As the morning drew to a close in the former governor's home, it became apparent that Kameko's word had spread to great effect. People were willing to fight.
Blacksmiths from all over town came to donate arms and armor. Even tools and bags of caltrops. Common people with the tools to break up paving and brick roads brought them to the White Tiger.
Boys from barely thirteen to men over sixty insisted on joining the fight. Even women and a few hot-blooded girls. The elderly, mothers, and their young daughters boiled water and oil while boys too young to fight helped string bows, sharpen sticks and collect materials.
Tavern owners donated their stores of alcohol and food to feed the rebels. White Tiger soldiers helped civilians tie together street-wide mazes of bamboo to stifle the Nikan approach while university students built slingshots, catapults and trebuchets to launch bricks, stone and flaming projectiles.
The White Tiger soldiers had always been offered masks with cloth in them that protected soldiers from gas attacks by the Nikan. Now, people were just tying them to their faces with ribbons and sheets.
Kameko and the other captains gathered to discuss angles of attack the Nikan might lead with and prepare the civilians for battle.
Amid an argument between them about whether it was wise to dedicate troops to the walls, someone entered their conference.
It was Seang.
"Come to tell me how pointless this is again?" Kameko growled.
Seang shook her head, "I didn't think this many would fight. I'm sorry for doubting you. On the condition that we plan to rescue our ally, we'll help you."
Despite the dire situation, Kameko couldn't help but grin.
_________________________________________________________________
An awful scream rang out across the grassy hills of Northern Koinelia as Taya and her compatriots traversed it for the fifth day.
"What the hell was that?" Ruhak exclaimed.
"A call to adventure!" Taya joked.
"Nope, shut up." Cecile said, "We're not dealing with whatever the hell that thing is, alright? It's probably some eleven foot tall flying demon that's going to scoop me up because I look like the weakest and either I'll die or I'll be put through yet another humiliating rescue attempt."
"Humiliating?" Peng asked. "I thought my contraption was rather brilliant."
"Brilliant or not, I'm tired of being the only one here who can't take on five people at once." Cecile sighed.
"I...can't do that." Ruhak said.
Cecile huffed, "You stole one of my Bane Knights last time. Three of those are equivalent."
"Stole? He was about to chop your head off." Ruhak looked taken aback. "I saved your life!"
"Alright, alright, who gives a damn about who saved whose life?" Taya said, "We should investigate."
"We don't exactly have infinite time," Bjorn protested.
Taya sighed. He was right, but...it wasn't as though anyone else could stand a chance against the Armageddon event.
After cresting a hill, the five of them caught sight of a battle happening in the middle of a burning village.
Bulky, towering monsters with snouts and twisting horns, rampaged through the town, leaving the dismembered bodies of civilians in their wake. The meager numbers of the town garrison tried to fight back, but were doing a poor job.
YOU ARE READING
The Call of Crows
FantasíaBjorn Stormtamer's world has been turned upside down in more ways than one. His shipmates have left him for dead on an island for quarantining victims of a disease that he now has. His partner in battle despises him, his family thinks he's dead and...
