AN: So ends the Crossroads Arc, the fine points of the battle will be in the next chapter, which may be a day or two away, I want to work on 'Scales of Trust' and 'Acting in Good Faith' next. Being sick, SUCKS. Anyway, you can support turning God Rising into an illustrated ebook (free) by donating to patr3on dot com slash godrising or you can support turning me into a full time author at patr-eon dot com slash tellingstories where I write original work. Original stuff and exclusive Overlord content is available for free on my Discord server, the invite code is on my FFN author page. Read on and enjoy.
...Outside of Crossroads...
"They're beautiful, aren't they?" Enri asked as she rode next to her best friend and her closest adviser.
"They are." Sun said as he stroked his long thin white beard.
"Impressive, I suppose." Lupusregina commented from Enri's left hand.
They were riding the length of the line, tens of thousands arrayed in battle formation, rank upon rank of spears stood ramrod straight, no wavering, no movement, no nervous gestures. Just tens of thousands like a forest of unmoving trees without even a breeze to disrupt them. Shining points would reflect the sun when it was high in the sky... if they were not blooded by then. Black armor marked those who identified themselves with General Baraja's order, and that was most of them. Humans stood beside elves, interspersed among them were a handful of vampires, but these two made up the bulk and the center of the army. On either side stood the thousands of goblins, Enri's summons, her elite and unstoppable goblin army. She waved to her soldiers, who whooped and cheered, and the spears moved to stab the sky in salute.
Centaurs stomped their feet from behind those, unable to climb ladders or towers, they had to wait until the gate was breached, wolves of the wolf riders howled to chill the blood of those who stood defiant on the walls, and as she came near, and as if to compete with the howls and cheers, a few dragons let loose with an unbridled roar that woke the entire city beyond the walls.
Enri came near to Pael'disardarc, and nudged her mount close to him. "You're looking well, magnificent even." She said politely.
He lowered his head to be at eye level with her. "I feel it. Time to pay them another visit, and I don't think their bolts will be a problem this time." He replied confidently, stretching his neck up so that the blue armor was clearly visible. It was truly magnificent work, a solid breastplate that covered his underbelly, and connected to overlapping scalemail that ran over much of his neck, it glowed faintly with a few runecrafted enchantments.
"What enchantments did they end up giving you?" She asked curiously.
"A luck boost, piercing resistance, and a speed enhancement." He replied in his rough, deep voice.
"Good choices." She replied as she reached out and touched the faint blue material, smooth as a rock polished by a river, she felt as if she were looking at something invulnerable. "Still, don't take any risks you don't have to, your family has done well by us, don't make me sad by having to tell your father of your passing."
"I will not." He replied with pride and confidence to her sincere and affectionate tone.
She spurred her horse onward, down the line, the grassy smell of the open field reached her nose and she breathed it deep, morning dew gleamed as the sun peaked over the horizon, it was a beautiful day. She rode past the halberdiers, mostly demihumans, orcs and other exceptionally strong races that had resettled after the debacle in the Holy Kingdom years before, they were perfectly suited to anchoring positions, and so held the far flanks.
Finally she reached the end of the line, as she did so and turned her horse around to head back to the center, she caught a glimpse of herself in a puddle that had formed from the previous night's rain. The reflection showed a woman she barely recognized. Atop her massive undead mount, pure white armor over her torso, hair hanging down her back wild and free, a sword at her side that experienced adventurers would envy her for owning. Her eyes hard, fixed, calculating. "How... how did I become this... when... when did I become this?" She whispered softly to the reflection as her memory flew back to the day she fled from her dying father with her little sister.
She looked away from the reflection as she rode past it back the way she'd come, her eyes turned to the heavens, "My lord, if you can see this, know that I thank you for your gifts, this is truly... beyond my ability to ever repay. Now please, give me strength to bear the terrible losses that will surely come from this."
She'd spoken her prayer in a low voice, but not so low that Lupusregina had not heard it.
The werewolf grinned broadly in approval. "Just do your job, everything will..." She paused in mid sentence.
"What is it?" Enri asked as they neared the center.
"Something's wrong... or... is something right?" Lupusregina asked as she sniffed the air further.
Her attention turned to the city, and she pointed in shock. "What the hell are they doing? Are they insane?" Lupusregina asked in disbelief.
The main gate was opening, slowly, but opening.
Enri whirled behind her, "Cavalry to the fore!" She shouted, "Prepare to charge!"
For a moment there was hesitant disbelief, but when she shouted it again, a very confused cavalry did exactly as she'd ordered and rode between the infantry ranks to mass at the front.
"It could be a trap." Sun said cautiously.
"I can't rule it out but... it seems so obvious that I don't believe it." Enri said firmly.
The gate continued to creep open. "Wait here." Lupusregina said and rode forward as fast as she could on her undead horse, as she drew closer, she heard the sound of terrible fighting and dying within the gatehouse. As the gate opened all the way, she saw something unbelievable. Gleaming metal parts flew out a window and landed beyond the wall.
She wheeled about and started shouting. "It's real! Go!" She shouted several times as she drew closer, cursing the limitations of human hearing until Enri responded.
"Cavalry! Advance! Seize the gate!" Enri called out, and this time there was no hesitation, wolf riders, centaurs, human and elven horsemen galloped past, letting loose thunder from the ground beneath their stamping advance.
...Within the Wall...The Night Before...
The little group crowded around a small table with a crude overhead drawing of the gatehouse and surrounding buildings. Rascal put little stones around to indicate where various positions were protected.
"Take what they have to defend, and they'll weaken themselves to take it back. Therein lies opportunity." Rascal said. "Remember, we do not have to 'hold' the gatehouse, we don't have a chance at that, all we need is ninety seconds, enough time to get the gate open and remove some key components. After that, well it is up to General Enri. Shanda, you handle the drum, Owl, you 'alert' them to the threat, that'll draw some of them away. Kirak, you plant the flags. Moira and I will take care of the rest."
Moira gave a grim laugh, "I half expected you to tell me to stay safe somewhere."
"Would you if I asked?" He arched an eyebrow and looked up from the shoddy improvised map.
"No." She replied. "It'd be nice to live, but..." She tapped the table with her hand, "I've got a job to do and a debt to repay, and tomorrow I'll do both."
Rascal snorted, "The Theocracy never knew just what they were poking when they started this mess. Well, they'll find out soon enough, if they haven't worked it out already. Alright, everybody knows what to do, sleep now, and we move out in six hours."
Affirming nods greeted him and they broke apart to go to their private quarters within their de facto hideout in Kirak's den. But Rascal and Moira did not walk away from the table just yet.
He was about to, then she took him by the hand, "Years and years ago," she began before he could ask the question, "I was married, I loved him, I thought he loved me. But while I could barely walk when heavy with his child... he ran away, took our only horse and fled the beastman invasion. He left me and our child to be devoured, with no more care for us than he showed for the furniture in that pathetic house."
"I'm... sorry." Rascal said, genuinely meaning it.
She smiled weakly, "You probably guessed that the Sorcerer King saved us both, it's why I'm here, that's my debt to him."
"Why are you telling me this, now of all times?" Rascal asked as he looked down into her eyes.
"Because..." She said, "I was thinking about all that we've done, since everything began, all the way up to now... and I wanted to say... well first, thank you. But also, I wish my husband had been a lot more like you. You're the kind of man I thought he was. Just something I thought you should hear once."
Rascal drew her into his embrace, "I hope you make it tomorrow." He said in an affectionate voice.
"Me too." She said with a sniffle, "Now come on, let's get to bed." She added, and stepped back, he fell into step beside her and opened the door to her chamber. It was two hours before they managed to get their rest.
When they woke up, it was in tandem, they threw on their disguises and left the room together, their friends were already ready outside in the main room.
"Thought we'd have to come get you." Shanda said with a chuckle.
"Nope, not this time. Maybe next time." Rascal said with a wink. They went outside and got into the wagon and rode down the streets until they came near to their destination.
Kirak got out first and unloaded several covered poles, which he lugged all the way up to the upper floor of a building near the wall. For the former scripture member, punching a hole through the flimsy wooden ceiling was relatively easy, and in short order he was on top. The moon was still bright in the sky, but nobody was looking 'inward' everybody knew Enri would attack the following day, the entire city was tense. This would play into that feeling.
As a precaution, he put the flagpoles upright atop each building first without uncovering them. Once he was finished, he gave a low whistle down below. Shanda got out of the wagon carrying a large drum and went into a nearby building and went up to the upper floor. She then gave a low whistle of her own.
Owl then parked the little wagon and took a deep breath, then he ran full tilt toward the gate, "Alarm! Alarm! Infiltrators! Infiltrators!" He shouted at the shocked guards. The gatehouse was well defended, and they snapped their eyes to him. As soon as Kirak heard the shouting, he rushed from building to building along the rooftops to each position, and yanked off the covers of the flagpoles bearing the emblem of the Sorcerous Kingdom. In the whipping wind above, they caught easily and stood proudly.
Owl rushed to the nearest man he could reach and pointed, "You've got to take those buildings, there are hundreds there! You can't let them get out!" He shouted, and Shanda grinned in her position, and beat the war drum. The 'Boom' might not reach far away as it was, but it was still thunder to the little segment of the wall they wanted.
Panemba was yawning when the civilian came up and grabbed him, shouting about the infiltration and inevitable attack, from where he stood he couldn't see the banners, but those higher up on the wall could, and both shock and fear took hold of the gatehouse.
"No!" he shouted in absolute disbelief, his people were still running around in a panic to take up defensive positions when the two officers came running up.
"Listen soldier!" The man shouted, he exuded authority and power as he spoke, "Do not panic! They were caught early, they're throwing their armor on now, just send ten men per building and they'll be trapped!"
His voice carried like light through the darkness, and soldiers of the Theocracy, trained to follow, to fight, and to die if they had to, rushed down the steps to seize back the captive buildings.
Panemba was about to do the same when the imposing officer and his aid stopped him, "No, take us to your commander, he needs to know what's going on!" Panemba almost froze, but the urgency in the senior officer's eyes told him it was vital, so he rushed in and led the way up the stairs to a thick, solid door.
"Sir, it's important!" Panemba said urgently, "An attack! You need to know what's going on!"
The door flew open and Panemba entered, followed by the two officers. "I heard! I heard! What's happening?" The commander asked. "Where are they coming from? How many are there?"
His voice was full of urgency, and from outside they could hear the shouts of anger and battle fury become cries of confusion as the buildings were obviously empty.
The confusion outside became confusion on the commanding officer's face when Rascal said, "Three, and through the door." And then his sword was out and buried in the commander's neck.
Moira drew out her sword and ran it into Panemba's stunned face with a banshee shriek, he fell, twitching, the room had only a handful of others within, and Rascal was on them before their swords were half drawn.
Moira didn't even try to fight, she went for the door and shut it tight, she threw the bolts over into place without even looking behind her to see how Rascal was doing, she didn't need to see in order to know.
[Agility Boost] [Lesser Strength] [Greater Agility Boost] He muttered, activating three martial arts and straining his body to its limits, the command staff controlling this office were not the finest soldiers, but they didn't need to be, most of the time. They just had to be the best administrative staff, and if they were good at that, well it did not help them now. Rascal's sword opened guts and throats and blood founted out like a hot spring. The soldiers outside began to realize there was a problem within when they heard the shouting and dying from inside.
Owl, for his part, took up a position at the stairs leading up to the gate. As stunned and horrified Theocracy soldiers looked at him, he pointed a confiscated spear in their direction and said simply, "Gotcha!" Beside him, the gate began to open as the sun peeked over the horizon.
Their rage turned on him in earnest and he backed his way into the stairs, they could only approach one at a time, and his spear, useless in that space for slashing, was good enough at thrusting. And thrust, he did. He managed to kill one before he got his first wound on his leg, and a second before he lost three fingers to a lucky slash. He shouted in pain, and redoubled his desperate delaying action. But as he came nearer to the top, he did not ask that they open the door.
Behind him he could hear the banging as Moira and Rascal frantically turned the mechanism to open the door all the way. It was slow going. 'Time... I need time!' He thought, then remembered his almost playful flinging of his body down the stairs during practice. 'Didn't expect to actually do that...' He thought, and then he flung himself back against the door, and pushed off with his legs so that he flung headlong into their bodies, it was a cascade of falling and clattering armor. He flailed desperately to buy a few more precious seconds, before the stab wounds ended his life.
Inside the gate, they finished turning just as they heard the clattering. Moira and Rascal did not take the time to even look at one another in relief at that success, there was no time, they frantically tore under their garments for the little tool sets they'd hidden, nothing much, enough to turn some bolts and extract a few parts, they worked frantically as the pounding at the door grew ever more powerful.
"Shit, they've got a hand ram!" Rascal snarled as he tore a part loose and flung it out the arrow slot.
"What the hell is a hand ram?!" Moira asked as if to distract herself from fear and focus on her task as she managed to spin a gear loose until it came off.
"Short log, metal cap, has two handles on top, used to bash down doors in confined areas." He said urgently as if to distract himself as she handed him the part and he flung it too out the front down in front of the wall.
"Clever." She replied as a nut came off and joined the other parts outside.
"I know, I invented it. Oh the irony." He said as the door began to crack. He got the wheel crank loose and flung it out the arrow slit, he heard shouting outside, a ray of light was poking through the slit, he looked out front where he saw the shouting and saw a woman with flaming red hair riding toward General Enri's army and shouting for her to go.
"We did it." He said as he shoved the crank through the slot when it got stuck.
"We did." Moira said as she extracted one more piece and handed it to him, holes were in the door. She had a smug, satisfied expression on her face. "It was a good run." She said, "And an honor to fight with a man like you."
As he tossed the last part and they took up swords again, they could hear the thundering charge of cavalry towards the open gate, the Theocracy was nothing if not efficient, they would have already gotten word somewhere that there was an unexpected breach, the reserves would come in force, that much Rascal was sure of. But he was also sure, as he saw weapons poke through the door and a hand reach for the bolts, that it didn't matter.
"It's been an honor to fight with you too, and thanks for the rescue, if I didn't say that before." He added. The cracking intensified, the bolts were flying open fast.
"You're welcome." She said with a tranquil face.
'Goan... I'm sorry... mommy's not coming home... I did my best but... this had to be done. Forgive me.' She thought wistfully, and as the door flew open the pair charged like demons possessed, swords rose and fell, spears thrust like mad, the power of a scripture was not to be understated, Rascal bowled nine ranks deep as they flooded the room before his momentum was finally expended, he used every avoidance martial art he knew to dodge their blows, but against so many, it only slowed the inevitable. He didn't feel the headwound when it happened, but the blood that blinded his vision was quite noticeable. He heard a woman scream and suddenly stop, as he swept the blood from his eye, he saw Moira twitching on the ground with a half a dozen spears through her belly and three more in her face, and her sword in one more unfortunate soldier's thigh, and then a spear embedded itself in his eye, all the way to the back of his brain, and he never saw anything else again.