Black Crystal Part 1 - The Origin

Chapter Forty One ~ The Battle Begins

Slowly, Garen, John, and Diedrich creeped out from the inn's front door. The sound of the Greycoats marching in unison was loud enough to almost drown out the sound of a ship's foghorn. "They're everywhere," Diedrich whispered. "What are we gonna do!?"

"We should pluck a few of them out and make a run for it," John suggested. "You think they'd notice a few shots?"

"Dad, they'd swarm us before we could even think about running," Garen whispered. "There are too many of them. We can't attack a few and expect to get away with it. We need a different plan... a way to cut them off from the front of the crowd." The three of them were clueless. They had no idea how to stop such a massive force. "Well, we can't let them attack Portland! Lenora and the Royal Family are there!"

"Something tells me that this war is inevitable..." John sighed with dismay. "But if the military in Portland has enough time to prepare, then maybe we'll have a fighting chance."

"Oh yeah, maybe," Diedrich scoffed. "How reassuring, considering that we're talking about thousands of soldiers or Greycoats or whatever against... however many soldiers are in the Portland military!"

"We need a fast way to return to the Capitol," Garen whispered. "I really wish Rin was here." They looked at the massive army once more and Garen finally spoke. "I've got it!" he whispered loudly. "It's gonna require some quick thinking, but I think I know what we can do. It's insane, though, but just hear me out." He looked at the crowd. "Diedrich, use your magic to pull two of them over here. Could you hypnotize them and compel them over here?"

"You think because I'm a magic squirrel that I can do just about anything, don't you?" Diedrich scoffed, but Garen simply replied with a silent, neutral glance. "Ugh, fine. Yes, I can do it. I was just trying to make a damn point."

"Not very helpful there, buddy," John replied. Diedrich rolled his eyes and held his hands out, focusing all his power on two marching Greycoats before they left his field of vision. The colors in their eyes turned purple and they stiffened. They turned towards the other Greycoats and said something, and the others nodded with acknowledgment of whatever they said. The two hypnotized Greycoats marched toward the inn against their will. As soon as they were within reach, Garen and John pulled them inside the inn and promptly killed them. "Alright, Garen. What's next?"

"We're taking their uniforms," said Garen. "We'll join the march as Greycoats until we arrive in Portland. However, we have quite a long way to go, so we'll have to find a way to march in the group that's already ahead of the people back here."

"You're crazy," John chuckled as he and Garen got changed into the uniforms of the Greycoats. "But I like your thinking."

"What about me?" Diedrich asked, throwing his arms out. "I'm about 87% sure they don't have any uniforms my size. What are you gonna do? Stuff me in your bloody pocket?"

"As a matter of fact, that's exactly what I'm gonna do," Garen replied as he finished getting changed into the uniform, grabbing the bayoneta-tipped sniper rifle from the fallen Greycoat in front of him. He bent down and grabbed Diedrich.

"Oi!" Diedrich exclaimed, squirming in Garen's hand. "This ain't fair, I tell you!"

"Well, we don't have much of a choice right now." Garen stuck Diedrich in the pocket of his jacket as he looked at John. "I don't think you'll be able to carry your regular rifle."

"Sure I can!" John exclaimed, shoving his regular rifle in the back of his jacket. It managed to stay there pretty well. "Never underestimate the resourcefulness of a crazy old man, my son." Garen chuckled a bit, even despite their insane situation, and looked outside.

"We'll try to catch up with the frontrunners," he whispered. "And we'll do so by sneaking through the west side. Try to get as far ahead as we can, and if we manage to make it to the front of the crowd, we're set. We'll march along with them until we make it to Portland, then we'll... I don't know yet, but we'll figure something out."

"Oh, I love how prepared we are," Diedrich scoffed sarcastically.

"He talks and he's sarcastic?" John laughed. "You've got quite a pet, Garen. Quite a pet indeed." Garen shushed both of them and slowly opened the front door to the inn again. Instead of running east towards the crowd, Garen started running west and to the south, trying to stay hidden from the massive army. John quickly followed suit, and they ran as fast as they could. It was intimidating to be near such a massive army, but they were getting close to the front. Especially since they could see where the line began, it was very easy to tell. Garen looked over at John and nodded, and they ran to the front. One of the Greycoats in the front of the massive line turned towards them and scoffed.

"Where in the world have you two been?" he asked. "C'mon, lead the way! Orders from the Chancellor—we're to make our way to Portland. Says he's preparin' for a conquest." Once again, Garen and John exchanged glances, then nodded at the Greycoat and joined the massive group.

We're on our way, Garen thought to himself. Whatever is happening... whatever might be going on in Portland, we'll put a stop to it. Lenora, I promise I'll be home soon.