Chapter 2: City of the Sun
I sit by my camp fire, peering out over the expansive vista that surrounds my mesa. The vibrant green jungle that boarders the red desert valley is bathed in bright, silver light from the huge full moon, and I can almost see everything in perfect detail. This is why I love this place. The perfect solitude, surrounded by nothing but jungle, where a man can be alone with his thoughts. That is until I turn my head and I am reminded that even out here, I am not truly alone.
Off in the distance, silhouetted against the inky sky and ringed by blazing torches, the pretentious Carja city, Meridian, perches upon a large plateau that overlooks the lush valley. The moon light glints off the thin irrigation trenches that crisscross the peasant farms below. With its people and noise and terrible smells, I am reminded every time I glance upon its hulking form, why I choose to be out here. I did not miss that place, and nothing short of a miracle would take me back there again.
As the moon hangs high in the sky, I begin to wonder if that Nora would actually listen to me and meet me here. Half of me says I shouldn't care, and the other, eagerly awaits any sign of her lithe form.
Thinking about her makes me both excited and sad. The way she killed those bandits made me smile, made me want to kill more. But what would that righteous woman want with a worm like me? What would I do with her attention if I was to somehow gain it?
I peer around at the bodies of my slain enemies that litter my camp and it briefly crosses my mind that I am likely never going to gain her attention. I knew she was beyond my reach, but something keeps drawing me back and I am not entirely sure what that is.
Still I wait, for I don't know how long. I was just about to give up hoping when she appears out of nowhere, like a deadly spectre drifting into the fire light. I did not even hear her approach, quiet as shadow. I feel a wide grin stretch over my face.
"Ah, Nil...nice place you have here. Very...charming," She says, glancing around at my morbid decorations, as she stops on the far side of the small fire.
"I'm glad you like it. I find it to my liking. A more intimate place to finish up business, don't you think?" I reply, standing up to face her with eagerness.
"I did wonder on my way here, if you were luring me into an ambush," she admits.
"Now, where's the fun in that? Some bandit sprawl would never do for our arena...but this, is much better. There's a sense of drama," I pause for dramatic effect. "So, what do you say, how about we try to kill each other?"
She frowns at me. "Wait...you brought me all the way out here to ask if I want to fight you? "
"To the death. We'll savour it, because we've only got this one time," I grin wickedly.
Aloy sighs. "Actually, I don't know what else I expected,"
After a short pause in which the fire noisily spits embers into the air, she continues.
"Well, I'm, flattered that you think of me this way, but I don't want to kill you,"
I hold up my hands in front of me.
"Don't be hasty. When it's life against death, hunter against hunter, I know it'll come to you,"
"Is that really what you want, Nil? You know, I don't think you have a death wish. What you do have might be worse, but I think there might still be a need of you in this world,"
"I don't understand,"
"I won't fight you. That is my decision. You can respect it, or you can try to shoot me in the back as I go," the tone of her voice is final.
"Then it's over. Your last arrow is the cruellest," I am genuinely disappointed.
I would so love to feel her beneath my knife, and stare into those green-gold, bottomless pools, deep into her soul, as I lay her in the grass. Intimate like two lovers. I am quite certain I will find the most strength of any I have killed, in her. She is far beyond extraordinary. It would nearly be a shame to kill her, there could have been potential for something great with her by my side. Oh, the blood we could spill together. The thought of it makes my heart race, but her death would be genuine. If only fleeting.
"It's not over," Aloy says, with another sigh and narrowed eyes, " I mentioned you may still be needed?"
"By you...or?" I trail off, a glimmer of hope rising within me. Perhaps this is why she does not want to fight me.
My spark of hope is dashed quickly with her next words.
"That's not what I meant at all, Nil. See, there's this group called the Eclipse,"
"No, I don't do political," I scowl. This is not what I wanted at all. Why can't we just fight?
"This isn't political. Eclipse is a threat to everyone, not just Meridian," she explains.
I shake my head, folding my arms across my chest. "I still don't know what you want from me. I'm not a bow for hire,"
Aloy sighs again. She seems to do that a lot in my presence. She thinks for a moment, then approaches me. My eyes follow her unwavering face, trying to read her intentions. I find myself tensing up, anticipating a fight. Hopeful. Instead, I am surprised when she removes the Old World artifact from her ear and hands it to me. I stare at it like a halfwit child, not knowing what to do.
"If I can't convince you, then perhaps my focus can," she says, reaching out to me to place the artifact above my ear.
So, that's what it is called. Focus. How odd? What does that even mean?
She touches her finger to the device. Like magic, bright, purplish lines shoot off into a sphere around me, as if hundreds of tiny arrows, trail minuscule, purple trip caster wires. It highlights everything I can see in perfect clarity. I am compelled to rip the thing off, to put an end to its strange power, but as I raise my hand, Aloy holds it back in her own. The warmth of her touch, sends a spark down my arm.
I turn to face her and I am startled to see that even her face appears to be outlined in purple. Her name is suspended near her head. I cannot speak, just stare stupidly at her.
"Hold on," she touches the Shadow damned thing again.
As she moves her hand away, I see a tall, dark skinned woman appear suddenly in front of me. I move for my bow, and without thinking about it, shoot an arrow. The apparition flickers, as my arrow passes through her. Shadows, it's a spirit! I hastily back away.
"What did you do?" I breathe in horror.
"Nil, stop, it's a hologram, a recording of events past events. Just listen. This is GAIA, she will explain,"
GAIA? What in Shadows is this?
Then it begins to speak. My blood chills, for it is not a voice of anything I have ever heard. Not natural, but a hollow, flat, almost mechanical voice. One that I could imagine belonging to a watcher, if it was possible for them to speak. Again, I want to throw the device away from me, but I persevere for Aloy's sake.
"This message serves to inform you of an unforeseen and catastrophic anomaly. Three micro seconds ago, the GAIA prime facility received a data transmission of unknown origin. Its immediate effect was to transform my subordinate functions into unregulated, self aware entities, of a highly chaotic nature. Thus awakened, the HADES function will take control of the terraforming system and reverse operations, rendering life on Earth extinct in fifty-eight point eight days. For obvious reasons, I cannot allow this to occur. So, before HADES can take control, I am ordering GAIA prime's reactor, to overload. The resulting explosion will destroy HADES. Unfortunately, it will also kill me,"
"The rest of what she says is not relevant," Aloy says quickly. She touches the artifact again and pulls it off my ear, as the spirit disappears.
Not quite sure what to do, I continue to stare at the spot where the spirit was, dumbfounded.
Aloy continues. "The Eclipse, worships HADES. They are doing its bidding, because they believe it is the Buried Shadow. They are helping it in its plans to eradicate all life on earth, by resurrecting the deathbringer machines that will tear this planet and everything on it, apart,"
I heard what she said, but I was so confused. The Eclipse thinks that a machine is the Buried Shadow from the Carja Faith? My thoughts reeled and I all I could do was ask in bewilderment, "What in Shadow is HADES? Is it The Buried shadow?"
"No it's not. HADES is a sub-program of the earth terraforming system, GAIA. Weren't you listening? It was programmed long ago, by the Old Ones to reverse the terraforming operations of GAIA, but something has awoken it to start its function now,"
I continue to stare at her blankly. What in Shadows is she talking about?
"Terraforming?"
She sighs, then asks, "Do you know how the Old Ones became extinct?"
"Does anyone?" I shrug. "And do they care?"
"Yes, I do know. That's what I'm saying and it's important. The Old Ones created the machines we know today, intending for them to provide protection for them, but there was a problem with the system. They called it a glitch that enabled the machines to self replicate and override their commands. They became rogue, begun attacking everyone on earth and feeding on the earth itself, reducing it to a wasteland," she stares into the fire.
"Before that though," she continues in a more reserved tone. "One woman, Elizabet Sobek and her team, managed to find a way to rebuild earth, with this terraforming program, GAIA. GAIA was built with several different sub-programs, one of which, HADES, was created in the case that GAIA got the terraforming operation wrong. It was made so that it would wipe out what GAIA got wrong, so she could start again. It is that program we are now dealing with,"
"So, the Eclipse are being manipulated this machine?" I try to understand, but fail.
"HADES isn't a machine, it's a-" she trails off when she sees my blank expression.
"A spirit then?"
"Never mind, call it what you want. Yes, the Eclipse is doing HADES' work, like I said,"
"And you of all people, just happened to stumble upon this machine spirit? You are full of surprises," I say skeptically with narrow eyes.
"Well, no. There is more to it than that, but it's not relevant to what I'm trying to explain to you," Aloy says. "All you need to know is that all life on earth is in danger. That includes you, and I know you don't want to die at the mercy of a computer program," she glances at me quickly, with her familiar, narrow eyed expression that I love.
"Stopping it will be challenging. The Eclipse is bringing with them a machine army to destroy Meridian. They plan to access the Spire and spread the HADES program to the rest of the world to resurrect the buried machines," she pauses, flashing me another sidelong glance.
"Well, you can do what you like I suppose, but I didn't think you would turn down a chance to kill things without consequences,"
"Without consequences?" My eyes glitter with excitement.
She nods. She knows she has me.
"Well, now. You could have just said that instead of making up stories. Shadows, no one can rebuild the earth," I chuckle.
She scowls at me and seems to want to say something more, but she closes her mouth without a word.
"Well, if you won't let me kill you, then you might as well make yourself comfortable. Or, you know, you could go run off and get lost in the dark, either way is fine with me," I say after several minutes of listening to nothing but the sounds of the jungle below.
"I'm disappointed in you. Even now after all of this, you seem to underestimate me. What makes you think you could kill me, anyway?" Aloy asks. Her confidence, radiates off her like the sun. I can't help but grin. I really do like this girl.
"Oh, I just know these things. What possible threat could a savage Nora, be to an experienced veteran like me?"
Aloy folds her arms across herself. "I see what you're trying to do, Nil,"
"What might that be?"
"You're trying to tempt me into a fight. It won't work. I already told you, I won't fight you,"
"Not much gets by you, girl. Tell me, why do you resist the temptation? Don't your inner desires call to you?"
Aloy scowls at me again. "You are a deeply disturbed person. I do not have those inner desires,"
"Would you fight me if I was to just attack you?"
"You're not going to do that,"
"How do you know what I'm going to do? Does that artifact allow you to read minds as well?"
"No, if you really wanted to kill me, you wouldn't be still standing here talking about it," she begins to turn away. "Now if we're done, I've got to get to Meridian. I've wasted enough time here. The Eclipse won't wait for your inner desires,"
Then, like a whispered breath of wind, she is gone. I am left alone once more, trying to make sense of what she has told me. I have never cared about the Old Ones before, like everyone, but now I am wondering how such a story could be possible. It is absurd; a world rebuilt after being reduced to a wasteland by machines? Such things are unfathomable.
None of it makes any sense to me, but Aloy did not lie, I could see it in her expression. Her urgency spoke of it. And the spirit she showed me...no, she said it was a... recording of events? Then it must be true. They must have happened.
If the Old Ones created these machines, then surely they themselves, were devils.
In all honestly, I don't care if it is true or not. If there is to be a great battle of impossible odds, then who am I to say no to it? It is what I love after all. Killing with no consequences, is certainly something I will enjoy.
I peer towards the city of stone and showy architecture, with a sigh. It seems I have just encountered the miracle that will take me back there. Of course that miracle has to be Aloy. There is no way I can possibly resist.
With the dawn's first light, I make my way down the steep trail at the back of the mesa and down into the green jungle. Several kilometres of jungle and a few dead machines later, I find myself looking upon the Royal maize lands, at the foot of the giant mesa that supports Meridian. The city and the sheer vertical cliffs dominate the landscape. While to the south, is the strange metal tower that is said to be how Meridian was founded. I never considered myself as one to follow the folly that the Carja call the Sun Faith, but the tale describes Araman, the first Sun King, being the first to find the tower, now called the Spire. He apparently followed the shadow cast by the tower to the mesa where Meridian now looms. The tower was named, The Spire and revered as the inspiration for the founding of Meridian. The mesa where the Spire sits, became the Alight, which serves as a burial ground for high ranking members of the Carja.
It sounds like rubbish to me, but that's how it goes. Whatever it is, there is no denying its imposing stature. It reaches high above the tall curtains of maize, tended by Carja workers and indeed the city itself.
I walk amongst the long, stone lined irrigation trenches that have been dug in the earth. They are fed from the multiple, one-hundred metre high waterfalls that tumble out of holes in the city walls. So much wealth here, beyond comprehension and I have to admit, as far as tribes go, the Carja are the most advanced. I am yet to see architecture to rival that of Meridian.
No one pays me any attention as I walk amongst the farms, taking it all in. I'm just another Carja minding his own business.
I gaze up at the magnificent, arched bridge high above, that connects the mesas together. I see Carja guards patrolling along its length, their long spears glinting in the early morning sun. They look like tiny, dark specks from down here.
I wonder what my reception will be. I have not set foot here since I was sentenced to Sunstone Rock. How many people will remember my part in the war crimes that sent me to that place? Will they be hostile? The Sun knows I would deserve it. Will they even allow me to fight? If not, I would anyway. I doubt they would turn down an ally in the heat of battle. I know they will want someone of my talents. I have little worry about what people think of me in any case. I do what I want, and I want to fight.
I head towards the imposing elevator shafts. They are square towers of stone and wooden beams, with a complex system of pulleys that I cannot even begin to fathom. They extend up the height of the mesa to the city proper. They are flanked by spearmen in their black, leather armour and tall red plumed helmets. They do not even move, as I pass into the Meridian village. I had been expecting them to rush over and arrest me on sight, but I guess that enough time has passed for them to forget me. It is likely these guards have no idea who I am. Good. It will be easier that way.
The village was a warren of wooden buildings and Oseram merchants shouting about their "best goods". I wander through the earthen streets, watching the blacksmiths and the fisherman working poles and nets by the wide river. People serving in the taverns and repairing, and generally going about their business. It is far too crowded and noisy for my liking.
I do not even begin to know where to go to sign up for defense of the city and I am thinking about going back to the tavern for a drink, when the sound of fighting draws my attention. I run to the edge of the river to join a growing crowd, to see what the commotion is.
Across the river, at the foot of some small mesas, five guards are engaged with two sawtooths. One of the guards is swiped away by the large feline machine, like he was no more than a child's toy. He crumples in a heap and lays motionless as I watch. There is blood everywhere. The other four guards move in to attack with their spears. Another two are firing at them with arrows.
I watch as the deadly sawtooths pounce at the guards, swiping violently with their great paws. They give the guards little time to retaliate, but the Carja appear to be well trained. One spearman in particular stands out to me. He moves nimbly despite his heavy, restrictive armour, and wields his sickle bladed spear to great affect. He charges head long towards the nearest machine, as it is focused on one of his comrades. He slams his blade down onto its stout neck and sparks erupt from the rent in the metal he opened up. The beast turns its attention on him, pouncing at him again. He rolls out of the way just in time to avoid the hulk crashing down on him.
From the edge of the battle, the archers hit with their precise aim, in quick succession. Fire flashes off the metallic hulls.
I think it is time to prove my worth.
I leave the gathering crowd and hurry along the river bank to the wooden bridge a few metres up stream. I have The Voice of Our Teeth, already in my hand, and I can feel the excitement of battle growing inside. The shouts of the guards and roars of machines, the thwack of arrows, the scraping of blades on metal. It is a symphony of destruction. I want... no, need to be part of it!
I reach the fight in seconds, an arrow primed in my hand. I set it free and it sings to me as it flies. My arrow tears off a blaze canister, which hurtles through the air. Stunned, the beast crumples to the ground. The guard glances up at me, his face hidden behind his ostentatious, plumed helm. All I can see are his dark eyes, and they are locked on me in suspicion. He drives his spear into the sawtooth's gut, growling through gritted teeth, to deal the killing blow. He lifts his challenging gaze back to me, curling his lip contemptuously. He pulls his spear free of the twisted metal, then spins the shaft in his gloved hand, so that it stands vertical beside him.
Show off...
I glare after him as he stalks off to join his contingent in fighting the second sawtooth.
Well, if that's how it's going to be. I hook The Voice of OurTeeth over my back and retrieve my knife, before I sprint across the dusty ground, eating it up in seconds. While the sawtooth is preoccupied with the guards, I rush up behind it. Ignoring that the monster is twice as tall as I am, I grab one of the large plates on its flank and haul myself up onto its back. It immediately flies into a frenzy, trying its best to unseat me, but I am able to hold on.
I just manage to catch a glimpse of the guards, staring up at me in astonishment, as the beast rears up on its haunches. From what I can see of the Show off's face, he is wearing an expression of firm disapproval. He obviously does not like to be outdone.
You're welcome.
Is this how Aloy feels when taming machines? It briefly crosses my mind that even she has not ridden a sawtooth. Despite my predicament, I smile at that thought. Something to boast about later.
An arrow strikes near my leg just before someone calls, "hold your fire!" I am thankful for that. I do not particularly want to be impaled on a guard's arrow.
As the spearmen distract the sawtooth from the ground, I plunge my knife repeatedly, into a gap between the plates of the machine's shoulders. The force of the strikes, jolt up my arm, like a hammer on an anvil, but the long blade punctures the soft materials underneath. Sparks fly out and the sawtooth bucks in irritation. Shadows! What a rush?
I grit my teeth, as I turn my knife on the communications array just behind me. The slender antennas spark as my blade hits them, sending the machine mad. I have to plunge my knife into its hide again, to keep from being hurled off. It slashes wildly at the guards around it.
I continue to fight the damned monster from its back, for several minutes, while the Carja guards, seemingly over their initial shock of my antics, have begun attacking with spears again. They strike at its long legs that are as wide as tree trunks. It lunges at them. Its dangerous claws, narrowly miss a guard as he dives out of the way. His spear is thrown wide of him and he is exposed. The sawtooth turns its red, soulless eyes on him, as he picks himself up off the ground.
I leave my knife where it is stuck in the machine's neck and swing my legs over the destroyed antennas, so that I am facing backwards. I set my sight on the power cell on the sawtooth's hind quarters. It was just out of my reach. I needed my bow.
The saw tooth was looming over the guard. He dives for his spear and has to roll out from under the beast when it swipes at him again. His teammates rush to his aid.
When my bow is in my hand, I line up my shot, but right at that moment, the sawtooth leaps at one of the guards that has come to defend his colleague. I am almost thrown off, but somehow, I manage to stay on, gripping its heavy metal plates with white knuckles. I quickly find my balance again, and skewer the power cell with a precision arrow. The machine's back legs crumple beneath me in a shower of bright, blue sparks, stopping its attack mid-strike. Its head ploughs into the ground and it lies still at the guard's feet. The guard, still holding his spear to attack, peers up at me, as I stretch out upon the dead sawtooth.
The unarmed guard stares at me wide eyed. "Well, that's one way to do it," he says in amusement. His teammate lowers his spear, and prods the sawtooth with the end of the shaft. There is no response.
"So, it's dead then," he visibly relaxes, as his teammates join us.
I swing my legs around again to pull my knife free, then stand on the metal carcass. Turning to Show off, I lean forward in a curt bow. He is unmoved, a statue of stone, as hard as the walls of Meridian.
"Well, that is not something I have yet seen," says one of the other guards, as he stops in front of me.
I pull my attention away from the surly man who continues to glower at me.
I then realize I am still standing on the dead sawtooth. I jump down, so that I am standing face to face with the guard. Well, not quite. He is slightly shorter than I am, but heavy set and toned with hard muscle that I immediately understand he knows how to use. He has an air of authority and distinction. My instincts tell me he is in a place of command. I quickly study his armour. His insignia confirms my supposition, and it delights me. He is the command.
Oh, good. I stifle a smile. If I have to be noticed, then it may as well be the Commander of Meridian's guard.
"Enough fooling around. Who are you?" He asks, critically.
"You can call me Nil, but you would then have me at a disadvantage,"
The Commander narrows his dark eyes behind his helmet.
"I am Commander Khasan if you must know. What do you want? Or did you just come here to boast?"
"Well, perhaps I did. I seek to join you and your good men in defense of this fine city,"
"You did all of that, because you want to join the guard?"
"Not really. I just want to fight the threat coming from the West," I say cryptically.
Khasan frowns. "What are you talking about? What threat?"
I notice his men exchanging glances behind him. The show off is still scowling at me.
"I am a friend of Aloy, the Nora machine tamer. Have you heard of her? She brings great warning," "Yes, we know Aloy. She helped us with an investigation not too long ago, and helped the city on multiple occasions. She is well liked here, but what does she have to do with any of this? And what is this warning you speak of?"
"She told me that the Eclipse will attack Meridian in the near future,"
"The Eclipse? What is it that you know?"
"You are familiar with them?" I ask in mild surprise.
"Of course. We are well aware of these Carja in shadow, those loyal to Helis and the false King,"
I shake my head. "I have no interest in your politics. I have come here only to fight,"
"We have seen no signs of any threat," says another guard, skeptical.
"I see that the news has not yet reached you," I reply, glancing at the guard only briefly.
"Perhaps Aloy is now speaking to the King of this matter. She brought me warning of the army of machines the Eclipse is bringing here to take the Spire and-"
"The Spire? Why would they want that?" Khasan cuts me off.
"How do you know she is speaking the truth?" Says another guard at Khasan's shoulder.
"Because she has proof of it. She showed me...something," I decide not to try to explain exactly what it was she did show me. I am still not quite sure what it was myself.
"Forgive me if we do not just blindly believe something a madman says," Show off speaks for the first time since our meeting. His voice is seething with contempt and the tone is reflected in his eyes.
"Then just wait. Avad will call for arms soon enough," I meet his unwavering stare. "I believe Aloy has earned great favour with him. He will heed her warning, as should you all,"
After a few moments of uncertain silence, Khasan says, "And if you speak the truth, what would we gain if we accept your help? We do not need bravado,"
"I am a former soldier, Commander. I fought at the Daunt,"
"That is a bold claim. I don't remember seeing you there,"
"Well, then, if you were also there, you must remember how many of us there were. It is highly likely we did not cross paths," I recall.
"Aye. Then tell me of your involvement," his voice has softened slightly, but is still cautious.
"I was among the platoon that was to flank the Eastern ridge,"
He cocks his head to the side in curiosity. "Then, it is most fortuitous for you to be here. Indeed, that plan was ill-conceived from the start. We all knew the Oseram would never give up that ridge. They were far too entrenched. Jiran signed the death warrants of a lot of good men, the moment he proposed they go there," he pauses, reflectively. "And those cannons. We could hear them from the far side of the valley! What was all that death supposed to achieve again?"
My expression darkens. I call his bluff.
"You do not need to test me, Commander. I do not lie. You know as well as I, what we were doing there,"
"Humour me," he presses.
His men watch me closely. I sigh in frustration. I had put this part of me to rest. It belongs to a past I do not want.
"You remember the sound of those cannons, Commander, but I remember what they did. Nearly a hundred men, many of which I knew personally, were wiped from existence in mere minutes. The screams and smell of blood from the eviscerated bodies of your friends, is not something easily forgotten," I force myself to keep eye contact and to not give in to the sudden, inexplicable urge to stab him.
"We had no idea the Oseram had those cannons," I continue, restraining myself. "We walked straight into a massacre. Their emplacement had the advantage of the high ground, and the narrow cliff path meant we couldn't seek shelter from the barrage. They didn't even need to see where we were, to hit us. They just continued firing, only pausing to reload. And we took shelter in the blood, amongst the dead and dying, pleading with the Sun's Radiance, that we wouldn't be next,"
"We were sent to capture that ridge, Commander, because the right flank of the main forces in the valley, were heavily exposed. Again, due to poor decision making, we were ordered to proceed into the valley early, instead of waiting until the cover of darkness, as it was first proposed,"
"Instead, our platoon became a diversion. Yes, our forces got through the Oseram lines, but at the cost of the lives of the men sent to the firing squad on the ridge. Not much of a trade if you ask me,"
I turn away from the guards, peering at the tall mesas in the distance. They remind me so much of that Shadow damned place. I could almost swear I was standing there now. The anger I had felt at being used as cannon fodder, was as fresh now, as it had been then.
It had not dulled with time, it just smoulders beneath the surface.
I slowly turn back to face the tenacious Commander.
"Have I convinced you yet?" My eyes burn with hate. Not entirely for Khasan, but for Jiran and all that he caused as well.
I am met with an embarrassed silence.
"Indeed you have," Khasan replies awkwardly. "It matches other recounts I have heard. I am truly sorry for what happened. I only aimed to have proof of your claim. I meant no offense,"
"I no longer have the capacity to be offended, Commander. That is why I do not care for politics. The wrong men die for it, and I don't believe Jiran cared at all. Just more blood for The Sun,"
Khasan nods. "That is indeed why I was among the first to give my support to King Avad's coup," His men nod behind him.
At that moment, we are interrupted by two guards that run up to us, breathing heavily. They salute the Commander, as they stop.
"Commander Khasan, King Avad has just ordered a detachment up to the Spire. The Eclipse is on the way to the city as we speak, with a machine army and multiple deathbringers. He wants the city fortified immediately. He has already ordered the Oseram Vanguard to the Western Gate,"
"Sun help us," Khasan glances at me.
I am too preoccupied with my intruding thoughts to be smug. I return his glance without expression.
He thinks for a short time, then with a resigned sigh, he says, "evacuate the residents of the village up into the city, take them to the square and have a detachment guard them. All trips up the elevators are to be suspended immediately. They are to only be used for evacuations. Send reinforcements to the West Gate and to the Spire, to help set up defences. Then all available guards are to wait on stand by for orders of where they are needed," he turns his head to look me in the eye. "We have had fair warning. Let's not waste it,"
The guards nod and snap salutes, "Yes, sir,"
They rush off to carry out their orders.
Finally, Khasan turns to me. "It seems that I was wrong,"
"You were just doing your job. There's nothing wrong with being cautious,"
"And about the Daunt-"
"Commander, I do believe there are more urgent matters at hand," I cut him off. I do not want to dwell on that uncomfortable topic any longer.
"Right, of course," he gestures to the surly man behind him, "Bahran,"
"Yes, Commander?" the guard replies, stepping forward, pointedly ignoring me.
"This man will accompany your unit. Your first job is to help set up defences at the West Gate, then with any evacuations not yet complete, but do not go too far, you will likely be needed at the West Gate when the fighting starts,"
Oh, joy. He will be my commanding officer. I try not to let my scorn show on my face.
Bahran does not protest, but his lips are drawn into a thin line. It is clear he does not like this. Well, he is not the only one.
"What about him?" He gestures to the body of his fallen comrade.
Khasan sighs, then clamps a hand on Bahran's broad shoulder. "Do not worry, we will retrieve his body and he will get the burial he deserves,"
Bahran says nothing, but raises his hand to the side of his helmet in a stiff salute.
"Quickly introduce the new comer to the men, then be on your way," Khasan strides off and hurries to the elevator.
Bahran finally looks at me, or rather down on me. "I am ordered to take you with us, but I do not have to like it,"
He is a monster of a man, several inches taller than me and broad shouldered like a strider, apparently with the patience of a ravager.
"I will warn you once. This is not some parade ground. There will be no playing around. If this is as serious as they make it out to be, people's lives will be at stake, and I will not put my men in danger because of some joker,"
"With all due respect," I reply casually, feeling absolutely no respect for this man, "they are soldiers. Danger is what they do,"
His eyes flare dangerously, and I feel the corner of my lips turn upwards in amusement. I have had commanding officers like him before. I am not concerned.
I hold his gaze. He fidgets with one the metal plates woven into the leather at his side, with his free hand. The movement stands out like the horns on a broadhead, in my peripheral vision. He is nervous, threatened by my challenge, and I believe I have his measure. He is young and headstrong, untested in actual battle. Perhaps he has been promoted to a command by noble standing or title, and not through decisive actions. He is eager to prove himself to his charges, and sees me as a threat to his authority. For what? For my skills at fighting? For me being a seasoned soldier? I do not know the details, but it tells me that he does not have the respect of those he commands. And that is all I need to know.
"You don't need to worry about me not following orders, Bahran," I say confidently, flicking some flecks of metal off the blade of my knife, as if his admonishment means nothing to me.
"I am well aware of how the chain of command works. You know, having fought in battle and all of that," my blatant disregard for his authority elicits a quiet snicker from amongst his men, confirming my suspicions.
He is fuming. I can see his face reddening under his helmet, but to his credit, he is restrained.
"Good, see it stays that way," he says stiffly. I know he wants to berate me, but I am not one of his soldiers and it would do little good.
He turns to his men and makes a quick introduction of each. The two other spearmen are Bakir and Tarik, and the archers are Kadir and Osman. I nod at them all in turn. They are good men, strong and determined, but each of them wears concern on their faces. I understand. It is hard to know that their homes and families are in danger.
As one group, we hurry across the bridge and through the village, as people around us scramble for the elevators in panic. The evacuations are already underway, and we make haste for the West Gate. Meanwhile, somewhere to the West, the Eclipse draws closer.