Demoness 2 - Chapter 65 - An Old Guard (Patreon)

Elania’s wings carried her towards the top of the Guards’ fortress. Unlike the elegant spire of the Magistry, the structure was built for function over form, its flat roof bristling with defenders.

As she neared, a volley of shot and bolts lashed out at her, the sentries responding with alarm. She veered swiftly, rolling out of the way of the screaming projectiles and then arcing around for another loop.

She made another pass, and the barrage began to subside as officers took back control. When they finally stopped aiming at her and returned to firing towards the ground, she touched down.

An officer approached, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. “Magister Bannon left orders you are to be brought to him if you arrived,” the young man said, his voice tense but respectful. “Follow me.”

Elania grunted and did just that. She was tempted to comment on her welcome but decided against it. Things were already tense enough.

They headed down a stairwell, Elania falling into step behind him while folding her wings into a golden cloak. As they descended, the stone shook with the deep periodic booms of cannon fire.

“How long has the assault been going on?” Elania asked.

“Hours,” the lieutenant replied. “Days, maybe. They’ve been pounding us non-stop. I’ve lost track of time. We’re holding for now, but…”

Holding. Elania didn’t reply. From what she had seen, they were slowly being peeled back from the outer wall and district and forced into the citadel.

They were in a pocket, and it had closed around them like an enormous monster swallowing a smaller one.

On the next floor down, Elania’s stomach turned at the sight of the wounded and dead lining the hallways. Moans of agony filled the air, mixed with the scent of blood and voided bowels.

Men and women who she assumed were medics or the like, ran between them doing their best to triage, but it looked like a lost cause as more men slowly filtered in, either on their own or on stretchers. The floors were slick with spilled blood.

In some places, the hold was so packed they were forced to step over men who were on the ground, heavily bandaged and chests rising and falling with shallow breaths.

Thoughts of Henri and Gaston nagged at the back of her mind as she followed the Lieutenant. Henri more than Gaston, really, but both of them all the same. They were the two members of the Guard she knew best and actually liked.

Were they safe? Had they been wounded, and she would find them lining one of the halls, or were they…

She clamped down on the thoughts by the time they reached the command room. It was barely better than the charnel house that had become of the hallways, but the center had been cleared and a strategy table set there.

Officers shouted at each other, their voices strained and desperate. Maps and papers littered the table and the floor, forgotten in the heat of the arguments.

Magister Bannon stood apart, his back to the room as he gripped the circular stone window. The tight set of his shoulders spoke volumes about the tension running through him.

Her escort didn’t linger, leaving Elania to approach the Magister on her own. She weaved through the arguing officers, their words washing over her like a tide of hopelessness. None of them paid her any mind.

“Magister,” Elania greeted as she reached Bannon’s side. He remained facing the window, his gaze fixed on the chaos unfolding beyond the fortress walls.

“Why did you blow up part of the city?” His voice was flat, devoid of emotion.

Elania took a deep breath. “The Paladin and Elder Gant were there. I had to take them out.”

Bannon grunted, finally turning to face her. His eyes were shadowed, his face drawn with exhaustion. “At least you got two of them, then.”

Elania nodded; her attention drawn to the arguing officers. Their voices rose and fell, a cacophony of desperation and fear. “Why are they fighting?”

“The fortress is being overrun.” Bannon’s words hung heavy in the air. “We’re losing ground by the minute.”

Well, that was obvious. Anyone could see that. Wasn’t it their jobs to keep things together for their men? Maybe all the good officers were out in the fray, doing exactly that.

A cold knot formed in Elania’s stomach. “Where are Henri and Gaston?”

“Last I heard, Gaston’s squad was assigned to the Headquarters gate. He should still be there, tending to the defense.”

Relief washed over Elania, but it was short-lived.

She frowned, her gaze snapping back to Bannon. “Why aren’t you doing anything yourself?”

Bannon grunted at the accusation, his eyes narrowing. “With the majority of the Magisters dead, if we lose Keswick or myself, the city will be lost completely.”

Elania scoffed, her anger rising. “If all the Magisters had gotten together and went hunting, you could have eliminated the other enemy elite combatants one by one.”

“That would have caused too much collateral damage.” Bannon shook his head.

She gestured towards the most recent city-scar she had made. “As opposed to that?”

Bannon gritted his teeth. “It’s neither here nor there. What’s happened has already happened.” He sighed heavily. “We were spread too thin. Now we’re barely holding on.”

Elania’s fists clenched at her sides. “So what’s the plan, then? Just sit here and wait for them to break through?”

“We fortify our defenses. Hold the line as long as we can.” Bannon turned back to the window, his shoulders sagging. “And pray for a miracle.”

Elania’s wings flared, the ethereal glow casting long shadows across the command room. “You’re hiding in your tower, waiting for it to fall around you.”

The arguing in the room went silent as all eyes turned on them.

She lunged forward, grabbing Bannon by the shirt. He grasped at her arm, but her grip was unyielding, pulling him close until they were nose to nose.

Whispers rippled through the gathered officers, a mix of awe and disbelief.

“Prepare to abandon the fortress,” Elania commanded, her voice ringing with authority. “Lead the guards to the Magistry district. The shield there will be our last line of defense.”

Bannon’s face reddened, his jaw clenching. “You can’t just—”

“I can.” Elania’s eyes narrowed, her grip tightening. “Unless you have a better plan? Did you forget your duty?”

The officers exchanging uneasy glances. Bannon’s shoulders sagged, the fight draining out of him.

“Very well,” he conceded, his voice tight. “We’ll evacuate to the Magistry district.”

It seemed like the officers had expected the order to be given earlier and were just waiting for it.

They scrambled into action, barking orders and dispatching messengers. Elania watched them go, a grim determination settling over her.

She needed to go find Henri and Gaston next.