-priestess-

[https://i.imgur.com/LoYByv0.png]

When Julius’ call came over the communirune saying they were about to clear the Maarin Republic’s divisional headquarters, I imagined it would be a relatively straight-forward task.

Primarch Karina and I were leading the Light teams, support divisions of spellcasters specialized as healers or other classes that could aid in recovering injuries.

So, when Hanna called us from Command, asking for healers to be sent to his position…

I feared the worst.

Airis was normally strong-willed but with everything that’s happened and her delicate mental state these days… If anything serious happened to Julius she might break.

What we didn’t expect, was for him to have found survivors from his own republic division and uncover that the Renaultians were holding more of our people in internment blocks.

“Seeker-Two to Light-One.”

Luke’s voice chimed in over the communirune.

“This is Light-One, go ahead.”

“Hey, Light-One. Assault-One is heading back into the field. They’re planning to take the inner gates and our scout reports are showing the amassing of heavy infantry by the Renaultians. Can you dispatch one or two healer teams that way in advance?”

“Stand by a sec’.” I responded, pulling out the notepad I’d been tracking my team deployments with.

I only had ten healing divisions under my command, including myself. Only me and Light-Nine were free.

“I’ll start heading that way, Seeker-Two,” I told him, “but I only have one available team. Have you asked Karina?”

“I haven’t. I’ll reach out to her now. I’ll keep you updated if she can’t provide any help.”

My party had picked up on my conversation and was ready to head out when I wrapped up with Luke.

We rushed northwest after Julius’ forces.

Occasionally we’d spot one of his Assault divisions coming back onto the main street after clearing some building or alleyway.

Some of them fell in with us when told we were heading to their main division while others seemed more eager to double time and run ahead.

Checking in with Luke, we were almost to where Julius’ position was marked on the JPS device when things began to go awry.

The inner gatehouse loomed overhead in the distance and volleys of spell-fire started to rain down upon us.

Unable to break past the lines of fire to get to the imperial forces ahead, and retreat being an equally risky move, we began to weave our way forward through side streets.

Either our position was made or through sheer random fire, a flaming sphere descended over our heads—engulfing the home were using as cover.

We cut quickly across an open plaza, actively dodging a stray spell or two, and ended up behind a circular stone building.

“Contact, right!” One of Julius’ divisions began to light up a darkened corner with bolts of magick and steel.

A shadowed figure blocked a spear of ice magick with their shield while sliding into cover.

“Assault-Seven! What in the Aether are you doing?”

Julius’ shouted back at us—sounding pissed.

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“Commander, we almost killed you!” the leader of the assault team yelled back, “Hurry over, come to us.”

“Screw that! You come to me.”

We did as we were told, crossing the small gap between the buildings one by one at random intervals.

“Seeker-One, Seeker-Two, I swear if you two don’t designate who is controlling the inner gate operations you’re gonna get someone killed. My guys just fired on me and I almost killed Light-One.”

Killed me?

I glanced at Julius and followed his eyes down to his hands. They were shaky, barely keeping hold of something—one of the throwable explosive powder charges.

The fuse was blackened and his fingers were blistered and burnt.

I placed my hands over his—he flinched—and I channeled a lesser healing spell.

“Come on, we’re about to push the gates.” Julius led us through the labyrinth of homes until we emerged into a clearing hidden from the gatehouse towers.

“Tatsuko, how’re we looking?” he asked, who I first thought was some random kid they’d picked up, Tatsuko. She was covered by a large green cloak, not looking like an imperial officer at all.

She pulled the cloak off, now looking like she belonged. “They’ve done something to the gates. High level barrier magick being channeled from within the adjoining towers by the feel of it.”

“Damn.” Julius kicked a chunk of debris into the grass.

“Want the bad news?” she mused.

Julius faltered in step, “That wasn’t the bad news?”

“The Aestori can just blow the towers up with those fancy runestones, can’t they?” she scoffed, “The bad news is that some fancy dressed noble is out in front of the gates with a flag of parley.”

“Argh, Celestials above!”

I touched my hand to his arm, “You’re not going to seriously entertain them, right?”

“Hailey, if they want to surrender it’s only right if we let them, no? I doubt Airis would be thrilled if we chose not to avoid bloodshed.”

“If they want to… wha’? Not a chance!” I cried out, “It’s either a trick, trap, or they’re gonna say something stupid like demanding our surrender under threat of executing the captive citizens.”

Julius just shrugged and began walking towards the gate with Tatsuko in tow.

The hail of magick had ceased so I followed after them, in both interest and worry.

Just as Tatsuko had said, there was a man standing under a white flag dressed in an outfit entirely unfit for battle.

Julius stopped pretty far back and activated a magi-tool that projected his voice, “I am Commander Adaemus of the Vanixian Empire. I have been given the authority to negotiate by the High-Commander of the Imperial Armies under Her Majesty, Empress Airis Vanixi.”

I don’t recall giving you any such authority, Julius!

The Renaultian noble fumbled around for a moment before someone rushed out of the gatehouse to hand him something—their own sound device.

“Greetings, Commander Adaemus. I am Consular Vincent Dumont. I oversee the Rear Brigade for His Majesty, the Great King of Rena. As you can see, our superior defenses are insurmountable.”

The man introduced himself and motioned his arms out towards the gatehouse.

His voice was haughty, heavy with disdain, “All this bloodshed is quite boorish, pointless even. My Commandant says there is no point in continuing this farce. He is willing to discuss a surrender. I’m sure we can come to agreeable terms, no?”

Julius looked annoyed.

He pocketed the sound-amplifying device and turned to Tatsuko.

They both talked quietly, but I could hear her laugh and Julius’ stoic face broke for a moment as a smile slipped its way there for a second.

“Yeah, that’s what I’ll tell him for sure.” he said.

Julius straightened himself and pulled the small device back out.

“As much as we’d like to accept your surrender, Consular Dumont. I’m afraid we simply don’t have the proper facilities to take all your soldiers prisoner.”

The Renaultian Consular stood there quietly as the soldiers nearby flailed their arms.

“If that was all, we’ll leave you to your insurmountable defense.” Julius called out as Tatsuko laughed.

He pocketed the device once more then the two of them turned and started walking towards me. Tatsuko’s smiling face was so unlike her normal personality it took me by surprise.

“Assault-One to Regal-One. Give the order to fire, if you would.”

A moment later a streak of blinding light struck the western tower.

When my eyes refocused, all that remained was the stone skeleton of the furthest tower walls. The entire front half and the structure within had been reduced to ash and molten stone.

The gates themselves shimmered with magick, but it looked like the spell was highly unstable.

“Come on, Hailey, don’t get left behind!” Julius yelled at me, walking back to his troops.