Chapter 133: Troubling Portents.

“I’d rather not deal with politics or negotiations right now, so be quick, what’s the situation?” I asked, putting an abrupt end to this pageantry. The clan leader was quick on the uptake, after a short, but rushed set of movements, he was once against standing over a map of the city and now giving me a proper debrief.

The basics of the situation were, not good. The city was surrounded, but the walls were holding, only, as your…” he eyes the girl in my arms, “As she had said, there was a breach. Through this breach, the monsters were pouring in. Luckily, with you keeping their leader at bay, and with the other two’s aid, we’ve about cleaned up the city. Since then, I had one of my generals take the front and close the breach, but…”

He pauses and works his jaw.

“We lack the manpower, we’ve managed to contain it, but I don’t know for how long.” Which was his summation of the situation.

A lot of people were devoted to the task of blocking the breach, which meant the walls were being left bare, almost unattended. If left alone too long, another breach may happen, or those things might start climbing the walls.

A few could be handled here and there, but if too many chose to climb the walls, clearly, the city would be overwhelmed.

Listening to him, the situation, well, I already knew what I needed to do.

“Where can I put her?” I asked, “Somewhere safe where she can sleep.” I continued.

“We have a rest area set aside, you can take her there, my aide here can lead you there.” He pointed towards a man beside him.

“Sounds good, I’ll have Joan sit back and focus healing the wounded, meanwhile, I’ll head to the front and help the breach.”

Yes, I was exhausted and tired. My own reserves were near empty, my uniform spent, but for clean-up, and assisting, it should be fine. My body was tough, and… I dreaded the quiet, especially now.

The clan leader made to say something, but paused as he took me in. “Your help would be appreciated.” He finally said, and I simply nodded.

At my beck and call, the officer led me to a somewhat secluded corner, where I settled Morrigan in. As I stood, I noticed Joan hanging back.

“Be safe.” I said, and she said nothing, her eyes focused solely on Morrigan. I had questions, but… I had my fill of drama.

It didn’t take long to get to the front. Men and women both were doing their best to keep the beasts at bay. Simple fortifications had been set up, using surrounding debris, and whatever could be procured.

None of them paid me too much attention, not when they were actively dealing with the encroaching horrors. The moment I joined the line though, people noticed.

My bayonet punched through flesh with ease, easily slipping through the gaps of the makeshift barricade. My own efforts, joined by the others slowly pushed them back, but it wasn’t the end. I began to fire round after round into the mass. Pacing my shots to match my struggling reserves. At the back, archers gathered up, sending volley after volley of arrows into the teeming mass.

Slowly, but surely, we gained ground. We climbed over the barricades, stabbed and beat the corpses to make sure they were dead and continued on. A wall of spears stopped the occasional rush, bullet fire from my rifle, and arrows from the back stymied any attempts at fleeing, or regrouping.

Evening shifted over to into day, then night into day once more. Yet, tirelessly we worked, moving and shifting barricades closer to the wall. Killing and slaying countless monsters in the process. Many were injured and cycled out. Only to come back hours later, healed up and restored thanks to Joan.

It wasn’t until when evening rolled around that we finally made it to the wall, the large breach was slowly filled in with rock and stone. Packed down with whatever was available as archers manned the walls and rained down arrows upon the horrors. When it was finally done, nigh everyone collapsed into a mix of relief, and exhaustion.

I wasn’t much different. The last vestiges of my energy faded away as I nearly collapsed. I barely made it back as I trudged my way back, following the crowd of soldiers marching and back towards the central area.

I didn’t bother with anything else as I found a cot and simply fell into it. Even before my body hit the cot, I was asleep.

Morning didn’t come the relief of a job well done. A hastily eaten meal, shared with the common soldiers, I ended up being pulled into a larger building, where operations had been moved from the day prior.

There, I met Liu Chou once more.

“I’d like to thank you again for your help. I heard you were back, but I didn’t want to disrupt your sleep.”

“Yes, well, it wasn’t easy. Those things were relentless, and I’m shocked we even managed to close the breach.” I answered honestly.

“From what the soldiers told me, you were instrumental in moving us forward. You took the lead consistently and gathered the attention of those creatures while the rest worked. Without you, and without that other girl, our losses would have been catastrophic.”

“I just did what needed to be done… I suppose the situation isn’t over yet?”

“Hardly. They are still surrounding the city, we were able to evacuate the surroundings, but only because they had breached through so quickly.”

“Ah, because they kept going for the breach, they didn’t quite spill out into the surrounding areas then?”

“Exactly. There were, of course, losses. Even just one of those monstrosities can be difficult to take down for the average soldier, however, it’s not like we were not prepared.”

“Really? Does that mean you know what those things are?”

“Yes and… no.” he says… which just raised more questions.

“Care to elaborate?” I asked.

“Yes well, these things, their numbers, they resemble an old beast king that used to reside in the nearby forests, art least, before the world fell apart.”

“Were they always like that?”

“No… and, I must also add that when the realm fell apart, that section of the forest where the beast king resided, it fell apart shortly after.”

I couldn’t help but pause at that information.

“Then, how?”

“I have no idea, but… it’s not a good sign…” He says, “Especially with how they changed.”

“Do you have any ideas?”

“No… not at all. I mean, I’ve heard rumors that at the edges of the realm, strange creatures were known to exist, but nobody knows much about them.”

“And what about the marketplace?” I asked, “What are your thoughts?”

“Its… fascinating. A true blessing from disaster. The whole area is filled with energy; we have all our soldiers cultivating their and gaining benefits. Not just that but killing those things have shown to have beneficial effects for all our soldiers, even those with no talent. Given time, the forces of this city, well, they’ll be very different.”

Something to keep in mind, but… “That… is good to know, but are you sure you don’t know where they came from?”

“We don’t, unfortunately. But… if that beast was the same wolf king I remember from my youth… we may have other problems.”

“Such as?”

“I’m not too certain, but… even if we’re a mere province, our land is vast, with numerous beast kings, and we even had a proper sect in the area.”

“Sect?” I question.

“Yes, think of it as a school for cultivators, a place where cultivators of all social strata gather to achieve immortality.”

“And… this school, was part of the realm during the shattering?”

“Yes, but it was at the extreme edge and didn’t last long. Shortly after everything was confirmed, there was… a purge.” He was careful, but…

“I don’t much care about that, only… if we face them, is there anything we should be looking out for?”

“I can’t think of anything at the top of my head, though, the sect was said to have a guardian beast. The actual sect master was out for business when everything happened, from what I remember.”

“A guardian beast? Any idea what it was?”

“No idea, though, some say it was a dragon.”

A dragon? “I hope that this was just a fluke then.”

“As do I…” He said, though, neither of us believed it was just a coincidence.

I was still curious as to what they were, their background, but… I had a feeling I’d be getting answers soon enough. So, I pivoted and asked the most important question. “So, what is the plan? Will the beasts disperse naturally?”

“It doesn’t like they will…” He said, “But they don’t appear to be that cunning. Not with their leader dead. Either way, we’re stuck with slowly whittling them down and hoping they don’t do anything unexpected.”

“I’m not a fan of that, but exactly how many are there?”

“Uncertain. I do know that we could use all the help we can get. My granddaughter has gone into seclusion, so she won’t be needing your services for now. But if you and the others could help…”

“We can discuss that later, for now, I’m sure Joan is doing her best, has Morrigan awakened?”

“No. She’s still asleep.”

Mm… a bit worrying.

“Well, I can man the wall, if that’s needed. I can also give quick lessons to the soldiers if need be. As for payment, we can discuss that when this is all over, don’t you think?” I say after a moment’s deliberation.

“That would be doable. And I will make sure you are not disappointed by the rewards.”

“And is that all to the plan? Simply bide or time, whittle away at the forces?”

“Mostly, we’re also waiting until the agent arrives. If either happens, I can assure you the siege will end sooner than later.”

“Understood, now, where am I needed?”

“Simply ask my officers, they already know who you are, and when your friend wakes up, I can have her directed towards you.”

“Good, I’ll get to that then. Until then, keep an eye on them both.”

“I will. I assure you of that.” He promised and bowed.

With a nod, I walk out, and just as quickly, I get my assignment. Before long I find myself on a wall, shooting into a teeming mass of flesh that moves along the base of the wall.

It wasn’t hard. Rather, it was rather mindless work. Moving about, taking shots, occasionally shifting positions to keep an eye on the mass. It wasn’t like the mass was harmless though, I could see they were clawing and biting at the walls, making scratches and gouges.

It wasn’t an immediate threat, but it was like watching a pack of rats slowly gnaw away at the sole pillar keeping a building up. Not pleasant, and a little harrowing.

Still, the cold kept those emotions at bay, and it also gave me time to think. Consider. Plan. And really, as the day came to an end, as we were rotated out, a realization hit me. It hit me hard.

I had, unconsciously fallen back into familiar habits. Allowed myself to be commanded about, like a normal soldier, like a dog. At this rate, what would I have accomplished? The pay would surely be worth it and yet, was it really?

I had a unique opportunity at hand. It would be a waste not to use it.

The moment I was relieved of duty, I made my way towards where Liu Chou was. Nobody barred my way; my recent exploits and a growing recognition of my name made it all too easy to make an impromptu meeting with the old man.

The moment I came in, even before he spoke, I stated my desire. “I know how you can pay me back.”

He blinked at my brusque statement, clearly taken aback. It took him maybe a moment to adjust, to shift. All at once, a familiar mask was donned. “And that would be?”

“Teach me.” It was a simple statement. One that even had his carefully donned mask slip as a dumbfounded look graced his face.

“Teach you?”

“Yes. I am, more than this. I am more valuable elsewhere, not on the front, manning the wall, am I not?”

He said nothing, so I pressed on.

“So, teach me. Show me. That way, I can learn, and you won’t have to part with any precious metals or materials.”

He didn’t respond. Rather, his face became contemplative. I had the urge to press him, to squeeze out an answer, but with every ounce of will I had, I held my tongue.

After what felt like an eternity, he sighed. “Very well…” He finally said. “I’ll teach you, starting tomorrow. Get a good night’s rest and arrive early in the morning.”

“I will, sir.”

He waves me off, not bothering to say anything else, yet as I leave, I glance back. There was an odd smile on his face, a contemplative look, his eyes distant. As if recalling an old memory.

I didn’t disturb him as I left. Instead, I touched base with Joan. She was overseeing the steady flow of injured and exhausted people. Both soldiers and not. To say she was in her element wasn’t quite right. She did well at healing, but it was clear she was overwhelmed by it. A cadre of nurses and attendants moved her from place to place, screening her from the surrounding chaos.

It took a bit of doing, but I managed to break through and reach Joan as she finished with a patient, the moment our eyes met, her eyes lit, than dimmed, only to flick away. That alone, was answer enough.

“She still hasn’t woken up?”

“No…” Her voice was oddly small against the surrounding din. Even with a cadre of people blocking us off from the surrounding chaos, I could just make out her words.

“I don’t suppose it’s just exhaustion.”

“No… it’s not…” She confirmed. “I… I may have put a bit too much effort into looking for something and well, I think I hurt her.”

It took me a moment to connect the dots. “Soul damage then?”

She nods. Almost afraid to speak.

“And did you find what you wanted to find?”

She pursed her lips, nodded, slowly. “I did…”

“And? What did you think?”

It took her a moment, feet fidgeting, voice still small. “She… she won’t be a problem. Just, it would be best to keep an eye on her.”

“I was thinking of doing that anyway, she seems like trouble.” I say back, though, I wonder if Joan wasn’t going to turn out to be more troublesome. “I suppose you don’t have anything else to say?” I venture, but…

“No… I’m fine. Really.”

“Sure, just make sure you don’t exhaust yourself. Make sure to eat and rest.”

“I will… and… thank you…” She trails off, and sensing that I wouldn’t get anything else out of her, I leave her.

I check in on Morrigan, make sure to get some food, and before I head to sleep, I check in with Diana… Phone in hand, it barely rings once before she answers, her voice crackles.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m okay. Things just got a bit crazy.” I proceeded to tell her about what had happened, the monsters we fought, and our current state. By the end of it, it was clear our situation wasn’t all too good.

“Do you need support?” Diana asked.

“I think we should be fine, just keep an eye out for any stragglers.”

“I will, I’ll also make sure to pull back the recon parties, just to make sure we don’t encounter any of those things.”

“That would be a good idea, are my soldiers doing fine?”

“Yes, they did get antsy a day or two ago, probably about when you fought those things. They looked ready to bolt at the time, but they’ve settled back down.”

“That’s good, I’ll make sure to keep you updated on going forward.”

“You do that, and if the situation becomes untenable, we can orchestrate a rescue.”

“I don’t think that’ll be necessary, but the I appreciate the concern.”

“Of course, and stay safe. I don’t like how this event is progressing.”

“And neither do I…” I answered back, and soon enough I hung up. My mind running amok with so many thoughts, almost like a runaway train, in the end, I end up falling asleep.

The next morning, first thing I did was head to the office where Liu Chou, the clan leader, was residing. Inside, his desk is filled with stacks of papers, and on seeing me lets out a sigh.

“Good, you’re here.” He said, his tone calm, seemingly unbothered, but he looked tired, like he hadn’t slept a wink the night prior. “Take this.” He handed me a stack of documents.

The moment I had them in hand, he began again.

“Those papers contain a set of tasks I want you to complete. I also included brief reports on the subordinates I’ve given you command of. My second will act as your second. He will deliver your orders and make sure you get updates on the tasks.”

I nodded and rifled through the documents. Honestly, the tasks weren’t difficult. A series of supply requisitions, resolving issues regarding the city, and other minor things. I could probably get them done before noon without much issue.

“I don’t see this as an issue.” I say after looking it over.

“Good, now, there is a catch. You will not be allowed to leave your office, you will give orders and commands, but little else. The first half of the day you will spend in the office, the second half, you will spend training my men. Understood?”

That… I was to be confined to an office? “That shouldn’t be an issue.”

He gave me a look but nodded. “Good.” At that, he makes a gesture and a man seemingly steps out of nowhere. The same man that had shown me where I could drop Morrigan off.

“Liu Fan, at your service.” He says with a bow. He was immaculately dressed, he also looked similar to Liu Chou, the clan leader. Except, younger.

“Prima Belle, a pleasure to be working with you.” I bow back. Pleasantries done, he led me to my office.

“This will be your office as of today.” He said, opening the door and leading me in. The office was, in a word, quaint. It didn’t feel stuffy; it was rather sizeable. A desk sat at the center of the place, a small sitting area to the side with a lounging chair. The other side was partially obscured by a screen. Behind which was a small table and some chairs.

Without much ado, I sat down at the desk and looked over the papers. Not doing it myself made the task… a little more challenging, but nothing untenable. A quick look over the brief, and slightly uninformative dossiers I was provided, followed by a review of what needed to be done, and that was all I really needed to get started.

Within a short period of time, I had a list of orders drafted out and given to Liu Fan to execute. Which left me with… little to do. So, instead of simply sitting back and twiddling my thumbs, I began to peruse the papers. There were quite a number of documents and bits and ends. A lot of it was interesting, and felt relevant, though, how, I wasn’t entirely sure. Not yet, anyway.

I had barely worked through it all by evening, which is when I went to train with the soldiers. Time flew by, and it seemed like everything was working out, and yet…

After stepping into Liu Chou’s office, he slaps down the documents on his desk. Confused by that action, and his blank face, I look it over.

And again…

And… Again…

I had to pause. Blink. Take it in. Word for word, letter by letter.

After all… somehow, they all… failed?

How?