Sentinel Nerys was just beginning to help the still-groggy Viti to his feet when Sentinel Durgesh pushed into the center of the group of Sentinels who had all begun returning to the Tower.
"Ware! The Pallians intend to attack."
The Stalwart Leander stood alone, fifty yards away, feet planted, hands hanging loose at his side, his legendary hammer planted between his feet. His head was tilted back, as if he stared at the clouds above the Tower.
Somehow his look of calm unconcern unsettled Nerys more than his angry bluster from earlier. He looked completely at peace.
He looked like he'd made a decision and already accepted the consequences. The thought chilled Nerys despite standing surrounded by other Sentinels. He chided himself for being a fool. Not even Leander could stand against so many of them.
One of the Sentinels said, "I'll take care of him once and for all."
Durgesh snapped, "No. Do nothing."
He drew the others in closer. "Summon the other Sentinels. We have a few minutes to prepare a proper response. We'll teach these arrogant fools what it means to fear Sentinels again."
#
The door to the study banged open and a soldier burst in.
"Master Harafin, the emperor summons you at once."
"What developments?"
"Stalwarts are moving to attack the Sentinel Tower!"
#
Three score Pallian Stalwarts ran in perfect step together through the streets of the inner city. They ran lightly, eagerly, despite their heavy chainmail coats, helmets, and hammers. The weight didn't matter. Their Styrskena summoned them to battle. Today Justice would be served.
Commoners and nobles alike scurried out of their path, and rumors spread like wildfire throughout the inner city. Already talk of conflict between the Stalwarts and the Sentinels had spread throughout the palaces and out into the lower city. The imperial guard had cordoned off a wide area around the Sentinel Tower, only reinforcing the rumors.
Leander turned from the Sentinel Tower as his brethren approached. He ignored the two dozen angry Sentinels gathered around the Tower. Their numbers had grown in the last few minutes, and he knew many more Sentinels watched from windows or lurked in the tower on the main floor, undecided.
They would decide soon. Today, finally, everyone's allegiance would be proven. For the first time in days, Leander felt at peace. No longer would he tiptoe around the enemy. Today everyone faced the same choice. It should be an easy one to make.
For those who struggled to decide where their allegiance lay, he hoped to provide ample encouragement to choose wisely. Mercy was always available for those who mended their ways. For those who chose to side with the enemies of the empire and come out in open rebellion, the answer was also simple.
Justice would claim them.
The Stalwarts spread out as they slowed to a halt, forming two even rows. Leander raised a hand in blessing to them. "Today we exercise the tenets of our faith."
All raised hammers together and chanted, "Mercy. Justice. Light."
Behind the Stalwarts, two hundred imperial guard had responded to the captain's call for reinforcements. They blocked the streets nearby and held inquisitive by-standers at bay.
They did nothing to block other Stalwarts. A dozen Wheel Stalwarts had gathered like vultures around a fresh kill at the first rumors of conflict. Dressed in fine silks of the latest fashions, they were easily identifiable by the images of Akillik's Wheel affixed to their backs. They moved through the crowd, loudly taking bets and giving odds.
Leander and his Stalwarts were given long odds. He toyed with the idea of placing a bet of his own. That would rattle them. It wasn't worth it. Better to stay far from the fickle god and his fickle, often deceitful Stalwarts.
Two Gurcek Stalwarts approached. As always, they walked with a stately, dignified pace, although Leander wondered if they had run through the Underground Palace to get here so fast.
They wore the customary long, black robes of Salawin's Justices, with heavy swords on their backs. Those swords, replicas of Salawin's Sword of Justice, were well used in executing the judgments the Gurcek Stalwarts issued from the courts.
Leander maintained a neutral expression as the Gurcek Stalwarts drew near. He too served Justice, but Salawin's Stalwarts left no room for Mercy in their rulings and often bordered on the cruel with decisions they handed down.
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"Stalwart Leander, you dare not call upon Justice within the realm of our purvey," the senior Gurcek Stalwart stated gravely.
"You hold no sway here. Justice will be done. Do not interfere."
"You break our laws by this insurrection," the second justice said. "You will fall under the shadow of the Sword if you continue this reckless course."
"Then draw your sword and we'll see whose justice prevails today," Leander snapped. When neither of them reached for their swords, he said, "Stand aside."
"Very well," the first said. "Justice always prevails. We see and we remember."
"Do so. I act."
He spun from them and reached for the calm he had felt while he waited for his brethren. He refused to accept their words. He too served Justice. They were blind to the full facts as he understood them.
"Basak, show mercy on all you can."
"We will."
"Remove any who resist."
Leander took a step forward and the gathered Sentinels immediately moved into a long line facing him, fifty yards away. Durgesh seemed to be leading the group, and Leander hoped the man would insist on trying to stop him. Nerys stood with the group and that was surprising. The profiteering Sentinel was a coward. He must expect some gain through standing so boldly.
Good. It would make it easier to take him.
He was surprised to see Felix standing with the group. He and Felix may have disagreed on how to respond to the threat, but he genuinely respected the obese Sentinel and didn't wish to fight him.
Leander called out in a loud voice. "Fair warning. We will cull from your midst traitors wanted by the emperor. Any who resist will be subdued. Do not make this harder on yourselves than it has to be."
Sentinel Durgesh shouted, "Cross the shield barrier, and we'll consider you enemies. No quarter will be given."
Leander reached for his gift. It roared into him as if eager for release after so long. He fought to control it, to rein it in. It struggled against his control like a restless stallion too long left to run wild in open pasture.
He focused some of the power on his eyes and the shield barrier came into view like a shimmering translucent silver wall ringing the tower. The layered shields of the matrix that overlay the entire inner city shimmered all around, but Leander focused on the barrier shield around the Tower. This shield stood apart, separate.
That would prove its weakness.
The subtle changes he had made to the barrier while he waited for his brethren remained in place and apparently undetected. The Sentinels relied heavily on the shield but paid it insufficient mind.
He stepped forward until he stood just outside the shield.
Sentinel Felix moved to the front ranks of the waiting Sentinels. "Leander, do not do this. You will bring great suffering upon those who follow you."
"Surrender the traitors hiding among you, and the conflict can be avoided," Leander shouted back.
To either side of him, the Pallians stood at attention. A few shifted a bit, but that was the only sign of nervousness. Their loyalty and confidence in him was inspiring. Sentinel powers could not directly strike them through the shield of their Faith, and yet they were not immune to harm.
The Sentinels understood this. They'd had several minutes to prepare their assault. Without Sentinel powers to protect them, the Stalwarts would stand little chance in a direct, fair conflict.
Fighting fair was not a tenet of Leander's fait.
"We cannot surrender one of our own under threat of duress," Felix called. "Stand down and we will negotiate."
"Negotiations are over. Make your choice and accept the consequences."
"Very well," Felix said. He looked genuinely saddened by what was to come.
Sentinel Durgesh shouted, "We've made our choice, you crazy old fool." To the gathered Sentinels he shouted, "Now!"
All of the gathered Sentinels except for Felix raised hands in unison. Even at such a distance, Leander felt the Actinic vibration as they drew upon their powers and unleashed their carefully prepared assault.
"Stand fast and do not move," Leander called to his Stalwarts.
Two hundred thick cobblestones erupted from the ground in an explosion of earth and shot through the air at the Pallians. The volley of flying stone could have smashed the mighty gates of the inner city wall.
Leander and his brethren stood fast.
The barrage of rocks slammed into the invisible shield barrier. It flickered into view like a wall of rainbow light. Many distant onlookers exclaimed at the beautiful sight.
The stones did not pass through. Instead they bounced back the other way with twice their previous force.
Leander didn't smile to see the success of his ingenious alteration of the shields. He did not rejoice in administering pain.
Some of the Sentinels reacted quickly enough and raised personal shield barriers that cobblestones ricocheted off of.
Most did not.
Sentinels screamed as stones smashed into them like ballista bolts, shattering bones and flinging them from their feet. Their ranks disintegrated into chaos as they collapsed, bloodied and broken. As screams echoed across the open ground around the tower, bystanders gasped, and Wheel Stalwarts quickly revised odds and called out new bets.
More Sentinels boiled out of the tower, drawn by the sight of fallen friends. Leander wasn't surprised. Many of them probably assumed the Stalwarts would be scattered at the first barrage and didn't feel it necessary to participate.
Now they faced their first choice.
Leander shouted above the din. "Choose a different path so Mercy can apply to you."
Several Sentinels howled with rage, and three of them forgot the Stalwart shields of Faith and unleashed their powers in a fit of anger. Lightning raked across the courtyard toward the Stalwart lines while magical flames roared out to consume them.
Nothing crossed the line of the altered shield barrier.
Lightning bounced back, doubled in intensity and ripped into the Sentinel ranks. Fire boiled through their ranks, engulfing the entire company.
More screams, and a few shouted curses floated out of the inferno. The flames winked out quickly, but several Sentinels looked badly burned. Others had been struck from their feet by the lightning, and at least one of those unlucky ones had taken fatal wounds. The body lay amid the wounded, little more than a smoking husk.
"You bring this destruction upon yourselves," Leander proclaimed. "Do not choose to continue down this path."
"Shut up!" Sentinel Durgesh shouted. He called out to the others, "He's altered the shield barrier. Come on! We have to cross the barrier to kill them."
His face mottled with rage, the young Sentinel led a disorganized charge of furious Sentinels.
"So be it," Leander said. "My children, subdue them. Try not to kill too many."
As the charging Sentinels approached, Leander reminded himself not to kill Durgesh. The young man might be an arrogant fool, but that didn't merit death. Usually.
Leander raised his hammer and it burst into blue fire. All the Pallians lifted hammers to the ready and prepared to meet the onrushing Sentinels. Now the tables were turned. At close combat, the Sentinels would learn to fear the Stalwarts.
"Today we cleanse the inner vessel!" Leander shouted.
They charged.