The situation was grim.
Just a day had passed from the council, and reports were already coming in, each worse than the one before.
Janus Orman was looking at the papers on his desk.
The city had its number of problems: the city walls were ancient, some of the stairs that led on to the battlements had collapsed or were unusable.
Luckly, Harth's tavern could access the top of the walls, and the dwarf made sure that part of the wall had been mantained.
There were four towers in total, but of the four, two were completely unusable, and one was unstable and about to collapse already. The fourth one had been used as a place to keep Archibald's carrier pidgeons, and it had been at least repaired from time to time.
They had no time to make proper repairs, all they could do was hope that the leader of the undead army forgot siege weaponry existed.
Even more troubling than the city walls were the reports from the two scout teams:
Both teams reported that the undead were preparing ambushes on the roads out of the city, and were already frighteningly close.
One of these teams was even attacked by none other than Nosh - rather, what had become of him - and survived by miracle.
"Calling this a desperate situation is an understatement..." thought Janus
A gentle knock on the door made him raise his head
'Come in'
His daughter entered the room
'Father, I've spoken with Yofandel, he says he gave me a list of the weapons from his personal armory, but according to him, some are difficult to use...'
'Take a seat, dear'
She silently complied. It saddened him to see his own daughter so pained, and it saddened him even more the fact that he had no way of comforting her.
'The situation is hopeless'
'I've also spoken with Ray, he finished labeling all the potions we have...'
'Dear, listen to me'
'... he says we have a three explosive potions-'
'Nicole!'
She stared at him, her calm demeanour was hiding a fire inside; ever since she recovered, the night before, a fire had been burning in her.
'Nicole, listen to me, there's no saving this town, we can't flee, but we can't win either, we're doomed. But a small group might be able to filter through, I'll have some of the scouts-'
'I'm not leaving this village'
'I'm begging you-'
'My decision is final'
Silence fell on the room
'I've written everything else here, now if you'll excuse me, father'
'Nicole, I-'
The door slamming was the only response he got, a few of the papers on the desk were moved from their spot.
'Mind if I join you?'
Alma approached Harth, who was sitting on a stool on top of the walls just above his inn
'Not at all. Want some?'
The dwarf offered a tankard full of ale
'A sip or two won't hurt'
'If you want more you can get one youself, it's on the back, a barrel labeled "Hammer's Curse" '
Alma took the ale and had a taste
'Damn, that's strong stuff!'
'Heh, figured it would be too much for a human'
'Never said I didn't like it, where's the barrel again?'
'Downstairs, in the back. Since you're going, refill mine as well'
When Alma was back, the tavern was starting to fill up with customers
'Hey, Harth, aren't you supposed to be down there serving?'
'Nah, I took the day off'
'Who's cooking then?'
'Don't know, don't care anymore. I told 'em to do whatever as long as they don't blow a hole in a wall or something'
'And you're not scared they'll wreck the place?'
'I don't think we're going to care, come tomorrow. I just wanted to spend my last days in peace'
'Hope I'm not intruding, then'
Yofandel was walking back to his home after having escaped the inn, which was being assaulted by an hungry and tired mob of farmers, each battling for the control of the stove.
He still managed to get some sausages and some beer, before going back home.
'Harth, you monster, what am I supposed to do now, cook?!'
he said to nobody in particular.
The sun was setting, and its colors were fading from the sky.
For the first time in ages, he could see torches lit in one of the towers, manned with sentinels.
They could all feel it, these were the last days.
'What's the old dwarf done now?'
'Nicole! You surprised me'
'That would be a first'
'It truly is the end of days if you managed to sneak on me'
'So, what were you doing, beside cursing Harth?'
'Not much, I was trying to recall a recipe for these things'
He showed the few supplies he managed to get
'You? Cooking?'
'To be honest, I was considering eating them raw...'
'Give me those'
'Don't you have dinner ready at your house?'
'I... Don't feel like returning there, tonight'
'I see... I suppose it's not a coincidence that you found me'
'I needed to talk with you'
Morning came mercilessly fast, and the dawn blinded the sleep-deprived Gus, who was keeping watch atop the tower
'Look, Gus, the shift's over and we're still alive, so much for your pessimism'
'Hannah, stop trying to bring us bad luck and go get Tim, he's next in schedule'
'Where are your manners?'
'Hannah, get that arsehole Tim, he's next in the godsdamn schedule. Please'
'Much better'
She answered mockingly before going down the stairs
"Hunters should stay and keep watch 'cause they have the best eyes my arse; I've never done something this godsdamn boring"
Gus cursed a few more times for good measure, before taking one last good look at the road north connecting the village to Lannsport.
"All the while the freaking folks downstairs had the night of their freaking life"
The road was exactly the same as it was ten minutes ago, and then ten more, up all the way for the last eight hours.
"Last godsdamn time I get dragged into this hellish mess or a job, freaking road's the frea- The hell's that?" Gus stared at a red spot in the distance, in the middle of the road.
At first he blamed it on his tiredness, but even after rubbing his eyes a few times, it was still there.
It was getting closer.
He looked over towards the city, luckly Hannah had just entered the street proper after exiting the inn
'Ann! Wait, there's something on the road!'
He shouted
'What's that "something"?'
'I don't know!'
'Then close the gate and sound the alarm, you idiot! We can't be too sure'
By the time the figure reached the walls, the alarm had been raised and the militia that had been trained was assembled. Janus was at the front, with 70 more behind him, between archers and spearmen.
It was a single figure, wearing unassuming red robes. It would have looked like a normal traveler, if it wasn't for its head: instead of a face, there was a skull.
He approached the gate, calmly, touching the metal bars of the gate.
'Ah, what a warm welcoming'
'I am Janus Orman, Major of this city, how should I address you?'
'Orman... Orman... Ah! This is the correct city, then'
The skeleton said to himself
'Say, is this how you greet your guests? Weapons at the ready and a closed gate? You Orman truly are barbarians'
'I won't show hospitality to a monster, now deliver your message or leave, before we send your remains to your master'
'My master? I fear I have no master, currently, sorry to disappoint. But you're right, I should be delivering my message and get going'
He slipped a letter through the gate
'I wished to give it personally, but it seems this will have to do. This is my declaration of war. In two days, at this time, I will send my armies at this city. Now, I must take my leave'
He turned around, and started walking back
'Why are you doing this?'
Somebody cried from the crowd
'I don't need to explain myself to somebody who's going to die soon'
As he said that, a small vortex of dust gathered at his feet, growing big enough to engulf his whole body, dissipating immediatly after.
When the vortex disappeared, the skeleton was nowhere to be seen.