In the pit, Marjan was still waiting, among the ratboys, on the alert, ready to react to the slightest alarm. In the distance, angry cries and gunshots still rang out. But the two glowing-eyed guards remained still. They were motionless like statues, it was almost frightening.
It was then that a slight rumble was heard. The roar grew rapidly louder, then suddenly, two shocks sounded simultaneously.
- What was that? one of the little prisoners asked.
- I don't know, Marjan replied. Keep your eyes open.
Another Skaven child pointed at the opening.
- Hey, look! The guards have disappeared! I can't see them anymore!
It was true. From the bottom of the pit where they were, the prisoners could no longer distinguish the silhouettes of the two guards, nor the glare of their green eyes.
- Calm down, children. Above all, don't mo...
Everyone jumped because of the sound of heavy scraping, as if someone was dragging something very heavy on the ground. A loud clatter sounded, and little by little, the gate was lifted, just enough to let a person pass, then it stopped.
- Someone just opened the way for us, noted Marjan.
- Who? Who?
One of the little Skaven shouted:
- Yoo-hoo? Who's here?
Balin hurriedly covered his mouth with his own hand.
- Shut up! We don't know what's up there!
He released his grip, and turned to the Human woman.
- Maybe it's a trap?
Marjan shook her head.
- I don't think so. It's not their style at all.
- So let's get away! Now!
- Yes, yes! Let's flee! exclaimed all the ratchildren.
- No!
Marjan had spoken louder and raised her hand. A heavy silence fell in the pit.
- If we all get out of here at the same time, we have no chance of escaping the Feral Skaven.
- Huh?
- Please, understand: you are young, you are weak, some of you cannot even stand up. We will never be able to escape them until they are repelled by our friends! But for that, they must enter this lair. They need to be helped by someone, and that's what I'm going to do. You all stay here, and I'll see what I can do.
Contrary to her expectations, this answer didn't reassure anyone. Balin stammered:
- You… you're abandoning us?
At this terrible hypothesis, fear crept into minds as quickly as a fire in a meadow of dry grass. Some were already beginning to cry.
- Listen, I know it's not easy, but you have to trust me. I should be able to find a way to help our troops in. Once it's done, I'll come back to save you. In the meantime, I'll get out of this pit, and I'll close the gate behind me, so the Feral Skaven won't be suspicious.
- They'll see the guards are no longer watching us! moaned a small Skaven.
- They maybe will, but if they look through the gate, as you'll still be there, they will leave you alone.
- What if they realize you're no longer with us?
The tall blond woman sighed in annoyance.
- Right, it's a small risk to take. But if I do nothing, if I stay with you, there will be a big risk our soldiers not to be able to enter, and us to stay here forever! So I'm choosing to put my life on the line to get you out of here. Trust me, be quiet, and everything will be fine.
Again there was a short silence. The ratboys seemed to accept this reality. Balin asked again:
- You'll come back for us, you promise?
Marjan knelt down to be level with the little ratboy.
- Yes, I swear, sonny. I swear, in Ulric's name, as soon as I clear the way for our troops, I will return for you. The cold fire reveals everything.
- What does it mean?
The tall blonde woman had a little smile.
- That's what people who use to pray Ulric say when they swear without lying. Wish me luck, I won't be long.
Some small Skaven replied "good luck". Satisfied, Marjan jumped against the wall, clung to the protruding stones, and within moments climbed to the opening. She rolled under the grate, and found herself in the open air. She leaned forward and said again:
- Don't be afraid, I lower the grid to avoid attracting attention. When it moves again, it will be to get you out!
The little rats saw the gate fall back with a loud noise. Then they heard her footsteps move away. They looked at each other.
- We are alone, noticed one of them.
- Stay strong, declared Balin firmly. As Lady Marjan just said.
- Stupid men-things… Karhi muttered.
From the rampart of the old Dwarven outpost, the Grey Seer watched the enemy troops. They hadn't moved. The White Skaven made an evil grin when he thought he understood why. He shouted with all his might:
- Too sissy to face the Sons of the Horned Rat! Cowards-poltroons! And you, traitors to our kind, the Horned Rat will eat you one by one, swallow you, digest you, and shit you!
The invaders had heard his dire threats, of course, but the Grey Seer's only response was laughter and insults. He quivered with rage.
- Jezzails! Nail these beaks-beaks!
- But… they are too far, oh marvellous-sublime…
- Obey, or feel my wrath! Karhi cut in, his eyes bloodshot.
Distraught, the few Clan Skryre riflemen took aim, and warpstone bullets shot through the tunnel. As they had feared, the Feral Skaven saw the green streaks dissipate before reaching any enemy. Their jezzails were actually poor quality.
- All of you are really miser…
Suddenly, the White Skaven's fur bristled.
Well-what?
The Grey Seer had just experienced a weird sensation. He took shelter behind the battlement, and thought. What had he just felt? A funny little twinge in his spinal cord, an electric tingling...
Someone used magic-magic in my burrow!
Indeed, that was it! The warp magic that constantly roamed the city of Ysibos had just vibrated, like water from a large puddle in which a small pebble had fallen. But despite his concentration, he couldn't understand, much less identify the nature of this magic.
He didn't have time to think about it further. One of the Skaven near him pointed his finger at the men-things troops and squealed:
- Grey Seer, Grey Seer! What is that?
At the bottom of the tunnel, the men-things were parting to let wooden assemblies mounted on wheels pass. Karhi slapped the Clanrat's neck.
- Never seen-seen a catapult, fool? But they are stupid-stupid! That dwarf-thing door is too solid.
Himmelstoss was watching the Feral Skaven with his spyglass.
- The White one seems all bark, Captain!
- We'll give him a good reason for that. The rest of you, where are you now?
The Dwarves were finishing pushing the catapults they had assembled behind the regiment. There were half a dozen. They applied the brakes.
- In any time you want, Captain Steiner!
- So, load!
The strongest Dwarves took the explosive kegs out of the crates, and placed them in the spoons. With all six catapults ready, Sigmund pointed his sword at the portal.
- Fire!
The workers of Master Barisson coordinated the gestures: one lit the wick of the barrel, the other released the lever which held the arm of the siege engine, and the projectile left to crash on the wall. Without waiting, the two operators turned the steering wheels together to rearm the catapult, while the beefy ones brought back ammunition.
A first salvo of kegs caused a frightening din. The powder flames illuminated the vault, the breath raised whirlwinds of smoke, and the sound of explosions thundered through the whole cavern, covering the furious and frightened squeals of the Feral Skaven. Even though he couldn't see him, Himmelstoss smiled as he thought of the Grey Seer, he imagined him foaming in frustration.
But the smoke cleared, and bitter reality dawned on Vereinbarung's army. Ickert spat with anger.
- The door stood firm!
- It's Dwarven craftsmanship, it's built to last!
Sigmund worried. He turned to the Dwarves.
- You guys, how much ammunition do we have?
- Perhaps enough to launch three or four more salvos, not more, Captain, answered Skadia Gandolfsdöttir.
- Damn it! That's all?
- We couldn't put more in the airshift, powder kegs are heavy! one of the Dwarves protested.
Sigmund did not want to provoke a conflict with the workers. He raised his hand.
- Well, right, I understand. Prepare a new salvo anyway!
Karhi came out of his shelter. His heart was literally torn by two contradictory, but equally strong instincts: fear and fury. On the one hand, the explosives sent by the men-things and the dwarf-things had quite shaken all his Clanrats, he himself had managed to hide in extremis behind a Stormvermin. Several Skaven had been injured by the splinters of the kegs which had exploded in the air, some had even perished. On the other hand, the thick door had held firm, the men-things were no more advanced, and above all, such stubbornness on their part was an affront, an insult to the Horned Rat, and deep down inside, Karhi knew it.
The Horned Rat wants-claims the blood of those cockroaches!
He decided to stop watching the men-things bombard his burrow and fight back. He reached into his satchel, and pulled out a small, walnut-sized ball of warpstone. He gulped it down, and instantly, crystallized Warp energy raged through his stomach. His face contorted in anger, he fixed his gaze on the opposing ranks.
Karhi waved his hands as he mumbled syllables in Queekish, then stretched his fingers above his head, toward the back of the tunnel.
The Dwarves were finishing loading the catapults, when suddenly an abominably pestilential smell sickened all nostrils. A greenish cloud crossed by purple swirls fell on the regiment. The effect was immediate. The first exposed ones were seized with a fit of violent coughing. Some were seized with spasms, rolled in the dust, and coughed, coughed up to spit their own lungs.
The Skaven, whose organism was naturally reinforced against this kind of inconvenience, were not bothered at this point. Sigmund instinctively put a piece of cloth over his face. But the cloud stung his eyes badly. He crouched down and had to wipe his eyelids. He shouted:
- Catapults, fire!
- But… we can't see anything, Captain!
- Catapults are still facing the enemy, right? So, fire!
On the rampart of the ancient Dwarven fortress, Karhi sneered.
- Men-things and traitors to the Horned Rat will understand the Horned Rat is not kidding-joking!
In response to his taunt, six explosive kegs punctured the cloud of magic rot and exploded on the ramparts. The flames scorched the hairs of the White Skaven.
- You insolent vermin!
Panic spread to the Clanrats that were still waiting behind the large doors. Blokfiste bellowed to tell them to calm down.
And in the shadows, Marjan Gottlieb watched the scene, and waited for an opportunity.
She quickly spotted the opening lever, and the trembling slaves, cowering in the cavity.
There was no more hesitation to have.
She ran as fast and quietly as she could to one of the ladders. On the way, she picked up a sword that was lying on the ground. In a few moments, she was upstairs. She rushed towards the slaves, and showed them the wheel with a vigorous finger.
- Hey, you three! Get up and open that door! she ordered in Queekish.
Surprised and frightened, the three Skaven didn't dare to move. The young Human growled in annoyance, and swung her foot into the side of the nearest one. The unfortunate thing squealed in pain.
- Come on! Hurry-now!
The slaves got up, and obeyed, motivated by fear of blows. The heavy chains rattled, the door panels shook. Karhi noticed it immediately.
- What the Hellpit are you doing-doing?
The fat White Skaven glared angrily at the slaves, and his eyes widened at the sight of the tall blonde woman. With a gesture, he grabbed the warplock pistol hanging from his belt, aimed it at the woman, and pulled the trigger. Marjan leapt to the side, and dodged the bullet, which ricocheted off the stone, with a greenish spark. Karhi clenched his hand in her direction.
- Put that she-thing down!
Three Clanrats ran towards Marjan, weapons drawn. For her part, the Human twirled her weapon. Of course, this spare blade was not at all of the same quality as her personal sword, but that didn't bother the warrior too much. In a few seconds, she slit the throat of the first Feral Skaven, then smashed the head of the second one, and as she could not pull out the rusty sword, which had sunk too deeply into the ratman's skull, she tipped over the third one from the top of the rampart with a well-placed shoulder blow.
Once rid of the Clanrats, she grabbed the axe of one of them, and turned to the slaves who looked at her, petrified with horror.
- I didn't say stop! Open that door, now-now! she ordered again.
The three sickly Skaven returned to the task with twice much zeal.
The tall warrior in red armour had seen it all. He brandished his mace, and growled:
- Karhi, you're definitively surrounded by good-for-nothings! I'll take care of her! Stay down, lads, I'll be right back!
And Lennart Fireblood climbed one of the stairs four by four. Marjan was waiting for him with a firm footing. The Chaos Warrior stopped a few feet from the woman to catch his breath.
The two fighters remained face to face without moving or speaking. The tumult around them didn't seem to have the slightest affect on their senses. Then the figure in red armour raised its mace with two hands above its head, and brought it down with a furious roar towards the young woman. She rolled on her side, and dodged the studded iron head. The stones of the rampart burst. Lennart swept from left to right, and once again the Human dodged the blow, more gracefully. The massive weapon hissed through the air a third time, and a third time Marjan was untouched. On the other hand, she took advantage of this opening to swing a big kick in the side of the Chaos Warrior. Lennart backed up with a grunt.
Karhi had lost none of the scene.
- She's trying to buy-save time, you idiot! Kill her quickly, and arrest those slaves!
The red-armoured fighter growled, and swung his fist into Marjan's face. The shock made her roll on the rampart. Lennart chuckled, and raised his mace again. The blonde woman dove forward, slipped between the Chaos Warrior's legs, got up and knocked him down with an axe handle blow on his back. Lennart sprawled full length.
Marjan put her foot on Lennart's back, raised her axe, when her adversary suddenly snapped to his feet, with irresistible force. She rocked back. Barely on his feet, Lennart picked up his weapon, and brought it down with all his might towards the Human. Marjan instinctively rolled over her shoulder, backwards, and narrowly avoided the iron head. She got to her feet in the process, and her axe slammed the arm of the armoured warrior.
Meanwhile, the slaves were continuing to wrap the chain.
Karhi was astounded. He didn't know who he should be most angry with: the Clanrats for their incompetence? The slaves for daring to obey such an inferior creature as a she-thing? That big, clumsy Lennart who wasn't obviously able to correct her as she deserved? He was somehow reloading his weapon while thinking about who the next bullet would be for?
The men-things were about to come in, that was a fact.
The panic caused by his minions' inability to do anything had distracted him, and the pestilential cloud was quickly dissipating. The doors were now too open, they wouldn't have time to close them before the invaders charge. Even the big weird-thing in its red armour was not in control, its fight against the yellow-haired she-thing was dragging on. And to add a layer of misfortune, a third volley of explosive kegs shook the whole cavern.
The White Skaven's instinct dictated him the best thing to do. He quickly climbed down the rampart by the nearest ladder, and once down he waved at the army at the end of the tunnel.
- Clanrats! Fight-fight men-things! For the Glory of the Horned Rat!
He didn't give them time to think more, and ran deeper into the bowels of Ysibos. As he passed, he grabbed Blokfiste by his arm.
- Come with me! Defend your Grey Seer!
Blokfiste was not eager to fight the men-things as the advantage was no longer so clearly on his side. He followed the fat White Skaven without protesting.
- Soldiers of Vereinbarung, let's go! Charge! Sigmund ordered.
The Black Skaven and the horsemen took the lead, followed by the infantry who charged with battle cries.
It only took a few tens of seconds for the steeds to reach the portal. The Feral Skaven equipped with warplock jezzails, too impressed by the turn of events, fired randomly without hitting anyone. Just beyond the threshold of the great door stood the compact mass of the Clanrats, who were no more reassured, but seemed to prefer to fight for the Glory of the Horned Rat rather than flee and thwart their God.
- Slow down! Sigmund cried, tugging on Okapia's reins.
Finally, the first line of cavalry slammed into the Clanrats regiment with a loud crash of metal and flesh. Captain Steiner's manoeuvre had lessened the violence of the shock, and thus the weapons of the Feral Skaven bruised the horses less harshly.
And that marked the start of a violent onslaught.
The horsemen struck with all their might, slashing the mass of Clanrats. Their steeds were not left out, and hooves blows hammered the Feral Skaven.
Marjan and Lennart continued to fight, when suddenly the Chaos Warrior stepped back, turned his head downward, and stamped his foot
- What a bunch of stupid dumbasses! All of them! Too bad for them, Khorne is thirsty!
And he broke off the fight, tumbled more than he came down one of the ladders, and ran towards his band of marauders, themselves waiting for an order. Order that did not take long.
- Come on, my warriors! Strike anything that does not bear the mark of Khorne! Blood for the Blood God!
- Skulls for the throne of Khorne! the Chaos marauders replied in unison.
The Chaotese threw themselves into the fray, and struck in turn on the Feral Skaven. They attacked the regiment from the left flank.
Still riding Okapia, Sigmund spotted the marauders.
- Let's go through! Let them massacre the Feral Skaven, we must pass! Transmit the instructions to the infantrymen!
Sigmund's blows redoubled in violence as he forced his way through the ranks of Feral Skaven.
Other Feral Skaven tumbled from the bottom of the cave, eager to spill man-thing blood. Lennart Fireblood saw this. He raised his mace in their direction.
- Come on, let's kill those! Blood for the Blood God!
His men obeyed him. They stopped attacking the Feral Skaven already occupied with the army of Vereinbarung to attack the newcomers.
From the top of the rampart, Marjan could watch the battle. Her heart pounded when she recognized Sigmund's tall, muscular silhouette. She raised her fist, and uttered a little cry of joy. Then she recovered quickly. It was time to go save the children!
An abominable neigh tore her eardrums. She spotted a Black Skaven surrounded by half a dozen Clanrats who was fighting desperately, while his horse was lacerated with wounds. One of the Feral Skaven ripped the animal's belly up and down. Its guts spilled out into the dust, and the mount fell on spot.
Marjan grabbed one of the ladders, and climbed down as quickly as she could to the soldier. She threw herself on the nearest Feral Skaven with a terrible cry, and shattered its skull with a blow from her axe. Its sidekick did not have time to understand what was happening, it found himself with its ribs burst.
Encouraged by this unexpected reinforcement, Pankraz Ickert felt his energy double. He chained tricks and reels. Within seconds, the hopeless situation was reversed, and both fighters were able to take their breath back. Marjan wiped her brow.
- Well done, Soldier!
- Without you, they would have killed me! Thank you, Lady... Lady what?
- Gottlieb. Marjan Gottlieb. The pleasure was all mine, my dear! And you are…?
Ickert snapped to attention.
- Private Pankraz Ickert, member of the Black Guard, at your service!
- Well, I guess I'm going to need you soon, Soldier!
She looked for a new target, but saw no one. She then heard again excited cries coming from outside. This was the second wave led by Commander Renata. The tall Tilean woman, in the lead on her warhorse, was followed by half a dozen horsemen, and another full regiment of soldiers ready to fight with all their might. At the sight of Marjan and Ickert, the commander gave the order to stop.
- Lady Gottlieb! You're alive!
- More or less, indeed, Commander. The same cannot be said of all these, replied Marjan, waving her arm wide at the disaster.
All around them was nothing but blood and corpses. Vereinbarung's fighters, better equipped and trained, suffered fewer casualties than the Sons of the Horned Rat. They were no less serious. Some were on the ground, dead. Others, however, were still living and struggling to recover.
The commander pointed to the exit behind her.
- Lady Marjan, according to what Barnrooster told us, you were their prisoner. So leave this place and go see Prior Romulus, he will heal you.
- I can still fight, replied the tall blonde woman. And that's what I'm going to do! I shall free the children!
- Do you know where they are locked up?
- I do, Commander, I know the way. I just need a few guys to back me up.
- No problem, my Lady.
Renata called a dozen infantry out of the ranks. She then asked:
- Have you seen their chief, my Lady?
- Yes, but that wretched coward ran away when I opened the door.
- What about the Chaos servants? Are they still there?
- Affirmative, Commander. They went looking for someone to kill deeper in this hellhole. They started kicking the feral rats, you should let them tear each other down.
- That's for me to judge, my Lady. May Myrmidia help you in your enterprise!
And the commander set off again at a gallop, followed by her horsemen and the infantry. A half-minute later, a great silence fell over the battlefield. Marjan and Ickert were now in the company of a dozen so healthy soldiers.
- Soldiers, you follow me, we'll find the children of our fellow citizens and evacuate them.
None made the slightest protest, the known nobility of Marjan Gottlieb was enough to ensure his authority over them.
- Well, now, foll…
- Madam?
A female halberdier gestured to the blonde woman's left. The latter heard at the same time a light sound of running footsteps punctuated by exhausted gasps. She spun around at the noise, and her eyes widened in surprise when she saw the Steiners' youngest son coming towards her. He was running breathlessly.
- Gab?
Gabriel stopped right in front of her, and stood catching his breath, his tongue hanging out.
- What are you doing here?
- No time… to explain… Lady Marjan! Tell me... tell me...
The woman was surprised to see the little light grey Skaven able to line up more than three words for her attention. Alas, he realized that he was in front of a dozen soldiers, each more impressive than the other for the little ratboy he was. He gasped, coughed, and shook his head. Marjan wanted to reassure him to help him. She put her hand on his shoulder.
- Calm down, son. Don't push yourself.
- Where… is… Emil? Gabriel gasped.
- Who's that?
- A White Skaven toddler! Where is he?
- I don't know. I was locked up with the kids, but this one wasn't with me.
- The… the Grey Seer… must keep him… in his private quarters!
- Maybe he does.
- Do you know… where it is?
- I don't, son. He probably moved to an isolated and safe place, such as a warehouse or a wine cellar.
- I shall… go get him. You come with me?
She shook her head.
- I have all the children to save, Gabriel. Besides, you should turn around and go back to camp!
- No! I want to save Emil!
- If I let you go alone, your mother will kill me! Be reasonable!
- I want to… oh, forget it!
Gabriel sped off again without warning. Marjan had no time to hold him back. Furious, she sighed.
What a pighead! Just like his siblings!
- So, what do we do now, my lady? one of the soldiers asked.
She glared at the one who just spoke.
- We shut up and we follow me!
And the small regiment entered in turn the tunnel that led to the heart of the Feral Skaven colony.