The road to Port Talos was smooth. Too many Gates were seen along the road, including near a dozen with frozen creatures around, probably opened right before the Winter Beast came passing by. But from the moment convoy left the gorge, they met an enemy only once.
After half an hour of calm ride from the fort, sensors detected a red dot kilometer ahead of them. It was Fallen Tyrant who died after several arrow hits, which would be great in different circumstances, but seeing his state only added to everyone's dark mood.
Abomination was completely covered in severe frostbites, barely moving its body. It wasn't even clear if it sensed human souls, or just tried to get as far away from the Titan, as possible, after it's minions, if he had them, died in cold agony. Those who saw this scene, were asking themselves, if creature of this rank and class was affected so badly, what would happen to mundane people? Or, already happened to be precise.
Despite increasingly unsettling feeling from the air north, blizzard still wasn't fierce, indicating that Titan was far. But regardless of that, the intensity of snowfall and cold were slowly increasing as they were approaching Siege Capital.
They still could easily move at good speed with lowered wedges on similar to Rhino APC's, that moved to the head of the column, clearing the road for the evacuees. But each following kilometer was becoming more and more smothered by snow. The piles were already half the Rhino height, and Brail had a good idea how high they could be near the city walls.
'Told you all, we just wasting time here.'
Even for those who wanted to find remnants of city's population it become clear, that if someone somehow survived the initial assault, they would not be able to escape without heavy transport. And would die from the cold, like the Tyrant's minions. So, there was no point of searching for refugees, if only for the frozen ones.
Assessing the situation, convoy drove off road to circle around dead city from afar before the snow started slowing them down too much. Moreover, nobody wanted to see the destruction of heavily protected Capital. And even less they wanted to look at the victims of the Beast.
***
Their next destination, as Tei insisted, became one of the little military settlements in the middle of peninsula. They were again crawling through another narrow mountain pass, but this time not because of the fog or its inhabitants.
A huge amount of snow got even here, there was no road, and several chokepoints were blocked with boulders, like the earthquake happened. So, they wasted another half a day to arrive to the small town.
After what they were seeing after the gorge, people didn't expect to find anybody there. To everyone's surprise, Master of Irregular cohort sent a warning about loud welcoming party an hour before convoy got there.
Military settlement was under the siege of hordes of Nightmare Creatures from two directions. North and the center of the town was already gone and from the look of it, only small bunch of mundanes was left from the defenders.
"Battle formation! Second and third groups guard the trucks. You will be circling to the defenders from the south. Groups four and five we are going to the elevation to block their advance. First group will support the Irregulars."
Open channel switched to the private one, and Tei's voice was heard once more.
"What's your plan?"
Dorn looked at Brail for several seconds, as if asking for opinion, but quickly understood, that explorer did not want to interfere or try to take leadership, despite higher rank. Thinking for several seconds more, and receiving approving nods from the cohort, giant pressed the radio button.
"We need to deal with the horde in the middle of the city first, cut them off from the south, before jumping to another fight. Better send the first group to help survivors fend off the second pack of creatures. We will try to divide the horde and if they follow us just set the second part in fire."
"Copy."
As convoy divided on three parts, each moving in own direction, they entered the town.
***
After MWP's blasted the horde with the salvo of explosive shells, abominations tried to scatter and hide from unexpected assault. But before they managed to do so, Rhino rammed right through the street full of doglike creatures, turning several into minced piles and knocking around ten more in the buildings aside.
They drove further luring a part of the horde and abominations followed. Stopping right in the middle of destroyed square, Irregulars rushed out and got into the defensive formation around the APC. Knocked Nightmare Creatures started getting on their paws, following behind already raging part of their pack.
Samara and Kim stayed on the top of the vehicle, while Brail quickly pushed himself on the nearest half-destroyed roof. He started to focus on red zones of bigger monsters, sending arrow after the arrow.
[You have slain Fallen Beast, Black-Tongued Hound.]
[Your winds grow fiercer.]
[You have slain Fallen Monster, Black-Tongued Devourer.]
[You have slain…]
Another rocket salvo landed on the far part of the horde, and the first wave crushed onto their vanguard. Sounds of turrets and explosions become too loud and overlapping, not letting explorer discern what was going on outside this part of the battle. These noises were also driving Black Tongues into even deeper frenzy, and the standoff below started reminding an attempt to bury awakened under the corpses.
After couple minutes of non-stop shooting, Brail realized that Irregulars won't hold for long with just 'air support'. 'Air' needed to head down and fight alongside them. And as if agreeing with his thoughts, the biggest doglike fiend decided to ignore humans on the ground and crush directly into his building.
Managing to soften the landing, explorer rushed to the side evading debris of falling house, but the abomination was already jumping on him. Unsheathing the saber and slashing diagonally upwards in one swift motion, Brail managed to get a good hit on beast's jaw and throw it aside. Right after, a colorful explosion struck his snout, and a shield bashed monster's side.
Turning his body, Ascended swinged through the right paw of stunned abomination, cutting it away. Arrow pierced his left paw right after, vile beast collapsed forward on his chin, and the next moment sword plunged under his ribs, dissolving flesh.
Swordsman pulled out his weapon, seemingly not registering that spell didn't announce the kill, already turning away, and the next second mad fiend tried to get up.
"Shit, it's still alive!"
But before Brail or Quentin managed to finish beast off, another explosive bullet pierced monster's eye, blowing up creature's head from inside. Sam's voice was calm, like she was taking a stroll in the park, instead of fighting for life against literal horrors.
"Unalived now."
Quentin nodded her and gave Brail a crooked grin, already searching for the next target with his eyes.
"Was it too boring up top?"
One of the smaller Black Tongues jumped on his shield, and the next second Vulture slashed off dog's head. Turning to swordsman, Brail decided to go along with their crazed mood.
"Well, you know."
Saber cut through another monster's body.
"I saw you were quite helpless down here, so I descended from the skies, to offer you some worthy assistance."
Quentin opened his mouth to answer with some 'clever' remark, but they both quickly dropped to the ground. Because from behind, the same fiend they killed mere moments ago, lunged over their heads into the approaching horde, wreaking havoc among its own kin. Both warriors turned back to look at now smiling sniper with astonished faces.
"That's what I call a worthy assistance."
The battle continued to rage on.
***
After a while, Irregulars finished their fight, got on top of the Rhino, and drove off the square in the direction of survivors. There were some stray abominations, lurking here and there on the streets, but all of them were quickly finished off by quick shots and teeth of their new companion. Poisonous doggo was running along the APC happily eviscerating anything that tried to jump awakened from the side alleys and barracks.
'At least someone having fun. Ew.'
Tei's artillery group seemingly decimated the part of the horde north from plaza they were fighting at, because Brail could see these parts of the convoy descending from the hill and heading in same direction. In front of them though, fight was still continuing, air thick from stench of vile blood and smoke. But reinforcement reached defenders in time, and now they could take leftovers of the pack in pinschers.
Crushing right into the horde of Black Tongues from behind, Irregulars joined another bloody mess.
***
Several exhausting hours later, tired but victorious members of mechanized caravan were sitting around secured part of the small town. It should have been a relatively quick battle, considering they had tactical positioning, numerical advantage, artillery support, and active raid groups like Irregulars. If you of course could call driving around several blocks to cut off part of approaching army a raid.
Unfortunately, second horde was lurking not so far, and booming of turrets, as well as smell of blood, instantly lured them in. Second and third battle groups secured several safe blocks, where survivors were, and created fortified perimeter, while others stretched along one of the streets, taking alleys and roofs to cover approaching from the west horrors in rain of bullets.
It was long and difficult fight, for Brail at least. Lith, Irregulars and good part of awakened soldiers were fighting never even flinching.
'What are these people made from? Am I the one who is weird?'
He couldn't understand, how they were so calm. But despite his reaction, during the clashes, explorer caught himself on an interesting thought. Or at least it's absence. He didn't think, didn't feel, he just fought. And in a sense, it was quite a liberating feeling.
And it was strange, he become awakened not yesterday, and was participating in harrowing encounters many times. It's just that he wasn't used to such intensive bloodshed.
Brail's battles were usually quick and precise, you cut enemy's neck, or shoot it in the eye, heart or whatever, or you run away. Sometimes you attack or defend against one terrifying enemy and his minions, but Brail never was in the center of such fights.
Even his previous trial was quite peaceful, compared to what people always told him about their experience, with a bunch of mysteries and unraveling conspiracies. So usually, death was approaching Brail from only one side. Maybe two.
But here, in this frozen Nightmare, death was everywhere, coming from many directions, and in many ways. Slowly or quickly, silently or loudly. But constantly.
There were casualties from his convoy, many grievous wounds, cut and torn limbs and a lot of corpses throughout the town. He was covered in blood from head to toe. But it almost didn't matter because he never felt so free from his flaw. And never saw so clearly in the midst of battle.
'Maybe I can be like them? What Sam said, I will feel more confident with weapon in hands? Obvious, but maybe if I will draw a weapon more often…'
Then he looked around again and his mood fell.
'What the hell am I thinking about, these fights are scary as fuck.'
He got up and walked away from the corpses.
Several minutes later, his mood fell even more. Because as he found himself in a small circle of people, Brail learned very unpleasant information. Apparently, they were right about two hordes. But what they were fighting was just another part the same giant pack, previously spread in the town.
Young wounded soldier with dead eyes looked at people who came to the rescue, nodded, and continued his explanation.
"Yes, you right, sir, there are two different hordes in this region. But these abominations are the same, as you saw yourself. They were from the second one. First is still far from the settlement."
Tei and Dorn decided to question the survivors, and now they both were not happy. Giant was rubbing his eyes, while deputy commander of LO49 was staring at the ground.
"So, there is another several hundreds of abominations coming from west? How did you come to know this?"
"Learnt it myself. Look around, those people are civilians mostly, and this is military base. We were running from these monsters and managed to get here. And I know for a fact that they know we are here. They will come soon."
Brail looked at both awakened and turned to the soldier.
"Why didn't you head to Erebus Field?"
"Nightmare Creatures came from that direction. How exactly should we go there?"
All three awakened tensed.
"You mean Erebus fell?"
"Yes, no, I don't know. Monsters came and plunged our town, so we just took civilians and ran without thinking a lot. The closest settlement was this one. We hoped, local division will protect us, but… well… that's all who lasted."
Soldier gestured towards the rest of his group. There were around fifty people, and only eleven were soldiers. No awakened. If they came ten minutes later, there would have been no survivors. Tei exhaled slowly, still staring down with unreadable expression.
"Ok, people, I think we need another planning session."
***
MWP's and awakened were cleaning the streets from leftovers of Black Tongues to recapture small town and prepare for approaching attack. Somber mood and smell of blood permitted the air, but everybody worked without questions. Every member of their small army knew, what will happen if they make mistakes.
In several hours they all moved to far edge of the settlement and formed proper perimeter. Scientists and rescued civilians occupied administrative buildings and barracks closer to the center, and trucks were parked nearby in case they will need to escape. Lookouts were placed at high roofs and half destroyed watchtowers, patrols were roaming around the camp.
Survivors told everything they knew about incoming army of Nightmare Creatures, and scouting groups were sent forward to confirm that information. What they come back with was not great.
Monsters were big, sluggish, and slow, perfect targets for turrets and MWP's. But they were numerous. And at least fifty of them were of the Fallen rank. Which meant that that was job mostly for awakened.
Hundred Awakened warriors and two Masters with the support of artillery against half a hundred Fallen abominations was quite bearable. The problem was that there were at least two hundred more Awakened creatures around them.
Horde was far, but they blocked the road to the thoroughfare. And without the data about north direction, from where poisonous dogs came, that wasn't a bright idea to run through mountains again. Plus, they didn't know what happened with Erebus Field.
Fortunately, if this word was suitable in this situation, there were no Nightmare Gates in close vicinity. So without nasty Call, at least part of Awakened warriors had a chance to rest and learn about situation in Siege Capital.
Brail remembered that from the moment army command lost connection with the southern part of the continent, it should be at minimum month before Goliath will attack Erebus Field. He didn't know exact date, but he trusted the data from old military reports. Which meant, they still had at least two weeks to sit on a ship and head straight to Falcon Scott. Or even sail away from this cold place, hopefully ending their trial.
'Complete the Nightmare so easily. Wouldn't it be nice?'
But he knew that Nightmares never went like people wanted.