Chapter 4: Evil Cloaked in Coat of White

Gaia's ears perked up. For the first time in days, the tunnels were not silent. A scratching down below. Movement of air that could be the breathing of many.

"Riven," she whispered. "They may be returning. And this time, it will be a surprise attack." She then chirped her report to the Captain's bond, Aether, using mostly ultrasonic pulses that only fliers could hear.

Days of silence, with the gnawer forces licking their wounds from their disastrous challenge, would soon end. The last battle cost the lives of many gnawer officers, and they'd yielded the field far longer than anyone had expected. But this likely allowed time for their forces to finish mustering…

Sure enough, echoes reached Gaia's ears down every tunnel. Running feet, panting breath, and finally howls of hatred and vengeance.

Hundreds of rats poured into view, streaming from multiple entrances, pounding toward the wall in a disorderly mob.

Soon, there were thousands.


Gregor sprang onto Ares, panting, and they took to the air. He'd been four miles into his morning run, leaving Kleave behind, when the alarm sounded. A surprise attack on the wall was underway.

As they shot over the city, Gregor saw that the days of quiet had been put to good use. Where before, the city streets teamed with citizens seeking entrance to the palace, there were now only a few hundred needing rescue. But most of the bats ferrying people to the High Hall now broke off, heading toward the fields, and the battle beyond.

Perdita's division was already fighting far ahead, and hundreds of other bats were on approach, piecemeal, startled awake by the horns and trumpets. The evacuation finished only last night, and the bats were weary.

"I hear Ajax behind us," Ares reported. "Chthonius and Andromeda are en route as well. All our available forces are converging."

Gregor's heart pounded, but he closed his eyes, calming himself. If this attack represented an all-in push by the enemy, the Bane might well take to the field.

He put from his mind the likelihood that this would cost his life, and maybe Ares too.

He instead imagined victory for Regalia, and the end of the Monster's plan.

Ares streaked over the wall. Chaos greeted Gregor's sight and echolocation. Thousands of gnawers flung themselves at the wall, scrambling and scratching and getting distressingly high. Some that neared the top were cut down with relative ease, but bats targeting rats farther down faced great peril. Surging gnawers leapt into the air, swiping their tails and grasping at wings. Gregor's muscles tensed at the sight of a rat slashing at Gaia's wing, but it wasn't enough to bring the big flier down. Riven hacked off an incoming tail strike, and Gaia disengaged.

Ares dived, his wings tucked close, and Gregor's rager state heightened. His sword severed two tails, and his dagger opened a throat, then Ares' wings shot out with violent force. A rat's neck broke, Ares shot upward, and they got away clean.

Solovet reached the wall, Euripides dropped off Ripred, and more soldiers entered the fray. Horatio, Marcus, and York led squadrons of bats in aggressive attack runs, but bats and soldiers died with each pass. The rats were in a full frenzy, heedless of danger, blood-crazed and reckless.

The way these rats fight… the Bane must be nearby. If we draw him out… I can end this.

Solovet had it taken care of.

With the worst act Gregor ever witnessed.

Cauldrons of oil poured over the wall down its full length. Hundreds of rats wailed in anguish… and then their cries were lost in the roar of flame.

Many torches dropped to the base of the wall, and fire sprang up in a vast sheet.

One moment, gnawers surged and leapt against the wall. The next, they fell back in terror, with flaming rats screaming and running through their midst. At least fifty victims thrashed and squealed in agony, and many other rats suffered burns to deliver mercy kills to their suffering allies.

"Ares! Dive!"

Gregor did the same as those gnawers, ending the suffering of one flaming rat after another. His nostrils flared with the sickly smell of burning flesh, his heart pounding with the knowledge that this flesh was still alive and could feel pain.

A scream, louder than any other, cut through the cacophony of shrieking victims and raging flame.

An immense shape of glistening white pounded onto the field.

So this was the day Gregor would die. His last act prior to the fated battle was to end the suffering of many rats, showing mercy to those that wanted him dead.

He could be proud of that.

Several teams set course to intercept the Bane, but Gregor wouldn't allow it. "Stay away!" he shouted, and Ares chirped what must be similar words to the fliers. "The Prophecy! You'd die for nothing!" The air nearest the Bane soon cleared of fliers, and Solovet's relayed orders legitimized Gregor's own, commanding all others to keep their distance.

"Warrior!" the Bane roared. "Warrior! You've killed Commanders! You've killed Generals! But today you face me ! You stole me from my people when I was young, hoping the traitor Ripred might corrupt me! But now I have claimed my birthright! The gnawers are mine! When you kill them, you rob me! Come, little warrior! Face your death!"

"Our life and death are one, we two," Ares whispered. "Stay brave."

Gregor briefly closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. He imagined himself as the knight of stone, beyond all pain and sorrow.

Then he let it out, opened his eyes, and whispered. "You too."

Ares dived.

Gregor swung his sword and dagger out to either side, bringing them to a sudden stop to fling away most of the blood. There were torches enough to see, but he still clicked his tongue, knowing that "seeing" behind him might make all the difference. His bat's vast wings were tucked in close, and they plunged toward the Bane with tremendous speed. Rats scattered from their King, giving the enormous Pearlpelt room to fight.

The titanic rat gathered himself and leapt into the air, drawing a great shout from his army.

Ares opened his wings in a burst that made Gregor's ears pop, and they changed direction so abruptly he might have grown dizzy if not for Ripred's training. His sword slashed out, severing two of the Bane's claws, and they were past him. Ares whirled about, trying to get behind their enemy. The Monster dug his claws into the stone as he landed, skidding his vast bulk in an arc, turning himself around far more quickly than Gregor or Ares expected. Gregor's vision and echolocation focused on several key details, such as the gathering tension in the Bane's back legs and a shift in his breathing. "Hard left," Gregor whispered.

Ares complied just as the Bane jumped a second time. The speed and power of the leap, combined with the rat's great reach, made such an attack extremely dangerous. But since the Bane couldn't change direction in midair, Ares quickly adjusted his course. They intercepted the rat from the side, where his guard was imperfect, and Gregor landed a heavy slash as they passed. Humans and bats cheered, and some rats wailed, but Gregor knew this victory was a small one. A normal rat would have been severely impaired by such a deep cut, and possibly at risk of a slow death. But Pearlpelt's muscle layers were freakishly thick. The wound surely hurt, and it made some movements more difficult, but nothing decisive.

The Bane landed in another controlled skid, preventing Ares from easily coming at him from behind. Gregor's vision darted about, noting changes in the Bane's expression, a more generalized tension to his muscles, and a more balanced overall stance. The monster had learned his lesson. He'd stick to the ground, for now, where he had more control.

Ares grew more aggressive, keeping within the Bane's reach, dancing with death in a jerking, semi-random flight path achieved by sharp wing movements, sudden rolls, and plummeting drops with wings folded close. The Bane's claws were much longer and thicker than those of any other rat, making it much easier for the monster to parry Gregor's sword. Someone must have coached the Bane on how best to face ragers, for he never risked trying to bite at his enemy. That would have made his face and neck far too vulnerable to counterattack, and Gregor's vision frequently focused there as priority targets. Instead, Pearlpelt took maximum advantage of his speed and reach by swiping viciously with his claws, and he tucked his head down to shield his neck. Gregor could stab through a normal rat skull, but against one so large he'd need a direct hit to the eye.

Twice, the Bane managed to snag the end of Ares' wing, beyond Gregor's reach. The first time, Ares closed his wings so abruptly the Bane lost his grip. But the second time, the monster was ready, and successfully held on. Mercifully, he got greedy, trying to draw Ares in toward his mouth, and Gregor landed a slash between the Bane's eyes, making him rear back and release his prey.

In that moment, when Gregor's rager senses focused on the deadly teeth and the many vulnerable targets on the Bane's head and neck, it happened. The Bane tried a new tactic, surprisingly clever, and likely taught to him by a rat veteran. All through the fight, the Bane had studiously avoided any use of his tail. He always kept it low to the ground, out of reach, never a threat. So even Gregor's rager senses failed to anticipate the danger until it was already on its way. It was his echolocation that sounded the warning. The Bane's shift in position and stance, forelegs low and back half springing up, struck Gregor's ears as all wrong, being totally unlike anything he'd tried before. Gregor thus had perhaps a quarter of a second to brace himself before the hit landed.

Gregor's blades were out of position, but he twisted to the side while tensing his lower back in preparation for the blow. Though still very light and slim, his already tough physique had hardened still further since the battle in the Firelands, and he took the hit better than any other child could have. He almost flew off Ares back, but he managed to hook a leg around the leading edge of Ares' wing. Without missing a beat, Ares climbed straight up, tucked his wings close, and repositioned. Gregor slid into place on Ares back, sheathing his weapons, and delicately probing his injured back.

He was winded, struggling to breathe, and he expected a glorious bruise, but he doubted anything was broken. With pain and difficulty, he could bend and twist with full range of motion. Had the tail strike connected more directly, or if he hadn't brutalized his own body through such vicious strength training recently, it might have been far worse. He was hurt… but he could keep fighting.

"Tail," he managed to whisper.

That one word was enough for his bond. Ares circled and dived, deliberately approaching the Bane on a course that mimicked the earlier pull toward the monster's mouth. The Bane tried the same tactic… and paid for it. Ready this time, Gregor pitched sideways, lying flat against Ares' back, evading the strike and severing the tail in a single, mighty blow. Blood spouted, narrowly missing Gregor as Ares shot to the left.

As they disengaged, Gregor managed to fill his lungs, and immense relief washed through him. Ares dived again, and Gregor quickly saw why. The Bane seemed bewildered at the loss of his tail, pawing at it and nudging it with his nose, confused and distracted. Ares hoped this was their chance to finish it.

But everyone saw this, and the nature of the battle changed.

As Ares descended toward the Bane, the rat army rose in defense of their King.

Gnawers crowded in, with many leaping and slashing, and Ares had to break off. Soldiers on bats intercepted, attacking the jumping gnawers, and soon full battle was again joined. Solovet's orders came fast, and the army avoided getting too close to the Bane, but for the moment, the duel was off. Pearlpelt seemed like an enormous pup, whimpering and squeaking, and almost crying, trying to get a response from his tail.

Gregor had taken away Pearlpelt's comfort, the one thing that helped him to cope when life overwhelmed him.

For just a moment, Gregor thought back to the innocent little orphan, lost and confused next to the still-warm body of his mother.

Then the memory shattered.

The Bane rose, and roared. The towering beast saw Gregor, and began leaping again. Compared to before, the monster's movements were now totally unpredictable. Little if any effort went to defense, and his attacks came at random angles. Ares quickly lost confidence, unwilling to come too close, and Gregor understood. They were both willing to die if it meant ending the Bane, but right now, nothing felt certain.

Then a shimmering silver shape slunk in from a side chamber. A force of large gnawers surrounded her, shielding her from attack, and she wove through the battlefield until she drew close to the raging, screaming Bane. She began squeaking in the gnawer language, loud at first, but more gentle and soothing as his berserker rage gradually subsided. Gregor and Ares made many attempts to get close, killing leaping gnawers each time, but they couldn't get through.

At last, the Bane nodded. "Take the wall!" he bellowed, his booming voice easily carrying over the sound of battle. "If they burn my gnawers and sever my tail, we will take their city and slaughter their people!"

Then he charged toward the wall.

The army surged about him, continuing to interfere with Gregor's efforts to finish the job. The blood pouring from the Bane's tail had the potential to be deadly, but as long as Gregor breathed he wouldn't trust that to do the job. With the rats seething all about his target, Gregor briefly considered changing tactics and eliminating Twirltongue… but she'd already fled the battlefield. She'd pointed her monster in a new direction, and she wouldn't continue to risk herself.

Gregor's back ached, but he'd gotten used to constant full-body soreness from his punishing workouts, so he pushed the distraction from his mind. "Get closer to the wall. When the Bane starts climbing, he'll be vulnerable. If we strike then, even if other rats can leap at us, we should be able to… fulfill the Prophecy."

"Understood."

Except the Bane didn't climb at all.

Springing off two charred rat corpses, the Bane cleared the walltop in a single bound. Gregor and Ares were briefly speechless, and the soldiers on the walltop scattered in terror. Ajax took to the air, and soldiers not on their bats threw themselves from the wall to be caught by their bonds. No human, not even Gregor, would stand a chance on the ground against something so large.

Not even Ripred could do so for long.

For a few hair-raising moments, the rager stood against the Bane, twisting and rolling and deflecting attacks. But the size difference was too oppressive. The Bane could strike from more than twice as far away as Ripred, the power behind his every swing had the potential to fling the smaller rat through the air, and the walltop was too narrow for Ripred to properly maneuver.

Cursing, Ripred disengaged, leaping toward the fields to land on the back of Euripides.

"Avoid the Bane!" Solovet shouted. "Focus on his soldiers!"

For several fierce, bloody minutes, the Regalian army tried to hold the wall indirectly, by strafing the rats climbing to join their King. But with the Bane making it impossible for anyone to hold the walltop itself, and gnawer morale at an all-time high by how easily their champion seized the high ground, it was only a matter of time. Many rats, bats, and humans died in the desperate assault, but soon there were too many rats on the walltop to continue. Anyone trying to strike the climbing rats was far too likely to be pounced on from above

"To the city!" Solovet and the Bane both commanded at the same time.

Fliers soared over the fields, intending to complete the evacuation to the palace.

Rats flooded in after them, eager to massacre anyone the bats couldn't rescue in time.


Young Renneth's heart pounded, as the cries of alarm and shouts of warning drew nearer. He, his older brother Kenneth, and his father Kendale had agreed to wait their turn, letting the vast majority of their neighbors reach the shelter of the Palace first.

It now looked like this might cost their lives.

But that risk was why they had made their choice.

For days the crowds had been vast, loaded down with possessions and supplies, but now only a few hundred remained awaiting rescue.

With the bulk of Regalia's military en route, there were enough bats for everyone. But with the rats close behind them…

"To the rooftops!" Kendale shouted. "Anyone who cannot swiftly climb stairs, scatter down side streets! We'll give the fliers the best chance of reaching us before the rats, and minimize the danger they face!"

Kenneth had already taken Renneth's hand and together they raced toward a tall tower that few others had chosen. It was so high, climbing to the top would be daunting. But the brothers were young and swift. Father ran right behind them. Larger families had been evacuated earlier, and no one Renneth saw was younger than his own twelve years. If there had been elderly or babes in arms, the situation might have been dire. Taunting rat voices drew closer, but so did beating bat wings, by the time they reached the tower and dashed inside. Kenneth pushed Renneth on ahead, and the boy pounded up the spiral staircase. The idea of his father and brother being overtaken by rats burned like a fire within him, and he pushed through the building pain in his legs. He took the stairs two at a time, speeding up even more when rat voices began echoing up the staircase.

Heart pounding, lungs burning, legs in agony, the boy burst out onto the roof of the tower. Bats were zipping down every street, snatching fleeing people into the air. Other citizens had reached rooftops, just like him, where fliers could more safely extract them. Some bats, such as Ares, Aether, and Chthonius, led a few elite squads in harassing the rats, striking at them to slow the mob down and distract them from their prey. Orpheus and Pollux paid with their lives, pulled from the air along with their bonds. But such heroic efforts made all the difference. Bats swarmed up toward the High Hall, bearing hundreds of rescued citizens.

Renneth whirled at the sound of snarling. A rat had reached the top of the spiral staircase. Kenneth and Kendale stood shoulder to shoulder between the monster and Renneth, despite neither carrying a weapon. They both shielded their faces and necks, but claws slashed across their arms and chests. Blood sprayed, and Renneth knew he was seconds away from seeing his father and brother die for him.

Wings beat, claws wrapped around Renneth's upper arms, and he was yanked into the air. He tried to turn back toward the tower roof, needing to see his family safe as well, but the bat was climbing too steeply and he didn't have a clear view.

"They are safe!" Gaia shouted. "Rhea and Crius have them!"

Immense relief washed through Renneth, and for a moment he just dangled there in the flier's grip. The wall had fallen, the city was taken, but the quick response of the Regalian army had saved the people. Looking up, he saw that Gaia had a torn wing, but it hadn't stopped the big flier from coming to his rescue.

Renneth hit the ground running in the High Hall, and a moment later his family arrived. Deep gashes ran across his brother's chest, and Father's left arm gushed blood from a bite that went all the way through his elbow. But they were both alive.

Doctors and nurses arrived in great numbers, but the majority of the evacuees were unhurt. Two doctors and three nurses soon gave Kendale and Kenneth their full attention.

Ares landed in the High Hall, and the warrior sat strait and tall. "I'm sorry, to all of you, for failing to kill the Bane. Rats are raiding the city right now… because of me… But I will get another chance. You're all safe in the Palace, and I won't rest."

Renneth looked up at the boy, his own age but seeming so much more, tall, black-armored, and bearing beautiful blades drenched in gnawer blood. He had fought for Regalia again and again, saved so many lives, and he planned to keep fighting until it killed him. Renneth wanted to thank him, not blame him for not yet winning a whole war on his own.

Sweeping his eyes over the crowd, Gregor's eyes briefly met Renneth's.

Then Solovet arrived. Ajax landed alongside Ares, and Solovet's sword was bloody. "Your warrior has sworn to keep training, and fighting, for as long as he breathes. The Bane will die. The war will end. Your defenders will not rest until you are all safe… and peace is won."