Exhumation: An Epic of Existentia (Acts of the Sojourner Book 1)

by S. A. Chapman

  Pious looked at the floor and saw the axe of a fallen Savage lying next to a bloodied corpse. He dived forward, taking hold of the axe’s handle as he tucked and rolled. He came out of the roll and lifted the axe overhead.

  The fur–covered warrior who was approaching Tana, looked at Pious with an expression of utter confusion and surprise. “Făýn…Făýn…Făýn!” begged the soldier, as he raised his hands into the air. The axe in Pious’s hand, made fatal contact with the warrior’s neck, partially severing the head from his shoulders, followed by several spurts of arterial blood.

  Pious immediately shoulder–charged the warrior on his left, knocking him off balance, at the same time as Tana’s curved blade came over the top of Pious's and drove deep into the assailant's heart.

  “You’re all heart, Tana,” jested Pious with a smile of appreciation.

  Tana let out a single chuckle through an expressionless face. “Move,” she said.

  Pious and Tana looked around the Dome. An Eir and Ayldar pair ran to each of the entrances to the aqueducts. Each of the Eir kneeled in the shallow waters and activated their Aetheric shields.

  Pious spotted Friesia standing atop a stone bench in the middle of the Dome, overseeing those in the Dome and trying once again to prepare everyone for the retreat – after the swift and unexpected incursion of the same fur-laden warriors that Tana and Pious had swiftly dispatched.

  “Friesia!” shouted Pious, as he struggled towards her, trying to get her attention. Friesia looked around the Dome, trying to ascertain the direction of her summoning. When she spotted Pious, a huge smile of joy crossed her face. She jumped down from the stone bench and ran towards him.

  “Pious!” yelled Friesia, as she hugged him tight, then took a step back and rubbed his hair. “You’re alive! Valerus told me everything! What happened?”

  Friesia looked at blood-soaked tunic that clung to his side. Without a word, she pointed at an Eir and gestured for her to tend to Pious’s wounds. The Eir sprinted to Pious’s side and forced her hand through the slit in his tunic, covering the wound underneath with her hand. Friesia looked him up and down, examining how dishevelled and filthy he was. “Look at you…,” she said in a motherly tone.

  “What happened?” exclaimed Pious rhetorically, with a smile on his face, as he started to laugh. “I’m still trying to figure that out, Friesia,” he said. Pious could feel a deep tension welling in his abdomen, as the Eir drew his damaged flesh together using Animus Sutures. Friesia lay held of the Eir’s free hand, providing her support in her taxing task of repairing Pious’s damaged flesh.

  The Eir withdrew her hand from the tunic. “It was only a muscular wound, Prefect. Less damage than expected,” she said, before returning to her tasks.

  Out of nowhere, Pious was greeted with a hug from Valerus, who slapped him on the back a few times. Puffs of dust fell from Pious’s clothes with each hit.

  “It is good to see you again in one piece!” said Valerus, resting his hand on Pious’s shoulder.

  “You too, my friend,” replied Pious, laughing at the filthy state of Valerus – who was covered in blood, dirt and a few flesh wounds.

  “Good to see you, too, Aldrich,” said Pious, as Aldrich came up alongside Valerus. Aldrich nodded in response, as his mouth was full of ration bread. He threw his partially eaten piece of bread to Pious, who began to devour it with hungry enthusiasm.

  “Tana, looking as great as ever,” commented Valerus, with a smile.

  “Even now, V – the answer is still no” replied Tana, as she placed her Grace into its scabbard, after wrapping the blade in her mantle and withdrawing it three times, leaving a smear of blood on her white vestments.

  “Despite being covered in horrific lashings of blood, you still turn me down?” asked Valerus, pointing to her face.

  Friesia picked up a clean towel from a table, dipped it into a bowl of water and handed it to Tana. Tana took it in her hands and placed it to her face, slowly and carefully wiping away the blood.

  “It was total chaos out there – wave after wave. They tried to climb the Fosse, like madmen” said Valerus, inspecting a slightly open wound on his neck with his fingertips.

  Aldrich wiped the last remnants of his rations from his face. “We repelled their attack – until they just suddenly retreated. It doesn’t make any sense. If they'd pushed on any harder, they probably would have had us.”

  “Good job,” said Pious, as he looked at Friesia, who was busy watching Tana struggle to clean her face. “What of the woman in the infirmary?” asked Pious. Seeing Friesia summoned memories from the last time they had met.

  “A full recovery, we assume…,” replied Friesia. She took the wet towel from Tana and cleaned away the remaining spots that Tana had missed near her hairline.

  “Assume?” asked Pious, expecting more detail.

  “She is gone, nowhere to be found. It wasn’t long after the first wave that I went back to the infirmary to start evacuating people and found her missing,” said Friesia, as she threw the towel on a table. Then she asked, “And Zosim – do you know his whereabouts?”

  “He was with the first group to leave Sanctuary,” replied Valerus. “He left with Serana.”

  Friesia smiled and sighed. “Knowing that the old fool is still alive is at least one positive thing about this Pass,” she said.

  Aldrich waved to Pious to get his attention. “It’s weird. The assault from the Fosse stopped suddenly, and they retreated into the viaduct to the north,” Aldrich said.

  “We were found wide open, Pious,” said Friesia. “Some of those berserkers ran straight for Caregard, heading for the Aetheric Compartmentum. We would be in trouble if it wasn’t for the Cherishe Guardians making fillets from them before they could wreak havoc. How is it possible they knew where to go?”.

  “Many of the enemy who made it into the building through the aqueducts sprinted hard and fast into the depth of Sanctum,” said Aldrich, pointing to the aqueducts. “Who could know how many of them are still within our walls, and what they were looking for?”

  “We have been betrayed, Pious. This much is certain”, Tana informed Pious, after nodding to Aldrich.

  “We know… a terrible fate has beset all of us,” replied Pious. He shook his head in disbelief, then looked at Valerus. “I have some more ill news, of the most bizarre type. There is an Ardenian trapped in the Ecclesiasticum.”

  “An Ardenian – like in the old Shadefiend texts? How did that happen? It would have had to have come through here, and we have most definitely not seen an Ardenian,” said Friesia.

  “There is a crate in the middle of the Library – which is where I found the Ardenian. It must have been brought inside in that crate,” said Pious.

  Friesia looked at Pious with concern and doubt. “That crate came in under Lothar’s order… the Cherishe helped him move it inside.”

  “Well, that is definitely interesting,” said Pious, shaking his head.

  “Why?”

  Pious looked her straight in the face with unsmiling seriousness. “Lothar is dead. It killed him… and Draetor,” said Pious. He watched the last trace of colour flush from her pale skin.

  “No…,” said Friesia, with shock, almost collapsing. Aldrich caught her carefully in his arms and held her gently. Friesia’s breathing was shaky as she regained her feet. “Thank you, Colonel,” she said, turning her head slightly to Aldrich.

  “You are welcome, my lady,” replied Aldrich.

  Pious said, “The Ardenian is looking for Jacq. I have no idea why, but he is looking for him. Before Lothar died, he told me that Jacq is on the Sky–Ring, awaiting some woman. The Ardenian overheard this – so he knows Jacq is there and will be looking for him.” He paused briefly. “I have to get to the Sky–Ring before the Ardenian reaches Jacq,”

  “We were all about to head to the Eastern Dome. The order has been given to retreat,” said Valerus.

  “That’s right,” said Pious.

  A look of frus
tration covered Tana’s face. “Why are we abandoning Sanctuary?”

  “Because the worst is yet to come. The Shaydean Navy has almost made shore, carrying a force which supposedly makes the Reclamation Army look like a District mob,” replied Aldrich, shrugging his shoulders in defeat.

  “Tana, with our defences sabotaged, our walls breached, and our forces ludicrously outnumbered, I guess we stand no chance,” said Friesia. “We must make haste, then.”

  “We are to retreat to Landsbeach,” Pious said. “The Free Army of the Plains are aiding us in the evacuation.”

  Valerus and Aldrich laughed. “When did that happen?” asked Valerus with a smile.

  “Not long after you left the Eastern Dome, actually. They offered us solace within the Palisade of Sails,” said Pious. “More importantly, we must get to Serica. We can request assistance from the Red Empress.”

  “Exactly my thoughts as well, Pious,” replied Valerus.

  “Maybe we can seek aid from the Reckoners. The Deathtress may lend an ear and a sword,” said Friesia, and Tana nodded her head in accord.

  “If we retreat, I doubt we will ever have any chance of reclaiming Sanctuary. It looks like the Alliance is positioning themselves to fully occupy Sanctuary,” said Pious.

  “Almost seven–hundred cycles have passed since the 1st Schism – and now they are back–stronger, and more numerous than we could have ever possibly imagined,” said Valerus, staring at the floor in defeat.

  “We could always try and hold Sanctuary, fight them back with everything we have,” said Tana with enthusiasm.

  “Most of the districts have defected. Our exits are surrounded on all sides – except for one,” said Pious.

  “If we don’t retreat, who knows what atrocities they will subject us to,” said Friesia, placing her hand on Tana’s shoulder, trying to console the agitated young woman.

  “Most likely the same atrocities that they have been subjected to – for far too many Cycles,” said Valerus, shaking his head in disapproval.

  Pious sliced the air with his hand, in a sidewards strike. “Enough. Take what you can, and head to the Eastern Dome. I’m going to head to the Sky–Ring, through my chamber, but I’ll need to get through the Praetorium.”

  Valerus turned and walked towards a few open crates with displaced lids. Valerus picked up a metal pinch–bar resting atop the boxes and returned to Pious. “I guess you will need this,” said Valerus with a sad expression, handing him the pinch–bar, well knowing the state of the entrance to the Praetorium.

  “I’m going to go with Pious,” said Tana, as she casually leaned on Pious.

  “I’ll go, too,” said Valerus.

  “No, you should go with them, Valerus. As much as I would appreciate having you with me, they need you much more than I do. They need your strength and tenacity,” said Pious.

  “Okay, I guess. Don’t get yourself killed,” said Valerus, as he placed his hand on Pious’s shoulder.

  Pious laughed. “We have managed to make it this far, V, and we’re not finished yet.”

  “We’ve got this,” said Aldrich, casually saluting Pious.

  “We’ll meet you all at Landsbeach,” Pious replied.

  “Good luck. We’ll see you both there,” said Friesia as she hugged Pious. Then Tana and Pious turned and ran towards the entrance to the Corridor of the Praetorium.

  Two Eir, flanked by Ayldar, dropped their Aetheric shields briefly, as the Ayldar touched the head of the Eir, signalling the Eir to let Tana and Pious through into the corridor.

  The Forefront

  “The second of the warrior class are the Praetorians. The Praetorians serve as the commissioned and senior officers of the Praetorius, commanding the Legions as well as being its administrators. Only those of the Praetorian Class are stationed and reside within the grounds of the Curtain.”

  A facsimile of various notes from the recovered journals of Lan’Tsa Nichon regarding the population of Sanctuary,

  Qan’Fu Ensan, Imperial Archivist.

  1115th Revolution of the Grand Míngxīng.

  As they ran around the slowly bending corridor, Pious and Tana spotted two of the same fur-bearing warriors that they had recently dismissed. The warriors were bashing at the entrance to the Praetorium with their jagged war–axes, trying to cut through the thick panels of Hydraen Pine.

  “Flank the one on the right,” Pious said to Tana. Then he ran forward, staying close to the left side of the corridor. Tana ran to the right side of the corridor and sprinted a little forward of Pious.

  The warrior closest to Pious turned and ran at him. When Pious got closer to the warrior, he took a small jump and slid along the polished floor. As he landed, he held out the pinch–bar and tripped up his target. Pious pushed himself to his feet, raised the pinch–bar overhead and looked the savage in the eyes. The warrior held out his axe to protect his face, but instead, Pious brought the bar down with force onto his knee. As the warrior dropped his axe to grasp at his crushed and hurting knee, Pious slammed the bar onto his head, cracking the skull beneath the skin.

  Pious turned to Tana, who had severed the head from the other warrior after severing his leg at the knee in the fast and efficient Flash of Fire dance – high strike with a right-hand Grace, pirouette and a low slash with the left Grace held in reverse.

  Tana stared at the covered bodies of the vigilant centurions on the floor. “By the Nines – what happened, Pious?” asked Tana. “How did I not notice this before?” she muttered to herself, as she cleaned and sheathed her blades in the typical and customary fashion. “So many….”

  Pious placed an end of the pinch–bar under one of the pieces of wood and started prying the plank from the door. “They were poisoned,” said Pious. He grabbed the plank in his hands and pulled it away from the door. The nails bent out of the wood as he pried it off.

  Pious tore the notice from the door and handed it to Tana, who stood still, staring at the ground and sniffing the slightly foul air. She took the notice and read it to herself, while Pious worked to remove the other plank.

  Her expression shifted between interest, confusion and anger before all expression left her face. “The Veiled?” she asked Pious, as he pulled the second plank from the door and threw it to the ground behind him.

  “That’s what it says. I wonder how long they have been planning this?” said Pious. He grabbed hold of the ornate door handle and stood still in contemplation, staring at the crack in the door.

  “It doesn’t matter now, Pious. Let’s go get Jacq,” said Tana, pointing at the door.

  Pious nodded, then depressed the door lever and pushed open the door. His face scrunched in disgust when his olfactory senses were overpowered by a foul stench as soon as he stepped into the Forefront.

  Tana raised her arm to her face and buried her nose into the joint of her elbow. “By the Nine,” she said quietly as she followed behind Pious.

  The insides of Forefront were ominously silent and dark. The dim ambient glow of unstruck Lodestones barely lit the interior, revealing the corpses of many Praetorians, some covered with their mantles, some uncovered in a state of slow decay.

  Pious began walking towards one of the uncovered corpses. He couldn’t leave them as they were, in this awkward and indecent state. As he changed direction, Tana grabbed him by the shoulder – well knowing what Pious wanted to do. Pious turned to face her, a look of discomfort on his face.

  “We must go, Pious. There is nothing you can do,” said Tana, as she gently guided him towards the main stairs of the Forefront. Pious nodded begrudgingly and continued towards the stairs, trying as best as he could to filter out the multitude of dead Praetorians in the hauntingly low light.

  Once they had reached the bottom of the steps, they began climbing the large set of stairs, with ninety-nine steps to their destination on the upper level. Tana inspected Pious’s face, which was expressionless and death–like. Two dead Vigilants lay on the staircase, face first in awkward positions a
s if they had fallen while descending the stairs.

  Once they reached the top of the stairs, Tana and Pious walked several spans forward and entered the Praetorium Feasting hall. As Pious crossed the threshold, he stopped and stood still, inspecting the room in horror. At every position of the feasting tables was a Praetorian – slumped onto the table, lying back in their chair, or fallen to the floor. A virulent combination of blood and the contents of their stomachs covered the tables and the floor, causing a foul stench to linger in the air.

  “Don’t stop, Pious… don’t look,” said Tana, pushing Pious forwards to the entrance of a winding staircase, which led in turn to his quarters and access to the Sky–Ring.

  Pious obliged without resistance. He was devastated and in a state of self-loathing paralysis. He knew death – he had seen it and brought it. However, never had he considered such a horrendous fate for anyone – let alone his own Vigilants.

  Tana pushed Pious through the entryway to the stairs leading above. As he entered, Pious pulled and released a small rope that dangled from the ceiling. The sounds of sparks filled the air, and the winding staircase became illuminated by an interconnected series of Lodestones being struck simultaneously.

  Pious ascended the stairs with Tana following behind. The sound of their footsteps echoed through the insides of the staircase. Pious was well accustomed to the tedious, winding climb to his quarters and let his mind drift as he placed one foot in front of the other. His mind wandered to Landsbeach – where Serana would be resting, with her brother and the force of protection he had with him. She would have her hand on her belly – dreaming of a peaceful future with Pious and their wonderful child, wondering as much as he did whether they were blessed with a boy or a girl.

  The Quarters of the Prime Prefect

  “The Praetorian Prime Prefect, or, as fully titled, the Praefectus Praetorio – was the supreme commander of the Praetorius, governing the Vigilant, Authoritor and Militus Forces. The Vigilant Legion guarded Sanctum and its grounds, the Authoritor guarded the Curtain and the Shield, and the Militia protected the Districts.”