Chapter Twenty One
At The Gates

“She’s been carrying a torch for you for a long time, Ruben,” Flaveo said. Rubicus and him were leading their little convoy, Vera and Clarus rode behind them, with Caerella bringing up the rear. “The least you can do is visit the woman.”

“I’m aware of that, Flaveo!” Rubicus laughed. “And she’s a kind woman. But I’ve no intention of settling down any time soon. Not in the Capital, leastways!” He and Flaveo had been bantering all morning, and it had been a pleasant melody to accompany their ride, and a welcome distraction from the fact that the city was getting closer.

“Ruben, from what I was told, Vera and the Prince found you holding on for dear life, barely holding it together against, what, three of the blasted things?” Flaveo messed with a flask for a moment before taking a swig.

“Four, if you must know. And that’s after being skewered. I’m not done for quite yet, old friend.” Vera leaned forward in the saddle and glared at the back of his head. She hadn’t really considered it much, but he really had almost died. Well, they both had, of course, but she had a Nymph living in her head now. 

“And you’re welcome,” Aesling said, looking at the man too. “He isn’t getting younger.”

“Maybe you should consider retiring, Ruben,” Flaveo said with a sly grin. “You’re only going to get slower. Why not take a nap? The rest of us will save the Kingdom. When the Prince gives me a manor I’ll save you a room, aye?” The hooves of their mounts kicked up gravel as they made down the King’s Way. 

“Eat me, Flaveo. Besides, you’re older than I am!” His laugh echoed across the road. 

Flaveo didn’t miss a beat. “Faster, too. Some people just age better than others. Let me know if your back starts acting up. You can take a long nap after we’ve killed the Cavean, old boy.” He chuckled, until Caerella rode up to them. 

“Quiet, you two,” she said, and they stopped. All three of them stopped, and Vera and Clarus also held their horses. They looked around. The city gates were not far now, only a few minutes away. “Listen.”

After a few seconds of trying to hear anything, Vera realized she was holding her breath. Flaveo looked around. “I don’t hear any— Oh.” He made a sheepish face. “Yeah.”

Caerella was right. This was the King’s Road. This close to the city gates, there should have been traffic. Noise. Carts bringing food in, and people going out. It was the middle of the day, as well. The silence was deafening. They all looked at each other. 

“What do we do?” Clarus asked, although Vera could tell he was already steering his horse forward. Unless one of them quickly came up with something, Clarus was likely to break off. Vera looked to the city gates. The Capital had been built to withstand a siege, once upon a time, its walls high and thick, built in concentric circles. Over time, however, its population had grown and spilled out of its gates, houses had sprung up around its gates, and streets had formed. All of them were quiet, the city gates open. 

“This is bad,” Flaveo mumbled. “If it’s already inside the city, who knows what damage it’s doing?” Clarus looked at him for a moment, then shook his head. 

“No,” he said. “In the event of an assault, all of the inner city’s ringed gates can be closed to keep the population safe.” Vera saw the doubt on his face, plain as day, his jaw clenching and unclenching as he stared ahead. 

“That would trap everyone inside as well,” Flaveo said. “But it does explain why there’s no-one outside.”

“Why would the walls be closed if only the Cavean and a few of its demons had marched on the Capital?” Caerella said as she dismounted. “Either it was killed and folk are having a quiet feast inside, or that infernal creature commands a larger army, now, than we feared.”

Rubicus shook his head as he stepped off his horse. “No point in arguing out here,” he said, and retrieved one, two, three swords from his saddle. A claymore, for cleaving, easily the largest weapon he owned and easily dropped, and then smaller ones to fall back on. 

Vera couldn’t help but agree. “What of the horses?” she asked as all of them checked their gear. “Will we just leave them here?” Caerella shook her head. 

“Hitching them would be a cruelty. I will not assume we make it back alive.” She shot everyone else a glare, daring them to speak up. Not even Clarus was that idealistic. “Best to take what we need, and send them on their way.” Putting actions to her words, she removed her steed’s saddle and bridle. “This is no place for you,” she whispered in its ear, and then smacked it on the rump. 

They found a small building, furthest from the gate, that had been unlocked. It was empty, like its inhabitants had left in a hurry. Clarus stopped briefly by the claw-mark that had been carved into the door post, but they moved on, storing their packs inside. Anything they didn’t take with them, they’d be able to retrieve after. If there was an after. They gathered by the front door, and looked at the city walls again. 

“Hear anything?” Rubicus asked. Caerella shook her head. 

“No,” she said, “though the city walls likely muffle sound. We won’t know more ‘till we go inside.” Her thumb ran across the haft of her axe, loosely slung over her shoulder. “Prince Clarus, with your permission?” He nodded, and she turned forward. “Ruben, Prince Clarus, you two will tip the spear. Once at the gates, I want you two to inform the rest of us of anyone you encounter.” 

Rubicus nodded, and then looked at Clarus. “Try to keep up, Prince.” He winked. Clarus laughed, and a bit of the tension in the room dissipated. 

“I will try, Rubicus,” he said. “Do try to leave some for me.” 

Caerella, not humoring them, looked at Vera. “You will be behind them. You’re able to support them both, and you’re capable with sword and shortbow. Keep them both in sight, and call for help if you must.”

Vera nodded. “Understood,” she said. She knew she wasn’t being condescended to. Rubicus and Clarus were both extremely capable swordsmen, and even with her enhanced reflexes, she felt she wasn’t likely to match either of them in an extended fight, even if she was able to hold her own for a bit. And backing either of them up was going to be a responsibility all on its own. 

“Flaveo. You’ll be behind them. Have you been able to whip up any more magics?”

As an answer, he produced several flasks. “A handful, with what I had remaining. They’ll all be a bit weak, but I wasn’t going to risk combining them.” He smirked. “The reaction would have been spectacular, but premature.”

“Good,” Caerella said, then looked out again. “I’ll be a bit behind. Clearing stragglers. If you don’t see me, do not worry. If I’ve trouble, you’ll know.” She took a deep breath, and exhaled slowly through her nose. “Finally, if any of you encounter the Cavean, do not engage it on your own.” She glared at Clarus. “Especially you. You’re the only one who has been able to seal that thing before, so it’s important you stay alive.”

“As you say,” Clarus said, bowing his head. “Are we all ready, then?” 

Everyone nodded in agreement, but the tension that had gripped them had returned. Vera felt anxiety gripping her, running through her veins. Not even Aesling’s presence did much to alleviate it. If something went wrong, any of them stood to lose their lives. She wasn’t worried for herself, after all. 

“It will be alright, Vera,” Aesling said. “In a worst-case scenario, you’ll be between all of them. All you must do is rush forward, and I’ll heal what injuries they have. I will not let them die under my touch.” Vera thanked her quietly before suddenly feeling Clarus tap her elbow. She turned to him, and he pulled her aside for a moment. 

“Vera,” he said quietly, “Ash. If something were to happen…” 

“None of that, my love,” Aesling said. “You are walking away from this alive, as I said. You’ll face that creature and live. I promise.” 

“And if I can be so bold,” Vera added. “You aren’t allowed to die, Clarus, because I’m not done doing this yet.”

“Doing wh—” he said, then Vera grabbed his face and kissed him, much to his surprise and Aesling’s delight. She took a moment, letting the feeling of his lips on hers drown out the fear and stress she was feeling. His arms slowly wrapped around her and pulled her in tight. She allowed Aesling to slip forward, and he grinned into the kiss when he felt the difference in how she held herself. Vera tried not to be overwhelmed at how much more… forward Aesling was. 

Finally, they pulled away, and even Prince Clarus was out of breath. “Very… very well, it seems I have no choice in the matter but to live through whatever comes next. But I would still ask that you hear what I’ve to say.” Vera and Aesling both gave him the kind of stare that indicated them having little patience, but let him speak anyway. “If something does happen, that renders me incapable of, say, speech, for a few days, then let me tell you, right here and now, how important you are.”

“Tell me tonight,” Vera said, shaking her head. “No dramatic farewells, Clarus.”

“Very well. But grant me one thing, then.” 

“Wh—” Vera said, and then he returned the kiss, with a vengeance. Vera felt herself melting in his arms. She reached out to Aesling for help, but found no help there. “You monster,” she whispered when she pulled away. 

“Truly devious,” he answered, before the two of them rejoined the others. Rubicus and Flaveo gave them a pointed stare, but Clarus gave them an innocent smile and Vera avoided their gaze altogether. 

“Let’s go,” Caerella said, and they stepped out of the building. Brandishing their weapons, they all moved into the formation they’d discussed. Vera kept an eye on Clarus and Rubicus, both of them keeping their weapons high as they approached the gates, only a hundred feet away. 

There was a noise, and they stopped. It had been a roar, filled with rage. Vera knew that sound. There was only one thing in this world that made that noise. The vision of the shade coming through the gates was expected, but the hairs on her neck stood up all the same. The creature seemed to be sniffing the air, before turning to them, snarling, roaring again, and then charging. The two men facing it took their stances, and the demon was almost on them, they stepped aside slashed, simultaneously. The monster crumpled into a heap right in front of Vera, who gave it a final coup-de-grace. 

They all smiled and nodded at each other. Vera was about to say something, when they heard a roar, and another monster stepped through the gate. Then another. And another. Then a shade appeared on top of the wall, followed by several more. 

“Uh,” Flaveo said behind her, “perhaps we should regroup. I think there’s almost ten.”

“More,” Vera said, pointing out movement on top of the wall. “Dozens, maybe.” More and more seemed to be gathering in the corners of her eyes, snarling. It was hard to keep them all in her line of sight. Further away, some started to jump down the walls. There might have been some hiding in the buildings by the road, as well. 

“Hundreds,” Caerella said as she stepped up next to them, with her back to the gate. “Maybe more. And we’re surrounded.” 

As one, shades peeled away from the walls, from the shadows, and started to close in around them like a river of rage, claws and teeth. Then they charged.