Somewhere Someplace

“[What the fiery underworld is that? Was that the source of those sounds?]” so whispered One as he approached, cautiously, though retained a strict distance.

“…[It seems so; it’s static now, though. We are rather far the camp, yet such hearable sound it made]” so remarked Two.

“[Perhaps it’s ‘dead’ now? …If this thing could even ‘die’ ” so stated Three.

“[I don’t like this, look… I think it was digging its way out of the ground… So, not dead—awakened. I say we go back and…inform the ensign, we should move camp]” so suggested Four.

“[Wait… I saw a figure move… Is someone there?]”

“[…]”

Suddenly, the rustle-cranking sound of turning corroded metal pierced their ears…as a radiating core began to wispily throb and pulse in arcane beat, igniting in ghostly-pink… Glowing eyes staring them down.

“[SHIT! FIRE!]” One instantly shouted, before firing his rifle along with Three in a panicked volley.

All four swiftly began to run away, faster than fast.

Metallic inanimate groans and a piercing shriek of annoyance vibrated their spines from behind…as did the clanking sounds of giant metallic stomps giving chase.

“[A ‘TIN LION’ YOU SAID!]”

“[THAT’S A DAMNED GOLEM!]”

“[SHUT UP AND KEEP RUNNING!]”

They ran and they ran, yet it was gaining on them. Stupidly fast, it was, despite being so clumsy—fueled by spite.

Two and Four paused and took aim.

Boom. Boom.

They fired, hoping to slow it down. Bullets pierced, for the metal was weak… but the golem…was not.

Four and Two immediately began to run again, now behind the other two. Yet One and Three had reloaded new shots into their breechloaders; they paused and fired, allowing Two and Four to catch up, who also reloaded while they frantically ran.

Two and Four paused yet again, firing their shots before they began to run again; One and Three, having reloaded, paused and repeated. A continuous firing rapid-withdrawal, these four were trained in light infantry tactics, seemingly—or perhaps they were just…improvising.

This worked, kind of. The bullets were slowing it, but only so much. It became quickly clear that they were the ones being slowed the most, and not it.

“[Useless…]” One panicked, and simply clamored: “[RUN! RUN!]”

Interim

The fifth nightwatcher stared off into the distance; once tense and anxious by the silence, yet so abruptly had the silence erupted into distant flashes of echoing shots followed by metallic shrieks and frantic screams.

His breathing froze in on itself…as did his whole being.

“[What… in Trinity’s damnation?]” he blurted.

The pattern of firing shots and metallic stomps and clanks only grew closer and louder, as did the ability to see.

It did not take long at all before the first sleeping soldier was awakened by the rising tumult, followed by others; they quickly realized what was befalling afar, and sprung up in a panic, adrenaline suddenly pumping.

“[W-what?! SHIT! GUNFIRE! EVERYONE! UP! UP! EVERYONE UP! GUNFIRE! GUNFIRE!]” a soldier shouted.

“[ALL OF YOU CHAMPS UP AND AT IT!]” so shouted another.

Rapidly, the entire camp was awakened as every soldier lunged themselves up, confused yet also alarmed.

The ensign promptly exited his tent, looking around, confused like all the rest yet he quickly took control of the situation.

“[What’s happening?!]” he interrogated aloud.

The fifth nightwatcher hastily ran to the ensign; “[Sire! The four with me! We heard… We heard odd noises! So they went… they went and investigated and—]” he was trying to explain, but…

“[Your butchered explanation is not needed in full; I can infer the rest… They tripped into something dangerous and now they are bringing it here! Idiots…]” the ensign interrupted.

“[We…we need to help them!]” the fifth implored.

“[No, private, we need to leave and now]” the ensign bluntly said before turning his attention to everyone else, “[Everyone! READY THE CARRIAGES! WE ARE LEAVING! NOW! CARBINEERS, MOUNT AND SKIRMISH! DISTRACT WHATEVER THAT IS AND FAST!]”

“[Sir!]” thus practically acknowledged the whole camp as all sprang into action.

The carbineers sprinted to their horses and mounted; giddy-upping, the horses galloped away and towards the approaching…thing. The soldiers moved fast and frantic, not even bothering with clearing camp.

Antica, observing all of these happenings unfold in such quick succession, simply sighed; an immediate retreat was the best thing to do…in this situation, she concluded.

Judging from Bee’s limited assessment, that brown-highlight was not something with which they should be engaging. Yet…they were going to leave those others behind… She could help them; she wanted to.

However, flashing into her mind were those memories of that crystalline colossus. She had not coordinated with those…denizens; she had taken independent action, and…in the end, could not save a single one.

She did not want a repeat of that colossus; she did not want to needlessly limit herself, either. She had Bee; she had her rapier conduit; she had her modular small-arm along with many other gizmos.

Yet… how far…should she escalate this? Indeed, the presence of a grey-blue highlight classified this as an engagement between denizen and probable-denizen combatants. Escalation management was a critical component to Remnant engagement protocols in places such as here. Yet… she had vowed to herself not to hesitate when the next moment came…to take action…when it was clear that… Yet…

Indeed, contradictions between desires and conditioned adherences raged within, freezing her still. Truly…always at the worst possible times she would find herself entrapped by her mind’s own ensnaring shadow.

“What’s happening?!” so suddenly inquired from behind…Novea, finally awake herself, her attentive corvid on shoulder. She had rushed out of the wagon; her corvid mask was…not properly on.

This arrival snapped Antica out of her ensnaring mind. She turned around, staring; “You can hear. Problem. Large and approaching.” she replied with sharp voice.

The metallic shrieks were becoming louder; the soldiers shouted even more frantically as they dragged the startled horses to their wagons, loading their bags and selves onto them in kind.

“Yeah…I have ears, and… I know that sound… Oh no…” Novea replied, breaths tensing with dread; “Wow… wow, I… I just had to open my mouth earlier… ‘Roads are safer these days’, ‘barely any monsters’, Fortune was listening and now…she’s being a Demon-fucked bitch!” her breaths emitted aloud, rather atypically so… Novea hardly seemed to be one who spoke vulgarities in such a way.

“YOU TWO!” so shouted a soldier from behind, the driver of their wagon dragging the annoyed horse to it.

Antica promptly closed shut her eyes as she turned to ‘look’.

“GET BACK TO YOUR WAGON! WE ARE LEAVING! NOW!” the soldier shouted.

…ah, fantastic… now Antica felt utterly useless—among the worst of feelings she could ever feel deep down within. Yet, without protest, she and Novea quickly returned to their wagon.

Novea climbed up, reaching her hand out to help Antica climb on.

However, Antica paused in place…glancing back…in the direction of where such was all…befalling. A louder and more frustrated metallic shriek had…grabbed her attention, it seemed.

“Come on! Come on! Listen… I know what you’re thinking, but trust me, we really do not want to be here any longer… That is a bronze golem! We need to leave, now!” Novea implored, the urgency so clear in voice.

Antica sighed. Indeed, she realized, her lancing into sudden action could potentially…jeopardize the retreat of the rest. Cooperate with the denizens and follow their flow, that was…what she needed to do.

{N-T-CE!}

Abruptly, her communicator once again began to buzz and cyanically blink.

Antica’s attention snapped away, her auxiliary terminal device’s screen activating once again…as yet another blinking cyanic dot of a light began to blink, new transmitted information being received. Brazen, indeed, her sentinel cared little if her terminal screen could be seen; such was the urgency it so deemed.

Novea noticed this, obviously, yet ignored it—prioritizing her focus.

Antica prioritized in kind and did not immediately inspect; instead, she grabbed onto Novea’s hand as both retreated to within the confounds of the supply wagon.

Once on board, however, she finally evaluated the screen…despite Novea’s clearly staring eyes. Due to the situation at hand and the fact that Novea had just observed her terminal device flash on, she could not bother keeping its functionalities discreet.

« Plû…? Núc sont ģe plû? » Antica’s breaths blurted.

More… There were now a lot more… A reality confirmed by…those sounds echoing outside.

Interim

“[TRINITY’S SON, OUR KING! WAS CAMP TRULY THIS FAR?! WHY IS TAKING US SO LONG TO RUN BACK THAN WALK FROM?!]” cried out Two.

“[WE ARE CLOSE! WE ARE CLOSE! THEY CAN SEE US! OR IF NOT US, THEN CERTAINLY IT!]” so shouted One.

“[And they are leaving us!]” so shouted Four.

“[RUN FASTER!]”

“[Hey… might it be me or has it slowed considerably?!]” so remarked Three, glancing behind.

Quickly, the carbineers’ neighing horses galloped from afar, echoing at first before dashing on by. The four soldiers slowed, their adrenaline keeping them moving but…they were starting to run dry; their throats throbbed as their breaths panted with pain. They could not help but…gaze as the carbineers rapidly beset the giant metallic golem, circling around it like annoying flies, firing their shots in unrelenting continuous cycle.

The aged golem nearly tripped as it shifted its attention to the horses. The carbineers were successfully stalling it.

“Haha! [Leaving us? No… no… not at all! We’re saved!]” Three cried in rejoice, breaths tarnished and in need of being caught.

“[Stupid monstrosity… One more volley, aye?]” so blurted One, reloading and taking aim.

The other three did the same. In unison, they fired one final…fuck you at the metallic golem; even at their distance, the bullets still struck.

“[Quickly, let us move! We are close!]” Four suggested.

The four nightwatchers began to quickly move. This entire event had befallen within a chain of minutes; everything moved so quickly yet for them…such felt so arduously slow.

“[Look! They are waving!]” observed Two.

“[We are coming! We are coming! Can you hear us!?]” hailed Three.

Suddenly, however, all the spines around were stabbed with a metallic shriek; such an abhorrent sound, indeed, that it was not merely heard as much as felt too.

“[Pay no mind! Keep moving! We are almost ther—]” Abruptly, One tripped down, his face smacking into the dirt ground below.

The other three sharply paused and evaluated.

“[Are you alright?!]” Four, panicked, quickly asked.

“[My nose! Agh! Yeah… I just…]” One was replying, yet… he then realized… His eyes turned to inspect his leg… as did the others.

All of them froze in realization.

He had not tripped. Something had grabbed his leg.

An aged bronze-looking metallic arm stretched out from the ground; its sharp fingers had pierced into his leg, squeezing.

Two and Three immediately tried to pull One out as he began to desperately squirm, trying to break free.

No use.

Pulling, resisting, such only caused skin and cloth to tear.

One’s breaths bled with dread. “…[Run. Run. Just run! All of you run! Before they leave without you!]” he urged the rest as the metallic hand’s grip only squeezed harder as it began to twist.

The earth around started to blister…as if an undead horde was awakening and on the cusp of clawing out.

The other three were too slow to decide whether to abandon or listen before…all over, all around, at all distances, lesser golems borrowed their way out from the ground, viciously so… A legion responding to the wails of their lord.

Slim and slender, almost skeletal-like; they had no ‘head’, rather a pointy triangular protrusion with a hole in the middle; bipedal, much smaller than the giant bronze golem giving chase, yet still much taller than any of the men; they were armed with bronze spears which they could attach to their backs. Ghostly-pink wisp-dusty eminence flaked off their beings, radiance flowing through them…like veins and nerves weaved together by a pulsating arcane heart.

So abruptly had One found himself dangling upside down and above the ground, the now standing and unburied lesser golem holding him by that same grabbed leg as if he was hunted prey. Indeed… these skinny metallic golems were strong too.

Static in place, the lesser golem stared the other three men down as they slowly backed away, frantically eyeing around… as more night-obscured shadows emerged from the ground afar.

“[GET OUT OF HERE, YOU IDIOTS! NOW!]” One, dangling, shouted.

The remaining three without another word…immediately sprinted away.

The lesser golem simply stared…before tossing the grabbed soldier onto the ground, bashing his neck with its clawed metallic foot…the force of which was enough to crush his throat and neck.

One gagged and passed.

Without delay, it instantly lunged onto all fours, sprinting straight for the retreating men as if a ravenous beast.

“[WHAT IN ALL OF HEAVEN’S DAMNATION!]”

“[ALL OF YOU! IF YOU CAN HEAR US! READY YOURSELVES! NOW! YOU ARE GOING TO BE OVERWHELMED!]”

“[No use, we cannot outrun that thing!]”

“[FIX BAYONETS!]”

Recognizing the futility, the three men halted and fixed their dagger-bayonets, reloading what was likely to be their last shot. They could hear the clanking…squeaking movements; they could see the abhorrent moving figure descending upon them… followed by so many others, most skipping past.

“[f…f-FIRE!]”

They fired their panicked volley; bullets pierced, seemingly, yet did not slow the descending rage. Almost instantly, the chasing lesser golem leaped forth and right onto Two, its sharp…burrower…fingers digging into him before standing up; its clawed gripping foot held him tightly in place.

“[SHIT!]”

The other two soldiers, flanking, attempted to intervene; yet before they could, in concurrent motion, the atrocious golem sprung forth its arms and gripped them both in each hand, lifting them up by their collar as its fingers pierced through their attire.

Dangling, they struggled to break free. The whole world turned silent as gunfire and clamoring cries echoed from the distance near… as well as the clops of galloping steads, the wagons frantically withdrawing.

Bang.

A bullet came whistling, striking the lesser golem at its center; staggered, it let them go, falling off and down.

Neighing horses galloped forth, carbines firing their shots. The lesser golem ran off and withdrew before it could be trampled by the arriving horses…which could do serious damage.

“[GET UP YOU FOOLS! QUICKLY! WE WILL TAKE YOU!]” a carbineer shouted with urgency, his horse coming to a halt near them, joined by two of his fellows. The other, fourth, carbineer was skirmishing, trying to distract these…things, the giant golem no longer chasing as its legion…haphazardly beset.

Three and Four, hurt but hardly injured, quickly stood themselves up. Two gasped for air, bleeding…with quite the pain, his chest gashed extensively.

Four helped him stand himself up. “[You’re fine, you will be fine]” he reassured Two.

Without any moment’s pause, Three instantly climbed atop one of the horses which swiftly galloped away; Four, however, helped Two onto the other which also swiftly galloped away after.

“[Hurry! Hurry! Now! I don’t know if these things have tactics, but they won’t leave us unmolested forever!]” the last remaining carbineer urged.

Four quickly made way and tried to climb on.

Yet slice.

A whistling spear came lancing, the carbineer was impaled and thrown off the horse. The horse, panicked, neighed away as it began to run off with Four left clinging on, his feet dragging against the ground. Mustering his strength, he managed to climb onto the saddle, taking the carbineers place.

“[Easy! Easy!]” he shouted to the horse… as more whistling spears came…lancing. The lesser golems were not throwing their spears, they were launching them from their backs as if they were rabid…walking ballistae.

Four took control of the horse… He had no idea whatsoever what he was doing, but whatever it was, it worked. The horse sprint-galloped its way to the now frantically retreating wagon convoy…now at considerable distance, trampling lesser golems in the way.

He could see the other two carbineers ahead… He was falling behind, and his horse…he realized, it was hurt by the trampling.

All so suddenly, such screeching neighs shrieked afar as a horse came tumbling down, struck by a lancing spear; Three and the carbineer atop were thrown off…as almost all lesser golems around descended upon them haphazardly, focused…yet utterly distracted.

He might just make it, in the most twisted of luck.

Interim

“[OH TRINITY SHIT ON OUR… WHAT IS THIS MADNESS?!]”

The soldiers did not need to see what was befalling directly, their ears heard enough for them to immediately know a stampede was descending. They could hear the approaching clanks…and the shouts and screams of the four nightwatchers.

“[HORSES ARE READY! WAGON’S READY! GET ON!]”

“[EMBARK OR BE LEFT BEHIND! WE ARE NOT WAITING! WE ARE LEAVING, NOW!]” the ensign shouted in urgent command, now atop his stallion which began to gallop away with rather the speed.

The remaining soldiers abandoned their prior doings…and belongings, frantically sprinting to the transport wagons, climbing aboard as faster than as fast as they could.

Yet even that was insufficient.

“[SHIT! FIRE! FIRE!]” Shout after shout screamed.

Boom. Bang. Boom. Bang.

Soldiers, both standing and on the wagon, desperately fired as dozens of lesser golems ravenously charged into the camp. Lancing spears immediately impaled one as the golems leaped back onto their two legs…or onto lingering soldiers.

The wagons took off and away, fast—disorganized and lacking any formation. The remaining soldiers still on the ground panickily tried to climb onto the moving wagons, with one desperately clinging…yet was swiftly impaled.

Boom. Boom. Boom. Those left behind fired and fought.

The only thing the others could do…was watch from the growing distance as those left behind were cutdown, their screams tremoring the night. Seven souls… They could only thank them, however, for this distraction allowed their withdrawal.

The wagons galloped faster and faster towards the road. Only one carbineer caught up, bringing a gravely wounded Two. The soldiers remained vigilant, their minds still…processing all that had befallen. What an utterly chaotic several dozen minutes it had been, truly.

-|-

Antica’s eyes peeked out through the wagon’s back entry-split, eyeing the road behind. Vigilant and cautious, her revolving-rifle in hand. They had just returned to the open road, and thus were moving in a slightly more organized fashion. But this supply wagon was the slowest, so ended up behind the rest—the first to be engaged once those things…caught up.

“Stupid, stupid, I am so stupid, I am so stupid” Novea mumbled away on repeat, “Why didn’t I warn them? My fault, this is my fault… Why did I not warn them? Bronzegate, we’re in fucking Bronzegate! I could have at least mentioned: ‘hey, if you hear anything weird, don’t do anything because it could be a bronze golem and you don’t want to fuck with them’! But I didn’t mention them once… I mean, decades, it’s been decades since we saw the last one! I mean… how I was supposed to know we were going to the ones to… to… Urgh!”

Her mind was not in a pleasant place, suffice it to say.

Antica glanced, her ignited eyes…empty, that cold inhibition having taken hold. She was focused and attentive; she had not the time nor care to deal with this…whatever. Nevertheless, she continued to glance. She had not known Novea for that long; they were still largely strangers, to be frank. But…it was still rather strange to see…Novea in such a state.

Antica sighed… The only thing she could do was let this moment…pass.

Yet…

{AP-R-CH-NG}

She began to notice…echoing from afar…hailing shouts and galloping sprint. She promptly peeked out again, spotting afar…

A denizen. A soldier…on horseback…approaching closer.

“…someone is trying to reach us!” Antica announced.

“Huh?” Novea, hearing this, somewhat came to, peeking out in kind from behind, seeing what Antica was seeing. “Shit…and that horse does not look well…” She swiftly made way to the front of the wagon, “Hey! One of the men we left behind! He’s on a hurt horse and trying to catch up! Slow down! Slow down! He needs to board!”

The driver heard Novea’s voice from behind the wagon’s covering, “Whata? Really?” he blurted, “[Hey! Hey! One of the carbineers survived, I think! He is trying to catch up! We should slow! I think he is trying to get on!]”

Yet before any response could be hurled back from the wagon in front, the answer came lancing in the form of a bronze spear piercing the ground near.

“[CHANGE OF MIND! MOVE FASTER!]”

Unrelenting, many lesser golems had continued to chase down the retreating fourth nightwatcher. Their ravenous speed was able to keep up with the wounded horse. Though, most of these bunch were without their spears by now.

Although the retreating horse had the initial edge in speed, it was quickly losing it… Wounded and exhausted, it was inevitable that the golems would catch it.

The convoy began to speed up; Four and his horse double timed it, trying to close the distance. Yet the lesser golems were speeding up in kind… utterly determined to get this one soldier specifically, not even the convoy.

Bang. Bang. Bang.

Antica began to fire shot after revolving shot at those she could target with an equine in the way, yet those struck paid no mind. Her bullets…useless.

The soldier tried to speed up even more, the ever-faithful animal trying to gallop even faster. Yet with only one horrible step, the horse snapped its leg, tumbling down, the soldier being thrown off and onto the ground.

« …Merda » Antica’s breaths blurted…

Time froze to a halting crawl. Little time… There was absolutely little time…before those things would get to him. She had no time to think nor strategize, only act, and she was sick of feeling so useless.

Tossing her revolving-rifle to the side, she dashed straight out of the moving wagon.

“Shit! Nilia! Stop the wagon! Stop the wagon!” Novea, panicking, shouted to the driver, before eyeing the discarded revolving-rifle…

Landing fine enough, Antica immediately unholstered her Remnant small-arm as swiftly as she possibly could… as all the world become mute, time slowing ever-more as everything she needed to do became so clear and easy to do.

The lesser golems, a presence felt, paused and began to fixate on her… However, she did not allow them a moment to reassess.

Pop. Pop. Pop.

Such strange…alien…energized sounds flared as she discharged bursts of exotic cyanic bolts, smooth and refined.

The cyanic bolts smashed into the lesser golems, shatter-poofing in glittering exoticism, tearing and chewing through whatever was struck… bronze metal being reduced to exotic residuals and glowing cyanic goop, pieces and chunks falling off.

The lesser golems were completely caught off guard; those able quickly scattered as if whimpering hounds. The only golems which remained were those whose limbs had fallen off or those which had been…dispatched.

Area cleared, she immediately strode to the soldier…who was struggling to get up. The world having been muted, his words went unheard as she helped him up and helped him make way to the wagon…which had actually…stopped, even if farther out.

Arriving, she helped the soldier climb on, Novea helping as well, before quickly climbing on in kind.

“I don’t even…want to know right now…” Novea’s overwhelmed breaths stated, “Move! Move! She’s on! We have him!”

Antica’s brightened ignited eyes simply stared out as the wagon began to move…as all the world could finally be felt and heard once again.

How very fascinating, indeed

This unexpected event