Almost immediately, it was chaos.
Sabatykos hadn't seen much violence in that pub before, it was why he'd picked it. And there he lay, on the ground injured and bleeding. Two of his fellow engineers were immediately upon him.
One of them called out for help and the other protected Saba whilst the fighting started.
A moment later, it happened.
There was a massive amount of screaming outside as spell bolts were launched in various directions slaying all they could find. A group of about twenty or so ruffians armed with sorcery and other implements of disaster stormed the previously calm Serenti docks area. Then, a leader arrived for the group of brigands. He was a very powerful sorcerer, and floated down from some previously hidden location. The leader looked at his cohorts. They understood what their plan was.
There was still a war raging in Corone and people had to pick sides.
You were Imperial or not, but you had to pick a side.
The leader didn't bare any markings from the Empire, but clearly meant business.
The instigator in the pub was not acting alone.
Minion: One of the leader's minions moved towards the leader when the fighting started. "Are you sure it's here?"
Leader: "Our source claims it moved through the usual cargo load. They didn't know what it was." The leader said confidently. "I am certain it's here and my contractors have paid a lot of money to secure it."
Minion: "I can't believe it was under their noses the whole time." The cohort said calmly as the violence began in earnest.
Leader: "How could they? The Demon War happened thousands of years ago, only learned scholars even remember it anymore."
Minion: "Did you really see him? That Prophet of Apocalypse?" The minion asked, his job was to protect the leader.
Leader: "The Prophet, Nenkulor Shima." The mysterious leader appeared to be more well informed that most of the time period. "He manipulates things behind the scenes...quite a crafty fellow if you ask me. But none the less we are here for the shard." The leader wore a mask, and his outfit did not reveal anything of what race he might belong to, or what faction. He merely spoke to his minions as they attacked Serenti.
The Serenti guards moved towards the leader and his cohorts.
Leader: "This is where the test begins. Gentlemen. Locate the Shard and burn everything you see."
***
The dock area's Guard Captain readied his fellow to the last man.
Soldier: "Captain! We got a serious problem tonight. People are getting killed left and right, and there are several squads of the invaders." A soldier told his leader.
Captain Lukas Durant looked at his gathered men as they prepared the counter defensive.
Lukas Durant: "Do they wear any Imperial colours?"
Soldier: "None, but that doesn't mean they aren't with the Empire."
Lukas Durant: "For them to attack out of the blue like this...they must be after something very important." Captain Lukas considered the various shipments that had made their way through here. One in particular concerned him greatly.
Soldier: "Captain! You don't mean that shard thing?" The soldier asked.
Lukas Durant: "'Tis a relic of the Thayne Codex." Lukas Durant was versed in the Thayne Codex, and he had used it's knowledge on many missions. To his knowledge, the relic was a shard constructed by the very hands of Hromagh The Strong. One of the Greater Thayne that walked Althanas to that very day. "We have to protect it at all costs. You three, follow me to it's current location. We must insure that the enemy does not get their hands on it."
Another soldier looked at the Captain with a confused expression on his face.
Soldier: "Captain, what about the civilians?" The soldier asked.
Lukas Durant: He suddenly got a cold expression on his face. "Fuck them." The Captain said. "The relic is what is important, the rest of you are to return to the rest of the guard outposts here in Serenti and rally as many of our soldiers as you can. You will make a stand against the enemy at the central location of the dock. Do not spare any resources to protect civi's. Do you hear me? We got a greater crisis on our hands." Captain Lukas Durant gathered his men and they moved to the relic's current location.
***
Some time had passed and the fighting had intensified.
A couple of healers who happened to be present when Sabatykos Maelstrom was stabbed, worked them healing arts on his injury. Though still recovering, Saba felt a lot better. The fighting inside the pub had settled down and had become a sort of place of sanctuary where people gathered. Sabatykos had become aware of the situation at hand. The dock was sieged by a large and previously unknown force. Anybody who got in their way was killed. Saba was sitting up and could hear the distant fighting in the city.
Healer: "Rest easy Sabatykos. The injury was not serious, and we got to you in time. But many more are suffering right now outside."
Sabatykos Maelstrom: "Where are the soldiers that were supposed to protect us?" Saba had never sided with a political body before that night...but it seemed the choices were being made for him.
Civilian: "They've not responded to the attack. It seems they have moved elsewhere in the city..." A learned aristocrat said.
Sabatykos Maelstrom: "We've been abandoned." Sabatykos was a clever individual, who thought beyond the scope of what most were capable of. He turned to look at Cain, they'd subdued the ruffians there in the pubs hours earlier.
Healer: "It's too early to assume that." The healer said quietly. The fighting was getting intense outside of the pub, but it was also moving further away from them.
Sabatykos Maelstrom: "They are after something. I have a hunch about that." Saba had not seen outside yet, but he could imagine how bad it currently was. He looked at his friend, Cain. "We need to gather what folks we can and move them to a safer location."
Healer: "What about the injured...?" She asked.
Sabatykos Maelstrom: "We got to help who we can." Saba stood up and looked at the gathered, they needed leadership. Saba reminded himself why he hated politics in general...war...violence...suffering...he hated them all.
Civilian: "They are heading over towards where precious cargo are stored." Someone came said, that just entered the pub. "Anybody who approaches them is immediately killed. It's madness outside!"
Sabatykos felt fire in his stomach, and his face became extremely serious.
Sabatykos Maelstrom: "Those of you who can't fight...stay here. I will need a group of volunteers to come with me and search for any survivors, we'll bring them here. Let the military deal with it's own problems. If we are left alone...it's probably for the best. Cain...you up for hazard pay my friend? We got to pull extra duty tonight." Saba was looked at Cain for a long moment and waiting for the man's response.
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