The Call of Crows

Chapter 23: Live on your Knees

Turns out that the Nikan royals had no intentions of offering any sort of money to Najeem or his allies. But, then again, he was expecting as much.

Once his allies refused to accompany him to a disguised execution they'd scheduled for tomorrow, he'd been locked in a metal cage full of glowing devices holding Fire Shedim. That meant no shadows.

Well, except for the bucket he managed to get from a guard when he had to piss.

Long story short, Najeem was rifling through the big tents that housed the royals for his belongings when Seang nearly killed him with a blast of light.

"God's fucking grace!" Najeem cried as he whirled around, back turned to the newly formed hole in the tent's canvas.

"Najeem?" Seang asked.

"Everyone in the camp is out doing the siege. Who the hell else would I be?" Najeem exclaimed.

"Gods and demons, sorry." Seang said, sounding more annoyed than remorseful, "I thought you were a royal or something."

"The Emperor's brats went up to watch the battle." Najeem said, "And if you guys are here, not helping kill said brats, then Xinhou's fucked."

Lokapele, Vai and Shakti behind Seang looked at each other.

"You say that as if it wasn't already." Seang said, "Nevertheless, the people have banded together to fight to the last. Given what I've seen of their plans, they might have a chance if we help. And we agreed to do so under the condition that we break you out first."

Shahla strode up, eyes pointed at the ground, and embraced Najeem. He blinked in shock for a moment.

"Shahla...?" Najeem asked.

"I'm sorry." She whispered, "I'm so, so sorry. I should've been there for you."

Najeem hesitated, formulating a response before placing a consoling hand on her shoulder, "I, uh...I forgive you."

Shahla nodded against his chest before letting him go.

"Then let's not waste any more time." Najeem said, "Xinhou needs a couple of mythical heroes, wouldn't you say?"

Najeem and his comrades ran back to the city through the shadows to find it in shambles. Well, some of the destruction looked purposeful.

Most of the army hadn't even got into the city. The walls were on fire, as were about twenty to thirty ladders. Gas steamed up from within the walls as the sounds of fighting raged through the night.

Upon slipping into the city, Najeem found that the citizenry had really gone all out trying to hold off the Nikan. Mountains of dead Nikan littered the road behind the gate. Fires rages in heaps of garbage or massive wooden barricades. Rubble replaced the once pristine brick roads and shattered bits of bamboo covered in blood replaced the vegetation.

As they went deeper into the city, Najeem heard a muffled screeching. Though it wasn't human.

"What the hell is that?" he asked.

"That's how we can hear Bane Knights." Seang said. "There's one nearby."

"Shit." Najeem said, "Let's go kill him."

"I'm going to take Vai and Shakti to a command center and either help lead or help heal the wounded." Seang said, "You three go join the fight."

Najeem nodded, "Alright."

He, Lokapele and Shahla emerged from the shadows behind a dwindling force of Nikan led by a Bane Knight wielding a mace.

Lokapele used a bit of molten stone to grab the Knight and throw him into the air. Najeem leapt into the sky and decapitated the enemy with his scimitar. His landing caught the attention of both the White Tiger and the Nikan.