96. Preparations For The Next Day
Why were they after the inner walls? Why now?
The questions piled up, one after another. Attempting to take the inner walls was suicidal, yet the Empire was already preparing for it. They wouldn't prepare for such a thing if they didn't believe it was possible. That it could be done.
They were running out of time. In a few more hours, it would be sunrise and the Empire would prepare their attack. But… what could they do? At most, the soldiers garrisoned at the storage building were a hundred and fifty men strong. It would be crazy of them to think they could help. Tucker tapped his fingertips against a turned-over table. Their options were limited.
"Gather whatever seems useful. We're heading back to the others," Tucker ordered.
"Sir, did you discover something?" Jones asked.
"Yeah, it seems like the Empire is planning to launch an assault tomorrow."
"What?" Nemo looked at him in disbelief. "But why? We're still here?"
"I don't know, but it's just a hunch so far." Tucker stood beside the back door. "We need to figure out what to do if that's the case."
Nemo and Jones nodded in agreement. Right now, they had done their job and managed to clear out three of the nearby buildings. If the enemy were going to check the status of the soldiers, it would be in the morning. They crept through the alleyways, inching back toward the sewers.
Tucker glanced around the corner. No patrols. Without hesitation, he heaved the manhole cover aside and motioned for Nemo and Jones to descend. Their boots clanged against the metal rungs as they climbed down into the tunnel below. Once they reached the bottom, Tucker followed and pulled the cover shut above them, sealing off the moonlight and silence with a heavy thud.
The sound of running water entered Tucker's ears. His eyes followed the moss-covered cobblestone walls and smooth tiles beneath their feet. A stream of water flowed down the center of the tunnel to the purification facilities, but that was in the opposite direction they needed to go.
Tucker knew it was possible that others were also hiding in the sewers or buildings, but the odds of finding them were slim. He needed to focus on what was before him and couldn't help the heavy feeling pulling on his heart. Luka and the watchmen. He didn't know if they were still alive—and the fate of the other Thirty-First soldiers was just as uncertain.
How many of them made it back to the inner walls?
He didn't have the answer.
Yet, as Tucker was carefully moving back to the storage building with Nemo and Jones, a faint light caught his eye. One that couldn't be seen with the naked eye. Tucker held out his arm, signalling for the two to stop. They both immediately held onto the hilt of their blades while scanning the surroundings.
Tucker knelt on the ground, staring at the poorly drawn sparrow with spirit essence. His lips slowly curled upwards. It was Luka. His friend, who also sought refuge in the tunnels. He was alive, and if that was the case, then there was a chance others were too.
"Sir, did something happen?" Jones asked.
"No, but it seems this mission has done more than we could have expected." Tucker channeled his spirit essence into the palm of his hand, summoning a green hawk that freely spread its wings. "Our comrades are still alive."
"Wait, really?" Nemo gazed down the tunnel. "Where are they? Are they close?"
"I don't know how close they are, but it seems the vice captain has left a trail," said Tucker.
"That's great! That means we can find them and bring them back." Jones revealed a bright smile, but upon seeing Tucker's expression, it slowly vanished.
"We can't search for them." Tucker's voice fell quiet. He hated the words even as he said them, but right now he couldn't afford to think like a friend. "We don't know how long it'll take for us to find them."
A slight frown formed between Nemo's eyebrows. "What are you saying—that we leave them?"
"We're not going to leave them, but we're also not going to look for them," Tucker replied, drawing his initials with spirit essence beside the badger symbol. "They'll have to find us."
"But… will they even be able to do that?" Jones worriedly asked.
Tucker smiled upon hearing the question. The activation of Luka's spirit essence meant his friend was still alive—and knowing Luka, he'd find a way to reach him. He always did.
The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.
"They will," Tucker said. "Have some faith in your comrades, Jones."
He rose from where he knelt and looked down at the glowing green initials beside the bird. This was all he could do for now. If luck was on their side, Luka would find them within a day. With a quiet flutter, Gale flew off, vanishing into the sewer's shadows.
"I'll leave a trail to the storage building, whether they come will be up to them." Tucker motioned for them to move once more and, upon seeing the two nod, he turned and led the way into the dark.
.
.
.
No one in the room dared to utter a word. The main chamber of the storage building was filled with every knight and soldier currently not on guard duty. Their faces were grim, and the shadows cast by the dim light deepened the tension. After hearing what the three had discovered, none could deny that it was a real possibility. The Empire had the manpower to attack the inner walls, and if they planned to contain them, then they wouldn't have to worry about a sneak attack.
"Is what you're saying true, Captain Welford?" Brian asked.
"It is, for the number of soldiers we dealt with. We can assume that the surrounding buildings all have about thirty men occupying it," Tucker replied.
"And this is after you cleared out three." Brian brushed his blonde hair to the side with a deep sigh. "We need to make a decision then."
Tucker slowly nodded. It would be impossible to have all of them enter the sewers undetected during the day. If they wanted to seize the opportunity, the only option was to relocate now and occupy the buildings they had cleared.
It was a gamble.
If the Empire didn't launch an all-out assault on the inner walls, then they would be stranded with nowhere to go. Their buildings would crumble from cannon fire and any aura attacks that couldn't be blocked. The risk was too great, but at the same time, everyone knew their current building was nothing more than a prison. Slowly bleeding their resources with each day.
Tucker gazed at the soldiers from the Thirty-First on the second floor. Nemo and Jones met his gaze, giving a firm nod that only he understood.
"Sorry Captain Morgan, but my men and I have already decided." Tucker's words cut through the silence. "We're marching out."
The knights to the side widened their eyes in surprise. Murmurs and whispers broke out one after another, but Brian simply stood there. Thinking about what he should do. If the knights wanted to stay, then so be it. However, Brian knew that it would be better to follow Tucker, and if the call did happen to be wrong, then it would just be bad luck. Eventually, the storage building would fall and they would all die. So it was better to follow suit than to sit around and do nothing.
"If you're marching out, that means you have a plan," said Brian. "One that you're confident in."
"I do, but it's risky." Tucker glanced at a set of pickaxes propped against a wall. "Some would even call it insane."
Brian followed his gaze. "How risky?"
The room fell into a heavy silence. All eyes were on Tucker, waiting for his response, yet the men of the Thirty-First were already grinning. Soldiers from the other platoons gasped upon hearing his words. The plan seemed insane. But slowly, one after another, they were all falling in line.
Each one of them began preparing their equipment, gathering anything they thought might give them an edge in the upcoming battle. Blades were sharpened. Armor patched and tightened. Tucker looked around, nodding as the men of the Thirty-First strapped pickaxes to their waists. Every single one of them was armed to the teeth, ready for whatever came next.
As Tucker cinched the final strap on his runic armor, a subtle movement caught his eye. A small silhouette entered his sight. There was a bird no larger than his palm with golden feathers and a white belly, perched calmly on the windowsill. It tapped gently at the metal shutters, drawing his attention as he drew closer. Tucker opened the shutter, allowing the spirit companion to enter. Tied to its leg was a note. He carefully took it, narrowing his eyes as he began to read.
[ Stuck in the purification facility with over a hundred men. Need basic supplies for survival, if possible.
List of soldiers: sixty knights, eighty-two soldiers, Captain of the Twenty-Eighth: Max Maystone, Benjamin.
Luka ]
Tucker glanced at the iron ring with a blue gem attached to the other leg. From the intricate pattern on the ring, he could tell it contained subspace magic. A type of storage magic that allowed for the convenient travel of goods. Something few possessed, given how expensive it was to make. But for someone like Luka, it made sense for him to have one or two on him.
"Wilfred," Tucker called out to the soldier and placed the note in his pocket. "Do you know someone called Max Maystone?"
"Of course, Sir. That's my captain," Wilfred replied.
"Good, it seems he's alive."
The nearby soldiers of the Twenty-Eighth immediately turned their heads. Wilfred's eyes widened, and he stared at Tucker with a dumbfounded gaze.
"Our… our captain's alive?" Wilfred whispered.
"Yeah, right now him and a few others are locked down in the purification facilities. They need supplies such as food, water, and potions." Tucker held out the subspace ring. "Can you gather whatever is left and put it in this ring?"
"Without a doubt, sir." Wilfred gladly took the ring and marched towards the crate with the other soldiers from the Twenty-Eighth. "We'll bring it back when we're done."
Tucker nodded as the men began to move. He trusted them with the task—especially the men of the Twenty-Eighth. They were capable soldiers, driven by the desperate hope of finding their missing comrades. And now that Luka had found their captain, they'd take even greater care gathering the right provisions and medicine.
But right now, Tucker had bigger concerns.
If Luka sent his spirit companion, that meant he couldn't move freely. Something was holding him and his group back. And if that was the case… then they wouldn't make it to the storage building. Once Tucker and his group left, there was no telling when or if they'd reunite. He slowly exhaled, then opened his leather pouch and pulled out a sheet of paper and a pencil. His hands were slightly trembling, but he scribbled down their current plans, tying the note to the sparrow's leg, and waited.
Odds were, they wouldn't meet here again. But that was fine. If the others needed shelter, this building would do. Once Wilfred returned with the ring, Tucker slipped it onto the golden sparrow's other leg and watched as it took to the sky, disappearing into the night.
He would be lying if he said he wasn't worried. But Luka and Benjamin were strong. Whatever they were up against, they would manage. For now, all he could do was rest and prepare for what was coming.