"Wham!" The front doors of Fort Zuka smashed open and the soldiers streamed through. After weeks of battle, they finally wove through the Undead armies and reached the fort.
"Fan out!" Ordered Kiyoshi. "look for tunnel breaches."
Lucan followed the troops inside. Just as he was passing the gate, a rustle came from the trees and a black figure jumped down.
"Nikka?" Lucan whirled around happily, but when he saw the figure, all his joy turned to worry.
Nikka, now with both her katanas drawn and eyes glowing white, crouched before him in the clearing. Her clothes were a bit tattered and dirty, but she did not seem to care. She moved her head like a zombie, observing her prey.
Suddenly, she pounced. Lifting both blades by her side, Nikka landed inches before Lucan and almost cut off his left arm. Lucan stepped back and blocked her attack.
"Ki-YO-shi!" He hollered, "Could use a little help here! Nikka's gone crazy!" Blocking Nikka's characteristic under jab, which he knew too well, Lucan pushed out into the clearing. Nikka somersaulted backwards and caught Lucan again with her katanas pointing at his eyes.
A halberd, thrust in from Lucan's right, pushed one blade aside. Kiyoshi rushed to the scene. Without allowing Nikka any time to withdraw her katana, Kiyoshi swept the back end of his weapon at Nikka's feet, forcing her to jump backwards. Realizing that she was outnumbered, she retreated into the woods.
"Is she always like that?" Kiyoshi drawled, putting away his weapon.
"Never!" Lucan shouted. "Well, sometimes. But this was different." She had never attacked him before. Apart from when they first met, that is.
There was nothing really to salvage in the fort. Apart from the cannons, which the Undead could not move, all other weapons and armor were gone. The soldiers set up tents where the command center and barracks used to be.
"Another defeat." Said Kiyoshi, looking grimly over a map. "First Riverstead, now Fort Zuka." Kiyoshi drew a line along the two cities, his finger landing on the biggest city. "They're advancing north towards the capital, Felora. The next attack will be on Ferndale. Fortunately their movements are slower underground, which gives us time to prepare."
"Wait, we're not going down after them?" Lucan interrupted.
"The tunnels are their territory." Kiyoshi reasoned. "Down there we're outnumbered and would be blind in the dark." He preferred to have battles take place where he has the upper hand.
"But they have Nikka down there!" Lucan shouted. "We have to…"
"And Ferndale is full of civilians." Kiyoshi cut him short. "Our priority is to get there first and evacuate them as quickly as possible." Lucan deflated. He knew Kiyoshi was right. Well, if they couldn't do it because of the greater concern for civilians, he's gonna do it himself.
"I have also received a message from Northwind." Kiyoshi's voice snapped Lucan back to reality. "They're sending a Chronicler down to join us."
He let the words hang in the air. Finally, Alec spoke.
"If Northwind is sending a Chronicler, then the situation is as serious as it gets. Our war with the Necromancers may well be written on the next Wall of Time."
Again, the words hung in the air as the gravity of the meaning sunk in.
"Lucan," Kiyoshi broke the silence. There was an authority in his voice that Lucan was not quite used to. "Since you have no real military training, I'm assigning you to watch after the Chronicler." Pausing, he taunted, "She's a Felina female. Just the sort of tail you like to chase."
Lucan couldn't stand it anymore. He doesn't get why Kiyoshi has a grudge against Nikka. He is a Felina himself. Like chasing tails, huh? He's going to bite his tail off. Next to his ear, this will be his second hallmark. He leapt across the map and threw Kiyoshi to the ground.
"Gimme your tail!" He yelled. The guards stepped forward and pulled him off of the captain.
"Let him go." Kiyoshi ordered. Getting up, he patted the dust off his uniform. "If you want to fight me, it should at least be fair."
Lucan lunged. He didn't grow up on the streets for nothing. He's gonna give this guy a good ol' slam'n'dunk, the way they always did back in the alleys.
Kiyoshi leaned backwards and dodged Lucan's first blow, and Lucan toppled forward due to his momentum. He quickly changed that into a knee blow, but Kiyoshi stepped back and dodged that as well. Lucan then turned his forward motion into a stomp, but Kiyoshi rolled to the side and kipped up like a fish and punched Lucan in the chest, winding him. "Umph!"
Lucan thought he felt a rib crack. "Same street rat as always." Summarized Kiyoshi. He threw another punch. Lucan couldn't dodge and it landed square on his face. He spun round and landed smack on the ground.
"Don't forget your place, Lucan." Kiyoshi bent down and said.
"I'm traveling to the other Kingdoms and requesting reinforcements." Kiyoshi stood up and started towards the door. "I'll return as soon as I'm able." He announced.
"Oh, and take him to a doctor." Kiyoshi prodded the unconscious Lucan on the floor. "See to it that he's cared for and in better shape to receive the Chronicler when she arrives."
"Yes, sir." Alec saluted. Together, he and the other men dragged Lucan to the infirmary.