The forces charging through the gate found themselves in a trap. All streets leading further inside the city were blocked by hillspeople, bearing shields as tall as themselves. Atop the roofs, archers had been positioned, hailing down arrows on the attackers.

The undead were first to charge, yet even their largest could not break through the shield wall. They hacked and pushed, to no avail, while the living behind were being pelted by arrow fire.

Serafin watched on with bated breath and shaking hands. At her command the last remaining soldiers of the riflery were assembled in a wide line before the gate, and not a moment to soon.

As the undead were torn asunder, the living fled back, out into the plain, towards the aimed guns of their comrades. A volley of warning shots brought order to the ranks, turning the rout into an orderly, brief retreat.

"Wood, stone and brute size." Serafin had drawn her blade and was slicing through the air, her other hand clenched at her face. "Form ranks, once more, we will not, I will not let this be what ends our campaign!"

"Commander." Tatanya purred as she approached at the helm of a small unit of soldiers. "Let me handle this."

Tatanya's own wore armour that Serafin had not seen before, crude, heavy pieces, instead of guns they held long steel tubes attached to large canisters on their back.

"We spent a lot of time studying the bodies of these savages, thanks to your gracious donations of test subjects. We will carve a way."

Serafin lowered her blade, and gave a nod. Under the watchful eyes of the blocking detachment, a last formation was made, holding Tatanya's new troops in their midst.

Their armour allowed them to march through the rain of arrows, and aim their new weapons at the shield walls when in range. Scarlet red flames burst out of the tubes, setting the shield and wearer aflame alike. Even these brutish warriors began to flail and break formation, desperately trying to douse the flames consuming their flesh at an alarming rate. It not only scorched, but the ones afflicted began to age rapidly, growing decrepit before the horrified eyes of Serafin's own.

They looked back only once at their commander, who had joined their ranks.

"What are you waiting for, to give them another chance? Onward, we have a city to cleanse!"

And so they marched forward through the breech, through a city that defied their every expectation.

Save for the imperial palace in the heart of the capital, nothing in the empire came close to the wonders they saw. Wide, open streets, lined with exotic trees, glass windows into shops that had been hastily emptied. A place immaculate, free of the filth, dust and litter that was all too common elsewhere.

But few could take in this place akin to paradise, it was a last privilege to the wounded and the dying. The living had to fight. Every turn was blockaded, every building held enemies, resistance that had to be purged with the new scarlet fire.

Serafin herself took part in the storming of a large spire, defended by hillspeople and humans. The fight took it's toll on her malnourished body, with the last defender dead she stumbled and collapsed upon a ruined bed, right next to her dead adversary, a young man near her age.

She did not look at him, her eyes were pinned on the window, her heart sinking at the expanse of the city that seemed to stretch on and on.

But one by one she saw fires enveloping the streets, saw flags being placed upon the nearby spires. Her shoulders relaxed, and her eyes fell shut.

"Commander?"

When her eyes opened, the sun had vanished and the city was near unrecognisable. Their scarlet fire had blackened the houses they now held, and much of the noise had died down. Only a stray rifle shot echoed through an eerie silence.

Serafin looked up at the soldier standing in the doorway, holding onto it to stay upright Across his shoulder were the emblems of an officer, but the fresh stitching showed a recent promotion.

She held her head and got up, faring not much better. The last time sleeping in a bed seemed half a life away now.

"Yes, present." Serafin muttered. "Report."

The officer did not even attempt a salute. "We've gotten a further few blocks in, but no telling for how long. When the sun went down without any new orders, most sought shelter and are holding in place. Some." He struggled to maintain eye contact.

"Some units have turned and surrendered. Nobody knows how they are faring."

With a loud rattle, her blade fell to the ground.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

"After everything, at the very end, they would betray their homeland?" She reached up and tore at her hair, over and over she stomped her foot on the ground.

"They, they have kin on their side, for the last few hours they have called over to us, promising food and safety to those who lay down their weapons." He was taking a few steps back as he spoke.

"Who would be so dumb as to believe that, after everything we have done to get here?" Serafin leaned down to pick up her weapon, almost falling over. "If they are lucky they will simply be brutalised. Food, they would sell their loyalty for bread?!"

"Commander." With a deep breath, he once more looked Serafin in the eyes. "They are leaving for bread, because we have none anymore. Our last reserves have been given out, the city is empty, I-"

He bit his teeth together. "I have been chosen, by my fellow officers, to urge you to consider a surrender. To save what few of us remain."

He trembled under her gaze. Locks of hair fell across her eyes, she moved on regardless, her blade half raised. "You would suggest I betray the empire?" In spite of the anger shaking her body, her voice was calm, empty.

"Commander, what hope do we have, to accomplish anything here?" He stepped back. "We can kill a few, we can burn down empty buildings, but what good does that do? If we take the chance, we may be able to go home, to our families, to work for our Imperator in a different field, to do anything besides dying in this godless cold! And if we do not, we will die regardless, so why not risk it?"

He stopped, even as she approached, as the tip of her blade was pointed at his chest. "Is that how you would wish to be remembered? As the coward who surrendered their honour, their faith? We serve Aeterna, to bow to anyone else is treason, unholy. You would damn yourself for eternity?"

"I wish to live, commander." He stared down the blade, sweat running down his body. "And so, do most of us."

Serafin lowered her blade, and shook her head. "No. I will not damn us all. I was entrusted this expedition, in body and soul. I will not see it tarnished. You will return to your post, alive or as an example to the others."

What little strength remained she used to clench onto her blade, to control the trembling. "Make your choice, and make it quick. I have a battle to fight."

He stood there, in silence, no more could be said. As he turned to leave, the sound of a horn broke the stillness.

"The 34th." Serafin´s voice was little more than a whisper. She stumbled past him, down the stairs of the spire, it was a minor miracle she made it down alive.

The spire was close by the central street, running all the way from the gate they had smashed through to a grand palace in the distance. Through the gates now marched her soldiers, remnants of the 34th and 49th.

Serafin pinched her arm, but she was not dreaming. The campaign had worn on them too, but they did not look as skeletal as herself, their weapons were in good condition, and they looked straight ahead. Only, Valeria was nowhere to be seen. A young man instead approached her, wielding her very axe on his belt.

Serafin could not muster to answer his salute, and merely nodded her head. "You are a blessing, but where is colonel Valeria?"

"Commander, Colonel Valeria." The man hesitated. "Upon receiving your orders, the colonel mustered all troops left at base, and took our smallest airship to return to the Titan´s plain, to ask for assistance."

"So she fled." Only the wind carried her whispers forward. "Betrayal after betrayal. What she does is of no consequence, more dire matters are at hand."

She pointed over her shoulder. "The soldiery attempted a mutiny, many of them have consorted with the enemy, and surrendered. You are to take your most reliable and restore order, any resistance or failed compliance is to be met with immediate execution."

Her mantle weighed heavy on her shoulders, but it was a comfortable burden in the biting cold. "For the night you are to remain in position, at daybreak we will continue our assault, right there."

She turned, staring down the street. At it´s end, past barricade and barricade, across the many fires their enemies had made for the night, shone the great palace of the city, a jewel comparable to the wonders of the capital. "We will lay this place to ash, and if it is the last that we do. I want all of our forces concentrated here, understood?"

He saluted without hesitation. "Your will be done, commander. It is an honour."

Serafin leaned her head to the side, confused.

The troops dispersed into smaller units, vanishing into the night. Before their leader could leave in turn, Serafin walked over to him and held him back "Your name?"

He stopped for a moment, and in his reluctance Serafin became painfully aware of her dishevelled appearance.

"Geyen of Huln, commander."

"I am not familiar with the town I'm afraid." Serafin took a step back, scratching her head.

"That is very understandable, Huln is a very minuscule village in Mhall. Most maps even forget it exists. That is, that is why I am thankful."

He looked around, and Serafin took the moment to clear her throat. "That is what I wished to ask, you are very motivated, despite the odds. I of course would expect nothing else, but regardless I would like to know."

His smile wavered as his gaze rested on the great palace. "I grew up on a farm, you know. Fifth son, it was hard to feed me after my brothers families and the tithe were accounted for. I never thought I'd matter, or achieve anything. But here I am, in a place I didn't know could exist, the first imperial expedition beyond the empire in hundreds of years. And that I can be a part of it. That is a great honour."

Serafin could not bear to look him in the eyes. "Your passion, is commendable, Geyen. You are doing the empire proud. I will count on you to hold the line tomorrow."

She turned to leave, returning to the spire on her own. She did not make it up to the top again, and instead collapsed on the first floor, thankful for oblivion delivering her from the hunger pains.