Rise - The Fallen Ch. 01

"Don't fret. I will simply fly a bird around Hernon's shop with a message telling him where to meet."

"Don't bother with Hernon's shop. It may only be by luck or the sounds of the undead that brought him to those three. The city's so large, I doubt he frequents that area. There was already little there to begin with. Must be even less now."

"Then I will fly the bird around the city."

"How will you get the message to him?"

Hiln thought for a moment. "Good point. Maybe I should attach a small banner with the message written on it instead."

"That could work, but we don't know what those things are capable of, Hiln. They may seem like mindless beasts, but they may still retain enough mental capacity to read or understand someone is plotting something. You both could fall directly into their hands should that be the case."

"Then what do you suggest?"

"I've already told you what I think should be done."

Hiln huffed tiredly. She could not have it Kelik's way. With no other answer immediately available, there remained only one option. "Fine. If the noise of the undead drew him to that family, then perhaps the same can be done again."

"What are you saying, Hiln?"

"I am saying I will go out there and find him. If I cannot, then I will draw him out using the undead."

"Don't be ridiculous, Hiln," Kelik scolded. "You're throwing yourself to the wolves doing that."

"I have to do something, Kelik. I can't stay here."

"That does not mean you should purposely seek the attention of those monsters!"

"No, I do need to. I need that man. I can't expect to survive long out there without understanding what I'm fighting."

"You can't expect to survive at all with this plan. What if that man no longer lives? What if he is one of them? What if he died saving that family?"

"That is a risk I must take. I must reach my brothers and sisters in Gravenfore. They need me. They need a leader. Without their head magistrate they are lost."

"What about us? We need our head magistrate too! We need you, Hiln."

"I'm sorry, Kelik. This is far greater than all of us. I don't wish to leave you, trust me. But the church must come together should we wish to see an end to this plague."

"And what if you die out there, Hiln? Out there before you even leave the city. Or out beyond the walls. If you die, then who will be left to lead? And what would you have died for?"

"I would have died trying... Which is more than I can say I'm doing now."

"You're keeping us safe! You're keeping morale high! As long as you are here and the undead are out there, no one has to sleep in fear."

"You're keeping us safe. You and your men. Face it, Kelik... I'm not needed here."

"You... You are, Hiln. You are... I need you."

Hiln placed a gentle hand on her old friend's shoulder. Squeezing slightly, she smiled and assured, "Not as much as you think."

The captain guard bowed his head. Confused and defeated, he asked in a hushed tone, "How can you be so sure of this man? How can you put so much faith into someone you've never met?"

"Because I have to put faith into something. He's survived this long. There must be a reason for that. He's killed those things. An elf wizard, no less. Surely that must count for something. With him by my side, it'll be okay, Kelik," Hiln assured, offering her kindest smile. "I'll be fine. Trust me."

The captain guard wished to maintain his stance. He knew Hiln unlike any other, however. No matter what he did or said, she would have her way. With a heavy sigh, he eventually relented. "Okay. If you believe this is the way, then I trust you."

"Good," Hiln smiled. "Besides... I have faith in you too. Faith that you will keep everyone here safe and defend these walls until my return."

Kelik snorted and glanced away. "You shouldn't throw your faith around so recklessly."

Hiln looked at him with genuine annoyance for his lack of self-confidence. She shook him. "Hey, look at me," she told him, to which he did. "I'm not. You're worthy. Remember that."

Her words carried weight. Enough to swell Kelik's chest. Stoic and hard he was on the outside, but soft and gentle he was truly inside. He hated to admit how much he relied on the words of others. The captain guard smiled and nodded.

The two friends smiled before continuing on their way to prepare for the days to come.

Mugs and pots attached to the back of the knapsack jostled about as Hiln fastened it tightly to herself. The sudden jerk caused her ample cleavage to swish about. Even under the armor, the large mammaries could hardly ever be contained. Men always stared whenever the chance arose. Guards were staring now, taking their last eyeful before her departure. Nearly every man wished to bed the blonde beauty. Especially now during these trying times when all hope seemed lost and the world at its end.

Stepping in between the guards and their lustful gaze, Kelik looked at them with scornful eyes. Their attention immediately diverted elsewhere and their backs shot up straight. Turning back to Hiln, he asked, "Should you not wait until night falls? You'll be too easily spotted.

"I'm no cat," Hiln snorted. "I can't see in the dark."

"Sure about that? You've got the roar of a lion."

The two friends laughed.

"Got everything?"

"Aye. Should hope so at least, doing nothing but packing for the last few days."

"Got your books?"

"Of course."

"Good. Wouldn't want you getting bored out there. You know, because there's so little to worry about."

"Oh yes, I know. It'll be hard keeping myself entertained, but I'll do what I can to cope," Hiln smiled.

"Good, good," the captain guard chuckled.

Hiln nodded to her old friend one last time. A forced smile spread across her face as she stared at him through melancholy eyes, which quickly began to glaze over and redden. She pulled him into an embrace and squeezed tightly. Partly because she didn't know when next they would meet, but also because she knew he would never let her hear the end of it should he see her weep for him.

"I'll miss you, Kelik."

The captain guard could not refrain from smiling. Rare was it that the blonde would openly display intimate feelings. "Fine by me. Just not too much. You need to stay focused out there. Keep me in the back of your mind."

Hiln smiled sadly and said warmly, "You could never remain in the back, my friend."

Mock-whining, Kelik asked, "Not even to conceive a child?"

"Shut up," Hiln said, bursting out in a hearty laugh and smacking him on the back.

She squeezed him one last time. Then, with a pat on the back, she let go and was off. Back turned to the remaining survivors of Klisely, she made for the door.

"Wait," Kelik called out.

Hiln halted and looked over her shoulder. Glowing blonde hair - made brighter because of a nearby torch - cascaded down the far end of her face, as if it were a waterfall of gold. She knew from the look on Kelik's face, he had something for her.

Eyes to his feet, the captain guard fiddled with his hands. "I can't let you go out there alone," he admitted, looking up. Kelik glanced at the guards that had been ogling Hiln, but never would he entrust his dearest friend to buffoons. Instead, he turned to the two guards that followed him here. "Mancer, Yorik. Go with her."

No question was needed. The two silently nodded with devotion. They stepped past the captain guard and took their place beside the blonde. Hiln glanced at each, then to Kelik, bewildered. A smile broke across the captain guard's face. That look of surprise never failed to amuse him.

"Keep her safe," Kelik urged. "Both of you... No matter the cost."

A quivering smile pulled at Hiln's lips. Choking back tears, her face hardened. Upright and resolute, she turned to the door. Without hesitation or another glance back, she left.

War-hammer in one hand, shield in the other, Hiln led the two guards out into the city. Seeing a once familiar sight now made rare was strange to say the least. Never would one have thought that to be the case. To have one life one day, then another the next.

How familiar was this sight truly, though? These lively streets were once bustling and lively. Now they laid in shambles, quiet and dead. Cheerful screams of playing children were once what everyone heard. Now only the dead and their relentless screeching was all there was to be had.

The three quietly swept through the city. Dark clouds loomed overhead, constantly casting them in shadows. The air was thin and salty. It reeked with the pungent scent of rotting corpses no matter where one stepped foot. Blots of black and brown dotted the streets. Small bits of weeds already began creeping through the smallest of cracks in the ground. No animal was in sight.

Indeed there were heaps of debris blocking entire roads. Some consisted of carriages, boxes, vendor stands, and whatever else may have been found lying around. Those were most likely intentional, efforts made by the living to wall off the undead. The other blockades were made up of fallen buildings, most likely caused by magic.

Evidence of the young man's traps and contraptions laid about. Hiln's chest swelled, further adding to her faith in him. Secretly - though she hid it well - she could not deny that she was eagerly looking forward to meeting this man. Not only was he courageous and knowledgeable, but also resourceful.

The only wonder that remained was his appearance. Something Hiln would soon find out as the three were eventually spotted by a group of undead. Their shuffling behavior immediately snapped to that of blood-crazed beasts. They were on the band of three in no time at all. Within moments, more joined. Then more. Then more.

Undead bursted through doors and windows, flung from around corners, leapt from rooftops, and tumbled over one another. It seemed like half the city was on them. With the oppressive force surrounding them from all sides and closing in, Klisely felt as if it was swallowing itself whole.

Hiln and her company of two never stopped once to fight. None of them ever even thought of stopping for any reason. Constantly they ran. One glance of the undead sent all thoughts of heroism or bravado sailing down the river.

The best they could all hope for was the appearance of the young man they had all heard so much about. He would be their saving grace. All that they relied upon. All that this plan hinged on.

In hindsight, Hiln understood how foolish this plan was. To put so much faith into a single man. A man she'd never met before. Kelik was right and she knew it. Perhaps that was proof of how hopeless she truly was. How little hope that remained.

Eventually, the three were cornered. Buildings surrounded them from all sides. Their only exit was the way they came. That might as well have been blockaded, however. Might have been better even, as the undead now funneled in from that way.

Dozens of undead charged forth like a tidal wave. They all screamed as if suffering from eternal torture. Hiln watched in horror. She nearly lost grip of her hammer and shield. The armor she bore began to feel as if it weighed that of several oxen. Finally, as she stood frozen in place like a statue, reality dawned on her.

There was no escape.

So hope truly is lost.

Hiln watched as the horde closed in. Her face was motionless, blank. She was unmoving, unsure of what to do. Then she looked at the others flanking each side of her. In their eyes was the same thought. The same fear and hopelessness.

Then, miraculously, the same resolution. They all knew the outcome. And they all accepted it. So long as they would die fighting, that would be enough. Therefore they all stood together as one.

Standing side-by-side, shields and weapons raised, the three readied themselves for their last stand.

Brothers and sisters, I will see you soon. Gods, save those that remain... Kelik, forgive me.

Like waves upon a cliffside, the horde crashed into the three. Steadfast and dug in deep, they withstood the full force of the first wave. Together, they shoved forward at once, blowing the undead clear off their feet. On their backs, the undead were helpless to the band of threes' relentless onslaught.

Unsure of how to kill these things, the three repeatedly stabbed and smashed the bodies beneath. Much of their efforts resulted in nothing. Most that fell returned to their feet. Though bloodied and broken, they moved as if unharmed. This time, the three were unprepared.

Eyes widened, they retreated on their heels. Once the second wave hit, they fell back even further, forced against the wall. Quickly they were surrounded and attacked from all sides. Then they found themselves separated.

Mancer and Yorik fought honorably. Most men would not have remained on their feet as long as them. Most would not have even survived for as long as they did. The two were covered in their own blood with several blades impaled into them before finally falling.

In the end, all who remained was Hiln.

Bodies laid at her feet, mouths agape and heads smashed in like melons. She stood hunching, shield raised high and war-hammer ready at her side. Like a smoke-pipe addict, she rasped with every laboring breath. Blood dripped from the open cuts in between the slits of her armor plating. She was not bleeding profusely, but she could not make a single move without the sting of a thousand bees.

Still, no matter how dire the situation, Hiln stood. She stood and she fought. Growing up as a holy warrior of the church, she knew nothing else. She was nothing else. Only a warrior, through and through, until the end. She had hoped to not meet the gods so soon, but fate acted as it wished.

More undead were rushing towards the commotion. Their distant screeches could be heard. Those that stood before Hiln charged forth. The valiant guards that followed her into battle rose from their graves, they too joined the enemy.

Hiln inhaled deeply, breathing in her last breath before the end.

They came at her all at once. The first struck low, striking only her shield and receiving a blow to the shoulder, shattering its sword arm. The second and third attacked together, seconds before the fourth. The second caught a blow across the jaw, severing its face. The third could not pass Hiln's defenses, also striking her shield. The fourth managed a cut across her thigh. It was shallow, but it was enough to force a grimace.

The fifth threw itself upon her in an attempt to stab her with a knife. It was shoved away before it could. That presented an opening for the next three, however. All of their blows landed. One down the forearm, one across the shoulder blade, and the last to the ribcage. All slashes, no deep wound, but still enough to force Hiln to her knees.

She winced and grit her teeth in agony as her knee hit the ground. Yet she still possessed the strength to shield herself from three more attacks. Had her shield not been so large, she would have died right then. Instead, she lived long enough.

Boom.

A deafening explosion rang out across the city, shaking the walls and earth. Flames erupted forth like a rageful dragon furious that it was woken. The force of the blast sent everyone reeling. Hiln back against the wall and the undead either flying, engulfed in flames, or knocked clean off their feet.

Smoke fogged the area and dirt rained from above. Stone rubble covered the ground. Hiln's blue eyes cracked open as if the sun had just risen. She could not make what transpired. All she could see were the silhouettes of the undead, wavy and unclear. Although they could have attacked her, they did not. They stood and held their weapons. They screamed and craned their necks. Yet they did not attack.

The sound of collapsing bodies then reached Hiln's ears. It reached her eyes next, seeing dark figures in the haze of the smoke fall to the ground. She knew someone had come to her aid. Attempting to speak, she inhaled the smoke, choking on the toxic fumes and coughing. The sounds of her struggles turned the heads of the remaining undead. Hiln's teary red eyes shot up as their piercing screams meant she was exposed.

Those bloody wounds lining her body bit deep. Blood leaked freely, trickling down her sides and legs. Hiln could not be stopped, though. A woman of her words, so long as she could fight, she would continue to. Until no longer possible, she would always try.

Undeterred, Hiln shot up, boring the roar of a true lioness as the undead piled against her shield. Metal clanged upon itself persistently without relent. Mostly from the blades of the undead. Retaliation hardly presented itself for Hiln with several undead wailing on her simultaneously. Even when she was able, they always stood back up. No matter how many times she beat them, they would not stay dead.

Pushed against the wall again, it was nearly required of her to completely hide behind the shield. That was until those undead too fell on their backs. Before Hiln knew it, a hand shot down to her face.

"Come with me!" a masked man shouted with his deep voice.

Hiln wasted no time, latching onto the hand with all her life. She was immediately lifted to her feet and assisted towards the wall to her right. The blonde warrior's brows contorted in confusion. All she saw was a deadend. But in fact, that was no deadend. A rope hung down from the rooftop where it wound around a pulley system. She then saw a mechanism laying at their feet.

"Hold on tight," the man told her.

Hiln squeezed her rescuer close. He grabbed hold of the rope and stomped down hard on the mechanism. Doing so launched them straight up into the air. Hiln's heart flung into her throat as the sudden momentum caught her by complete surprise. She gasped quite adorably.

Once at the top, the two climbed onto the rooftop. Since the danger seemed behind them, Hiln expected her rescuer to stop and introduce themselves. She at the very least expected them to stop a moment long enough for her to give thanks. Or perhaps a moment to catch her breath. Instead she was hastily yanked to her feet again and assisted across the rooftop.

To Hiln the world and its happenings seemed to move faster than perceptible. One moment she was nearly killed. Then there was an explosion. Then she was saved and launched into the air. Now she was limping across a rooftop, assisted by a stranger she could not even see due to her burning eyes and their mask. She attempted to speak, to tell her rescuer to slow down.

"Down the ladder," they interrupted.

Dazed mind and spinning vision, the injured blonde did as told, but as was expected, her grip eventually failed. Fortunately, cushioning the fall were stacks of bagged feathers. Her rescuer slid half-way down the ladder before leaping off. Landing on the bags of feathers, he lifted her pounding heart off the ground.

They were moving again before she knew it. And in quick time she witnessed another of her rescuer's precautions. Strung along the side of a building hung a taut rope. The far end ran into the middle of the road to a manhole cover where it was attached. Pulling the end not attached slid open the manhole without a second's delay.

The two hurried in and down the small ladder. Once at the bottom, another rope hung from above, attached to the underside of the manhole cover. Pulling that sealed the entrance.

"Won't they know to use that?" Hiln asked.

"No. They wouldn't understand even if you tried teaching them. They can hardly climb stairs without tripping."

"They won't know we're here?"

"Since they didn't see us enter, not a chance. Even if they did, what are they to do?" the man asked, shrugging and snorting.

"I see," Hiln said softly, learning more of the undead already.

"Well this isn't it. We've still got some ways to walk. I can't bandage your wounds from here. We must reach one of my hideouts."