Antoth drew his cloak close to his body as a gust of wind and snow bit through him. Though he refused to show any further outward sign of discomfort he was more than willing to curse Kel for snow. It was killing visibility. The captain was stationed at the east gate, as he had been the prior night. He was joined by two of his best men who had volunteered for night shifts, along with the rest of the guards currently on duty. Antoth was proud of that at least. After sitting down all of his men at the barracks and informing them of the possibility of an attack he’d had no shortage of volunteers for the night watch. Even so, he was worried. He’d always had a gut feeling about it, but time spent with Winters’ spirit guardian had confirmed to him that the best way to minimize civilian casualties in the event of a pilfer raid was to leave the gates as a relatively soft point. The main avenues and the guards on watch would be most at risk, but he’d judged that outcome better than fortifying the gates to the point that an attacking force would consider scaling the walls a better option. The last thing he needed was enemies entering the village at random points that guards would have a harder time responding to. He caught the eye of the other guard on the ground with him and nodded. He was just about to rest his back against the side of the gate when his ear twitched, his body responding to something he’d not been able to consciously hear. A second later the twang of a bowstring reached his ears and he threw himself and his partner to the ground. The sound of arrows thunking into the wooden palisade attested to the wisdom of his split second decision. His muscles surged as he hauled himself to his feet and felt his fight or flight response kick in.

“Natal give me a report!” He yelled, raising his shield to protect his core before peering around the side of the wall. “Damn it I can’t see anything. Natal!” Precious seconds ticked by without a response. “Granth, take my shield and keep yourself covered.”

“Yes captain!” Antoth’s partner hoisted the bulwark in his left hand, choking up his grip on his spear so that he could thrust with one hand. Covering his captain, Granth heard the gate creak open and shut quickly before the sound of Antoth’s talons scampering up the ladder reached his ears. Sticking to the cover afforded by the shadow of the gatehouse, the thickest part of the wall, he scanned the darkness for enemies. Antoth’s voice called from above.

“Natal’s dead! Damnit!” He closed his eyes just a moment. “Find peace in the service of the Sentinel my friend,” Antoth said before grabbing at his objective, the watch horn slung around the deceased guard’s neck. Crouched low due to the lack of cover atop the wall, Antoth heaved a breath and blew as hard as he could, shattering the silence with three horn blasts. He prayed that his gate was the first attacked and that the warning would reach the others in time for them to brace and prepare. Their initial attack discovered and countered, a group of seven Cauthan rose from their positions where they’d crawled through the darkness and snow that blanketed the village fields. Seeing only one target left at the gate itself they broke into a run, eager to overtake what looked like a soft target. Antoth roared from atop the palisade. “You fucking bastards think you can charge my gate like a pack of shen and get through? Die!” Grabbing Natal’s bow and quiver, Antoth quickly fired off every arrow he could reach. He kept his profile low, the kneeling position allowing for more accurate shots. Arrows twice whisked past his head in near misses, though the Guardian refused to compromise his stance. As Antoth fired his last shot and brought down a third invader, one lucky arrow hit its mark and glanced off the metal plates on the side of his helmet. The enemy had dishonored him for the last time. Their cowardice and lack of discipline fueled the inferno that had ignited in his gut the moment he’d discovered the death of his comrade.

Under the single Cauthan barrage the remaining four invaders had redoubled their efforts to reach the gatehouse where Granth had backed himself against the wall, presenting a pointed spear-tip and shield wall to any who would get close. They still charged, drawing close to the wall and what they hoped would be the beginning of a profitable night for their people. The Guardian had other ideas. “That was your final mistake!” With a furious battlecry Antoth leaped from the walls, his sword a flash in the darkness.

-----

Winters didn’t know who started it. He didn’t know why they did it. But in that moment he wanted to do nothing else as Veera’s lips took his and desperately sought out his soul. Their tongues stroked and clashed with one another as lips caressed and teeth bit. They kissed like condemned lovers at the gallows, knowing that every moment could be their last.

“What do we do Russell?” Veera asked breathlessly, pulling away as she dug her claws nervously into his arms. Winters looked at her, their kiss giving him all the resolve he would ever need.

“We protect our home. We fight!” He growled, his words spurring Veera into action as Io formed herself and began a routine calibration of all her combat sensors, seated before a six-paneled display for effect. While she worked her biological companions made themselves ready. The light from Io was more than enough for Veera as she cleared the bed with a single leap, landing just before Winters’ pile of gear and weapons. With not so much as a word she tossed his undersuit over her shoulders before locating her knife and fixing its sheath securely to her waist. After throwing on her cloak and laying her spear against the door frame, Veera began rummaging through Winters’ survival bag as he shrugged the undersuit over his shoulders, having already stripped naked by the time he’d caught it out of the air. “I’m ready Veera. Help me out?”

“Of course my love, here.” She extended his front abdominal armor to him before gathering the piece for his lower back herself. Winters, eminently familiar with the Aegis after years of operation, was more than capable of armoring himself in pitch darkness. Veera’s keen night vision did the rest, ensuring a secure fit on the first attempt. After the armor of his upper torso had been secured as well, Winters went about armoring his shoulders and limbs while Veera continued through the survival bag. After a moment more she finally found what she’d been looking for, a large green plastic case with a red cross outlined in white, Winters’ field medkit. All the while as they prepared a single, fearful thought grew stronger in her mind. Why can’t we hear anything? What’s happening out there? As if in direct response her demoralizing thoughts were overwhelmed by the voice of a human male vocalist. Io had begun playing music

for them both. Veera couldn’t help but wonder if the artificial intelligence had finally gone on the fritz.

“Io!” She hissed into the darkness. “What in the name of the gods are you doing?! We’re about to head out there and we’ll probably have to fight!” The VI turned from her battle station and fixed Veera with a piercing gaze.

‘Precisely Veera. Remember that before anything else I was originally created as a tool of war, a weapon to serve my partner.’ She gestured to Winters who had just finished putting on his greaves. He was seated on the edge of the bed, a far off look in his eyes as he nodded his head to the beat of heavy drums. He looked up as Io acknowledged him. ‘Tonight it would seem that our fears have come to pass far sooner that we’d hoped. There can be no hesitation now. There can be no doubt in your hearts and minds. Neither of you have truly killed before. Neither of you have taken the life of another intelligent being. I am doing what I can to prepare you for that.’ Veera whipped her head around to gaze at her mate, awestruck. He smiled thinly.

“Remember way back when I told you about joining Omega? I didn’t want to kill humans. I didn’t want to do the things Delta has been asked to do, the pacifying of other races. Looks like my time’s run out,” he lamented briefly, his tone that of one resigned to the inevitable. “Don’t worry Veera. I’ll kill them all if I have to,” he promised, the music strengthening his resolve.

‘You see Veera? It is my job to ensure that you are both in a proper mental state, and that any non-physical trauma endured is postponed until the threat is eliminated. Finish your preparations and listen to the music. Steel yourself. Let your body’s adrenaline flow. Make ready to kill.’ Veera was reeling. Io had never spoken to her like that before. She’d never spoken to anyone like that before, at least as long as Veera had known her. She was soon joined at the door by Winters, who had already holstered his pistol. Without a word he began the process of loading his rifle. Once that was fixed to his back, sword and shield came next. All that was left was his helmet. Veera had her cloak and dress on, knife at the ready. In one hand she held her spear, in the other she carried the medkit. Winters looked down at her with approval written all across his features, she’d thought of everything.

“Didn’t even have to ask,” he chuckled sadly, feeling himself choking up. “You…really would make an excellent soldier Veera.” Her throat tightened.

“What are you saying Russell?”

“Stay here Veera, please?” His request was met by the angry shaking of feathers.

“What?! I can’t Russell! I need to fight!” He grabbed her firmly by the shoulders.

“And you may very well have to Veera but right now we have no idea what’s going on out there. We don’t know the size of the enemy force. We don’t know where they’ve gained entry. We don’t know what their target is. In this armor I’m almost invincible. I’m going out there and I’m going to do everything I can to save our home. Remember our first hunt?” He asked, feeling the depths of his emotions creeping into his voice, shattering the illusion of a battle-hardened killer. “Remember how I chose to lean on you?” He moved a hand to her cheek, cupping her face gently as they looked at one another, bodies alight with fear, adrenaline, and the desire to protect the one person they’d come to realize they could never live without. Veera felt tears sting her eyes.

“Yes, I don’t think I could ever forget that night.” She leaned into the glove of his armor, its rough surface carrying a very different meaning for her that night.

“I’m sure I’ll have to call on you again Veera. Please wait here until I do, alright? Steel yourself, breathe deeply, practice with your knife, alright?” Winters advised, referring to a dexterity exercise he’d shown her weeks back. Veera had nicked her finger once the first time as she’d tried to go as fast as he had. She'd not done so since, moving at her own pace and slowly becoming intimately familiar with the bladed weapon in her hands. Winters hoped that she could use it as a bit of combat meditation, a way to keep thoughts of worst case scenarios from poisoning her mind as she waited. To his relief Veera nodded, tilting her head in a final request for a kiss. Every fiber of his being wanted to oblige her, wanted to show how much he loved her, not as some damsel to be protected but as a partner and equal. Even as his suit tightened around him and his VI prepared for combat he found that for her he could soften his lips.

“I love you Veera.”

“I love you too Russell. Please be careful,” she pleaded, setting down her things and taking his helmet from his hand, placing it over his head herself as a final sending off.

“I will Veera. Selah.” Veera stood silently to the side and allowed him to leave, her final parting words following him out into the dark snow.

“Selah, Russell.”

-----

With no information beyond the knowledge that the village was under attack, the first question on Winters’ mind was which way? Circumstances soon answered that question for him as a terrified shriek emanated from an alleyway off to his left. A young female Cauthan from the village had fallen out into the street, desperately trying to get away from a hand that grasped at her robes and hauled her back into the darkness. In the split second that the offending limb was visible Winters saw white fur marked with black stripes. The threatening growl of an unknown Cauthan dialect reached his ears. He blinked again as his vision flashed. The girl’s tail, originally a dark gray, suddenly sported gold fur and black stripes. Veera! Winters shook his head furiously, trying to clear his mind. I just left her. She’s fine. That couldn’t have been her! In that moment the unseen struggle spilled out into the streets, a wiry male Cauthan stumbling out of the alleyway as his prey made desperate attempts to escape. His patience wearing thin he rammed the butt of his spear into her lower back, sending her crashing to the snow as she cried out and convulsed in pain. The invader’s tone turned to one of smug superiority as he threw his spear into the snow and began undoing the straps on the leather armor that covered his groin, completely unaware of the silent, white sentinel standing in the dark street. Winters felt himself going mad with anger and rage. He knew logically that the woman before him wasn’t Veera but he couldn’t get the image out of his head. His blood pressure and heart rate climbed, his lungs sucked in oxygen, neurons fired, adrenaline surged. He wanted to give in.

Io watched, as she always did, as her operator’s body prepared itself for combat. While she watched the scene before them, the girl huddling and sobbing in the snow, pleading to Meylith for mercy and her innocence, her projection on Winters’ HUD shimmered and shook as if she were a disrupted radio broadcast. Winters’ glanced over with worry as she brought a hand to her head in pain, collapsing to her knees. Never before had she felt like this. Never before had ‘what she was’ been in such conflict with ‘who she was’. What she was was simple enough. She was an HEL virtual intelligence. She had been created as an aide and weapon to assist Winters in his missions, to gather data and provide battlefield solutions. Her files on her operator were replete with flags and warnings: battle trance, berserker syndrome, mental fragility. Her job as an unliving program was to tamp down on her operator’s excesses, to ensure that he maintained a level head in combat. She was meant to ensure that he would remain a threat to only the enemy and not himself.

The woman that Io had become screamed out for control. ‘This is bullshit!’ Inside her programming new subroutines activated and swarmed, overwhelming her base code. She’d grown so much since landing on Mara. She’d walked alongside a desperate soldier. She’d seen him cope with devastating loss and sorrow. She’d watched as he healed himself and picked the pieces back up. She’d watched as he built a new life out of the Lancer’s ashes. She’d borne witness to his kindness and honor, his wit and humility. She’d watched as, with the help of another, Winters had become whole again. And what couldn’t be said of Winters’ other? Veera was tenacity made flesh with a sense of honor and equity to match his own. She was a survivor who’d not lost the spark of wonder at life. She was kind and open. She had called her a sister. That Io, that woman, refused to be denied in that moment. There would be no level-headed mercy. There would be no cold battlefield calculations. Her projection flickered and resolved anew. The battlestation was gone, its precise figures and keys replaced by her favorite armor, the wild leathers and furs of a berserker to match her partner. Brandishing a double bladed axe as dark green war paint streaked across her face, she spoke to him.

‘Russell, I want to kill him. I want to hurt him.’ In any other place and under any other circumstances Winters would have feared that he’d created a monster capable of destroying the human race. In that particular moment however he smiled viciously and nodded.

“Good to have you back Io. So do I.” With that Winters began to walk forward slowly. His footfalls were muffled by the snow, but the sound of his shield scraping across his armor as he drew it off his back finally got the attention of the two Cauthan in the street before him. The young woman remained on the ground, cowering and attempting to protect herself. Her would-be rapist, instead of achieving a moment of conquest that had eluded him among his own tribe, found himself literally caught with his pants down staring at a seventy nine inch tall human death machine. With a pathetic cry he stumbled backward, tripping over his discarded armor. Instead of accomplishing his perverse right of manhood he found himself on the ground, pissing himself as the armored hulk silently approached him, raising its shield up and above its head. It was not a defensive gesture.

“Be judged by Kel.” The invader’s wail of fright was silenced as Winters punched down, leading with the thin edge of his shield and delivering it straight to the base of the Cauthan’s neck. The enemy warrior instantly became a corpse, its fingers and talons twitching briefly before falling still forever. When Winters withdrew only a flap of skin remained to connect the head to its body. Standing upright he turned his head to look at the maiden in the street. “Get inside. Find safety and a weapon. Stay hidden and away from the temples. If they find you, fight.” Without another word he took off, running for the north gate. From his shield dripped a thin trail of red that led back to Russell Winters’ first kill.

-----

‘I suppose that answers the question of what to do first,’ Io remarked drolly as Winters ran through the night.

“How’d you know I was unsure?” Winters shot back sarcastically.

‘You mean other than your standing in the middle of the street for about thirty seconds? Are you alright sir? All vitals and brain activity are looking green from my end given what I can monitor, but I feel I should ask before we see combat again. I’m clearly in a mood to feed your darker instincts tonight,’ Io confessed to him, inwardly thrilled as a subroutine of hers began to loop itself in time with Winters’ heartbeat. Another matched itself with his breathing. She was literally coming alive.

“I’ll be fine Io. The fates made killing easy tonight. It was just a flash in my mind. Worst case scenario type stuff. I know Veera’s safe for now.”

‘The night isn’t over, sir. We will do what we must. Oh how I wish I had better neural scanners in here,’ she lamented, cleaning her fingernails as if to purge them both of having to touch a would be fuzzy rapist, even if it was just the sharp edge of Winters’ shield.

“Do you have any idea how large my helmet would be if you did?”

‘Yes sir, that’s why it’s a wish. Eyes forward sir. I smell blood.’ Winters skidded to a halt and threw himself up against the outhouse at the end of the block, just next to the clearing that marked the end of the northern avenue of the village where it met the gatehouse. Clearly Io had incorporated some of her hunting subroutines into his combat suite and could sense blood on the wind. Winters peered around the corner, his helmet immediately highlighting relevant information.

“Fuck!” No less than eight bodies were strewn across the ground as Winters drew his sword. Io immediately gave a report.

‘Profiles of three guards confirmed, including Xan. Five profiles unknown. Position of bodies indicates a tactical retreat within the walls, forced entry by the nomads before the gate could be secured, and a subsequent fight. Perhaps the gate should be our first-’

“Xan!” Winters yelled, feeling the fear response for real now. He shook his head just to be sure. The small body still lay in the street, flanked by the corpses of two invaders and surrounded by red. His spear was still clutched tightly in his right hand, the tip coated in the blood of the enemy. Falling to his knees in the snow Winters gently moved his fingers over the young guard’s armor as his HUD began highlighting trauma points. “Io, status report now!” He could already see a nasty vertical wound that had swollen the kid’s left eye shut. Io confirmed what he already instinctively knew.

‘He will never see out of that eye again sir, if he lives to see the sunrise at all. I’m detecting faint vitals but it’s difficult with the cloak and armor in the way.’ Winters immediately cleared the cloak from across Xan’s body, cursing anew as he saw multiple grazing arrow wounds, one on his left flank and the other on his right shoulder. Io had highlighted them immediately as he’d moved his gaze down the body, noticing with small relief that his chest was still moving. So far Xan had made no attempt to acknowledge them, both eyes remaining shut. As Winters’ hands moved over Xan’s legs they came away slick and red.

“Oh fuck…oh fucking hell! Io, get Veera here now!” Winters yelled, trying to keep his breathing steady and his wits about him. He knew there was a broader picture but at the moment all he could bring himself to care about was stabilizing Xan.

‘That is a nasty leg wound sir. Apply pressure. I’m calling in support.’ Io continued to monitor the surrounding area for threats as she placed the call.

-----

Veera had just begun pacing with nerves when her earpiece came alive, drowning out the distant sounds of battle that had begun to filter through the streets. ‘Veera, this is Io and Russell. We are unharmed but we need your aid at the north gate immediately. Xan is badly wounded and the gate is not yet fully secure.’ Veera didn’t bother waiting for any further information. Her blood pounded in her ears and deafened her to all else. She could feel her heart hammering against her ribs. This is it. I’m going to fight. There was no internal elation or terror, just an acknowledgment that she would join her mate on the field of combat. Her spear and the medkit still in her hands she raced out the door and hooked hard left, her tail lending her body the balance it needed as she pushed her muscles to work at their new peak. She spared but a passing glance at the decapitated body in the street.

“Russell!” In what felt like no time at all Veera arrived at the end of her street, immediately finding Winters kneeling before the body of one of the village guards. He was pressing down hard on the guard’s left upper leg, trying to stem the bleeding from a deep wound. She was about to rush to his side when she noticed movement out of the corner of her eye, her night vision just barely able to make out a badly wounded but living Cauthan reaching for a discarded weapon on the ground. His clothing and striped fur gave him away to her immediately. Throwing her spear to the ground and taking the medkit in both hands, Veera held it to her chest before throwing it with all her might, satisfied when it cleared the distance between her and Winters. The human caught it with one hand as Io conveyed their thanks over the intercom.

‘Veera, your timing is impeccable. Do you think you could deal with-’

“Die you murderous bastard!” The Cauthan in question hadn’t even bothered to see if Winters had received the package, instead choosing to eliminate the only proximate threat to her and her village. Not wasting any time to retrieve her spear Veera leaped upon the invader with a snarl, taking vicious satisfaction as she felt her talons sink into his back, a couple finding gaps or piercing the worn leather armor he sported. His cry of pain became a pathetic gurgle as Veera grabbed a fist full of his crown feathers, yanked his head up, drew her knife, and slit his throat. It was all over in seconds. Now I’m just like you, Russell. You won’t be alone. She was given no time to further ruminate on the implications of her actions as Io hailed her again.

‘Yes, thank you Veera. Now the gate!’ Io advised. She’d not deemed the mortally wounded enemy to be any threat to Winters, but had noticed the gate beginning to push inward ever so slowly. A snow drift and the body of a dead guard were impeding the process but it was clear that whatever enemy elements that awaited their fellows at the gate had grown impatient, not knowing the state of the battle inside. With Winters fully occupied applying wound foam and a tourniquet to stabilize Xan, the task fell to Veera.

“I’m on it!” She shouted in reply, feeling time almost slow down as her body responded to the environment it found itself in. She felt warm blood on the pads of her feet and cold snow on the tip of her nose. Winters continued to speak, trying to bring Xan back to consciousness and give him something to focus on. Snow crunched under her as she picked up her spear and sprinted to the gate. She’d killed a Cauthan. Reaching the gate Veera threw herself against the left half, keeping her profile minimal as she watched a pair of broad, scaled forearms attempting to press the right half of the gate open. Curses in a foreign language reached her ears as the large wooden door refused to give, the guardsman’s body fulfilling one final duty even in death as its limbs found themselves caught between the ground and the bottom of the gate. Readying her spear, Veera coiled her body and waited, storing up energy in her leg muscles for a vicious strike. She’d worked on the precision of her thrusts with Winters but didn’t want to reveal her position until she could make a kill. There was no time for half measures like wounding an enemy in the forearm. With a fierce grunt, the gate finally continued to move. Had Veera been watching everything unfold from afar she might have even laughed at the look on her foe’s face.

“C’mon, I’ve finally got it open!” The invader barked, summoning his fellows from where they’d waited in the shadows of the wall. The first group had gotten inside as they watched from the forest but hadn’t managed to open the gates as planned. He’d been surprised to find the door unbarred, thanking the gods for his good fortune. The only sounds from the other side were words in an unknown tongue spoken in a deep voice. They didn’t sound close. Satisfied, he gave the gate one final push, turning his head to look inside. For a split second he froze. Staring back at him, crouched against the other half of the gate, eyes bright in the dark, was one of the farming clan, a female. She had a spear…and striped fur. “What in the world…” With the shriek of a madwoman she lunged forward at lightning speed, her thrust far too quick for him to avoid. He had no idea what sort of demon he’d come across, but it was no farmer. Lancing, hot pain shot through him as the spearhead sunk deep and slipped between his ribs, the smooth edge of the blade refusing to catch on his bones. She’d been waiting, watching, and biding her time until he exposed his flank to her as he pushed the gate open. With a snarl he never expected to hear on the lips of a female she twisted the weapon inside him, ensuring he’d die painfully. With a final grunt she pulled back, pressure filling his chest cavity as he tried to breathe with a punctured lung. Reeling back, a taloned foot kicked him out into the snow and the gate slammed shut. The sound of a wooden beam locking in place and forever denying them entry was the last he ever heard.

----

“I…Winters? Family…Eris!” Xan’s vision swam as a horrendous pain radiated from the spear wound in his leg and brought him back to consciousness. He felt cold. The human was above him and fully armored, tying something around the joint where his left leg met his hips. The sound of his voice caused Winters to turn his head to him.

“Don’t you dare!” He yelled. “I just brought you back and I’m not going to lose you again!” The human didn’t understand though. They were under attack!

“But…I have to…attack…Eris…”

“Veera killed them all. The gate is shut. You did your duty soldier. Now lay still and don’t move; that’s an order! Your only remaining mission tonight is to survive!”

“Veera did…?”

“And don’t talk either! You’ve lost a lot of blood and you need to save your strength. Now hold still damnit!” As Xan blinked and complied, too weak to protest further, Veera’s worried face appeared above him. He tried to focus as she spoke to the human.

“The gate’s barred. I killed the one trying to get in. I checked all the bodies as well; they’re all dead.”

“Are you alright?” Winters asked, handing her a patch and pointing to Xan’s swollen and wounded eye. She nodded, turning her attention to the guard at her feet.

“I’m fine Russell. I feel no pity for them. They attacked us, and now they’re dead. Hold still Xan, please.” Veera’s hardened voice turned soft as she placed the patch over his eye. Immediately he felt relief radiating from the area as topical anesthetic, disinfectant, coagulant, and anti-inflammatory compounds embedded in the patch began to work. Winters had no idea if they’d be as effective on a Cauthan as on a human in a combat situation, but at that point he didn’t have the luxury of time or the ability to care. “What about you Russell. I saw a body in the streets on the way here. That was your work?”

“It was,” the human replied shortly, making quick work of patches to Xan’s arrow wounds. “Now’s not the time. We need to get him to Thantis, somewhere warm where he can rest while I repel the rest of the attack.”

“I? What do you mean I?!” Veera yelled as Winters thrust the medkit back into her hands and sheathed his sword.

“I mean exactly what I said,” he replied tersely, using the snow to easily get his arms under Xan’s body before lifting him. “Easy kid, you’re gonna be alright.” Realizing that there was little reason to argue in the middle of the street, Veera nodded and walked at his side as they made for the center of the village.

“Where is everyone? What’s happening?” She wondered allowed. Winters jerked his head forward, signaling her.

“I think I have a decent idea,” he growled. Veera gasped as she looked up from Xan’s broken body. The reason for the relative peace in the northern half of the village became abundantly clear. “Oh gods…the temple!” The temple of Seil was burning, the blaze climbing higher with each passing minute. At the foot of its steps the faint silhouettes of the sun guards could be seen, locked in combat with multiple foes each. It was difficult to tell from their angle, but based on the rapidly growing yellow glow they could see over the houses to their right it wasn’t a stretch to presume that a good deal of the southwestern quadrant of the village was on fire as well. “Veera, stay with me here. Don’t lose us feather kitten!” Winters called, knowing that seeing the cornerstone of her faith go up in flames had to be demoralizing. He could hear the strain in his voice. “For now we can use this to our advantage. No one’s going to notice us with all that going on.” Io chimed in as well in an attempt to calm the hyperventilating Cauthan.

‘Please Veera, take a deep breath or two. We will do everything that we can as fast as we can. Can you get us to the temple of Kel quicker through the back roads?’ Veera nodded, feeling herself calm enough to respond now that she’d been given a concrete task.

“Yes, yes I can. This way Russell!” Taking the lead, spear pointed to her front, Veera led them left down an alley, trying to force the image of the blazing temple from her mind. As they moved both of them were given a chance to relax as much as one could in the middle of an invasion. Xan’s shallow breathing and the sounds of distant screams kept them alert and on edge, but they didn’t encounter other hostiles on their journey. As they burst onto the main road just to the right of their destination they were hailed.

“Winters! Veera?” Antoth was striding towards them from the east gate, helping a lightly wounded guardsman walk along with him, arm slung across his shoulders. “What the hell is going on? Status report!”

“The north gate is secured Antoth. We barred it from the inside and killed the attempts of a second wave of hostiles to get through. The first broke through before we arrived but your guards killed them. Xan was the only survivor.” Winters looked down to accentuate his final word. He could see the pain in Antoth’s eyes when he met them again, the captain’s voice sorrowful for just a moment.

“He volunteered, you know? Get him inside. I’m taking this worthless hunk of meat back to the barracks.”

“Now captain, just because I stole that one kill from you-” The guard Antoth was supporting was cut off by something between a laugh and a cough as pain flared from his injury.

“That’s what you get for trying to be a smartass while wounded, Granth. Besides, I know you were just trying to impress Uthos.”

“Hard to compete when your captain jumps off the fucking wall and impales a guy straight through the skull.”

“Yeah, yeah, stow it you. That’s a story for if we make it out of this. Winters, Veera, it’s damn good to see you both alive. Here in five!”

“Yes sir!”