36

Jace sat in the carriage, for once he did not feel like talking. He glanced outside at his new mount, Tyrant was following the carriage as was Lily's Frigid. He watched Tyrant for a moment before closing his eyes. He was nervous, even he himself wasn't sure why. Was it because he hadn't seen Sarai in a while and wondered if she was doing okay? Was it because he wondered if Aziva's kidnapping still bothered her? Something felt off and for the life of him he couldn't tell what it was. Jace let his eyes go over the others in the carriage. He hadn't known them very long, but spend the entire day with people and you'll get to know them pretty quick.

Rury smiled at him, Jace avoided her gaze and closed his eyes. She could tell he was nervous, he was sure of it. Emotions were like a book to the woman, easy to read. He felt himself doze off, a sudden jolt shook him back to consciousness. He looked outside and saw the city, his insides squirmed. His hands were clammy, he wiped them on his trousers. His stomach fluttered, he resisted the urge to curse. He wanted to see his wife, he thought back to the day they met. It was such an impulsive decision back then, even for him. He didn't regret it, but even he knew that the attraction he had felt for Sarai was different from the norm.

He'd been in love before and this was something else, a pressure on his spirit. Something was pushing him to get close and stay close to Sarai, something he had no control over. Was it truly his own emotions that led him to do what he did? Was there something else at play? Did it even matter? He was certain that he was in love with the woman, he was attracted to her determination, her courage and her poise. That she was beautiful didn't hurt either, then there was his now adopted daughter Aziva. She was lighthearted but below that there was something off about her. Something unchildlike, she had been surprisingly calm about the kidnapping. She had seen him kill people and it hadn't bothered her.

Jace folded his hands and went through a breathing exercise. He tried to calm the turbulent emotions, this wasn't like him. He was rarely nervous, put him in a life or death situation and he would be calm. He could focus, his thoughts would accelerate and he would perform above the norm. He thrived under pressure and he knew it, it was what made him such a good soldier. Finally he realised why he was nervous, he sensed danger. Not near him as would sometimes happen but something that felt off about the day, something was going to go wrong.

He opened his eyes and noticed that the rest of the group was looking at him in worry. Arian was pretending he wasn't worried, as he was wont to do. Vivianna and Lily made no effort to hide their emotions, while Jace could simply feel Rury's worry. He looked from one to the next, "Something is wrong, something is going to happen. I can feel it."

They stared at him for a while, Arian paused and then leaned out of the carriage and grabbed his bag. He started putting on his armour and grabbed his sword and shield and put them next to him. The others started arming themselves as well, Jace had a dark look in his eyes as he stared through the windows. He flexed and unflexed his hands, unseen by him the blood that inhabited his armour was restless, swirling every now and then, agitated. The others kept an eye outside the window, their hands on their weapons, their shoulders tense. He was grateful that they took his words to heart, even though he had no proof.

They pulled up to the city and Vivianna used her nobility privilege to pass through the inspection. They headed towards the Vin To Shurka manor, that's where Jace's family stayed ever since the incident. Jace looked out of the window and let his eyes wander over the city's inhabitants. Searching for… something. He noticed nothing out of place by the time they reached the manor, he stepped out of the carriage and his heart calmed slightly when he saw Sarai. She was sitting in a wheeled chair, her hair was pulled down over a shoulder and her amber eyes lit up when she saw him. Aziva was beside her and rushed over towards him jumping into his arms, he picked her up and held her to his chest.

He walked over to his wife and kissed her, he put a hand on hers and watched as the rest of the group stepped out of the carriage, he introduced them one by one Rury being the last to leave the carriage, as expected the eyes of his spouse, the surrounding guards and even Jisarila lingered on the exotic woman. Rury stepped forward and and smiled at Sarai and curtsied. Jace frowned, Rury had heavily toned down her pheromone output. He shrugged, although it puzzled him he was glad for it. He could not use any complications right now, he let the women talk amongst themselves for the moment and walked over to Jisarila.

Jisa raised an ivory eyebrow at him, "Something is off about today. It might be good to pay extra attention to security today."

Jisa sighed and twirled a strand of hair around her finger, "My grandfather said the same thing. He said his old dangersense was tingling and that the troops should be on high alert."

Jace blinked, "Is danger sense a skill of some kind?"

Jisa shook her head, "It's not an official skill in the sense of the word. Some high level warriors, or combat veterans mention things smelling off before a great battle. When one of them feels something like that its personal, when a dozen of them feel the same thing? Usually it means war."

Jace frowned, he put his hand on the hilt of his weapon. "Have the people outside been recalled?"

Jisa nodded, "We are keeping things under wraps for now, we asked the people living outside the city to come in for some tax related issues or other such nonsense. We would like to avoid a panic while keeping people safe. Some of the smarter farmers have noticed that most of the people living in the fields have been ushered into the city. They are starting to ask questions but luckily have not started spreading their doubts yet. We also asked all available guards to report to duty. The queen has even ordered the royal guard to prepare for battle."

Jace tensed, "Who could attack us, how could they penetrate this far into the kingdom without us noticing?"

Jisa shook her head, "We don't know, that's the problem. The strategists are up in arms about the failure of the surveillance network. Scouts have already been sent out in all directions but we have found nothing."

Jace scratched at his beard. "What about the sky or underground?"

Jisa blinked as she looked at him, "Why would we watch those, the dwarven tunnels don't reach this far. And although there are airborne divisions in almost all kingdoms, there are not enough of them to use in an assault. The cost of training and maintaining airborne units is high, so nearly all of them are counted among elite units.

Jace paused to think, back home air assaults and paradrops were the norm for modern warfare. Subterranean warfare was highly unusual, but in this world you had creatures that could move through the earth as if it were water. "Could subterranean units pass under the city walls? Do we have defenses against that?"

Jisa nodded, "Of course, although tunneling this deep into a kingdom is rare it is not unheard of, there are a few races who travel mostly underground. We have magic nets set up that protect the bottom of the city. It hardens the earth enough that it becomes impassable." She tapped her chin in thought, "If they are traveling underground it would explain why the scouts have found nothing, I will have earth mages check the surrounding area just to be safe. I will do the same with the wind mages, it's better to make sure."

She nodded to Jace and left to make the arrangements, Jace turned back to his wife who looked up at him worriedly. He walked over to her and patted her hand. She clutched his hand and asked softly. "What is going on, Jisa has been acting stiff all day. We see you for the first time in a week and even your thoughts are elsewhere."

Jace frowned and looked down at his wife, he gently ran a hand through her hair and wondered if he should tell her. He looked in her eyes and saw not fear of the unknown, but worry for him. He smiled at her, "In all honesty there's something big coming, the top dogs think a war is coming to our doorstep."

Arian, Lily and Vivianna straightened and stared at him. Rury pursed her lips and folded her arms, Aziva stared up at him with a cocked head. "People other than me have been sensing something off about today, Jisa thinks war is brewing. The guards are at the ready and the people outside are being brought in. This weekend will be more eventful than we had anticipated."

"War? With who?" Sarai questioned.

Jace shrugged, "We don't know. Scouts and the surveillance net have found nothing. They have excluded a few enemies. It isn't the empire, nor is it any of our neighbours. They do not have the capability to slip the net. We would have noticed the shifting of resources to prepare for war. Which means it is an unknown party, an unknown enemy is often the most dangerous."

Sarai picked up Aziva and put her on her lap, she looked around at the others. "What are we to do?"

"Nothing we can do, we simp-" Everyone stiffened as the bells started clanging, warning everyone that there was something a foot. Jace looked to Sarai, "Get inside, the manor is well protected magically."

"What about you!?" Sarai asked in a panicked voice. Jace smiled stiffly, "I'm a soldier. I will do whatever I must."

He bent down and kissed her before he ran to the carriage and grabbed his gear. He was armed and armored but it never hurt to have spare potions at hand. Arian, Lily and Vivianna grabbed their own packs and slung them on. Heading to the wall where the bells had signaled the alarm. Jisa sprinted out of the manor and headed to Jace, "You were right! They're coming from underground, the mages found something! They're ten minutes out we have to get to the western wall!"

Jace whistled and Tyrant ran over, Lily did the same and Frigid appeared. Jace hopped on, and stuck a hand out for Vivianna who he pulled up behind himself. Lily did the same for Arian. Jisa whistled and a pitch black Svadilfari appeared, she mounted up and pulled Rury up behind her. Jace looked at Sarai who was still staring at him, even Aziva seemed nervous and had tears in her eyes.

"We will come back alive, I'm strong remember!?" With a shout he turned and sent his mount galloping down the street, the rest close behind. People in the streets were clamoring, closing up shops and gathering at the nearest shelters. Merchants with healing items or food were putting them in carts and headed towards the wall.

Jace frowned, he looked over at Jisa who rode next to him. "What are the civvies doing!?"

Jisa looked at the people around her before answering, "Sending necessities to the wall! Anything the army needs to use in defense of the city will be paid for by the government at market price. The people heading to the wall are there to help keep supplies up. It lessens casualties for us and they can earn money faster than they normally do!"

Jace nodded, then realised something. "Do we even know what's attacking us yet? Or how they got so far in?"

Jisa shook her head, "We have only theories at the moment. Nothing substantial."

Jace suddenly froze, "What do adventurers do at a time like this?!"

"Depends on who is attacking us, if its a monster horde of some sort they will aid in the defense. If it's a civilised army they will do nothing and are not obligated to assist."

"That doesn't make sense, how could a country leave such a group of warriors alone when they have fighting potential."

Vivianna answered this one from behind him. "As much as we would love to it wouldn't work, many adventurers are foreign and we can't order them to protect a country not theirs. So nearly all countries have a signed agreement with the Guild that they will help against monster hordes, which are a threat to all. But will refrain from attacking armies, although this depends on the individual. While all adventurers are obligated to help in the event of a monster horde, some will still help when an army is attacking. Although those are nearly always local."

Arian suddenly spoke up. "Why are you guys talking so much! There's a war coming! Aren't you nervous?!"

Rury laughed, the sound sending tingles down the spines of anyone within audible range. "That is exactly why they are all talking so much my dear boy. The only one here who isn't nervous is Jace. His focus is… enticing."

She laid her eyes on Jace and looked him up and down as if he was a piece of art that she was thoroughly enjoying. Jace smirked, "This isn't my first war. Now that I know it's something I can fight I no longer feel as nervous."

Before the others could continue further into the conversation they reached the wall. Without stop Jace led Tyrant up the stairs and to the top of the wall. Both the stairs and the wall itself were incredibly wide. The wall itself was wide enough for two carts to pass by each other without any issue. Jace let Jisa take lead, she was the superior officer of the group. There were very few people who outranked her. Jisa sped off towards a nearby tower, one that towered over the wall but was dwarfed by the immense dungeon tower. Jisa hopped of her mount and the rest of the group did the same. They followed her into the tower were there was a desk surrounded by officers.

A hologram of sorts was suspended off the table and Jace could hear multiple voices through the crystals that lay on the table. Jace was familiar with the sight, this was a war council. He stepped to the right and stayed half a step behind Jisa, the rest followed his lead and flanked Jisa like her personal guard. Which in a sense they were at the moment. Jisa walked up to the officers. "Report!"

One of them, a man with a rough beard of broad stature saluted. "Yes Commander. We have detected multiple ripples of movement below the service the earth mages have delved deeper with their magesight and have found the approaching enemy."

"Well? Spit it out! What are we dealing with?!"

The man coughed and Jace could tell he was nervous. "Commander it seems a Dravu horde is attacking the city. Their numbers… At least seventeen droves."

"SEVENTEEN?!" For the first time Jace saw Jisa lose her cool, the woman cursed and clutched at her sword. Jace was wide eyed and leaned over to Vivianna while the Jisa was asking for more details.

"What are these Dravu and what's a drove?"

Vivianna turned to him and Jace saw how pale she was. Vivianna swallowed, "Dravu are a plague, they eat anything and everything organic. They are strong and hard to kill, even the weakest of them the equivalent of a level eighty monster. They have sharp claws and even sharper teeth, they are… terrifying. As for a drove…"

She became even paler, Rury spoke up, for once her voice was shaken and none of the sensuality remained. "A million of the things are a drove."

Jace blanched and swallowed. "Seventeen million level eighty monsters?"

"At the least." An officer near them spit out with a grim face.

"Can we even hold against that amount?" Jace muttered quietly, an older officer glanced at him. "We have walls, the monsters don't have any siege equipment or magical capabilities. If we manage to hold the walls we will survive, if they breakthrough… The city will be lost."

Jisa was pacing around then suddenly froze and smashed her hands on the table. "Our allies?!"

"The dwarves and elves have already started mobilizing their armies as soon as they heard the news, our other allies have done the same. The empire has offered to send aid!" The communications officer reported.

Jace blinked. "The empire is willing to send aid?"

"Not as surprising as you think, if that amount of Dravu manage to penetrate into a city of this size it will not only be a disaster for our kingdom but for the entire continent. Dravu replicate by putting eggs into their victims. As these eggs hatch they will eat anything organic that's within reach and they will grow into adults in a manner of days. With the amount of people in the city and the amount of Dravu that are attacking us? They would spread like a plague, potentially destroying ALL kingdoms. There hasn't been a horde sighting of this magnitude in over a century. All civilised race's have a standing contract to aid each other during a horde attack. Especially after the incident six hundred years ago where the continent lost nearly half its population from a Dravu horde." Arian told him with a pale face.