Dark Crow Rising

Minding the edges of another crowd, I slip into an alleyway and make a left turn. The closer I get to any of the entrances of the Gnomon, the fiercer this all gets. Uniform chants are starting to break out but otherwise, most people are roaring their complaints as loud as possible. And as their opponent, my men with megaphones and speakers ordering them back to their homes.

Cogships are in the air and loaded with what men we have but it's already clear the toll the recent operation had. Let alone the fact we've now probably lost every soldier that was deployed to that theatre. We still have men to call on but to lose so many just like that when we've been trying to account for their safety... I'm struggling to figure out how I am supposed to find the men even with the amount I have called up.

Conscription is a solution I want to avoid when most people in this country have never touched a gun in their lives. I need people with backbone drilled into them, not a shopkeeper who can't even figure out how to load his weapon. We don't have time to be doing on-the-job training anymore, I need experienced soldiers here and now. Though, noting the riots, I suppose I can find some within the police force.

Lingering at the edge of the alleyway, I put my hand on the closest building's edge and look for a gap to slip through. Spotting the path of least resistance, I move out and shove aside people when I need to. As I get closer to the front of the manic crowd, the guards holding the line to the Gnomon spot me. But, without my uniform on...

"BACK THE LOT OF YOU!" one man roars, his gun's safety coming off. That gun turns on me as I reach the edge of the civilian population. Taking further steps forward, the guards back up and the crowd seems to follow my example. Rolling my eyes and adjusting the grip on my stuff, I feel out for my magic.

"COMPLY WITH THE ORDER, ALL OF YOU OR I SHALL SEE TO IT YOU HAVE NO HOMES TO GO TO!" I threaten, enhancing my voice so that I can be heard all throughout the city in this one moment. Lighting up my magic, flames of dark amethyst roar to life and a flesh-melting wall is established. Snorting in annoyance, I bring the magic down and the guards understand quite easily who I am.

"Grandguard Inerish." a lesser officer greets with a quick nod and salute. I return the nod and join him in observing the crowd.

"Start pushing them back into the narrow streets, block up the alleyways. Use lethal force only if necessary and I trust you will have the sound judgement to know when that is." I tell him, walking off towards the door while the crowd recovers from the shock I put into them. I barely manage to make them out cursing my name before warning shots are fired. I pop only the briefest glances behind me when it sounds like the cogships are lowering their altitude.

Guess we'll see how many spines these people have with engines burning an arm's reach above.

Getting on with my travels, I keep a palmful of magic on hand as my lack of uniform catches the attention of guards. They leave me alone as they should and I make it to my office in no time at all. My secretary, already here and looking a bit scruffy rises to attention. Her eyes widen at my lack of proper attire.

"Go on, out with it." I try to say in a clear joking tone. Unfortunately, she doesn't seem to take it that way.

"S-Sorry, Grandguard Inerish, I just wasn't expecting you to rush here so quickly." she answers and I raise a clean hand to wave it off.

"Don't worry about it, but, to make sure, I do have a spare uniform lying around, don't I?" I ask, not sure if I should head straight into my meeting dressed like this. It doesn't matter either way, I do not hire petty children who can't help but glare at such meaningless things like it's a true offence. My commanders will suck it up or be removed from office.

"You should, yes, I can check with the quartermasters either way?" she offers and I shake my head.

"No, it's fine, I know at the very least I keep a spare coat in my office." I answer, leaving her behind and locking the door to my office for the time being. We're both women, but, I do not want someone looking at me while I come to terms with our situation. A wet thing rolls down my face.

Wiping the cheek off, I stare at the tear pooling in the crevices of my palm.

I sigh, "We've lost more troops and equipment in a single leap than any other moment in this country's history. And, now, because of one reason or another, I need to deal with the country's population as well. Though, I suppose I can neglect the parts of the country in the..."

I want to finish my sentence, but, that giant leaping has shaken my trust in the idea of safety. Ungzieluck was out of the giant's way, nothing that happened previously indicated it would end up in its path. And then, it leapt, the giant leapt over how many mountains to come crashing down, sword first. The worst part as well, is, I don't think me even being there at the start could've saved any lives.

The last time I saw the giant as well, its pace had picked up. No longer lumbering from stride to stride, the lingering image in my head is of a soldier moving into position. The sword wasn't dragging behind it, it hoisted it into a balanced grip and started running. I hope the night shift was smart enough to call off efforts now in too tight of a timeframe.

Putting my face between my palms, I groan into a scream. I need to find somewhere to pull troops from so we can fight this giant and I need troops to bring order to the streets. Troops are also needed to aid in the evacuations which are also going to be picking up in intensity but where...? Where is my army?

Where are they but in the wind and gone?

Feeling tired, I find my chair and curl up onto it. If only I had a blanket of some kind here but I guess what I am wearing now will have to do. Gods and goddesses, give me the strength to go on, give me someone I can rely on. I blink slowly and look to the newstablet I had framed when it became public knowledge that Nin defeated Smiling Jhurack.

They didn't have any particularly good photos of him, so they used one of him looming over the dark city, storm's wind in his cloak. Getting up and walking over, I put a hand on the glass, smudging it a little but giving my affection over to it all the same. I smile a little and an idea comes to mind. Nin and those other two he brought on the mission to that mountain excavation have been confirmed to be back in the city.

I suppose as well, Suhurlodst is under my influence. At the very least, I can find people in the dormitories of the academic city. And if not enough answer my call, then, I am sure I can let the Dark Crow loose on Thrurstradtur once again. Yeah, maybe I should if my men cannot get the people back into a state of order.

Moving away, I shake any fantasies out of my head and put my spare coat on. Straightening myself out, I grab what I need from my bag and leave it as is. The lock to my office clicks and I walk out. I glance at my secretary and linger my grip on the door.

She looks at me, "The meeting is ready for you, Grandguard Inerish."

"Head into my office and lock the door, catch up on your sleep." I offer and she starts to shake her head.

"N-No, I'm fine. I'm fine."

"You will at some point take me up on this offer." I order more sternly if this is a bit of resistance I need to force my point beyond.

"Ok, I will make sure I do." she lets out, smiling a little as I depart. I offer a little wave and get going. Minding the guards as they salute me and those on their way to work, I return to the dreaded conference room. I stride in without a care and note the odd glances I am getting.

Any conversations cease and the men get their tablets and other items in order. One takes the liberty of bringing up the animation of the giant's advance and I scowl at it. The distance it leapt over is largely unscathed and it looks like it popped up out of nowhere. If only the situation was we felled one giant and this was just another waiting for its turn to die.

It's not, this is the same giant...

Going down into my chair, my body loses all of its professional tension and straightness, "Well, how bad is the situation?"

"Reports are that mass riots have broken out across the country. Especially in the places closest to the giant's path. The usual things to be expected are occurring as a result." one man explains and I compare the giant's previous line of destruction to the current pace it has. It's covering a lot more ground and with its size, it's making little work of everything. With how this has changed our schedule to evacuate the towns and cities, I am worried.

We're going to have to start pulling in more than we already have and focus it all on the cities. Towns will need to be abandoned entirely to their fates and, likely, we've already lost a fair few since last night. Thankfully, the major cities have some time before another one is hit. I scoff, 'some time,' what a joke.

"Grandguard Inerish, me and some of the others have drafted up a plan if you'd be willing to consider it." someone speaks up and he comes to hand me a tablet. I get to reading and let the officers talk amongst themselves for the time being.

This plan is fairly developed for something that's a night-old. I guess they must've been working on it for a while and recent affairs only accelerated its final stamp of approval. It does, though, cross over with some of my recent thoughts fairly consistently. Abandon the south and any mountain-states we have suzerainty over.

While I am reserved regarding the latter, the parts of the country far out of the giant's path of advancement are contemplatable. I believe that we can let them go for the time being and leave them to the local authorities, or, what will remain of them. Ground vehicles of any variety will be called in, their airships too. Hopefully, as well, the spiral-train lines can handle such congested traffic.

The gods and goddesses have gifted us enough good fortune to ensure that a fair some of the lines to the north remain. The giant's only wiped out a few but in the event we need to set up another, that's more resources we need to find. First and foremost, though, we might just need to abandon the military side of things entirely for the moment. Get the cities evacuated and their populations relocated to the lands out of its path.

The riots as well, if they get out of hand...

"Alright, everyone, listen up." I call out, putting an end to any small talk or ongoing proper conversations. I rise to my feet and lean ahead onto the table with my fingers arching out.

I watch the map of the giant's movement for a second.

"What I want is to see these riots brought to heel. They will only get in the way of further operations. Call off any attacks for the moment beyond munitions testing. I want all the men we can diverted to quelling these civil uprisings and to then clear the streets. I don't want stray house pets left, that's how thorough my men will be, am I clear?" I explain to the officers and they salute.

"Yes, Grandguard Inerish!" they answer with chests full of air.

"Good, speed up the process of refits, manufacturing and training as well. We need these evacuations to be quick and orderly if we are to save as many people as possible." I explain further, going back down into my chair and motioning for them to begin brainstorming. Ideas, gods and goddesses above, give us many and let them be wise.