[h3][img]https://41.media.tumblr.com/976f00aaee9165a2d3739a881c8429bf/tumblr_njxb8xIzw51qg3ba9o1_100.png[/img] [sub][color=gray]and[/color][/sub][img]https://40.media.tumblr.com/f7165d3f276e855d4e2eea7944baec02/tumblr_njopq5Cj9i1qg3ba9o1_100.png[/img][/h3][sub] featuring [color=lightsteelblue](G-2), Kane's Guard[/color][/sub] [hr] “Chains!” “Good, John, we have them! Now let’s round them up – Sten, you get one end and I’ll get the other, Oscar and Alexander, cut around the sides, push in any stragglers.” “Aye, Cap’n! Wrap that nice and tight!” The orc and red-haired guard pushed in some of the stubborn wights outside their range, straight into a great mass of wights that was being held up by the guardsmen. All the while, Kane and Sten took the chain and tightly wrapped a long iron chain around the mob twice over. When the two men came to meet, Kane grabbed the other end of the chain and pulled it as tight as he could, and Sten hastily clasped a set of cuffs through some of the loops and secured it in place. Kane stepped back and took a deep breath. That made two mobs of wights secured. There were still dozens more, and at this rate, it felt as though Maceron would be totally overrun! Damn it, where was Captain Orthur Dorkin when you needed him to get off of his ass? “Captain,” began Sten Vellen as he approached Kane, “John told me there’s another mob like this one forming around the city square again, and the guard is struggling to keep them contained.” “Let’s hurry then.” Kane said, then looking to young John. “We need to have quarantined areas, places where there aren’t already wights and chain them off so that the people can have safe places to be in case these wights turn aggressive.” “Yes sir!” John agreed, and then he ran off to the barrack to retrieve more chains, and to begin the mission given to him. The other men hurried the other way toward the town square, sweat dripping from their brows. The square was something else – apparently the time between the report and actually getting there was enough to let their numbers multiply to absurdity. Overlooked by the king’s tower, all around the statue of his Majesty, the famed G-2 guardsmen of Maceron made awed glances at one another. The sheer amount of wights swallowing this place was unbelievable. The wights walking through the gates still coming, but now at lower pace, and the March looked as though it would soon be coming to a close. Kane dreaded to see what would happen when it finally did. Kane signaled his men, pointing toward the others guardsmen, and they nodded understandingly. It was he and Alexander now, the latter carrying a particularly long and girthy chain wrapped around his shoulder. “Let’s get to work then!” The half-orc declared. It was the same practice, stretching out the chain as far as it would go, with one man at one end of the mob and the other at the other end. The two started pulling the chain around it, but there was one problem... This was a lot of wights. The sheer weight of all the bones, and the resistance they made, still insisting on walking as they wrapped them made it a struggle to contain the mob. With the other two ex-knights finally returning with a squad of other guardsmen the began helping by grabbing onto the chains and heaving as they fought to contain the stubborn horde of undead. With each tug, they yelled. “HEAVE!” “HO!” “HEAVE!” “HO!” Drawing quite a crowd from the by standing citizens who didn’t feel so threatened by The March with all the guardsmen around them. All the men around the mob, as many as they were, still struggled to tighten them close together. As the chain started wrapping around the other side, one thing became apparent: “Someone find another chain!” This one was too short, and could not even clasp around with one round around the wights. One good citizen made a run for the forge, bringing in tow the forge’s own smith as he helped the other man carry an even longer chain. With one hook end secured in some chain links, they managed to get one wrap around the wight mob. But with one as big as this, they’re going to need to revolve around a few more times. The struggle ensued, and this time, the good citizen and the smithy joined in pulling the chain around the wights... this act of good will and solidarity was enough to inspire some of the other citizens to aid. Men and women once watching joined in helping G-2 and their neighbors in restraining the massive mob of wights. Eventually running short on chains again, some more people went out to fetch more. The mob was growing restless, and fought against their confinements. Restraining the wights became even more difficult, links escaping from some of the citizen’s grasp. Kane made note of this – it was not a good sign. When the third round of chains was delivered, it felt as though they were at a last stand. The wights were pushing against the people, and the people were fighting with the guardsmen to keep them in check. It was a stalemate. The statue of King Victor of Draco flashed purple for just a moment, capturing the rapt attention of the people around them. Kane’s eyes were suddenly trained on it – had his eyes deceived him? Was this too much stress? Surely not, Kane had gone through harder than this before! But it was no such illusion or tricks of the mind. Dust fell off of the statue as it rumbled, and its limbs began moving. Though its feet secured firmly to a pedestal on the ground, the statue could bend its knees and hunker over, grabbing the chains that the people were pulling on – causing the people standing there to flee from fear – but did nothing to hurt any of the people, only tightly pulling the chains, causing some of the men and women to slide across the ground, then let go of the chain before their fingers were caught between them. The statue kept a tight, firm grip, and a dense mob of skeletal wights was confined into a smaller circle. The knights hurried to lock the chains there. The giant statue took its hands back, and sat there, squatting, and looking down on the mob and on the people. There, it seemed to stay. Amidst the whispering of the wights, all was silent. Everyone was wondering what had happened until a strained wheezing and deep panting broke out from one end of the square. Kane turned to see an old gnome trying to catch his breath in the comfort of his own carriage seat. Gnomish enchantment – he should have known! The silence broke and turned into thunderous cheering, the people slapping each other on the backs on a job well done. Even the guardsmen breaking smiles and grabbing each other’s shoulders. Kane was no exception to this, but he knew that the job wasn’t over yet. “Great job, everyone!” Kane announced proudly. “This is why everybody knows that [i]you don’t mess with Maceron![/i] If its soldiers and guard don’t get you, [i]its people will!”[/i] Another thunderous round of celebration. “But our job is not over yet,” Kane continued, “and it won’t be done until we round up every single one of these blasted things and build a pyre so big that even the Icemen will feel its heat!” The spirits and motivation of the people around the square were bolstered, and most of everyone around went back to work, inspired to do more to contain the wight situation. Kane took the opportunity to shake the hands with all those who had helped and hadn’t immediately gone off to do more work. A couple moments and words of praise went to the first man to step up and the nearby forge’s smith. Giving them his thanks, he walked toward the carriage that was cradled in the corner. The elderly gnome, seeing Kane coming, hit his wooden bench a with the bottom of his fist a couple times and met Kane with a great grin. “That was very impressive what you did,” Kane complimented, then bowing his head with his fist pressed to his chest, “I am grateful for your help.” “Oh, that was nothing!” The gnome insisted. The gnome took another deep breath. “That was just... probably one of the biggest enchantments I’ve ever... had to make... phew! That king fellow sure likes his statues big!” Kane gave him a light-hearted chuckle, “There is more where that came from. I am Captain Kane Bounevialle, of the G-2 guard. What’s your name, my friend? You’ve picked quite a time to travel abroad.” “Wizzlebee de LaShtüp, good sir!” The gnome introduced. “Of the noble gnome house?” Kane inquired. “I thought that house had died off with no heirs to its name.” A kicking sounded came from inside the carriage, but Wizzlebee pretended he didn’t notice it. “Oh yes, yes,” he said, “I’m the last. Also, estranged and extricated, but technicalities! They didn’t like me going on my own, I was never, ah, interested in that [i]noble[/i] poppycock!” “I understand,” Kane agreed, “more interested in wizardry, yes?” “Oh, I’m only two-bit,” Wizzlebee claimed humbly, “in truth, I am an alchemist.” “That was still quite some enchantment you’ve pulled from your hat.” “I am wearing no hat!” Wizzlebee declared in defense. “It’s, ah... a human figure of speech.” Kane reassured. “Harumph! I would hope so!” The gnome responded. His tone then took a lighter turn. “But yes, yes, yes! Dire times of need brings people together, do they not? Guess I was... [i]inspired.[/i] Yes, yes! Inspired to do the right thing! Hmph!” “I’m glad to have you here.” Kane said with a smile, then parted ways with the gnome. The gnome waved back jovially and waited a couple moments for him to walk far away enough. He watched Kane discuss whatever matters he had on his mind with his men, then Wizzlebee turned back around and peered his head over the back of his seat. “Sorry about that, paps, now what were you saying?” Skeletal fingertips pulled over wool coverings, revealing a skull peering back up curiously at the old gnome. “I asked how you were expecting to get wight marrow from those bones if wights naturally reassemble themselves. You’d get a whole beasty right on your lap!” “I did say I would figure it out, paps! Aether has proven itself plenty useful plenty times in the past, I’m sure it can manage one other thing...” “You and that damn ancient magic,” Bartleby sighed, “it’ll be the death of you, you know!” “I’m close enough on its edge already, paps.” The gnome admitted. “Who’s to say that aether will be the final nail in the coffin?” “Just remember that there’s no one around to raise you like you did me. I’m gonna get all bored, walk around, and then get dismembered by evangelical zealots praising whatever dumb god they worship.” “But death is not the end.” Wizzlebee finished, slumping down with just a bliss smile on his face. He thought he knew that better than anyone.