She seemed so peaceful, sleeping soundly in that bed. Her hair was strewn over the pillow, her chest rising and falling softly in tune with her breathing. It was interesting to think that so much of this began thanks to her. Or had she merely been the final crack that had sent the water flowing? It didn't really matter, I could not understate her importance in all of this either way. What happened next would resonate deeper than any act before, for it needed to be deeper. I knew what had to be done.
——
It was another long night, patrolling those same barracks. As I patrolled, I considered all that had happened, and wondered what would come next. Two days had passed since my oath to rebuild the Iron Legion, but ideas about expansion and recruitment stumped me. I was a warrior and a protector, always standing on the sidelines. I was used to the authority and responsibility of being a Warden, but the potential of power was a different beast altogether. Should I approach Jotham? It had never been a problem before, speaking on behalf of a Warlord or in their good faith, but approaching as one myself? Would that not be insulting, to declare myself as one in the face of hospitality?
I didn't have answers to those questions, and I certainly didn't have anyone to ask them to. Stone's leadership had been so brief that I doubt he had much idea either, let alone wanted to consider them. Jotham was my host, asking him would only give rise to suspicions of treachery, or at the very least have us cast out. I couldn't risk that, not with Deborah still recovering. There was the elder in Herongale, but Deborah had been banished, I wouldn't abandon her for my own sake. So where was I to go?
I sighed and came to a halt, frustrated with my lack of knowledge. I was no leader, how had I not seen that? A legion couldn't flourish under me, how could they? Had I truly been so wrapped up in Stone's words that I'd forgotten? Even now, I wondered if these very thoughts made me a poor choice, but it was too late to reconsider now. I am a Warden, and a Warden's oaths are not easily broken.
I needed to take my mind off of these matters, if only for a time. Around me, the night sky was obscured by the faint outlines of clouds above, gentle sprinkles of snow falling from on high. Two small buildings lay behind me and to my right, the snow seemed to melt before it could stick to the tops of these buildings. In the courtyard, a number of tables and practice dummies had begun to turn white, albeit slowly. It was a silent night, and one that provided no distraction from my thoughts.
Sighing, I turned my attention back to the castle further behind me, its massive walls feeling much more imposing being so close to them. Torches burned brightly, illuminating just enough of the castle to reveal the tower far to the right, overlooking the town before it. Just beside that tower was one open window, the snow almost seemed to avoid it from my angle. It was a guest quarters that I'd been told was normally reserved for honored lords or warriors. Now it was Deborah's room. Her recovery was going well, if slower than any of us would have preferred.
I found my mind drifting as I considered everything she'd been through. The loss of her parents, wandering alone for years, and now injured for no fault of her own, all because of rogue knights abusing the authority entrusted to them. How many more people had suffered from these rogues, I wondered? Herongale's people were hungry and distrustful, Morrowgale was wary of any knight with no colors, and even the lowly bandits seemed not to trust a knight's word. I supposed that if nothing else, this meant I couldn't be the worst choice for Warlord. Still, I wasn't sure it made a particularly good one.
I was about to turn away from Deborah's window to continue my patrol, when I thought I saw something move. A flash of shadow seemed to obscure the light within, if only for a moment. Before I had even fully realized I'd seen it, it was gone. I'm uncertain whether it was its proximity to my companion, or my many years spent on the road, but I felt a sense of danger radiating from that shadow. Placing one hand on my sword hilt, I slowly made my way towards the window, my eyes darting to the ledges and shadows surrounding it.
The faint torchlight did little to aid my search, masking the land in a blanket of murkiness that felt all encompassing. Part of me wondered why I felt so tense, shifting shadows and long nights were nothing new to me, not even in close proximity to those I cared for. This particular shade simply felt different, in a manner I couldn't quite understand, but that seemed to be enough for my senses to flare beyond their standards.
My foot had just entered the faintest outline of orange light when I came to a stop, the sound of crunching snow continuing even after I'd stopped. It was only for a moment, barely even perceivable to one not paying attention. But to me, it was unmistakable. That meant two things, first, someone or something was here with me, uninvited. Second, and perhaps more worrying, it knew to wait for my movements to hide its own. This thing, whatever it was, was adept at hiding its presence, and it had just been inside the castle.
"Who's there?" I called out, shifting my head left and right. I had not expected an answer, and was not surprised when I didn't receive one. Instead, I'd listened for any sign of movement, or looked out for any faint outline in the snow. When I found neither, I realized just how skilled this intruder was. They hadn't taken the bait, that meant they knew what I was trying to do. It was a contest now, of my perception versus their stealth. I only hoped they didn't get a thrill out of it.
"I know you're out there, and I know you're nearby. Surrender peacefully, and we can end this without bloodshed." I urged. Again, I received no answer, and heard no signs of movement. They needed a better target, I realized, and better opening to strike it. What better way to do that, I thought, then to step into the light? Metal slid against metal as I took a tentative step forward, drawing my sword as I made my move. The faint light enveloped me as I entered a combat stance, keeping my sword low, ready to intercept any attack.
"This is your last chance, your cover has been blown. There's no safe way out of here except through me, it's your choice intruder." I warned, tightening my grip as the wind picked up around me. Even with that whistling zephyr, it could not mask the faint sound of shuffling snow behind me. With haste I spun around, raised my arm to block whatever was coming toward me, and saw the pommel of a dagger just barely halt in front of my eyes, a lightly armored hand held in place by my wrist.
In one swift movement, I grabbed hold of the wrist and pulled back, only to feel a powerful force slam into my gut, nearly winding me. As I pulled away from the dark, a brass mask came into focus, its markings making its wearer look like a demon from the pits of Hell. Worse than that, however, was that I recognized these markings. With a fierce yell I twisted my body and threw my attacker towards the light, stumbling when they pushed against me as I released them. The attacker shifted in the air to land on their side, rolling once before shifting further to plant their feet on the ground and force themselves into a standing position. They took two steps back as the momentum carried them, before steadying themselves.
My worst fears were realized as I confirmed who was standing before me. It was Mercy, her winged blades twirling softly in her hands as she entered into a combat stance of her own. The orange and black of her armor seemed to glow in the flickering torch light, gentle flakes of snow falling from her hood and legs. All my feelings of rage flooded my mind as I stared at her, readying my blade. She was one of the masterminds of that slaughter, I needed to make her pay...
In a flash of steel and loose snow, she lunged towards me and thrusted her blade forward. A quick twist of my wrists was enough to send it to the side, the clanging steel echoing in the near empty courtyard. With a step forward, I slashed at her side, but was parried by her dagger as she carried the sword away from her. I took a quick step back then launched another strike, this time aiming for her shoulder. She reacted just in time to raise both weapons and block the strike, though the force of my blow did make her stumble.
Instinct took over as I rushed forward, kicking snow into the air as I thrust my blade right at her heart. Mercy recovered too quickly, however, and leapt to my left side before giving a thrust of her own. I pivoted my body just in time to catch the blade, forcing it up and away from myself. She must have predicted this, however, for she then swiped quickly with her dagger, which I only barely jumped away from. A slash with her arming sword followed, aimed right for my neck. It was fast, but easy to see coming, and I raised my sword to block it. With her other hand, she thrust her dagger forward, which I also blocked by rotating my blade down.
Two more strikes followed, a side swipe at my right, and a forward stab at my left. A back step took me out of reach of the stab, while a quick rise of my blade blocked the swipe. Wasting no time, I shifted my stance and took two steps forward, slashing twice as I barreled towards my adversary. As though this were some deadly dance, Mercy raised her blades with a fluid and elegant flourish as she blocked one stroke after the other. A backwards leap was enough to just leap away from a final downward slam, which I'd hoped would knock her dagger from her hand. She twirled her arming sword once more as she crouched down and entered another stance, which I reciprocated.
For a time, neither of us moved, simply studying the other. We each circled the flickering sphere of light, glints of light reflected off her helm as she adjusted her stance in rhythm with her steps. I shifted my blade in kind to block whichever angle she seemed most likely to attack. What was she doing here, I wondered? I was certain she was trying to kill me, but why then would she open with a non-lethal strike? Was she trying to escape? If so, why? I steeled myself and focused on the fight, that didn't matter right now, only stopping her did.
"Whatever you're doing here Mercy, give it up! You won't kill me, and I won't let you escape!" I yelled. What Mercy did next puzzled me, for she did not retort or attack as I had expected. Instead, she stopped in her tracks, holding her guard position with both blades pointed toward me.
"I'm not here to kill you, Liam. As for me escaping or not, you'll have to make a choice." She said, her voice barely audible over the gathering wind. I was confused by her choice of words, a choice to let her escape or not? What was she trying to say? Before I could question her, she leapt backwards, taking off in a full sprint into the darkness behind her. Only now did I realize she had stopped when my back was to the castle, and she could make a break for freedom. I felt like a fool for not realizing sooner, and nearly chased after her before something hit me like a sack of bricks. If she had been the shadow I'd seen, then she'd just come from...
"Deborah!" I yelled, my heart began pounding as I turned and ran back towards the castle. Was this Mercy's choice? What had she done to Deborah? Had she wounded her further? Tied her down? What had she done?! I couldn't think straight, forcing all my focus into charging through that black night as snow was flung around me. I'm not sure how much time passed before I reached the inner gate, the faint outlines of two guards just visible as I ran towards them. The gates slowly opened as two other guards walked through, calm and orderly. Did they not know? As they noticed me approaching, one held out a hand and stepped in front of me. I was barely able to slide to a stop as I stumbled forward, my breathing heavy.
"Woah, easy there Warden, what are you doing away from your post?" He demanded. I cleared my throat and pointed towards the wall, my voice catching in my throat before I choked out my response.
"Ther- There was a Peacekeeper, she's heading towards the town! Go!" The guards seemed stunned by my words, and stood unmoving as they processed what I had said. I found myself beginning to panic as they looked at one another. Not willing to wait for them, I shoved my way past them, one of them yelling in alarm as I did. One reached out to grab me, but I was beyond them by the time they tried.
"Hey! Stop!" I heard one yell. I did not comply, entering a full sprint into the castle. The main foyer was empty, leaving the way clear as I ran up the main staircase and nearly slipped before I bolted toward the right. A long hallway met my sight line as I charged forward, my vision almost seeming to blur as I ran. My heart was pounding out of my chest as fear continued to well up in my stomach. I couldn't let anything more happen to Deborah, why had I left her alone? I knew Blackstone was after me, why did I leave her alone?!
One of the doors began opening in front of me, followed by faint conversation. With a startled yell I leapt to the side to avoid it, right into a decorative set of weapons. The dulled blades clanged around me as I was nearly thrown to the ground, barely able to catch myself before continuing my trek forward. I heard the occupant of that room yell something, followed by the voice of one of the guards yelling after me, but I didn't care. I had reached another turn, this one would lead to Deborah's room.
I'm not sure how long it took me to reach her door, it felt sluggish getting there, though I know it couldn't have been longer than a few seconds. When I finally reached it, I found something that made me freeze. Painted in some sort of black ink on the center of the door was half of a black skull, and half of an orange helm, a sword intersected between the two halves, its color split evenly between them. Blackstone's symbol. Dread filled my chest, was I too late? Was she already gone?
"Deborah!" I yelled, pounding my fist into the door multiple times. The commotion behind me seemed to shift, replaced by startled yells and a series of questions I couldn't discern. My mind ran rampant as I continued pounding on the door. I heard no response, only worsening my fear.
"Deborah! If you're in there, open the door! Please!" I shouted, still pounding. For a time, there was still no response. I breathed heavily as I allowed myself to stop, my breath growing haggard as a wave of pain began to wash over my left arm and hip. Slowly, I lowered my head, my hands dragging along the door as the silence continued, broken only by the soft chatter behind me. Suddenly, the door began to creak open, and my head snapped up as I took a few steps back to let it open.
"Whoever you are, I am going to beat you so-" Deborah began to say, before I rushed in and took hold of her shoulders. I looked at her closely as I stepped into the room, looking for any source of injury. Her hair was a bit messier than normal and her eyes were at half mast, and she seemed to have draped a blanket around herself to cover her underwear. This left much of her body, arms, and legs uncovered, where I saw the still healing scar from her prior stab wound, but was relieved to see no other injuries.
"...Liam? What are you..?" She began to ask, before I inadvertently tightened my grip, my breathing finally slowing, but still just as heavy. Her eyes shifted away from me before widening a bit, no doubt having spotted the Blackstone symbol. I looked up and began looking around her room, looking for anything that Mercy might have left, if Deborah was unharmed, then she must have only used this room to get my attention. Unfortunately for her, it had worked.
"Liam, what's going on?" She asked, I could distinctly hear fear in her voice. As she spoke, I noticed a small bit of paper, tucked just under the chess board.
"Mercy... she was here." I mumbled as I released Deborah and made my way towards the board. Behind me, I could hear Deborah step behind me as she followed.
"The Peacekeeper? SHE was here? Why in the world was she-" She began, but froze when she noticed what I was walking towards. Gently, I lifted up the chessboard, some of the pieces sliding off and clacking on the ground as I pulled it free. I realized now that it was carefully folded, and was barely larger than a fire striker. Careful and neat writing spelled out my name. For a time, I could only stare at the letter, before turning towards Deborah. She had stepped beside me, looking at the letter as she pulled the blanket around her to better cover herself.
"Did she... leave this for you?" She asked. I could not answer, without a word I turned back to the letter, and opened it. It was a brief message, vague, depending on the eyes that would see it. But I understood. The letter read;
"The Elder and the Warrior have fallen. An army marches now to silence songbirds from whence they came. Make your choice."
I must have read the letter several times, more than a dozen. The words seemed to sear themselves into my mind, as though from cauterizing iron. Had Mercy truly left this for me? Why would she tell me what Blackstone was doing? Why try to fight me after leaving it? Why not just slip away? If Blackstone had truly killed the Elder and Siegemund then that meant...
"Herongale." Was all I could say.
"They're going to destroy it..." Deborah finished. We shared another glance, I'm not sure how to describe her face. It was a strange mix of fear and regret.
"She was really here, in this room. My God, I could have, she..." She stammered, pulling the blanket tighter. I could barely bring myself to look at her. This was twice I had failed her now, and this time I had been right by her side. I tried to move past my guilt, and looked back towards the door. There were now several guards observing the markings on the door, while one from the inner gate seemed to be barking out orders. I inhaled deeply, then approached them. The one who seemed to lead the others heard me coming and turned his head toward me.
"It seems your former legion has come back to you, Warden." He said bitterly. I could not blame the man, none of them had asked for this, and the potential consequences could prove disastrous. All the more reason that I made my next request.
"I need to speak with the lords and ladies of the castle, I must ensure they are prepared for-" The guard merely held up a hand, silencing me before I could finish.
"I believe you've done enough tonight, Warden. We will ensure the lords and ladies are unharmed and informed, but no more. As for you, we'll let the Howls decide your fate in the morning." He said. There was an unmistakable tone of accusation in his voice. Did he think I'd done this intentionally? As preposterous as the idea sounded, these men did not know me, and had every right to be suspicious. It seemed I had once again made things worse for everyone. I lowered my head a bit and watched as the guards turned and walked away, some glaring at me as they left. I sighed and looked back at Deborah. She hadn't moved from her spot at the chess table, and appeared to be clutching herself tightly. Even from this distance, I swore I could see her trembling.
"Deborah, are you okay?" I asked softly, turning my body to face her. She turned slowly towards me, a false smile spreading across her lips. I wasn't sure if she was trying to put on a brave face for me or herself.
"I um... I don't think I am, Liam." She said, her voice trembling at every word. Something seemed to glisten on her face in the firelight, something I realized now was a tear. I couldn't blame her at all, I could only imagine how terrifying the thought of Mercy had become to her. Even a castle had not kept her away, only noticed after she had begun to leave. I took a step closer.
"Is there anything I can do for you?" I asked gently. Deborah's bottom lip trembled and her eyes continued to leak tears as she took a step forward. She sniffled and wiped her eyes as she looked to the floor for a moment. It pained me, seeing her try to stay strong. Such horrors could break any person, and here she was, trying to downplay it for my sake.
"Will you, um..." She stammered, clearing her throat before finishing her thought; "Will you stay with me, tonight? I'm scared." She admitted. Her strength was failing her now, she seemed only one step away from breaking apart. I held my ground for a moment, considering the plea. I had been given a duty tonight, to watch the inner wall for the duration of the evening. The night had not ended, thus by extension, neither had my duty. But seeing Deborah so terrified, so genuinely afraid, I knew I couldn't leave her. Besides, I'd sworn a duty to her as well.
I nodded and pulled the door closed behind me, making my way towards the table. She sniffed again and tried to wipe away her tears, only for them to be refreshed by a fresh stream of them. Her smile had faded by now, replaced by a look of fear and uncertainty. I took one of the chairs from the table, and pulled it beside her bed, positioning it to be able to see her, the door, and the window. Deborah unwrapped the blanket, briefly revealing herself again before lying down, and covering up once more. We observed each other for a moment, neither of us saying a word. She was still so terrified...
Hoping to ease her mind, if only a little, I slowly extended my hand, and laid it open on the bedside. My companion looked at it for only a moment before she extended her own hand and took it, squeezing tightly. I could feel the terror in her hand as she trembled, a fresh streak of tears falling down her face. She wiped her eyes on the pillow as best she could, then closed her eyes, her breathing slowing a bit, but still quick. I watched her try to sleep for a time, then forced my mind back to potential dangers. Blackstone was still out there, Mercy was still out there. So I sat up straighter, looked from the window to the door...
...And watched.