Open Chronicles The March of War

[Arn]

Cortos - Bara

"Get down." Arn said as he grabbed a fellow guardsmen's pack and practically ripped her down out of the sight line. Just seconds later a bolt went whizzing through the open space and tacked into the far wall. Lola's eyes stared wide, first at the bolt, then at Arn as she laid splayed upon the ground. Her expression flickering to a sheepish smile.

"Thanks, Sarge." She said, slowly scrambling to her hands and knees to crawl away. "Don't know what we'd do without you."

Two days.

It had been two days since they'd broken through Bara's walls. Two days of brutal hand to hand fighting in close quarters. The fighting was a chaotic mess that seemed to stop and start almost constantly. Once they'd gotten into the city, the Radiant Church's Red Guard and Bara's Militia had made Vel Anir pay for every inch they wanted to take. Fighting the Guard block by block, using barricades and sacrificing entire buildings just to stall the coming armies.

With plenty of time to prepare, Bara had been turned into a fortress. What was to be a Siege instead turning into a long slog as the armies of Cortos did their best to slow Vel Anir down before it even started. The intent of fighting in Bara not to hold the city, but to keep elements of the Anirian army pinned down in the fight. Stopping them from cutting further into Cortos and assissting them while the Free-Cities counterattacked.

A strategy that was working exceptionally well, as Arn could attest to. "Keep your head down. We're not pushing towards the river for another hour."

It had only been two days, but in those tow days the farmboy had proven himself a dozen times over. Not as the best fighter or the most talented tactician, but as a man who would do anything for those in his squad. In forty eight hours Arn had sacrificed his own well being a dozen times, earning more respect than some men did in ten years of service.

To the shock of some, Arn was managing his Command quite well.

"Owain, Tanel, Og." He motioned towards the three Guardsmen. "Watch the windows, everyone else get some rest."

Some of them hadn't slept in a day or more. The fighting was going too quickly, and although the Guard was making good progress the Cortosi were no easy enemy. They needed to rest when they could. There would be more fighting soon, more blood to spill.

Arn had to make sure they were okay. Had to make sure they all made it out.

 

[Kristen Pirian]

Blood had hardened and crusted in Kristen's hair. Old, dark streaks of it, flaking now, ran down over her jaw and down her neck. Most of the speckles that had been on her face she had wiped off, but not all of it, having missed some. Much of this blood had come from a Red Guard soldier, dangling high above her, leaking blood from many wounds and great rivers of it from the Impaler that had pierced him and held him aloft.

That one point in time, over the span of two ferocious days of city fighting, somehow stuck with Kristen the most. There was a time before she had been showered in that soldier's blood, and there was a time after.

This was not the first time Kristen had been to war. But this, thus far, had been the most brutal. She truly did wonder if the Blight Orcs of Godendrung or the Red Guard of Bara were more savage in their thirst for battle.

But the worst of all this came in the quiet moments, like what they had now, Lola's brush with death notwithstanding; for it was here that she could almost sense Garron Banick looming, grinning, wishing—if not death—utter despair upon her. This Kristen strove to resist with all her might.

Presently, Kristen sat along the damaged wall of the building whose former purpose was now beyond recognition. Some windows, those to which Owain, Tanel, and Og were now assigned, were by some miracle intact, but most of the structure had taken a vicious beating.

"Sergeant Arn," she called, and waited for him to come near. Sleep clung at her eyes, yes, but Proctor Magomo had done a good job of acclimating her to its deprivation. She managed a small smile for the sergeant and said, "How do you fare?"

Arn

 

[Zephyrine]

"This will have to do." She winced, not at all putting the injured soldier at ease.

"It still hurts!"

"I said I can fix the break, not fully heal you." Zephyrine was quick to bite back, defensive of her work. She was not a Healer by Dreadlord standards, but in the months she had gotten 'lost' outside of Vel Anir, bones were not a rare material to find and harness it's properties to recreate. That was what she had done to the Guardsman, fixing the break and helping set the leg with a splint. "If you want poppy, go see a medic."

And that was her dismissal.

She crawled away, making sure not to stand or have any of the diffused light ignite her if she got too close to the windows. The glass that had been held up in panes now shattered on the stone floor beneath, the main cause to the injuries here. Zephyrine dropped flat the moment the Sargeant pulled down one of his own to save her from a bolt.

Fuck. When would this end?

"How long ago did we hear about the next phase to this?" She growled out, annoyed that glass sliced into her palm. She lifted it, inspecting it, and curiously and morbidly pressed her thumb against the deep cut. Zephyrine hissed at the pain, but ran her thumb over it several times before watching the split flesh knitting together and become healed. These types of wounds were the first things Zeph had worked on to heal, but she still gave a breath of relief to see it close up.

There had been a time she couldn't heal someone, couldn't save them. And even until now, Zephyrine donned their family name as a badge of honour. A promise, that she wouldn't be that useless again.

 

[Kael]

For all the training that Kael had undergone at the Academy in order to become an infiltrator, an assassin, when war broke out that was not his first assignment. Instead Kael was selected for the prestigious assignment of 'human mailbird'. The first to receive such an honor in Anirian history, or so he’s been told. Able to fly as a bird, confirm placement of different units, handle complex instructions, Kael apparently opened up a lot of
communication possibilities. This new tactic was deemed necessary, or fashionable perhaps, by the Majors and Commanders of the slowly advancing front. As a result Kael hadn’t slept in thirty eight hours. Or was it thirty nine? His fething bird brain probably couldn’t count anymore.

Bird-Kael spotted the bolt that nearly made it way through Lola. He had been given an offhand description of Arn’s squad, but recognized the described red hair of Kristen Pirian. This was the place. He circled around and found enough space through a window to enter. Landing on the ground he grew into human form, his ears hearing the sound of a sword leave its scabbard.

“Initiate Kael reporting. I’ve a message for Sergeant Arn from command.” He said quickly. The sword of Owain, or Og or Taniel perhaps, stayed raised but did not move forward.

“Sarge?” The man let out, awaiting a decision from Arn.

 

[Skyler]

The medic dragged a hand down her tired, dirt and blood flecked face. None of the blood was her own. Warm-brown eyes passed over Zephyrine as she saw the Dreadlord yank a shard of glass free from her palm, the wound there and gone the next. Sky finished tying off a bandage to one of the soldiers in their squad. Thankful it wasn't Arn or Rho or Felix.

"Glad you're with us," she called out to Zephyrine. "Because we're running out of medical supplies."

A grimace as she looked around.

She'd just been close to here with Rhi. They'd managed to get behind enemy lines and back again. She didn't think she'd be doing it again so soon. She hoped having more dreadlords this time was a good thing.

 

[Arn]

Arn smiled at Kristen as he approached, their brief time in battle together having done wonders to wipe away the awkwardness he'd felt only three days ago. Though technically the Dreadlord outranked him, Arn had been put in charge of his squad and she assigned to it along with Zephyrine.

Reeve had told him he was in charge despite what the Guard said. Something he'd felt rather conflicted about, but ultimately had been brought up much. So far in fact, the arrangement had worked out rather well. Arn making the decisions but consulting the two as often as he could. "Well enough."

He lied.

"How bout you? You look tired, you should try to get some sleep before we head out again." The Sergeant began, his head flickering over towards the other Dreadlord as she crawled over to approach.

The smile on his face faltering for only a moment before he plucked the answer from his mind. "This morning, we're due to move out in an hou-"

Before he could speak, a bird suddenly flew into the small ruin of a building. Arn watched it in confusion, mostly because he'd thought all the animals had fled from the city. But was quickly met with an explanation as to why the thing was so friendly.

"That's me." Arn told the boy, stepping up and motioning to the him. He wanted to be surprised by the bird turning into a person.

But he was too damned tired.

 

[Kristen Pirian]

Well enough.

Kristen nodded, understanding the true essence of what he said behind his spoken words. She could say the same of herself, and, she suspected, so could everyone here—save perhaps those of a more surly demeanor. The unwavering defiance with which the Cortosi fought here in Bara brought to ruin the initial expectations of many, from the most ordinary soldier on up the chain, for there had been a sense that Cortosi resistance would crumble quickly under the tide of Anirian wrath.

But Bara was proving the true weight of duty.

Arn mentioned she ought to get some sleep—this before turning his attention to the fellow Dreadlord among them, Zephyrine. But Kristen suspected it would be worth little, and that she likely would wake more tired than when she had started if she tried.

And as a bird (which was not a bird) came in and revealed himself to be some manner of shapeshifter, Arn became a busy man. Kristen had been meaning, in this rare moment of quiet, to commend Arn for his laudable actions all throughout the assault on Bara. But it would have to wait, it would seem.

So Kristen, then, feeling the urge and knowing that there would certainly be no better time than now, carefully began to make her way to a more private area of the dilapidated building, mindful of those windows. She had to relieve herself—the base functions of the body did not stop and wait for battle's end.

Arn Zephyrine Kael Skyler

 

[Zephyrine]

"Glad you're with us," she called out to @Zephyrine. "Because we're running out of medical supplies."

Zephyrine managed a weak smile to the medic, but was unable to think of something to say that would discredit her own help. She couldn't take pain away, but only recreate what was once in reality.

"This morning, we're due to move out in an hou-"

An hour. Kress, they might as well be fucked. They had many wounded or tired, any kind of advancement may be slowed as they all were on the last legs of their own resolve.

"New orders?" She asked, looking to the Initiate with a sour expression. Birds, of any kind, were not welcome in her presence, and the scars were still there on her face, neck, and arms. Bird Boy was lucky he was truly a human mage instead of avian.

 

[Kael]

The swordsman lowered his guard as the Sergeant came to take the missive. Kael looked over at the dreadlord Zephyrine and nodded.

"Yes." Kael pulled from his jacket an envelope sealed with wax, pressed with the symbol of Vel Anir.

"Orders from General F- . . . No, Commander Ta- . . . Feth." Kael cursed, then handed the letter to Arn. "This is for you." He couldn't remember who gave him the letter anymore. How did he get this tired? Kael severely hoped he had remembered the right person. No, Kael was certain, this message was for sergeant Arn. The courier pulled a clean piece of parchment and quill from his pocket.

"I've orders to collect reports of squadrons as I deliver. Communicate if you need supplies, how much, if you've captured any prisoners, taken other squadrons with you. And any casualties." He added.

"Unless you've received other orders superseding mine." Kael added. He didn't know what the content of the letter was, and had orders to destroy messages if it looked like he would be captured. Kael was, for good reason, deliberately given as little information as possible. He hoped the letter held orders for him to do anything but what he had been doing for the last day and a half.

It probably wouldn't, but a goblin could hope.

 

[Skyler]

Sky finished wrapping the bandage to a wounded soldier's head then rose to a stand. Overhearing the dreadlord who'd transformed from a bird to a man. Even though she'd been around so many dreadlords with her time in the guard the magic still had a way of astounding her.

"We need more medical supplies, Arn. Bandages, salves, splints." They needed a lot. There was a moan further down the hall, Sky turned away from the gathering group having made her request and quickly knelt by a woman who she'd just stitched up an arrow wound in her leg.

The woman gave Sky a weak smile. "Hurts more than I thought it would."

Sky rested the back of her hand on the woman's forehead just to make sure an infection hadn't set in.

"Yeah. Just rest. It should be better with that salve in a little bit."

The woman grimaced. "I want to go on with you all."

"I know," Sky took out her canteen and offered the woman some water. "But you'll be better to head back with the other wounded. Sergeant Arn's orders."

The woman shifted. "See him over there?" She pointed to a soldier with a mop of red hair and a splattering of freckles. "He's my younger brother. Will you watch out for him? I was supposed to but-,"

Sky pressed a gentle hand on the woman's shoulder. "I will. I have three older brothers, too. I understand."

 

[Arn]

"Haven't had time to write anything up." Arn knew that the Guard ran on written reports. That sort of thing was how the General's made informed decisions, but he was simply too tired to sit down and write anything up.

Not that there was much anyway.

"But you can tell them nothing much has changed since my last call." After they'd fought their way to this building, things had quieted considerably. None that any of them had been able to enjoy it given the constant paranoia. "We're still waiting for Major Becker's..."

As he spoke the young farmboy cracked the letter on the seal, his eyes half lidded as he read the neat cursive. "Fuck me."

He swore, not offering an apologizing or even realizing he did it.

"EVERYONE UP NOW!" Arn shouted, his voice booming louder than anyone had ever heard him call before. "Now! To the windows! Brace that damn door!"

Arn continued to bellow, the nice farmboy melting away as the desperate sergeant took over. "Red Guard coming right down the North Street. Directly our way. We're to hold until reinforcements get here."

He called, scrambling for his crossbow and ax.

 

[Kristen Pirian]

After Kristen finished her private business, she came back into the building proper. From where she had been—and, as well, not quite expecting an alarm so sudden—she had heard what Sergeant Arn shouted only in partial manner, some of it clearly, some of it not.

And so Kristen headed to the closest person to her, that being their field physician Skyler, and inquired of her, "Did I hear that correctly? Red Guard are coming?"






Arn Skyler Zephyrine Kael

 

[Zephyrine]

Zephyrine saw it all in their eyes, the moments after Arn gave the command. So many were tired, exhausted, and wondering when will this all end after they had endured so much.

Her head turned, the door looking flimsy despite holding all this time.

"I've got the door!" She called, moving towards it at a crouch. Zephyrine peered over the window sill of a blown out window and sucked in a breath. Before an arrow could sink into her two seconds later, it hit a hastily constructed wall built with broken and scrap materials around them, a quick defense with her Recreation magic. It provided cover, for now, gaps in the wall to give them a clear view of the street.

Buying herself time, she stood to her full height and assessed the door. It would hold with reinforcements... Her hand sank into the pouch hanging from her belt, grabbing a fistful of steel and holding it in her open palm. The pieces lifted from her hand, shaping and adding a layer of protection to keep it strong.

"This should hold, my temporary barricade will not. On your command, Sargeant, I will bring it down." Before their enemy could surprise them and barrage their area with projectiles.

 

[Kael]

Kael made notes as Skyler mentioned their needed, furiously scribbling his quill and trying to estimate quantities of supplied they'd need. As Arn mentioned not much had changed he also put that to paper, before the man suddenly cursed and his demeanor changed completely. It seemed Kael had arrived just in time, warning the squad of the coming Red Guard. His orders were normally to return, but he couldn’t leave this crew right as the fight was about to start.

The initiate stuffed the paper in his pocket and rapidly became large and green, occupying the shape of a warrior orc and picked up the nearest piece of furniture to brace the door. By the time he got over however, @Zephyerine had constructed a barrier using her recreation magic. He worked to take it to the nearest potential entrance and stuffed it, before shifting back to human shape and pulling an arrow from his quiver. He noticed eyes on him and realized he had begun acting without any orders, commands, or real right to do so.

"Sergeant, requesting permission for temporary reassignment." He said, to Arn and knocked the arrow into his bow. He had gotten significantly better with it after training with Avery. Perhaps he'd tell her about it later. Minus the part where he was a pigeon for nearly two days straight.