He slowly lifted his hands up. “Whoah, easy. We come in peace.” A dozen guards stood around the activated portal with lowered pikes, and behind them, a row of archers with readied bows. The sound of sloshing liquid sounded behind him, and the guards tensed as Ihra stepped beside.
"Stay back! Who are you? How did you activate this portal?" A tall man with a hint of elven features approached them, a sword gripped firmly in his hands.
"The city is in danger. You need to activate the defenses."
"That wasn't my question. Who are-" His words cut off as the last of their group stepped through the portal. His eyes widened in confusion. “Lady Aphora?” He still kept his sword watchfully raised, but some of the tension eased from his shoulders.
“You can put the blade down, Captain Gullul. They’re with me.”
He sheathed his sword slowly, and when he realized the full extent of her injuries, he rushed forward. “Your hurt, my lady. Let me help you to a healer.”
She waved his attempts to help off. “There’s no time for that now. Send word to Lord Tzur; the city’s defenses must be activated immediately. An army of undead from Als̆arratu march against us.” She pushed a ring into his hand. “Take my seal as proof of my words. Hurry.”
“Very well, my lady.” He turned to the guards and nodded at his second in command. “Nafshah, you’re in command in my absence. Prepare the guard for combat, and help Lady Aphora with whatever she needs.” Without another word, he turned and ran out of the chamber.
Aphora sagged against the wall, weariness flooding her face, as she closed her eyes.
“My lady?”
Aphora did not open her eyes as she responded. “Can you please get me a mount? I need to get to my home to heal before the battle.”
“We have a healer here in the temple. Let me send for her.”
She shook her head. “No, your healer will not be able to help me. My wounds are…special. I just need a way to get home.” She pried her eyes open, the blue flame of her eyes dimmed, but still burning with power. “Focus on preparing your soldiers. Disaster marches against the city. I will join you on the walls when I can.”
Nafshah bowed. “Very well, my lady.” A guard hurried into the room and whispered in her ear. “It seems we have a mount waiting for you by the back gate of the temple. Do you need help getting there?”
Aphora stood up, holding herself stiffly. “No. Your men have more important things to do now. Go - I’ll be fine.”
The guards left the room, Nafshah turning back with a lingering look of concern before she disappeared down the corridor. As soon as the sergeant was out of sight, Aphora collapsed back against the wall. Her legs shook as she slowly limped towards the doorway.
Jasper and Ihra had been shunted off to the side while Aphora dealt with the guards, their presence all but forgotten. As he watched Aphora struggle to walk out of the room, he sighed. Damn it. He walked over to her and put her arm over his shoulder. “Help me out here, Ihra.” The two of them half carried Aphora through the temple hall. Some of the priestesses approached, offering aid, but he waved them off. “Just need to get her to the horse.”
Exiting at the back gate, they found the mount she had requested waiting. It was a beautiful chestnut horse, although nothing compared to the stag she had ridden in the fallen city. I wonder what happened to it? Was she forced to leave it behind? He carefully propped Aphora up in the saddle, and gestured for Ihra to mount up. “Here, you ride with her, and I’ll follow along behind.”
Ihra shook her head. “No, you should ride. I have a higher endurance stat than you, so I’ll have an easier time keeping up.”
He started to argue and then shook his head. No time for false pride. Jasper dragged himself onto the horse, and made sure that Aphora was on securely. She had clearly been pushing herself beyond her limits and, now that they were out of immediate danger, was flagging fast. “Let’s go.”
He galloped down the streets of Gis̆-Izum, Ihra loping along beside him. The temple’s back exit opened out onto a street behind the marketplace, so they were able to avoid the worst of the crowd. But the street bustled with people, who scrambled to safety, as they dashed past.
"Sorry!" He apologized, as he nearly side-swiped a middle-aged woman carrying three towering baskets of baked goods. He winced as he heard her curses following after him. To his surprise, Ihra easily kept pace. Has she always been this fast? Despite his exhaustion, he found his eyes frequently wandering over to his attractive partner, but his gaze sharpened when he noticed something unusual on her head. Nestled among her hair, there were the faintest traces of something emerging. Is that the start of horns? He wasn't sure; riding on horseback through the quickly darkening city streets didn't provide the best view, but he promised himself to ask her about it later.
Almost an hour had passed when they finally saw the gates leading into the elven quarter. As they slipped past the enclave's walls, a great horn rumbled somewhere deep in the south of the city. The ominous sound couldn't hold a candle to the supernaturally unsettling horn of Als̆arratu, but its effect on the population of Gis̆-Izum was equally profound. The people scattered immediately; stalls slammed shut and mothers pulled their screaming children inside. Soon citizens emerged from their houses, dripping in weapons and armor, and ran down the now abandoned streets toward the wall.
After the horn blew three times, silence fell over the city. Jasper watched in amazement as a clear, diaphanous shield slowly begin to form above the city. The shield began in hundreds of spots across the sky, slowly expanding outwards to merge with the others and seal the city off. By the time they finally thundered down Aphora’s street, the city had been closed off in a protective bubble.
He clattered to a stop in front of Aphora's home and, hopping off the horse, waited for Aphora to get off. Ihra had beat him there, and he blinked his eyes in confusion when he saw her chest was slightly glowing in the dark night sky. Jasper glanced down at his own guild uniform which, after recent events, had seen better days. A soft glow emanated from a clear gem set into the guild emblem. What the hell?
"Looks like we're being summoned." Ihra spoke with a forced cheeriness, but he could detect the edge of worry hiding within them.
Summoned? Oh. He frowned as he remembered the training course he had taken in the Hargish guild. In times of emergency, the Guild has the authority to temporarily draft guilders into the conflict. If summoned, please report to the nearest Guild, Barrack or guard authority. "Damn it!"
Jasper turned back to the horse. Aphora was slumped over its neck. He tried shaking her, and when she did not respond, was forced to lift her off the horse. I am not carrying her princess style, he fumed. Tossing the unconscious Aphora over his shoulder like a sack of wheat, he carried her over to the elven conclave. He banged his fists against the wall in a furious staccato. But the wall remained closed. Again, he hammered the wall, raining down a relentless hail of blows, until the walls suddenly slid open. He flinched, barely able to draw back his hand before it smashed into the surprised elf’s face.
“Here.” He hoisted Aphora off his shoulder and shoved her into the man's arms.
It was the same elf who had let them in when they had applied for the job. His supercilious air was entirely gone, as he stared at Aphora in concern. “What happened to her?” His words turned to anger, as he stared up at them, light gathering on the tips of his antlers. “What did you do to her?”
Jasper snorted. “Try asking her mother.”
“Her mother? Her mother is dead-“ The elf’s eyes widened, and he bowed his head low, muttering beneath his breath. “Lady Aphora, what have you done? I tried to warn you - we all did.”
The elf hung his head silently for a moment, the light gone from his eyes, and Jasper shifted uncomfortably, unsure whether they should go. At last, the elf looked up. All traces of anger had left his face, replaced with an ancient sorrow.
“Thank you for bringing her to me. Do you know what caused her wounds?”
Jasper hesitated. “I wasn’t there when it happened, but she mentioned something about weapons forged for punishment - Aoni? Avoni? - if that means something to you.”
He nodded. “It does. To think that the Queen would have fallen so far to use them against her own daughter. Her mind must truly be corrupted.”
He bowed to Jasper and Ihra. “If the city survives this attack, be sure to come back. I will reward you greatly for her life. But now, I must tend to her wounds.” He disappeared into the room, the walls closing by themselves behind him.
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Jasper sighed. The dark night around them was lit up by the gently glowing light of their uniforms. He was bone-tired; the unending stress of the last two days and their relentless flight before the undead army overwhelmed him, as he swayed on his feet. I just want to sleep, damn it.
He placed a weary hand on the horse, and dragged himself onto the horse. “Hop up, Ihra. I guess we have to go report into the guild.”
She pulled herself up on the horse, wrapping her arms around him, too tired to even respond. He spurred the horse into a gallop, and they clattered through the dark streets. The city was all but deserted now. Most of the inhabitants had already taken refuge in their homes or had joined the forces on the walls. The only people they passed were a handful of guards driving carts of supplies or delivering important messages. It was a long ride back to the guild, almost two hours, and he found himself drifting in and out of sleep. Back on earth, he had spent more than a few late nights driving through empty countryside, and as he snoozed, off and on, he had to admit that the horse had a few advantages of its own. I'd be dead in a ditch by now, back home.
He started to perk up when the horse turned down the great road that belted the city, running beneath the long shadow of the walls. This street, and the walls looming above it, were bathed in a warm, pleasant light. Fires burned at regular intervals along the walls, and, far above him, Jasper could make out large crowds of soldiers milling about in the flickering light, their forms barely larger than ants.
When they finally reached the Sanctum, he was surprised to find a large crowd assembled outside its gates. Guards barred the way into the entrance, as guild leaders shouted at the crowd. “Citizens of Gis̆-Izum, return to your homes. In the event of an evacuation, the city will sound the horn seven times. If that happens, make your way to the Sanctum. Until then, please return to your homes.” The crowd ignored him, pressing against the line of guards as much as they dared - neither side quite willing yet to commit to violence - and the man sighed as he turned away. His gaze fell on Jasper and Ihra, picking up on the glowing emblem on their uniforms. Bending down, he spoke to one of the attendants, pointing at them.
The attendant pushed his way through the crowd, which had stubbornly refused to disperse. “You guilders?”
Jasper nodded wearily.
“Follow me.” The crowd begrudgingly opened up to let them pass. “Were you outside the city when the alarm began? Most of the guilders arrived a while ago.”
“We were on the far side of the city, and had to take someone to the healers first.”
The man’s face tightened. “Ah, we all know how that goes. Hopefully, your team member heals quickly.”
Jasper didn’t bother to correct the misunderstanding. The guards parted, and they found themselves in front of one of the guild leaders. The man was dressed in full armor and moved with a quiet confidence that was betrayed by the nervous tic in his right eye. Recognition crossed the man’s face as he looked over the pair.
“Wait a minute - I remember you. You’re the two that informed us about the village of cultists.” He clicked his fingers, trying to recall. “Khiryat, was it?”
Jasper nodded, “That was us.”
The man scanned down a list of guild members, giving up in defeat a moment later. “I’m sorry, but your names have slipped my mind.” He chuckled lightly. "I've always been good with faces, but names just aren't my strongpoint."
Jasper nodded. “No worries. I'm Jasper Welles and this is Ihra…” He trailed off as he realized he didn’t know Ihra’s last name, assuming she had one. Probably should know that, he realized.
“Akāmu. Ihra Akāmu,” she filled in.
The guild leader froze when he found their names. “You’re listed as missing in action, trapped in the city of Als̆arratu when the portal collapsed.” The man looked up with a manic energy. “How did you escape - no, screw that.” He looked frantically around the crowd. “Is Ga’on with you? Merkab or Alilu?”
Jasper shook his head. “Ga’on stayed behind in the mountain passage to delay the Queen’s army.” He hesitated. “I didn’t see his death, but I don’t think he could’ve survived, and if he did, I don’t know if he would still be a friend. After the city reemerged from whatever hell hole it was sucked into, two of those with us were immediately turned into something like the wraiths, and Ga’on said that he felt the corruption eating at his mind. He chose to stay behind, rather than turn into a monster.”
The man bowed his head. “May Shamsha light his path to the halls of the dead. So the others are lost as well?”
“I didn’t know their names - we weren’t actually part of the expedition - but the other two that were trapped with us turned immediately.”
The guild leader’s eyes were hollow as he wrote on his list. With a sigh, he laid down his quill. “Come with me. You can fill the council in on the details before the enemy arrives.”
The great doors rumbled open as they approached. The gentle daylight of the Sanctum filtered through, lighting up the dark streets of Gis̆-Izum. The crowd erupted in a commotion as the door opened. The sight of safety, so tantalizingly out of reach, was the spark the mob needed to incite them to action. With screams and cries, the frightened citizens surged forward, smashing against the thin line of guards who tried to push them back without harming them too much. Jasper turned to watch the conflict, but the man called him forward. "Come on, the wall of steel and iron will not break."
The screams of the crowd were cut off when the gate shut behind them with a shudder. The man half-walked, half-ran down the path to the village, with Jasper and Ihra jogging at his heels.
“Why is the guild not allowing the people into the Sanctum? Isn’t that the whole point of Sanctums?”
The man did not let up his frenzied pace as he replied. “You think us cruel?” He paused too briefly to allow Jasper to reply before continuing. “Perhaps it is cruelty, but it is also necessary. Tzur, the lord of the city is the one who must allow the inhabitants to flee into the sanctums, and he has decided to defend the city.”
“Why?”
The man glanced over his shoulder. “Because any other course of action would be folly. The walls of Gis̆-Izum are strong and well defended. Behind them, we have a real hope of repelling the Queen’s forces. But if we abandon the walls, and hide in the Sanctum, we might be safe, but we’ll have no hope of reclaiming the city on our own.”
“Gis̆-Izum doesn't have many allies it can rely on. The empire’s eyes are focused on reclaiming the capital city. The imperial army lies far to the east, and even if the city falls, there’s no guarantee that the emperor will divert forces to save us. A single city far from the frontlines is not a high priority. If we’re lucky, the emperor might send a single battalion to our rescue, but it’s more likely he’d just ask the lords of Harei Miqlat to help us. Whether they’d listen to his plea is another question altogether; they rarely leave the limits of their mountains. So we cannot rely on the empire to save us."
“And, while I have no doubt that our king in Yas̆peh will try to save us, his forces are probably insufficient to oust a hostile force if we allow them to entrench themselves behind the walls of the city, nor can he afford to pull all of his troops from the border with Stryn, lest they take advantage of the situation. Stryn is always looking for an excuse to seize Birnah.”
The man stopped, his abrupt halt kicking up clouds of dust as he turned to face the startled Jasper and Ihra. “In other words, we either defend the walls of Gis̆-Izum, or we trap ourselves in the Sanctum and pray that sometime in the next few years, someone will come to save us. That is why we must be cruel.”
With a wave of his hand, he resumed his jog. “We’re almost there.” They raced past the guild's welcome booth - the stall was now closed and shuttered - and turned down a side street lined with stately residences. Reaching the third one on the left, the man pounded on the door.
The door swung open almost immediately. A rather short woman stood before them. Her long brown hair was pulled back behind her ears and her brown eyes, which normally sparkled with mischief, were dull and weary. Dwarven heritage? Jasper wondered.
"Sir Tiras, why aren't you at the gates? Have you any news?"
The man jerked his fingers at the two of them. "Some of our missing guilders showed up. I think the council will want to speak to them."
She ushered them in quickly. "Alright, I'll take them in."
The three stepped inside, and Tiras darted into another room. "I'm just going to grab some food before heading back to the gate."
The woman sighed as she watched him disappear. "That's Tiras for you. Always looking for an excuse to sneak into the kitchen. I suppose, though, after two hundred years, I really can't be surprised." She turned to them. "Come on, I'll take you to the council." She led them down a marbled corridor. They passed two staircases, leading further up into the mansion before the hall dead-ended into a large stateroom. A group, clad in an array of exotic armors, was gathered around a large table, loudly debating over a map.
“My troops at the north gate need reinforcements immediately. We’ll be the ones taking the brunt of the attack.” A brawny man with jet black locks and emerald eyes pounded on the table.
A woman glared back at him, bracing her weight against the large oak table, which bent slightly beneath her. “And leave my troops hanging? Not on your life, Ellēs̆u. Until the army arrives, we don’t know where they’re going to attack. Perhaps they’ll assume we’ve sent all of our defenders to the north and will swing south to attack a weaker gate.”
The man snorted, an angry reply on his lips, but he was cut off as the guild magister slammed his staff into the ground. The noise reverberated with an unnatural force as he roared. “Enough.”
The room fell silent, and he pointed his staff towards the woman accompanying Jasper and Ihra. “It seems Mêya has found two of our missing guilders. Why don’t we find out what they have to tell us.”
Jasper gulped as the attention of the entire room locked on him, suddenly struck with a stage fright he hadn't felt since high school. “Uh…”
Ihra stepped forward, inclining her head to the left in a gesture of respect. “What do you already know about the threat, sirs?”
The magister smiled. “Very little. The city lord received a warning from Lady Aphora that the forces of the Als̆arratu had left their city and were marching against us, led by the Queen.”
He tilted his head to the side, scrutinizing her with a curious air as he fingered a large onyx ring on his left hand. “I have no doubt that her words are true-“ he waved his hand towards the group - “hence, the commotion. But, I sense that there is much we have not been told.” He leaned forward on his staff, his fingers wrapping so tightly around it that they turned white.
Ihra took a half-step back, as the fear of punishment for their role in the event suddenly became very real to her.
The magister snorted. “I have already deduced, lass, that the disaster marching against us has something to do with your quest for Lady Aphora. We’ve already questioned the members of our expedition who escaped, and they did nothing out of the ordinary.”
The magister’s hands relaxed as he released the death grip with which he clutched the staff. His face softened, and he spoke again in a soothing tone. “Listen, lassie, there’s no need for you or your partner to fear. Lady Aphora is a power beyond any of us, even far beyond me.”
A rueful chuckle, bereft of any true mirth, escaped his lips. “If I tried to punish her for her role in whatever happened, she’d bend me over the knee like a petulant toddler. Rest assured: there is nothing you could have done that she did not allow, nor is there any desire of hers that you could have thwarted. The responsibility for what happened lays at her feet, and hers alone, not yours. The empire may see fit to punish her - I hope they do - but right now, we're just looking to survive.”
He paused and leaned forward again, the light gleaming in his eyes. “So don't hold back - I need to know exactly what happened. Any details you can recall could prove to be crucial.”