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Meanwhile, Kane had his own dilemma on hands. He was running through the alleys, trying to find one of his men – the young John March – and cutting his way through wights all the while, and along the way, attempting to evacuate citizens as he searched. The further he put himself into Maceron, the thicker the hordes of wights seemed to be. Between every wight he destroyed and every house he checked, only for the wight to reassemble and the house he searched to be void of survivors and holding only more of the undead, the army he had following him seemed to swell. The people he did evacuate, Kane wasn’t sure if they were able to make it out. The distance between here and there was far, leaving plenty of opportunity for a wight to catch them out.

Damn Daraden, and damn Lutis! Damn their souls, damn them to Death!

And damn Sir Headmaster Fallon! His pride had costed the lives of so many innocents! His [i]pride![/i] The very thought made him entertain the idea of kicking around the lifeless body of that evil man. Not now though, not now! Now he just had to focus on his mission. Save as many as he could. Save John. After so many years as raising him from a mere page, John almost felt like a son. Too old to be Kane’s son, of course, but... who else has Kane had to teach? From the academics, to the code, and life’s own lessons... Kane had to find John.

This kind of search continued along for several minutes longer. Exhaustion was creeping in, sweat running down the sides of Kane’s face, his calves screaming for a rest – the armor he wore felt like a thousand pounds on his back. Doubts were beginning to form in Kane’s head, that he’d ever find him - suddenly, a massive explosion knocked him off of his feet as it shook the ground and the side of his chin scraped against the ground. What the blazes could have caused that! It sounded like twenty cannons going off!

Kane rubbed his chin and looked at his hand - blood was smeared on the leather grips of his gauntlet. He shook it off and looked to see what he hit to cause such damage to himself - a metallic object. He looked more carefully, finding broken links and chains scattered about. Kane’s crew didn’t set this up. This must’ve been John’s work! Looking up, Kane found it was situated in front of a house with its door open, and he could hear a struggle coming from the inside. Kane, with newfound strength and vigor, hurried inside. There he saw a young family, and a young man in armor wrestling with a wight.

“John!” Kane yelled.

“C-captain!” He called back between heavy breaths, and quickly being overwhelmed by the wight’s strength. Kane thrusted his spontoon into the back of the wight’s hissing skull and through the front. With a twist, it snapped clean from the neck it was attached to before, and he slung it out the door.

“Oh, Captain...” John wheezed as he sat on the floor. “Thank Ma’el you came in time! I’m sorry! This sir and lady, they’ve a baby...”

“Say no more, I understand.” Kane assured. “You’ve done so well! I’m glad you’re safe. I’ll take it from here, then we can fall back to the gates. The others are holding it down.”

The family John was just guarding from the attacking wight was grateful as well, issuing the guardsmen their thanks.

“Are they?!” John said ecstatically, clutching his chest as his lungs swelled with each breath. “I... I knew those wights... couldn’t possibly beat you guys!”

“Catch your breath as quick as you can,” Kane urged as John stood up in front of him, “we need to get this family to safety as soon as—“

There was no time to react. Their guard was dropped, and the appearance so sudden and unexpected – a wight crashed through the window from behind, opposite side of the home from the door. Glass shattered and the undead was screeching, the innocent family screaming – it leaped straight onto John’s back. Its bony fingers gripping the edges of his armor, and its teeth sunk straight into the side of young squire’s neck. Instant screaming, blood oozing and bubbling between the skeleton’s teeth.

[i]“John!”[/i] Kane shouted. There was no room. No room to move. No room to think. He immediately closed the distance, trying to fight the death grip the wight had on him... but flesh was softer than bone. The wight did not give, but John did. A chunk of meat was ripped from the side of John’s neck and throat, and he immediately fell to the ground. Kane fell on top of the wight, holding it down with one hand, and mustering every ounce of strength he had left powered by his adrenaline – to slam his armored fist into the wight’s head. Bone splintered everywhere. Kane instantly returned to John’s side, following this. He kneeled down, and set John onto his lap. His eyes were already glossing.

“C-Cap... Capt... [i]Kane[/i]...” John stuttered weakly as tears welled up in his red eyes. His voice was choking as blood ran down the corner of his mouth and spurted from his neck. His raised his hand toward Kane and began to say, “I...”

His hand fell down to his side.

Kane’s own eyes were red, beginning to well – his bottom lip quivered for a moment as he looked into his squire’s lifeless eyes. He took a deep, sharp breath. He quickly conducted himself in front of the silently crying family as he pulled down the young boy’s eyelids.

“...We must evacuate.” Kane said softly, betraying any attempt at a disciplined composure that most people came to identify him with. As he said this, the screaming and groaning and spits of the horde of wights that had been following him this whole time came into earshot.

“Young John, he—“ The man tried to say, but Kane cut him off.

“We don’t have any time. Sir, please carry my pike and lead the way out the window. The alleyway has been blocked off. I’ll cover our rear... I’ll buy you any time if we need it.”

The man nodded and picked up the spontoon Kane had dropped, then beckoned to his wife, carrying the baby in her arms. Sticking his head out first and holding the spontoon carefully, he was the first out the broken window. The area was clear, and his wife followed. Kane listened to the oncoming tide of undead come closer. He solemnly cradled John’s lifeless body in his arms and climbed through last. He nodded to the family and nudged his head in a direction as a cue to follow his lead. They were able to avoid the massive undead tide coming their way, but it was doubtless that they’d eventually follow some trace of them back to the gates. He only hoped that they could hold off a couple dozen more wights – and at the disadvantage of the devastating news Kane had to deliver. John’s death was not one that was fitting for the morale of their defense. John’s death… it wasn’t fitting of Kane’s own morale. Kane was the one who had sent him alone on his mission.

The route they had taken was unoccupied. Whatever had gone on around here must have taken the wights’ attention from this area. At least the survivors were safe. When the group had finally turned one last corner onto a main road, the main gates came into view, and the force defending against the wight onslaught including the dorak and his beetle, the gnome and his own constructs, and Kane’s own men. A large group of survivors were keeping their distance outside the gates. Slowly, Kane closed his eyes, and regret seeped into his heart.


[hr][h1] [color=gold]Kane Bounevialle[/color], [color=powderblue]Anna Strauss[/color], and [color=royalblue]Pietro Machelli[/color]  [/h1][sub]Featuring [color=lightsteelblue]Kane’s Guard[/color][/sub]
Written with [@Maxx][hr]

Anna looked over her shoulder. She ran from Pietro’s side towards Kane, wand in hand. 

“Please, good knight,” she said. “I’m a healer. Let me see him! I might be able to do something!” 

Kane looked down below to see a young-looking fairfolk girl run up to his side. As she offered her services, he just looked down at the poor lady with a look of sorrow and pity. He shook his head solemnly and took a moment to gather himself before he tried to say something.

“This young squire, John March, has given his life so that this family may live.” Kane answered, gesturing to the young family Kane was escorting. He looked back at Anna. “He’s gone now…” Anna stood in silence. She closed her eyes and bowed her head. She concentrated on feeling the air around her, sensing the presence of those in her vicinity. It was a soul weaver’s trick, one that Cosmas had taught her for sensing the life force in another living thing. In her mind’s eye, she could see the people around her as energy waves, pulsating like the ripples in a pond. She could feel their hearts beat and their aether course through their nerves. No such energy resonated in John. He was truly dead. Her wings visibly drooped. Her mouth hung open for what must’ve been thirty seconds. Her face turned a shade paler. 

“I-I’m so sorry, Sir Kane,” Anna said. “There’s... truly nothing I can do.” 

Kane could only bring himself to nod to Anna, most likely a thanks for her consideration, but truthfully Kane found it hard to keep his mind straight and was mostly passing around acknowledgement where it was required. He made his approach toward the rest of the defense, and his own men were bowing their heads.

“He will be cremated.” Kane called out to his allies. “ As Daraden has proven himself a powerful enemy that none of Creation can afford to overlook, we might have to leave old traditions and ceremonies behind… such as burial... and look ahead towards the future and embrace new practices.” Kane sighed. “We will no longer be taking the kind of risks our predecessors have taken.” 

Kane handed the corpse to Oscar, who gently handled John’s body as he made an even pace outside the gates. Kane quietly watched his dear friend from behind as he carried Kane’s squire outside of Maceron. Anna watched in silence. She had no idea what to say. She looked down at the silver vial in her hand, and then up at Kane. She noticed that he was bleeding. 

“Oh, you’re bleeding sir! Here, let me heal your wounds.” She said. Curiously, Kane brushed his chin and along his jawline. Indeed, it had stung painfully - he had forgotten about the fall he had just before he found John in that small house.

“Thank you,” Kane began humbly, but gently set her hands down with his own, “but my wounds are minor. I would be grateful if you would see to the survivors outside Maceron’s gates, though. Many of them were wounded when they tried to escape.” Anna looked out at the survivors who were sitting just outside. Many of them were leaning against houses, bleeding and broken. Some of the villagers who lived in the homes outside the walls had taken people in. Nurses and a wizard or two who had escaped were tending to some wounds. Anna looked at the silver vial. It contained Essence of Mercy, a mixture of unicorn blood, bat saliva, and a few other substances. It was exceptionally rare, but excelled at stopping bleeding and repairing damaged tissue. She looked back at the city. There were still people who needed to be evacuated. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She couldn’t believe she was about to do this. Then she ren of towards

“Wait.” Kane said before Anna wandered off. “What is your name?” Anna turned her head as she ran.

 “My name is Anna,” she said. 

“Thank you, miss Anna.” Despite the mortal peril, Anna couldn’t help but smile. She felt her cheeks blush. 

Anna jogged over to a house where a wizard was busying himself over a patient with severe wounds. She tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around, a frown on his face. His hands were covered with blood. Anna held the vial out to him. 

“I am a healer from Lake Castus,” Anna said. “I have other obligations to take care of in the city, but I figured this would be useful to you. It is a vial of Essence of Mercy.” The doctor looked at her funny and, realizing she was serious, took it. 

“Thank you, young Fairy,” he said, rather shocked. “This will be exceedingly helpful.” Then she turned back and flew off into the city. Pietro was on his feet now, his sword drawn. 

“I’m going to go find Arya,” Pietro said. Anna nodded. 

“I’m going back in, as well,” Anna said. “We need to find as many survivors as we can. What of you, Sir Kane?” 

“I…” Kane hesitated. This girl was still calling him Sir long after he was stripped of his knighthood. He supposed his name must have carried far. No matter, that wasn’t important now. He felt compromised for the time being after John’s death, but… Kane felt compelled to do what he could just to get his mind in order. He had to distract himself - and he owed it to John to get as many people out of this city as he could.

“I cannot advise you to go back into Maceron without escort.” Kane told her. “My men will remain here to hold the line… I’ll personally see to your safe return.” Anna turned her head and tried very hard not to blush. Pietro caught sight of her cheeks reddening and rolled his eyes. ‘Girls and their damn dreams of dashing knights,’ he thought to himsef. ‘She should be swooning over a [i]real[/i] man.’ 

“W-why, thank you, sir Kane,” Anna said. “I certainly feel safer now.” 

“It’s just Captain, now.” Kane corrected.

“Uh, oh, Oh! My apologies,” she said. “I assumed…” she looked down at the ground. Pietro walked over to where they stood. 

“Alright, let’s rain down Ma’el’s vengeance on these undead sons of bitches!” Pietro said. “Mad necromancer or no, we have to do what we can! When the dust clears, they will proclaim us heroes of the city! Ah ha ha!”