“Retreat! Retreat!” The captain screamed to the top of his lungs, rising his own lance to impale another charging bog body. “Fall back!”

 

The signal still wasn’t visible in the sky, but the old man recognized the losing battle on his hands, and his people were on the verge of abandoning their posts anyways. He had bought his people as much time as he possibly could, but if they hadn’t evacuated by now, there simply was no hope for anyone to escape, and he knew it. So instead of letting his people die, he would allow them to run… but as for him? He would stay.

 

As the cowards among his soldiers immediately turned tail and ran for their lives, some of the more loyal members of the guard noticed how the captain didn’t make a single motion to leave.

 

“Sir!”, a young soldier cried out. “You can’t possibly mean to stay alone?!”

 

“This is my responsibility!”, the captain didn’t even turn around to look at him, focused on keeping the creatures away. “You people still have battles to fight! Go, now! Before it’s too late!”

 

“But—”

 

“It was an honor to serve with you all! Now get the fuck out of here!”

 

What remained of the guard heeded that order, as loyal as they were there was still appreciation for life in them. And so, soon enough, the Captain was completely alone and surrounded by the hungering beasts that clicked with excitement when seeing a hearty meal all by itself. Once more the captain closed his eyes and prayed, his trembling arms barely able to hold his weapon any longer. If this was the end of his life, he would face it with honor.

 

But then, a cacophony. The screams of a young woman came along with the swishing sound of a singing sword. Opening his eyes in disbelief, the Captain saw the redheaded witch rising back from the building she had been thrown into, her vigor renewed and her fury burning with such intensity that even the clicking beasts hesitated for a second.

 

“OUT OF MY WAY!”

 

Flesh and bone broke under the pressure of Gabrielle’s sword, blood flying and sputtering all around as the woman spun in perfect circles, cutting everything that dared to stand in her path. The captain himself had to jump out of the woman’s way as she cleared the area, heads and arms flying around like it was nothing… until the woman had to eventually stop spinning, stumbling and holding her head with a hand. She clearly had no idea how to wield such a massive weapon.

 

“Run, sir. I will hold the line.” Gabrielle barked as loudly as she could, but her throat was sore from all the screaming.

 

“Kid, you wield that thing like a club! What in the heavens do you think you are doing!?” The captain couldn’t help but smile there. “Have you ever wielded a two-hander before!?”

 

“Can’t say I have.”

 

“It shows! No time for a lesson now though, keep swinging! Aim for the heads! If they catch your sword with their pincers you’re dead!”

 

“Yes, sir!”

 

Said and done, Gabrielle would continue to swing her blade with all the strength she could muster. Indeed, she moved like the blade was a huge club, and was truly lucky that the sword was as sharp as it was! Cutting through the bodies of advancing monstrosities like mowing the lawn with a scythe was not the most elegant or force-effective way of dealing with a horde, but it certainly was helping them hold the line.

 

But eventually, without fail, the beasts would learn the one weakness of this strategy: just stop walking towards the sword-swinging maniac and let her tire herself up.

 

The bog walkers formed a wide circle around both the Captain and Gabrielle, keeping their distance and trying their best to avoid the witch’s blade while continuing their advance into the city. She still could cleave through a few unlucky strays, dashing from side to side, but that was already pushing her body to the limit.

 

“It was a good try, kid…” The Captain comforted her. “But this is as far as we go.”

 

“I can… still… fight…” Gabrielle said while panting, her grip on her sword starting to loosen. “I can… still fight…!”

 

The old man shook her head slowly, but dared not to say anything. At least they had the horde’s attention right now, creatures hungrily gathering around them… and then, they heard it. In the distance, the echoes of war horns approaching and the unmistakable sound of horses approaching in mass. There was a change in the demeanor of the bog walkers, the push into the city stopping temporarily as they turned to face the coming threat: a new army approached, clad in black and gold and carrying beautiful banners with the most picturesque patterns. Griffiths, Manticores, Dragons, all kinds of mythological creatures bowing to the Holy T and the Golden Crown of the Church of the Saints.

 

Gabrielle’s eyes widened. This was the second time she was faced with the beauty of the Saint’s Army and even now, years later, she still felt that spark of childhood wonder shine brighter from the impression. Still, there was no time to really bask in the radiance of her saviors, for even if they arrived now, there was still a large group of bog walkers surrounding her. A perfect ring of predators, waiting for Gabrielle to put down her sword and then feast on her flesh.

 

But then, Gabrielle heard another familiar sound: a voice, yelling at her.

 

“Gabrielle you fool what are you doing!?”

 

A halberd wielding woman literally fell from the skies, its blade skewering one of the creatures as she landed on top of it. Lucrece frowned, her one eye glaring at the redhead as she pulled her weapon out of the now dead bog walker, and rapidly flourished with it before cutting down a second one.

 

“ I thought I taught you better than this! Have you forgotten my lessons already!?”

 

Gabi’s heart fluttered for a moment, emotion filling her eyes before she shook her head quickly. “I am sorry. I may have forgotten a bit.”

 

“Tsk. We will have a talk after this is all done, you hear me!?” Lucrece smiled there, running away from the hungry claws of more monstrosities and joining the two warriors in the center of the circle. “By the way… I have a message from someone in the piers. A friend of yours? Ari-something like that.”

 

“...Arianna.” Strength returned to Gabrielle’s arms, her grip growing firmer by the second. “Is she here?”

 

“She waits for us in the piers! She is eager to see you, so you better not die here and now, you hear me !?”

 

The Captain, on the other hand, was completely dumbfounded. Where did these people keep coming from? Was he really being saved by women right now? He would have to re-evaluate some things if he managed to survive this invasion.