The three additional mbers of The Ironclad Order that were picked each had different combat specialties, by chance. Only one of them had she worked with in the past, but Qat had read all the basic information listed for every active mber.
She had picked them because their expressions were determined but the most realistic. Too many of the others seed excited as they were asked to prepare their hearts for the urgent mission.
"Necessary supplies only. We’ll likely be fighting before we’re back, so we need to stay light and fast."
Her gaze moved thodically across her chosen team. While she had not been formally given the lead, she had been chosen to pick them and that was as good as saying so for any of them.
"I’ll be right back, Qatrand."
A wiry woman with twinned short blades and unrivaled speed, Kefa, saluted and went for so of her missing gear. She was the single person she had truly t and talked to out of the group. The other two cultivators seed ready to leave as they were.
A large man with a larger shield that made him invaluable for defensive positions. As well as one of their rare archers... a man quieter than the others but whose thick arrows could strike with precision at impressive distances. Both of them also carried Order style war axes like they were born with them.
And then there was Ryder.
The Void Defense Society mber approached with a scowl etched into his features, adjusting his leather vambraces with irritated looking movents. The blade at his hip was checked thrice for its secured state in its harness. His discomfort at being assigned to this mission was clear.
’I suppose I would hate to clean up a lie about the Order to four hundred people that had just been lied to as well.’
"We leave in five minutes."
She inford him, trying to keep her tone neutral. She was still a little irritated herself that he had tried to font distrust in her El. The man’s jaw fird as he turned her way.
"I’ve been on more rescue operations than you’ve had birthdays, Yecine. I’ve also actually fought Voidlings before. Just rember who has the experience here."
Before she could respond to the animosity, the fort commander approached. Despite the trouble between them and the mission they were about to embark on, he looked unconcerned as he handed Qatrand a sealed dispatch.
"This is signed and stamped by . For the Continental Army captain if you encounter their forces. I find it hard to believe only our single scout would notice the missing headcount."
He lowered his voice and a bit of severity could be seen on his face.
"It is likely that they have patrols in the area. They may not be aware of the deception yet. But they also just might, and find you suspicious. Approach with caution."
The raven-haired swordswoman nodded while tucking the dispatch securely in her jacket.
"I’m aware of Army protocols. I won’t let them hold us up. We’ll get those people out, sir."
"See that you do. And rember - your primary mission is evacuation."
While standing to his full height, the century year old warrior cracked his neck. He looked every present mber in the eye one by one as he spoke.
"If you encounter significant Voidling forces on the return, your priority is to get the civilians to a safe spot. We’ll keep scouts looking for any signs of engagent as long as we can."
"Understood."
As they moved toward the gates to wait for Kefa, Qatrand felt the weight of responsibility settling on her shoulders. Five cultivators against unknown Voidling numbers, with four hundred civilian lives at stake. The thought of impossible choices from the play that her wife let the troupe put on ca to mind.
Ryder fell into step beside her, his expression only slightly less hostile than before.
"You do have a plan beyond just showing up and hoping for the best?"
"We get the civilians moving in controlled groups while maintaining a periter. If we encounter significant resistance, we adapt."
"Simple enough to say. We’ll be lucky if they have not already panicked and fled to the hills."
The Void Defense mber muttered into the sound of the fortress gates groaning open. The darkening landscape beyond would make this all the more tricky. In the distant skies, the unnaturally black rifts continued to grow from the size of a coin to the size of a carriage.
Soon they would burst and deposit the enemies allotted to the region this cycle.
The small team wordlessly sprinted into the fading twilight the mont the twin blade wielder returned. Two hours of hard travel at speeds mortals would never sustain brought them within sight of the town.
The first indication that sothing was unusual ca when their archer spotted movent along the main approach - organized movent. However, it was not the enemies they feared were swarming the road already. Voidlings did not carry torches and essence lanterns.
"Hold."
Qatrand signaled while dropping into a crouch behind the cover of a low stone wall. They observed in silence for several monts. Even in the limited light, the distinctive gray-blue uniforms were unmistakable.
"Continental Army. A full company, by the looks of it."
The large shield wielder intoned and Ryder’s brow pinched together at how little sense that made.
"They aren’t supposed to be deployed here. Their nearest garrison is the fort a half day’s march away."
While many of those present had spent so ti in the Army to train their understanding of the mortal way of organization, Qatrand was the one who studied the soldiers’ movents with the most fervor.
They had already started establishing defensive positions in their thodical pattern, creating what appeared to be a protected corridor from the town’s main gate. Leading in the direction she had identified herself on the map.
’Troops that have been here for more than an hour and making the sa choices I would make...’
"They’re already in the middle of conducting an evacuation."
She noted the small groups of civilians being escorted by four soldiers back along the guarded path. Kefa shifted uneasily. The woman never liked it when a mission started sprouting too many unexpected variables.
They were usually traps.
"How did they know? Our scout just got back. The incursion points only appeared a few hours ago."
The question hung in the air, but the answer was already settled in Qatrand’s mind. Skydancers had been circling the area between the forts for days. Her mint-drop’s creatures, watching, reporting...
’She planned for this, in her own way. Though they must have already been coming... aning the situation has changed. I do not believe even my wife knew the exact mont that things would begin.’
A certain brunette felt a tingle as ’doubt’ poked at her through the fragnt of her beloved.
"We need to make contact with the leadership. Kefa, wait here with Ryder just in case. The rest with ."
"What do you an by leaving behind?"
Qatrand tapped her pocket where the letter had been given to her.
"It would have been bad enough to convince them by ourselves, but now there is a whole group with authority close *enough* to ours that is aware that there is a possibility one of your Guild is committing cris."
The man frowned deeply, knowing the child of Anper was right. It would simplify matters imnsely if he did not go in yet. Ryder spoke with his bad mood returning at having to agree with the Yecine.
"Fine, but hurry up. I’d like to get to explaining so ti tonight to the leadership of the mortals. Just how foolish it was to listen to an order that kept them from evacuating like they do every cycle!"
They approached openly, sheathed weapons visible but not drawn. An Army sentry heard them call imdiately before entering the edge of the light area. Monts later, soone in charge broke away from the defensive line to et them.
"We’re cultivators from the fort in that direction. We were sent to assist with evacuation when one of our scouts returned with the news."
The mortal’s expression brightened with relief.
"Thank you! Captain Cyera said you might be coming. We’ve been here since right before the sky started doing that. But we’re barely halfway through the town."
He pointed up generally to what could no longer be seen by his eyes. Only the continued disturbing feeling as they traveled let the cultivators know that danger was still hanging overhead.
"How did you know to begin evacuation? From what we heard, the town was under the impression the order had been rescinded."
The shield bearer asked the other man. Qat was sure his answer involved El.
"Orders ca this morning. Coiled Serpent Guild mber showed up - small teenager - and she provided instruction that this settlent here was resisting the orders sent out."
Her chest tightened at the description that could hardly be anyone else, even with only two details. She had seen what was coming and acted.
"Elua er Goltbred."
"Oh, yeah! I think you’re right, that was her. You Order folks really keep up with who everyone is, huh? I thought the Army was sticklers for-"
"She’s my wife. As important as I personally find that, I have a letter for your captain. Then we-"
"The Voidlings are falling from the sky!"
A panicked civilian scread and disturbed the ranks of soldiers and evacuees alike. The lieutenant’s face hardened.
"One of them does that every now and then, but they are right. We need to accelerate the evacuation."
A calloused hand removed itself from her blade’s hilt. But she didn’t ease her vigilance. Because the feeling in the air had changed. Her head arced up into the sky before she gave orders to the archer of their little group.
"Get Kefa and Ryder. We don’t have ti to slowly convince them he’s harmless. Point to your captain, quickly."
Seeing the shift and hearing the words, the mortal stood taller and erased any ease on his face.
"Command post at the eastern edge of our periter."
As she moved quickly through the Army’s defensive position, the swordswoman felt what it was like to experience the sensation many veterans spoke of. After hours of disturbing feeling, suddenly it was quiet.
Which ant that sowhere in the distance, the first wave of Voidlings was making contact with their world.
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