Anad double-stepped back and swayed at the waist, the stone fist arcing just inches in front of his face to crash into the wall. Rock chips sprayed from the impact in slow motion as Anad brought his sword straight up, a line of silver light tracing its path through the golem’s elbow. Razor-sharp, order-infused chronosteel parted the magical construct’s limb with barely a hitch of resistance, and Anad worked his way to the side as the arm fell.

The expressionless face of the golem moved to track him, but that deep in the Trance, Anad was simply too fast. Quick footwork brought him around and into the golem’s blind spot, his blade cutting back and forth, shing shing shing, on the joint of the left leg just below the hip with each step. With no vital organs, his usual stabs and thrusts had proved mostly ineffectual against the magical opponents, so he’d instead moved to taking it apart a piece at a time.

One last cut with his blade and Anad was behind the golem, rotating around and silver light criss-crossing the back of the golem’s neck as it went to turn. With a final crack and grind, the severed leg gave out under the golem as it tried to follow him, and it crashed to the ground barely a heartbeat after its arm hit.

The hallway shook from the impact, the towering golem made of magically-infused, solid stone cracking the floor with its weight alone. Still, there on the ground missing half an arm and a leg, the construct was a threat, already working its stump of an arm under itself to try and rise.

“No you don’t,” Anad said, darting forward.

Out reached the golem’s good hand to snag one of his legs, but a quick jump, the tap tap of his magic shoes as he ran along the wall, and Anad landed on the golem’s uneven back. Before it had a chance to throw him, Anad flipped the sword around in his hand, and bracing the pommel with his left palm, drove it straight down and through the back of the golem’s thick neck. While the thrust itself did little enough damage to the animated statue, Anad pulled hard on his sword to the side like a lever, and the paper-thin blade did the rest.

CRUNCH / crunch, the severed head and body hit the ground at the same time, the magic of the construct finally dismissed, and Anad hopped down to the floor to survey the scene. Ahead of him, two Regulars, what was left of them, stained the intersection of hallways where the golem had found them. Behind, three more Regulars, one with a broken arm, stared at him wide-eyed.

“Mediator, you got here just in time,” one of them said. “That… that thing came out of nowhere.”

“Not quite in time,” Anad whispered to himself, letting most of the Trance fade and glancing back at the smears the golem had left in its wake. That was the fourth golem he’d put down today alone, and between them and the traps, the enclave had taken its toll on the Regular forces. “You two, can you walk? Good. Get your friend topside and to one of the triage stations.”

“But… Mediator Warren gave strict orders for us not to leave the enclave until it was completely secure,” one of the Regulars said. “I heard she had somebody flogged for disobeying…”

“That can’t be true,” Anad said immediately. Can it? “Just dark rumours because of how tired everybody is. We wouldn’t have the triage stations set up if they weren’t there to take care of the injured.”

Still, looking at the three ragged Regulars, tired was an understatement. How long had they been down there, combing their way through the twisting tunnels? Three days? Four? And without the magic of the Trance to keep them going, it was a miracle any of the Regulars could continue.

It was true they’d been ordered not to go back up to the surface unless it was an emergency, instead making camp down in the tunnels to catch a few hours sleep while others kept watch. Secured areas had been relatively safe, after all, with only the traps ahead taking lives.

Until yesterday, when the golems had seemingly woken up. The things had worked their ways through the tunnels, methodically attacking – and usually killing – anything that lived. The Regulars had no chance, their weapons barely scratching the stone monstrosities, which left it up to the Mediators to take them on.

Even with the Trance, the golems were frightening foes.

Anad gave the construct’s shoulder a nudge with the toe of his shoe just to be sure, but it seemed completely inert. Good. I’m nearing my limit.

“Sir, sir! There you are,” a man called from beyond the three Regulars who were getting to their feet, the injured one propped up by his two comrades. “You shouldn’t run ahead like that.”

Anad gave the Regular a flat look, and the man immediately skidded to a stop and gulped when he realized he was trying to tell a Mediator what they could or couldn’t do. The Regular, Tory, was a bit of a weasel who’d latched on to following Anad as soon as he’d figured it was a safe place to be, but he also had a surprisingly good head on his shoulders.

“They needed my help,” Anad said, pointing to the other three. “And you look to have caught up just fine. Make sure they get topside to have his arm seen to, and maybe get some real food in them.”

“Yessir,” Tory said, and waved back to one of five other Regulars jogging up to join him.

“Kisovel,” Anad called to another one of the five, the woman’s head down over a clipboard in her hand, and a pencil scratching furiously while small chaos butterflies hovered nearby. “Are we almost finished? How many more of these tunnels do we need to clear?”

“One moment, one moment,” she said, power-walking right past Anad and down to the intersection. If she noticed the bloody smears that had been Regulars, she gave no sign of it, her head swiveling left and right to look down the hallways, and then back at the clipboard in her hands. “I think…” she said, holding the clipboard in front of her and rotating it upside down. “I think…” she turned it again.

“You think… what?” Anad prompted as she turned the clipboard one more time.

“I think we’re done. These hallways connect to areas we’ve already mapped out,” Kisovel said.

“Oh, thank goodness,” one of the Regulars said, and the others gave visible sighs of relief.

Anad couldn’t argue with the sentiment, but he did control his response.

“That’s good news,” he said. “Let’s get our map topside to compare with the other cartographers’, just to be sure.”

“That won’t be necessary,” another voice drifted down the hall from where Tory and the others had come. “We’re pulling out for now.”

“Pulling out?” Anad asked, fighting to keep the disbelief out of his voice. Four days of blood, sweat, and the lives of countless Regulars to secure the tunnels, and then, just like that, pulling out?

“That’s what I said,” a Mediator said, walking forward with his cane tapping on the stone floor with every second step. Tuxedo in pristine condition, shoes shiny, and his face clean of the grime on every other face in the tunnels except for those of his retinue, he cut an impressive figure. One that clearly stated he hadn’t been down in the enclave fighting tooth and nail for every inch.

“And you would be who exactly?” Anad asked, ire rising in his gut as he looked at the fresh Mediator between the exhausted Regulars.

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“Ah, it’s you. The disappointment,” the Mediator said, and the Regulars’ eyes went wide while their heads swiveled back and forth between the two. For one Mediator to openly say something like that in front of Regulars was unheard of.

“Tory,” Anad said, not moving and his sword still glowing silver in his hand. “I believe I asked you to do something.”

“Huh? Oh… oh yeah… right! Come on, you guys, with me… quickly now. Quickly, quickly,” Tory said, ushering the tired Regulars out from between Anad and the three other Mediators. “Be careful,” the man said very quietly as he passed Anad, but then they were gone.

“You still didn’t answer my question,” Anad pointed out. “Who are you to give the order to withdraw?”

“Somebody who has proven his value in supporting Mediator Warren,” the man said, and a twinge of jealousy mixed in with the anger shot through Anad’s veins.

“By being her messenger? I guess you didn’t have your sights set very high,” Anad said, his mood getting the better of his tongue before he could censor himself.

The unnamed Mediator’s hand instantly went to the hilt of his cane-sword, violet light with a line of black rising from his eyes at the same time, before the Mediator next to him put a hand on his forearm.

“Now isn’t the time,” the second Mediator said to the man beside him, then turned his attention to Anad. “All Mediators are to present themselves immediately to Mediator Warren for orders. We’re moving out, and you might be lucky enough to join us. Though, I’d suggest you get yourself cleaned up a bit. That is no way for a Mediator to look.”

“Moving out?” Anad mouthed. Gevar didn’t even wait to hear the results of the enclave purge. What was the point of it all? Why would she… ah. The clock. They turned it on. She knows where the other Tinks went.

The silver light vanished from Anad’s blade, and he slid it cleanly back into the cane in his other hand, then spun on his heel. “You may want to watch what you use the Trance on,” he called over his shoulder. “Messenger duty isn’t worth becoming a Black Eye,” he said without turning, then stalked down the hall the same way the Regulars had gone.

“Why you…” one of the men growled, but somebody else whispered something, and then nothing else was said.

Good enough.

Several minutes later and more than a few twists, and Anad took a set of stairs up into an old, abandoned house. A pair of Regulars stationed there gave him a small nod, but he passed them without saying anything, and stepped out onto the street. The sun hung low in the sky, still blindingly bright after his time in the tunnels with the flameless torches, and he raised his arm to shield his eyes.

Where did I even come up? That looks like the steeple of the old church in the Burnt Quarter over there, and these cobblestones mean I’m probably back in the Stock Quarter. Which means this is going to be a long walk back to the garrison.

“Everything okay, Sir?” Tory asked, stepping up to him.

“Told you, I’m not a Sir yet,” Anad said and let his eyes adjust to the light.

“Maybe not by rank, but you act it more than many others,” Tory said smoothly.

Anad glanced at the Regular beside him. What’s he buttering me up for? “How is the man with the broken arm?” he asked instead.

“Being seen to, as you requested,” Tory said, pointing to an open door across the street with two Regulars standing in front of it. “We were lucky. There’s a triage station very close.”

“Good. Thank you, Tory,” Anad said. He could go in and check on the man, but with what that Mediator said down in the tunnels, he really should get back to the garrison and see what was going on.

“Sir?” Tory prompted, and Anad turned his attention to the man. “I’m sure you have things to do…”

“But?” Anad asked.

“But, I heard from one of the other Regulars in the triage station that anybody still standing was being gathered up for a new mission. Not a lot of details, but we’re all getting mustered,” Tory said.

“And?”

“And Mediators can request which Regulars get assigned to them. I was hoping to be part of your unit,” Tory said with a small bow of his head.

Anad nodded slowly. What Tory said was true, but Anad had never been in a position to make such a request before. Would anybody listen to him? Would he even have Regulars assigned to him, being so new?

“I’m not sure I’ll have a unit,” Anad said. “But why would you want to be part of it if I did, if you don’t mind me asking. I’m sure you heard what was said down there. It might not be the best choice right now, politically speaking.”

Tory gave another small nod, acknowledging he did indeed hear the other Mediator’s words. “While politics are important, and I’m not fully up to speed as to why he’d say what he did, I’d wager surviving is more important. If I may be frank, Sir?” Tory asked, and Anad gestured he continue. “Down in the enclave, I saw you save Regular after Regular, myself included, despite the danger to yourself. That’s not common. I figure my odds of surviving the next deployment are better if I stay close to you.”

“That was pretty frank,” Anad said, mulling over the man’s words.

“You seemed the type to appreciate it,” Tory said.

“I can’t make any promises, but if I have the option of requesting Regulars, you’ll be one of them,” Anad said. “But it isn’t just about keeping us alive. You may find yourself in danger as we work to save somebody else.”

“If you don’t run off on your own again, we will be right there at your side,” Tory said, and Anad winced a little at the accusation, mainly because it was correct.

“We?” Anad asked.

“The others who were with us down there all feel the same way. We’d all like to be on your unit. If you have one, of course,” Tory said.

Anad looked back at the triage building, something warm in his chest breaking through the exhaustion a bit. It was nice to be appreciated, even if it was a bit self-serving on Tory’s part. Saving lives was why he’d joined the Mediators in the first place.

That and swinging from chandeliers, but that never seems to happen.

“Get the others and head back to the garrison,” Anad said. “I’m going on ahead to see what’s up, but if I’m able, I’ll request you all be put in my unit.”

“Thank you, Sir,” Tory said with yet another small bow of his head – Seems to be his habit.

“Should probably call me Mediator, or just Anad actually,” Anad said.

“Mediator it is then,” Tory said, turning and starting towards the triage building. “We’ll get back to the garrison as quickly as we can.”

Anad watched the other man enter the building – I hope I don’t regret that. – and with nothing left to do but to get going, jogged off to his right. Without the Trance, he’d get back shortly after the sun set, and that was fine. Seeing the black line in that Mediator’s eyes was a good reminder not to overtax himself. He should be years away from the same thing happening, but after he’d pushed himself in the woods, and then down in the tunnels, he couldn’t afford to get complacent. Besides, a few extra minutes to get his thoughts straight before getting back to the garrison couldn’t hurt either.

If he was right in his guess – if the Tinks had turned on the clock – and Gevar had pulled the Mediators and Regulars out of the enclave under Bastion, that had to mean they were leaving the city. How far would they have to go? Gevar had hinted her device could sense the clock even if it was really far away, and the clock was probably gone for at least a few days. The Tinks had a good head start.

No use thinking about it too much now. Gevar will tell me when I get back to the garrison.

But what was that comment from the other Mediator down in the tunnels? Did Gevar really think he was a disappointment?

When… when did she change so much? The Gevar I know was always kind. Warm. Sure, ambitious too, but never so callous. The pressure from Sir Junithar? Unless… she was hiding that side of herself from me? Like she was hiding the plans for the clock.

And how come I didn’t notice it over the last year? Was I just so happy to be accepted by somebody for who I am? To have somebody listen to my regrets and dreams without laughing, that I ignored it? Am I that pathetic and gullible?

Anad shook his head as he continued to jog, the same thoughts bouncing around and around in his head. Maybe it was just the fatigue, but he couldn’t shake the ideas – or the hurt they created – as he crossed block after block, the buildings and people he passed nothing more than a blur.

Finally, when the garrison came into view at the end of the street, lamplighters going about their jobs on both sides of the street with the sun barely peeking over the horizon, Anad’s thoughts were a chaotic jumble of doubt.

“Mediator,” one of the Regulars at the front gate greeted with a salute as Anad slowed to a walk. Beyond, the main courtyard was full of wagons and Regulars working furiously, despite the fatigue etched on every face in the flickering torch light.

“What’s going on?” Anad asked the Regular beside the gate.

“You must’ve missed the general assembly,” the Regular said. “All able-bodied Regulars and Mediators are being deployed immediately. Heading north to purge another enclave.”

“When?” Anad asked.

“Mediator Gevar said it would be shortly after sunset,” the Regular said.

“Wait, we’re leaving tonight?” Anad asked, his head snapping to look at the Regular in the growing darkness.

“I…” the Regular said, glancing into the courtyard. “Yes, Mediator.”

“Do you know if Mediator Gevar is still here?” Anad asked.

“She hasn’t left the garrison, at least not by this gate. Last I saw, she was going into the main building,” the Regular answered.

“Thanks for your help,” Anad said, jogging through the crowd of Regulars as they sluggishly prepared their supplies and wagons. Most of them were barely still on their feet, and there certainly weren’t enough wagons to carry them all.

Gevar, you can’t possibly expect these men and women to start a forced march tonight.