"Weathers turning sour" lamented Caelum looking up at the distant dark clouds to the west. A foreboding sign even if the Grimm were expected to come from the east.
He turned back around to see the town's completed defenses. Circumfrencing Vicus, the walls had been reinforced, a parapet dug, and spikes placed in front. The townsmen and women had labored for two weeks and done amazing work with their limited resources and optimistic attitudes.
They had even finished early, in fact. Thus, the boys who had been staying inside the town for over ten days to supervise were now watching the horizon from the wall outposts. The villagers hadn't seen nor heard any sign of Grimm and so went back to their daily lives, aside from the Militia, which had heightened patrols in town and was on quick response duty.
It was nearing forty hours since the project's completion and just as long since they sent a message to any caravans that were due to arrive to stay away temporarily for safety concerns. The mouths of grumbling complaints were steadily growing as deliveries were now delayed for what some were jumping at the chance to say was no more than a waste of time at the behest of strangers. And that was the polite version of their critic's words.
Yet they did not have the resources CRLN did. The men on the Nyx had taken to surveying a few kilometers east of Vicus hourly with one of the few drones that Caelums contacts had appropriated from under Atlas' noses months back. The video footage showed the Grimm's presence had stayed steady until the past six hours. Slowly increasing from strays to packs, and in the last half hour, a steady stream of black prowling figures flowed through the land like a river of malice.
Soon their warning and actions would be vindicated even if it all came as no more than a major inconvenience to Caelum. It almost brought a snicker from within as he recalled Lukas' thoughts. 'Beats doing nothing and waiting on that ship.' The fact Raiden and Niel agreed, most likely due to the appeal of being heroes to the people, only served to remind him how despite their loyalty, their mindsets and goals were not the same as his.
Amid his internal contemplations, slight laughter and chatter caught his ear. Caelum turned and saw the only facet of this current venture that had been a thorn in his side. As a patrol of militia walked by the small gathering stationed at his section of wall, he couldn't help but look with contempt.
Perhaps, despite his age, it was the stereotype of a former soldier disapproving of the lackadaisical attitude and innocence of a part-time volunteer. Their officers or 'Watch Captains' as they were known, had taken up poor attitudes when the town council had suggested the assignment of Caelum and his team as supervisors for the defense. According to the mayor, this was one of the largest hurdles. The council had the final say as the militia was under its payroll and supervision, however, as opposed to the kingdom's military or a private entity.
Needless to say, curt words and passive aggressiveness were given between them which Caelum and Lukas returned in kind so long as it didn't hamper efficiency. Even Niel and Raiden, now used to their partners, handled the rural militia captains with ease, abating any confrontations.
The town militia, even with its urgent drafting of volunteers stood at 164 people total. Eleven percent of the town's best or bravest men and women between 15 and 45 with no health issues and some training. There were of course those who took the threat seriously and despite being essentially children, elderly, or disabled to some extent sought to volunteer. The patriotism and love for the community were endearing but were promptly shot down.
Not to mention the lack of training and that most didn't think a major threat would truly come, there wasn't even enough modern weaponry for the militia. Not enough rifles so they were instead assigned to the best shots along with the sparse ammo rations. The rest were given spears and short swords or shields. Again there wasn't enough for all three to be issued to every member. The standard militia members had some local institutional training, the new volunteers were given crash courses over the past week. Whether to escape the town's work, play with weapons, or dream of battle it mattered not their reason compared to the need of men.
They didn't know it, but the mysterious Huntsman amongst them, were more heavily equipped than their entire town just by themselves.
For now, CRLN and most of the militia were stationed in the eastern gate, based on their 'hunch' as they had told the townfolk but in reality, their knowledge of where the Grimm were truly coming.
"You lot!" shouted Caelum down to the militia, receiving their attention and a glare from their captain. "Start ushering the civilians to safety. The Grimm will be here in the hour." directed Caelum from behind his mask. The captain held out his hand, ushering his men to wait.
"How do you know? A bit of wind and clouds got you jumping?" he retorted, staring into the glass eyes of his mask.
Caelum couldn't deliver a deeper internal sigh at the older man's pointless bravado. "I won't go into detail about how you're playing with the lives of your men's families for some pointless showboating, but you may as well do it. The other platoons have already begun. You'll lose your rank if you dont get moving."
With a sneer, the man ordered half his platoon to do as Caelum suggested and the other half took post on the defenses. As they ran past Caelum, he began making his way up to a hastily built outlook. Ten meters high, enough to see over most buildings and just enough room for him to lay out some supplies, Caelum turned it into an MG nest.
From his elevated position, he could see the crowds of now fretting adults moving towards the designated shelter points. The town hall, churches, warehouses, anywhere with sturdy construction, large rooms, and most of all secure doors. At their hips and in their arms were sleeping or groggy children.
At Caelum's behest, he had suggested and succeeded in getting the townsfolk to put their children to sleep before the engagement to limit any fear or excitement that may rile the Grimm further. The adults who would be taking shelter themselves would then take sleep medication to knock out until both the literal and figurative storm passed them over.
It was a sobering thought that when they awoke, the defenses would have held or their town destroyed and the militia wiped but Caelum's word, posing as a seasoned Huntsman, prevailed and convinced many. Naturally fear and doubt kept some from participating and so they were made volunteers to monitor the emergency generator and scrolls to make a call to the kingdom once it was all over.
The irony wasn't missed by Caelum as he ruminated over the warning he had given the captain. Here he was playing with an entire town's lives just to keep himself hidden. He unraveled yet another belt of ammo neatly and draped it over the side of the railing, waiting for its turn to be loaded. He may have been a hypocrite in his words but it did not mean he wasn't confident in his or his team's ability to hold the town.
The cacophony of thunder in the distance struck as a cool wind whipped itself over the town. Rain would soon be coming.
"Relocation of the civilians should be ending soon," said Raiden into Caelum's earpiece. Caelum turned to where Raiden was located, a church bell tower overlooking the entirety of the town. Providing lines of sight, he could take any vital target less he be needed elsewhere. For now, he was most useful on overwatch all the same.
"God, I wish we could've at least brought some of the boys on ship along for this. Lots of heavy lifting just for us four" bemoaned Lukas over comms. The four teammates were utilizing the Nyx's local network to keep in contact and oversee this operation, although some saw it as an opportunity to complain.
Caelum looked toward the southern end of the eastern defenses towards Lukas. He saw his distant teammate walking along the wall and tapping his bat against the wooden structure in boredom as he paced its length. "We can't just bring gangsters and black market weaponry without raising a few brows. While I have confidence we can keep casualties down to a minimum, remember. If the worst comes to pass and this operation unravels at the seams-"
"We bail. I know" whispered Lukas bitterly but with a hint of defiance into the mic.
Caelum closed his eyes at the clear distaste it left in his teammates who listened. The Nyx and our ability to stay hidden is priority. Even over fifteen hundred lives."
"Are you truly willing to leave them to such a fate? Just like that?" asked Niel somberly, standing at the northern end of the eastern defense.
I am defending them now just as you all are, am I not? I'd say that's already generous."
"Except for the few who will die if we succeed in the best-case scenario" interrupted Raiden. "I understand, it's logical. But I also sympathize with them."
"He still hasn't answered the question at large" huffed Lukas. "Just how many are you willing to sacrifice?"
Caelum saw Lukas turn towards his outlook and stare up at him as he asked. The same sentiment when he asked him just how he dealt so easily with death was clearly laced within. In a cold declaration, Caleum responded. "Why ask redundant questions? You already know of my conviction."
Silence filled the comm line until Niel spoke up. "Then we must not fail them."
"Then we are in agreement," said Caelum as he raised a hand and fired a bright red flare into the air. The signal told all who saw it that a large Grimm horde was spotted. The final inhabitants were ushered within as the militia rushed to their stations. Now there was no time for thinking over morals or distant goals. As ever, it was to be a battle for life and death. For these villagers, however, the latter was far more realistic and all the more terrifying.
It was as the last of the Militia men clattered onto their positions and looked out to sea a sight that none of them had imagined outside of a nightmare. Hundreds if not over a thousand Grimm were slowly shambling across the once beautiful amber fields. Trudging and stomping over the land as they wandered with seemingly no purpose.
It was as eyes dilated, mouths went dry, hands turned white gripping their weapons, and bodies shivered from not just the cool winds that iut began. From behind, a piercing blue light with an indescribable sound burst out and ripped straight through one of the largest Taurens, a carnivorous bull like Grimm, from head to tail, dropping its corpse horn first into the soil.
As the beam of blue sheared through the large monster and unknown to the militiamen, through a dozen more behind it, they stared in awe as the Grimm horde seemed to freeze momentarily from the shot. Then the horrendous cacophony of gunfire erupted, spooking the militia standing before it. Likened to the sound of an army of buzzsaws revving at once, a hailstorm of lead and tracers raced over their heads to the temporarily paused masses of Grimm.
The bullets raked across the front of the horde, dozens of rounds shredding into those at the forefront as the projectiles tumbled into those behind or ricocheted off the armored bone into softer flesh, tracers singed fur, and for those unlucky, received rounds with a slight amount of HE within that blew off chunks of meat if not detaching thinner limbs.
The Militia were just as stunned as the Grimm who were falling by the dozens in seconds. Another two beams of blue light dropped two larger Grimm and some looked back to see the sources were from the two young huntsman boys perched up high. One took careful aim with his gleaming rifle that emanated electricity as the other gripped onto his MG as its barrel bloomed a burning red.
In ten seconds Grimm corpses, large and small. Littered the distant fields and their disintegrating particles littered the air like pollution. In the silence as Caelum reloaded and Raiden searched for priority targets, those stationed on the other side of Vicus could only listen with anxiety as combat ensued away from them. Where they prayed it would stay.
The Grimm recovered first. With a deafening cascade of roars, the beasts began charging at Vicus the source of the sounds and aggression. The militia and even their captains froze once more at the oncoming masses. Then Niel and Lukas stood and rallied those with rifles.
Niel raised a revolver and shouted. "Fellow hunters, Fire!"
Lukas placed a foot on the barricade and pointed his bat at the enemy loudly declaring "Kill them there or kill them here! Choose now and shoot!"
Those closest began to fire steadily taking aim and hitting their targets. Even if they missed, the round most likely struck another Grimm nearby or behind. Soon all riflemen were firing as those further down the line followed suit upon gaining a line of fire.
Not a moment after their rallying cries, Caelum's MG burst out once more accompanied by Raidens rail gun. As their fire thinned the encroaching horde, dots of black with beads of red came circling above. Nevermore ranging from the size of dogs up to a small vehicle began scouring above for prey. The sounds of combat and heightened emotions of the militiamen drew them in for the promise of an easy meal.
At first, those with spears and swords thwarted any strikes on their comrades from above but as the mass of Grimm enclosed, they shifted to defending the walls as the Riflemen began firing into the sky. Their accuracy was noticeably lower as they fired in a panic, trying in vain to lead shots and missing their mark more often than hitting.
It was as a rifleman was picked off the ground by a larger nevermore, Caelum shifted his fire. Sliding his MG to the side, he dumped twenty rounds into the nevermore's flank, the armor-piercing rounds shredding through its left wing and out its carcass as it dropped the man ten meters. As the man struggled to get up with the help of a comrade, Caelum dropped to a knee and began eradicating the enemy above with bursts of terrifying automatic fire.
Without Caelum's fire suppressing the leading Grimm and their smoldering corpses to slow the advance, the Grimm came at full speed. Like a wave crashing against an embankment, the Grimm horde clashed against the spiked defenses of the eastern gate. Before their claws could touch wood, however, a cascade of explosions erupted as the militiamen instinctively ducked downwards.
Like popcorn, explosions emanated across the front underneath the Grimm's feet. Caelum, with the help of his teammates,s had been busy at work burying mines across the defenses at night. The majority of anti-personnel mines went off, blowing limbs off of the Grimm who triggered them and sending them to the ground only to be trampled by their kin. The very same Grimm trampling over were howling in rage and pain as they were filled with varying amounts of shrapnel and ball bearings.
The mines numbered over a hundred yet still did little to stem the tide. The Grimms numbers soon reached the barricades and began to clamber over, at least those who were not impaled, being driven onto the spikes by their fellow enraged Grimm.
Those that made it over or even broke down and through the spiked walls soon tumbled down into the parapet behind it. As the beasts tumbled in, disoriented and filling the low depression with bodies, Lukas flipped open a silver lighter which his family crest adorned. With it, he lit the rag end of a Molotov cocktail. Closing the lighter and placing it within his vest, he playfully juggled the bottle in his hand as the rag slowly burned.
Reeling back an arm he cracked a pleased grin and chucked the bottle into an opening of bodies within the parapet. The bottle smashed into the soil igniting its contents with a large splash. Immediately the flame erupted along the entire eastern half of Vicus in an instant. Within the parapet, under insistence by Caelum and his teammates and severe reprehension by the citizens, they had taken some of the towns nonvital crude oil and diesel. The parapet's floor was doused in the crude oil along with diesel the hour before to ignite it faster.
The Grimm within, their black matted furs and white bone armor instantly caught flame as they tumbled and reeled from the blaze. Set alight it turned to madness as they fought one another to escape, their eyes boiling and flesh cracking from the heat, their fur giving a foul stench as it singed and burned.
The heavy black smoke from the crude oil stifled and filled the lungs of the Grimm who had yet to even reach the town's defenses, courtesy of the storm in the west blowing East. The Grimm's assault stemmed and began to fracture from the chaos. Now the masses in the rear broke north and south, circling the town walls and coming into the line of fire of the MIlitia and Police forces stationed along them.
The Grimm then began charging through the black haze of choking smoke and over their burning kin. Those that reached and clambered over the wall were met with rifle fire, impalement by blades, or a brutal beating by Niel and Lukas.
Two goliaths, elephant-like Grimm, though young as they seemed swayed by the madness of bloodlust as the smaller Grimm did, emerged from the smoke and broke through the spiked barricades blocking the eastern gate. One was immediately dropped by Raiden railgun, the tungsten round piercing through the bone plate on its skull and ripping a basketball-sized chunk out the back and into several beowolves behind.
The second came charging at the gate, gaining speed as its feet shook the earth with its weight. Then an explosion of earth erupted from below. The Grimm's front right foot was blown clean off by an AT mine. One of several planted in front of the entrance gates.
The Grimm skittered in a sideways crash, its immense weight dropping onto yet another mine which blew through its abdomen and spewed disintegrating flesh upwards in a shower. More Grimm began clambering over the wall, then the few shouts of militia men being injured or worse struck down and the cries of the comrades, their families watching it happen, followed.
They were being pressured, but the defenses in the North, South, and West would not hold on with their current forces. Caelum watched the masses of Grimm circle north and south and radioed his teammates.
"Move to your assigned front, take a squad each as reinforcements," he ordered.
"Are you sure?" asked Lukas mid-swing, crushing a beowolves skull as it fell off the wooden wall with one hand. "We're not really holding here as is."
Caelum sent a burst of lead out, sparing two militia men with spears, teenagers at that, from an ursa's wrath as it busted down a section of the wall. "The other fronts need to be bolstered. I don't trust them to do it alone. If each one has one of us to organize the retreats we can slowly pull back as planned while sticking to rooftops. We can't afford any breakthroughs or overrunning of the militias without any of us to cover for them. If they do, they'll flood the streets and we won't be able to track where they are. The lines will become a mess and casualties rise if not the shelters breached. We are prepared for each gate to fall and each front has a successive fall back line. Now it's a matter of minimizing casualties and widdling down their numbers as we pull back to the town center."
"An ever-tightening and shrinking defense then? Rather brilliant if not somewhat pessimistic" commented Niel.
"Your compliment is noted, now go. Pick your militiamen to go with you, Raiden has already gone off with a handful of the riflemen to the west." With his statement, his team complied and took off none too soon.
Overlooking the battlefield, Caelum saw the first drops of rain begin to descend, the ensuing downpour began to quell and stifle the smoke somewhat. So much so, that he could see past it with every other whisp of wind. He could see the end of the horde. If the majority of which had already fallen or were currently engaged then it was only a matter of time till the battle would end.
Now they only had to survive the inevitable melee and keep as many of the frightened and panicking Militia men alive to see it.
-Chapter End-