Siege of Bilgaragz, Part 2

Face to face were Kairos and the enemy commander, a Hammus who was watching him closely, analyzing his movements. As if both were in a trance, they moved slowly, in small steps, clockwise, never losing focus on each other.

It was as if both were trying to predict the next move of the opponent in front of them. To everyone's surprise, the scene, though it seemed slow to any external observer, drew attention amidst the complete chaos that dominated the square of Bilgaragz, where various types of battle equipment clashed and arrows sliced through the sky with agility.

With a clearer view of the strange ally who had entered the field, Livy and Helik turned their attention to analyze him. The mysterious figure of the horned man was intriguing in itself, but it was his clothing and style that piqued their curiosity the most. Though the axes were decorated, with sculpted figures and small handmade ties, his stained clothing conveyed a sense of neglect and carelessness.

Upon closer inspection, it was evident that he was not from the region. A more careful analysis made it clear that he was a Karinni, a people most commonly found in the east, especially in the prairies and the edges of the great Brokna forest, sculpted by Ytrea, the artisan of life. Although they could also be found in the lands of Flagon and on the western coast, the Karinni rarely appeared there.

Kairos was a peculiar and exotic figure, like a piece displaced from a game, just as Ouros seemed to be when observed alongside the other members of the group. Despite his robust and exemplary appearance, his ragged clothes revealed scars and stains that indicated a lack of medical care for quite some time. This neglect contrasted with the hair covering parts of his body—some dirty, others still stained with dried blood from his last attack.

"You don't want to find out what we'll do to you if you don't turn around and let us finish this now..." said the commander of the rebels, trying to intimidate Kairos. However, he continued to stare at him coldly and determinedly, showing his seriousness in the duel.

Around the small confrontation, Ouros seemed to be finishing cleaning the rooftops of the houses. However, he couldn't complete the task fully, as a small group of enemies remained in the area with the highest concentration of rebel soldiers, making it difficult for him to approach.

Near a central fountain in the square, protected by the marble cover of the building, were Lundrínio and Baldar. Seeking to assist Ouros in dealing with the threat from the rooftops, they worked together, aiming patiently and precisely at the last group of archers nearby.

"3... 2... 1..." – Baldar said in a hoarse voice, as if he had already shouted enough that afternoon. At the end of his countdown, two arrows cut through the sky. One struck the calf of an enemy, while the other grazed the leather armor of another, near the armpits, startling him and quickly making him hide behind a small building that indicated the upper floor of the house he was in.

Lundrínio smiled at Baldar, who looked at him with a hint of laziness. The small one knew he had hit, while Baldar had not. From where they were, it was clear that only four archers remained on the enemy's side, still participating in the battle in the square.

"Seems like they're more hesitant now," Baldar pointed out, watching two archers flee from the combat across the rooftops, while the ones left were under pressure from the arrows shot by everyone who could aim at them from the square.

In the center of the fight, even the rebels who seemed to have some courage were now trembling and weighing whether they would continue to fight. Some started to retreat through the side streets, following alleys and back roads, at the mercy of the widespread panic that had taken over the city. Still, the number of rebels in the field was similar to the city's militia.

Helik, realizing the enemies were about to break into a failed mutiny, began changing his soldiers' posture to an offensive one.

"Our chance is NOW, boys!" he shouted, with his powerful and threatening voice.

"Advance, and whoever brings me that commander first will have their debt paid later!" he continued, trying to motivate his men with a reward he believed was plausible.

As the militia soldiers advanced, at a slow but steady pace, a flaming stone ball flew across the courtyard where they were, landing near the troops but causing no casualties. A second hit the third floor of a simple stone and wood house, a block away from the battle. The sound was deafening and echoed throughout the square, reaching the ears of everyone involved.

With the second impact, it was as if the mutiny had paused for a moment. Everyone seemed to finally realize they were in a losing situation. In waves, the rebels began to flee, and Helik, satisfied to have eliminated the problem, turned his attention to the enemy commander to assess his reaction and the battle's progression.

To his surprise, and that of many others, the last flaming stone partially obscured the fight between Kairos and the commander for a few moments. As if everyone had been momentarily distracted, the next scene was clear: a deep cut had sliced through the commander’s metal armor, with Kairos' axe embedded in his chest and ribs, piercing him.

For a moment, most of those present seemed reassured by the end of the battle. Helik, still surprised to see the large Karinni kneeling over the bloodied body of the enemy commander, gave orders to his subordinates to chase down the rebels and capture as many as possible for interrogation.

"Don't kill them, and don't let any of the other nobles do anything before talking to me. I'm counting on you to handle the situation..." – Helik said to one of his soldiers, who, based on his clothing and equipment, appeared to be an intermediary figure of authority between him and the others.

Turning towards Kairos and beginning to walk in his direction, now that the square was more open and less crowded, Helik was surprised, taking a small scare when he saw a shot being fired at the Karinni.

"Siff!" – Livy shouted, pointing her wand at Kairos and casting a spell to push him away from the rebel commander. A pressurized air bubble, mixed with dust, formed and rapidly advanced toward him. Upon reaching him, the bubble created a small shockwave, pushing him aside and knocking him to the ground next to the body.

Livy approached the fallen commander, whose blood was now spreading several feet away, forming a considerable pool between the cobblestones, the scorched wood, and the dust.

"What do you think you're doing? You weren't supposed to kill him!" – said the Ilicyne, kneeling next to the fallen Hammus, while Kairos began to recover beside them.

Livy tried to move the commander's clothes, but the wound opened by Kairos' axes was intimidating, and she hesitated. Her attempt to help seemed futile until Helik approached, planting his sword into the rocky ground beside the body, drawing both of their attention.

"It's too late, girl. Only a miracle from Aen could help him now..." – he said, his tone mixing determination and compassion as he looked at Livy.

As she watched the commander's last breaths, Livy briefly reflected on the fragility of life. Still, she couldn’t help feeling powerless for not being able to do more for the young man.

She then turned her attention to Kairos. With a furious expression, she furrowed her brow and, despite her smaller build compared to the Karinni, radiated unmatched anger.

"And who are you?! What are you doing here, killing people in a public square?" – she asked, completely ignoring the context that a rebellion had just taken place.

"I-I... H-help..." – Kairos stammered, confused. Though his mask concealed his features, it was clear he was trying to apologize.

"Hey, Livy, what are you doing? He came to help us, and this is how you're going to treat him?" – said Baldar, approaching. Behind him, a little farther away, were Dukken and the Rofxi couple.

With Livy and Kairos now standing, she turned to Baldar with a slightly hysterical expression, clearly irritated with her companion.

"Huh? What are you talking about? Didn't you see what he just did to our best lead on what happened? Do you really think I'll accept that he shows up, kills a guy right in front of us, and nothing happens?" – she replied, furious.

At that moment, a deep voice interrupted the discussion.

"He helped." – said Ouros, calmly staring at Livy and Kairos.

"Girl, no matter how much he was a good starting point to understand what happened, and no matter how much you want to defend the right to life, it was a fight, and justified. The boy didn’t do anything wrong, quite the opposite. If he hadn’t acted, we might not have ended the battle so quickly, and more civilians and soldiers would have been injured or lost their lives," – concluded Helik, now looking at Kairos while waiting for Livy to calm down.

Noticing she was at a disadvantage and that her colleagues didn’t share her opinion, Livy crossed her arms, throwing a defiant look at everyone, with a pout.

"Did you notice the rocks sound stopped?" – Dukken commented from behind, interrupting the conversation and drawing attention to another point.

Everyone stopped to observe, and as they looked around the city, what they saw were flames and black smoke rising into the sky, coming from the fire that was beginning to spread. Screams echoed through the streets: terrified people, sounds of metal clashing, the march of soldiers. Panic reigned. No one would have imagined the situation escalating so quickly.

Helik was clearly worried. Although he maintained a firm posture, his unease was evident as he paced back and forth. The square now only had a few injured people being treated by militia guards and volunteers who had stepped in to help instead of standing idly by.

"Most of the civilians must be on their way to evacuation, but I need to go to the walls to check the situation," – he declared, pointing to a group of soldiers a few blocks away, entering the main tower next to the large fortified gates of the city’s north entrance.

Helik watched the group and paused for a moment. If the Empire was indeed attacking, all possible support would be necessary. He turned to everyone present.

"This is not a conventional situation, and, far from where I'd like to be. But there’s no time to waste," – he said, with everyone paying close attention to his words.

For a moment, Helik hesitated, his face showing doubt, but he quickly continued:

"I need your help. Just as you helped earlier, I believe others in the city may rise with arms at our side. The chaos is widespread, and I need all the help I can get, even if it breaks protocol..." – he said firmly. His last words highlighted how much this went against his principles, but the urgency of the situation prevailed.

"Looks like you’re adventurers. So, don’t think I’m making this request just out of good will. When this madness is over, you’ll be rewarded. This is my oath," – Helik concluded, looking at them with conviction. His stance and words made it clear that, although dissatisfied with the situation, he was a man of principles.

Silence fell. Even with the noise of the city in the background, everything seemed to disappear after the request.

Each of the present individuals exchanged looks, pondering quickly. On one hand, it was a unique opportunity to earn a grand favor, especially from the principality of Flagon. On the other hand, the risk was high: allying with the city meant sharing its fate, whether victory or annihilation.

"Alright," – Ouros responded directly, showing no concern for the possible consequences. Everyone stared at him, surprised by his immediate and seemingly carefree answer.

"O-Ouros..." – Livy murmured, apprehensive, not understanding the Grogna's impulsive attitude.

"I'll pass, General," – declared Dukken, with a serious and somewhat apathetic expression.

"I'm not in the city to get involved with politics, much less to join a battle that, in my view, is already lost," – he concluded, observing the chaos overtaking the city.

Helik seemed somewhat frustrated by the refusal but quickly regained his firm posture, worthy of his position. Even in just a few seconds, it was evident that he had already accepted Dukken's decision.

"Apologies, sir... Helik?" – Baldar commented, trying to recall and confirm the name he'd heard earlier in the battle. Helik nodded, showing attention.

"While I support your cause and like the others here, we’re not exactly a group. I apologize, I’d really like to help, but at the moment, my concern is elsewhere," – Baldar declared firmly.

"I need to locate my lord. I wish you good luck in defending the city. As soon as I’m sure of his safety, I promise I’ll return to help with the local issues. So..." – he diverted his gaze, indicating the urgency in his voice.

"I beg your pardon and take my leave. It was a pleasure traveling along the coast with you, but I cannot stay any longer," – he concluded, quickly gathering his things and preparing to depart.

Helik watched him with less resentment than Dukken, acknowledging the young man's cordiality.

"I'll see you around, too. And please, don’t die from stupidity..." – Dukken said as he left, throwing one last glance at Livy and Ouros, who now followed him with melancholic expressions. Though they knew this moment would come, they hadn’t expected it to arrive so abruptly.

"I-I accept," – Kairos' hoarse voice unexpectedly broke the silence, drawing everyone’s attention. Helik nodded, satisfied with the decision and relieved to have a strong ally by his side.

Ouros and Kairos exchanged looks, while Livy, confused, watched Dukken and Baldar cross the streets, each following their own path.

"You two, what will you do..." – she asked, but as she turned to search for the Rofxi couple, she realized they had also disappeared.

"They wanted to flee even earlier... I hope they’re alright," – she thought, a sad smile forming on her face.

The doubt was evident in her gaze. Watching her companions leave and being forced to make such a dangerous decision wasn’t something she could do with the same simplicity that Ouros had shown.

"I..." – she started to say, but the words failed her.

Her gaze fixed on the fallen rebel commander’s body on the ground, the blood trailing across the square. Was this what she wanted to keep witnessing?

A fog seemed to envelop her thoughts. Uncertainty dominated her mind, but amid it, small voices began to rise, urging her on.

"Yes. You want this."

"Don’t think too much. Focus. Don’t be the next."

"Don’t let an ally end up like this."

"Let’s show them what we’re made of."

The voice grew louder in Livy’s mind, surrounding her, guiding her choice. For a moment, she felt herself sinking into an emptiness, as if that presence was ready to take control in her place. Surrounded by her insecurities and on the verge of giving up, her eyes fixed, in a calm and hypnotic state, on a figure in the distance. The features of the silhouette were vague, but a strong feeling of urgency, almost like a call, filled Livy, pushing her to try and understand what she was seeing.

Before she could react, a heavy sensation on her shoulder brought her back to reality. Confused for a few moments, Livy found herself back in the square, surrounded by the other three.

"Look, girl, you don’t have to force yourself into anything... You’re still young..." – Helik said softly, offering support upon seeing the young woman’s tense state.

Livy looked at Ouros, her last traveling companion, who had been with her throughout the journey. He was the first to accept the challenge, and his demeanor reflected patience. Of everyone there, he seemed the most at ease.

Next to her, Kairos was cleaning the bloodied axes with a dirty cloth. The sight reignited a spark of anger in Livy’s chest, but at the same time, it made her recognize the courage and determination he had shown, something she was still struggling to find within herself.

Turning back to Helik, who was still muttering words of comfort, Livy heard one last voice amidst the internal silence. Calm, soft, and succinct, it was almost like a mother’s whisper guiding her daughter.

"Trust her this time."

"Yes, I accept too," – Livy responded unexpectedly, but with a conviction that surprised even her.

Helik blinked, surprised, but quickly regained his composure. Although he hadn’t expected this, he knew he couldn’t waste the opportunity.

The Giknior took a step back, shaking his head in approval. He now had three new allies, and in this situation, every bit of help was invaluable.

"Alright then. I ask that you all follow me and kneel. We’ll make an oath," – Helik instructed, walking toward the fountain at the center of the square.

The three followed and positioned themselves in front of him. Even kneeling, Ouros, with his imposing stature, nearly reached the general's height.

Two soldiers, witnesses to this improvised ceremony, approached to assist Helik. Both raised their hands in a formal gesture, highlighting their role as observers of the loyalty and honesty of the moment.

"By the powers and rights granted to me, General of the 6th and 7th Divisions of the Flagon Army, by my superiors and representatives in the Bilgaragz County, and carrying the will and legitimacy of the true Emperor of Flatlia, absolute prince of the Flagon Palace, and heir to the lineage of the White Tigers, Frederick van Horman IV, I name you auxiliaries in this conflict. May your loyalty be raised in these times of war, so that you may enjoy the times of peace with us," – Helik recited, his voice sharp and powerful, making the occasion significant for those present.

Despite the devastation around them, a thread of hope seemed to emerge in the square. As the three rose, they were no longer just strangers brought together by chance; they were now allies under a common oath. A sense of purpose grew in their hearts, and the certainty that this decision could change their lives spurred them forward.

And indeed, it did.

"To the wall!" – Helik called, leading everyone toward the defense of Bilgaragz.