There was a lull in the fighting for some time after the quake. The night seemingly grew darker. The lamps were flickering and going out one by one, this despite a design which caused them to light up every evening at dusk – this was from the usage of lighting spells, cast by the country's weaker spellcasters. Darkness was everywhere – it almost felt as if it had to be alive.

  'Ridiculous,' Hiro thought.

  Hiro had lost track of time; he hadn't even slept since the early evening, when he was awakened by the Runners breaking into the guildhall he'd been recuperating in. There were still guards running everywhere with healers attempting to attend to those wounded in the quake. Hiro made his way down a flight of stairs after helping to shift some of the rubble. There were forces massing at the base of the citadel. The second gate was being defended by a band of local guild members. Hiro reached them, wondering why the first had been taken, but the quake must have broken it. He found the guildsmen clashing with runners and joined the fray immediately, killing several runners with his sword-work. Strangely, it reminded him exactly of the scenarios thought up by the War Quest organizers. They'd been extremely well trained men, actual military personnel – not civilian volunteers.

  Hiro's blade had the runners' filthy blood on it when he checked. He dropped back as the others did. The guildsmen unconsciously worked in formation as they retreated – Hiro was astonished, and glad he'd taken part in so many drills and events. His elation was checked, as with some repugnance, he realized the quests had accomplished exactly what the military intended them to in defiance of the council, which was to get every single male civilian up to their standard. Hours, days, weeks, and even years – boys younger than him, and even others who'd come of age long before Hiro, spent much of their free time training for the War Quests. Not even the Quests – they were being groomed into soldiers, unknowingly.

  How much had the Watchers foreseen? Was that why Saiya was called to the Palace? She'd only ever competed – and won – twice in the ladies' competitions; but her job was a more demanding one. To be a relic hunter – or to be considered as an applicant – you had to be good at fighting.

  Hiro heard a few whoops of triumph – he felt it was too soon. Then, he felt something else. He dropped to one knee to avoid a swipe by a runner, and killed it quickly, but the nausea coming over him became overwhelming. He nearly choked on the vomit coming out of him. One of the older champions came up beside him with a healer – he was some lad who'd earned the nickname 'Saga', and not for his victories – and dragged him into a shadowy alcove halfway up the stairs. There was a guard post there. Hiro was attended to by the healer with a terrible smelling draught. He choked it down and returned the vial to the healer. Others were affected by the feeling as well. The healer did not leave but aided them, in the same way.

  Hiro knew it was due to spells – he was drenched in sweat and shuddering. There was another bout of rumbling beneath their weary feet. Hiro rose as quickly as he could. Debris had struck the side of the hill, Hiro thought, but it was worse. Part of the hill was breaking apart and stone was careening down the steep outcrop. As some of the defenders ran back up the hill, the stone broke away from the steep, main structure. It slammed right onto many of those on the path. Pained screams never did sound so horrible. Hiro was dragged away from the space he was in. He dropped his damaged sword as a large rock struck his wrist. Having no time to pick it up without being attacked, he retreated. Others were cornered by runners and mauled.

  Hiro drew his knife and held onto it for dear life. The healer fell as they ran, and a dome of earth formed about him, before crushing him. Blood splattered all over the stairs and hillside. Hiro's only companion held back, shoving Hiro onward. The man called 'Saga' lost his footing when another quake began. It wasn't as lasting as the first, but it was another spell, they were sure of it. The champion recovered, and ran up the staircase. Other guildsmen were still beating back the runners climbing over the wall on the outer edge of the stairs. The onrush didn't help their deteriorating defenses. Hiro's arm was getting weaker, and holding onto his knife was more difficult. He could only slash at the Runners, and hope to keep his grip on the hilt. Several blasts hit the stairs, breaking them, but they came from behind Hiro.

  A healer had missed her offensive spells. The healer let loose a beam of golden, spiraling light – there was a scepter in her hand. It reminded Hiro of his friend Shiden, but the healer was not as accurate as he was, and missed twice with her beam spell. It shot a runner on her third cast. The beam widened and nearly burned Hiro. He backed off with their other companion, Saga. All around them were runners being vaporized and burned by the beam.

  The remaining guildsmen were rushing single file in the only spaces on either side of the healer. She was faltering, the beam flashing and vanishing at a rapid pace. After checking the other's positions, she swept the scepter she was holding through the air like a sword. A final cast of the beam shot from the tool in an arc and sliced the runners coming up the hillside. Finally, it went out and the healer started running back up the hill with Hiro and the other wounded forces.

  There was no sign of whatever was affecting the earth – it could have been the enemy commander. They did not know. Hiro wondered why the healer's spells weren't affecting him the same way. Perhaps it had been due to the intent of the user, but even so – Luran had been affected by the spells cast by Hiro's friend Shiden. There was little time to think. The healer tripped on the stairs; casting so many spells in a short time had apparently been extremely debilitating. Hiro slashed at a runner leaping onto the staircase from below – he wondered why, and how, they'd learned to climb so efficiently. Then again, the stairs were only leading from the bottom level of the citadel grounds.

  They must have taken over the outer fortifications after the quake.

  This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

  The healer grasped Hiro's hand for a moment when he attempted to help her back up; she rose up on shaking legs, the two exchanging wide smiles as they continued on. There were surely more enemies coming. The debris from the rockfall would not hinder them for long. More of the guildsmen were able to climb over it, so there would surely be runners coming up after them soon, able to do the same thing. The retreating guildsmen formed up again on the hillside. The stairs became narrower as one went up the hill, and sure enough runners came swarming up moments later; a few more of the wounded guildsmen returned from above bearing glaives and spears and shields, passing spares to the others.

  “Surely, the Watchers will come soon! Hold out until then. Hold your ground. We cannot turn back now – our fear is their greatest advantage!”

  Hiro did not see who'd said it. The harshness of the voice sounded like it might've been one of the older champions. He only jabbed at the runners coming up the stairs, buying time for the others to get ahead with their vast shields in order to relieve him. The formation was tight, and only four could stand abreast on this section of stairs. Hiro blocked a runner's hand from swiping at his face with the buckler he'd had hanging on his belt by an easily untied cord. He slashed its throat and spit the black blood out when it splashed his face and some got in his mouth. It was bitter, Hiro found, and he nearly retched, but steadied himself and kept up the assault, cutting down one Runner after another. There were many larger runners being fought back by the biggest guildsmen – several were wearing champion's armor, and Hiro again rued the decision to sell his to a collector.

  Finally, a reprieve came. Shots of blue light slammed down from above like lightning; they were safe. Yet, it was not really the case. One of the Watchers, perhaps, had laid down several trap spells. Hiro saw – faintly – lines in the shapes of glyphs, glowing and fading as they exploded with energy. Runners were no longer leaping over the walls – the defenders were too high up now – but they were storming up the stairs on bare legs, being destroyed as they passed the traps hidden from all eyes.

  Most did not heed the obvious risk and kept coming. These were older – there was even one which reminded Hiro of the bestial enemies he'd seen in the infirmary. He could not fight this one with only his knife. Fortunately, the spear-wielding men were wise enough to stay in front. The next runner to approach was on all fours, rushing towards them. Two more came up after. One was stabbed quickly, repeatedly, and slain at last. The guildsman attacking it moved his shield enough to the side, and the second beast found a chance to strike.

  Hiro did not see where its strike had come from: a sharp, black spine shot the guildsman, piercing right through his chest. He fell instantly, twitching violently on the ground, mouth foaming with some unknown substance, as the venom destroyed him from the inside out. The others kept their shields up and retreated as one mass. The man's body smelled rank, and it deteriorated quickly, the flesh cooking from the effects of the venom, and from the acidity of it. The fumes did not dissipate and the inky muck stained the stone brick stairs. The sight of this caused such an uproar, it nearly routed the first rank of guildsmen maintaining the shield wall, but the older guildsmen rallied the others and bravely fought on.

  There were more traps; Hiro watched as the hillside exploded when the beast passed and was buffeted by broken rock ejected from the wall and ground at high speed. It did little to hinder the heavy creature. The rock knocked it off balance, but it wasn't doing much harm. Others underfoot exploded, pulverizing the beast's belly and legs with fragments of rock. One of the tallest guildsmen shoved his spear forward. This strike hit the beast in the eye and it gave an awful scream of pain, retreating for some time. The third remaining runner behind it suddenly leapt clear over its retreating form, and landed on two of the other guildsmen at once. It bit into one's throat and went for the next immediately after, and broke the neck of the second one with another strong bite, a guild recruit, who screamed and cringed in terror before it, but did nothing to defend himself.

  The rest slew it with repeated attacks, but the other one – which seemed to be the eldest of them – had seemingly recovered, and came charging back towards the shieldwall. The beast swiped at the guildsman closest to it. His armor held up, though one of the claws cut his arm badly. The beast was too big to die as easily as the other had. Indeed, when the guildsman attempted to drive his spear into the beast's chest, he was met with what appeared to be a hard carapace. The spear end snapped off, and the horrified guildsman drew back, raising his shield as the beast roared, spraying the man with spit and phlegm. He kicked the beast in the face and ran panicking. Another spine came then. It struck the guildsman in the back at close range and the spine's end came through his torso, its bloody point showing through his throat. The body slumped to the ground as the creature pulled its tail free.

  All the while, Hiro watched in horror from behind the formation. He was part of their rear guard, or their replacement, more likely. Others passed him down the stairs and went to replace the dead. The great hillfort had become like an abattoir, for humans, Hiro thought. The beast came steadily up the stairs; it was almost at the third tier of the citadel, its highest level. Hiro hadn't been able to wield one of the heavy shields due to his weaker shoulder. Saga was beside him, beating back smaller enemies; The healer was behind them, trying to cast wards without any success. Saga took down a few younger runners with Hiro. His arm and side were bleeding badly; he'd been helped by another healer, who had fled back up toward the keep.

  Hiro watched the other healer, this one a woman, try to use more combative spells. Only a vapor formed when she attempted to use the scepter. There was a brief moment of hope after five attempts, for a blast of violet light shot out of the scepter and enveloped the area. Something seemed to happen, as the runner shuddered and quailed, as though wounded by the spell. It gave the remaining defenders, or those at the head of the formation, a final chance. They drove forth and tried to strike the intimidated beast everywhere they could reach, with all the effort could muster.

  Finally, the enemy creature fell, crumpled to the ground with blood pouring from its side, and gave a melodic, defeated gasp. It was as though their enemy was calling for aid, but no others came. The younger Runners were falling back. Then, as though in response, a loud horn-call rang out from somewhere in the darkness.

  Whether in the city or not, it bellowed, and did not stop for nearly a full minute. Hiro covered his ears, which did nothing to shield him from the horrific sound. There was no telling when it would end. To Hiro – and the others, when it did stop and he asked them about the sound – it felt as though the sound came from within his own mind, as if it were a hallucination.

  He might have been told it was very close to the truth, if he'd suggested the theory to a lore master. Hiro stood up and aided the healer, who'd collapsed, groaning in pain. There was blood and vomit on her face; she wiped it off quickly. “What are you called, anyway – your name, I mean?”