Marcus wasn't mad. No, just disappointed —and also frustrated. He was supposed to be enjoying his quiet retirement; not tag along with a bunch of mercenaries on their job, even if he called some of them friends. This old dog just wanted to visit the empire and earn a bit of coin while at it, how did he end up in this mess?

Damn you Carol for convincing me to come along with the boys -Tsk! poor choice of words if you consider the situation— Now they were all going to die here; this small hamlet becoming their grave... Although we likely won't rest in it for very long.

He ducks under a rusted blade aimed at his head and trips the wretched thing with the end of his spear, then with a twirl brings it down on skull of the monster. The heavy bronze heel strikes true right in the middle between the eyes, shattering its face. It stays down joining the other three. A cut across his arm is bleeding but he doesn't have time for that.

-This was supposed to be an easy one, basically a paid trip. 'Come with us,' -She said 'You could always use some extra coin... This is no different then vacation, and you mentioned wanting to visit your daughter in the empire...' or so she said. Marcus has to take a step back, as two more of the cursed creatures take the place of the one he just disposed of - or at least he hopes he did.

"Sarge—!" Ah, speak of the devil, "-Duck!" –And so he does without even missing a beat. A bolt of magical fire flies just above his head and hits the leading one straight in the chest, where it explodes sending burning bones into the air and making its target stumble and crash with the second incoming foe. Marcus is back up in an instant and delivers a Devastating Blow with a swipe of his weapon, crushing two spines in one strike.

He hates the undead, especially the skeletons. His beloved spear restricted in how he can fight with it, practically reduced to being a staff to bat at the enemies with. He grits his teeth and forces the side gate closed before more enemies get in the way. -This flimsy palisade won't hold them back for long. He glimpsed at least half a dozen more approaching before the doors shut.

"Great job sergeant! Things could have gone badly if they made it in." Caroline shows up and hands him a thick pole to bar the gates with, "Good thing the kid remembered about it still being left open." and he can only grimace. The boy was the one who left the side entrance open in the first place, making him sprint here before the undead could get inside.

"Told you not to call me that, we are not in the army anymore." And he gets a mock salute in return, damn that smirk of hers.

Now he can brush the embers off his leathers before the smoldering bone bits burn holes in it - not much he can do about his graying hair. And then gives her The glare– at least she is conscious enough that her grinning face turns more meek - not much, but he will take what he can. It was likely less effective with the still smoking hair on his head. —That's why you should always wear your helmet, lost the damn thing in initial assault.

*Wham, wham! The cursed bones try to force their way in, shaking the wall but quickly give up.

"We should get back to the rest, but someone should keep an eye on this spot." He turns towards the sounds of the ongoing battle near the main gate.They used carts and old wagons to barricade it but it's far from adequate. The inns owner just had to pick this time to renovate it... cursed luck.

Granted the man couldn't have foreseen an undead raid - neither could they. For the creatures to have already reached this far south. —This doesn't bode well for anyone, very bad news for the local villages. Their group decided to take a different less mantained road, more to the south than one would usually pick when traveling east to the empire - precisely to avoid the hordes.

At first people in the caravan were glad they've found this old inn, where they could take a rest for the evening - finally a soft bed to rest his wary bones. But now everyone had to defend against a night raid. The situation is— not great.

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His friend from when she served under him in the army nods, her face turning more serious as they turn around and jog back. Corporal Caroline - or C.C. for most, was his unit's mage back then. Crazy auburn haired witch, she must have some elf blood in her as you can see some green mixed in there. A good friend— a damn shame they are both already dead.

He saw how many enemies where out there when George reported about them approaching, the forest road was completely filled with walking rambling bones.

Few weeks ago he heard rumors about undead showing up in the eastern part of the kingdom, but no one seemed concerned even as more started to show up -Had a bad feeling but shrugged it off just like everybody. He joined the escort mission for this merchant caravan a bit over a week ago. It was traveling to the empire and Carol convinced him to join her merry band that was hired to protect it. Few other guys he knew from the army were also a part of this team, and Marcus though that a bit of a good company on the way wasn't such a bad idea - He wanted to go visit his wayward daughter anyway.

On the way while staying at a small town with a guild branch, they learned that the situation has changed. The east Kora was being overran by undead hordes. Armies of the cursed things apparently marched down from the mountains few days earlier, destroying settlements and razing smaller towns.—And Marcus wondered where were the 'heroes' now? The dragon never really bothered anyone if left alone and now look what happened, some actually believed it protected the kingdom - old legends those, people rarely pay them attention these days. Damn it! The war against the goblin empire barely ended and now this! -Can't an old man get a few years of peace?

They run towards the chaos; someone has set one of the wagons on fire to ward off the dead. Fire is good against them, but that will cost us later when the barricade burns down. A temporary solution, a reprieve this granted will not last long -The men are just buying time.

Fire only damaged the morale, as it revealed the scope of the undead horde beyond the gate. And the commotion of to the side shows that the cursed simply decided to try and breach the wall instead of waiting, if the shouts coming from there are any indication. So this wasn't even enough to give them some rest.

Both the mercenaries and the residents are starting to look more desperate, but everyone hold to their weapons and tools. No one is thinking of running away, good.

"Have they finished fortifying the inn!?" He bellows at the men and women defending the now burning barricade. He immediately instructed the merchants and the innkeeper to prepare it for siege after he saw the horde.

"Not yet Sarge!" Ugh, how many times do I have to— Nevermind.

"Then someone go there and make them-" He starts demanding but gets interrupted by one of the inn's stable boys.

The kid can't be older then 14. Such a fucking shame...

"Mister merchant said he will try to do something about the situation, but needs some time." Boy's eyes are filled with fear as he keeps glancing between them and the horde outside.

Their employer will do something? That young man didn't strike him as a powerful wizard, and they would need at least that to deal with this situation. Unless he means to pray to his gods for a miracle, they certainly like him - at lest the god of merchants does, seeing how fast he grew his wealth.

"What do you mean boy, what is he planning?" For his own good, Marcus hopes the man isn't trying to do something stupid. Like expecting them to keep the undeads' attention so he can silently leave with his family. They are already surrounded and his pregnant wife isn't in any shape to outrun them or ride a horse.

The young rascal gulps at the question, and clearly avoids meeting his eyes, "Something —" The kid looks around, and back to the waiting death "He said he will do something, reassured everyone and asked for one of the rabbits we keep in the pens..."

Marcus is confused by that and he is not the only one. Everyone around just looks at the boy, waiting for him to continue but nothing follows as he just turned to the gate and strongly gripped the rakes that he used as a weapon. Marcus was about to ask Carol is she understood anything from this, because he had absolutely no clue...

But before he could open his mouth, her head suddenly snapped towards the inn so fast it worried him she might break it off —Her eyes were wide in shock.

Suddenly, bright light broke past the partially boarded windows of the biggest building around, painting the courtyard in shadows the color of fresh blood. Silence descended on the gathered men and women, soon from the slightly ajar doors came a shout, "You fucking fool—!" and then a string of loud curses...

What just..?

The palisade behind them exploded in a shower of splinters as an undead abomination the size of a Warrad obliterated it with a giant hammer —Fuck.

Marcus wanted to pray...

————