With less than thirty minutes to go before the attack would begin, the Forelians who’d been assembled at the dyeworks slowly began to make their way west through the city. Two hundred men and women total would be participating in the attack on the granary. The resistance’s remaining hundred troops had already been sent off to their assigned positions throughout the city, tasked with either starting fires or supporting Kara.
Len and Celaena went with the first group. They and their soldiers set off from the dyeworks in groups of twos and threes, disappearing like ghosts into the slum’s tight, shadowy alleyways.
The full moon was up and shining like a silver beacon in the sky when it finally came time for Gideon and Surelin’s group to leave. Surelin allowed a few of their soldiers to leave ahead of them before they set off together. It was an unseasonably warm night, and combined with the warmth of his new armor Gideon began to work up a light sweat. Before long he began to envy Surelin and the rest of the resistance for the open faced bascinets they wore.
They both remained silent as they walked. Len had stressed the importance of not drawing unnecessary attention before the fires had begun, and carrying on a conversation in the dark was exactly the type of thing he meant. The city around them shared in their silence as they navigated through the darkened slums. To his relief, Gideon saw no sign along the way that the hussars or anyone else had been alerted to the plan. The thought of people being sound asleep inside the buildings they passed felt completely at odds with what was about to occur.
Not a single person in this city is going to get more than a few hours of sleep tonight.
They crossed the Silver River at a tiny wooden footbridge, a rickety old thing that creaked and groaned loudly under their feet. Upon reaching the far side, two Forelian soldiers greeted them and led them to a nearby three-story flophouse, where Len and Celaena were waiting for them on the roof.
Len impatiently waved over Surelin and Gideon the moment he spotted them.
“You can see the entire compound from up here,” he whispered. “Look there.”
In the near distance, two tightly packed rows of massive silos stood against the backdrop of the southern wall and the buildings surrounding it. What looked to be a one story warehouse sat at a good distance from the silos, and two hussar sentries stood before its front door, holding lit lanterns. The entire compound was unwalled and had three primary roads: one to the southwest towards the nearby gate, another leading north west into the merchant’s quarter, and the final one led north east, towards the main strip. Civilian residences surrounded the granary on all sides, and the alleyways running between them offered dozens of additional access points to the compound. The compound’s floor looked to be simple dirt, matching the footpaths present throughout the rest of the slums.
“There are far less guards than we anticipated,” Celaena whispered.
“Where could the rest be?” Surelin whispered back.
“Inside the warehouse, if I were to hazard a guess,” Len offered. “Perhaps they are asleep. It is the winter solstice after all. I suggest we send the troops to surround the entire compound at once.”
Surelin nodded. “Do it.”
Len quickly summoned a runner to relay the orders, and soon afterwards they watched from the roof as the troops silently filtered through the alleyways and buildings below them.
“We should join them once they are in position,” Len whispered.
“How long is it until the fire alarms go off?” Gideon asked.
“It should be any moment now.”
“Then there’s no reason to wait up here,” Surelin said.
They left the roof then, descending through the building to join the closest troops in a nearby alleyway. At almost the same moment they stepped out of the building, the sound of clanging alarm bells began to ring out from the north.
“Go!” Surelin shouted while drawing her sword.
Together they set off at a sprint. Shouted commands and screams sounded from the compound ahead of them.
A chaotic scene greeted them when they arrived moments later. The two hussar sentries had already surrendered, and were seated cross legged in the dirt with their hands placed on top of their heads. Four resistance fighters were closeby and keeping a careful eye on them. The rest of the resistance warband had gathered around the warehouse, shouting taunts and curses at it.
“What’s going on?” Surelin asked hastily.
Len got the attention of one of the soldiers guarding the prisoners, a blond, light skinned Forelian man whose face was pox-scarred.
“Sir, the enemy’s holed up in that warehouse.”
“Did we take any casualties?”
“Not yet, I don’t think.”
“That’s lucky,” Gideon remarked.
Surelin did not seem pleased, however, and she made a beeline for the warehouse. When the troops realized she was walking amongst them they quieted down and parted out of her way.
“You hussars in there!” she shouted at the warehouse. “Surrender! We have you outnumbered ten to one!”
After several long moments of silence, someone inside shouted a reply.
“Y’ain’t foolin’ nobody! Reckon there ain’t more’n three hundred of you!”
“Come out right now or we’ll burn the whole building down with you inside!” Surelin shouted back impatiently. “This night is going to be filled with burning hussars! Don’t join their ranks needlessly!”
More silence followed.
“We don’t have time for this,” she muttered. But right when she turned to issue the command, the voice rang out again.
“Fuckin’ alright then! We surrender!”
The first hussars stepped outside of the warehouse soon after, unarmed and with their hands held above their heads. A stream of them began to trickle out of the building.
“Bind their hands and feet, then put them with the others!” Len commanded.
The nearby troops quickly moved to obey.
“Look,” Celaena shouted.
Every head turned to see what she’d indicated. Well past the buildings to the north, the night sky was filled with a faint yellow-orange glow.
“Fires must be going well,” Gideon said.
“I recommend we leave a quarter of our forces here, ma’am, to act as sentries and guards for the prisoners,” Len urged. “The rest of us should get to work on bagging the grain.”
“Agreed. Celaena, stay here with the prisoners,” Surelin said.
“And send a few scouts out to keep watch on the roads,” Len added.
Celaena gave them a quick nod and marched towards the prisoners, shouting commands. Surelin, Gideon and Len headed for the silos.
----------------------------------------
Each grain silo had an iron valve and spigot protruding from it for easy dispensation of their contents, and Surelin quickly organized several human chains to bag and transport it. Every soldier had been told to bring along at least one empty sack in their pockets specifically for the grain, but they’d also found hundreds more stored inside the warehouse. The soldier working the valve would fill a sack full of grain then pass it down, where it would eventually reach a pile being organized by Len and a few more soldiers. Surelin and Gideon joined the chains, working side by side with the troops doing the tough, sweaty work of shifting an endless stream of heavy grain sacks back and forth.
As they worked, the fire-glow in the distance spread and increased in intensity. The sound of alarm bells also increased all around them, and the cacophony began to take on an almost musical cadence to Gideon’s ear.
After twenty peaceful minutes of moving grain, he began to grow anxious.
This is going too well.
“This is going too well,” he told Surelin while handing her a sack.
She gave him an annoyed frown before handing it off to the next person. “Gideon, please don’t jinx us.”
“I’m just saying.”
Distant shouting from the compound behind them pricked up his ears. Surelin heard it as well, and instantly gave him an accusatory look.
“Sorry.”
Celaena appeared from the direction of the warehouse, and ran up to Len with a worried look. After a brief consultation they both trotted up to Surelin and Gideon.
“Ma’am, there’s been an incident.”
Surelin looked alarmed, but didn’t halt her work.
“Tell me.”
“A traitor just freed one of the prisoners. They both escaped before we could stop them.”
“I really did jinx us,” Gideon said ruefully.
Surelin shook her head with frustration. "Recommendations?"
“The odds of more hussars arriving just increased exponentially,” Len said. “We’re sure to become the highest priority for the nearest warband. I strongly suggest we leave a skeleton crew here to continue bagging while everyone else prepares for battle.”
“We must have enough grain prepared to fill up Kara’s wagons,” Celaena warned. “If we don’t bring as much as we can we’re sure to suffer for it later.”
“The grain won’t do us any good if we’re dead,” Len replied sharply.
“We’ll prepare for battle,” Surelin decided. “Gideon, do you have any suggestions for dealing with them?”
He shrugged. “I don’t think you can expect any surprises from them. They’ll just march down one of these roads straight towards us. All these buildings and alleys around us might make good spots for us to launch an ambush from, though.”
“I agree,” Len said. “In fact, I think we should set at least half our force in ambush positions.”
“Leave at least thirty here for the grain, ma’am,” Celaena urged. “We can summon them for battle if it becomes necessary.”
Surelin nodded firmly. “Thirty it is. Gideon, I want you to go with the ambushers. You’re in command.”
He handed off one final bag to her before taking off at a jog to the north. Half of the soldiers in the chains broke off to follow him. Surelin, Len, and Celaena led the rest into the compound.
“Just get into the alleyways around here,” Gideon shouted to the troops following him. “Stay hidden and quiet. Don’t move a fucking muscle unless I do.”
A narrow, shadowy alleyway facing the north-east road seemed to be the best position. A dozen soldiers joined him after he ran inside, while the rest entered other alleyways nearby.
Gideon crouched down in the darkness near the alleyway’s mouth, where he could get a good look at the moonlit compound. He watched as Surelin's group urgently shepherded the prisoners closer to the grain silos, and once it was done they began to form a battle line, facing north.
You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.
For what felt like a very long time, the only sound Gideon heard was the racket of alarm bells. Then, very distantly at first, a pitter-patter of many footsteps from the north that gradually grew louder, along with the distinctive sound of metal shuffling about heavily.
The old man was right.
Three formations of wingless hussars, followed closely by a single hussar with wings, jogged past the alleyway without sparing it a glance. Gideon counted the rows as they went by and quickly did the math.
Ten rows of ten three times…three hundred. Plus one. Fuck.
Moonlight illuminated the winged hussar’s face as he jogged past, and Gideon suddenly recognized him.
Julian is leading them?!
“Company, halt!” Julian bellowed.
The hussars came to a slow stop inside the compound and spread out unbidden to face the resistance’s battle line. Gideon watched as the resistance began to spread itself thin, trying to match the length of the hussar formations.
“What’s this then?” Julian shouted. “Rebellious slaves trying to steal food from the people of Loso while their homes are on fire?”
“Turn around and leave, sellswords!” Surelin shouted back. “Unless you’re ready to die over a few bags of grain!”
“You’re outnumbered and outclassed!” Julian replied. “Throw your weapons down and maybe we’ll spare a few of you!”
After a beat, the resistance battle line began to scream taunts and threats at the hussars, with a few even performing rude, sexual gestures.
They’re trying to goad the hussars into attacking so we can hit them from behind, Gideon realized. He turned back to gesture at the soldiers hiding in the alleyway with him to get ready.
“Company, bear arms!” Julian cried out above the taunts. The hussars all drew their swords in one swift, practiced motion.
“Company, charge!!!”
Throaty roars bellowed from the hussars as they charged. The two lines collided in a grating cacophony of shouting, metal upon metal, and stampeding feet. A heavy cloud of dust formed above the battle instantly, reducing visibility.
“No yelling or anything until we’re engaged,” Gideon said urgently as he drew his claymore. “If we just appear behind them It’ll scare them shitless! Just charge and fuck them up!”
He took off at maximum speed, sprinting out of the alleyway towards the hussar formations with the rest of the resistance troops following close behind. Looks of sheer terror appeared on the faces of the few hussars who happened to turn around, but most remained focused on the battle in front of them.
Gideon launched himself into the back of one of the hussars who hadn’t bothered to turn around, sending him into a violent collision with the men in front of him. The resistance members following after him achieved similar results, and in an instant the hussars had been completely surrounded.
A dull, mingled roar filled Gideon’s ears as he slashed and hacked at the wavering men in front of him. The hussars had almost no space to maneuver and shouldered into each other constantly as the resistance pressed them from all sides. They advanced steadily, crushing the hussars in the center of the encirclement as their comrades up front retreated.
Someone began to shout Gideon’s name over the din. He looked up from the hussar he was fencing with, and spotted strange activity on the other side of the battle. Resistance fighters were turning away from the hussars in front of them to fight a group of men coming from behind.
Reinforcements?! Shit!
He let out a roar and launched himself wildly at the closest hussars. Their swords scraped fruitlessly against his armor as he thrusted the tip of his claymore into the chest of the hussar directly in front of him. The man clutched at his wound, and more strikes from the nearby hussars banged against Gideon’s armor before he leapt backwards. When he looked up, the battle lines had melted into a whirlwind of chaotic violence. Hussars and resistance fighters battled all around him.
Through the chaos, he spotted Surelin dueling Julian on the far side of the battlefield. She seemed to be fending him off strike for strike, but she was clearly losing ground.
Many hussars stood in his way, but Gideon barreled towards Surelin regardless, ignoring the hussars who weren’t paying direct attention to him and dodging away from the ones who were. He had nearly reached Surelin when she suddenly gained the upper hand, forcing Julian back until he tripped over the heel of a resistance fighter behind him.
Julian fell on his side, but when Surelin approached him he scooped up a handful of loose dirt and flung it at her face. She instantly stumbled backwards with a pained scowl, rubbing dirt from her eyes.
Gideon finally reached them just as Julian was getting back to his feet. He lowered his shoulder and tackled him, and they both crashed to the floor in a heap. They wrestled for a moment before Gideon gained positive control of Julian’s collar and leveled the point of his claymore at Julian's face.
Len’s voice called out above the chaos as Julian stopped struggling and lifted his hands in surrender.
“Let them flee! Let them flee!”
The sound of rushing feet all around him caused Gideon to look up. The surviving hussars were running away, to the north, while the resistance fighters stood aside to let them leave. Dead and wounded from both sides littered the ground like a ghastly carpet. Blood colored the ground in all directions, soaking into the dirt.
“Gideon?” Julian asked, astonished.
“Surrender, asshole,” Gideon growled.
“The hell’s it look like I’m doing? Oh kid, you fucked up real bad by signing back on with these people. They’re doomed. Winning this little scuffle doesn’t change the facts.”
“I didn’t sign on with them,” Gideon replied hotly. “I’m not a fucking mercenary anymore.”
He swiftly brought the pommel of his claymore down onto Julian’s helmet, knocking him unconscious, then got back to his feet. As he did, a flurry of activity descended around him. Agonized cries from the wounded filled the air, calling out pitifully for help. The resistance fighters had become doctors for their wounded comrades, applying tourniquets and bandages where they could, and offering comfort where they couldn’t.
Surelin stood off to the side with Celaena, who was helping her to clean out her eyes using water from a flask.
“I’m glad you’re okay,” Surelin told him as he approached. She then winced after Celaena poured a bit of water into her opened eyes.
“Can you still see?” Gideon asked, worried.
“Yes. Ah! I’ll be fine once it’s all washed out.”
“I warned you about people trying anything to keep themselves alive,” he chided.
“Yes you did,” she gasped.
She’s bad at predicting treachery. Too damn honest for her own good.
Len approached them then, limping.
“I’m ten years too old to still be doing this,” he said wearily.
“You’re hurt?” Celaena asked.
“They nicked my thigh. It’s not bleeding heavily, I’ll have it looked at later. What’s more important is the prisoners—”
“We should kill the rest,” Celaena told Surelin fiercely.
“Why? What the fuck happened?” Gideon asked.
“Many of them broke out of their restraints when the battle was joined, and picked up swords from the fallen,” Len said.
Surelin backed away from Celaena, blinking hard to clear her vision. “We won’t kill the prisoners. But we won’t help their wounded, either. Marshal Len, what are our casualties?”
“Twenty-five dead, so far, and at least twice that number wounded.”
“Oh, Kali…” Celaena murmured.
A worried frown spread across Gideon’s face as he scanned the battlefield.
We’re in no state to fight anymore.
Surelin seemed deeply affected. “Do everything we possibly can for the wounded.”
“If Kara doesn’t—” Len began.
“She’s coming. We will focus on our wounded in the meantime.”
Len turned away from them, shaking his head as he limped away.
“If she’s not dead herself,” Gideon remarked.
----------------------------------------
In the aftermath of the battle, the troops who’d been sent off to start the fires slowly began to rejoin the resistance at the granary. Caeda had been sent out with them, and she returned with some information about what was happening in the rest of the city.
“It’s absolute chaos out there, ma’am,” she told Surelin. “It seems like there’s a complete breakdown of command and control amongst the hussars. They’re slaughtering anyone who even looks like they might be a slave when they aren’t fighting the fires. I barely made it here alive.”
Kara and her troops also finally arrived at the granary shortly afterwards, coming from the north-east road atop a caravan. Many of her troops were visibly wounded, walking alongside the wagons if they were still strong enough to fight, or resting inside them if they weren’t.
Surelin wrapped Kara in a fierce hug the moment she stepped down from the lead wagon.
“Hey,” Kara said wearily. “We’re here. Don’t ask us about what we had to do to get these things.”
“How many of you are hurt?” Surelin asked urgently.
“Most of us. I’m fine, though.”
“And the wagons?” Gideon asked.
“We managed to bring ten.”
“That should be more than enough for what we have prepared,” Len said.
“Then our wounded should rest in the spare wagons,” Celaena added quickly.
“I also have some bad news,” Kara said. “The southwest gate is completely engulfed in flames. Pretty much everyone on this side of the city is heading for the west gate. It’s gonna be harder to get us out with all that traffic on the strip.”
“One battle at a time,” Len said dryly.
Surelin gave him a quick nod. “Kara, bring your wagons around towards the silos. We need to load up and get out of here as soon as possible.”
“I suggest we send troops to escort the Dowager Queen and the prince out of Loso immediately,” Celaena said.
“Yes, it’s time. Collect thirty troops and take grandmother and Edwin out of the city immediately. Their safety overrides all other priorities.”
“Understood, ma’am. We’ll meet you at Logger’s Crossing.”
Surelin nodded, then suddenly gave Celaena a hug.
“Be safe.”
“And you.”
Celaena turned to Gideon then, and surprised him by offering her hand.
“I saw you during the battle,” she told him evenly. “How you fought, and how you ran to the princess’s rescue. I may have misjudged you. Slightly.”
Gideon accepted her hand, and they shook.
“Apology accepted.”
With that, Celaena broke off to gather her troops, then headed east with them towards the dyeworks. Kara led her wagons to the piles of grain, and the remaining troops began to load them up.
“Will this amount be enough?” Surelin asked Len as they watched the work being done.
He shook his head warily. “It’s impossible to say until we know how many mouths we need to feed. But if we assume roughly fifteen thousand, and we ration it strictly…this may last us two months. Or thereabouts.”
“Better than nothing,” Gideon added.
“I want our dead brought into that warehouse once the grain and the wounded are loaded,” Surelin said abruptly.
It gave Gideon and Len pause, and they waited for her to explain.
“We can’t afford the space in the wagons to carry them. Not when the living have a greater need. That warehouse will become their funeral pyre.”
“Understood, ma’am,” Len said. Gideon simply nodded.
“Let’s hurry. Every second we delay here gives the hussars more time to get their act together.”
----------------------------------------
The loading was done quickly and went on without much trouble. Many of the wounded looked to be in dire shape as they were being lifted into the wagons, causing Surelin to anxiously urge everyone to speed up their efforts.
Once the work had been completed, and the caravan readied to roll out, Surelin ordered the warehouse to be lit on fire. It went up surprisingly quickly, the flames spreading across the roof almost as if it’d been doused in lantern oil. Surelin and the other Forelians bowed their heads in prayer before the burning building.
“Kali,” Surelin said aloud. “Protect the souls of our brothers and sisters. Guide them along the cycle of rebirth. They died in your name, fighting to save us all.”
With that, Surelin lifted her head and gave the command for the caravan to roll out. It set off onto the north-east road, escorted on all sides by the remaining battle-ready troops.
The few remaining prisoners had been left where they were, restrained but sitting well away from the burning warehouse. Julian had been sent to join their number once he regained consciousness. When Gideon walked past with the rest of the caravan, Julian called out to him.
“Good luck out there, kid. You’re gonna need it.”
“Fuck off,” Gideon barked.
Julian’s boisterous laughter echoed into the night behind him as the caravan rolled away from the granary. They passed their first burning building only moments later, and before long it seemed like every other house they passed was on fire. The acrid smell of smoke quickly became overpowering.
People ran about everywhere, through the street and alleyways, into and out of buildings, often carrying baskets full of goods. The resistance troops guarding the caravan warded off anyone and everyone who came too close to the wagons, though very few were foolish enough to intentionally approach a large group of visibly armed soldiers.
Gideon and Surelin walked together behind the rear wagon, where Len had been loaded up with the other wounded.
“If the south-west gate is no longer available, then we should abandon our plans to lock the west gate behind us,” Len called to them. “If we don’t leave at least one gate on this side of the city open then many innocent people will have nowhere to flee.”
“Bad idea,” Gideon said, shaking his head. “If you leave it open you’re just making it easier for the hussars to chase us down.”
“If they’re determined, a locked gate won’t stop them,” Len said, then let out a pained groan. “Locking the west gate was only going to give us a bit more time no matter what. They’ll still have the east gate, regardless.”
“We’ll leave the gate open,” Surelin decided. “And leave our safety in Kali’s hands.”
Gideon rolled his eyes, but accepted her decision.
Kara’s voice rang out from the front of the caravan. “Hey you lot! Watch the canvases for burning embers! Beat it out quickly if you want to have any food to eat next month!”
She got a few half-hearted acknowledgements, and soon afterwards the caravan turned west onto the main strip. The Fabresco bridge stood nearby to the east. Beyond, every single building lining both sides of the strip had been engulfed in flames. Columns of dark smoke spewed from the fires, stretching high into the sky only to be consumed by the blackness of night.
“A sea of fire, split right down the middle,” Surelin remarked, awestruck.
Have I seen this before?
Something about the sight of such an awesome amount of fire tugged at a vague, half-remembered memory.
I would remember something this striking. Was this a dream?
No answer presented itself, and Gideon quickly put it out of his mind.
To the west, the strip was choked with so many people, wagons and carts that the resistance’s ten-wagon caravan did not seem out of place whatsoever. The mass of people acted as a camouflage for them as they marched along at a slowed pace.
“I thought we’d be in more trouble right about now,” Gideon told Surelin quietly.
“Yes, so did I,” she replied, sounding deeply tired.
The gate loomed in the near distance, stripped of its usual complement of hussars.
“Hang in there. We’re almost out.”
She responded with a weary nod.
The remainder of the trip passed in relative peace. Few people seemed interested in the wagons, and the resistance soldiers marching alongside the caravan dissuaded any curious refugees who might’ve been bold enough to investigate otherwise.
The first wagon passed under the gate’s arch ahead of them without incident. When the rear wagon passed beneath the gate and entered into the free air outside the walls, Surelin stopped and breathed an exhausted sigh of relief.
“Goodbye forever, Loso,” she said, turning back to look at the city. “I was glad to burn you down.”