by Mike Morris
"My God," said Jonathan. His voice quivered. He pulled out a telescope for a better look.
Jack's stomach lurched as a wave of fear washed over him. He drew the circle of God over himself without thinking. The harbor was bristling with ships. Large ships. War ships.
The Nostros had built an armada.
"How many are there?" said Jack. There had to be anything from thirty to forty ships in the water below them.
"Too many. By God, too many. Those ships are three or four decks high. I've never seen anything that size before. We've no ships like this." Putting down his telescope, Jonathan produced a small notebook and began sketching the layout of the harbor. He marked the entryway through the sea wall and the positions of the ships. "The harbor goes inside the cliffs, through that archway in the rock. Can you see anything?" asked Jonathan, pointing to the opening.
"It looks like it's deep judging by the shadows," replied Jack. "There are at least three or four ships inside but I can't make out anymore than that."
"Shit." Jonathan slipped the notebook inside his tunic. "Let's get back to the others. Tell them what we've found. Part of me wants to head to the collection point now but it's too risky moving at night with the bastard demons about. We’ll wait until an hour before dawn. The Nostros won’t want to be out that close to day break. We’ll have our best chance then. Let's get back to the others."
He started to crawl backwards and Jack followed. Crimson streaks smeared the sky as darkness crept from the horizon. Jonathan looked up, snorted. "Death waits under a blood red sky." He circled himself as they rose to their feet. They walked the rest of the way in silence.
The mood was somber when they rejoined the others and told them what they had found.
"I thought they didn’t know how to build ships?" asked Brendan.
"They do now. These are bigger than anything I've seen. If Nostros stay below decks for the whole journey, they'll be safe. The sun won't reach them," replied Jonathan.
"Why don't we just go in and sink them, boss?" asked Marcus. "Sneak in, start a few fires. If they’re packed as tightly as you say they are, the flames will spread easily enough. We'd be in and out before they knew what hit them."
"The place is a fortress with an army protecting it," replied Jack. "I doubt we’d get five yards before we were caught."
"Are you scared, Jack?" said Marcus, a wild grin across his face. "Didn't expect that from you."
"Leave him alone," said Jonathan. "We all should be scared by what's in that harbor. But that's not why we won't try and handle it ourselves. If we get caught or killed, then Abios will still be unaware of the menace that threatens her. Warning our home has to be our first priority."
"You're the boss. I still think we could do it easy," said Marcus.
"As you've got such a taste for adventure, you take first watch while we get our heads down," said Jonathan. "Then Jack can replace you in four hours."
"I’m on it." Marcus swung his cloak over his shoulders before picking up his weapons. He pulled the hood up, allowing him to fade more into the darkness. "Sleep easy, lads. Don't be afraid of the dark. I'll keep you safe."
Four hours later, Jack couldn't say whether he had slept or not. Despite lying down and closing his eyes his mind wouldn’t rest. The reality of the war hit Jack hard. It wasn't an abstract thing taught in history lessons any more or simply a thrilling tale told by a veteran around a fire. This was the nightmare the Order had feared for three hundred years.
He pushed himself up right, shrugging his cloak off. Everything ached. He rubbed his face to get the blood flowing again and stifled a yawn. It was going to be a long day ahead. And he still had a stint on sentry to do first.
Leaves rustled to Jack's left, snapping him back to the present. He gripped the hilt of his sword. A shape loomed out of the darkness.
"Boss!" hissed Marcus as he slipped into the camp. "You need to see this."
Jonathan and Brendan shot upright, weapons already in hand.
"What's happening?" asked Jonathan.
"Best you see for yourself. I don't know what to make of it." Marcus turned and led the group back to his sentry point.
As they got closer, they could hear the barking of dogs in the distance. Grosnar shone like a beacon in the darkness. Light flickered in every window and along the battlements.
"First a pack of dogs were brought out. Then a group of humans appeared. About ten minutes ago they lowered the drawbridge and opened the main gates, and a procession of mounted warriors came out. Must be Nostros," said Marcus.
Jonathan raised his telescope to his eye while Jack followed the sound of the hounds. Streams of torches lead along a road from the castle. A clearing was filled with people, dogs and horses.
"Definitely Nostros. Seems to be a mix of banners so some serious nobility there. The group to the right huddled together are human slaves," said Jonathan. "What the hell is going on? It looks like a bloody party."
The trumpeting of a horn shattered the night. A giant of a demon on a monstrous horse appeared followed by a smaller, almost human-sized rider.
"I've got a bad feeling about this, boss," said Marcus.
23
712 PN
Lin was always either too hot or too cold, too tired or too hungry. She couldn’t remember ever being well rested, with a full stomach, feeling comfortable. Tonight, it was the first bite of winter that nipped at her bones.
Lin hated winter. The long nights meant more hours working on the stone. The Masters drove them harder to use every minute of darkness before the daylight forced everyone inside. More shifts of trying not to freeze to death. Her threadbare clothes offered little warmth. At least, the winter would not affect how hungry she was. She was always hungry.
It didn't help being so high up with no shelter from the wind. The sea wall was forty feet high and climbing, brick by brick, each night. It cradled the bay, creating a narrow channel for shipping to enter and leave by. Inside the enclosure, ships filled the port. They were lashed together, bobbing around with masts jittering. It seemed with each stone, another ship appeared. Lin tried counting them once, when there had been far fewer boats, but now it would be an impossible task. She knew huge teams of Sweats were involved in nothing else but building them but she had no idea of the purpose. She spent even more time wondering where they would sail to and wishing she could stow away on one of them.
Most times, Lin liked being on the wall. It was a good job. At first she'd hated being stuck in one place, preferring the way the crew used to move around, working odd jobs here and there but not now. Up high on the wall, she could see far in every direction. The castle loomed above the crescent-shaped harbor but further in the distance, on clear nights Lin could make out forests and a small grey smudge of mountains to the west and south. Sometimes, she felt free for a few short, beautiful heartbeats. There was so much space. She imagined herself as a bird, soaring through the clouds; free to go wherever she chose, far from the castle, with nothing confining her. But the castle was her life, her world. Only her dreams were free.
A gust of wind whipped around Lin's face, bringing tears to her eyes. The lanterns danced and rattled, flicking shadows all around. By the Masters, it was cold. Sharp needles pricked her face. Her thin jacket offered little protection from the cold and the damp, especially since there were holes on each elbow and more appearing elsewhere. She needed to see the Scrounger to haggle for something better, warmer. She hated that man, hated the way he still looked at her like a Skin even after all these years but there was no other way to get hold of things. Lin dreaded the price he'd ask in exchange for some new clothing but she'd not last long if the temperature carried on dropping. She shook his hands to stop the blood freezing in her veins. She knew she'd do what she needed to do to survive but she wished there were another way.
It was a dark night with only a slither of moon to see by but that didn't mean work slowed down. The stone had to be worked. Only the dead stop working.
> "Come on, girl," said Old Jahn. "Put some bloody back into it, will you?"
Lin heaved once more and the pair of them managed to move the large stone into the hoist. She liked working with Old Jahn; he kept a good steady pace going and helped wherever he could if anyone in his team struggled. Not everyone was like that. Most just looked after themselves. They did what they did to survive. No more, no less. If you fell, they'd leave you there so the Masters wouldn't think they slacked if they so much as stopped to pick you up. But Old Jahn would stop, hoist you to your feet quick as you like and do his best to stop the lash hitting your back.
They moved over to the winch rope and started pulling, hauling the stone up to the second level. Being a girl didn't get you any special treatment when you were a Sweat. You worked where they told you, doing what they told you.
And the stone had no mercy. Someone once let a rope slip and it tore all the skin from the man's hands but that was nothing compared to what happened to his mate. The falling rock pulverized him. Lin shuddered, not a good way to go, if there was such a thing.
"Lin!" hissed Old Jahn. "Where's your mind at? Don't want to be chiding you all night long, do I, girl?"
"Sorry Jahn. Just thinking about how cold it's going to get," replied Lin.
"Not working ain't going to make it any warmer. Put your back in it. That's the only way. Anything to stop you dreaming, makin' my shift twice as hard." Jahn grunted as he edged the red brick forward.
Lin didn't need telling twice. She ignored the cold stone as she twisted it in time with Jahn. "Been meaning to talk to you about Krin."
"What's that waste of space been doing now? Who's he bullying?"
"He's stealing food off the young ones again and he slapped one of them about so hard, the kid nearly didn't make it to work today."
The two walked back to the next stone and pushed it along to the hoist.
"Always goes too far, that one. If you don' work, you end up being food for the Masters. You know they don't like nobody not keeping up. He's a bloody fool. I'll have a word with him again when we get back."
"No Jahn, don't do that. It only makes it worse. He'll be all sorry to you then come looking to knock seven shades out of who ever told on him."
"Swing the edge round. That's it," said Jahn as they maneuvered the large brick into place. "Well, you lot need to do something. A thug like him don't care about no one but himself. He needs slapping himself if he's ever going to stop. You show him you're afraid and he'll keep going, keep pushin' you and pretty soon there be no way out. It's a bitch of a world we live in and you better bloody stand strong if you're gonna make even another year of this shit."
Lin knew she was strong. You can't push rock around for anything up to twelve hours a night and not get some muscle but even still, she wasn't sure about standing up to Krin. He looked more like a Master these days than a Sweat, a good head taller and broader than the rest of the crew. "I'm not sure about that, Jahn. They say he's got demon blood, a Master's bastard," Lin said quietly.
"Bollocks, lass. Absolute bollocks. I've seen his mother. No Master would rough it with her, no matter how desperate they were. All those Skins to play with, they ain't gonna do it with Krin's ma." He laughed. "I wouldn't even do it with her and we all know I'm not fussy on a cold night. Krin is as human as you or me. He's just scum.
"So stand up to him. You've still got that knife o' yours ain't ya? What's the worse that can happen? He kicks the shit out of you and you carry a few lumps around for a few days? Big fucking deal. Pain soon goes. Shame and weakness stick with you like a disease, they does. He's not going to bother anyone who gives him grief. A lazy arse like him just wants easy marks to bully."
Lin pushed on the rock, avoiding looking at Jahn. "Yeah, I suppose you're right."
"Kid, it don't matter how big they are if you get them right in the family jewels. Crumble any man that does. Probably a Master too," replied Jahn, winking at the girl.
"You two!" A voice shouted. Lin looked down and saw a guard walking towards them. "If you've got energy to talk, you ain't working hard enough. Now get on with it before I get the whip out!" Old Jahn raised his eyebrows at Lin but that was the end of the conversation.
Lin watched the guard move onto some more Sweats to bother. Bloody Grunts. They were humans and yet they were as cruel as the Masters. They had the say of life and death for anyone in the crew – perhaps Krin was trying to impress them and get off working the rock. He’d certainly fit in with those bastards.
She looked at the Grunt's leather jerkin, the fur collar pulled up around his neck. He wasn't worrying about the cold.
The night dragged on as the Sweats pushed brick after brick with only a short break for a slice of tough bread and something that claimed to be soup.
The secret to getting through the shift was not to think about it, just focus on the work, not the pain in the body or the harsh elements. Just think the next brick gets you closer to the end of the night and some food and rest. The trouble was the next brick always seemed that little bit heavier than the one before it. By the end of the shift, shifting the last stone into the hoist was like trying to move the whole castle by herself.
But when the horn blared to signal the end of the shift… It was her favorite sound in the world.
"That's it, lass. Another night down. Let's get some grub inside us, double quick like," said Jahn. The Sweats trudged through the iron gates and along a narrow pathway at the base of the wall, made treacherous underfoot by the sea spray. It was calmer at the bottom now the wall had grown sufficiently to bar the wind but everyone was still wary as they made their way along. Too many people had been swept away despite being so close to home.
Lin was grateful to reach the big oak doors that allowed them inside. Her skin was raw from wind and sea salt. The dampness of the night had got in her bones and she knew the shivers would be on her if she didn’t get warmed up quickly enough.
They made their way downstairs into the depths of the castle, before coming to the two rooms that made up the rest of Lin's world. It was sweltering but she welcomed the heat. Steam rose off them all as they ate, their clothes drying as the moisture in their clothes evaporated around them. It climbed to the ceiling before turning once more into wet slime, crawling back down the walls, leaving mold to grow in its wake. It was shit hole and no mistake but it was their shit hole and Lin was happy to be home.
She said goodbye to Jahn and, holding a bowl of stew and a tough old knob of bread, she wandered over to a table in the far left corner where her friends were waited. Pet'r was shorter than her with his rough, black hair all over the place and a face that was desperately trying to sprout a beard. He was a right joker, and a welcome sight after a long night at the stone. She had been together with Pet'r for a little while now, their friendship growing into something different. Something special. Something that made up for all the pain and suffering they endured.
Jaar was still the serious lad, quieter than Pet'r but with a good heart. Lin thought he'd once had a shine on her as well. He'd done nothing about it in the end and he seemed okay with her and Pet'r getting together.
"Alright?" Lin said in greeting.
"That we are," replied Pet'r and Jaar grinned as Lin sat down. "Despite that bloody wind out there, trying to make life ten times worse than it is."
"That possible?" said Lin.
"I thought so, until I tried this stew but now I think I prefer to be back out there freezing my knackers off rather than eating this muck."
Lin looked down. It was hot; it had that going for it. She recognized a carrot or two in there but not much else. "It's food, Pet'r. It's not meant to be nice. Get it down you. Stop that stomach of yours growling all night, keeping us awake."
"Hey. That's not my stomach growling, that's me. And we all know who's purring, eh love?" smirked Pet'r.
Lin blushed. "It's my groaning in disappointment that's keeping everyone up all night," she replied. She untied her hair, letting it fall
across her neck as she talked.
"How was your shift?" asked Jaar, eyes on his food.
"Same as everyone’s, probably. Hard. Not much fun. Bloody cold," answered Pet'r.
"It's getting really nasty out there. It's going to be a long winter," replied Lin.
"There're others worse off than us. You wanna be a Meat, sitting around waiting for a Master to rip your throat out for his dinner?" said Pet'r
Lin looked up. "You don't have to worry about that. A Master would puke his guts up just at the smell of you."
Pet'r sniffed his armpits. "What? What?" he said indignantly. "That's the smell of good honest labor that is. Just because you are a lazy arse, don't think the rest of us are!"
It felt good to laugh. The strain of the night's work ebbed away. Lin didn't know how she'd get by without them.
"That little bitch!"
The three friends looked over to see Old Jahn talking to Krin. The conversation was heated and Krin kept glaring in their direction.
"Wonder what's going on over there?" asked Pet'r as Lin put her head in her hands. He sighed. "What have you done, numbskull?"
"I told Jahn about Krin stealing food and beating the young kids up before shift," replied Lin without looking up.
"You idiot." said Jaar.
"I asked him not so say anything," Lin protested, slinking lower into her seat.
"Obviously that didn't work," said Pet'r. "Old Jahn's not worried about you taking over from him then, is he?"
The noise resumed in the mess as everyone got back to their meals and conversations. Lin tried joining in with her friends but Krin was on her mind. And, by the way Krin was staring at her across the room, she was on his mind too.
The bell rang to signal the end of the meal period and they all rose to their feet. As they made their way through to the sleeping quarters, Krin stood up and marched over.
"Oi, snitch. I want a word with you." He jabbed his finger into Lin's chest.