Silently the brisk air carried white clouds through the sky that plated the yolk of the rising sun. The occasional hunter and deputy were out patrolling, exchanging tense looks. The cars that normally sped along the road were moving at a snail’s pace. They occasionally halted in unexpected spots much to the frustration to the citizens that boldly made their way into town.

It was now well into the morning, and soon after the five council members dispersed, Ingrid and Stokely both came to a disturbing realization while going through the town. Standing atop buildings and in dark alleys, hooded figures robed in the official purple and blue of the clergy stood watch. Beneath the cloak hood, no visage was clear. Their stares, although not visible, were chilling. They were keeping an unsettling watch over the town. Ingrid pulled out her display and typed a message to the rest of her colleagues on the council. ‘Are you seeing the clergy members around Leoris?’

A response from Keoma came up on her display. ‘Yes. Act casual. I don’t think they are singling us out. I’m assuming the clergy is likely compromised. Stick to the plan. We’ll meet back up with our partners soon.’ Ingrid shut her display and gazed up at the hooded figure overlooking her. She hastened down the road.

It wasn’t too much longer that the device on her wrist vibrated again. She pulled up her display to read a message sent out to all inhabitants of Leoris from Walstaff. ‘Dear citizens, it is during this trying time that we must all stand together. My deputies today are going door to door to perform wellness checks and ease your distress regarding the events of this week. We, your council, have all of your concerns at heart. We will move the ceremony honoring our dead up to late afternoon so that we are back home before dark. From your sheriff Walstaff.’

Ingrid took a breath and said to herself, “Time to do my part.” As the deputies started scurrying about the residential areas, Ingrid had taken note along the way of the hunters from the lodge that were around the streets. She stopped the first pair she saw, and with an exasperated face, she paused before them. “Please help me, sir. It is terrible what has happened to Lady Amise. I’m so very frightened to go into her chambers alone. The deputies are unavailable throughout the city. Would you kindly check through the archives to be sure it is safe for me to gather anything the council may need?” She clasped her hands before them with wide eyes.

The hunters looked at each other and shrugged. Stokely then came around the corner. “Men, there is definitely something brewing at the archives. I’m going around finding who I can send to assist. I already have a regimen in place there on the third floor. For Leoris gentlemen.” The hunters then confirmed they would get the job done.

Stokely and Ingrid repeated this process almost a dozen times. Once they approached the hospital grounds, she messaged the other council members. ‘I did what I could. Keoma, are your preparations in place?’

She was waiting for a reply when her display flashed. ‘Yes, Go!’

With a calculated expression, she pulled out a stained metal wristband that had belonged to Amise. She pulled up the display and entered several pass codes to bring up a menu. Back at the archives, roughly thirty hunters were scouring the archives, confused about what they should look for. It was then that the floor shook. Thick metal doors then sealed the entrances of the second floor and third floor off. The hunters tried in vain to bang on the doors and access their displays.

A few moments later, a message by Keoma arrived. ‘My men and women came through. The jamming devices for the hub Hobe and I had from my younger days are still effective. No one should be able to get a squeak out from the archives. And our communications should have priority within our hub. I’m heading to the forge to make sure the preparation there is complete and to communicate with Desdin.’

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Ingrid strolled onto the first floor of the hospital, where Hobe rolled up in a wheelchair. He was now wearing a black robe with a white wing splashed on the back. They fastened his axe to the back of the wheelchair and his pistol at its side. He said, “I never said subtlety was my thing. Would you mind pushing me along? Treat your elders with care and make me look more invalid and feebler or some junk like that.” Ingrid grinned at him and accommodated, rolling him outside.

Meanwhile, at the forge Desdin was surrounded by a a throng of eager minds, He had been eating heartily and fielding questions from a gathering of students. Walstaff, dressed back in his deputy gear, walked through the door, leaning on a cane as Keoma fell in behind him. Walstaff pushed through the crowd that gave him space. He rested himself across Desdin and asked, “Should I call you Eleventh Warden Desdin now?”

Desdin placed his bowl of food on the table and gave a half-hearted grin. “Just Desdin is fine. I’m sorry to have lied to you. But I’m sure you can understand.” Walstaff warmly accepted his apology.

Keoma slipped his hands into his robe sleeves and said, “We have a plan to shake the spider loose and give you and your party the chance to save us from her. As I told you, this is our town and we are determined to defend it. Fighting Devils is your specialty, though. We intend to visit your two companions at the lodge soon. We’ll come up with the ultimate act of our plan to force the spider into the light with them. Go wait at your van and keep your eyes peeled. You won’t be able to mistake the signal I’m preparing for you to leap into the fray. When I trigger it, I expect you to be at the front drawing her out.”

Desdin stood and gestured graciously before placing his fists together. “Thank you. I won’t let you down. You can be assured, I am going to be ready. I brought Cherry’s weapons with me if you would make sure she got them.”

Keoma said, “She will have them. Be on your way then. Your sword and armor should be more than suitable for any threat you’d normally face in the Union. We still have work to do here.”

Not long after Desdin’s departure, Ingrid, Stokely, and Hobe all arrived. They traveled out to the stone hallway of the blacksmithing area before walking down several stone ramps lit by chrism lamps and through several thick doors. Following closely, Walstaff inquired, “What was it you wanted to show us down here?”

Keoma beamed with pride as he began explaining. “They built this forge during the sixth age. It was a time when everyone was afraid to advance our technology. The reason was to show respect and reverence for the Oldest following the calamitous fifth age. Our leaders back then were wary of another descendant inspiring an uprising. We needed a place to make weapons and to innovate. So, our ancestors constructed this stone cavern away from the regular forge. It’s purpose was to carry out our work away from prying eyes.”

Ingrid raised a conceited eyebrow. “I learned this a long time ago in the archives. Although I don't know if many others may know our history. But you didn’t bring us all the way down here for a history lesson.” The temperature was dropping the deeper they went further from the forge. Everyone except Hobe, who had his blanket in his wheelchair, was holding themselves for warmth.

“You may be too young to appreciate it, but anticipation can be a beautiful thing. At least when it is in your favor. After we leave here, we are going to the lodge. Stokely will further spread Vilsin’s hunters by tasking them to carrying the bodies from the hospital to the observatory. Everyone else, along with our loyal militia, will pacify the remaining force at the lodge and set the drifters loose.” They looked at one another to confirm understanding of their roles.

The assembly entered the well-lit large rock cavern at the bottom. Thirty stretchers were being wrapped with white bandages. Loaded into several of the gurneys were rifles and weapons. Stokely commented, “These should be easy enough for anyone in town to pick up to defend or attack. What are they loading up at the end of the room over there?”

Keoma pulled the blankets off the unwrapped gurneys. Some held four-foot cannons. He then led them to where many sealed jars were being carefully placed. They were then wrapped with wet salted bandages, leaving a small wick of rope exposed.

It didn’t take the new council long to realize the destructive power they would handle in the coming battle. Walstaff commented, “Keoma, I deeply appreciate you taking point on this entire operation. And I pray to the Oldest that we all owe you a debt at the end. Right now, though, I am hoping we don’t blow ourselves to hell while we try to save Leoris.”