Private Tales Regulators Under Fire

[Praetor Leah Kadashal]

THE OLD FORT
TERRITORY OF OMMA​

The troop of Regulators from Gild found themselves under siege.

Campania, the Bloody Crescent, was a region of warring neighbors. Yet it was not uncommon at all for these feuding states, sometimes even in the midst of war, to request the specialities—services and goods—of their fellow states. And Gild was renowned throughout Campania for having the best forces for dealing with magic gone awry, be that in the form of a fiend, a traitor, a curse, or anything which wickedness could conceive.

So it had been with Omma, the Iron Aristocracy. Or, more precisely, a particular town in Ommite lands. The local Headman of the town of Ereshun, unable to find help from the Aristocracy of his own land, reached out to the Church of Jura and the Regulators of Gild. He feared that Fae creatures were abducting or killing men who ventured into the deep woods north of the town.

And so a dozen Regulators, led by the Praetor Boesarius Terral, departed from Gild to answer the plight of Ereshun. But trouble would find them.

An Ommite patrol, ignorant to the reason of the Regulators' presence in the land of Omma and unwilling to listen, attacked them. Arrows flew from the Ommites, bolts from the Regulators. Men fell. A fighting retreat ensued, with the Regulators, largely outnumbered, on the run. The Gildans came to an old Ommite fort, a small garrison meant only as a base of operations rather than as a formidable stronghold, with crumbled walls and damaged towers of stone and wood.

And it was in this fort that the Regulators took cover, and prepared to make their stand.

* * * * *​

Leah Kadashal hid low behind a battlement atop one of the towers, her back pressed to the stones. She worked at reloading her crossbow.

She feared nothing at all. Even in the night's gloom, with the stars and the moons shining silver on the old fort and the landscape thereabouts, with the Ommites down below outnumbering them some three to one, she feared nothing. For this was meant to happen. This was meant to be. And she was happy! She rejoiced! For Regel had delivered upon his promise, that very promise he had made to her so long ago when her life had been saved.

For it was but her and Avric Warstromal, alone atop this one tower. They had gotten separated in the fighting from the rest of their Regulator kin, who all held strong in the fort's other standing tower nearby. A standoff had ensued.

(this is fated)

Down below, in the murk of the fort's ruin, Ommites shouted taunts and threats to the Regulators: "Gildan scum! Throw down your weapons!"

"Surrender to the authority of the Iron Aristocracy! And you will live!"

One of the Regulators from the other tower yelled profanity back at the Ommites.

"Avric," said Leah, her voice calm, almost serene, despite the circumstances, "do you think these Ommites know? That they were born merely to die at our hands?"

Avric Warstromal

 

[Avric Warstromal]

THE OLD FORT
TERRITORY OF OMMA​

The troop of Regulators from Gild found themselves under siege.

Campania, the Bloody Crescent, was a region of warring neighbors. Yet it was not uncommon at all for these feuding states, sometimes even in the midst of war, to request the specialities—services and goods—of their fellow states. And Gild was renowned throughout Campania for having the best forces for dealing with magic gone awry, be that in the form of a fiend, a traitor, a curse, or anything which wickedness could conceive.

So it had been with Omma, the Iron Aristocracy. Or, more precisely, a particular town in Ommite lands. The local Headman of the town of Ereshun, unable to find help from the Aristocracy of his own land, reached out to the Church of Jura and the Regulators of Gild. He feared that Fae creatures were abducting or killing men who ventured into the deep woods north of the town.

And so a dozen Regulators, led by the Praetor Boesarius Terral, departed from Gild to answer the plight of Ereshun. But trouble would find them.

An Ommite patrol, ignorant to the reason of the Regulators' presence in the land of Omma and unwilling to listen, attacked them. Arrows flew from the Ommites, bolts from the Regulators. Men fell. A fighting retreat ensued, with the Regulators, largely outnumbered, on the run. The Gildans came to an old Ommite fort, a small garrison meant only as a base of operations rather than as a formidable stronghold, with crumbled walls and damaged towers of stone and wood.

And it was in this fort that the Regulators took cover, and prepared to make their stand.

* * * * *​

Leah Kadashal hid low behind a battlement atop one of the towers, her back pressed to the stones. She worked at reloading her crossbow.

She feared nothing at all. Even in the night's gloom, with the stars and the moons shining silver on the old fort and the landscape thereabouts, with the Ommites down below outnumbering them some three to one, she feared nothing. For this was meant to happen. This was meant to be. And she was happy! She rejoiced! For Regel had delivered upon his promise, that very promise he had made to her so long ago when her life had been saved.

For it was but her and Avric Warstromal, alone atop this one tower. They had gotten separated in the fighting from the rest of their Regulator kin, who all held strong in the fort's other standing tower nearby. A standoff had ensued.

(this is fated)

Down below, in the murk of the fort's ruin, Ommites shouted taunts and threats to the Regulators: "Gildan scum! Throw down your weapons!"

"Surrender to the authority of the Iron Aristocracy! And you will live!"

One of the Regulators from the other tower yelled profanity back at the Ommites.

Quite the predicament. Ever since they first exchanged words with the Ommite patrol Avric thought it was such a shame that they could not be made to see reason.
If Preator Terral was allowed to get close enough Avric was sure he could have presented the orders they received and proof of the request for aid, and all of this would be avoided.

Alas, the Ommites proved unreasonable and foolish and ultimately Preator Terral made the correct decision and ordered a tactical retreat.
Outnumbered and without a homefield advantage they were forced to give ground quickly, putting up a token defense to screen their flank.

Avric knew this was the best decision to make for this situation, but the whole thing still left a bad taste in his mouth. His own crossbow pierced the breastplates of several Ommite soldiers in their hasty retreat, men who, if asked, were likely not apostate heretics but mere soldiers following orders.
With every shot Avric sent a prayer with it, for Regal to guide and protect the believing soul.

Finding the abandoned fortress was surely a blessing from Regal to protect his faithful, it was far better than ducking between trees and hoping an arrow didn't find you.
Once they secured the fortress the Preators and Regulators took to the walls to defend it, aiming their crossbows over the battlements and taking shots at whatever enemy showed themselves from the trees.

They were able to hold this position for some time, but it was only for a time.
It didn't take long for the Ommites to fell trees and make battering rams to assault the gates and prepare ladders to scale the walls.
The fighting became bloody and earnest as the defenders endured assault after assault, their numbers thinning with each attack.

Avric had joined a squad to defend a certain tower, it was positioned to be a threat to enemies approaching the gate and they were able to defend it quite well.
But now, after enduring several volleys of arrows, it was only him and one other regulator who took cover behind the battlements beside him.
She reloaded her crossbow while Avric worked to replace the cord on his, taking one from the dropped weapon of their comrade and using his feet to bend the bow and restring it.

"Avric," said Leah, her voice calm, almost serene, despite the circumstances, "do you think these Ommites know? That they were born merely to die at our hands?"

Avric glanced up from his work to look at her.
From what he could tell in the little time he's spent with her, nothing ever got to her. She seemed invincible to fear or despair and approached this situation with a strange calmness.
While Avric wasn't so immune to the tension of the moment, he also was not worried. As a faithful of Regal he was sure that she still had use for him and that this was not to be his end... But he was also aware that he didn't know the mind of god, and that this could be the end for him.
While death held some fear for him, he was alright with it if Regal called him home this day.

He quirked his lips in a smirk.
"Your faith is inspiring, sister. If they were aware of whatever Regal has in store for them, I doubt they would have opposed us in the first place!"
He finished restringing his crossbow and slid a bolt into place with a muttered prayer.
"... All the same, I hope they see reason before the night is through. Regal may be with us, but his will is not necessarily our own."

 

[Praetor Leah Kadashal]

"Yes," Leah said in loving fashion, "his will is much greater than ours alone, and even these godless Ommites are encompassed by it."

Such was the untarnished truth in Leah's view, that the scope of Regel's Right Ordering reached over the whole of the world, and that nothing acted or moved contrary to his design. And why here, now, trapped as she was atop this dilapidated tower with but Avric alone, Leah felt so elevated in spirit. All might be fated, but time had to run its course. And now she was here!

Shouts from the other standing tower of the crumbling fort, as Regulators hurled righteous anger down at the Ommites:

"You fools! You were the ones who called us here!"

"Talk is better than death, Ommites!"

And further abuse from the Ommites, lurking below, whether in the ruins of the old fort's buildings or further back from the fort's wretched walls:

"The authority of the Iron Aristocracy is supreme!"

"You will be tried for your trespassing! Are you not just? Give in to the law of our land!"

Leah now had her crossbow primed.

"If any make it to the door of our tower," she said, "we will be inconvenienced."

Inconvenienced. Though Leah had put it lightly, as was often her way, truly it would be a problem, and especially so if the Ommites discovered that only two Regulators held this tower rather than the ten who held the other. But the door had been shored up with what barricade they were able to swiftly assemble—far from perfect, but they had been in a hurry. And, as a last resort, the spiral staircase leading up to the rooftop they occupied now would prove defensible.

Avric Warstromal

 

[Avric Warstromal]

"Yes," Leah said in loving fashion, "his will is much greater than ours alone, and even these godless Ommites are encompassed by it."

Such was the untarnished truth in Leah's view, that the scope of Regel's Right Ordering reached over the whole of the world, and that nothing acted or moved contrary to his design. And why here, now, trapped as she was atop this dilapidated tower with but Avric alone, Leah felt so elevated in spirit. All might be fated, but time had to run its course. And now she was here!

Avric nodded in agreement as he checked his quiver and counted his remaining bolts. There were other quivers strewn around them that they could now avail themselves of, but with just the two of them their rate of fire would hardly be substantial and that would give them away.

Shouts from the other standing tower of the crumbling fort, as Regulators hurled righteous anger down at the Ommites:

"You fools! You were the ones who called us here!"

"Talk is better than death, Ommites!"

And further abuse from the Ommites, lurking below, whether in the ruins of the old fort's buildings or further back from the fort's wretched walls:

"The authority of the Iron Aristocracy is supreme!"

"You will be tried for your trespassing! Are you not just? Give in to the law of our land!"

Judging by the back and forth... Their surrender or death was the only way out of this.
However, Avric doubted their surrender would be any different than an execution.

He was the ranking officer of the two of them. So, it was on him to find a way to keep them alive.
With that in mind he shored up his resolve and set his mind to finding another solution.

Leah now had her crossbow primed.

"If any make it to the door of our tower," she said, "we will be inconvenienced."

Inconvenienced. Though Leah had put it lightly, as was often her way, truly it would be a problem, and especially so if the Ommites discovered that only two Regulators held this tower rather than the ten who held the other. But the door had been shored up with what barricade they were able to swiftly assemble—far from perfect, but they had been in a hurry. And, as a last resort, the spiral staircase leading up to the rooftop they occupied now would prove defensible.

Avric nodded again, stoically.
An arrow struck the stone above his head with a crack and sent a spray of rock over him, he immediately responded by swinging his crossbow over the battlements, taking instant aim back along the trajectory of the arrow, fired off a bolt, and got back down before he could see if he hit or not.
The enemy answered with another volley of arrows at their position.

"There's precious little stopping them from reaching our door. Once they break it down, we'll have to take the battle to the stairs. We're trapped here, and I don't like it. The stone is better protection than the trees or the spaces between the buildings here, but our mobility is restricted."

Avric removed his hat and ran his gloved hand through his hair in frustration.
"This isn't how we fight... We need to be ghosts; we need to be able to disappear..."
Replacing his hat he reloaded his crossbow, glaring at a dead Regulator at his feet as he thought furiously.
"This tower is a deathtrap, we can't stay."

He looked back at Leah.
She was younger than him, and he couldn't help but feel like he'd seen her before... Perhaps... But she was a faithful of Regal and loyal to the church of Jura. She showed no fear at any point in this encounter, by this he knew she was reliable.
"I will accept your input, but here's my plan thus far; We will use grappling hooks to scale this tower and take refuge in the shadows of the ruins below. Perhaps they will think we've perished among our brethren, but it will not matter if they figure it out.
The two of us must then escape the battle, find the Ommite commander unseen and on our own, and force him to negotiate."

 

[Praetor Leah Kadashal]

Leah watched as Avric with swift and keen action returned fire upon the Ommites below, and she smiled. An arrow, whistling between the battlement behind which she crouched and another, whistling close to her ear as it so happened, did nothing to abate that smile.

In a way, these Ommites were to be commended. For without their intervention maybe it would have been that the Regulators would have carried out their mission with no difficulty at all, arrived at Ereshun unmolested and dealt with the jin the villagers feared and left, returning to Gild, and through all of it Leah would not have gotten a step closer to Avric. She felt now very foolish for having made plans of her own toward such a purpose! For Regel held her close, loved her as a good and loyal servant, and so had delivered her here to this Tower, here in Avric's direct presence and notice.

And so it was begun.

Leah almost missed what Avric started saying, thinking deeply as she had been. But she refocused on him quickly enough.

This tower is a deathtrap, we can't stay.

"I concur." Though he needed not her agreement, with Leah being as of yet still a Regulator-in-training, still she gave it.

He outlined his plan, this as familiar twangs of crossbow fire could be heard from the other tower with Boesarius and their fellows. A bold plan. Very bold, yes, and fitting of Avric's nature. He was a fine Regulator—did she not see it herself, that very day?

"I am not equipped with a grappling hook," she said. Then with a tip of her hat toward the dead Regulator, whose name had been Jundimi, she added, "But he is."

Keeping low, Leah crossed the small distance over to the body, patting at his belt and his equipment with her free hand, as she said, "I am sorry, Jundimi-gazi, but we must borrow your gear for a time. We will use it to avenge you."

Avric Warstromal

 

[Avric Warstromal]

Leah watched as Avric with swift and keen action returned fire upon the Ommites below, and she smiled. An arrow, whistling between the battlement behind which she crouched and another, whistling close to her ear as it so happened, did nothing to abate that smile.

In a way, these Ommites were to be commended. For without their intervention maybe it would have been that the Regulators would have carried out their mission with no difficulty at all, arrived at Ereshun unmolested and dealt with the jin the villagers feared and left, returning to Gild, and through all of it Leah would not have gotten a step closer to Avric. She felt now very foolish for having made plans of her own toward such a purpose! For Regel held her close, loved her as a good and loyal servant, and so had delivered her here to this Tower, here in Avric's direct presence and notice.

And so it was begun.

Leah almost missed what Avric started saying, thinking deeply as she had been. But she refocused on him quickly enough.

This tower is a deathtrap, we can't stay.

"I concur." Though he needed not her agreement, with Leah being as of yet still a Regulator-in-training, still she gave it.

He outlined his plan, this as familiar twangs of crossbow fire could be heard from the other tower with Boesarius and their fellows. A bold plan. Very bold, yes, and fitting of Avric's nature. He was a fine Regulator—did she not see it herself, that very day?

"I am not equipped with a grappling hook," she said. Then with a tip of her hat toward the dead Regulator, whose name had been Jundimi, she added, "But he is."

Keeping low, Leah crossed the small distance over to the body, patting at his belt and his equipment with her free hand, as she said, "I am sorry, Jundimi-gazi, but we must borrow your gear for a time. We will use it to avenge you."

Avric nodded as she got to work and set himself a task as well.
He began moving along the battlements of the tower, removing his hat again to poke his head up every now and then to scope out the enemy's position.

Once he got to the rear side of the tower beside the stairs he very quickly poked his head up and looked down over the side.
He had to expose himself quite a bit to see over, which is why he was as brief as possible, but he wouldn't have done it at all if he suspected there were enemies there. He couldn't hear the boots of the enemy and arrows didn't fly from that direction.
While flanking them would have been a sound strategy it's not as easy to do in a fortress with towers like this, which Avric surmised was a feature that this fortress once boasted.

Still... if there were any way to get around the defenses of this fortress, the Ommites would know them. This was their land and if they had anyone in their number who once lived in this area or served at this fort, there was no way they could last.

He ducked back behind the battlements and sat on the stone, opening his travel bag to retrieve his own rope and grapple.
He'd calculated the height of the tower, their ropes should be long enough to reach the bottom.
He secured the hook to the rope and was about to secure it when he realized that he was on the wrong side of the tower to have cover from the arrows, he looked back and saw that Leah was in an even worse spot!
He quickly ran to her and grabbed her by the arm just as he heard the collective thump of bowstrings releasing the whistling of arrows!

He forcefully hoisted Leah by the arm and shoved her down the tower stairwell before recklessly diving down after her!
The arrows landed a moment later, striking the stones and already dead bodies.
Avric hit the stairs hard and got the air knocked out of his lungs, he tried to roll out of his fall to absorb some of the impact but only ended up sprawled on the stairs a few steps up from Leah gasping and in pain.

Once he got his breath back he sat up with a groan.
"I... I think our path down the back of the tower is clear..."

 

[Praetor Leah Kadashal]

Leah's efforts proved fruitful in short time, and she detached Jundimi's grappling hook and the coiled rope from his belt. A fine tool, the hook, of dwarven make: the claws of the hook folded into the shaft, making for ease of portability, but they did need to be unfolded and locked into place before use. And so Leah set about this task, working each of the four claws, listening for the little click and the feel of the metal pins locking, and moving to the next.

Avric had his own grappling hook in hand, and had already scouted about the tower's rim for a seemingly safe point of egress. Leah followed his lead, both in going to the spot and and in securing her hook to the stone of the battlements. Yet a surprise would come:

Avric with a blazing suddenness grabbed her by the arm—

(and only so soon as we have met again, have I felt his touch!)

—and threw her down from the danger whistling over their heads. Leah, as she lay in awkward fashion on the downslope of the stairs, her hat a few steps down and her hair in disarray about her face, hardly even considered the arrows and the devilish attempt of the Ommites to slay them. She cared not even for the rough manner in which she had been handled by Avric, sparing no conciliatory thought the likes of "it was necessary" nor irritated thought the likes of "did you have to throw me so hard", but only, only, for the thought that he had placed his hand upon her and that she, even now, cherished that feeling.

And only Avric's own words broke Leah from her reverie.

"It will be," Leah said, her voice blissful, as one waking from a pleasant dream. "Regel has ensured the success of our venture, and the doom of these Ommites."

Mildly did she groan in righting herself on the stairs, and she went to retrieve her hat, donning it again with care and precision, as she then ascended the stairs to return to Avric's side.

Avric Warstromal

 

[Avric Warstromal]

Leah's efforts proved fruitful in short time, and she detached Jundimi's grappling hook and the coiled rope from his belt. A fine tool, the hook, of dwarven make: the claws of the hook folded into the shaft, making for ease of portability, but they did need to be unfolded and locked into place before use. And so Leah set about this task, working each of the four claws, listening for the little click and the feel of the metal pins locking, and moving to the next.

Avric had his own grappling hook in hand, and had already scouted about the tower's rim for a seemingly safe point of egress. Leah followed his lead, both in going to the spot and and in securing her hook to the stone of the battlements. Yet a surprise would come:

Avric with a blazing suddenness grabbed her by the arm—

(and only so soon as we have met again, have I felt his touch!)

—and threw her down from the danger whistling over their heads. Leah, as she lay in awkward fashion on the downslope of the stairs, her hat a few steps down and her hair in disarray about her face, hardly even considered the arrows and the devilish attempt of the Ommites to slay them. She cared not even for the rough manner in which she had been handled by Avric, sparing no conciliatory thought the likes of "it was necessary" nor irritated thought the likes of "did you have to throw me so hard", but only, only, for the thought that he had placed his hand upon her and that she, even now, cherished that feeling.

And only Avric's own words broke Leah from her reverie.

"It will be," Leah said, her voice blissful, as one waking from a pleasant dream. "Regel has ensured the success of our venture, and the doom of these Ommites."

Mildly did she groan in righting herself on the stairs, and she went to retrieve her hat, donning it again with care and precision, as she then ascended the stairs to return to Avric's side.

With another groan and a wince of pain, Avric stood and slung his crossbow across his back.
"Regardless... we are done here."

Avric readied his grappling hook and staying low he ran back up the stairs to set his hook beside Leah's, with Leah close behind him.
Trusting his earlier assessment, and the prophesy of Leah, he didn't test fate by checking again if the coast was clear, only secured his grapple and dropped the line over the side of the tower.

He winced again. He might have sprained his left shoulder when he hit the stairs, but he could afford to worry about that later, adrenaline kept the pain to a minimum and it wouldn't hinder his ability to climb until he inevitably relaxed.

With a hand signal he directed Leah to advance. Looping the rope through a hook on his belt and around his torso, holding the rope above and below himself for a rapid descent, he quickly threw his right leg over the side of the tower and put his weight against the grapple, then his left leg as he leaned back and half slid, half walked backwards down the tower to the ground below.

The second his foot touched the ground he let go of the rope and unslung his crossbow, loaded a bolt and quickly looked around.
He covered the area giving Leah a chance to untie herself and him before they moved on.

Planning from this point on will be tricky.
Once the Ommites stormed the tower even Boesarius Terral will count them as lost and likely plan accordingly.
Avric had to try to predict what that man would try with the knowledge that they'd lost the tower and everyone in it.

While he could never be certain with the man and what he might try, Avric knew he wasn't a fool. Boesarius likely also knew that they couldn't hold their position indefinitely, so he might try to escape as they did or attempt to salley forthe and break through the enemy line.
Once they escaped or broke through, what would they do then?
Regulators were good soldiers but with their current gear they weren't equipped for a head to head battle.

Avric, in his position, would take the Regulators back into the forest and risk the unfamiliar terrain for a better chance to hide and maybe engage in guerilla tactics.
If they tried to do what Avric and Leah were doing now they'd likely fail. But, where an army might fail, two will succeed.
Perhaps once they were in position they could count of Boesarius' next move to serve as the distraction they needed to move in and take the commander... But they'd need to time it perfectly and that all depends on how accurately Avric could predict Boesarius' next move!
Like a game of chess where your side was divided into two forces and neither side knew what the other was doing.

Once freed from their ropes and their grapples recovered, Avric would give another hand signal to advance, heading towards the scattered ruins of the buildings inside the fortress and to the opposite wall from where Boesarius and his survivors held out in their tower.
Stealth and vigilance was the name of the game now, they stuck to the darkness near the walls and watched each other's backs as they made their way away from the fighting.

 

[Praetor Leah Kadashal]

The descent from the tower passed without incident. Like two stage performers moving in tandem, Leah and Avric lowered themselves down on their ropes and their boots once again graced the earth of Arethil. Leah quickly made to ready her crossbow again, having taken the bolt out and released the tension for the descent. It was done. And then, like Avric, she gave her rope the appropriate flick and down came her hook, and she recovered it.

Silently, she followed after Avric.

None of the Ommites had seen them, so far as could be reckoned. Much of their attention was focused on Boesarius's tower, and fierce words still traded between the two sides.

"Gildans! You cannot hide forever!"

"There is no escape! Your fortune fades!"

"Come down! Do you love your arms so much that you will die for them? But throw them down, and you will—"

Now came a coordinated volley from Boesarius and his Regulators, all of them standing and all of them firing down at the scattered Ommites in their points of cover in the fort's ruins. The twangs of many crossbows sounded, echoes of metal boltheads hitting stone and wood, but also came at least three separate cries from the Ommites, signaling that at least three of them had been struck, maybe killed. One man, in particular, hollered in agonizing pain, his cries so loud and unceasing that, in a way, it could prove a boon for Avric and Leah's purpose, muffling their movements.

Boesarius and his Regulators all ducked back down even before return fire could be loosed at them.

"Ommites," called Boesarius himself. "You brought boys to this battle. I have brought men."

"Curse you, Gildan!"

"He can hold," Leah whispered to Avric of Boesarius, not knowing if he had any other plans presently in the works other than a stalwart defense. They simply couldn't know. But so long as he did hold, many of the Ommites would have their attention diverted.

And then she spoke of their own task as they hid behind cover:

"Ommite Overseers are cowardly, and so sycophantic as to emulate their Noble lords." She looked up to him. "Likely he sits on his horse, somewhere to the northeast still, well out of range of Gildan crossbows."

She smiled.

"But far, then, from help."

Avric Warstromal

 

[Avric Warstromal]

The descent from the tower passed without incident. Like two stage performers moving in tandem, Leah and Avric lowered themselves down on their ropes and their boots once again graced the earth of Arethil. Leah quickly made to ready her crossbow again, having taken the bolt out and released the tension for the descent. It was done. And then, like Avric, she gave her rope the appropriate flick and down came her hook, and she recovered it.

Silently, she followed after Avric.

None of the Ommites had seen them, so far as could be reckoned. Much of their attention was focused on Boesarius's tower, and fierce words still traded between the two sides.

"Gildans! You cannot hide forever!"

"There is no escape! Your fortune fades!"

"Come down! Do you love your arms so much that you will die for them? But throw them down, and you will—"

Now came a coordinated volley from Boesarius and his Regulators, all of them standing and all of them firing down at the scattered Ommites in their points of cover in the fort's ruins. The twangs of many crossbows sounded, echoes of metal boltheads hitting stone and wood, but also came at least three separate cries from the Ommites, signaling that at least three of them had been struck, maybe killed. One man, in particular, hollered in agonizing pain, his cries so loud and unceasing that, in a way, it could prove a boon for Avric and Leah's purpose, muffling their movements.

Boesarius and his Regulators all ducked back down even before return fire could be loosed at them.

"Ommites," called Boesarius himself. "You brought boys to this battle. I have brought men."

"Curse you, Gildan!"

"He can hold," Leah whispered to Avric of Boesarius, not knowing if he had any other plans presently in the works other than a stalwart defense. They simply couldn't know. But so long as he did hold, many of the Ommites would have their attention diverted.

"I hope that is true..." Avric whispered back, "... Our own success relies on it."
Quite a way behind them they could hear the sound of wood splintering and a cheer going up as Avric assumed the Ommites finally broke through the barricade of their tower.

And then she spoke of their own task as they hid behind cover:

"Ommite Overseers are cowardly, and so sycophantic as to emulate their Noble lords." She looked up to him. "Likely he sits on his horse, somewhere to the northeast still, well out of range of Gildan crossbows."

She smiled.

"But far, then, from help."

Her assessment seemed likely to be the case. Histories suggested that there were many foolish officers like that, and even to this day such arrogance was still permitted.
"You are right, I think our next course of action is plain."
They made it to the wall. It was then a simple matter to locate an intact stairway and reach the top in order to grapple down again and vanish like ghosts into the woods.

They moved in concert with each other, communicating by hand motions and rudimentary sign language as they executed strategies taught by their combined recent training and veteran experience to move silently while being alert for enemies.
They only had to worry about the rear guard and the commanders' lieutenants... Commander may have been a strong word for the leader of a border patrol, Captain was probably more fitting.
But going off of Leah's presupposition as the most likely scenario they proceeded under the assumption that the captain would be well out of range of their crossbows but still close enough to watch the battle and give orders.

Things were going well so far. Preator Kadashal was certainly talented for only being in training to be a regulator. Perhaps he would have to give her superiors his recommendation if they made it out of this alive.

Before long they had scouted their way silently behind the enemy without alerting the few who stood guard, all attention was on the fortress, so they had time to take a moment and strategize.
Avric hunkered down behind an old fallen forest giant and motioned for Leah to join him.
He then broke his silence back into a whisper.
"I count five for the rear guard. Their numbers must be wearing thin, they will try something drastic soon. We need to locate the captain and subdue him before that happens."

He looked around them.
If only they knew more about the lay of the land or had a map on them. Their guide was likely still with Boesarius, and the map with him.
He furrowed his brow, trying to remember as much as he can of what he saw on their way to the fort, but it was no use.
He sighed in frustration and shared it with Leah.
"We need to find the captain quickly... I don't like it, but we may need to split up to find him, unless you can think of where he might be...
Split up, locate him if we can, and return here. Ten minutes, no longer than a five minute search. We regroup at this log and take the captain together."
This was the plan he had going, but he really hoped she might remember seeing an ideal spot where one can watch the battle while not being in danger. Splitting up didn't sit well with him when he wanted to ensure that they both survived.

 

[Praetor Leah Kadashal]

Both Avric and Leah moved with deadly silence and precision. Regulators, though they could don the armor of a soldier and fight in conventional warfare if so called, nevertheless trained to combat foes who did not assemble as an army. The jin, the Curite, these were foes of frightening ability, far surpassing that of mortal men and women. And so it was as Avric had said: often, they had to be as ghosts. Often, they had to give special care to prudence and planning. Often, they had to strike decisively, to incapacitate their enemies before a proper fight could even begin.

So it would be here. Avric and Leah endeavored to strike decisively against the Ommites, and to bring this skirmish to a sudden conclusion.

Now they had dissolved into the murk of the night, egressing unseen from the rundown fort—this very much in time, for it sounded like the Ommites had breached their former tower's door. The canopy of the woods blotted out much of the light from the moons and stars, and so turned the two Regulators into avenging shades, stalking the woods for the purpose of retribution for Jundimi, and for the whole injury caused by the interloping Ommites.

They came then to the fallen tree, and spotted a small contingent of men. Three were mounted on horses, and two stood by on foot—these two better equipped than the more lowly Ommite patrolmen. It could be that the three mounted men were the Overseer, and two "Lesserseers", as they were called in the Ommite parlance. But they had to be sure.

And there was a way to be sure. An Ommite Overseer always carried with him a magical iron rod, the symbol of the authority bestowed onto him by the Aristocracy, and also for killing any of his men who disobeyed his command; Leah did not know what the Ommites called it, perhaps simply an "Iron Rod" in homage to the Iron Aristocracy, or something pompous and grand like an "Authoritas Rod". It did not matter. What did matter was that the Overseer would have one.

Leah glanced over to Avric when he gave his assessment.

"Yes. We must strike the Ommites as we strike the jin—with swift decapitation." With the Overseer as their hostage, the morale of the Ommites would plummet to nothing, for that was their greatest weakness; their hierarchy and mindset were inflexible.

But before they could part in their independent searches, Leah, quite unlike herself, had a moment of worry, a moment of concern, each so true as to briefly eclipse her usual unflappable surety.

Leah reached over and gently touched Avric's shoulder.

"Avric?" she said, her very eyes betraying that rare worry. "Be careful?"

Avric Warstromal

 

[Avric Warstromal]

Both Avric and Leah moved with deadly silence and precision. Regulators, though they could don the armor of a soldier and fight in conventional warfare if so called, nevertheless trained to combat foes who did not assemble as an army. The jin, the Curite, these were foes of frightening ability, far surpassing that of mortal men and women. And so it was as Avric had said: often, they had to be as ghosts. Often, they had to give special care to prudence and planning. Often, they had to strike decisively, to incapacitate their enemies before a proper fight could even begin.

So it would be here. Avric and Leah endeavored to strike decisively against the Ommites, and to bring this skirmish to a sudden conclusion.

Now they had dissolved into the murk of the night, egressing unseen from the rundown fort—this very much in time, for it sounded like the Ommites had breached their former tower's door. The canopy of the woods blotted out much of the light from the moons and stars, and so turned the two Regulators into avenging shades, stalking the woods for the purpose of retribution for Jundimi, and for the whole injury caused by the interloping Ommites.

They came then to the fallen tree, and spotted a small contingent of men. Three were mounted on horses, and two stood by on foot—these two better equipped than the more lowly Ommite patrolmen. It could be that the three mounted men were the Overseer, and two "Lesserseers", as they were called in the Ommite parlance. But they had to be sure.

And there was a way to be sure. An Ommite Overseer always carried with him a magical iron rod, the symbol of the authority bestowed onto him by the Aristocracy, and also for killing any of his men who disobeyed his command; Leah did not know what the Ommites called it, perhaps simply an "Iron Rod" in homage to the Iron Aristocracy, or something pompous and grand like an "Authoritas Rod". It did not matter. What did matter was that the Overseer would have one.

Leah glanced over to Avric when he gave his assessment.

"Yes. We must strike the Ommites as we strike the jin—with swift decapitation." With the Overseer as their hostage, the morale of the Ommites would plummet to nothing, for that was their greatest weakness; their hierarchy and mindset were inflexible.

But before they could part in their independent searches, Leah, quite unlike herself, had a moment of worry, a moment of concern, each so true as to briefly eclipse her usual unflappable surety.

Leah reached over and gently touched Avric's shoulder.

"Avric?" she said, her very eyes betraying that rare worry. "Be careful?"

The touch on his shoulder caught him by surprise, but given their situation he didn't have the luxury to overthink it. He simply took it as a genuine show of concern and left it at that, returning the gesture in a tight squeeze on her shoulder, as if imploring her to stay alive.
"You as well. Do not engage until you see the overseer, then strike silent and swift to incapacitate his allies. Whoever moves first will have the support of the other."

Their game of blind chess was gaining another blindfold.
Under any other circumstance this would not be possible. But they were both regulators, and while they were at different levels of experience, they trusted each other to do their job and do it well. To see and adapt to whatever situation was thrown their way and make the right choices.

His brown eyes met hers for a moment, there was a professional steel in his gaze but with an undertone of gentleness.

Trust.

He gave the signal to move out, sneaking out the left side from behind the fallen tree and vanishing into the forest.

________________________________________​

He skirted the group that watched the battle from this vantage place in the woods. One of the horsemen was likely the Overseer, he only needed to identify him by the rod he carried.
Apparently, it was supposed to be enchanted. How Gild could abide this heresy from the Ommites was beyond him, but that made their jobs easier, and perhaps his job easier than Leah's.
With her abilities as a Preator she had a better chance of sensing and finding the object, and once she did and made her move, Avric could react to support her.

Now that he could see his enemy, and they weren't simply faceless numbers on the other side of his crossbow, he began to get back into his normal demeanor.
He looked at those Ommites, so misguided in their beliefs that he couldn't help but want to correct them, to put them on the right path of redemption.

He smiled as he stalked around the left flank of the enemy, picking his targets and the best methods to incapacitate them as quickly as possible.
With his fae gear at hand he assessed his options.
Plenty of cold iron forged daggers, several different types of herbs, potions and poultices that defend against mental manipulation, his crossbow, cold-iron shortsword and a whip tipped with a cold-iron spike.
Not ideal for their current enemies, but at least the cold-iron weapons were just as effective against men as with mer.

He laid out his plan of attack. He'd open with his crossbow, stepping out of hiding immediately after shooting a footman in the leg. He'd then drop the crossbow and draw his shortsword and whip, entangle and dismount one of the horsemen while he dealt with the other footman.
That left the two others on horseback for Leah, though if he failed to bring down the first footman with his crossbow, he may have his hands full with both footmen.

He gave a silent prayer, redyed his weapons, and watched for the Overseer's rod, or for Leah's opening attack.

 

[Praetor Leah Kadashal]

Outwardly, Leah maintained the prestige of her Praetor title and the centered demeanor expected of her as a Regulator.

Inwardly, Leah was aflame. For it was his hand, his hand, his lovely hand, which had come over and returned in kind the very same gesture she herself had given to him, and with this return had come something more, had come a squeeze, a tender squeeze, an endearing pressure from his fingers to her shoulder, and for all that moment the world was hers, hers and his, theirs alone, and not a single Ommite or another Gildan could share in it, and they had it all, yes, they had everything they could ever need, and they held it now in their very hands and never would they let go—

Only midway through Avric speaking did Leah, at last, become aware of his words, so lost was she in that fiery bliss of hers. "...strike silent and swift..." was where she had come back to Arethil proper, and heard the rest of what Avric had to say.

And then he looked at her, and her blood stilled to an anticipatory excitement. Briefly, oh so briefly, it was as though time had folded in on itself, for she recalled the day of the Curite attack in the market, Avric slaying him, saving her, and then...then...for a fleeting second, just as now...he had looked at her.

Their eyes met, and their fate became manifest.

When at last Avric gave his signal for them to move out, Leah had to bring the fullness of her willpower to break from the moment. "I will return," she whispered, and then, like Avric, vanished too.

* * * * *​

Ten minutes. A time both long and short.

But such would in the end prove all that was necessary. Leah, for her part, searched for any other party of Ommites. The patrol was not a small one (indeed, the onset of hostilities made their advantage of numbers painfully clear), but it was not too large either. No other party of Ommites could be found hanging back from the old fort. Just the one, and all the others committed to the attack on the towers and the Regulators holding up within them.

So it had to be. It must be one of those five whom Leah and Avric had already seen.

Leah, like Avric, observed them, but she did so from another angle; yet still in the night's gloom could not be seen an Overseer's Iron Rod. The ten minutes were coming to a close. But then, as the men on horseback argued about something, one of them shouted angrily:

"I SAID, I WANT THESE GILDANS TAKEN! DEAD OR ALIVE! MAKE! IT! HAPPEN!"

And the man who shouted thrust high and upward an Iron Rod, pointing it for emphasis toward the tower where Boesarius and his Regulators still fought. There he was. The Overseer.

Leah trusted in Avric, knowing that he, in his turn, trusted in her. She had seen it in his eyes.

So she stood from her hiding place, leveled her crossbow on one of the two horsemen beside the Overseer, aimed as carefully as she could in such small time, and loosed a bolt. The horseman flinched, and then slumped and fell from his horse, the bolt piercing his neck entirely through.

Avric Warstromal

 

[Avric Warstromal]

Outwardly, Leah maintained the prestige of her Praetor title and the centered demeanor expected of her as a Regulator.

Inwardly, Leah was aflame. For it was his hand, his hand, his lovely hand, which had come over and returned in kind the very same gesture she herself had given to him, and with this return had come something more, had come a squeeze, a tender squeeze, an endearing pressure from his fingers to her shoulder, and for all that moment the world was hers, hers and his, theirs alone, and not a single Ommite or another Gildan could share in it, and they had it all, yes, they had everything they could ever need, and they held it now in their very hands and never would they let go—

Only midway through Avric speaking did Leah, at last, become aware of his words, so lost was she in that fiery bliss of hers. "...strike silent and swift..." was where she had come back to Arethil proper, and heard the rest of what Avric had to say.

And then he looked at her, and her blood stilled to an anticipatory excitement. Briefly, oh so briefly, it was as though time had folded in on itself, for she recalled the day of the Curite attack in the market, Avric slaying him, saving her, and then...then...for a fleeting second, just as now...he had looked at her.

Their eyes met, and their fate became manifest.

When at last Avric gave his signal for them to move out, Leah had to bring the fullness of her willpower to break from the moment. "I will return," she whispered, and then, like Avric, vanished too.

* * * * *​

Ten minutes. A time both long and short.

But such would in the end prove all that was necessary. Leah, for her part, searched for any other party of Ommites. The patrol was not a small one (indeed, the onset of hostilities made their advantage of numbers painfully clear), but it was not too large either. No other party of Ommites could be found hanging back from the old fort. Just the one, and all the others committed to the attack on the towers and the Regulators holding up within them.

So it had to be. It must be one of those five whom Leah and Avric had already seen.

Leah, like Avric, observed them, but she did so from another angle; yet still in the night's gloom could not be seen an Overseer's Iron Rod. The ten minutes were coming to a close. But then, as the men on horseback argued about something, one of them shouted angrily:

"I SAID, I WANT THESE GILDANS TAKEN! DEAD OR ALIVE! MAKE! IT! HAPPEN!"

And the man who shouted thrust high and upward an Iron Rod, pointing it for emphasis toward the tower where Boesarius and his Regulators still fought. There he was. The Overseer.

Leah trusted in Avric, knowing that he, in his turn, trusted in her. She had seen it in his eyes.

So she stood from her hiding place, leveled her crossbow on one of the two horsemen beside the Overseer, aimed as carefully as she could in such small time, and loosed a bolt. The horseman flinched, and then slumped and fell from his horse, the bolt piercing his neck entirely through.

As soon as the Iron Rod appeared, Avric was on the alert, prepared to make his move with crossbow at the ready.
He didn't need to wait long; Leah appeared and fired her crossbow.
Without seeing where her bolt went, he fired his own crossbow from his hiding spot in the brush and darkness, striking the footman in the leg as planned and the man went down howling. He then broke his cover and entered the clearing having dropped his crossbow and his other weapons now in motion.

"Let every man be bound to the will of Regal, lest they feel his scourge." He intoned calmly, the whip cracking as it snaked out and caught the neck of the second horseman, the force of the weighted serpentine weapon knocking him out of his saddle immediately and landing him hard on the ground where he gasped for air and clutched at his throat.
"... Cut free the sins of the flesh, let not your brothers stumble by your unrighteousness." He intoned again, preaching as he rushed forward with a concerned expression.
The last footman had to scramble to draw his sword but managed to get it free to block the initial strike from Avric's shortsword, but he was quickly overwhelmed by a flurry of attacks that cut his fingers and forced him to drop his weapon.

"Take captive every sinful thought, make it obedient to the will of Regal."
Avric kicked the footman in the knee and forced him down to the ground, where he wrapped the middle of the whip around his neck.
He now held two men captive and one with a crossbow bolt in his leg.
That man tried to pull himself up against a tree and draw his weapon, but soon the paralytic poison coating the bolt took effect and his muscles locked up painfully.
Luckily his mouth was already open, or his clenched jaw might have broken his teeth.

"Rest now, my sons, it will all be over soon and we can return to our homes and loved ones."

 

[Praetor Leah Kadashal]

Confusion and alarm reigned among the Ommites. When the first horseman fell from Leah's bolt, quick as lightning did the next man, Avric's bolt to the leg forcing the footman to howl and thereby send the chill of fear into the hearts of those remaining. Darkness chose its side, and it chose the Regulators; upon the Ommites every dark shape seemed a terror, menacing and looming, doom rushing at them from all sides.

The Overseer could not withstand this sudden and frightful assault, and when the second horseman accompanying him fell from his steed, the Overseer thought only of his own escape. He kicked his own horse hard, bidding it to gallop with all speed. But then came around him another whip, this from the opposite side.

Leah, having seen Avric deal with subordinate men, had now her own whip and rapier in hand, her crossbow—like Avric's—discarded for the moment. And as soon as the Overseer attempted to make his escape her whip ensnared him, and down he flew as his horse rushed off riderless, and the Overseer hit the ground hard, winded and stunned.

Avric had all the other living Ommites in his power. And Leah, now, came forward and stood over the Overseer, her rapier pointing down at him, the tip, catching a glimmer of moonlight, just barely sparing the flesh of his neck.

"What do you want? What do you want?" the Overseer said in a raw panic, having recovered enough from his fall to speak so. "There is much I can give to you. Much indeed!"

"Hush now," said Leah.

But the Overseer persisted, talking fast. "This is all a misunderstanding. A misunderstanding, I say! We can come to an arrangement and go our separate ways and never speak of this to anyone and all can be happy—!"

On and on he would ramble, until interrupted.

Avric Warstromal

 

[Avric Warstromal]

Confusion and alarm reigned among the Ommites. When the first horseman fell from Leah's bolt, quick as lightning did the next man, Avric's bolt to the leg forcing the footman to howl and thereby send the chill of fear into the hearts of those remaining. Darkness chose its side, and it chose the Regulators; upon the Ommites every dark shape seemed a terror, menacing and looming, doom rushing at them from all sides.

The Overseer could not withstand this sudden and frightful assault, and when the second horseman accompanying him fell from his steed, the Overseer thought only of his own escape. He kicked his own horse hard, bidding it to gallop with all speed. But then came around him another whip, this from the opposite side.

Leah, having seen Avric deal with subordinate men, had now her own whip and rapier in hand, her crossbow—like Avric's—discarded for the moment. And as soon as the Overseer attempted to make his escape her whip ensnared him, and down he flew as his horse rushed off riderless, and the Overseer hit the ground hard, winded and stunned.

Avric had all the other living Ommites in his power. And Leah, now, came forward and stood over the Overseer, her rapier pointing down at him, the tip, catching a glimmer of moonlight, just barely sparing the flesh of his neck.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Leah unmount the Overseer from his horse.
Once her blade was at the throat of the Overseer he tightened the whip around the throat of the man he captured, forcing him to passout before he repeated the action on the other man he'd brought down.

"What do you want? What do you want?" the Overseer said in a raw panic, having recovered enough from his fall to speak so. "There is much I can give to you. Much indeed!"

"Hush now," said Leah.

But the Overseer persisted, talking fast. "This is all a misunderstanding. A misunderstanding, I say! We can come to an arrangement and go our separate ways and never speak of this to anyone and all can be happy—!"

On and on he would ramble, until interrupted.

"As it happens, Overseer-Gazi, there is something we require of you..."
Avric spoke as he approached, coiling his whip and hooking it on his belt once again.

The Overseer, silenced for but a moment, blurted out again his willingness to comply until Avric silenced him again with a gesture of his hand.
"You will come with us to the battle, and with your own mouth you will order your soldiers to stand down. You will then meet with our Preator and hear our explanation and license for crossing your borders..."

Before he could respond Avric raised his hand again for silence.
"... If you fail to do this, or are unwilling, your life is forfeit. You will be sent to Regal and we will find another way. It will be more difficult, but we will find a way to wipe out your entire company to a man..."
Avric smiled at the Overseer, like a father to a child who scraped his knee.
"Have I made myself clear?"

 

[Praetor Leah Kadashal]

Fear paled the Overseer's face as Avric spoke, and it was the fear of a man defeated, a man who had no choice. Leah knew that his decision was already made. That he had yet to speak it, separated from the inevitable moment only by short time. Mayhap he thought himself outside of Regel's Right Ordering, beyond the power and design of the Judge of All. A faithless Ommite would think such a thing.

The Overseer looked then to Leah, as though some more appealing bargain might be offered from her. He would be mistaken.

"Listen to him," Leah said with a gentle and encouraging air, almost like the mother to Avric's father.

And the Overseer snapped his gaze back to Avric and said with total compliance, "Yes, yes, you are clear, Gildan, and I have heard you. I-I-I will do as you ask. And merely correct me, if I should stray somewhat from your intent, or act in a manner unfit to your purpose."

Leah pulled back her weapon from his throat, and then took the next moment to untangle the Overseer from her whip's snare. "Now stand."

He did so.

"Do as you have been bidden."

"Y-Yes, I will go as fast or as slow as you like—to prove my good faith."

"Jog," commanded Leah. "Briskly."

And with their hostage before them, under their power, and hurrying as instructed toward the old fort, Leah—with the help of silvery moonlight cast upon the fair skin of her face—looked up toward Avric as they jogged and shared with him a warm smile.

Victory.

Avric Warstromal

 

[Avric Warstromal]

Fear paled the Overseer's face as Avric spoke, and it was the fear of a man defeated, a man who had no choice. Leah knew that his decision was already made. That he had yet to speak it, separated from the inevitable moment only by short time. Mayhap he thought himself outside of Regel's Right Ordering, beyond the power and design of the Judge of All. A faithless Ommite would think such a thing.

The Overseer looked then to Leah, as though some more appealing bargain might be offered from her. He would be mistaken.

"Listen to him," Leah said with a gentle and encouraging air, almost like the mother to Avric's father.

And the Overseer snapped his gaze back to Avric and said with total compliance, "Yes, yes, you are clear, Gildan, and I have heard you. I-I-I will do as you ask. And merely correct me, if I should stray somewhat from your intent, or act in a manner unfit to your purpose."

Leah pulled back her weapon from his throat and then took the next moment to untangle the Overseer from her whip's snare. "Now stand."

He did so.

"Do as you have been bidden."

"Y-Yes, I will go as fast or as slow as you like—to prove my good faith."

"Jog," commanded Leah. "Briskly."

And with their hostage before them, under their power, and hurrying as instructed toward the old fort, Leah—with the help of silvery moonlight cast upon the fair skin of her face—looked up toward Avric as they jogged and shared with him a warm smile.

Victory.

Avric followed the Overseer closely. The others they left behind would be no threat for the time being, enough time to put an end to this conflict.
Avric didn't let down his guard though, he kept his head on the swivel, his eyes darting to every unsteady shadow in the trees and underbrush filtering the moonlight as the clouds slightly cleared to reveal its radiance.

It was in those brief points of light that he saw Leah and her smile, he read her thoughts from her expression easily enough.
He answered her with a brief nod.
They did well to get this far, but the mission wasn't ever yet. How many of their comrades would still be alive when they got there? could they get there in time? So much life lost already, but if they arrived too late, what would they do?

Avric couldn't accept victory just yet. His tactical mind worrying over the worst-case scenario while they followed the Overseer, and the sounds of battle drew closer.
If things went against them and escape weren't an option, their only hope for survival would be surrender. Holding the Overseer hostage wouldn't get them all the way to friendly territory unharmed and killing him would be out of the question.

So, when Avric nodded, the weight of his thoughts was also clearly expressed in that gesture...

Not just yet.

 

[Praetor Leah Kadashal]

Up to the fort they went. In through those old walls, left in disrepair from a defeat long past. And while it could be heard and seen that the fight continued, soon it would come to its end.

The Overseer did as Avric and Leah bid him. He held his Iron Rod high and shouted in a clear voice for all Ommites to stand down, to discard their weapons, and to gather round in orderly fashion. Confusion reigned for a spell, but neither arrow nor bolt flew toward the tower or from it. Tentatively, there came the first of the Ommites. Then more. Their bows and their sidearms had been tossed down as commanded, and for good measure they openly displayed their palms. The Overseer shouted again, calling for the rest of his men, calling for them to hurry up, no laggards now. He bellowed out in sharp reminder that he held the Iron Rod, and that this meant pain of death for any who would disobey; indeed, this was the way of Ommite war, for each of their soldiers had around their necks an iron collar which would violently shrink and pop their heads off their shoulders with but a wave of the Rod and the will of the Overseer who wielded it.

The rest of the Ommites came quickly enough, and all of them were now gathered.

"Tell them to kneel," Leah said.

And the Overseer did so, and all the Ommites got down onto their knees, their hands still raised to the level of their shoulders. They were now surrendered men.

Then came Boesarius and the greater mass of the Regulators, coming forth from the tower which they had garrisoned.

Avric Warstromal

 

[Praetor Boesarius Terral]

Boesarius looked on the Ommites with disdain. If he could, he would have had them all executed, one by one. But his preferred solution was not feasible, nor wise. They would need them as hostages to ensure a safe return to Gildan territory, and their return to the Iron Aristocracy, he already knew, would be politically expedient for the aftermath which would surely follow this incident—but that was a matter for senators and diplomats.

He walked up to Avric and Leah.

"Good work," he said to them. And then he gave a jerk of his head toward a distant corner, wedged between the tower and one of the ruined buildings. "A word. In private."

He needed to speak with the two of them, and Ommites couldn't be allowed to overhear. The other Regulators would have to keep watch on the Overseer and the soldiers for the moment.

Avric Warstromal