22 A Cold Ambush

At first the ride down in the wagon was bumpy, but Wendy started making 'adjustments' to the wagon as they traveled. By the time they were half way down the speed was faster, and rather then constant jarring and bumping about they felt like they were floating. The riders had no understanding of springs and wheels but they appreciated the more comfortable ride. Even the horses seemed to be less jostled by the wagon as they pulled.

Back at the Old City guard house. Lissa and Isabella had a parchment spread on the table before them. The captain of the guard and some other soldiers stared seriously at the diagram drawn on the table. All the rest of the guards were present regardless of their normal shifts.

The sound of horses stopping outside sounded from outside and the large door swung open. Invading like a foreign army, four soldiers in prominent white armor and helmets rushed in first, followed by Wendy who's robes were now white to match them. Then three more white guardians at the rear, glancing at the sky till the door was securely closed.

Wendy passed the four lead garrison members and rushed to the table embracing Lissa.

"Lissa! I know its only been a week... but so much has happened!" Wendy said closing her eyes.

Lissa gasped in shock her eyes blurring for a moment in Wendy's arms.

"Wendy...You've... become so powerful!" Lissa finally returned the embrace.

"It's been boring here, nothing has happened." Lissa added.

Wendy said nothing overcome with emotion after the things she had experienced.

Lissa patted Wendy on the back till she finally let go. Glancing over at Isabella she gave a light bow then looking past her her eyes widened. Pear stood nervously returning her gaze.

"Pear! you're back to normal!" Wendy said joyfully.

Pear blinked not expecting this response.

"Aren't you surprised I'm a witch? Pear said in her normal harsh gravely voice.

Wendy shook her head and asked politely, "If you don't mind... I could fix your voice..."

Pear looked suspiciously at Lissa, "Can she do that?"

Lissa nodded to her solemnly, her face completely serious.

Pear seemed to regain her stability and changed the subject,

"More importantly Lissa says you can increase my power."

Wendy smiled, "That's not all I can do." she hurried over to Pear's side and whispered in her ear.

Pear's face which up till now had only shown anger and indifference, suddenly flushed a brilliant crimson.

Wendy leaned back and tilted her head smiling at Pear who's eyes shifted uncomfortably left and right. Finally she turned her head to the side and huffed,

"Just.. just do what ever you want...' Pear glanced sideways at Wendy her eyes showing a trace of expectation."

Wendy's smile grew larger and she boldly reached forward touching the center of Pear's chest.

Throughout this whole process the Old city guards and the garrison members stared at the play before them. Most of their jaws dropped as Wendy's hand was enveloped by breasts that had not been there before. The formerly flat chested Pear closed her eyes and gasped in either pleasure or exertion nearly staggering on her feet.

The clear voice they heard next was like the tones of an angel.

"Wendy... what .. what have you done to me?"

Isabella observed Pear's changes and had to admit she lost now in both figure and bust.

"Pear..." Wendy said hesitantly. "Do you want me to change your hair?"

Pear took a lock of her faded grey and white hair and the sweet voice from before now had a trace of iron. "Make it white."

With a nod Wendy waved her hand and the grey seemed to flow out of Pear's hair like water , but vanishing before it hit the ground. The new white locks were healthy and silky.

"Oh! by the way." Wendy said sounding a bit like her old self. "I was wondering if maybe now that you are a witch you could pick a name that... "

"NO!" pear said firmly interrupting. Then a smile ran across her face and she laughed, her clear voice filling the room like a dancing brook.

Isabella was shocked by Pear's resemblance to a former colleague, but she had to put things back in order.

"Young ladies! we only have two hours till the appointed time.. " She looked at Lissa,

"Do you have a plan NOW? Isabella said stressing the last word.

"Yes my lady." Lissa said then rushed to the table taking the writing quill from the ink well.

Wendy and Pear moved over and the Old city guard captain quickly moved aside making room for them.

Lissa began writing as if she'd been waiting for this moment.

"Wendy your men will be posted in these two buildings on either side of the square, your machine guns will protrude from holes in the reinforced buildings here, and here." Lissa made X's on the two buildings on the right side. The parchment showed two paths into a small square with three buildings Two of them build right against the wall.

"The final path will have the Old city guards led by Pear 15 feet down the street. Initially you won't have anything to do, as the first few waves are destroyed, but then a few will come down this street. Pear will disable them and the old guard can then finish them off. When the fourth wave is gone Wendy will repair the wall and treat the injured." She looked at the chief of the guards and smiled. "Now that Wendy is here there will be no casualties, she can heal the wounded!"

Before Wendy left Lissa had her make a 3 yard long object made of metal and a foot and a half thick. You could call it a sword but the thing was gigantic. Pear picked it up lovingly as though it weighed nothing, then looked at Wendy with a gaze resembling worshipfulness.

Wendy's group filed back out again and headed for the appointed square. Upon arriving Wendy opened each door as if she had the keys to the buildings. Wendy then proceeded to the wall facing the square and thickened the walls to about 4 feet leaving a long horizontal slit big enough for her weapons. Her most loyal companions Redwood and Nashu carried in the modified HMG. and placed it into the slot. A sturdy stand rose from the floor and enveloped the gun. Stepping forward, Wendy checked the clockwork mechanism she had installed on the base of the gun. Twisting a knob it moved into place and turned the 6 HMG barrels with a repeating clicking noise. satisfied she clicked the knob back and fed the first rounds of a long chain of machine gun ammo into the feeding chamber, then clicked shut the breach. Wendy looked up at Nashu and Redwood.

"I'll leave all the ammo for you, use it as much as you like and call me when it gets low."

Seven other men came into the room with the boxes of ammo and closed the door. The moment Wendy left she turned and made the door solid black iron and the cross bars inside as well making it become a massive door. Then as a final touch she left a Latch window in the door four by four inches wide. Crossing the street she motioned the last of her men into the building and turned to the Old city driver.

"You can go back to Isabella and Lissa and tell them we are ready."

Wendy said before closing the door and reinforcing it.

Unsure how her small group could fight a rush of demon beasts even with the large gun he'd seen he went into the square turned his cart around then returned the way he came, not noticing the second opening form in the newly thickened wall of the second building, and a barrel extending out to match the one on the other side of the street.

Inside, Wendy had duplicated the multi-barreled HMG she had installed across the street ,and proceeded to form a long chain in a great loop. Wendy looked up at Hemet and Scott and said,

"I'll leave it to you two to fire it... I'll take care of the ammunitions here. Hemet grinned at Scott, and Scott nodded back to the older man with lustrous hair peeking from his helmet. "You can have first go." Scott said.

Hemet's grin grew larger as he took handles of the gun and turned the switch. The clockwork machine moved onto the back of the weapon and he gazed out the opening waiting for a target.