Keeper of Life - NaPoWrMo Entry

“Ugha,” she moaned getting to her feet. If it wasn't for four legs she would have toppled again as blood rushed away from her head. The tube was the first thing she checked. It was still there.

“Lady,” Claw said rushing to her side.

“I'm fine Son Claw,” she said looking around. She seemed off balance, and only then noticed the blood crusted around her right eye. She held up a hoof in front of her, but it was unnecessary, she knew. The spell had taken her right eye.

“Brother Fang?” she asked. He shook his head. “I didn't expect it, we're still in the wall,” she said observing the stone around her. This room was larger, cluttered and dark. She felt like she'd been thrown against the wall then force fed sand. Despite her condition she forced herself together, at least she got some rest, involuntary as it had been.

“Are you well Lady?” Claw asked tearing into a balled chunk of preserved food.

“Well enough,” she replied accepting whatever it was he slid toward her, “how are the others?”

He looked despaired and cast a glance back. They were sleeping. “Well enough,” he replied in turn. “I forced them to rest and we found some food. It's just...” he trailed off.

“Yes, they'll be looking for us now I'm sure,” she said. He nodded.

“There's nowhere to hide a body here, we tried to segment it, and find other rooms, but there's only so much we could do. I'm sorry La

“No,” she cut him off, “you've done well.” She gathered more strength in her limbs and stretched. 'I should have done better,' she thought. “When did they go to ground?” she asked.

“As soon as we got you to safety. Your... not light,” he said, then noticed his words, “Lady.”

“Be still Son Claw, formality is a luxury now,” she said exploring the area. “Wake them, we'll have to depart.” He nodded. “Your eyes tell me you've taken guard,” she said and he nodded again.

“Lady,” he said walking beside her. The others behind woke and ate something. “They reported odd... dreams. I said to report anything out of the norm, well they're... concerning.”

“It will only get worse as we get closer. The lunar solstice is still a few days away. Until then it will threaten to drive you to madness. It's a defensive mechanism of The Tree. Remind them that any act of disloyalty will be met with death,” she said. He didn't need reminding, none of them did. 'Death for all of us.' What frightened her the most is the eventually of it.

They slid out of the room, patterns of movement echoed up and down the hall. “Assume disguises,” she said and they slipped out patterned as guards. Lance took rear guard, almost disappearing behind the bends the hall took.

Torches lit their way filling the void with a soft ember hue. Who was responsible for maintaining the magical light she wondered, and cast the thought aside as distraction. Yet there was something there to note, each color of flame held special properties and important to know if she needed to snuff it an act that wasn't made easy for them now. Still she could tell enough this flame couldn't be extinguished with wind, it would need deprivation of air. It would be hard to kill all at once. 'It's as if they block us intentionally,' she thought, then knew they did.

A pattern of steps against the ground, Son Lance telling her that two guards were inbound. They sped toward her then paused. “Didn't you hear?” he asked her.

“Hear what?” she replied, worried they might notice Rollic's voice. She had no other image to copy. Thankfully her underlings had managed where she didn't.

“Commander Bright wants us on parade, like now,” he said.

“Oh, we better hurry then, thanks,” she replied from her guard disguise. “Come on guys,” she called back, “taskings changed.”

“Don't they always?” his companion said as they all began running. 'Damn,' she cursed in her head as they sped down the corridor. She reconsidered as they broke left on the inside ring of the wall. 'Perhaps this was a stroke of luck after all.'

They stood in the rear rank, forming up from the left as the others did. Her underlings had been trained for this, they matched patterns in movement, dialects, mannerisms and posture; they blended in perfectly. She was both glad for the twilight giving her cover, and disturbed at the time she had forced them to lose.

They all acquired new images as they scanned the parade upon entering and none noticed the duplicates. It was a terrible gambit, but on parade all eyes were forward.

He called them all to attention, then stood them at ease. “Guards, I've gathered you all here to set some rumors straight. Private Rollic collapsed from an unknown illness. We won't know more until later. It's unfortunate but we must all remember our duties and I expect you will show respect and refrain from speaking about this incident. Some of you have been spreading rumors about a breach in the barrier. I have said it before and I will say it again. Under my command the barrier will never be broken,” he said. “I have dedicated my command to this duty as have you all. I want you to remember that. Now those that were close to Private Rollic may be entitled to a day off, send your request up through he chain of command, just keep in mind we still need guards.” Voices shuffled inside the parade, and high ranking officers shot serious glances into the group. “I know you've been wondering about the extra duties, with the winter solstice coming up we all have to do our part. Outstanding members may even get to take part in this year's festival,” he said, the murmurs grew but fell dead when a bark came from the sergeant-major. “I know you've been wondering why we're short on guards, or even where some members have gone. Well with the festivities coming up we've sent them into the city. If you're worried they didn't tell you, well you can all have your chit-chat over a cup of tea or something. Now, I expect you'll all do your part, and pull together.”

Again he called them to attention, the Sergeant-Major approaching, saluting then taking command of the parade. It was another speech, this one more lengthy then Coal would have liked. 'Are there any guards left in the towers?' she wondered and knew it would be so. She made sure to count their numbers and took in what faces she could for later use. Her knowledge on patrol schedules would be outdated now, but with the numbers she gained it would be easier to avoid them.

The lecture on professionalism was starting to bother her, the entire parade was, yet the subject matter was hopeful. Clearly they'd been detected but it needed to stay under wraps. 'This is good, arrogance is our friend,' she thought.

When they were finally dismissed they blended with the crowd and skidded around a corner. The large stone buildings served as cover enough but the stalks of tended flowers and groomed shrubs helped their cause even further. The ground was laid out in a semi-circle cut off from the wall. A parade square was set in the middle, immaculately cleaned. Shrubs surrounded with tended flowers spun around in intricate patterns. Even the cobblestone had been laid using different colors and positions yet at this height she couldn't make out the pattern. 'It's probably a tree,' she thought.

They crept along the edge of the wall until they dove behind shrubs and began to crawl. Guard duty had resumed as normal, the shifts resuming regular duty as if nothing had happened. She heard chatter about Private Rollic, and listened to the rise and fall of their voice.

The spaced buildings and foliage served them well, it was easy to assume disguise, slip past a bush, and assume another. If they needed to they could even just blend with the walls or trees. The twilight and coming darkness only made her life easier.

As they made their way around the courtyard like an intricate maze she stopped them suddenly. Voices rose from around the wall and from the sound of breathing she noted six figures. One of them happened to be Commander Bright.

“I understand your concern Matriarch but rest assured myself and my guards have everything under control,” he said impatiently.

“The Tree does not lie commander,” she returned.

“The matter will be investigated thoroughly,” he said, “I'm already on it.”

“Very well,” she said turning toward the sky, “I heard one of your guards fell... ill.”

“It's nothing Matriarch, just a cough that spread into rumors,” he said brushing off the matter of a dead soldier and glad she heard nothing of the battle that took place earlier.

She thought on this. “The Tree's influence is weaker here, I worry that the guards stationed here will become ill because of it,” she said.

“Not at all Matriarch, in fact duty in The Guard seems to prolong life,” he said chuckling.

“Hrm, perhaps that is true. Still,” she said unconvinced, “I shall be returning to see what your investigation reveals.”

“Oh course Matriarch Valor,” he replied and saluted. She stood at attention honoring his gesture and turned with her guards. Spreading her wings she took flight and disappeared under the starless interior of the barrier.

“What a troublesome mare she is,” he scoffed. “I expect no word of the breach to go higher Captain, I'll not have my record sullied because some sand worms decided to slip in.”

“Of course sir,” the captain returned. “I'll have a team assembled and ready by dawn, Master Corporal Fire works quickly. Investigations are already underway as to Private Rollic. His family will wish to see the body though.”

“It's fine, do what you can before and prolong it as much as you can. I want a separate team assembled for quick reaction,” he said. “Tell them his body is quarantined or something.” Their voices were already becoming dimmer as they walked away.

“Shall I pull from the inner wall QRF sir?” he asked.

“No our station is sufficient here. Also notify the junior officers the o-group will be held in the CP,” he said.

“Yes sir.” They made to depart when the commander stopped him.

“Oh and Captain, I don't need to tell you that no word of the prisoners will be said.”

“Of course sir, not on my life. ”

“Good, I'll be visiting them in 27B soon,” the commander said as they departed.

Coal trailed back along the building, only then noting the numbers. '12A,' she read. Studying the faces of her underlings she tried to hide her concern, for their sake. “They have to be in this courtyard,” she said knowing the outer ring circled the city. “They can't be far.”

“Lady,” Claw said, “they knew the price, their sacrifice will be honored.”

She bit her tongue. 'Never go back on your own orders,' Coal lectured herself. “This is differ-” No, she didn't need to make excuses, she only needed to tell them what will be. “We're going to find them,” she concluded. They didn't argue.

As the sun fully yielded to darkness it made their search easier. They could spread out and roam without being questioned, taking the position of roving patrol easily. She had even been as bold as to ask for directions pretending to be sleep deprived. She couldn't shake the sense of their words, how the Major's conversation seemed to hang in the air. Still she understood the risks, and was willing to take them. So far in and she had lost half, it was unacceptable.

It hadn't taken long before she stumbled on 27B, the guards posted outside the standard yet elongated building giving it away before she even read the numbers. They nodded to her and paced by it, trying not to seem obvious. She called them back and they slipped from the shadows.

“Commander Bright,” one of the guards said standing taller, “sir.” They both saluted.

“At ease guards,” she said walking toward them. “Are you going to let me in?” she asked and one of them jumped and flung open the door.

“Sorry sir,” he said nervously. She wasn't sure if it was her nerves running so high, The Tree, or her injuries but even her own heart was running faster then she liked. Something wasn't right.

She waved her followers beside her. “You two are relieved, you need the rest after what happened. These two will take guard,” she said nodding to the two helmeted guards.

“Oh, yes sir, thank you sir,” they said departing without a glance. Her two underlings took their place and she steeped into the dimly lit building.