<"Are you all right, Liam?">, Cale prompted as he stood beside the swordsman and buried his head in the cloak. The two Anuxers were standing on the snowy roof of an old library, looking down at the events before them as darkness fell over them. Hundreds of thousands of people had arrived in the last two weeks they had spent here, some carrying serious battle wounds or missing entire limbs. <"You've been very reserved since we arrived, what's wrong?">
<"You figured me out pretty quickly, didn't you?">, the swordsman gruffly admitted, clasping his hands together as snow accumulated on his jacket.
<"Are you very worried about Sylve?">
<"I am. My brothers are both in Sylve and I have no idea if they are well, let alone the country itself. You may not care about any of that, but I do">, William interjected sharply, causing Cale to feel hurt for a moment.
<"No need to insult me like that">, Cale countered, rolling his eyes before putting his hands in his jacket pocket and watching his breath move. Their relationship with Aletta allowed them to be housed in the Chiefs' house itself, while new shelters for the refugees were erected in piecework. Many volunteers and dozens of mages were helping the residents of Frignez to cope with the current situation and Cale and Philippa had also helped to feed all the people this morning. It was an oppressive feeling to be confronted with so much anger and grief, that it took Cale a few minutes to compose himself and not become disrespectful. With patience, he brought food and drink to people, some of whom were not even really responsive.
<"We're all worried>, Cale raised quietly and closed his eyes. <"Everyone, including Ben, Philippa, Aletta and me. We don't know what the situation is over there any more than you do. But knowing the residents and soldiers of Sylve, they are far too stubborn to admit defeat so easily. Call it a feeling, but I know they'll be fine.">
<"You are far too naive. Frignez is three times as far away from the creature plane as Sylve, and you should know very well how little the creatures care about the mountains. It is only a matter of time before they attack Sylve">, William replied with a deep regret in his voice.
<"If I am the naive one of us, then you are the doomsayer. Have a little faith in people, Liam.">
<"I can't!">, he shouted and slapped his hands apart, causing Cale to open his eyes and look at, his friend. His face was red and so were his hands, he must have been standing out here for quite a while, mired in doubt and fear.
Cale felt pretty much the same, but he was still pulling himself together. Apart from Philippa, he was probably the calmest of the five, and probably the only reason why the Chiefs Merensen had allowed them to mingle with the people. They were just as panicked about what might soon befall them, but they managed not to choke on it. Every day they saw a light, however small it might seem.
With a gentle smile on his face, Cale pulled his hands out again and touched both palms to the ice-cold face of the swordsman, who was visibly irritated at his gesture.
<"We are all doing our best and working to get on top of this. Frignez as much as Sylve and Winstest">, he stated calmly, allowing mana to be channelled into his palms. Aletta had taught him a few days ago how the inhabitants of the north used mana to be able to defy the cold so easily. The same principle applied to a heat crystal, Cale was currently using to heat his hands to warm up William. <"You should go in and warm up and eat something. If you don't take care of yourself, you'll be much more of a burden than a help, and I know that's the last thing you want. We're all still standing, so don't just give up.">
The swordsman placed his hands on Cale's and used the warmth to thaw them as well before closing his eyes and letting out an exasperated, almost whimpering sigh.
<"I want to go home.">
<"I know">, Cale replied without pause.
<"If you guys weren't here, I would have packed my things and left long ago">, the swordsman admitted dejectedly.
<"I'm glad you stayed reasonable.">
William opened his eyes and pulled Cale's hands from his body, looked at his friend in silence for a moment, and then turned to the refugees. With one hand on the living warmth crystal, he stopped and watched as a large number of people gathered at the entrance to the ice city. A new wave of inhabitants had arrived in Frignez and even at a distance one could see that their clothes were soaked with blood. They had nothing on them, no jackets, no bags, most seemed to have had little food for weeks. The more injured people arrived, the more the memories of Groka came back.
As Cale stood next to William as he remembered exactly how his mother had died back then. Immediately he felt sick and held his free hand against his mouth to suppress a gag reflex. Her blurry, blood-red form haunted him to this day.
<"Let's go. Dinner's coming up and with all the new people, I'm sure they'll start the supply round right away">, Cale finally raised, trying to get his mind off things. With a nod, William followed him back into the interior of the city. About 90% of Aletta's home had been built underground and only the rooftops still rose out of the eternal ice. One could walk completely from one end of the city to the other without having to surface once. So the houses were well protected from the freezing weather to the north and didn't have much heat loss either. Impressive, as Cale thought.
You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.
Cale headed almost blindly back to the Merensens' house before spotting the rest of his group in the hallway, who turned back in surprise.
<"New refugees have arrived">, Philippa explained quickly.
<"I know, I saw it too. We should go">, Cale replied and with an acknowledgement from the archer they separated from the rest of the group and hurried to the post where they had been assigned this morning. The closer they got to the entrance, the more crowded the corridors became and the two had to squeeze through the masses to get to their station. Cale had to literally pull Philippa's arm, so they could squeeze through the wall of people and come to a stop in front of their usher.
<"Block 35 and 37 are ready. Dilan, 38 hasn't been fed yet and 42 still needs the all-inclusive package">, shouted Lance, the man who had given them instructions this morning. <"Everyone is settled in up to 22.">
<"33 and 41 are fully taken care of, a lot of seriously injured people have just arrived in block 47 who need to be examined!">, another woman shouted almost simultaneously.
<"Merle, you get 38, 39 and 40, eat, drink and check if there are any injured and if so, sort them out and send them to one of the newer blocks">, Lance added. The chaos of this morning repeated itself and both Cale and Philippa looked around in irritation. <"First responders, spread out to blocks 43 to 46. Healers go directly to 47 and 48.">
<"20 volunteers follow me please">, a man at the entrance spoke up, so Cale and Philippa immediately followed the instruction. A dozen others also started to move and follow the stranger to the supply center, where there was a similar confusion.
<"Block 25 and 26 are being supplied with food and drink. Block 23 has not yet given a status, what is the situation there, Torak?">.
<"They are being taken care of now, we have sent some lightly injured to blocks 43 and above.">
<"Perfect. Ah, volunteers. You grab all the crates you can carry and take care of blocks 24 and 27">, the speaker instructed, so Philippa and Cale both grabbed two large crates and followed the crowd in that direction.
<"Jessam, info to Zohaib that block 23 is done and up to 27 will be taken care of. And get me the healers to 47 and 48!">
According to the statement Cale heard as he left the room, the newest blocks were filled with quite a few injured people who had just arrived. Cale could only roughly imagine what it was like in these rooms.
Elegantly, the volunteers pushed past like a river and spread out over the two assigned blocks. With a dull bang, the porters dropped the boxes on the floor, causing people to look up instantly. They were then given food and drink and blankets. They left one box full of provisions and went with the remaining three boxes to Block 27, which gratefully received and distributed the rest. With a spark of relief, the volunteers hurried back to their first post, where they were usually picked up and distributed.
But when Cale and Philippa re-entered after 20 minutes, the room was jammed to the ceiling.
<"You've lost track?">, one of the supervisors, Lance, scolded, who with a slap ensured that silence returned.
<"We've taken care of blocks 38 and 39, but 27 is still open, for sure!">.
<"You just said something completely different!">, Lance retorted and glanced at his colleague, who just shrugged his shoulders and was thinking about it himself. Therefore, Lance turned back to the staff member in charge. <"So what now, are 38 and 39 taken care of and what's going on with 27?">
The staff member, who had lost track, gave no answer, so Lance began to curse loudly.
<"38, 39 and 40 are being cared for and checked for casualties and 27 has just been finished"> Cale spoke up loudly, causing the supervisor to look at Lance in surprise.
<"Who are you?">
<"Caleb, sir">, Cale replied immediately.
<"And you're sure about that?">
<"Yes sir, Merle was assigned 38, 39 and 40 and I just came from 27.">
<"Merle?"> the man repeated.
<"Yes, sir.">
<"Fine. Then we're through up to 40 and waiting for confirmation. Your lucky day, Cayden, that someone else was paying attention. Caleb, you seem like a capable man to me, you get 49 and 50.">
<"New arrivals?">, Cale asked in shock.
<"Right. Sort them out, all those who can walk will be sent to 44 and 45, lightly injured will stay in 49 and seriously injured will stay in 50. See to the care of 44 and 45 and distribute the first aiders and healers.">
Wordlessly, Cale stood in the room for a moment, he could feel the stares burning at him. If he hadn't already helped out for several hours this morning and seen all sorts of areas briefly, he would almost certainly be lost now.
<"Alright, I'll do it. 30 volunteers, 10 first responders and 5 healers follow me">, Cale directed before turning around without hesitation and followed by a flood of people back to the supply center, which seemed almost empty compared to the command center. His heart began to pound rapidly, after all, Cale was well aware of how important his task had abruptly become.
<"The first 20 volunteers take as many crates as they can carry and spread out to 44 and 45. When the first batch is taken care of, you go back to the command center. Philippa you stay in 44 until the end and you stay in 45">, Cale explained, pointing to a tall, blond-haired man who must be from Frignez. <"Name?">
<"Asta">, the muscular man replied, prompting Cale to nod in confirmation.
<"The rest of the volunteers, first responders and healers who followed me will go to 44 and 45 and spread out evenly. Lightly injured will be taken to 49 and seriously injured will be taken to 50. You...">, Cale commanded, pointing at a new face he was seeing for the first time today. <"First responders?">
<"Yes. Hosea is my name.">
<"You stay in 49. After 30 minutes, you come back here to me and give me a status on both 49 and 50. Understood?">
<"Understood.">
With that confirmation, a slew of people disappeared as Cale stood with the other supervisors who were watching the action next to him.
<"Who are you?">
<"Caleb. Lance assigned me. Do you have information about the other blocks?">
The three other men gave each other brief irritated looks before one summed up the situation.
<"Block 1 to 22 as well as 27 to 33, 38, 39 and 41 are confirmed supplied. On 31 to 37 as well as 40 we are still waiting for feedback and 41, 46 and 48 are just out. First responders and healers are in 42, 43, 47, 48 and now 49 and 50. New people are being taken to block 51 and 52 right now.">
<"Does Lance have that information too?">
<"It was just send out, yes">, the other confirmed, causing Cale to sigh in relief. He knew instinctively that this was going to be a long evening. But he was glad that people were helping without complaining.