TIME TO GO
It took two bells.
Two long, agonizing hours until the chaos outside finally subsided, leaving Sloane and Mariel in a tense silence. Sloane found herself repeatedly checking her grenades, seeking some form of reassurance. Her caster was back in its holster, and she had no idea who had won, but she definitely heard some noises that could have been from magic users casting spells.
I should have gone out there.
She knew the paladin and her two guards could handle themselves, but she didn’t like being placed on the sidelines. A glance at Mariel, huddled with her knees drawn up to her chest, her eyes wide with fear and unshed tears, served as a stark reminder of her role–she was the last line of defense for the cultists' true target.
“Milady, it is finally quiet. The Lord will soon have his guards come to check on us. I’m sure of it,” the young telv servant stated for the fourth time. She gazed at the window, as though she were compelled to draw back the curtains and peer outside. Yet, her eyes consistently flickered toward the vacant space in the room where she believed Vesper’s invisible form to be.
Vesper moved thirty minutes ago.
Sloane could only sigh.
Not even a few minutes after the others had rushed out the door, the two servants had come in, ostensibly to ensure the noble they were charged with attending was not alone.
More likely, they remembered Vesper.
“I have no doubt. But don’t worry, we’ll be safe until then,” Sloane assured the servant. “That said, please do not open the curtains or go near the window. If there are still attackers, you will make yourself a target.”
The woman nodded her head quickly. “Yes, of course–”
“Hush, child. You’ve seen the Baroness’s creation. No man will harm us with that… thing protecting us,” the raithe servant interjected with a bit more confidence.
And this one is over here acting like an attack on the estate is just another Tuesday.
“It… It is protecting us, right, milady? It’s still here?” the younger woman asked hesitantly.
Sloane took a deep breath. “Vesper,” she started, but then a slight distortion moved causing the Artificer to narrow her eyes. “Vesper, don’t scare the poor woman. Now isn’t the time for games.”
A meow-like sound echoed from the golem, causing the servant girl to jump as it came from right next to her. The air shimmered as Vesper reappeared, giving the servant a lazy stare before sauntering over to Mariel and settling down next to her.
To the casual eye, it would seem as if the golem were lazing about like a regular cat, but Sloane knew otherwise. Especially with how the appendages constantly maintained an angle on the doorway, with each one never pointed anywhere but the entrance… Even when she was facing the opposite way.
The sound of footsteps echoed in the hallway outside, causing Sloane's heart to pound in her chest and adrenaline to surge. She quickly called Vesper over, her voice steady despite the fear gnawing at her gut. “Vesper, get ready,” she instructed, her eyes never leaving the door.
She turned to Mariel, who was watching her with wide, frightened eyes, her breathing a bit more hurried. “Mariel, I need you to get under the table, okay?” she said, her tone firm but gentle. The girl nodded, quickly scrambling under the table while the older servant blew out the flame in the room’s sole lamp.
Sloane moved to position herself between the door and Mariel, her body tense as she prepared for a potential confrontation. She activated her watch's |Spell Buckler|, the device projecting a shimmering blue shield in front of her as she lowered herself slightly to present a smaller target. The light from the shield cast an eerie glow in the room, casting long, distorted shadows.
With her other hand, Sloane reached for her spell caster. She drew the weapon smoothly, her grip steady as she aimed it at the door. Her heart pounded in her chest as she waited for whatever was about to come through that threshold.
Abruptly, the door swung open.
Three men stepped into the room, and she didn't recognize any of them, nor did they have any House markings or colors.
That was enough for her to react.
“Vesper, subdue!” she commanded, her voice slicing through the tense silence that had fallen over the room.
Vesper responded instantly.
The golem launched herself at the first man who entered the room, who barely had time to react before Vesper broke through any semblance of a guard and he was knocked to the ground. Vesper growled menacingly as she shoved the man down, her front paws pinning him to the floor while her glowing appendages crackled with arcane energy as they aimed at the other two men.
The room erupted into chaos, and Tiberius screeched as he took off, ready to provide air superiority. The men were taken by complete surprise, their eyes wide with shock and fear as they stared at the golem.
One of them managed to find his voice, his cry cutting through the commotion. “Wait! Stop!” he shouted, a hand raised upward as he lifted his sword up and away.
The man on the ground focused intently on the golem’s maw with wide, scared eyes, his body trembling beneath the golem.
Sloane's focus remained unyielding, her spell caster trained unwaveringly on the intruders, ready for any of them to make a sudden move.
“Surrender,” she demanded. “And tell me who you are.”
Another man lowered his weapon and also raised a hand in an unthreatening manner. “Milady, we’re City Guard. Please, we’re here to help.”
Sloane stared into his eyes, taking his measure before nodding and lowering her gun. Without prompt, Vesper pulled her appendages back before she leaned her head down and nuzzled the man’s face, causing the raithe man to whimper slightly.
“Where are the Estos House Guards, and my own?” she demanded as Vesper returned to her side.
The guardsman swallowed hard, his eyes darting between Sloane and Vesper. “They're outside, milady,” he replied, his voice shaky. A knight, Ser Yemina, is coordinating the recovery efforts with a Senior Guardsman Kho'lin. We were sent to ensure everyone in the manor was safe.”
The guardsman who Vesper had put on his back rose to his feet before his gaze landed on his subduer, eyes still wide in disbelief. “W-What is that?!” he stammered, pointing a shaky finger at the golem.
Sloane couldn't help but smirk at his reaction. She placed a hand on Vesper's flank, the golem purring softly under her touch. “Our safety,” she replied simply, her voice steady and confident.
The guardsman blinked, clearly taken aback by her response and when he glanced at his companions, they just shook their heads in equal amounts of unease.
Sloane didn’t care to elaborate anything, she had done what she needed to do to protect Mariel and the servants.
Having a golem that could strike fear into the hearts of men was already proving to be a boon.
“Well, as you can see we are fine here,” she stated dismissively. “So, feel free to continue through the rest of the manor. Oh, and please inform Senior Guardsman Kho’lin that I would like to see her when she's done.”
With a nod, the guardsmen quickly retreated from the room and as the door closed behind them, Sloane let her arm holding the caster drop.
✦ ✦ ✦
Sloane rose to her feet as Nemura and Stefan entered the room. Instantly, her House’s head guard swept her gaze over the room, taking in the sight of Vesper and the two servants before she nodded in approval.
Sloane let out a sigh of relief, her shoulders sagging slightly, as she examined the state of the two guards. The two of them looked weary but unharmed, their armor scuffed and stained from fighting. “Are you both okay?” she asked, her focus flicking between them.
Stefan smirked, a wry twist to his lips. “Did you really have any doubt otherwise?” he asked with way more casualness than Sloane needed at the moment.
Nemura rolled her eyes at his comment, but there was a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. “We are fine,” she assured Sloane. “The City Guard was able to react in time. There were casualties, but we and Yemina mainly held against any that got into the estate itself.”
She paused, her expression turning somber. “The guardsmen had one magic user and still lost some twenty-five people taking out four magic users the cultists had,” she reported, her voice heavy with the weight of the loss. “But we managed to prevent them from reaching the manor.”
“Nemura took out one, herself. Nasty bugger that,” Stefan added, a hint of pride while Nemura nodded knowingly. “Yemina was a terror. She has got to be at a high step, combined with her already formidable ability… She took out an entire squad that held a magic wielder, as well.”
Sloane raised a brow as she looked at her telv guardswoman. That was impressive. “They’re mages, by the way. Magic casters are sometimes called mages where I am from. Or wizards, but I don’t see any wands, so let’s not use that terminology.”
Nemura and Stefan both shrugged.
“As long as I know how to kill any that try to harm us,” Nemura replied. “I don’t really care what we call them.”
Stefan waved his hand in agreement.
Sloane had a thought, they’d seen the City Guardsmen, but none from the House thus far. “Have either of you heard from Lord Estos?” she asked, her gaze flicking between them.
Stefan shook his head. “No, we haven't seen him since the attack started.”
Nemura’s expression hardened. “Yemina took charge of the defense, his House Guard is securing the estate along with the guardsmen from the city.”
Sloane winced. “Yeah, we met those ones.”
Nemura looked confused, but then Sloane told them about the… incident which brought out a bark of laughter from Stefan while her head guard just narrowed her eyes at Vesper.
Sloane rolled her eyes and looked around those in the room. Everyone’s eyes seemed to be watching her expectantly, and she sighed. The perk of being a noble.
“Stefan, stay with Mariel. Nemura, let’s go find Lord Estos.”
The Blade nodded, moving to stand protectively near Mariel.
The older raithe servant woman suddenly spoke up, “Milady, thank you for keeping us safe.”
Sloane smiled at her, shaking her head slightly. “I didn't do anything. You should thank Stefan and Nemura. They're the ones who fought off the attackers.”
Nemura's back straightened a bit at the praise, and Stefan adopted a confident posture as both servants thanked them. It was clear that they were proud of their actions, and Sloane felt some herself as she considered the two.
I just wish I could have supported them.
Turning to Mariel, Sloane gave the girl a reassuring smile. “I'll be back soon, okay? You did so good, Mariel. I'm proud of you.”
The priestess-in-training gave Sloane a weak smile that betrayed how she felt about her response, but Sloane didn’t blame her… the girl was young and shouldn’t have to weather so many attacks. She couldn’t imagine what it would be like for a child to live under such threats all of the time.
I need to keep an eye on her. Maybe Yemina can help.
Sloane forced away the thoughts that decided now was a good time to creep up, instead focusing on what she needed to do next.
She then turned to Vesper, who had been watching the exchange intently. “Vesper, watch over everyone while we're gone.”
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The golem let out a soft meow in response before moving closer to Mariel, as well.
Finally, Sloane called Tiberius to her. The mechanical falcon chirped in response, flying over to land on her shoulder. With one last glance at the room, Sloane turned and followed Nemura out the door.
As Nemura and Sloane made their way through the halls of the manor, they passed groups of guards. The men and women were visibly shaken from the attack, but they held themselves with a sense of determination and resilience that was admirable. As they passed, Sloane noticed the looks of respect that were directed at Nemura.
“You're quite popular,” Sloane remarked with a hint of amusement in her voice.
Nemura merely shrugged, a nonchalant expression on her face. “They respect strength and skill,” she replied simply. But Sloane caught a hint of a smile on the woman's face, a rare sight that made her grin.
As they continued on, they began to see servants emerging from various rooms, their faces pale but determined as they began to return to their duties and assist with anything needed in the aftermath of the attack. Sloane approached one of them, a young man who looked to be in his late teens.
“Can you take us to Lord Estos?” she asked, her tone polite but firm.
The servant bowed to her and when he straightened his back, there was a look of relief crossing his face at the sight of her for some reason that she couldn’t explain.
She returned a nod and he hurried away to whisper something to a nearby guard, who spoke while he gestured with his hands as if pointing out where to go.
The servant nodded and soon was guiding them through the increasingly busy halls of the manor and up a set of stairs to the second floor that was abuzz with a flurry of activity. Sloane noticed that servants and guards alike were scurrying about, their faces etched with a mix of relief and determination as they worked tirelessly to restore order in the aftermath of the attack.
There were four guards standing outside the door the servant led them to. It seemed they were prepared for her because one of them instantly turned and opened the door while the rest moved to the side to give her and Nemura room to walk past.
Sloane stepped into the office, Nemura following closely behind her. Inside, Ilian was seated at his desk, a look of grim determination on his face. Beside him was Toren, the representative from the banking guild, and a rugged moon elf man with short black hair and light purple-colored skin.
Ilian looked up as they entered, relief washing over his face. “Sloane, I'm glad to see you're safe,” he greeted, his voice steady despite the anger that flashed in his eyes. He turned his focus on Nemura and gave her a respectful dip of his head. “From what I hear, my House owes you and Ser Yemina a debt, Guardswoman Kho’lin. You saved many lives with your actions today.”
Nemura gave him a nod, her face back to its stern, stoic self.
“Sloane, I will be sure to extend my thanks to the rest of your retainers as well,” the sun elf nobleman added.
Sloane nodded, appreciating his sentiment. “Is there anything we can do for you, Ilian? This is partially my fault. They are after us, after all,” she asked the man.
Ilian shook his head. “Toren and I knew what we were getting into when we offered to provide safety.” He gestured to the moon elf. “This is one of my agents. He returned with news,” he explained.
The man in question bowed slightly to Sloane, his expression apologetic.
“I fear the attack may have been my fault,” he admitted, his voice filled with regret. “I wasn’t aware that the House was being watched, and I may have been followed to my meeting. I was careless.”
Ilian waved him off, his expression softening slightly. “We expected an attack sooner or later. I'm just glad the City Guard was able to respond quickly,” he said, his gaze turning to Toren.
The banking guild representative nodded in agreement. “They wouldn't have without pressure from us and the Guildmaster Cross,” he said, speaking of the head of the local Blades’ Guild before continuing, “But I'm surprised they sent as many men as they did, and now, with the death of so many guards, they appear to have decided to pull in soldiers to help stop the cultists.”
“Why haven't they done more until now?” Sloane asked, shifting her focus between Ilian and Toren.
Toren waved her off dismissively. “The City Guard has actually been taking the threat seriously when it comes to the city,” he explained. “But most of the attacks have been against you, a foreigner. But then they also attacked a peaceful gathering and killed a terran.”
Sloane's eyes widened in surprise. “A terran? Who was it?” she asked, her mind immediately going to Haruto, the man from the interstellar civilization she had met.
Toren sighed, his expression grim. “It was a man who was preaching about a terran god. He was teaching from a religious tome he called the Good Book that had apparently arrived with him. The cultists apparently deemed him a blasphemer and hung him from a tree in one of the city squares. They then massacred the crowd.”
Sloane gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. “When was this?” she asked quietly. It was an escalation and one that shouldn’t have surprised her after the burning of the temple, but it was so horrible.
“Just this morning,” Toren replied. “They attacked here and there simultaneously.”
Ilian added, “Nevermind that the city is fighting on literally three fronts right now and is going to fall if any one of those fronts collapses. The cultists are threatening to tear that tenuous situation apart.”
Sloane felt a chill run down her spine.
The situation was worse than she had thought. If the city was on the brink of collapse, and the cultists were only adding fuel to the fire, they really needed to get out of the city.
“With you here,” Sloane asked the agent. “Does that mean we have a time set up to leave?”
The agent nodded in response to Sloane's question. “Yes, the smuggler wants to leave tomorrow night. We need to hurry. We will meet a small ship in a cove south of the city. We will need to leave tonight.”
Sloane glanced at Nemura, her mind already racing with the logistics of their escape. “Then we will need to ensure we are not observed. I'm sure there are still people watching.”
Nemura smiled, a glint of determination in her eyes. “We can handle it, especially if you bring Vesper along.”
Sloane smirked in reply, her confidence bolstered by Nemura's assurance. “I'd be happy to.”
Ilian nodded, his expression serious. “Then I will leave that to you, and we will prepare to leave. What do you need from me?”
Sloane turned to Nemura, who took a moment to consider before responding. “We need a distraction,” the telv began as she crossed her arms. “Something to draw the attention of the cultists and any other potential threats away from us. We will slip out of the estate and handle anyone who may be watching. The cultists will find out, but by the time we leave, it will be no matter. What you need to do is prepare your people for any reprisals after we leave.”
Ilian nodded. “I have already considered what to do after we leave, but we will adjust due to today’s attack.”
“And we'll need supplies,” Sloane added. “Food, water, medical supplies, anything we might need for a journey at sea.”
Ilian nodded, taking in their requests. “I can arrange for the supplies,” he assured them. “As for the distraction... I believe I can come up with something suitable.”
With their plan set, Sloane and Nemura left Ilian's office, their minds filled with the tasks ahead. The next twenty-four hours would be crucial. They had to ensure their escape went smoothly, for the sake of everyone involved.
✦ ✦ ✦
Sloane was in the midst of checking her gear when Nemura approached, her long dagger in its sheath held in hand. Sloane had enchanted it for her, and she knew how often the woman had needed to use it in the numerous attacks they’d weathered.
She looked up as Nemura extended the weapon towards her, a quizzical look on her face. “What's this for?” she asked, her gaze shifting from the dagger to Nemura.
Nemura gestured to the spell caster holstered on Sloane's leg. “That weapon is amazing, but the fact that you can only use it for one spell at a time and must... reload immediately after is going to hamper your ability to fight,” she explained, her tone matter-of-fact. “Your regular casting is faster, but I understand what you are trying to accomplish. Until you can improve your magic and tools, you need another weapon that will help you. Your sword will take too long to unsheathe in a situation where you would need it. So, this will be quicker. We will train more with it, but for now, keep it on you and close.”
Sloane nodded, taking the dagger from Nemura and pulling it slightly from the sheath, its blue runes glowing brightly as she pushed a bit of mana into the hilt.
She sighed, already seeing the logic in her guard’s words. The spell caster was a powerful tool, but its limitations could prove costly in a fight, and having a weapon that she could draw quickly could make all the difference.
She just didn’t know how to use a dagger, not that she was much better at the sword, but she had to admit that she was already using the sword less and less, mainly as a weapon of last resort.
Maybe I can learn to use a dagger to channel my magic similar to the enchanting pen?
“Thank you,” she told the woman sincerely, her mind already racing with ideas on how to improve her spell caster. A revolver-style cylinder could potentially allow for multiple spells to be loaded at once...
But that was a project for another time. For now, she had to focus on the task at hand and secured the sheath to her belt along her lower back, and practiced removing it a few times to ensure she was ready.
She gave the telv giving her an expectant look, a nod, and looked at the golem next to her. “You stay right behind Nemura, okay? I’ll follow you,” she told her most recent creation.
The door opened and Yemina walked in, the paladin looked fierce, and Sloane could see a slight glow from inside the slits of the helmet she wore.
Goggles. I need goggles.
“Are you two ready?” Yemina asked.
Sloane turned to Stefan, who was leaning against a table, a deck of cards in his hands while Mariel sat there drinking some water. “Are you two good?” she asked, more for Mariel’s sake than his.
Stefan looked up from the cards, a smirk playing on his lips. “Yeah, we’re fine. You go have fun while Mariel and I play cards,” he replied, his tone light.
Sloane rolled her eyes at his nonchalance, but she couldn't help the small smile that tugged at her lips. She knew Stefan was more than capable of protecting Mariel, and his casual demeanor was a welcome contrast to the tension that hung in the air.
“Be safe, all of you!” Mariel said after a bit of hesitation.
Sloane smiled. “We will. After all, they have me to protect them.”
Nemura huffed a laugh at the exchange, her eyes twinkling with amusement. “I can’t wait until we spar again.”
Sloane shot her a mock glare before turning to Yemina. “We're ready,” she confirmed, her tone serious once more.
As if on cue, Vesper shimmered and disappeared from sight, her form becoming nearly invisible. Only a slight distortion of light remained, but it was so faint that it would be virtually undetectable in the dark of night they were about to enter.
With a final nod to Stefan and Mariel, Sloane followed Nemura and Yemina out of the room, her heart pounding in her chest.
The four of them quickly made their way out of the manor through a service entrance through the kitchens, and outside where all of the lamps of the grounds were extinguished.
Sloane took one look around before following Nemura and Yemina through the quiet grounds of the estate and across the yards that ensured their footsteps were muffled by the soft grass beneath their feet.
The night was dark, with one of the Sisters fully obscured by clouds and the other only in a first-quarter phase that made seeing anything an exercise in futility.
“Vesper, come here,” she whispered.
The golem moved next to her, and Sloane grabbed a hold of the golem before using [Golem Sight] and stumbled as the night lit up. “Okay, lead the way, girl. I’m using your eyes.”
The cat bobbed its head and Sloane awkwardly walked forward while holding onto Vesper, and immediately regretted the decision when her stomach started getting queasy.
This was such a bad idea, but now I’m committed.
Nemura gestured for Sloane and Vesper to take the lead and Sloane almost tripped herself as she tried to nod and walk at the same time… while using something else’s vision.
They slowly made their way to a portion of the wall that was shadowed by a cluster of trees on the opposite side. Sloane let her spell drop and looked up at the towering structure, her brow furrowing in confusion. “How are we supposed to get over that?” she whispered, her gaze flicking between the two women.
Yemina and Nemura shared a smirk before Nemura crouched down, interlocking her fingers to form a step. With a swift, practiced movement between the two women, she propelled Yemina up the wall. The paladin landed gracefully on the top, reaching her arm down to help the others.
Nemura gestured for Sloane to go next. As Sloane stood in front of the telv woman, she glanced back at the spot where Vesper had been. “Shit… Okay. What about Vesper?” she asked, concern lacing her voice.
Before her head guard could answer, a low growl echoed, followed by a soft thump from the other side of the wall.
Nemura shrugged, a small smile playing on her lips. “She's got it covered,” she said, gesturing for Sloane to step into her hands.
With a deep breath, Sloane placed her foot in Nemura's hands and was launched upwards. She bit back a scream as she soared through the air, her heart pounding in her chest. Yemina caught her easily and pulled her up onto the top of the wall where Sloane quickly took a few steadying breaths.
Then, it was Nemura's turn. The woman backed up a few steps before a pulse of mana washed over her body and to Sloane's [Mana Sense], it was like a wave of energy, powerful and controlled. With a running start, Nemura took at least three propelling steps up the wall before leaping and reaching out to grab Yemina's outstretched hand.
Once they were all on top of the wall, they all jumped down the other side where Vesper patiently waited for them.
Well, Yemina and Nemura did.
Sloane, on the other hand, dangled from the top for a moment before dropping down, landing with a soft thud and immediately falling on her ass.
Wincing as she stood, Sloane wiped at her damp rear before looking up at the two women and forcing a wry smile onto her face. “Well, that was... interesting,” she said while shaking her head.
As they started walking away from the estate, Sloane could hear a ton of commotion and shouting coming from within. She narrowed her eyes but Nemura shook her head. “That’s just our distraction.”
It wasn’t long until Yemina led them down a narrow side street, the paladin leading the way with her steps quiet and sure in the darkness. The woman pointed ahead, and the three of them stopped in view of a nondescript building that had a clear line of sight to the estate. Yemina turned to them, her voice a low whisper in the night. “Inside are at least seven cultists,” she explained. “There are two more locations like this nearby.”
The sun elf woman shared a nod with Nemura before they approached the door with weapons drawn. Sloane pulled out her caster and ensured it was loaded before raising it along with her offhand, ready to activate the |Spell Buckler|.
Nemura knocked lightly, and after a moment, the door creaked open.
A moon elf man peered out, confusion etched on his face. His eyes widened in surprise followed by recognition before his mouth opened to shout.
However, before he could make a sound, Yemina darted forward, wrapped one hand around the man’s head and drove her dagger into his throat.
His eyes bulged, his hands clawing at the blade lodged in his neck, but it was too late, and when Yemina pulled her dagger free, the man crumpled to the ground, his lifeblood pooling around him.
As Yemina set about arranging the body outside, Sloane turned to where she knew Vesper was. The golem was invisible, but Sloane knew the golem would stay close. “Go,” she ordered, her voice low and steady. “Kill the cultists.”
The muffled steps of the stealthed panther golem echoed in the silence as Vesper rushed into the building.
Soon, shouts of surprise and terror filled the air, followed by a large growl and the snap-hiss of arcane energy discharging several times in quick succession.
Yemina looked slightly surprised as they walked in, past several bodies, and found a now visible Vesper that could be seen at the top of some stairs, her maw covered in blood, and wisps of mana, almost like the smoke from the end of a gun barrel, coming from her appendages.
Nemura turned to Sloane, a hint of awe in her eyes. “That... was easier than I expected,” she admitted. “Let's check here, then head to the next buildings.”
Sloane nodded. “Let’s hurry. I want to get the hell out of the city. It’s time to go.”
As they got to work, Sloane watched Vesper fake a lazy yawn and shake her head from side to side. Despite the grim situation, she couldn't help but feel a sense of pride at Vesper's performance.
The golem had exceeded her expectations immensely.