💎A Collision of Fates💎 (Straight to Gay) (MxM) (18+)

100 - Nick

As the chaos settled on the top of the wall, as The Golden Spire continued to completely surround the city, setting up their camps, Nick and Breck leaned against the tower and breathed, taking a moment to relax, a moment to think.

There were a few wounded men being tended to. Medic-defenders were wrapping wounds with gauze, loading the injured onto stretchers, popping bones back into place. The rest of the defenders were doing the same thing that Nick and Breck were doing. All along the wall, men were leaning against the turrets, sitting on the stone. Trauma was written across many blood-soaked faces.

The corpses of their fellow defenders were all around them, littering the ground. Unblinking faces were staring up at the sun or lost in a mess of blood and gore. Many had died. But their sacrifices hadn't been for nothing. The Golden Spire had been beaten back, for now, at least.

"Defenders of Sesstria!" Esteck's voice returned with the same radiant gusto that it had had before the start of the fight. This time, Nick was much closer to the king. His voice was clear. In response to his words, to being addressed, most of the defenders on the wall stood up straight and gave the king their attention, including Nick and Breck. His legs wobbled for a moment, exhausted, but Nick managed to keep himself upright. "The Golden Spire retreats back to the sun forest in shame, in defeat. The people of our great city are safe for another day, guarded from the blades of the cult."

The cheer that rose from the defenders was much more muted than it had been before the start of the battle. For Nick, it was a combination of exhaustion and sadness. They had lost so many. All he could think about was getting back to The Paxtan Estate and taking a bath. He wanted to wash away the blood, to wash away the memory of the field of corpses in front of him.

"We have won the day." Esteck continued in spite of all of this. His jeweled crown glinted in the high, searing sun. The Commanders, standing beside and behind him, smiled. Nick doubted that they had seen any violence. The elite guard that surrounded all of them were drenched in blood, but the four most important men in the country didn't have a spot on them.  "You have won the day."

Again, a cheer came from the crowd of defenders on the wall, muted, forced. They were probably of a similar mind to Nick. They just wanted to go home.

Commander Teel approached the side of the tower, leaned over, addressed the defenders spread out below him. "I echo the King's sentiments, men." He turned to the left, throwing a wary, tired glance at The Golden Spire's growing encampment. "We are now in siege protocol. Just as we prepared for. Those of you who are scheduled for day watch, I want you stationed and patrolling immediately. The rest, you may return to your regular duties after we've cleared the wall" He paused, stared at the crowd of defenders, the crowd that Nick was a part of. "For our Goddess."

In unison, they replied, a steady chorus. "For our land."

Nick, Breck, and Rafie helped the rest of the defenders clean up the top of the wall. It was grisly work, disgusting work, sad work, and it was surprising that the northerner wanted to help. But, like the rest of them, he tossed the red-robed bodies over the far side of the wall, and helped carry the black-clad bodies down the staircase.

Even King Esteck, dressed in a silver doublet, helped them transport some of the corpses. It didn't take very long for Commander Teel to insist that he retreat back to the palace for rest, but he did it under protest, with a grim frown on his face.

They left the corpses in the small square that bordered the western wall. But the bodies only stayed there for a few minutes, as other defenders were loading them onto carts and transporting them back to the base. Each and every one of them would get a proper burial, they would get their due recognition for the sacrifices they had made.