Onyx and the rest were trekking the road up towards Karana. Their feet were tired and the city was still considerably far away. At least the Dolsurians hadn’t reached this far. Maybe the Sovereigns were still looking out for them. As they walked a bit farther they noticed a wagon by the road along with two people trying to fix one of the wheels. They didn’t appear Dolsurian, but in this war appearances could be deceiving. He also saw a lot of weapons and barrels out by the road.

They carefully approached the two people who were busy having their conversation.

“Well its official we are lost Sasha.” Said the boy who seemed to be around eighteen or nineteen years old.

The girl let out a tired sigh. “Knowing your luck it will work out somehow.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence.” Said the boy as he punched her shoulder.

“We have guests.” Said the girl as she looked at Onyx and the rest.

“It appears we do. Hi there if you would be so kind as to help us out, and we would be more than happy to give you all a ride to the city.” The boy wore a smile on his face, but he had a certain kind of stupidity about him.

The girl on the other hand was more serious and hid half of her face behind a scarf. Onyx examined her closely she had a certain stance about her as if she was ready for battle.

“Ah don’t mind Sasha here she’s just here to help me out with the merchandise. We’re merchants, and she’s my bodyguard.” The boy explained.

“What company?” Asked Tykal.

“Oh uh… Wait a sec and let me…” The boy walked towards the wagon where he opened a chest and pulled out some papers. “Here you go.”

Onyx and the rest examined the papers to see if they were legitimate. They were a part of the Blades of Hessarian Supply Company the seal was original there was no doubt about it. Onyx handed the papers back to the boy.

“Tigris transform, Lyo you and I will place the new wheel. Embry and Tykal you guys watch the road.”

“Thank you so much.” Said the girl behind her scarf.

Tigris transformed and picked up the wagon whilst Lyo and Onyx put in the replacement as quickly as possible. Tigris got a look at the merchandise that was taken out of the wagon. These two were ready to supply an army! Sure could have used those supplies a few hours ago. Sasha and the boy loaded up the merchandise on the wagon as quickly as possible.

“A deal’s a deal so c’mon.”

Onyx and the rest sat in the back with the rest of the merchandise looking at all the weapons the pair had in store. Onyx gazed at a great sword that had a black hilt that was ornamented, its blade was long almost his size, and most of all had a strange symbol of what looked like a sword thrusting through a star that had a circle around it.

“Well go on then take it.” Said the boy as he looked at Onyx almost drooling.

“Are you sure? It looks like it was made for a king or a Champion.” Said Onyx.

“Yeah I’m sure.”

Onyx grabbed the sword and clung to it firmly. The rest of his team shot him with looks of awe and curiosity.

“What?” He asked.

“Nothing.” Said Embry who let out a giggle.

After a few more hours of travelling nightfall descended and the sky was lit up with stars and moons. They saw the city gates surrounded by soldiers, legionnaires, and paladins eyeing some of the travelers with looks of suspicion. They were checking papers by the city gates of those who wanted entrance.

“Well looks like we part ways here.” Said Onyx.

“Yeah for now anyways.” Said the boy. Sasha hit him in the back of the head. “Oh right and thanks for the help back there.”

Onyx gave the couple and odd look and headed towards the city gate to meet with Azura and the rest of the platoon. The group was stopped by a paladin.

“Halt! What is your business here?”

Onyx and the rest rolled up the sleeves up their right arm revealing the legionnaire’s mark on their right bicep. The paladin saw their marks and signaled them to head on through. Many people were already planning to abandon the city, roadblocks and barricades were already being set up.

“Looks like another fight.” Said Lyo as they noticed several soldiers carrying crates walk past them.

“That it does. We have to find Azura and see what our next assignment is.” Said Embry.

“Agreed, best place to start would be the mayor’s office that’s where we’ll find the commanders.” Said Onyx as the group kept walking towards the center of the city.

Their cities were built on a grid basis starting from the center and then outwards. It made it easier to navigate, but it also made it easier for the enemy as well. As they reached the city’s center they saw row after row of riflemen, with bayonets armed, behind barricades ready for an incursion.

“You guys stay here I’ll go inside.” Said Onyx.

As he walked inside he saw Captain Padden talking with Azura about their defeat outside the city. He also noticed a small girl about twelve or thirteen years old talking with a few officers.

Azura noticed Onyx and signaled him over. Onyx walked up to Azura and saluted both of them.

“At ease kid. Glad to see you made it. Where are the rest?” She asked.

“Outside. What’s the situation like?” He asked hoping that the battle would turn in their favor.

“Well we have fresh troops and supplies hopefully it will be enough.” Said Azura.

“In any case we have a special assignment for you and your team to take.” Said Padden.

“Sir.”

“You see that girl over there?”

“Yes sir I noticed her. Why?”

“You and your team will be escorting her to Spyre.”

“An escort mission, but… The fight’s here.” Onyx protested as he looked to Azura for help.

“It will be everywhere soon enough son if we can’t push them back here. Besides her country has promised to give us an advantage if we accept. Two if we actually pull it off.”

“Of course they did it’s Spyre after all.” Said Onyx in disgust.

“Are you disappointed with your orders legionnaire?” Asked a strange voice.

Onyx turned to see a woman in black clad armor covering her entire body. She wore the crest of Karash in the chest with a black adorned cape, and a massive great sword with a split tongue. She was Apollyon, except she really wasn’t THE Sovereign Apollyon merely somebody who wore the title for performing deeds of extraordinary measure during times of great crisis. Only one person could bear the mantle at a time until the fall of the current Sovereign Knight.

“Yes ma’am, but I also understand the importance of it. When shall we depart?”

“Hmm let me look at you.”

Apollyon walked closer towards Onyx until he was finally within arm’s reach. She used her hand to cup his chin and move his head from side to side examining it.

“You look familiar. Have we met?”

“After Tofar ma’am my team and I were responsible for the fall of General Adulin.” Said Onyx with his head turned to the side.

“Ah yes I remember now. You and the other children were there. Well then Onyx just like Tofar I expect great things from your team, and most of all you.” Apollyon let go if Onyx and signaled the girl to join them.

“Will it be his team?”

“Yes.”

“Very well then my name is Maxwell herald to the throne of Spyre. Your team is to take me to the Aeducan Mountains, more specifically Midir’s Pass. After that King Astopheles will grant you access to our latest weapon that should turn the war in your favor.” Explained Maxwell. “Furthermore here.” Maxwell handed a scroll to Apollyon. “Something that should assist you in mobilizing your army.”

“Thank you Herald. You have your orders Onyx I expect nothing less from you and your team is that understood?”

“Yes ma’am.” Onyx saluted and walked out of the building with the girl in tow.

He saw Embry still waiting outside, but the rest of them where nowhere to be seen.

“Hey how’d it… Go?” Embry soon noticed the girl following Onyx.

“Long story short we have to take Maxwell here back to Spyre. Where are the others? We have to leave now before Dol-Sur launches their attack.”

“You took too long so they decided to stock up and rest.”

“Hmph your team seems to lack a certain discipline for following orders. Just like their leader.” Said Maxwell.

“Need I remind you that it was your weapons that caused Tofar.” Retorted Onyx.

“Need I remind you that you also use our weapons as well? Do not think for a second that you are any different. After all that is our only reason for living. Remember that our sole reason for existence is to kill one another. Gaeric killing the Divines has not changed that.” Then Maxwell began walking away. “I will wait for you all by the eastern entrance, but once the battle begins I will take my leave, and your kingdom will have lost a valuable asset. And I do not think your actions in Tofar will save you from your own kingdom.”

Onyx’s hands turned to fists. He was furious! Embry soon walked to his side to ensure that he would not do anything rash. “Come now we have to gather the rest.”

Onyx let out a grunt and headed off to find the rest of his team.

Tykal busied herself by stocking up on ammo from the armory as well as looking at all the rifles they had on stock. She grabbed some ammo for her crossbow, a Sybaris rifle as well as bullets, a flintlock revolver pistol, and a few bombs. She even made sure to grab a bag and stock it with extra ammo and some equipment in case they had to retreat again. It was a long ways from here to the next holdout.

Tykal saw Embry standing by the entrance wearing a smug expression on her face. “Quite the hoarder are you?”

“Just making sure I have all the essentials.”

“Right well we just got a new assignment?”

“Oh? Where to now?”

“Escort mission to Spyre.” Answered Embry.

“Fuck!” Yelled Tykal.

Lyo looked at the women wearing light exposed armor and covered in black markings. They were Gaericists, women who fought for the sake of fighting, and bore no allegiance to any kingdom and fought wherever there was a battle to be fought. They would fight with and against you as they had no perception of friend or foe and were driven by the instinct to kill. It was beliefs like those that made it easy for the Divines to make slaves out of all mortals.

One of the women looked at Lyo giving them all nasty glares. She walked up to her and sat right next to her. The woman wore a smile in her face. “Sovereignist I assume?”

“We are all Sovereignists.” Answered Lyo.

“And how different is that from what the Divines gave us?”

“We are no longer slaves.”

“To the Divines maybe, but we have exchanged one master for another. Wouldn’t you agree?”

“But now we get to decide whether or not to follow said master.”

“Do you really?”

“And killing to satiate a bestial instinct is any better?”

“Slavery is our purpose girl, remember that. It was our purpose when Khemmel was the sole Divine, the same as it was during Gaeric’s time as slayer of the Divines, as it was for Corrax during his reign, and now after the fall of the six Sovereigns. We were born to be slaves. Not to experience freedom.” Explained the Gaericist.

“Gaeric would disagree with you. She did rise against the Divines after all.”

“And thus we served her when she became King Gaeric.”

“Hmph…” Lyo left the woman and headed off towards finding the rest of her team.

Onyx spotted Lyo walking with a rather dissatisfied look in her face.

“Hey Lyo we have new orders.”

“Those being?” She was not in a good mood.

“Escort mission to Spyre.”

“May the Sovereigns have mercy on us all if it becomes another Tofar.”

Tigris busied herself eating the food that had been served to her. It had been a long time since she ate a proper meal and with the number of times she transformed she needed a respite.

“How much for the meal old man?” She asked with her mouth full.

“Twelve bonds.”

Tigris reached into her pack, pulled out her wallet, and pulled out the bonds to pay the man for the dish.

“Thanks.”

Tigris continued eating when she noticed one of the girls coming downstairs. She was a pretty thing right about her age, and curves in all the right places. She caught a whiff of her scent and smelled ale, cum, and sweat. She sighed and continued eating. It was no fun when she was left with the leftovers. She smelled the girl getting closer until she saw her sitting in the stool next to her. She could feel the girl’s gaze on her. She focused her attention on the bottles of liquor on display before her rather than give the girl the time of day.

“So…”

Before the girl could continue her line of thought Tigris interrupted her. “Look I understand that you are doing your job, and in a different situation I would have gone right ahead and fucked you silly. But seeing as how you’ve already been plowed… It’s just not the same. Thanks for the meal barkeep.”

Tigris took one last chug of ale and walked out of the bar. She could always pick on Lyo, or masturbate to thoughts of her and Embry having sex that always picked up her mood. Tigris saw Embry and Tykal walking her way.

“New orders.”

“Yeah.” Answered Tykal.

“So what are they?” She asked.

“Escort mission to Spyre.” Answered Embry.

“If I have to destroy more of their fucking machines it will be too soon. So then let’s get going.”