Chapter 29 Burning

Kate grabbed her radio and pressed the send button. “Back at the castle. Testing if this thing still works,” she said. She opened the armory door and helped Grey inside, Logan following behind.

Melusine already rushed down the stairs and looked at them. “Are you injured?”

“I don’t know, smoke and fire maybe. Nothing else I think,” Kate said. “Let’s go up first. Did you hear the radio?”

“Ethan told us you’re back, nothing else,” Jon said from behind, making way for them to come up.

Kate found the entire group awake, wide eyed, and tense. She wordlessly moved Grey over to the bed and sat him down. “We walked through the fires. I didn’t even notice the heat at first. Do we have oxygen?”

“No. We don’t,” Melusine said. “Let me check him.”

Kate let her work her magic, or her medical skills. Herself turning away and sitting down with one of the bedrolls supporting her back. She took in a deep breath, trying to figure out if she herself had breathed in too much smoke. I should have. We all should have. “You didn’t run into any trouble on the way back?”

Jon had his arms crossed, pacing from one side of the room to the other, Eloise and Celeste sitting together in their corner. Bert sat on the chair, shotgun on his lap. Allison looked at the monster pieces they had gotten, herself sitting on top of a glass showcase.

“We saw monsters,” Jon said. “But they were as confused as we were. When the jets arrived… everything fled. We ran the last bit. As long as we could. But the military. This means-”

“It means this is the extent of their help. For now. Maybe forever,” Logan said, opening the straps on his armor. “Can someone help me with this?”

Allison looked up and walked over. She yelped when she touched the armor. “Jesus, did you put this thing into a forge?”

“We walked through the river,” Kate said. She opened her eyes wide when she saw the breast plate come off.

Logan grunted, his shirt half scorched with burns showing below.

“Shit,” Kate murmured but Melusine was already on it.

“Don’t move for now,” she said, giving him a look before she opened one of the cabinets, now filled with well sorted medical supplies. She opened a few cartons before she handed a set of pills to the man. “Swallow.”

He did.

“Oh, this wouldn’t be good,” Melusine murmured, starting to apply a set of creams to his chest, arms, and back. She looked through bandages as Allison helped remove the rest of Logan’s armor, his entire body showing severe burns.

“I’m… sorry,” Kate murmured. She looked at him and lightly shook her head. How is he standing?

“Don’t look at me like that. The pain is manageable,” he said. “We have magic, and bandages. I’ll be fine. Kate, look at me.”

She did.

“I’ll be fine. It’s not your fault. We had to get out of there. We did,” he said, looking around the room. “That one looks fine,” he said and pointed at one of the large swords displayed next to a set of other weapons.

“I said don’t move, Logan,” Melusine said, a pin in her mouth as she applied the first bandage.

Grey coughed.

“Grey, raise your hand if you can’t breathe,” Melusine said, glancing his way for a moment before she continued treating Logan. “Kate, get him the sword so he puts down his arm.”

She shook her head and forced herself to stand up, quickly opening the showcase and retrieving the large sword. Kate lifted it with one hand, handing it to the man in a way that would help him support his own weight.

He grunted. “A walking stick.” A smile.

“Don’t pass out now,” Melusine said.

He did.

Kate took a step forward and caught the heavy man with both her hands, keeping him up as easily as one would hold a child.

Melusine looked at her with wide eyes, the sword clattering to the ground. “C… can you hold him like this?”

Kate nodded. I’m sorry, Logan.

“Perfect. Let me finish up his waist and legs, then we can lay him down,” Melusine said. “Allison, that cream. All over. If you can.”

Allison moved. “Is he still alive?”

Melusine put a hand below his nose. “Yes.” She continued her work in silence.

Jon had joined his daughters, distracting them as the scene commenced. Kate thought they were all rather calm considering the situation. Perhaps just the past few days helping them adjust. No. She could feel her own lips quiver, her arms shaking lightly.

“Kate. Tell me when you can’t lift him anymore,” Melusine said in a calm voice, not even looking at her. “And look at the wall. Focus on one spot.”

She did as the nurse said, focusing on her stance and arms. “I’m fine,” she said. She wasn’t.

“He’s gonna look like a fucking mummy,” Allison said before she snickered.

Melusine chuckled. “Focus, woman.”

“Ay, ay,” Allison said. “You should teach me what you’re doing by the way. I’m not going out there again with those fucking monsters. Might as well make myself useful in the medical camp.”

Melusine started explaining the process, what the cream did, what the burns did, which pills she gave to the man, how much, and why.

Kate didn’t hear most of it, her ears ringing as she focused on a small black spot on the stone wall. Everything is on fire. They won’t come. We’re here. In Keilberg fucking castle, and they won’t come. This is it.

“Grey, still there?” Melusine asked. “Don’t talk, raise a finger if you can.”

He did.

“It’s a good thing you all leveled up your Vitality. With Logan having these kinds of burns, I’m surprised any of you made it out alive,” Melusine said as she finished up the bandages. “We’re going to set him down now. Grey, if you can, move out of the bed. Logan needs it more. Kate, move him. Carefully.”

Kate did as the nurse said. She focused on her steps and made sure not to hit anything on the way with the large man. Moving one hand below his shoulders and one below his knees, she steadied herself and raised him up. Grey had gotten out of bed with the help of Jon, Kate slowly putting down the unconscious Logan.

“Fucking hell, you’re strong,” Allison said.

“It’s the magic,” Kate said. “I know I couldn’t lift him like this.”

“Maybe I should invest in some Strength as well,” the woman murmured next to her.

Kate ignored her, looking at the bandaged head of Logan.

The radio cracked. “Orcs… at the gate…” came Ethan’s voice. The radio cracked again and then went silent.

“You stay the fuck down,” Kate said as she saw Grey try and sit up, coughing with the attempt. She grabbed her hammer when she looked at the assortment of weapons in the same showcase she had gotten Logan’s sword from. A battle axe stood out to her. Entirely too large and unwieldy, but she grabbed it anyway. “I’ll be right back.”

“I didn’t check you yet,” Melusine said.

“I’m fine,” Kate said and walked past with one weapon in each hand. “Lock the door behind me.” She walked down the stairs, checking the open messages still in the corner of her vision.

‘ding’ ‘Mindless Ferocity reaches lvl 18’

‘ding’ ‘Reckless Charge reaches lvl 14’

‘ding’ ‘Courage of the Unarmored reaches lvl 14’

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

‘ding’ ‘Intimidating Presence reaches lvl 5’

‘ding’ ‘Silent Striker reaches lvl 7’

Serenity +1

‘ding’ ‘Frightening Growl reaches lvl 4’

‘ding’ ‘Heightened Hearing reaches lvl 9’

‘ding’ ‘You have unlocked the passive skill: Echo Location – lvl 1

Passive: Echo Location – lvl 1

Your ability to orient yourself with the help of echoing sound is increased dramatically. Use sound waves to find your way. You may deactivate this effect if needed.

Why the fuck not, she thought as she closed the door to the armory below, already hearing explosions of fire coming from beyond the gate. Kate started running, going directly to the left and up the tower. She kept herself hidden and listened for Ethan, hearing him hide behind the battlements. An arrow struck the wood. Good. Keep distracting them. She jumped down to the side, grunting lightly as the weight of the impact went through her knees. Her Echo Location she already deactivated, finding it disorienting at best.

Crouched, she made her way around the castle and to the front. The sky remained a dark red, though the night had reclaimed some of its domain. She could still make out the group of orcs and the three goblins aiding them. Two of the former were injured, only three of the five armed at all. Shit for you. I’m having a bad day.

She didn’t wait, putting down her hammer before she raised the large battle axe above her head. Stepping back like she used to with her fire axe, she used her whole body and threw the thing forward. The weight felt about the same, but compared to the already heavy axe she used to throw at the mock competitions, this thing was a massive axe made for war.

It didn’t even finish a full rotation before it struck one of the armed orcs in its side, the steel embedding itself with a wet sound before the creature tumbled once and fell to its knees.

Kate growled, five steps bringing her to the goblins, the creatures standing frozen and shaking as they looked her way. Three strikes finished the frightened creatures. She smelled piss as she turned to the remaining four orcs, the creatures wide eyed, some of them injured. “Leave us alone,” she said through gritted teeth, deflecting a frenzied sword strike before she stomped on the ground, Shattering Step activating as the closest orcs lost their footing. Her knee came up to strike the one that had attacked, a wave of sound coming from her throat in a strange whistle. She stuck another creature that rushed her with her hammer, teeth and blood flinging to the side. Their steps weren’t steady, she noted, looking down at the first orc who had attacked, the being trying to get up with staggering steps. She grabbed one of her knives and stuck it into his face with a wet sound.

Moving on, she slammed aside a shaking and raised blade, then broke the last armed orc’s leg. Bringing her hammer back, she slammed it down onto its skull. She watched one of the last two orcs go up in flames when a fireball hit its back, bits of flesh and leather exploding outwards.

The last one held its arm, blood trailing from one of its eyes with burns showing on its chest. It looked to one of the swords on the ground.

Kate stepped onto the blade as she heard the last groan from the dying orc behind her. She growled, watching the injured creature glance between her and the forest. It chose wisely, stumbling into the darkness with loud panting sounds coming from its injured throat. She turned around and smashed the burning orc’s head, moving to the one clutching at the knife stuck in its face before she brought her hammer down. She wanted to scream, wanted to smash them to bits. Furious Dance remained inactive. She wondered if she should hunt down the last orc. It would die out there anyway.

She stood there and breathed, smelling the burning air, the burning flesh. She grunted and grabbed the corpse by its leg, groaning as she moved her body and flung its corpse into the line of trees. Kate removed the battle axe from the near split creature before she threw the bodies away from the gate, as far as she could. She looked into the underbrush, clicking her tongue as she activated her Echo Location.

Coupled with her enhanced hearing, it felt like a 3D plan of the surroundings came to her mind. Disorienting, but clear at the same time. As if she saw through a sense she’d always had. Then she puked. Fucking shit. She grit her teeth, not hearing anything other than the shuffling steps of the injured orc, departing farther until he was gone from her perception.

“Are… are you alright?” Ethan’s voice came from above, a downright whisper.

She took in a deep breath, smelling blood, burnt hair, the forest. Fire. Here we stand. And here we remain.

Again she looked into the forest. Again she heard and saw nothing else. Kate took in a deep breath before she looked up, seeing Ethan twitch just a little. “I’m better,” she said. “Can you open… wait, let me try actually.” She knew her Hunting Leap increased by 0.25m per level, meaning at her current level four, she was at three meters with a full charge. The walls of the castle were about four meters high, but she had her arms as well.

“Anyone in the courtyard?” she asked.

Ethan checked and shook his head.

Kate grabbed the bloodied battle axe and threw it over the wall. She stepped back and ran towards the wall, charging her ability before she jumped. Power flowed through her legs and muscles, propelling her upwards before she grabbed onto the side of the stone battlements. She threw up her hammer and grabbed on with her other arm, pulling herself up with one swift motion. She downright leaped over the stone and collected her weapon, turning to see a wide eyed Ethan watch her.

He raised his hands. “I… just watching, ma’am.”

She smiled and looked out towards the yard, seeing the battle axe lying on the ground. “Tell them we’re fine.”

Ethan froze before he whirled into action, rushing over to the wood covered section right above the gate. He grabbed the radio and talked. “We… we’re fine. The monsters are… ah… dead. Nobody injured… wait are you injured?”

She gave him a look.

“Nobody injured. Fine. Over, I mean,” he said and stopped sending.

“Thanks,” Kate said as she leaned against the stone railing, looking out into the night. She turned her head to look his way. “Mind if I stay out here for a while?”

“No ma’am, of course not ma’am,” Ethan said quickly.

“Can you stop calling me ma’am? I’m Kate,” she said, walking past him and towards the northernmost part of the castle. The bit of the wall that overlooked the Willow River far below, and the valley beyond.

“Of course m… Kate, sure,” he said and looked to the ground, gulping before he smiled. He glanced up at her. “That was… that was sick.”

“Thanks for the fireball,” she said.

“Any time, Kate, ma’am,” he said and gave her a thumbs up. “And no fire in the castle. Promise.”

She gave him a glance before she looked at the valley she had once called her home. “Yeah, there’s plenty of that around.”

Kate looked at her bloodied hammer, most of it still covered in soot. She found a spot a little removed from the gate and sat down, feeling the cool wind brush through her hair. Fresh blood and sweat mixed with that from her time in the cavern. She looked at the distant fires, some of it still spreading, other sections seemingly calming down. The Henner Forest on the other side of the valley was near fully engulfed in flames.

She remembered the dry summer a few years back. Two, maybe three years past. The entire brigade had to embark to put out a fire in that damn forest. We even got air support, she thought with a smile, giggling to herself as she watched the burning valley.

“Are you okay?” Ethan asked.

She turned her head to see the man standing at the corner of the battlements. “Why wouldn’t I be,” she asked with a smile.

“The mad cackling. You sound like someone in a horror movie, losing their mind or something,” he said.

“Who knows,” she said, shaking her head lightly. “I mean look at this,” she added, turning her gaze towards the valley.

Ethan walked a few steps closer and rested his arms on the cold stone. He grinned from ear to ear. “Fucking beautiful,” he muttered.

“Who’s mad now?” she asked.

“All those fuckers are dead now. The hordes you saw. Humanity, man,” he said. “Badass.”

She couldn’t help but chuckle.

“It’s kind of nice looking, you have to admit that. Come on, even as a firefighter,” Ethan said.

“I’m not a fan, honestly,” Kate said. “It looked nice enough before.”

“Yeah… but this is a one time thing. A one time fire. Trees hundreds of years old, houses, fields, all burning down. All ashes. Fuck it all,” he said and spread his arms.

She sighed, taking in a deep breath before she closed her eyes. Fuck it all.

“Right, Jon asks if we need anything,” he said.

“I puked up my food again,” Kate said, more to herself. “Some coffee would be nice too.”

“Shouldn’t you sleep at some point?” Ethan asked.

“Fuck off, fire boy,” Kate said.

“Sure, ma’am,” he said and walked away, whistling a tune to himself before he talked into the radio.

She heard every word but ignored it, instead looking out onto the seas of fire. The last wild breath of humanity, against a changing tide.

Kate checked the messages from the short battle, finding some of her skills had leveled up.

‘ding’ ‘Shattering Step reaches lvl 3’

‘ding’ ‘Toll for the Living reaches lvl 15’

‘ding’ ‘Two Handed Weapon Fighting reaches lvl 14’

‘ding’ ‘Intimidating Presence reaches lvl 6’

‘ding’ ‘Frightening Growl reaches lvl 5’

‘ding’ ‘Bewildering Wave reaches lvl 3’

Guess I was injured after all. Interesting.

It didn’t take long until Eloise reached her, the young woman sheepishly handing her an insulated bottle and a few sandwiches. “Melusine asked if she could check on you.”

Kate glanced at her and took the food. “Thanks. If she wants to, I’m here.”

The girl smiled and nodded before rushing back.

Kate opened the bottle, calming down a little when she smelled the coffee. She took a sip and turned her attention back to the fires.

That’s a lot of work out there.

I hope some of the others made it.

Kate Lindgren

Unspent stat points: 0

Class: Berserker – lvl 13

- Active: Mindless Ferocity – lvl 18

- Active: Furious Dance – lvl 16

- Active: Reckless Charge – lvl 14

- Active: Hunting Leap – lvl 4

- Active: Shattering Step – lvl 3

- Passive: Toll for the Living – lvl 15

- Passive: Courage of the Unarmored – lvl 14

- Passive: Two Handed Weapon Fighting – lvl 14

- Passive: Unrelenting Carnage – lvl 4

- Passive: Intimidating Presence – lvl 6

Support class: Silent Striker – lvl 7

- Active: Frightening Growl – lvl 5

- Active: Bewildering Wave – lvl 3

- Active:

- Passive: Heightened Hearing – lvl 9

- Passive: Echo Location – lvl 1

- Passive:

Status:

Vitality: 23

Endurance: 17

Perseverance: 13

Strength: 17

Dexterity: 8

Intelligence: 7

Wisdom: 10

Serenity: 7

Equipment:

Torso: -

Legs: -

Trinket: -

Food: -