Moving through the shadow dressed alleys The Wolves moved silently towards the sally port. Hypatia at the front, her map before her as she guided the others closer to their escape. Sounds of the surrounding riot filled the air with a horrific symphony of sound of destruction and wanton murder. The Wolves now had their weapons out, looking around with increasing nervousness.
Jeanne could smell the scent of smoke mixing with the terrible stench of burning flesh. She could imagine what terrible deeds these people were committing on their own. She remembered her first siege at a city far away called Khobar. She was still wet behind the ears as a mercenary, chafing under the command of an overbearing Felidan and an Aegir bladesman with an embellished blood line.
The night they broke the siege was a hard night. Many friends and comrades fell to the arrows of the defenders. And when their ranks reached the parapets of the walls, the slaughter was terrible. The songs of wars long past, the exploits of the brave and valiant now tainted by the reality of war and its brutality. As the memories returned, Jeanne wondered how many people unaware of the carnage the night was bringing would forever be scarred by the inhumanity exhibited tonight? The thought left an ill feeling which she wanted to be rid of as quickly as possible.
She saw Silvus was fidgeting his pin holding the corners of his cloak together, clearing his throat regularly as he looked around. Maeryn ran her thumb over her bowstring, occasionally moving her hand to her quiver. Even Hypatia looked up and down from her map with quick movements, quickly trying to find her bearings as she compared their position to the map. While Jeanne felt better knowing she wasn’t the only one experiencing these nerves, she was far from feeling better of the situation on the whole.
As they arrived to an open square the found a large tree at the center of the open area. On the thick branches they found hanging several dozen members of the flagellants, dead and their bodies swaying to the wind. Jeanne moved towards the tree and felt a gasp leave her lips as she noticed one of the bodies hanging there. The young man she had saved before, now a victim of this hopeless bloodshed.
“No,” she said as she looked away.
“Gods no,” Leonidas said. “No one is safe in this place.”
“Let us mourn him when can,” Cid said, “now isn’t a good time for such things.”
“How much farther until we’re out of here?” Cid asked her. Jeanne could tell even he was having trouble keeping his nerves in check.
“I think we’re not too far from here,” Hypatia said looking at the map. “Should be about a mile longer this way,” she said pointing straight towards an avenue with a section of the city beginning to peer up above the houses.
“Hopefully it’ll be a straight shot,” Benkin said, looking over his shoulder, with his long curved blade resting there, unsheathed.
Jeanne looked to her left down a dark alley with a light illuminating the other end. She saw a woman emerge from the other side and looking around. At first the distance marred any real distinguishing features until Jeanne began to recognize the person’s silhouette.
“Weuve?” she said to herself as she peered out. How on earth did she get here? Jeanne thought.
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Weuve looked down and her head shot up as she found Jeanne and the others. Jeanne felt an ill sensation form in her stomach as she Weuve turned to someone out of Jeanne sight and called out to them. Jeanne turned to Cid, “I think we have a problem,” she said, pointing down the alley. As Cid looked, he uttered, “Shit!” before turning to the rest and shouting, “Run!”
Without hesitation the rest of The Wolves bolted into a full run. Hypatia hardly looking at the map, now shoved it into her satchel and unsheathed both her blades. The music made Jeanne hardly feel her legs, and keep running at full speed. Maeryn and Silvius loading their weapons and readied to loose them. Leonidas let out a high pitch whistle as loud as he could and grabbed a purple pulsing orb and held it firmly in his hand.
Jeanne looked behind and saw several guards rushing out and pursue them. “Well fuck,” she said as she looked forward.
A man on a horse came out a short distance in front of The Wolves, his sword unsheathed and beginning to charge them. Hypatia swung her sword swiftly, the sound now frantic and carrying a frightening quality. The horse reared up suddenly on its legs, throwing the man off and onto the ground.
Before the man could recovered, Kveldulf kicked the man in the face and knocked him out. Benkin slapped the animal on its hindquarters with his hand and sent it galloping towards their pursuers. The guards leapt away from the oncoming animal as The Wolves run away. Hypatia pointed down a corner. “This way!”
As they finally arrived to the sally port, they found a solid metal door. Hypatia looked at it and looked at it carefully. She tried to open the door manually but it wouldn’t budge. She turned to the others with a worried look on her face. “Please tell me one of you brought a lockpick.”
“I’ve got it,” said Maeryn, putting her bow away.
“I’ll get the lock,” Jeanne said, “You make sure no one is going to an arrow in my back.”
As Jeanne tended to the lock, she could hear the sound of guards and others coming nearer. She tried to steady her hands as she could hear her heartbeat thundering in her head and feel her hands beginning to shake. Sweat poured down her face as she could see from the corner of her eye Kveldulf unsheathing his father’s blade and striking a fighting stance.
She hardly heard the words of someone, possible a ranking officer call out, “We have come to collect the criminal, Stefan Kolville, for acts of blasphemy, sedition, corruption of the youth of the city of Inderawuda, and treason of the utmost heinous in nature.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Jeanne said, “Tell me another.”
“I think they were speaking of me,” said Stefan.
“Keep talking and I’ll break your jaw,” Jeanne said to him.
“You will give him to us, at once, and you will be given a swift and painless execution,” the guard said.
“Wait, why are we in trouble?” Silvius asked confused. “We thought you were zealots on a killing spree.”
“Who do you think got the crowd riled up?” the guardsmen said.
“Well shit,” said Kvledulf, “This was a set-up.”
Leonidas squeezed the purple orb tightly. “Tonight is just getting better by the moment.”
“Cid,” Maeryn asked, “what do we do?”
“Let me try and buy Jeanne some time,” Cid said. “Why exactly is our crime, we obviously are not an ally of the Good Kolville here?”
“Not when we’re done here,” the guardsman said.
“Oh you would say that,” Cid said shaking his head. “Jeanne how are we looking?”
“This lock is being a pain, but I’m close to getting it open.”
“Further resistance will only result in a more severe punishment.”
“But you’re going to kill us anyways,” Benkin replied. “It’s just how you’ll do it.”
One of the guardsmen turned to the leader and said something none of The Wolves could hear. “No one asked for your thoughts Finley!” the leader said before turning back to the mercenaries. “If you lot do not relinquish the criminal at once, we will not be merciful in executing Lord Bellem’s laws.”
“Tell me another one,” Cid said as a sharp whoosh rushed by them.
Jeanne heard a loud thud and something heavy falling on her. She looked to find Stefan lying on the ground, a crossbolt sticking out of his chest. She looked at him with a startled gaze as he said weakly, “They were aiming at you.”