Blackheart

Winged Savior

Alexander stepped through the streets, glancing down each alleyway cautiously as he made his advance. Him and Senci were to attempt to find a good route to the Blackheart, at the same time avoiding the main streets.

As the knight attempted to muffle his movements as best he could, Senci did the same, the two warriors' plate suits making it difficult. Although this was supposed to be a scouting mission, they didn't dare go to the surface without armor after the last close call. Beasts roamed the streets, and noise was a price they were willing to pay for protection.

It continued this way for a half hour. The duo carefully made their way East through the side streets, further and further into the city, avoiding whatever corrupted beasts they could along the way.

Making their way to the market square once again, things looked the same as when they had left. Charred and crushed corpses of fallen beasts littered the area. Many areas around the square was stained a deep black, a result of Tourthun's fire breath. Bits and chunks of road were gouged from where the dragon had slammed and raked his claws.

The entire place looked like a desolate battlefield.

In addition to all of this, the corpses were really beginning to smell. The stench of death had become strong with over a day's time having passed since the battle. The knight grimaced behind his helmet, the expression impossible to see.

"Let's get through here quickly."

Senci mumbled in agreement, seemingly taken aback by the scene before him. The two of them quickly marched through the market square, Senci pausing for a moment.

The knight turned back. "Senci? What's wrong?"

The kobold frowned, misty-eyed. "...this is where I met Master Vok."

Alexander raised a brow. "Vok?" The kobold nodded sadly.

"A blacksmith. He...he took me in when I didn't have a home. He was...so kind. I just..." Senci wiped at his eyes with his gauntlets.

Alexander frowned. "Is he...?"

"I don't know!" Senci said, straining, "He was out shopping when it happened. Oh God, Alexander, do you think he's...?"

"Where did he go?"

"Mmph..." Senci took a moment to sniffle before continuing. "Xentho's Wholesale, in Little Abinsil."

Alexander took a moment to think that over. He thought back to the map the locals had shown him...Little Abinsil...that district was in between them and supposed location of the Blackheart!

The knight put a hand on the kobold's shoulder. "That's on the way to the Blackheart! We'll stop by and search the place! I bet he found somewhere to hunker down and wait this over."

Senci smiled as continued wiping at his eyes. "T-Thank you, sir knight. Thank you."

Alexander nodded. "Now...let's march on! Hey, if we make good time on the move, we could search the place in a few hours' time!"

Senci nodded. "Right! Let's go, than! We can do it!" The kobold quickly followed Alexander out of the market square, his spirit renewed.

As the two continued forward, they stuck to creeping along the alleys and back roads. From what the survivors had seen so far, the corrupted citizens seemed to hang around commercial areas, like markets and company halls. Alexander hoped that their tactic of skulking through the back alleys would hold up as they pushed further on.

The journey went on silently for some time, the knight and warrior slipping further into the center of the city. On several occasions, they stumbled across the corpses of fallen denizens, as well as spotting some corrupted beastmen. They were careful to give them a wide berth, not gung-ho to engage the empowered monsters now that they were down two warriors and a dragon.