After looking at the state of his shredded clothing, Ozzy ducked behind his wagon and quickly changed clothes, donning his kilt, before leading the squads of soldiers to his butcher shop. An amused Vassily watched as they crossed the courtyard at a run, wondering what his friend was up to now, but he mentioned to his wife that they might have some extra business that evening. Soldiers were always hungry.

The stone blocking the entrance to the underground passage was still in place, but it took only a moment for Ozzy to lift it and set it aside, revealing stairs leading downward. After talking with Caldrius, it was easier for him to focus on the slight trails of cold that showed where the Ice Wizards had passed. He wasn't sure, but it looked the same, which led him to hope they'd got here in time. The soldiers produced lanterns and they began moving down the tunnel, away from the city walls and in the direction of the where the ambush had been set up.

Ozzy and the sergeant were in the lead, with one squad directly behind them and another following at fifty paces. A lightly armored young woman was scouting ahead, keeping in the shadows and taking no light with her. "Any idea what this tunnel is? And why it's running underneath my shop?"

Hastings thought for a moment and then came to a decision. The Duchess had put him and his squads under this man's command, so filling him in on small secrets wasn't going to get him in trouble. "Wolfsburg is an old city, and that means an active thieves guild, smugglers, and secret groups of people who like to move around without anyone seeing what they do. That includes the city guard, the Inquisition, and some of the big adventuring guilds. Over several hundred years, a lot of groups have created or taken over the tunnel networks. The Duke's great-grandfather tried to gain control of them, walling off and filling in most of them while keeping a network of the larger tunnels to move troops. I think this is one of the abandoned tunnels that should be partially filled with rubble. Someone has been busy clearing it."

Moving onward, they passed two crossroads, the passages to either side filled with stone walls. They had just passed the second one when Adrianne, the scout, appeared out of the shadows ahead of them, holding up a hand. Hastings held up his own, bringing the group to a halt. "Something up ahead, sergeant. The tunnel empties out into a big octagon of a room. The center is a brown-brick building with eight sides, and this tunnel loops around and continues on the other side. One other goes to the left, and there are gratings on two walls that look down on the sewers. They've got guards on the door to the tower. Big, nasty-looking things nearly ten feet tall. I'd call them ogres, but they have a lot of hair and too many teeth. While I was watching, a big group came from the far direction and went into the building."

Hastings told the soldiers quietly to take a knee but stay ready, then pulled out a map from his pack and spread it on the floor. "Interesting. Based on the distance and direction we've traveled, that would put us directly under Argyle's Court." When Ozzy lifted an eyebrow, he explained. "Emperor Argyle was honored with a large courtyard and park on the 300th anniversary of his birth. He fancied himself an architect and designed many of the public works built during his reign. The center is a twenty-story, eight-sided tower with his statue on the top. It sounds like when he designed the building, he also wanted it to be built downward. Which makes sense, as it's traditionally housed the Guild of Sewer and Drain Workers and their Union President. But that presents a problem."

Ozzy could see that. "We attack those guards and they can delay us while the rest take to the streets and get away."

"Exactly. I'd like to hold them in the tower, but that means sending back at least half of these lads to bottle them up inside and get more troops into that courtyard. They'll try and bolt when they see the soldiers encircle the tower. We need to keep them bottled up here and not let them escape into the tunnels and sewers."

The Butcher rummaged in his pack for more food and several bottles. "Sounds like a plan. I'm going to get some food and fuel into my furnace. I'll be ready to go by the time your soldiers are in place."

----------------------------------------

"Back early? Based on that look on your face and the number of missing operatives, I'm sure things went poorly at some point. But you did kill the Duchess? That alone will make this entire operation successful despite our losses." Abraxias was known for his gloomy disposition and lack of faith in his peers. He was usually not surprised by their failure and took that into account when making plans. He loved overkill in all of his plans. This reduced profit but also negated the chance of failure. If one cannon will kill your target, take two in case one fails to fire and another two to be sure.

Cletus shook his head. "I didn't see. If I'd been able to see, I'd be dead now and couldn't have led the retreat. But she was with her troops, dead center. Even at that range, the cannons should have obliterated everything. Nothing in that courtyard could survive four cannons firing grapeshot. It was Caldrius that caused us to take so many losses. We planned for him to possibly show up, but no one knew he could conjure a Fire Walker at will. He literally summoned a flaming giant and sent it charging at the building. The cannons should have obliterated it, and I heard the lookouts cheering at first, then yelling that it was getting up again. Or maybe he summoned another, which is more likely. We readied our spells but needn't have bothered. One or more of the fuel tanks blew. That will have killed or dispelled the Fire Walker, the old mage, and frozen the courtyard and the Duchess' corpse. All of them are dead."

"As I would assume as well. But I like confirmation."

A knight opened the door, "One of our look-outs has signaled that Igvald is on his way down the street, walking quickly. Do you wish to allow him entrance?"

Abraxias considered for a moment. Igvald wasn't one of his sworn men, just a useful tool who spied on the Empire and sold information. He had some magical training and connections to the Thieves and Assassin's guilds. Trying to stay neutral and broker information where he could. And if he was coming here, he had something to sell. "Send him up to me as soon as he gets here."

It was only a few minutes later that the knight knocked again, and Igvald was allowed to enter the room. He was a small man, dressed like a fruit peddler, with a white apron and cap. He normally pushed a cart of wormy apples through the streets, selling a few apples along with bits of information.

"What news do you have for me, Igvald?"

"Not what you want to hear, so please remember that I'm just a messenger. One who wouldn't mind a bit of coin before he delivers his goods."

Abraxias flipped him a piece of shining silver. "Speak. I pay for information, good or bad. You get the rest when we are done."

Igvald pocketed the silver, looked around the room, then said. "You didn't get her. She's alive and barely wounded."

Cletus yelled at him. "You're lying! She was in front of four Hoarfrost Cannon!"

"Yeah, and behind the shield wall her men put up. But it might not have even mattered. Most of the shot from the cannons was deflected. It never got to her."

"Bullshit!"

"It's true. Both Caldrius and the big guy summoned Mage Shields and more fire magic than I've ever seen in one place. Melted most of the shots, deflected the rest, and they lived through it. I warned you that Caldrius was around town and Tier 6. I'd have said he was your biggest threat, but that was before I saw the guy who turned into a giant. I'd flip a coin at this point as to who was a bigger threat. And as you may have guessed, since they suspected an ambush, your unarmored troops got cut down quickly. They charged formed troops who were ready for them."

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

Cletus was shaking his head in disbelief. "No one died? That operation took months to set up."

Abraxius sighed, "Eight cannon next time, but there isn't going to be a next time, not for that plan. Forewarned is forearmed. We won't catch the Duchess that way again." He looked at Igvald, then tossed him a pouch of coins. "Tell the Master of the Night that we accept his offer. His payment will be here within a fortnight. Cletus, begin the process of shutting down this base of operations. They will eventually clear the packed ice with fire and find the tunnel. I wish to be gone before then."

Igvald cleared his throat. "I have a nice place available in the lower slums. Access by the sewers and then a hidden ladder to two upper floors of a lovely little whorehouse and gambling den. I can negotiate a good price for you, plus a discount on any services."

Abraxius was considering a reply when the door opened, and a lesser mage hastily entered the room. "Sir, soldiers are entering the courtyard, facing the main entrance of the building, with more surrounding us on all sides."

Cletus pointed at Igvald. "You betrayed us! Or were followed!"

Abraxius was already leaving. "Bring him, but bind his hands and freeze his tongue. Temporarily. Knights and Mages on me, stop for nothing. All the rest will secure the building. Hurry!" Before they got to the ground floor, they heard the maddened roar of a wounded Glacier Ogre and smelled the smoke.

----------------------------------------

Sergeant Hastings used the same plan that had worked so well before and had the Butcher charge the building. Watching the man grow to ten feet tall made him very happy he was on their side. This time he was using a set of cleavers instead of the long staff, each weapon beginning to glow and smoke.

Ozzy didn't use subtlety. He could see well enough in the dark and the light of his own fire to charge at the two creatures guarding the building. As soon as they saw him, they howled and ran at him, pulling bone-handled axes of glowing ice from their belts and their off-hand claws glowed with a pale blue glow. Each was a hairy mass of twisted muscle as big as the Butcher, but not nearly so agile on their feet. This came into play as Ozzy threw Chainey at the knees of one of the beasts. The Trammelian Chain was a potent weapon, but with the spirit of a Charnel Daemon guiding it, the chain took on a life of its own, wrapping expertly around the creature's knees and knotting itself together. The bound creature's fur caught fire as Chainey reached for the heat in its pit in Sedgewick.

The soldiers weren't idle. Ten of them had crossbows loaded and aimed at the second creature. Ozzy used Butcher's Breath to light up the room and help them target the other Ogre. Seven of the ten bolts struck the Ogre, leaving wounds that bled blue, the blood freezing as it hit the floor. The Glacier Ogres were heavily resistant to physical damage with 150 points of mitigation, more than any of the armored soldiers, but the fire from Ozzy's flaming breath weakened them, and the bolts that should have caused small wounds bit deeper into its hide.

With his foes thrown off stride, Ozzy could strike first with both of his flensing axes, leaving deep slashes in the creature, which howled in fury and pain. Gitsplitter's Axes were fifty-pound chunks of sharpened metal with short handles. They parried poorly and weren't what anyone would choose for a duel between skilled swordsmen. But they were ideal for stripping the flesh from large monsters, living or dead. Backed by the Butcher's strength and skills, they were fierce weapons. Each had a base damage of 200 points, and Ozzy added another 90 from skill, 30 from his Bloody Butchers Gloves, 20 from his Ghoul Tooth Necklace, 50 from Crushing, 60 from Weapon Damage 3, and finally, his current STR of 80 added another 400 points of damage for a huge total of 850 points.

Over 1400 points of slashing damage left two huge bleeding wounds, and the heat pouring off the axes irritated the beast and kept its wounds from healing. It slashed back with its axe and sharpened claws. The axe did little damage, Ozzy's tough hull negating most of the damage, but he felt the chill of the axe, taking 50 points of cold damage even through his elemental mitigation. The claws hurt worse, doing over 300 points of cold damage that seemed to penetrate deep into him, cooling his furnace.

Both Ozzy and his foe were hitting each other hard, and their opposing abilities were doing extra damage. The Ogre's flesh and blood couldn't handle the Butcher's fire, while the cold of Winter bit into him, slowing him down and cooling his furnace. But Ozzy had more fire than the Ogre had cold. It was simply a creature that lived in the far north and could harness the Icy Mana to enhance its attacks. The Butcher was linked to the plane of Smoke and would always have the fire of his Smokehouse burning inside of him.

Adding to that were a half dozen pieces of bacon and the three bottles of whiskey he'd drunk while getting ready for the fight. While Dwarven Whiskey was still strong enough to affect him, Red Wizard Whiskey was like drinking fruit juice. But each bottle of 100-proof whiskey had 2500 calories that his furnace quickly converted to heat. Ozzy struck at his opponent with his flaming axes and endured its return attacks. After four rounds of pounding on each other, the Glacier Ogre dropped to the floor, melting.

The soldiers reloaded and, this time, put all ten bolts into the other Ogre as it tried with melting fingers to loosen the glowing chain holding its legs together and melting into its flesh. Chainey held it as long as it could but could feel links beginning to pull apart. It retreated to the Butcher, slithering across the floor as he stood panting over his dead opponent. Four soldiers tried vainly to hold the other Ogre down with polearms as the others struck at its legs with swords. Hastings darted in, slashing at its eyes, leaving one a bloody ruin.

Freed from the chain, it surged to its feet, striking two soldiers and nearly killing them with a single blow. As it stumbled toward the soldiers, they retreated, and Ozzy charged on unsteady legs. Realizing how much fire hurt it, he grabbed the Ogre in a bear hug, pulling it close and breathing fire directly into its face. The creature tried to pull back, but the Butcher was far stronger, and it could only claw at his side with a pinned arm. Its toothed maw had melted too fast to be a threat to Ozzy, as he continued to use Butcher's Breath, putting all of the fire directly into the Ogre. It slumped in his arms, and he let the headless, melting corpse drop to the ground.

"Damn, those things are a lot tougher than I expected." He was shivering, and the wounds he'd taken showed frostbite.

Hastings had detailed two men to deal with the wounded and now had his remaining sixteen deployed near the doorway the ogres had guarded. "So are you. And I hope you have a lot of that fire left. We have company coming."