Steel Wolf

Moving Out

The night brightened into dawn, the air clear and crisp. The guards, fully armed and armored, were formed into their respective squads at attention outside the tower. The monks were busy with their morning prayers near the edge of the field. Shalindra was way off to one side practicing with a bow appropriated from the rooftop guards. Tanaya wandered up and down the ranks of guards inspecting their armor and issuing the day's orders. All guards present had their faceplates open, save Rance and Scualdon.

"Captain MacNaulty, Lieutenant Rennerfeld! Front and center!" The pair strode smartly forward to stand at attention. Tanaya slowly reached a finger to tip up Rance's faceplate. His face was one huge bruise, his nose bent at an odd angle. Tanaya quirked a brow and tipped up Scualdon's faceplate. One eye was swollen completely shut, his upper lip split almost to his nose, with a huge dark mouse on one cheek. Tanaya blinked.

"I will assume that the pair of you have reached some sort of agreement?" she asked. Rance grinned and cast a glance at Scualdon who smiled back, showing two broken teeth. Both men quickly returned their eyes straight ahead, seeming to look through Tanaya. Military through and through.

"Commander," said Rance, "the matter is settled. Although, a light healing spell to take the edge off is hereby requested for both men, Ma'am."

Tanaya called Amanda over and just pointed to the injured officers, then walked away chuckling to herself.

"Mount up!" yelled the commander as she swung into her saddle and drew up next to the princess, clad in her own matte black armor. The horses of the slain soldiers had been redistributed. Some of the smaller soldiers graciously allowed the monks to ride in tandem, but most monks walked. Shalindra, still limping, noiselessly ran over to Amanda and padded along beside her.

Lieutenant Packer's squad led the way through the boulder channel and down the hill back onto the road they had traveled in their flight from the city. Since there was no one trying to wipe them from the face of the earth, the Guard traveled easily along the road, although outriders were sent into the forest on either side as a standard watch.

-o0o-

The troops made excellent time, nearing the area of the capital city in a little less than a day. Tanaya called a rest and started to dispatch a reconnaissance patrol to the city, but was stopped by her sister.

"This body knows what you are thinking, Sister. Please follow me before sending out patrols." They walked a short way up a hill. Tandala pointed to the remains of the city. Actually, there were no remains. From this vantage point, Tanaya's eyes swept the scene in the fading sunlight.

Starting about a league distant, trees were bent and broken, the tops facing the hill upon which they stood. Farther on, the trees were smashed; then smashed and charred. The closer she looked toward the city, the worse it got. The ground blackened, rocks broken, streaks on the ground where some type of enormous wind had pushed dirt and debris along before it was all destroyed. The very center of this huge circle of death held a large hole in the ground.

"Holy shit..." muttered Tanaya in pure awe. "What happened?"

Tandala dropped her eyes and turned to her sister.

"The Order contacted the Gold Ghost Brigade and informed them that the city had been overrun by undead. What you see was the reaction from the Ghosts."

Tanaya called over her shoulder.

"Captain MacNaulty! Make loose camp here for the night! Standard watch will be sufficient!" An answering call from Rance as she turned back to Tandala.

"The High Priest said to avoid that place and I can see why. We'll head north in the morning and skirt the edge."

"For more efficient travel, this body suggests south. That direction will save three or four hours of travel time."

Tanaya grinned and hugged the monk to her.

"That's my little sister. Always looking for ways to do things better. South it is. Let's go grab some chow." The pair turned and walked hand in hand down the hill.

-o0o-

It was Tall Tales Night around the campfire. Each guard told the wildest, most outlandish tale he or she could think of, and the next guard tried to top it. Tall Tales were always told as if they were truth, but everyone knew it was pure bullshit...almost everyone.

"...an' all I had to protect meself was a butter churn. So, I ripped off the top o' it an' used it as shield. Th' hannle made a good sword an' I laid into 'em, I did!" Private Markle swung his arm as if holding a saber and acted out his tale. "Them Dusties come at me by fours an' fifteens! One o' them Dusties, he makes a dive fer me leg so I jumped inee air an' come down wi' both foots on his head. Afore I could turn around, I was waylaid by fifty-hunnerd o' them Dusties!"

Shalindra Dragonspring, seated comfortably on the ground beside Amanda, her arm around the latter's shoulders, listened intently to the tale.

"So, what happened?" asked a guardswoman.

"I died," said Markle, to the accompaniment of fits of laughter by the assembled warriors. "Yep, deader'n a rock. They cut me inter so many pieces, a mousey coulda eaten 'em in one bite."

Shalindra furrowed her brow and whispered to Amanda.

"And yoo revived him? What spell deed yoo yoos to put da peeces togedder again?"

Amanda smiled gently, hugged the elf and did her best to explain the point of the tales.

"So peebles are speeking untruths here? Untruthing is permissioned by them?"

"Only here and nowhere else. This is just a way to relax and get frustrations out. These are good people. The best. Ordinarily, they don't lie. Just here."