VOLUME 1


    - CHAPTER 21 -


    NEPATY CITADEL


    -


    Laying northeast of Gonkdim, the great city holds its prideful rumors true once seen at first sight. Its whole structure is wrought in grey stone, from the two hundred meters walls protecting its base to its fourteen elevated floors, the citadel’s peak reaches the height of sixteen hundred meters from the surface plains below.


    There’s no greater work of art. After Balyvecis Warsaw, the Great Conqueror, defeated the hardest dungeon of the Piter Mountains, he wished for Shiva to build the strongest city in the world. And so, the Major God’s rayflames descended the biggest mountain of the range and carved what Nepaty Citadel is today. An unmatched stronghold with the utmost defensive magic known.


    Though once defeated by the Plague’s invasions, the citadel was able to delay its waves and greatly contributed to Gonkdim’s victory. The King ordered for it to be reconquered as soon as possible, recognizing its prowess and beauty. Now, the city holds strong once more with three hundred thousand inhabitants from all over the kingdom.


    Although its residents are only part of its population, the citadel is currently known as the best spot for international high-level merchandise transactions. Its flat stone highways securing a connection through Midlands’ desert to Noire kingdom is one motive, but more importantly, it’s well located close to Legendary regions, where better material can be gathered from the magical beasts and monsters nearby.


    This is the best city the King could ask for to protect the kingdom’s borders.


    -


    - - - - - - - - - - -


    -


    Over the outer wall of the great citadel, two guards walked in their routine patrol. Though one was clearly bigger than the other, both had the same silver knight armor, sharp curves and flat faces protecting their entire body with both strength and mobility.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “Worrying will do you no good,” – said the stronger one named Korfield.


    The smaller soldier, whatever, trembled in anxiety with every step.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “B-But the heroes--"


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “Yes, they went missing,” – Korfield shrugged. – “but that’s exactly why we are on high alert. We won’t be caught unprepared, don’t wrap your head around it.”


    Though he tried to ensure safety with a calm tone, the younger argued back.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “They were the stronger ones, not the Watchguard, we are trained to keep peace inside the city, and occasionally protect the walls, but to defend against an invasion on our own…”


    The older watchguard sighed tiredly, getting a bit worried himself.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “Polis, boy. We are in Nepaty Citadel, the strongest place in the kingdom, even if we were attacked, we are ready,” – He lifted his hand, pointing at the movable giant ballista resting under a stone cabin in front of them, its size bigger than a commoner’s house. – “Even if an army came, those pretty things would explode them to dust. And besides, everyone in the city has at least a sword or some experience in combat, even the lowest of the merchants were adventurers in their prime, so don’t worry.”


    But their echoing steps surrounding the ballistas’ chamber only made the veteran’s words feel empty in the boy’s ears.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “It’s just that…” – Polis lowered his head, carefully picking his words. – “I can’t relax with my family being here, first the Shadow Army grows, then the Heroes disappeared, and now with all the bandit attacks inside the city… I feel like being on the borders of an upcoming war is the worst place to be, maybe we should move somewhere safer, but I don’t know if we have enough for that.”


    They both exited the cabin and stopped walking after a few steps, the old guard side-looking at the plains outside of the walls.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “You’re from the sheepkin district, right?”


    Polis nodded, a bit afraid of being judged.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “I see.” – He turned to the younger soldier, his eyes serious. – “Then you should. If I were to tell you the truth… I’m not certain myself. It looks like something will hit us, though I believe they won’t succeed, I can’t say if the first district is going to be safe… Just, don’t tell anyone that I said that.”


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “…Got it.”


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “If you do choose to go, try the underground merchant streets, it should be safe from bandits, it''s not all that well-known and it''s too narrow for them to pass through without being noticed by the guards. But let’s finish our patrol first, then I’ll send you off and you can decide with your family, what about it? But if you decide to stay, go right back to duty, hear me? The last thing I want is a fellow soldier who has its mind elsewhere.” – He chuckled looking at the boy, proud for the sheepkin to worry so much about family.


    The easing stress in Polis’ eyes was interrupted, though. For a brief moment, a shock electrified his entire body, a creeping fear almost freezing his bones.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “Sir--!” – He pointed behind Korfield, where a tiny dark hand appeared over the wall.


    The older watchguard turned, the creature had just finished climbing and was now standing over the battlements. With its black eyes, green skin, twisted face, long ears, slim body, and short stature, the monsterkin was just as surprised as Korfield when their eyes met.


    The old guard quickly unsheathed his sword, the goblin following by drawing its dagger, but it was too late, the goblin found itself without its head in one swift move.


    Its tiny body tumbled down, still twitching as it slid on the stone and fell back to outside the wall.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “What was that??” – The boy said, his sword also drawn.


    Korfield looked to the sides, but there were no more enemies in sight. He firmly stepped forward to check for any more intruders, and slowly looked down the straight wall. The boy could only stay still, his legs stiff as if they were solid pieces of wood.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “There’s nothing.” – He saw only the carved stone and the green body still falling, its separated head going down the two-hundred-meters wall along with it. – “Was that a rogue goblin?”


    But it wasn’t. One arrow suddenly reached the guard’s back, seven others followed in a hail, all hitting their target in a spinning move and piercing the armor.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “SIR!!” – Polis turned his sword over at the ballista cabin’s roof, where four other goblins stood with bows on their hands and quivers at their backs. – Are we being invaded? Is this an invasion??


    The boy stepped back, his eyes bulging in shock, he could only look at the agile goblins readying more arrows to point at him.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “FIRE WALL!!” – The injured guard slid his finger in the air and a wall of flames rose at the corner of the roof, forcing some of the goblins to step back by the burns, a few arrows coming past through and bouncing against the floor. – “Polis, ring the bell! Warn everyone!”


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “B-But-“


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “-GO! NOW! This is an order!”


    Polis almost tripped to dash under the flames and entered the ballista cabin, going to the right and disappearing from sight.


    Korfield saw himself alone, for his relief. He wouldn’t need to worry about protecting others, he could go all out.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - Now, you bastards… Let’s see how many of you I can kill. – “Overshield!”


    A yellow light grew from each protective plate, projecting beyond the metal and wielding itself with each segment. The brightness solidified, fully covering his body with a magic shield molded over his armor and buckler. Like a shining knight of flaming electricity, he bolted forward.


    Two blind arrows came from within the flames and broke on the ground, completely missing the advancing watchguard. Ignoring the pain in his back, he jumped with a twist of his foot, his right boot flashing blue as his heavy body was launched up in the air.


    As soon as he passed through the firewall, he was given sight of six goblins, two launching arrows against the flames and the other four looking down at the city, they didn’t have time to notice the murderous guard hovering above.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - There you are. – “Wind blades!”


    Layers of wind imitated its blade just a few centimeters in parallel, and in a single swoop, the six goblins were cut in half even before his feet landed.


    After checking that his foes were moving no more, he stared at the ballista''s back rail, seeing Polis almost tripping on each step as he ran far towards the second wall of the citadel.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “Keep going, boy.” – He turned back to face more newcomers climbing the walls. – “I’ll buy time.”


    However, his roof was not the only one being invaded, but the entire wall from both sides. His face turned stern. His privileged view allowed him to see the other guards amid hordes everywhere he looked, but for some reason, the watchguards weren’t reacting against the full-out goblin invasion, it was as if only he could see invisible enemies.


    Korfield pointed his sword forward, readying himself to battle, but his vision doubled and blurred out, his strength diminishing as quickly as his arm turned numb. His eyes briefly widened with a realization.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - Poison.


    His sight drifted down, seeing goblins who had just finished climbing near the cabin to run towards the same path Polis had gone to.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - I need to stop them. – He turned back to intercept them, his torso twisting towards it but his legs refused to lift one more step.


    His mind shook, its logic fading together with the tumbling of his legs. His body fell flat on the stone roof, completely immobilized by the eight poisoned arrows stuck at his back, his magic armor fading away by the lack of focus.


    The bell rang muffled in the background, and with it, a weak smile formed on the fallen knight.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - You did it, boy… you made it.


    The goblins advanced, more arrows hitting the immobile guard, daggers descended to strike him, short swords and hatchets followed into his limbs, his torso, and then his head. Blood splattered everywhere, drenching the invaders in red.


    When they were finished, the true sight of war came to view, blooded barbarians glaring at the city they would now pillage. The small demons continued their assault, more arriving from the walls in waves. The alarm bell echoing in the entire city, warning the hell to come.


    -


    - - - - - - - - - - -


    -


    The doors opened, a room full of controls over many stone tables came to view, magic screens showing information from all over the Citadel.


    An old man in a black military uniform marched in, his boots echoing against the smooth dark floor, white buttons closing the middle front of his clothes, and a high collar covering his neck. Golden and silver badges of honor filled the yellow-framed shoulder pads, his thick grey mustache above his mouth, and a big silver-blue star over the cap that covered his old hair, showing not only his experience but also his position of power. The General of Nepaty Citadel’s Watchguard had just arrived at the command center.


    In front of him, a beastkin jolted to a salutation, shooting her hand straight towards her temple, her round glasses scrapped around her big round lowered ears of an oversized light-brown meerkat.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “Commander! The goblins are overwhelming us! From south to north, they are invading us from all sides.”


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “I’ve heard.” – His gravelly and stern voice startled the meerkatkin to embarrassment. – “Ready the second floor’s ballistas, we’ll bomb them.”


    She quickly sat back in her chair and turned to the controls, but stopped just before pressing the signal sender.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “The ballistas? But-- Our men are still holding the line, many are injured and can’t retreat.”


    The commander stared at her with disapproval and disgust.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “It doesn’t matter, we need to forfeit the first district, we lost it when the attack came without you noticing it. Sacrifice them.”


    The meerkatkin looked down at her trembling fingers, despair overtaking her.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “B-But… my family lives there… I--… I--”


    The General’s patience ran out, he cut his way to the controller and clicked the button himself.


    - - - - - - - - - - - “All units in the first district! Ballista Bombardment will follow in sixty seconds, embrace for impact.” – His finger released the button. – “If you don’t want your family to die then shoot the damn ballistas, people had time to evacuate. If your family is between the soldiers… then hope for the best. You do what you can, they will do the same.”


    She lifted her chin to look at the General, still shocked by the order, but she gulped and accepted it. She clicked on the button beside where the commander had pressed, closed her eyes, and telepathically sent orders to all forces to prepare the weapons on the second floor.


    -


    The ballistas soon pointed downwards to the surface of the first district. They gradually loaded its energy, the body of the bolt gathering energy from the environment and condensing it like a hot oozing liquid metal going down a pipe, the daylight becoming dimmer as the red brightness at its end grew, hovering in the air as the tip of its giant bolt.


    In two seconds of preparation, the energy stopped at its peak and suddenly shot forward, dividing itself in a hail of deadly rays and exploding on the city at light speed. Goblins and watchguard alike evaporated to nothingness on impact. The ever so proud wrought citadel of stone had its streets, houses, and walls obliterated by countless craters, its wreckage dropping to the floor with the rising cloud of dust.


    Whatever, it wasn’t enough, the horde of goblins continued to advance, entering the houses to take cover and killing whoever might be hiding within. The ballistas charged once more and another valley of rays pursued any living beings in their range of sight, ally or foe, blowing all to smithereens.


    But before the ballistas could charge for a third valley, their cabins exploded. Small wyverns came into sight, their bodies suddenly fading into existence in mid-air, trolls riding at their back and throwing bombs below. Everything was destroyed in a coordinated attack.


    -


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “Multiple mounted wyverns sighted all around the city, sir.” – A male meerkatkin reported on the side. – “Our systems couldn’t detect their invisibility.”


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “What the hell? Pull back the third ballistas! Ready them for aerial defense.”


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “Sir…” – The beastkin girl leading the controls said in shock. – “they are destroying them.”


    The screen showed the third floor’s green dots to snuffle out, blinking red before turning grey.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - They advanced that far? – “What about the fourth floor? All units shoot at first sight. Lift the Flying Rays post haste!”


    The meerkatkin pressed the button and sent the order.


    -


    The fourth roll of ballistas already pointed upwards when groups of wyverns came from below their walls, flying close to the ground and shooting piercing bolts against the infantry patrols nearby, while explosive arrows blew against the ballista’s intricate mechanisms. Some didn’t break on the first wave, but the offensive continued in returning circles and soon enough all green dots on the map turned red.


    -


    - - - - - - - - - - - - We had fewer men at the higher levels to protect against low-flight attacks, they used that to their advantage…


    The general’s gloved hand clenched tight.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - If I have them pointing downwards, they will come from above. But if we take them out of their cabins to counter it, they will come from below. They are abusing our defensive faults in close combat.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “Multiple ground units sighted, sir,” – the side meerkatkin reported. – “Ogres and orcs are advancing through the gates.”


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “And why the hell are the gates not closed yet?”


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “I can’t turn them off,” – she exclaimed in disbelief. – “They are messing with it somehow.”


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “Did they cut the signal? An inside job? Use all channels there are!”


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “No, they are reaching the gates, but it won’t trigger. It’s like it’s stuck, we''ve never seen this before.”


    - Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    The giant ogres and armored orcs passed through the giant portal, teleporting from the stone plains outside to the wide streets within. Trolls riding giant lizards dispersed throughout the narrow streets or over the destroyed houses on the first floor of the city, while the main march continued to walk toward the next portal.


    -


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “None of the gates are responding to our commands, all we can do is close its physical barriers, but they are breaking them through.”


    - - - - - - - - - - - - What? How is that? There’s no way they had time to manipulate every gate without us noticing. Were we betrayed? – The general examined the team of beastkins in the control room with his eyes. – Mind controlling? Blackmail? Hostage leverage? A trickster’s illusion, perhaps? Or maybe they are using the frame of our gates to make their own?... No, none of that is possible…


    He looked down, suddenly sensing what was out of place.


    - - - - - - - - - - “What kind of monster do you have in your ranks that can disturb structural magic?” – The General turned to glare over his shoulder, his irises glowing emerald. – “Third Shadow Commander?”


    The darkelf stood unimpressed, his flaming orange eyes piercing from the shadows behind. His dark cloak entailed grey dragon-like scales hiding most of his body as he left stealth mode, reality bending itself for his body to exist in the same space-time as his target. His red hair under the dark hood and a silver gridded gasmask covered the lower half of his face.


    [ Coreas Hytake, 3rd commander of the Shadow Army (PWR: 93015) ]


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “Monster?” – His masked breathing was slow and cold like his words. – “I don’t like the term. We are all equal. Thinking beings, beasts, monsters… we are all creations of Tacika. But what would I expect of an old man who lived his entire life in prejudice?”


    The old commander chuckled in a jeer, fully turning to face the newcomer as the beastkins in the control room despaired in the background.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “Stop babbling, your idealistic morals don’t hold valid when your army kills thousands of innocents as we speak. This is war, this always was war, you’re just playing along with it like I am.”


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “Comparing yourself with me?... Disgusting. We’ll see about that. When everything is done. Your spirit will bear witness to your sins.”


    - - - - - - - - - - - “Oh? My spirit, ey?” – The general cracked his knuckles, his white gloves frictioning against each other with blue sparkles. – “You’ll see I’m not easy prey. If you beg for mercy I might free you from being an experimental rat for the rest of your life, and kill you on the spot.”


    The darkelf stepped forward, never changing his cold stare.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “But you are.” – His breath came out of the gasmask as purple mist. – “All creatures are easy prey to my power. No matter how grand you may be.”


    -


    - - - - - - - - - - -


    -


    The district bells rang incessantly in the atmosphere, the houses in rubble, the streets filled with dust and scattered corpses of both people and monsters. Few were left, all fighting with their last ounces of strength, vainly trying to hold a never stopping army.


    And between the chaos was the watchguard Polis, hiding within a back alley and looking through the gaps of his helmet at the enemy army marching on the main street.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - How I’m going to cross this?


    Different from the soldiers he saw dying on his way, Polis could only think of one thing, reaching his family to escape the city. The first district had been overrun, that was obvious. He had heard that all civilians would be evacuated, but the risk of his little brother or his mother being stuck in a rough situation was not worth leaving unchecked.


    So before reaching this place, he had already checked his house, but found nothing. The place was leveled down, only rubble was left of what he once called home since childhood. He searched within the wreckage and yelled to see if anyone was below, but it was silent, the dust and broken stones too numerous and heavy to discern if anyone was dead below. The only thing he could do was hope his mother wasn’t there when the bombardment hit.


    Without much time left, Polis wanted to head toward a news-journal center where his younger brother works. The most likely place he would be at the time of the invasion, if he wasn’t doing a field job, that is.


    But again, there were no safe routes, the place was near the first wall and on the other side of the main road from his house. Exactly where the enemy''s main forces were marching through.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - Should I evacuate? If I go back to the second wall I might contour and get to the other side, maybe I could even search if my family has evacuated once I’m there.


    But he had no time. Going back now, especially by moving in stealth, would cost him valuable minutes that could be spent to save his family. If any of them was out there on the battlefield for that long, they wouldn’t make it.


    The only choice is to cross the main street right here and now.


    Polis had already set his mind, his silver armor taking cover behind sacks of food and wooden crates. Some of the marching soldiers did look to the side at him, but because he remained completely still they guessed the soldier was already dead and didn’t pay much mind.


    The only strategy he could think of was to climb a nearby roof and use the Dash skill on his boots to jump over from one side to the other. The problem, whatever, was that he would expose himself the moment he went climbing, maybe he could use the dash of one foot to jump over and his other to cross the street, but would one be enough to make it to the other side? Probably not.


    Jesus, even if he used both there would be a margin of error, the main street is large, large enough for three of those giant one-eyed ogres to walk side by side on their march.


    There was no hope, but he had to try. It’s risky, but it’s not like evacuating now would be easy either.


    But as if it was fate, the path in front of him cleared. The marching army had reached its end tail and he could see with no obstructions, the alley on the other side of the street bringing him back the hope he needed.


    Polis’ eyes shined, it was his chance, and so he stepped forth without thinking twice. First, he glanced to his right, at the back of all the soldiers in the march, seeing that his enemies weren’t paying attention to him, and then he looked to his left.


    That’s when he stopped. His legs turned stiff like wood.


    That wasn’t the end of the march, but a space within it. A second segment followed right behind it, all its soldiers looking at him in surprise.


    But that wasn’t what made his skin crawl. What were the hundreds of orcs, thousands of goblins, or the sky-reaching ogres, when a true monster was in front of him?


    He could only stare, his eyes wide in shock as his blood frosted.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “Oh, one just came running in front of us!”


    The she-demon looked down at him, a surprised expression coming from below her thick black horns curling to the sky at the corners of her forehead. Her body was muscular and three meters tall, her skin a bit redder than the common white-pink, and her red short hair contrasted with the grey stones of the destroyed battlefield surrounding her.


    With her halt, the march stopped.


    - - - - - - - - - - - “Is he planning on fighting me?” – A smile opened on her face. – “Such courage!” – she said gleefully. – “How can I refuse?! For his city to be attacked and bravely target me?! You, honorable warrior. What is your name?”


    But the sheepkin boy couldn’t speak, actually, he never heard what she said to begin with.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “I’m sorry, that’s rude of me. I should give my name first.” – She pierced her giant sword against the stone ground, making it stand vertically on its own. – “I am Eraet, second commander of the Shadow Army. What’s yours?”


    Polis couldn’t answer even if he wanted to, all his senses were telling him to get out of there, so much in fact, that his rational mind ran out of the reality in front of him, trying to silence all his senses the best as it could. All his focus was on the red weapon the she-demon had stuck on the ground.


    It was bigger than her, so wide that you first would think it was a flat pillar before guessing it to be a sword, and more than that, it was moving. The red sword’s metal was like flesh, a bright red with veins and muscles, pulsating as if it had a heart within, inflating as if it was breathing. It was a nightmare made true.


    That… was a true monster.


    -


    Since he was born, Polis had a special skill no one else could comprehend, the ability to feel colors emanating from the environment. Ranging from black to white and all the rainbow in between, he was able to sense how anything was by them. The color was their mood, their volume was how strong they were, and their movement showed how the energy was being used.


    He tried to hide it from others, people saw him as a weirdo or someone to be feared, comments of displeasure and jealousy always followed his back once his secret came out. But instead of what the majority may think, seeing such energy wasn’t a feature, but a curse, one which his body strained to withstand. He doesn’t only see the auras, he feels it tingling under his skin, senses its temperature in the air, hears the sound of their cracklings.


    And it never stops.


    No matter how much he closed his eyes, covered his ears, hid his skin, or how far he went, it was always there, thousands and hundreds and millions, if not billions of auras. All sizzling in the air, moving, dispersing, burning, and painting the sky around each living creature or object. That’s what made it unbearable. He tried his best to manage it, cutting the white noise and ignoring its scent. He got used to it. But this time was different.


    No matter how much he tried to cut it down, he couldn’t. The flames he saw were burning everything around him, the heat drenching the streets as the red waves burst against the walls, the sound deafening his eardrums as the pressure weighted on his shoulders like boulders. Whatever was in front of him, was something worse than a monster. A creature that should never be encountered, so powerful that it shouldn’t even exist.


    That woman who held the giant red sword made of metallic flesh. She is in a league of her own. An unbeatable demon god.


    -


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “Hmmm… what’s up with him? I thought he came here to fight, but he didn’t move a finger until now.”


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “I believe he froze out of fear, my Lady.” – A skeleton in black spiked armor and flames rising from his head steps forth at her side, his sullen voice being of a calculating man. – “It’s not uncommon for weak races to die from emotional shock.”


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “Die!? Is he dead?” – She looks with worry at the frozen knight. – “Uh? But my sword says he is alive… so why he came here? To stand there like an idiot?”


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “…Perhaps it realized how insignificant his life was, and now is waiting for your mercy.”


    The giant she-demon waited for a couple more seconds, but after realizing the soldier wouldn’t move, she sighs in a tantrum of displeasure.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “When I thought this invasion was going to get at least a little bit interesting… What a disappointment.” – Eraet’s long ears quiver and she turns to look at her sword. – “Hmm… Is he one of that race I need to eat?”


    The skeleton turns his skull to her, and then at the boy under the armor. His empty eyes never wavering from a heartbeat or the need of breathing.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “No, my Lady. That’s a sheepkin, what you seek is a meerkatkin.”


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “Ohhh… and what are those again?”


    The skeleton hesitates to answer.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “They are…” – He sighs. - “I’m sure lord Coreas captured one, you’ll see for yourself then.”


    But the ground suddenly explodes with wind, interrupting their talk. They both look forth to see Polis sliding away, his right foot shining with blue magic before activating his left boot’s Dash. Before they could move, the sheepkin entered the next alley and went out of sight.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “And now he’s gone.” – The she-demon takes her sword back.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “Let us resume the march, my Lady. The invasion needs to continue.”


    The skeleton calmly resumes his walk, but soon realizes that Eraet didn’t follow.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “My Lady…?”


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “You can guide the army. I’ll pursue that knight.”


    The flames surrounding the skeleton’s head rise in a flinch.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “Don’t sidetrack.” – His soulless eyes follow his commander to move toward the alley. – “It’s just a sheep boy, too weak to present any threat to you.”


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “But I have to get him…” – She stares over her shoulder, a smile creeping under her predatory gaze. – “He has something I need.”


    Her giant stature steps into the narrow alley, her broad shoulders almost sliding against the walls as she advances in the darkness, the army resuming the march behind her.


    -


    - - - - - - - - - - -


    -


    Polis hadn’t time to breathe. He ran and ran, and kept on running. Every time the skills on his boots refreshed, he used to propel himself away. He never saw Eraet on his escape, but his body could only relax after being far away from that city. But first, he had to find his family.


    His body was in overload, the auras of parallel alleys and streets rising and burning through the stone walls as he moved swiftly in the city. There were only a couple of times in which he had to wait for the mounted trolls and their giant lizards to pass so he could resume his sprint, the great majority of times he preferred to circle to search for another path.


    His legs were tired but too agitated to remain still.


    When he arrived at the news-journal center he was relieved to find nobody, there was no blood to be found, only many holes through the walls. Polis then retraced what his younger brother could have gone to, quickly remembering that some spots of the city had bunkers for protection on the way to the second district.


    Those were his next targets. He dashed through and hoped to find nobody. There were three spots he could be hiding on.


    The first bunker was completely wiped out, though there were no corpses to be found and little blood inside, Polis considered that whoever was here ran away, so to the next.


    The second bunker had its underground ceiling open. This time, not even a sign of blood within the wreckage, this bunker wasn’t even used in the first place, it got hit by a ballista strike before anyone could enter it.


    And then the third bunker. There were no holes, no blood near it, only corpses of fallen guards laying across the street. Part of him hoped to not find anyone when he knocked. Whatever, the echo made noises other than the blunt metal of the door. There were people in there but they were too afraid to come out.


    Polis looked to the sides, checking if there was any enemy nearby. The streets were clear, the attack was advancing through the next floors of the citadel, so it should have fewer invaders in the residential areas of the first district now.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “I’m from the watchguard.” – the sheepkin whispered through the door. – “There are no enemies around, let me in.”


    He could sense the hesitation and murmurs inside, they were too skeptical to move. But a more courageous voice of a woman came muffled from the other side.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “How an orc would pass through as a watchguard? Don’t be stupid,” – she said clearly angry with the others, and soon, the door’s locks open.


    From the other side, a woman with a serious face wearing glasses and secretary’s clothes peeks from the chain-locked door.


    Polis lifts the visor of his helmet with nervous eyes.


    - - - - - - - - - - - “Oh, great. Another sheepkin.” – The woman said with disdain, closing the door again and unlocking the thick chains that remained so it fully opens this time. The sheepkin woman glares behind the knight, double-checking if he is alone. – “I thought the watchguard was trying to rescue us, but it''s just another one trying to hide.”


    Polis steps in, his legs still trembling from the anxiety.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “I’m not staying. I’m looking for my brother.”


    The door closes and the woman starts to lock it again, but stops mid-way before turning to the newcomer.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “Not staying? What do you mean?”


    Polis didn’t care to respond, instead, he took off his helmet and glanced at the sheepkin inside, one by one. They all were of his race, light-grey hair, curled small white horns, and cowardly eyes. They were seated in the corners of the rectangle rooms, some still afraid that the soldier was some hidden enemy disguising itself, the mothers protecting their children, the elders looking away, and the stronger and braver ones glaring at him with bottled-in anger.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “You are from the watchguard, right?” – One adult sheepkin asked rhetorically. – “What were you doing? You were supposed to protect us! Why weren’t you watching the walls? You let them come in and kill us all! You are all useless! Damn useless!”


    But Polis was too much in a state of shock to sympathize, he simply ignored the babbling and kept on glancing at everyone’s faces.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “You-- Don’t you ignore me!” – The same adult sheepkin followed Polis’ rushed steps, but quickly loses the courage and halts. – “Didn’t you hear me? If you just did your jobs we would have more time to evacuate! You’re a sheepkin too!! You didn’t think of the people in the first district? You knew it was coming! You used us to hold the first waves! I know you did!”


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “Shut up.” – The woman said in the background. – “Sit down already. Like leashing off your anger in one soldier is going to bring anyone back. Calm yourself.”


    The secretary hurriedly reaches Polis before he stepped into the third room.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “Who are you looking for?” – She asked trying to be cohesive.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “My little brother.” – His shaking eyes search everyone’s faces, needing time to examine closer the ones who had hoods on.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “His name…?”


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “Tasahrin, he’s sheepkin, short with small horns.”


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “Everyone is a sheepkin here.” – She said with some annoyance. – “It’s Kai Tasahrin?”


    Polis immediately stops.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “That’s him. You know him?”


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “I’m keeping track of everyone’s names.” – She analyzes Polis’ trembling body with hesitation. – “Follow me…”


    They go through two more rooms, reaching what appears to be a kitchen of some sort, though now it only serves to be crowded with people sitting all over the floor.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “There.” – She pointed at the far corner, where a young adult with curled hair hugs his legs statically.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “Tasah!” – Polis dashes at him. – “There you are!”


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “H-Huh…?” – His shocked eyes need some time to realize the one standing in front of him. – “Polis? What-- What are you--.”


    Tears came to his eyes, hope growing back just enough for him to jolt back to his feet and hug his armored brother.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “I thought--” – Tasahrin sobs uncontrollably, having difficulty to talk. – “I thought I would never see you again.”


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “It’s alright now. But we need to get out. The cities are under attack, the watchguard won’t stand a chance. We are leaving the citadel once we find our mother.”


    The younger sheepkin couldn’t muster one more word, his hug getting tighter with the growing fear.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “Wait, wait…” – The secretary-looking woman behind him came closer. – “You are leaving Nepaty? How?”


    Tasahrin separates the hug to look at his brother, unsure if leaving the bunker is the best choice.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “We’ll go through the underground streets the merchants use, it should lead far out of the citadel, then we will head east.”


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “The underground… I see, it makes sense, but…” – the woman thought to herself.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “Let’s go, Tasah.” – Polis pulls his younger brother’s hand.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “Wait… Brother…” – He complained, though he doesn’t give much resistance. – “It’s really okay to leave? Shouldn’t we wait?”


    Polis’ eyes sharply turn to his brother, his bloodshot gaze instantly freezing the younger sheepkin.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “There’s no chance of victory, they have-- they have too many. And something else… on their side. But it’s going to be okay, Tasah. Don’t you remember that I can see better than other people? I can protect you, don’t worry, I won’t let you get hurt.”


    - - - - - - - - - - - “So you are going to leave the rest of us?” – the woman asked defiantly with her arms crossed, but she is completely ignored. – “I thought your duty was to protect everyone, why did you join the watchguard? For the money?”


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “I’m here to--!” – Polis snapped, but he quickly calms down and continues to walk away. – “I’m protecting my family.”


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “We too have families.” – She talked back firmly. – “Don’t you have any sympathy? If it''s not someone you care about, then they should rot dead?”


    Polis doesn’t give her any more attention, heading to the exit of the bunker in a hurry.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “I thought our people were better than that. We are cowards, not cold-blooded killers. But I guess the watchguard’s corruption takes a toll on everybody.”


    - - - - - - - - - - “The watchguard is not corrupt!” – Polis snarled, stopping at the first steps of the stairs to the door out. – “Not all of them. There were good people too! People who died fighting.” – He strides back to poke a finger at the woman’s shoulder. – “Do you know how many have died? The ones of the first district were weak, but even so, they fought until the end to protect their home! And you say they were corrupt!? That we are cowards?! Take those words back!!”


    The secretary didn’t express any emotions, instead, she uncrosses her arms with ease as if she was expecting such a reaction.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “Then prove it…” – Her seriousness challenged him. – “There are two hundred and fourteen lives inside this bunker. Help them. They also have families, they too are people worth protecting. They are all humble workers, parents, retirees, students, all innocent people. They are too weak to protect themselves. But you have more experience, had training. As a watchguard, you should save as many lives as you can, isn’t that what they teach you?... They need your help. Someone needs to lead them.” – Her eyes waver. – “Please…”


    If that wasn’t enough to convince him, his little brother’s crying eyes are.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “Please… Brother… I-- I don’t want to leave these people to die.”


    Polis grits his teeth and briefly tilted his head with uneasiness, afraid he will come to regret his decision.


    - - - - - - - - - - - - “Make everyone ready. We are leaving now.”


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