adrenalin within my veins.
I was still getting weaker every second because of the demonic energy in the air but I kept going, however I hit a stone wall after a while. Only the most experienced spellcasters were alive by this point and the two dark mages weren't letting up. But then I heard something glorious, the trumpets of cavalry and the booms of the outriders' high calibre pistols were like music to my ears.
"Eques! The heroes are secured, we'll deal with the witches ma'm."
Ahhhhhhhh, Catarina I could kiss your perfect lips right now. Praise be!
My eyes followed the straight backed forms of my knights, the hard faces of the men and their straight backs making me hotter and hotter, I was breathing heavily. There was something wrong, my mind was clouding and my focus was wandering.
Hearing my heavy breathing the older mage called out to me.
"Finally seeing things our way? Come on, don't resist, it will feel a whole lot better…" Her words only served to make my blood pump faster and rage to build up in my clouded mind. A roar escaped my mouth and I charged them ignoring their spells and traps, their pathetic efforts couldn't stop me.
I crossed the distance, my limbs as heavy as lead. Shifted my grip to the very edge of the shaft and swung with all my strength, my swing was met by a barrier making a screeching noise that filled the entire field, something around my neck was getting hotter and starting to shake. A second swing, once more intercepted by a second and answered with an attack from the second mage, flip the shaft draw back overhead and SLAMM. Crush her into NOTHING. The barrier cracked, not yet broken, the screams of that blue haired skank was getting annoying.
I pulled my halberd back, she had dashed and created distance, so I thrust my weapon forth. I finally broke through that damned barrier but my weapon had not found flesh. One more slash then, guiding the tip of Mortality Clarified downward I stepped into her guard and swung the shaft from my hip towards her shoulder.
A clean cut, still gore covered me.
The fallen hero screamed for her companion but it was already too late, a smooth cut from the right end of her waist to her left shoulder split her in half. I announced my victory to the heavens, as I turned to kill the last pathetic beast, she threw a last ditch ball of energy at me… And something exploded, pieces of metal ricocheted between my heavy georgette and neck, some piercing the thick padding inside and cutting into my neck until one of the leather straps keeping the georgette broke and the fragments escaped.
I flinched back but my mind was clear, the intrusive thoughts and pervasive desires gone, I was myself again. But my rage and frustration only increased, I looked around but that whore was gone. They had tried to corrupt my mind! I screamed in frustration.
"Eques!" Catarina was back,the witches must have also either run away or died.
Getting my emotions back under control I asked the Captain what happened.
"Captain report, what happened?"
"The VIP's are secured and the perimeter has been cleared, only two of the witches escaped." Good we killed the vast majority of them, we wouldn't have to deal with that much magic during the battle on the walls, our artillery will shred them.
"Burn their bodies, let's make sure none of these abominations rise up as undead." I really don't want to deal with a bunch of liches raising the dead of a major city.
"We'll get right on it ma'am" With that she left me to catch my breath and calm down a little. Now that I think about it I was really reckless wasn't I? If it hadn't been for Father's gift I might have been corrupted. I can't be this reckless any more, but more importantly why was I corrupted in the first place? Something around my neck exploded… The silver necklace from salid! It must have been made out of demon realm silver and since it was containing all the energy purged from my body it overheated. It must have held the energy that affected me. That shopkeep must have been a monster in disguise. That bitch, tricked me? How the hell did I fall for that, am I stupid or something I already knew she was creepy, why did I buy something from the suspicious merchant?
Tch, I'll… deal with her once I get there. Now that most of my anger was gone, revulsion came back. Even if I knew they were horrible monsters looking and acting like little girls, their screams and them begging for mercy still shook me.
I'll keep resisting them.. I'll continue killing them until they can't ruin anyone else's life, break apart any more families or corrupt anymore lives. I'll fight them till they won't ever want to fight humanity ever again. The so-called 'extremists' must all die or be beaten back. I must…
"Naotora heyyy, come on, we need to leave. Are you seriously just going to wait for the monster horde here?" The annoyed voice of Elise woke me from my delirious ramblings.
"I am coming, are the soldiers done with the bodies?" She raised one of her golden eyebrows at me, her green eyes filled with worry… Oh come on no more of that shit.
"They have been done for a while and most are already in marching position, well ot necessarily 'marching' but you get what I mean." That long had passed? What was I doing all the time?
"Okay let's start heading back, the horses are tired, yes?" She nodded. "Then we'll have to keep a more sedate pace this time.
It took us something like twenty minutes to reach the gates with our slower speed. Scouts estimated around five hours until the Horde reached the outer walls. Word for supplies and reinforcements were sent through telegraph but none would reach us until the siege would already be over. Ammunition was loaded into the three axis anti air turrets, storm guns, auto cannons and field artillery was prepared, even Rocket batteries were readied. Reserves from the city were called up and evacuation efforts were slow and ongoing. Every single legionnaire was ready and the regiments that came with me were resting.
The city suddenly became one massive fort, secondary walls were closed off and manned, kill zones continued being set up and sappers prepared buried explosives to be detonated later. Joseph, despite his apparent bad habits, was as expected competent. I didn't even really have to manage anything, just rest and purge any remaining demonic energy from my system.
I spent most of my time with Catarina, playing chess or Schach as she called it. Now that I think about it also has a different name in Salid. Who even made this game? Anyways during our games I would talk to her about different topics and to my luck she was also quite the scholar by hobby. Knowledgeable about things like modern poetry, alchemy and even baking for some odd reason.
Baking wasn't the usual hobby for a noblewoman from a house meant to produce warriors but she was quite talented, quickly baking a batch of cranberry muffins. Only person I knew that baked better than her was… Father. Huh… Father also bakes quite often. Is… is baking really that relaxing? Maybe I should ask her to teach me sometime.
Anyways the most interesting point of our talk was about the past barock epoch. A consequence of the many casualties and losses during Druella's attacks and the subsequent waves of disease and famine caused by the corruption of the land. Back then the land had turned partially into a demon realm and many of the crops were contaminated, this caused people to flood into the larger cities with train stations delivering supplies and food from creating perfect environments for plague. Just terrible times all around.
Said terrible times couldn't be stopped even with supplies and experts from the other provinces and caused mass death, consequently people began to view life as 'fleeting' and everything earthly as 'passing'.
My thoughts were going on and on when I was rudely stopped.
"My lady… I don't think you are going to be able to ignore them any longer."
Catarina please just let me have this, I can't deal with them. The them in question being the ones currently knocking on the door asking to speak to 'the messenger of the Stars'. Celestial Priests, and lots of them, some high ranking as well. There was nothing in the world that could make me talk with them. Yes Catarina even your slightly disappointed look wouldn't get me to talk with them.
Ugh! If only that damned comet hadn't appeared now of all times, ı wouldn't have had to deal with these idiots. Another bout of knocking served to fuel my irritation however I noticed something different this time, they didn't knock three times, the holy number of the faith. Instead only two times and then a young man's voice called out to me. "Eques Naotora? You are being called to the walls by the Feldherr… aah I apologise, 'Legatus Praetor' von Augspurg."
My saviour, even if he stumbled over his words and mispronounced Legatus Praetor, had such a beautiful voice. Praise Be! I was free! I didn't let my enjoyment show. Well Catarina saw it but oh well. And called for the boy with a steady voice. A servant of the house working as a messenger came in, barely 14 if one was generous but he was ,as was expected of his people, relatively tall and muscular with dirty blonde hair.
I motioned for him to lead us and quickly started following him together with Catarina. Quickly apologising to the deacon and giving an excuse about wanting to focus for the coming battle I quickly headed off. The boy led us through the winding halls of the mansion quickly and we passed by uncle's room guarded by two halberdiers, the meagre amount of protection that could reasonably be left behind.
The boy , who was apparently a house servant named Dean Cartov ( he was really scared when I asked his name for some reason.), led us to a small war room with detailed plans of the city defences on a table, small stone disks with emblems carved into them. Most likely meant to indicate certain centuria or cohorts.
My Aunt greeted me first, but the room was full to the brim, mostly Tribunes and my relatives with a few higher ranking centuria, even the mayor was here. It didn't really make sense to me, since he was mostly a figurehead. He was elected but he was also one of the Augspurg families retainers, I don't think anyone didn't know what was going on there. But I guess if the people didn't complain about it I shouldn't bother. Dealing with my own families abuse of power wasn't something I wanted to do.
"Naotora, come sit." She pointed towards a reinforced chair made for me. Just how many of these do they have? After I sat down she immediately began explaining our positions. Katja would harass the monster horde with her outriders when they were approaching until they got within artillery range and then retreat inside through the southern gate. Joseph was going to be handling the main defensive lines and the organisation of the first and second stage defences. Elise and Aunt Nathalie would serve as reserves with Elise's shock cavalry not being of much use during a siege and Aunt Nathalie being primarily an artillery commander that was all they could do.
Now my role… I was to hold onto the first defensive line together with Joseph but my main objective wasn't command, it was the destruction of any high tier monsters together with my guard, myself, two centuria of Heavy Halberdiers and a centuria of 'Surefires', or otherwise known as heavy rifle infantry. Well, it wouldn't lack challenge at least. Placed on the middle of the second wall and with reichsgarde below us in the streets.
We had an hour left until the enemy troops would arrive. A cohort of cavalry and almost all outriders left the walls. The cavalry would stay hidden in the mountains to attack any mages left alone and the outriders to be annoying bastards as is their duty. I was getting a really bad feeling and that damned comet burning brighter didn't help, I looked up and there it was an orange fireball in the sky looking down on us all. How many were going to die or end up turning into thralls and monsters this day?
"Men!" Their attention was instantly on me. "Today we will stop the abominations that dare besmirch our world from reaching the heart of this 3 century old Bastion. They will break on this Fort as surely as the sun will set. Our comrades rely on us to kill any of their leaders that were stupid enough to aproach. Cut off the head and the rest will fall. Today I lay my trust in you and your arms, and I ask that you do the same to me, for I will use every single bit of strength and talent my arcane blood grants me to ensure the safety of your souls!" I like to think my Stahlstadisch was adequate for a simple speech and the men certainly seemed to think so. The chorus of screams from my cohort called back. Even the Comet's light seemed to intensify.
I finally heard it, the marching of the monsters and their indecent cries. The 47th siege of Mount Unbesiegbar had finally begun…
AN: Hey… Remember how most chapters are 4000 or 5000 ish words? Yeah, I just found my rhythm during this one. I don't know how it turned out, don't be afraid to criticise, I love reading comments.