Pillars from countless fires throughout the city rose into the morning sky. Sounds of a waking city were replaced with a cacophony of screams and shrieks. The scent of smoke touched Kveldulf’s nose as he and The Wolves watched from the ridge in horror as they came upon this terrible sight.

“How are we going to get through all that?”

“The gates look open,” said Cid, “And we don’t have time to look for an alternative.”

“And they’re just going to let us walk in?” Jeanne asked.

“If you have a better idea, I’d be thrilled to hear it.”

“Then it’s settled. Wolves, have weapons ready, but don’t tarry. We don’t have time for prolonged duels.”

“What’s the destination, then?” Kveldulf asked.

“We get to the city barracks, and then see what exactly the situation is,” Cid replied. “Wolves, ride out!”

Spurring their steeds on, they raced towards the city gates. Kveldulf could feel the heat of the fires on his face as they raced by. The roar of the murmeks, spotting them and calling them out. Some of the enemy rushed them, only meeting a quick end wrought by swift hooves and sharp steel.

They arrived to a barricade of stalls, wagons and furniture, with bodies of murmeks, civilians as well as guards and soldiers littering all over. As they neared the blockade they found Captain Laurent standing at the top, covered in blood, sweat and grime. “You lot are a sight for sore eyes. What the hell happened back at the fortress?”

“Much, though there isn’t time to explain,” said Cid, “where is Lady Allianna?”

“She’s been organizing a defense of the city at the Council’s Palace? Why?”

“We learned this was all Baeron’s doing, and he’s coming after her personally.”

“That opened up so much questions than I cared to have, right now,” Laurent admitted, “but this is not the time for that conversation. Head to the barracks, I’ll signal the guards there to let you in.”

The Wolves rode to the gate of the barracks. The Guards pulling the iron gates up from the ground to let them in before closing quickly once inside. Laurent, with a few of the other guards with him met the Wolves after a long moment. “How have you guards been faring?” Cid asked.

“Not well,” Laurent lamented, “But we have a perimeter now. I don’t know where the hell these bastards came from. And everyone we kill, another five take its place.”

“Doc, is there a murmeks can replace their numbers?”

“Because of the breeding process no, they become sterile. But this could’ve been a long process where they could’ve built up their host, especially if they had a means to keep them from aging until now.”

“So they could be in the thousands, outstanding,” Laurent replied spitting on the ground in disgust.

“Are their any efforts to get the civilians out?” asked Hypatia.

“We’ve been organizing that as soon as we could. Most are on ships and getting out of to sea,” Laurent answered.

“And if the city falls?” Cid asked.

“It is not falling,” Kveldulf replied.

“Kel –”

“This city is not falling!” Kveldulf said, removing his cloak and throwing it to the ground. “I will not abandon this city!”

“Kel, if you die then what will that accomplish?”

“You don’t understand.”

“I do understand, but dead men can’t fight, let alone what you’re trying.”

“And would you not do the same if it was your kin who were shamed, mocked, spat on, cursed, by people who hardly knew? Never giving you a chance to show your worth and passing a sentence, centuries old, simply because. What would you do?”

Cid took in a deep breath, letting out a growl as he exhaled.

“All my life, I’ve had to hide who I am. And now I have a chance to end it.”

“Kel, look around, there’s no chance of beating this army by brute force.”

“Brute force wouldn’t be needed,” said Jeanne. “Baeron is using demonic magic to do all of this. And the murmeks are attached to him. If we kill him, we kill the hive.”

“She’s right,” said Leonidas. “We take the head, the body follows.”

Kveldulf looked back at Cid. “I have to.”

“Well, if this is what does us in. Not the worst way to go,” said Cid.

“And I’m not going anywhere you’re not,” said Jeanne.

“Us too,” said Benkin, with Sil and Maeryn and Hypatia behind him.

“I said to count me in,” said Leonidas.

Kveldulf nodded, tears beginning to form. “Thank you, I know this is asking a lot.”

“We pull some of the reserves out, and help make a breach in the murmek lines long enough for your to get inside.”

A large explosion shook the ground from where the council palace stood.

“They’re beginning another attack,” Laurent snapped, “damnit!”

“We can use it to our advantage,” said Cid. “Hit them on their flank, they wouldn’t expect it.”

Laurent nodded. “Yes, yes that’s an excellent idea.”

“Then let’s not keep these bastards waiting,” said Kveldulf, placing his family’s helm on his head. “Let’s give them a warm welcome.”

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Moving through the complex they quickly found a colony of murmeks rushing into the palace. Some stopping to chew on the flesh and bone of the fallen. Kveldulf turned back to his friends and allies and cried out, “Defenders of Koulber, follow me!”

From the pathways the guards, soldiers and Wolves struck the murmeks, taking many by surprise. Kveldulf, letting loose his rage, struck down one murmek after the other. He felt his blood go hot as he sunk his ancestral blade deep into the enemy flesh. A wrath, years held back, now beginning to find some solace. The gurgling cries of the enemy dead, as many began panicking and running into other sections of the city.

“The bastards are gone,” said Laurent to the Wolves, “go to Allianna, and end this!”

The Wolves rushed into the building, striking down the enemy as fast as their blades could fly. Up the stairs, moving over bodies of city defenders and murmeks best they could. As Kveldulf arrived to the top of the final landing he could hear a terrible battle being fought between Alliana and Baeron. At the doorframe he saw Allianna resting with her long claymore, trying to catch her breath as Baeron, appearing unfazed by the fight turned to find The Wolves’ arrival.

“Now isn’t this a surprise?” Baeron said, delighted. “I know I should be perturbed. But I am absolutely thrilled!”

“Why?” Hypatia asked.

“I thought you were glass half full?” said Leonidas.

“Withing reason,” Hypatia replied.

“I have to say, while it’s been a treat providing Allianna with a literal what for, I could use a bit more of challenge,” Baeron said.

“So sorry … to disappoint,” Allianna said, breathing heavy.

“Oh, don’t be a spoil sport,” Baeron replied beginning to crack his knuckles. “Now then, shall we?”

The Wolves charged Baeron who calmly loosened his shoulders and neck. Kveldulf landed the blade of his halberd deep into Baeron’s shoulder. “Huh,” Baeron replied, “That is my old halberd.”

Baeron kicked Kveldulf half way across the room, as Jeanne and Benkin struck Baeron with their weapons. With a strike of each hand, he sent them flying away. Maeryn fired two arrows to him, he simply caught them with one hand as Cid and Silvius thrust their blades into torso. “All right this is becoming a bit repetitive,” Baeron said as he grabbed Cid and slammed him into Silvius. As Hypatia began slashing at his head relentlessly.

“And now this is simply a bother,” he said before his jaw was lacerate and he punched Hypatia in the stomach and elbowed her to the floor.

Allianna landed a strike, cleaving his hand into two. Kicking her hard into a column he removed the sword, letting his head fuse itself back to together. “Now that was just unsporting,” Baeron replied throwing the sword towards her.

Kveldulf knocked her out of the way, both barely missing the attack by mere inches. “Much obliged,” she said.

“Not at all,” Kveldulf said. “Any idea one how we take him down?”

“Unfortunately, he’s far more powerful than the last time he and cross blades,” she said as Jeanne, stone covering her skin began striking him with terrible fury.

“I was afraid you’d say that,” Kveldulf said as Baeron knocked some of Jeanne’s stone skin off with a strike to her jaw.

Baeron then grabbed her foot and slammed her onto the ground, dissipating the stone skin and throwing her away from him. Leonidas trained his staff towards Baeron uttering an incantation, constricting Baeron’s limbs. Baeron strained as he said, “Oh we can have this.” He rose to his feet and as he moved towards the doctor, grabbed him and after two hard headbutts flung him aside with easy.

“That would’ve made things difficult,” Baeron said, composing himself.

Jeanne rushed over to Leonidas. “Are you all right?” she asked, seeing his bloodied face.

“Felt better,” he said in a strained voice.

She looked at Baeron, murderous intent in her eyes as she lifted her hand and unleashed a destructive burst of energy towards, exploding his head and arms. The Wolves looked at the standing pair of legs which began to regrow muscles, bones and skin. “You’re kidding,” said Silivus weakly.

As Baeron reformed completely, he clapped his hands. He turned to Jeanne, “Now that is thinking outside of the box,” he said with admiration, “But now I’m really going to have to hurt you lot.”

The Wolves and Allianna attacked Baeron, none of the strikes having a long effect on him. Though his healing was beginning to noticeably slow down as the fight wore on. “What the hell will stop this man,” said Maeryn, letting loose another arrow towards Baeron.

Leonidas, rising to one knee, leaning against his staff and breathing heavy said, “He’s healing is starting to slow down. If can hit him in the heart, that’ll kill him.”

“Well now you have to spoil all my fun,” Baeron said as Kveldulf landed the halberd’s spike into his head, “didn’t you.” Baeron, taking a deep breath, knocked all but Kveldulf and Allianna off their feet.

Baeron removed the weapon and with two quick twirls, struck Kveldulf across his head, knocking his helm clean off and kick him in his stomach. Kveldulf, on the ground and coughing up some blood, saw Baeron standing over him. “For the record, you and your friends put up a lot of more of a fight than I was expecting. But, this needs to –”

Before he could finish, Allianna impaled Baeron with her blade and flung him away. “Now it’s time for you to die!” she roared, charging towards him.

Kveldulf laid there, trying to catch his breath as his mind began to blur. He could hardly hear the noises of the fight as Baeron began to overcome Allianna once more. The pain in his muscles began to subside, his mind became calm, and he heard a voice call out to him.

“Son,” he heard his father voice call out, “don’t give up now.”

“He’s too strong, father,” Kveldulf said.

He heard his mother say, “You’re so close, son. But you have to get up and fight!”

“I don’t have it in me to continue this,” Kveldulf said, his chest tightening from the shameful truth.

“You have what we all had, but were afraid to use,” his father said. “And it kept us from coming home with our heads held high.”

“Don’t let it rob you of your own destiny,” his mother said. “It robbed us of ours, and your forebears since Baeron.”

Kveldulf’s vision began to clear and he saw the outline of his parents, and of others he could not recognize standing around him.

“We are all with you, son. The line of our people back to the beginning are here, but only you can determine what our future is.”

“This was never about us,” his mother said, “but of all those Baeron hurt. And you can stop it from happening all over again.”

“Yes,” Kveldulf said, rising to his feet. He unsheathed his father’s flamberge, finding Baeron holding Allianna by the throat and prepping to strike her down with their ancient halberd. Kveldulf felt his eyes strain, his heart burning with rage, his teeth begin to length and his skin grow hot. He began to feel a sensation within him he had never let loose become free and his hatred turned onto one man.

Facing his enemy he let out a roar carrying the qualities of a bear. He rushed Baeron with a terrible fury, who turned to find Kveldulf in the air and landing his sword from Baeron’s collar bone to his hip. Dropping Allianna, Baeron could not speak before Kveldulf continued his swift and unyielding assault of his foe. Striking the traitor mercilessly, Baeron, havin increasing difficulties with healing up before he could continue the fight. Now being forced to give ground, for the first time, Baeron had a look of fear in his eyes.

The rest of the Wolves, stunned at the change of events, tried rising to the feet as Jeanne, the look of horror on her face, began making a quick series of geometric symbols with her hands and uttering an incantation under her breath. She slammed the ground as Kveldulf lunged at Baeron and both plunged from the stain glass window.

Jeanne, back to her feet, said “Come on!” gesturing the others to follow.

“Are you insane?” Maeryn cried out.

“I used a spell to soften the fall, now let’s move!”

“You heard her,” Cid said, “Wolves, on me!”

The Wolves and Allianna ran towards the broken window leaping out and falling down to the ground. Seeing the guards and soldiers slowly being pressed back by a renewed attack from the murmeks. Landing softly they saw Kveldulf and Baeron engaging in fierce combat, both landing terrible blows and neither yielding.

Cid turned to the others, “Keep them off Kveldulf!” as he charged into the fray.

The Wolves and their allies fought the murmeks fiercely, felling many to their blades as Kveldulf cleaving Baeron into two, mounted the left half and began cutting into the heart. Using one hand to pry the torso open with his sword and the other to hold the torso down. Unable to speak Baeron’s left arm tried to push Kveldulf off. But after cutting deep into the Baeron’s chest saw a glowing, beating heart.

Without hesitation he plunged his father’s blade into the heart of the great traitor and in a bright flash, he felt nothing.