Chapter 83: Breach And Clear
Lord Hashaw was not entirely what Sapphire had been expecting. The man was around the size of Anchor, so rather large for a man, and looked like he would rip your head off for speaking out of turn. Right now though, the elderly gentleman had joined them on the couch, sitting next to Dakota, laughing merrily. Holding a glass of very fine plum liqueur. Everyone around the table had been served a glass of the doubtlessly expensive stuff.
‘It’s like heaven in a bottle,’ Sapphire thought to herself as she tentatively took another sip of the miraculously sweet liquid. It still had the warmth of alcohol with none of the harshness.
They had finished up the legal discussions just as the lord of the house found them, deciding they would make entertaining company for the evening. Sapphire had been worried they were gonna be answering questions about Tom that they couldn’t really answer. The old man seemed more interested in his own war stories though. They were good too, the man has served for decades all around the world.
They had been joined by a few curious individuals who had wandered past, likely heading somewhere. From what Sapphire could figure out, the bedrooms were above them, likely so they had roof access.
“I tell you, the Battle of Latujha was not a pleasant one. That was back when I flew with Baron, I think that is where he got that nasty shoulder scar. Have any of you kids ever seen a mighty red dragon let loose with all he has?” Sapphire shook her head a bit, fairly certain she was supposed to answer. “It is spectacular. We boiled that shadow drake in her own hide.” The old man chuckled, taking a sip of his drink.
“You fought a shadow drake?” Sapphire blurted out, cursing herself a bit for the lack of courtesy. Lord Hashaw didn’t seem to mind though as he lowered the glass back down.
“I most certainly did, young huntress. At the time we thought it might have been Rashan. It was definitely female though, so no such luck I’m afraid. She was too young too, but she had been a red once. She fought with a fury unlike any I had experienced before. Baron, though, was no stranger to her kind. To say I even fought in the battle is almost an overstatement. He tore her to shreds and charred the pieces.” The lord paused for a little to have another drink before continuing on. “You are the people who got young Jarix, yes?”
“That we did,” Sapphire responded. “He’s quite something, didn’t get to spend much time with him before we departed though”
“Ohh you will get your chance I’m sure. He seems a chuffing right fellow to me. He’s got the spirit to fight, and he’s not some lazy whelp who just wants to lay about all day in the sun. What of this Tom fellow? I know he can fight, but does he have the spirit? And the spine for that matter?”
“Oh I would say so,” Dakota replied, leaning forward. “The dude doesn’t stand for any nonsense. I’m honestly still surprised he didn’t execute Lady Flaxen on the spot.”
“I don’t think he’s dumb enough to do that,” Victoria added, leaning back on the sofa with her drink. “But his little standoff with Jarix was something to behold. Threatened by an eight-ton dragon he didn’t know, who even went as far as to open his mouth. And Tom stepped forward with a raised finger… didn’t even draw a weapon.”
“Huh, a stubborn mage and a proper warrior dragon. That should make for a few good stories,” one of the younger dragonettes who'd joined them went. He seemed to be a lieutenant of sorts, much like Zarko.
‘If only he knew how good,’ Sapphire mused to herself.
“It’s doubtful, though, that this Tom could bring Jarix to heel. It was my understanding Jarix wanted him to keep his back clear in battle. Understandable, since he’s not yet carrying a proper ballista. Perhaps you could get him one as a token of gratitude?” the young lieutenant continued, seeming rather confident.
Sapphire looked to Dakota and Balethon, who both looked a bit strained not trying to smile. Victoria eventually broke the slight awkwardness that followed that remark.
“From what I have heard, Jarix is well and truly in Tom’s hand by now. I would honestly not be surprised if when he is done there Tom could yell “sit” and he would do it. And with Tom on board, he won’t need no ballista either.”
”You serious? Jarix could hardly be persuaded to stay in formation at times.”
“That’s because Tiguan is a slowpoke, he would rather laze in the sun all day. Jarix likes speed, and he’s good at it too,” Victoria retorted.
“I still don’t buy him being brought to heel by a mere man. Or woman for that matter.”
“Well, they got him to help plow the fields, that’s fairly brought to heel,” Ulrik added. Receiving shocked glances from everyone who didn’t already know about that.
“Victoria, please tell me he is joking?” the lieutenant questioned.
“As far as I know that’s true. In fact, Jarix agreed to it while I was present.”
“I need to meet this Tom,” Lord Hashaw replied once he digested that.
“I wanna see Jarix plowing, that would be hilarious,” the lieutenant added in merrily, even if he didn’t quite seem to believe it.
‘Tom, if you can hear me right now, I hope you like attention.’
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It would seem the flying bastards were leaving them alone for the time being, likely more concerned with Jarix and the angry mob of dragonettes hunting them around the keep.
“I’m taking the front,” Jackalope stated. Tom agreed that was probably not a bad idea, all things considered.
“Roger, on the grenade,” Tom replied, lighting the fuze and chucking it through the open doorway. The huntress had said that the enemy had made it to the third floor, so Tom hoped that was enough to save the locals from this. He could feel both him and Jackalope holding their breath as they plugged their ears, waiting for the grenade. As Tom counted down, a battered and bruised darkling came rushing out, blade drawn.
Tom's heart sank for a second, as he felt Jackalope yank him back, bringing up her revolver to shoot it. Then the grenade went off inside the room, the blast ripping the darkling apart and scattering it across the ground. Tom felt the heat coming off the flash as it shot out the door into the darkness beyond.
Jackalope rushed ahead, rounding the corner with her revolver held high, though not shooting. Tom could see the blue blood coming from her ears and trickling down her cheeks, her expression one of focus. ‘Goddammit,’ Tom cursed as he picked up the rifle, moving up behind her.
The room was black and charred though it would seem the explosion snuffed out any fires. Not to mention, he could hardly breathe through the smoke. There weren't even really bodies inside, just mangled corpses strewn about the room, but there was no fancy black armor to be seen.
Tom could hear the cries and shrieks coming from above where he assumed the darklings had just been wounded by the shockwave and fireball. He tapped on Jackalope's shoulder pointing to the stairs, gesturing her forward then tapping her ear and speaking quietly. “Your hearing is gone.”
Jackalope responded by looking at him concernedly, then realization spread across her face. It didn’t seem to break her resolve, though, as she let out a slight growl, looking to Tom intently.
Tom gestured up the stairs then made a motion like his arm was hurt then raised the rifle. Jacky nodded, turning back to the stairs, moving up them fast. Tom followed on her heel, rifle at the ready. Jackalope stopped at the top of the stairs, drawing her knife before continuing. It was a horrifying scene, the dimly lit corridor covered in gore, a few torches at the end still somehow burning. The burnt and mangled corpses lay strewn about, a few of them still moaning and screeching as they struggled towards Tom and Jackalope, dragging themselves along the ground. All the doors to the rooms had been blown inwards.
Resheathing her knife, Jackalope picked up a spear from the ground in her off hand and set about putting a silent end to the wounded darklings. A task she seemed to enjoy, moving from darkling to darkling with an evil sneer on her face. Some of them still tried to attack her in what manner they could. One had its face burned to the point the jaw was showing, yet it still tried to snap at her with what strength it had left. Jackalope rammed the spear down its throat repeatedly until it expired.
Tom stayed at the stairs leading down, keeping the rifle raised to cover her in case something nasty came either from above or out of one of the rooms. He periodically glanced down the stairs too just in case they were about to be boxed in as well.
Then Tom heard multiple sets of fast footsteps on the floor above. He readied himself taking aim at the top of the stairs. The darklings came rushing down the stairs, not even getting out a screech of surprise as Tom put a round in the first one's chest. The gold trimmed armor clad creature collapsed at the bottom of the stairs, and Tom stared at the lifeless thing as it lay there. ‘That must have been Lothal’s mother.’ Tom snapped back to reality at the screech of the second one which was now already down the stairs thanks to his hesitation.
He ran the action quickly and put a round through its abdomen dead center, its legs giving out beneath it as the spine shattered.
The third one was right on the heels of the second, then another, then another; six in total came barreling down the stairs, not stopping for their fallen comrades. Tom just kept firing, and he nailed the third with a head shot as it struggled to get around the corpse of the turned mother, adding itself to the pile. The fourth jumping down the side of the stairs receiving two shots, center mass, from Jackalope when it landed.
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And yet they just kept coming, the fifth and sixth choosing the same route down the side of the stairs and setting off at a sprint down the corridor. Mouths agape, letting out that distorted screaming. Tom put a rifle round down one's throat, shutting it up for good, while Jackalope pumped her four remaining rounds into the other. The darkling coming to a sliding stop at the feet.
Jackalope looked back at him, wide eyed, the evil sneer from before replaced with horror. Tom looked to the wounded, horrible sounds coming from them as they protested their fates. His eyes falling on the one in the gilded armor, the enamel had all cracked and greyed but the gold still shone bright as she lay there. “I’m sorry,” Tom let out, trying to apologize to her.
He brought up the revolver while Jacky reloaded. She dropped a few rounds as she hurried to get the job done faster than she could. With her gun loaded again she went back to the task of finishing off the wounded with the spear. Now, though, she was striking quickly rather than viciously, looking to get the task over with. These weren't the ones responsible for what had happened, they couldn’t do anything. There was one guy left, though, who did have to pay for all this.
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It had ended up getting rather late before they were allowed to leave. Not that Sapphire minded. Once they had gotten the legal stuff out of the way, and Viatius departed, it had been a very pleasant evening. They had even gotten an escort home since it was so late and they had gotten a little enthusiastic with their drinking. Once Lord Hashaw found out Dakota was rather fond of good wine, a trait Sapphire was sure Nunuk was responsible for, the lord had spent quite a while detailing his retirement project being a vineyard outside of town.
Then they of course had to sample the wares in question. It was definitely good wine by Sapphire's standards. Then again, she had drunk more fine wine in the last few days than she had in the last ten years, so she hardly considered herself learned on the subject. At Ulrik's behest they had been given two guards to escort them home safely since it was dark and they didn't really know where they were going.
Unfortunately, Maiko had long since departed so they got a couple of random women who seemed a little annoyed with the assignment once they were out of sight of the mansion. One of them claimed to know the way though, so that would do.
It was dark and they were slightly drunk so they kept close formation with the one who knew the way. The other guard was taking up the rear, and both of them were carrying lanterns so other people could see them. Not that there was a lot of traffic this time of day. Dakota also had a lantern they had borrowed from the tavern just in case it got dark before they needed to get home.
They were flying v-formation with Sapphire on the lead guards left flank. Down below, the odd torch and lit up window could be seen. The black void of the street guiding the way for them. It was a rather beautiful clear night, and Sapphire could still feel the warmth of the fine drinks in her belly. All in all this was rather pleasant, despite being so late. As they flew though, Dakota seemed to be on edge, looking back occasionally with a troubled expression.
“We are being followed, fly casual,” she finally spoke up. Sapphire stiffened slightly, though she did as she was told and kept flying. “Don’t let them know, or they will douse their lantern.”
“Do we keep going?” The front guard replied in a calm informal voice. Dakota seemed to think on that for a bit.
“Would they be here to hurt you or find out where you are going, ma’am?” the second one spoke up from behind Sapphire.
Sapphire glanced back, there was indeed a lantern in the darkness behind them, quite some distance away. She couldn’t see anyone other than the lantern and glimpse of the one who carried it. So there might just be one guy, but there could be a lot.
“Let’s think this through. If it’s Flaxen they know where we are staying. Who else could it be?” Dakota questioned, looking around at the others.
Sapphire drew a blank on that one. Sure, there might be people from the council or maybe someone who had heard a rumor who wanted to talk with them, but following them in the night, surely not? No one else seemed to have any suggestions either.
“Let’s try and see if they will follow us. Go low and let’s make a wrong turn,” Dakota ordered, the leading guard obliging by dropping down to only a few meters above roof level then turning right at the next intersection. “Don’t look back,” Dakota ordered as they made the turn.
“What about the city guard?” Balethon questioned as they straightened up again.
“We are technically city guards,” the one at the rear answered.
“They haven't done anything illegal yet, but they might bugger off if we find some more,” the one in front added.
Flying on for a bit, Dakota eventually let herself look back. “They are still there and it’s not just one. Balethon, up for some proper flying?” Sapphire could see it dawn on the guy that he was the only male present at the moment. “We make for the tavern, I don’t want to leave our stuff. If we stumble on some guards we go there. And we stick together no matter what. If they start getting close we run like hell!”
‘Well, we have been drinking some rather sweet stuff,’ Sapphire thought to herself, praying that would offset the alcohol and fatigue of the long day, at least a bit. Balethon moved to the center of the formation so they would all break the wind for him. Then they made a left turn to get back on track.
“Well I say they definitely know we have seen them by now,” Sapphire concluded, allowing herself to look back. The lantern still followed them and it was closer now, but without Dakota's Magically enhanced vision she couldn’t make out anyone chasing. “And they’re gaining,” the lead guard stated, putting on more speed.
Sapphire looked to Balethon who was keeping up without a problem thus far. He was no slouch and one of the better male fliers of the keep, and they couldn’t be far out from the tavern by now. Even if it was nearly on the other side of the city.
“There,” the lead guard shouted out as the familiar street came up on their right. ’Moment of truth then,’ Sapphire thought to herself. If the chasers were here to hurt them, they would come in as soon as Sapphire and the others slowed down to land.
“Land on the walkways," Dakota ordered as they came in. The walkways were mostly empty, so while it would be a tad tricky it could be done without too much trouble. Some of them were a little drunk though, and Baleton misjudged the landing as he hit the railing with a foot, sending him face first into the planking as he skidded to a stop. No attack came though. Sapphire looked back as soon as she was safely down to see several fliers whiz by, pulling up into the night. They were armed too. Rather heavily in fact.
“Those are mercenaries,” the guard who had led them here went.
A flyer came around, heading straight for them. It pulled up as it let go of a large stone, sending it hurtling towards them. The stone went through the glass window of the tavern with a crash.
“Everyone inside," Dakota ordered. Sapphire helped up Balethon as the little tavern guard, Draki, opened the door for them.
“Bar the door.”
“With what? And why are mercenaries chasing you?! And why are they throwing rocks!?” the diminutive guard shouted back at them, clearly not pleased with the turn of events.
“Draki, right?” Dakota tried, the little guy nodding as if that was the most obvious thing ever. “They chased us here. That's all we know.” She was doing a fine job of keeping a calm face as usual, the fact that they had just been chased by people equipped for a fight in the middle of the night not showing on her face.
Then Sapphire felt a pair of hands turn her around to look at a very worried looking Haiko. “You okay?”
“I’m fine, they didn’t catch us… I don't even know if they wanted to.” Sapphire looked to Dakota and the lead guard, as her brother embraced her. “Why didn’t they attack us when we landed?”
The second guard had gone over to find the rock, which was wrapped up in parchment.
“You have been warned,” she went, reading out loud, looking back up and around the room. Inside quite a few patrons were sitting, though there was dead silence now as everyone was staring at them.
“That’s not good, right?” Balethon questioned, looking to the guards that had led them here.
“No, most definitely not. This is unacceptable. This is a threat against your well-being.”
‘Well on that we agree,’ Sapphire concluded.
“You think they are coming back like… right now?” Balethon continued.
“I cannot tell you,” the guard answered, looking around the room concernedly.
“If you're gonna ask me to fight to the death for ya, the answer is no.” The little guy added. “Those bastards were packing.”
“I will,” Haiko responded without much thought. If not for the seriousness of the situation Sapphire might have laughed at that.
“You wouldn’t happen to know any of them?” Dakota questioned, looking at the two tavern guards.
“Nah, they’re a copper a dozen. You pissed someone off big time, didn’t ya?” Draki responded. ‘That’s rather depressing,’ Sapphire thought to herself. Then again, mercenaries were often the cheapest way to get some help when you really needed it. Even if some of them might be equal parts bandits at times.
“Maybe Kokashi’s mum’s one of them,” the bruised Balethon tried to joke as he rubbed his face.
“Dakota, we will be staying with you here for the time being. We go back to the estate tomorrow, to let them know what happend.” Dakota gave a nod. “No disrespect to your abilities,” the guard continued, looking at Draki.
“Hey, rather you die for them than me, that's for sure. Even if Haiko feels ready to die. Might have to get some mates together and thrash those bastards,” Draki replied, punching Haiko in the shoulder.
“I would rather not start a gang war,” Dakota replied. “I will pay for your rooms. It's most kind of you to stay for the time being.”
“We have to ma’am, Victoria would kill us if we did anything else.”
‘At least they are being honest,’ Sapphire thought to herself.
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“We have killed both your buddies, all three of those gross bat things, your vargulfs, and most of your darklings. Come out now, unarmed with your hands where I can see them,” Tom demanded, shouting up the stairs. He and Jackalope had just finished securing the floor they were on, and he could hear fighting above. He didn’t get a reply though. “We know you can hear us, you piece of shit. Come out now! Or I will fold you inside your own arsehole!” Not his best insult but the last one worked rather well.
There was no immediate reply, though a deep boom could be heard twice from above.
“I don’t fall for such lies you insolent child. You can’t even speak properly!” A voice responded, with what Tom would definitely describe as false confidence. ‘Success then,’ Tom thought to himself, at finally receiving a reply. The voice didn’t sound too distant, so Tom guessed he was in fact on the floor above them.
“Why is that? So far it has been rather easy,” he taunted. That was a fucking lie if he had ever told one. He had damn near died and he had no clue if Zarko made it out of the aerial skirmish that had erupted. To Tom’s surprise Jackalope still had her grenade so it must have been Zarko that performed that reckless dive at the start. At least that meant Jacky still had her grenade if they needed it.
As he got ready to try again, he heard the outer door shut again with a bang, followed shortly by a crashing sound from upstairs. ‘Must be some sort of battering ram,’ Tom concluded.
“You are surrounded. You can’t escape and you will lose, give up now and your life may be spared. I want no further bloodshed,” Tom was rather happy Jackalope didn’t hear that one. He had a feeling she would rip his head off for even saying that.
“You have no way of making such a guarantee,” the reply came. ‘Yes,’ Tom thought to himself. ‘He wants to live.’ That would make this so much sweeter.
“Sure I can. I can do what ever the fuck I want.”
He didn’t get a reply on that one, so he tapped Jackalope on the shoulder and gestured at the stairs holding up a finger to his mouth. She nodded carefully, beginning to make her way towards it.
Then a crash was heard above, sounding like something major had just broken. The sound of splintering wood filled the halls alongside the screeching of darklings and the roar of triumphant dragonettes.
Tom heard blades being crossed as well as more footsteps above. He put a hand on Jackalope's shoulder holding her back. Then the black-armored foot of a dark knight was seen stepping down the stairs.
“I want to strike a deal,” the knight went as he made his way down the stairs. As soon as his head was in view, terror clear in his eyes, Jackalope opened up, being joined by Tom who stepped up beside her. They both unloaded their weapons into the guy, Jackalope running the revolver dry one-handed before Tom even got his third shot off.
The knight slumped down against the wall before tumbling down to the bottom of the stairs and joining the others, Several holes blasted through the neck armor. Tom put one last rifle round in his eye socket as he lay there, just in case.
“That was something” Jackalope let out turning to Tom wide-eyed smoking gun still held high.
‘You don’t say’ Tom mentally agreed, nodding slightly.