20 The Cold Of Death

High up on the Wall, soldiers watched as another wave of demonic beasts was shuffling forward. the three HMG emplacements, with one backup were aimed below waiting for them to enter the optimum range.

Despite the heavy snow the dark shadows could be seen once they entered the no mans land.

In moments they would be close enough, and the snow would be dyed black from the creatures quick and violent deaths.

Each gunner crew had three members, one to bring the ammo and keep it flowing, one to fire the gun, and a back up gunner that would change the barrel when it got too hot. The barrel changer would generally swap with the gunner occasionally if the fighting was intense. Even with the heavy gloves, the vibrations could get to you if you fired too long.

The heavily bundled soldiers of the garrison waited patiently unaware something was approaching from above. Generally in the past the demonic beasts that flew would roar conveniently announcing themselves and attracting the attention of the defenders to gun them down. The much larger creature simply glided down from a higher place silently, its cargo, a skull faced demon with 6 bone spears.

The spears that where thrown were nearly silent till they struck. One bone spear shattered on the HMG and sent bone splinters into the gunners face. The other impaled the backup gunner to the stone ground with a shot through his back. The gunner screamed in pain and the ammo loader shouted at the top of his lungs

"DEMON ATTACK!! ONE PASSING OUR 8'O CLOCK." The other two gun emplacements unhooked their HMG's and pointed them skyward. The ammo loader ran towards the spare gun at the same time as some others who had been waiting in the stone guard houses on the wall. A few rushed to the injured HMG gunner and wrapped his wounds. quickly loading him to a stretcher then rushed for the massive stair case. His injuries were bad, but they now had their own Nana to give them hope.

The gunfire began as the remaining three HMG crews caught sight of the gliding demon at the same time. It had no comprehension of how the tiny humans on the wall sent a bee swarm to attack it. Perforating the beast he flew so badly, that it resembled a bloody dripping net. The demon didn't even have a chance to roar before it also followed its mount in death. A mass of flesh and bones fell towards the plaza billowing red mist behind it. When it splattered on the plaza below a cheer went up from the gunnery crews, and the rescue crew who were descending the great stairs.

Up on the wall the triumph was over. they remounted the guns and proceeded to mow down the normal straggling demonic beasts below. This time with three new soldiers stationed across the wall who's only job.. was to look up.

One crew of soldiers gathered around the first casualty for them, in this war. Slumped down the impaled soldier was suspended upright. the spear had penetrated his spine from behind his neck and come out one of his legs. A big soldier used an ax to chop off the spear stuck in the stones letting the impaled backup gunner fall to the ground. They respectfully wrapped his body and sent down another stretcher. But this one moved slowly and sorrowfully.

In the armory Wendy sat next to piles of ammunition asking Hemet about cannons and his former experience in the first army. Hemet had been in a canon firing crew, so he could describe the loading and firing process to Wendy. Wendy drew on the wall to confirm its shape and then made a tiny cannon of steel. It was only two feet long but Hemet Immediately treated it as his treasure.

Hemet looked up at the same time as Wendy when they heard the gunfire from the wall sounding much different then usual. A shout went up. "Injured descending the wall!!"

"Quick start the wall opening!"

Wendy and Hemet both jumped up from their sitting positions and rushed to the main hall.

The steam engine had been engaged and the outer door was slowly opening.

Wendy nervously stepped back and forth in place, her hands on the inner wall watching internally the progress of the outer wall.

"Why is this so slow!??" Wendy said looking at Hemet.

He shrugged, "Its heavy concrete, and the safety procedure was designed to work slowly."

Scowling she considered a few ideas like lightening the weight of the stone, or simply making a hole and walking through. Then she sensed the crew with the stretcher rush inside.

A call came, "We're in! Open the inner doors!" The wall behind them slowly began to close.

But Wendy wasn't waiting. The injured soldier and his crew were within her range so she began her repairs immediately. The four soldiers heard the moaning of their companion cease and they all looked to him in concern that he'd already passed away, but instead saw shards of bone spear clattering to the ground exiting his face and chest. His expression had become relieved and blissful.

"Scott! Scott!? Are you okay?" one soldier addressed him in worry.

Scott opened his eyes and looked at the soldier who had spoken. "Is Lady Nana here? I feel her warmth." His color returned and he struggled to sit up. He stood before the inner wall had finished opening revealing a large number of concerned soldiers, and Wendy standing in front beaming happily at Scott.

"Where.... where is the injured? another soldier said.

Scott raised his hand. Many faces became confused.

Hemet spoke up. "Wendy?... did you fix him through the wall?"

"Yes! I couldn't wait anymore, he was in such pain..."

The hall erupted in noise as people interrogated the returned team, and the supposed victim.

Hemet invited Scott to report to Eagle face and Wendy was surrounded by grateful soldiers.

Wendy sat at one of the tables in the main hall and listened to the returning crew. Reporting to the others the story about the demon attack on the gun emplacement. Especially focusing on how all the crews pointed their guns to fire at once at the demon, hitting it, leaving it shredded and falling to the plaza. Wendy made a mental note to visit the corpse, to see the damage the three HMG combined had done to the demon and its mount.

*******************

Out of the corner of her eye she saw the door wall moving again. The noise died down and everyone stood silently. Wendy's eyes began to widen as she realized what was happening.

When the door was open, another stretcher carried by four soldiers stood. The figure on the stretcher was mostly covered with blankets like a shroud, with only the spear protruding from the blankets. Grim faces were on all the soldiers faces.

Wendy pushed her way through the crowd, most of the soldiers moved aside making a corridor. Wendy arrived before the quartet breathlessly.

One of the porters said sadly and gently. Its too late lady.. he died instantly and bled out.

The spear probably destroyed most of his organs.

Wendy waved her hand and the spear seemed to vanish into a fog that dispersed. Wendy then placed her hands on the body through the wrappings and became completely captivated her eyes darting around watching the changes in the dead soldier's body.

The same porter spoke again, "Redwood was a good man, his family will miss him but he was a better soldier..." the porter seemed to be eulogizing for the benefit of all who stood around.

"Wait! Wait! I know whats missing! Wendy said and began breathing harder.

The porter looked down at her in pity, as he was a soldier that had seen casualties before during the fight with the church.

Suddenly the body lurched in place, and they heard a long gasp as if someone had come up for air after swimming under a lake for too long. Redwood fought off the wrapping his face red, panic on his face. Redwoods hands grasped his chest all over as if searching for something and then looked up into Wendy's glowing green eyes. He could almost swear he saw 3 lights orbiting her cornea.. but her eyes already seemed to be a real light source. Wendy broke into a pealing laughter throwing back her head in both happiness and relief. Then she struggled falling back from her squatting position into a dead faint. Another soldier caught her before she could hit the ground, and cradled her in his arms. Silence reigned in the hall for moments that stretched on. The soldier holding Wendy, the porters, and redwood were the only ones that saw the tears fall from Wendy's closed eyes.