A blanket of fog lay on the port city of Sintra as an unfamiliar vessel maneuvered into port. The colossal ship was well rigged and an unusual sight for the quiet dock, towering over the small barges and fishing trawlers that called Sintra home. Her first mate stood atop the galleon’s prow, barking orders as he guided his weary sailors into port. By his command oars were lashed and sails were furled, killing the ship’s forward motion with a salt-seasoned hand.

Other familiar orders were given with a calm directness and the sailors deftly moved to obey, letting the ship coast into port as they gathered at the front and side of the ship. They knew what orders came next but not a single man moved until the first mate commanded it. For these were proud sailors of the Royal Navy, order was their watchword and obedience their life.

Sintra’s fifth company watched them approach, rubbing their eyes in disbelief at the multi decked monstrosity.

“Ahoy galleon! Welcome ta Sintra, the finest port of mercenaries in the kingdom.” Called Sergeant Yarrick.

“Sintra you say? By Neptune's tits we are finally here! Alright you seadogs, offload this ship and summon the Knight Captain!” Called the first mate, following his first order with several more.

“I am already here.” Said Watch Captain Gaius Borgia, hustling down the gangplank and onto the dock.

“My name is Gaius Borgia, his majesty King Aldric has dispatched my company to assess the claims of monsters appearing out of thin air in the barony of Greenwood.” He said stiffly, trying his best not to look down on the torn and stained uniforms of the Sintran fifth company.

“Doesn’t matter who ye are, it’s a gold coin a day to dock a lass like this at our fair docks.” Said Yarrick calmly.

Borgia wished to throttle the backwater militiaman for daring to tax his savior.

“Man, I am a watch captain of the royal guard. Come here to save your miserable lives! How dare you attempt to extort me! Where is your mayor!” Snapped Gaius.

Docking fees and import tariffs were a common practice in the kingdom, but a gold coin per day would be an extortionate rate even for the most prestigious position at the royal shipyards. Yarrick smiled at Gaius, chuckling softly as he stepped forward and offered the captain his hand to shake.

“Just ‘ad to make sure yous were really Captain Borgia.” He said through a mouth of missing teeth.

“Aight lads, you ‘eard the man! Get this ship offloaded. Come wiff me Captain.” Said Yarrick.

“How does complaining about a docking fee identify me?” Growled Gaius.

“Lord Liam said the man ‘oo complained the loudest about coin was a royal knight captain an’ we should give ‘im a proper Sintran welcome! Oi, the beastie bodies are this way. We keep em in a warehouse over yonder.” Said Yarrick, turning and walking away from the captain.

Gaius closed his eyes and took a breath, thinking ‘Lord Liam, is your only goal in life to cause me grief?’ Before setting off after the man. Yarrick gave him the complete tour of Sintra, explaining how four fifths of the city had been abandoned in favor of communal housing and how the royal knights would be quartered near the docks. With two taverns and a row of warehouses serving as their quarters and mess halls. Burned buildings and demolished houses quickly confirmed Gaius’ fears. Lord Liam hadn’t faked the heads, nor had he demolished a third of his only port city. There just wasn’t any logic or profit to be gained from such antics.

“Say, captain, ‘ow many ‘ard cocks came wiff’ you?” Asked Yarrick.

Gaius ground his teeth at the improper colloquialism, coming to terms with the fact that this was going to be his life until the war was won.

“I have a score of knights on the ship, a hundred outriders, and fifty bowmen escorting supplies by land and eighty footmen waiting to be ferried up Pandora’s creek.”

Yarrick let out a low whistle and the two men who had accompanied him raised their eyebrows in surprise.

“‘Ear that boys? We got a shot!” Hollared Yarrick.

“I’ll believe it when I see it.” Answered one of the militiamen.

“Quit pissin on tha’ parade!” Chastised Yarrick, stopping in front of a warehouse door.

A peculiar smell wafted through the fog to assault Gaius’ nostrils.

“Good God man! What is that stench?”

“This is ‘er captain, take a peep up ‘er skirt.” Said Yarrick, yanking the door open with a devilish grin.

Gaius nearly lost his breakfast as the stench sallied into his lungs. He staggered two steps back before he was able to cover his mouth and nose with his handkerchief, muting the smell and coaxing several chuckles from the hardened militia. The scent was abominable beyond comprehension, if a hundred fish had been left to rot in the sun then smeared with a boatload of cow dung it would have smelled better. Gaius heaved dryly, fighting the convulsions for his breakfast.

“Chin up captain, you’ll git used to it.” Said Yarrick cheerily.

Captain Gaius knew he meant well, and limited himself to silent curses. A lantern was held aloft and Gaius stopped breathing. Coincidentally easing his nostrils’ plight. In front of his eyes there were dozens, nay, hundreds of monstrous creatures. Rows upon rows of wolves the size of horses were stacked against the walls, waiting for the day when they would be skinned and their rancid corpses burnt. Said skins lined the walls, pulled tight to dry the hides into more pliable materials.

Bloated carcasses from half human female and half fish bodies hung from the rafters, held aloft by meathooks. A corner of the warehouse displayed their grisly fate, a pile of female torsos lay beside a long table of knives and saws. While a row of meathooks held the lower fish halves above a smoldering fire, the smoke and heat flavoring the meat and halting spoilage until the butcher’s could finish their grisly work.

This would have been enough evidence for the weak hearted Gaius Borgia, but the warehouse was not done stealing his future dreams. Two snake bodies hung from multiple meat hooks, their nude torsos rudely declaring them as female, while their missing heads and scale color proved that they matched the heads he had seen in the royal capital. These nearly stopped his heart, armored knights and royal cavaliers had little to fear from hellhounds or mermaids, but a gorgon gaze didn’t care about armor or speed. In an equal battle they would claim many of his nepotistic knights.

“H- how!?” Blabbed Gaius, pointing to the snake bodies.

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“Oh, the medusa’s. T’ems pretty good eat’n.” Said Yarrick, misunderstanding the man’s question.

Retching sounds from Gaius told Yarrick that the royal captain had finally lost the battle over his breakfast.

“City folk must ‘ave life easy.” He mumbled, shaking his head.

“Move your arses! Hellhound coming through!” Shouted a voice behind them.

Yarrick caught Gaius by the scruff of his neck and yanked him out of the aisle, forcefully guiding him under the belly of a gorgon. Rough scales rubbed against his back, reigniting his terror at the prospect of having to face such an insurmountable woman in battle.

A man in mage robes entered the warehouse, a bubble of dark energy covering his body. At his side was one of the wolves. Gaius had never seen a hellhound while it still drew breath. To say the beast was impressive, would be like saying water was wet. The hellhound was long and lanky, with paws that were more like talons, far longer than any horse’s hoof. Heat distorted the air as he watched the mage lead the burning creature like a puppy; returning the hellhound to a cage the size of a small house beside the pile of mermaid top halves. Then the mage dropped his shadowshield of protection, revealing a familiar face.

“Soren Flameshadow, is that really you? How? What is this!” Blabbered Gaius.

“Oh, captain! Welcome to Sintra, but this is a poor place for greetings, tis the stench, it really seeps into your clothes.” Said the royal magician, locking the kennel and standing clear as two more magicians brought their own dogs in.

Gaius could barely stand, he’d never honestly considered that there could be anything more than an extra pack of wolves in Greenwood. But the revelations of fire and hounds was too much to bear. Not to mention Yarrick was beating each surprise into his skull with successive assaults. Slowly berating his courage into submission. Soren saw the look in his eye and took him by the arm, leading him out of the warehouse and across town to the command post.

“Yarrick can be a real dog sometimes captain, but he is a capable commander when it matters.” Said Soren in lieu of an apology.

“You were walking that monster like it was a pet!” Gasped Gaius.

“Oh, ha, that’s master Rhendal’s doing, he found a way for us fire magi to subdue the beasts. We can blow out their flames, which, ha ha makes them look like giant poodles! But oh man, they do not like it one bit! They’ll roll over and whimper like pups if you do it a few times.” Chuckled Soren.

“Why would you want to keep it alive?” Cried Gaius.

“Why not? Ah, I think Rhendal wanted a couple to keep the town warm in the winter. Though, after we caught the third it’s becoming clear this generation won’t be suitable. They are beasts at heart, only fire magi seem to earn their respect. I’ve even slept next to ole Fluffy, on accident of course, but the ole boy just curled up around me! Can you believe it? Ha, ha…” Soren’s normally pleasant demeanor faded, replaced by the hard eyes of a royal magician. “But be warned, their affection only applies to fire magi, take your eyes off of them and those bitches will go for the nearest human throat.” Said Soren, rubbing his own neck.

“I’ve sailed to Hades. Journeyed into the abyss from whence no men can return.” Mourned Gaius.

“Ha! Good one captain, I’m sure you’ll fit in with the Sintrans. Just watch out for that horny bastard Jenkins. The man cannot speak without a cock in his mouth. Ah, see what I mean? His diction is rubbing off on me.” Said Soren, chuckling as they rose to the battlements of Sintra’s wooden palisades.

“Who is with you Soren?” Called a voice that Gaius recognized from the worst day of his life.

Captain Arlet stood on the hastily constructed machicolations above the Sintran gates. A sword was on his hip and his armor was so polished that Gaius considered asking the champion for tips. Lord Liam and Lady Nyota stood beside him, eyes focused on something in the distant sky. While Rhendal stood on a chair next to the couple, waving his former protege over to them.

“Lord Liam, look who is with Soren! Gallstone Bologna if I’m not mistaken!” Said Rhendal.

Liam turned slowly, his face grim as he met the newcomers.

“Captain Gaius Borgia… Please tell me you come bearing good news.” He asked slowly, speaking his words as if chewing a boot.

Gaius looked him up and down, wondering if this was really the same man that had ruined his life with a single strut down the red carpet.

“Lord Liam, I’ve arrived with the vanguard. A galleon with a score of knights and a hold full of grain, eighty additional footmen will arrive on similar ships in the coming days. My archers were sent to safeguard our supply wagons along with one of his majesty’s finest hundred outriders.” Answered Gaius with a prideful gleam in his eye.

“The king provides, excellent. Eldred! Take your raiders and work your way south, link up with those outriders and make sure they arrive safely.” Said Liam, practically ignoring Gaius.

“My lord, the southern road is the safest road by far, my raiders haven’t seen hind nor hair of hellhounds or other beasts for nigh on two weeks. Are you sure we aren’t needed elsewhere?” Asked a man Gaius had never seen before.

Like all the other peasants he wore a ragged uniform, stained with an array of sordid splatters, as if the man worked in a butchers shop for years without cleaning his shirt. Though a glint in his eye made Gaius pause, reevaluating the man. On closer inspection he saw the thick callouses on his hands, the polished blade and oiled buckles. Here was a warrior who had seen no relief yet found time to maintain his weapons of war. A professional soldier, whose business was booming. Eldred was not a large man, nor was he young, but he spoke to the Lightning Lord as a trusted advisor. A feat Gaius dared not equal.

“I can portal away from here, but you will starve without that food. Are you willing to stake your life on that assumption?” Asked Liam.

“My raiders are the best damn skirmishers you have, and with that bugger over yonder you’ll need us. Let the corporals guard the wagons. They can handle it, trained ‘em myself.” Said Eldred.

“Very well. Ah Gaius, that portal has me off kilter. This is Royal Watch Captain Gaius Borgia, he is the commander of the king’s relief forces. This is Eldred of the Greenhaven militia’s special unit. He commands the Petran survivors and his raiders act as our expeditionary forces.” Said Liam, introducing the two men.

“What’s a raiding force do in a defensive war?” Asked Gaius.

The question had been meant for Eldred, but Liam answered for him, pointing out over the palisade walls at the object of his earlier attention. “Solve problems that hiding behind our walls won’t. Like that conundrum.”

Gaius followed his finger across the horizon, stopping as he caught sight of a small purple cloud, spinning in the distant sky.

“What is that? Wait, how far away is it? I can tell it is spinning, but it looks like the eye of a tempest, all it’s missing is a lightning storm.” He asked, squinting at the distant sphere.

“It’s a portal, one that can be seen from Greenhaven, Mont St Michel, and now Sintra. Given our maps, I would estimate it was directly above Blackwood Keep, and large enough to swallow the fort in an instant.” Said Liam, vocalizing the doom they all feared.

“That’s… That cannot be possible Lord Liam… I am no mage but a portal large enough to swallow a castle? The notion is preposterous!” Babbled Gaius.

“A rigid mind may have benefitted you in the capital, but I would encourage you to be more flexible. You will be stationed here in Sintra until you understand the possibility of the impossible. If your outriders arrive unscathed then they will be sent towards that portal.” Stated Liam.

Gaius knew a dismissal when he heard one and clapped a sharp salute. Besides, anywhere was better than next to the mad Lord of Lighting.

“You in the fog! Who goes there? Hey! Don’t hide behind the trees! State your name!” Called one of the Sintran regulars who were on duty.

Liam looked down into the mist around the city, seeking this new enemy. Humans would have no reason to cower in front of the city gates, but a humanoid monster would have every reason to be cautious.

“Ready crossbows!” Shouted the man, ducking behind the ramparts.

Arlet copied his movements, adding credibility to the man’s bluff. What few crossbows they had were rusted beyond use with rotten strings, spears and the shortbows with crooked arrows were their only ranged armaments. If they survived til winter then the people could fletch new arrows and restring the crossbows, but until then life was a frantic dash where blades and daggers would have to suffice.

If only we still had Jenkins, losing him was a damn shame. Thought Liam.

“Oi, is that the Petran Militia, I’ve seen you apes pee. The safest place for me to stand would be directly in front of you.” Shouted a familiar voice.

“Well I'll be a monkey’s uncle.” Liam whispered. “Jenkins! You broke dick cocksucker! Why are you hiding in the fog?” Shouted Liam.

“Oh ho! I hear the cry of a fellow scallywag!” Jeered Jenkins, laughing heartily only to stumble and cough.

“Open the ga-”

“Lord! He is not alone, something moves in the fog behind him.” Interrupted Arlet, peeking over the battlements, a javelin of slender steel in his hand.