Capítulo 468: Near Death
"Those fools aren't trying hard enough. Taran took all the best people with him," Livie complained.
Just like for the Emperor, the moon had given the noblewoman a clear view of what was happening on the fortress's walls. She lamented the loss of her advantage, and as Livie looked on, her angst at the developments only grew.
"Patience, my lady," her assistant said, trying to ease her nerves. Fechin had been with his former master in the war on magic. Because the Duke would not betray the Empress, he had ended up dying at the hands of Cafer's forces.
But not before teaching Fechin the importance of staying calm.
The beautiful woman did not share his clarity. "I have half a mind to march up there myself. Surely I could do better than they are."
Livie shot an accusing glare at those standing back from the east wall. Steaming foam was slowly dissipating as it soaked into the scorched ground.
"Lazy mongrels…" she muttered.
"I can hear you, you know," Hadley released an involuntary growl. She had finally returned from delivering the messages only to hear herself being insulted.
Pretending not to hear the underlying threat, Livie shrugged. "You know I wasn't meaning you. You are far too valuable to me…"
Hadley's low rumble stopped.
The abominations which were half lit by the moon were steadily making progress on the north wall. They were Livie's best chance at success and she traced their path with bated breath. After a few failed attempts to breach the battlement, the wolves finally surged forward.
Eyes alight with morbid pleasure, Livie cackled softly. "Now we are finally making progress." She tapped her fingers together contemplating the carnage that she could not see behind the crenellations.
Hadley's ears picked up something, bringing her to full alert. She could hear a loud crack over the noise and a whistling sound. Then a massive sphere which mirrored the moon appeared over Oblivion's wall.
"My lady!" Hadley lifted Livie around the waist and went running away from the city.
The noblewoman did not process what was happening until a boulder the size of a small house crashed where she had just been. Among the dirt and debris, the two ladies went stumbling to the ground, unharmed.
"How did they get the boulder over the wall? Where did they even get a rock that size?" Hadley spat among a myriad of curses.
Livie, on the other hand, was already running back to where the rock had been. Her faithful assistant had not been lucky enough to have Hadley rescue him. Fechin had paid the price. His shoulder and right arm were flattened and part of his ribs had caved in, but he was still alive. Just barely.
With a raspy breath, Fechin looked up at his mistress. "Get out of here. They might have another."
Livie glanced at the boulder, which had continued after crushing Fechin on its disastrous path. The rock had finally come to rest after gouging a valley of its own into the former riverbed.
With determination in her eyes, Livie stayed in her spot. "I am not going without you."
Hadely took the hint and picked up Fechin, and the three moved back to the tree line. By the time they had covered the distance, the light in the assistant's eyes had almost been extinguished.
From a hidden fold in her skirt, Livie pulled a small vial of swirling purple liquid. She pressed it to lips. "Drink before it is too late."
"That is your fail-safe, My Lady, not mine." Fechin pressed his thin lips together weakly.
"I will get another when we return to soon enough. Transform or you'll die." Forcefully, Livie pulled his jaw open and poured the contents of the vial down his throat.
Fechin would have argued that the transformation would likely not heal him, but he could not. All he could do was what his mistress bid him. As his head lay on the chilly grass, he swallowed and closed his eyes.
Livie stared at him a moment longer and then looked back to the battle in the distance. Things were not going in her favor. She sighed.
"Tell those who have not begun to climb to fall back. We have done enough damage for one night. I will send word to Taran for reinforcements. Until then, we will wait."
Livie hated the idea of asking her brother for help, but she had severely underestimated Oblivion's resources. Only a fool would keep banging their head against an actual wall instead of regrouping.
"What about those who have already made it to the top?" Hadley asked. She knew Clyff was among those in the original assault.
"Let them finish what they started," Livie answered grimly. "We will avenge them."
It was clear that Hadley wanted to argue, but there was really not a lot the female wolf could do to help those who were inside Oblivion. But she would also not force them to continue to fight if they found a way down.
"Understood." Hadley bowed, her long fur falling across her eyes.
"Hurry!" Livie urged her.
"Now?" The wolf glanced at Fechin, who was beginning to convulse. "Shouldn't I wait until he is done? He may attack you!"
"I can handle myself. Now go!" The leader of the abominations left no room for argument.
Hadley's hair bristled, but she ran off on all fours to warn those that she could to retreat. If she didn't hurry, more than half their forces could be lost on this night alone. Her speed would literally be the difference between life and death for many tonight.
So she ran with all her might.
-----------
Inside Oblivion a trail of blood led down an alleyway and into the streets. Junayd kept his eyes open, telling any human he saw to flee the area.
Once the pyres were lit, the trail became much clearer. Collyn was close. There was no way that much blood was lost without the wolf feeling the effect. Junayd would find him soon enough and return to the battle on the wall. His pace quickened.
At last the advisor neared one of Oblivion's stables. Although the soldiers' steeds were not brought inside the fortress, there were still many horses kept inside the city for various purposes.
Junayd weighed his options. He could try to search around the steeds until he found the monster, or he could clear out the horses with the hopes of flushing the wolf with the mismatched eyes out into the open.
With grim determination, the former general ghosted into the stable. Sensing his presence, the horses became ill at ease.
No. They were already unsettled because he was not the first visitor tonight. They had dug deep ruts in the ground with their anxious pounding hooves. The monster was certainly here.
Carefully, Junayd unlatched the gate and let the first horse run free into the street. He gripped his sword tightly and looked into the pen. It was empty.
Three more loose horses revealed similar results. Junayd was becoming more tense by the moment. He could hear heavy breathing and a snort, but it could easily just be a palmetto as a wolf.
'Come out, will you?!' Junayd screamed internally. Combat he could handle, but he did not like suspense.
Before he could release the painted mare next in the line, she reared back and crashed against the half-door.
From the shadows, Collyn leapt over the desperate horse and straight at Junayd's chest with one of the stable's pitchforks in his paw. Together they tumbled to the ground in a mess of fur and armor.
Junayd's sword and Collyn's pitchfork bounced to the ground and flew from their hands. Even in his weakened state, Collyn was still a force to be reckoned with. Feeling the weight of the monster against his body, Junayd knew before long he would suffocate.
The handsome man punched his gloved fist into the wolf's snout. Collyn reeled back, whimpering as the metal of the armor cut his nose.
Next, Junayd pressed his fingers into one of the deeper wounds on Colly's abdomen, forcing the wolf to defend himself.
Collyn scurried back from the human while jerking the man's arm violently. Junayd screamed as his shoulder was pulled from its socket and threatened to be ripped apart altogether.
When the monster finally let go to get a better grip, Junayd's arm hung limp. The former general struggled to stand, but Collyn knocked him to the ground with a swipe of his massive paw across Junayd's dented helmet.
Sliding against a pen's gate, Junayd spat blood and ignored his busted lip. His helmet now lay as far away from him as his sword. He gave a dark smile. "You are strong. Well done. I am not as young as I once was, though, so it isn't as impressive as it could have been."
The wolf glared at him, any semblance of humanity gone from his dark eyes. Collyn bore his teeth. Their razor sharp edge would tear through his flesh as soon as the advisor was peeled out of his armor.
Collyn snapped at the human, who suddenly threw a feed bucket at the creature's face. While the wolf was distracted, Junayd released the gate behind him and rolled to one side.
The larger pen held an unbroken stallion, and the mighty steed was determined to prove his dominance. Seeing Collyn as the bigger threat, the black fury reared at him without a second thought.
Junayd released horse after horse until they filled the space between himself and the wolf.
Disoriented, Collyn pushed against the beasts as they stomped on his feet. The wolf worked feverishly to get them away.
His bloodlust burned, but he was far more interested in the human who had caused him pain. When the last beast of burden was clear, Collyn spotted the general against the far back wall.
He had tried to get out the back through a window, but due to his arm, it was not an option.
With all his fury, Collyn ran at Junayd on all fours. He built up incredible speed in only a few lengths.
The advisor pressed his body up against the wall, seemingly afraid. By the time the wolf realized it was a trick, it was too late.
Junayd braced his good arm against the wall and lifted the discarded pitchfork to meet his foe.
Collyn crashed into the tines with such force that the wooden handle of the pitchfork shattered against Junayd's armor, but not before the damage was done.
The two went crashing through the back of the stable and out into the cold night air.
No matter how the advisor twisted, there was no way to avoid Collyn's descent. They landed in a bloody heap, wolf on man.
Struggling to lift his good arm, which was now almost as battered as the other, Junayd braced himself to defend against the monster.
But no attack came. Limply, Collyn lay on top of Junayd, the pitchfork having run through and severed his spine. Collyn was dead.
Yet, Junayd did not feel relieved. It was then that he truly began to panic. The monster was slowly pressing out the air from the man's lungs and there was nothing he could do about it.
Junayd was suffocating.
He let out a small cry for help with his last bit of air, and then the world went dark.
Status de energia semanal
-- Ranking de
Poder 
-- Pedra de
Poder