The Spirits of the Universe (PJO)

Chapter 80--The Wall

There's one more thing that's pretty important about this town: the wall that bordered the southern end.

"It's to fend off the bandits from the Lawless Zone," Aridne had explained. "This town produces a lot of food, making it a pretty valuable target."

The structure was pretty imposing; looming stone walls and torches that shone even in the daytime. The only blemish across its length was the metal portcullis that the main road ran straight toward, flanked by the emergency water reservoir.

The road that Niyomina would have to take.

You got the plan now? No?

Me neither.

But Aridne had been pretty confident. And since she had been right about Niyomina even showing up in the first place, Liam now supported her. I couldn't do anything about it. So while they were busy fighting off the guards, the rest of us would be in charge of capturing the walls and cutting off Niyomina's escape route.

The rest of us, meaning me.

Not that I was complaining. I needed some distance from Aridne, especially after . . . what had happened.

And fighting a few dozen guards seemed like the best way to process my emotions.

"Halt," a guard ordered as I walked up to the gate, hands in my pockets. "We do not recommend you leave the town for the time being. The bandits are being more active than usual."

Aridne was right, End said. They're preparing to receive the caravan and deliver it to Eternity—allegedly, of course.

"I'm not interested in leaving. I want to go there." I pointed towards the top of the wall, where a few more soldiers peered down at us curiously.

The guard was taken aback. "Er . . . civilians aren't allowed up there."

"You can't make an exception?"

The guard shook his head—only to get decked in the face.

"Well," I sighed as the sound of him dropping to the ground was drowned out by his friends' alarmed shouting. "At least I tried to fix this peacefully. You want a punch too, End? Maybe that'll get you to stop talking about . . . her."

You can't even say her name, End said gleefully as a door burst open, spilling out three angry guards from the watchtower. Sends shivers down your spine, doesn't it?

I winced at her words, which were way too true. Look . . . I can't defend what I did at the temple. But . . . I still don't know. She's been playing with my emotions from the start. I'm done being a pawn. 

I disarmed one of the guards. I whacked him in the head with his own spear, then jabbed the other in the gut with the handle. The third looked at me in fear, then took off running.

I strode towards the door.

Maybe she doesn't see you as a pawn, Order countered. Look, there's a reason why immortal-mortal relationships don't last more than a few months. The meaning behind actions and words changes when time isn't a factor. 

I blinked as I entered the dark base of the tower. A second later, something wooshed through the air—then nine guards jumped me.

I ducked the dagger thrown at me, deflected the first wave of blows with Riptide, then threw it hilt-first at the sharpshooter. Before anyone could react, I took the closest two out with a mixture of jabs and punches.

I twisted out of the way of a spear jab, grabbed the wooden shaft, and deflected a sword strike. Then I judo flipped Spear Guy over my shoulder, who tumbled into a second. With the spear I'd stolen, I made quick work of the other three.