2012-05-11: The Awakening - Act IV, Part 2
The Awakening, Act IV Part 2 / 覚醒 - 第四章 第二節
| Author: Unknown author | Published: May 11, 2012 |
It hadn't ever seemed like such a long journey from Ver Lor Reg to the moongate before, but their group had never been so haggard either. As the humans in Ilshenar had increased in numbers the strain on the city of Ver Lor Reg had grown to the point that it was no longer sustainable for some of the businesses and families. Prices had increased to the point that many of the gargoyles who'd lived there for ages could no longer afford to remain. Queen Zhah's offer had tempted many away, and even some of the town guards had taken it up and left. With the pressure of the humans in the desert sifting and drawing in monsters of all sorts, combined with the opening into Exodus dungeon emitting the mechanical monsters regularly, the situation had quickly started devolving.
Vas-Wen helped to drag along one of her fellow gargoyles as they made their way through the desert towards the moongate, with a gargoyle child in her other arm. The few among them with weapons were tasked with clearing a path through the dangerous areas. She was one of the few who had managed to escape uninjured when the end had started, and now she was doing everything she could to help her fellow gargoyles get away from what was left of their once glorious and beautiful city. It had just happened so fast, it still all seemed like a dream...
A crashing noise awoke her from slumber, causing her to bolt upright in the stone bed. Assuming someone had dropped something, she rolled over in an attempt to sleep but not before another, much louder, crash broke her attempt. A moment later a sparking and hissing monstrosity was flung through the open archway, and a guard quickly dashed in after it, burying his spear deep into the creature and ripping out it's mechanized guts as the whine of its engine finally ceased. Vas-Wen clutched at her nightclothes as she looked to the guard, whose breathing she could now tell was ragged and from whom blood flowed freely onto the floor. The guard looked to her with a startled visage. "This area was supposed to already be cleared! Get out of here and head for the gate, and if you know how to fight, arm yourself!" With that the guard rushed out into the street once more. Warily, she stepped through the stone archway from whence the guard had just come.
Ver Lor Reg was in chaos. The scents of burning oil and reagents clung heavily in the air, and the sickening essence of blood followed it like a chaser. Screams and clashing weapons rang throughout the entirety of the city, and to the west she could see guards clashing with Overseers, Minions, and even those once thought extinct Minion Lords. She could see that there was no way the outnumbered force could hold the mechanized monsters at bay, and they were in a fighting retreat. Hearing a cry in a nearby home she realized with dread that it was that of a child. Without even thinking, she sprinted towards the building, bursting into the open archway in time to see a juggernaut enclosing upon a lone gargish child. With a roar of fury she didn't even know she could make, Vas-Wen leapt on top of the creature and raked its exposed human parts until she reached its throat, and dug her talons into it. The mixed spray of blood and alchemical fluid that powered the monstrosity quickly seeped into the creatures exposed circuitry and it cast out arcs of lightning through its body until the creature slumped and its drill finally grinded to a halt.
She quickly moved forward to the child and took him up in her arms, heading past the defunct creature even as a much more vicious looking version of the one she'd killed smashed through the wall and into the building. The massive drill attached to it whirred with blurring speed and wailed like the sound of a dragon's claws upon stone. With a flap of her wings she threw herself through the doorway as the structure collapsed, feeling strong hands help her up as she joined the retreat, hoping she never saw one of these creatures ever again...
As she'd thought back to what had just happened, they finally reached the moongate and stepped through. Exiting into the sunlight of Ter Mur they were spotted by one of the Ter Mur gargoyles who immediately sent out a wave of alarm, though amidst his shouts he had to pause to cough a few times. As the healers and envoys rushed out of the city to attend to their brethren from Ver Lor Reg, Vas-Wen could only watch and wish she could do more.
"For your contributions and your dedication to the city, as well as in removing and assisting in the detention of threats both domestic and foreign, it is the decision of this body that you be recognized as a Baron of the city of Trinsic. Congratulations and we hope that you will serve well." The assembled men and women applauded as the brief ceremony concluded, and the newest Baron was named. Despite the hardships they'd endured, not everyone was finding this to be the worst of times, and the merchants of Trinsic had banded together as had those of several other cities. With trading and most of the means of survival in their hands with many of the former nobles ousted by the angry people, the merchants had been able to seize power, and were now in a state of de facto control. While this worked out well for them, not everyone was so pleased with it, one of them being the man who watched what he viewed as a farcical ceremony from a balcony overlooking the inner courtyard.
Stroking his goatee for a moment, the man turned to his servant that was with him, scanning his face for his thoughts on the matter. After but a few seconds he broke the silence and spoke to him. "Tell me, Clancy, what do you think of merchants assuming the role of lauded council?" Unmistakable sarcasm dripped with every word he spoke.
Clancy frowned for a moment and just shook his head. "Lord Archus, I do not think it bodes well for the future of our fair city."
Lord Archus turned back to look down upon the gathered and then did an about face, his cloak hovering just above the floor. "As much as it bothers me, I fear it is not the primary concern at the moment. I've been trying to decide what is possible to do about the situation that's occurred in Ver Lor Reg. After receiving word of the hardships they are facing I've come to my decision. Come with me, and we shall see if the expensive favors I burned have borne the fruit that I need and brought me the only messenger that might be able to get through to him..."
The unmistakable sound of valorite clashing against verite, of iron against copper, and bronze against agapite rang throughout the battlefield. A fierce contingent of knights backed up by a scant few mages were doing their best to fight off every attack thrown at them by the wild beasts and assassins that beset upon them, even while necromancers did their best to level the field anytime the knights started to make headway.
A rallying cry shot up as a man in gleaming, polished armor charged into the front lines, a banner flapping violently against the wind from the horses back as he threw himself into the fray. His helmet was adorned on either side with a battered but clear crest, that of a deep violet chalice. Dazzling sword strokes and parries were flung against the enemy combatants, causing the beastmasters, poisoners, and necromancers formation to quickly crumble. Even as the line advanced the scavengers were already starting to populate the battlefield, rats and crows finding those bodies not already used up from the foul magicks being used. Amidst the noise of battle and the intensity of the fighting, an abnormally behaving mouse was never noticed.
The leader of the knights shouted out for one last surge, and he dismounted as a fireball lanced out and took his steed upon its flank. On foot he closed the distance between himself and the one who appeared to be his opposite number amongst the enemy forces, and quickly brought his blade to bear against her. With a vicious snarl the woman raised a kryss to block, and they locked blades for but a moment before he managed to bring his shield to bear, and bashed her with it. In a single motion she brought a potion to her lips, ripped the cork out and drank it, and with an invigorated look she motioned for the plate armored knight to come at her. Both of them fought on even as their armies continued to battle, until finally the knight managed to gain the upper hand and knocked her to the ground. Hefting one of his plate armored boots onto her sternum he leveled his sword to her face.
"If you know where she is, tell me, and I will serve the virtue of Compassion over Justice today. If you don't, then I hope your last words are worth it."
The woman glared daggers at him, a bloody mouthed smile playing across her lips that was devoid of anything resembling warmth as she coughed out her answer. "She's beyond your reach, Knight-Errant. And she's beyond your power too. Your little kingdom is crumbling at the seams and we'll be there to pick up the pieces when..."
Her response was cut short as the knight drew his sword back and silenced her forever. Without a word he turned from her body, surveying the scene before him; those enemy forces still alive were now in full retreat, and most of his forces were walking, if not unwounded. He slashed the blood from his blade and slid it home into its sheath at his waist as he approached his lieutenants, but was stopped as a peculiar rodent ran across the battlefield to him. As he saw her, he doffed his helmet and shook out the sweat from his raven locks, before kneeling to pick up an old friend.
"You are the last I expected to see in these lands, Sherry. I can only assume that it's of dire importance."
The knights voice still had a sonorous quality to it, one that brought a touch of familiarity that Sherry had found less and less of amongst others of late, and she made a silent thanks that at least here something hadn't changed.
"Lord Dupre, it's about the current state of..."
Reaching a plate gloved hand up he rubbed at his temples lightly for a moment before he held that same hand out in a gesture of asking her to halt. "For you, it's simply Dupre. But come, I fear this is the kind of talk I won't be able to handle if I don't have access to a drink. I promise to only get you the finest of delicacies to nibble on as well." With that having been said, he gathered up the reins of his steed and waited for one of his mages to provide them with a gate, and stepped through it with Sherry the Mouse in one arm...
Japanese version
以前であれば、ヴァーローレグ（Ver Lor Reg）からムーンゲートまでの旅というのはさほど長く感じることはなく、彼女たち一行のようにへとへとになることもなかった。イルシェナーのヒューマンの数が増えたことで高まったヴァーローレグの街の緊張は、一部の商売人や家族にとって、もはや耐えられないレベルになってきていた。物価は上昇し、何世代にも渡ってこの街で暮らしてきたガーゴイルでさえ、そこでの生活を諦めざるをえなくなっていた。多くの者が、ザー女王（Queen Zhah）の申し出を受けて街を去った。ガードたちですら申し出に応じる者が出たほどだ。砂漠にいるヒューマンたちが砂を掘り起こしたために様々なモンスターが呼び寄せられた。加えて、エクソダスダンジョンに通じる穴が開いて機械モンスターが周期的に現れ始め、事態は急激に悪い方向に突き進んでいた。
ムーンゲートを目指して砂漠を横断中のヴァスウェン（Vas-Wen）は、片手を仲間のガーゴイルに差し伸べて引いてやった。彼女のもう片方の腕には、ガーゴイルの子供が抱えられている。一行のうち何人かは武器を持ち、この危険な地域で安全な道を切り開く役目を担っていた。ヴァスウェンはこの終焉が始まった時にかろうじて無傷で逃げのびた数少ないガーゴイルの一人だった。今の彼女は、かつて栄光と美に彩られた街から仲間のガーゴイルが逃げのびるのを手伝うためなら、出来ることはなんでもしていた。あれは全く突然の出来事で、今でもまだ夢のように思えた……。
何かが壊れる音がして、ヴァスウェンは石のベッドの上で飛び起きた。誰かが何かを落としてしまったのだろうと思い、横になって再び眠りにつこうとしたが、今度はもっと大きな破壊音が鳴り響き、眠るどころではなくなってしまった。その直後、アーチのかかった通路から、シューシューという音や火花と共に、巨大な怪物が飛び込んできた。直ちに駆け寄って来た一人のガードが怪物にスピアを突きたて、機械化された内部を引きはがすと、ヒューンとしぼむような音を立てて怪物の発動機は停止した。寝巻を握りしめたまま身動きできずにいたヴァスウェンは、このガードに目をやった。この時になって気づいたが、ガードの呼吸は荒く、その身体から血が流れ出て床に滴っている。驚きの表情を浮かべていたガードは、彼女の方を見やった。「このエリアの敵は片づけたと思っていたのに！ 急げ、すぐに出て門に向かうんだ。もし戦闘の心得があるなら武装を忘れるな！」そう言うと、ガードは再び通りへと走り去った。ヴァスウェンは、周囲を警戒しつつ、先ほどガードが現れた石のアーチ通路に足を踏み出した。
ヴァーローレグは混沌の最中にあった。焼けた油と秘薬の匂いが混じりあい、追従するように吐き気のする血の匂いが漂っていた。悲鳴、武器がぶつかる音が街のいたる所から聞こえ、西の方ではガードたちがオーバーシーア（Overseer）、ミニオン（Minion）、そして一度は絶滅したとさえ考えられていたミニオンロード（Minion Lord）と戦っている姿が見える。山側の戦いでは、数では勝る軍勢も機械化モンスターどもを抑え込めず、戦いながらも次第に後退していることがヴァスウエンにも判った。すると近くの家から悲鳴が起こり、それが子供の声だと気づいてヴァスウェンは恐怖にかられた。反射的にヴァスウェンはその建物に向かって駆け出し、アーチ通路をくぐって突入した。ガーゴイルの子供が一人、目前に迫ったジャガノート（juggernaut）に襲われようとしている。自分でも思いもよらなかったほどの激しい怒号を上げて彼女は飛びかかり、露出した肉体部分に爪を立ててかきむしり、喉に届いたその爪で深々と刺し貫いた。とたんに怪物の喉から血と錬金物質の混合液体が噴出して表面の回路部分に降りかかり、火花が散った。この生物の全身からついに力が抜け、ギギーッという音と共にドリルが完全停止すると、怪物の全身でバチバチと光っていた火花もやんだ。
ヴァスウェンは子供に駆け寄り、この男の子を抱えあげた。そして彼女が倒した怪物のそばを過ぎようとしたとき、今度は先ほどの怪物のもっと凶悪なバージョンといった様相の怪物が壁を破壊して建物に侵入してきた。怪物の巨大なドリルはブルブル回転し、まるでドラゴンの爪が石の上で立てるような音を立てていた。ヴァスウェンが力強い羽ばたき一つで屋外に逃れた瞬間、建物は崩壊した。退却中の集団に合流し、ヴァスウェンは力強い救いの手に出会えた気分になった。そして、もう二度とあんな怪物に出会うことがないようにと願ったのだった……。
こうして彼女が先ほど起きたばかりの出来事を思い起こしている間にようやく目的地に到着し、一行はムーンゲートをくぐった。テルマーの陽光の中に出現した彼らを、一人のガーゴイルが発見した。このガーゴイルは直ちに街へ合図を送っていたが、その大きな声を途中何度も中断しては咳きこんでいた。街から走り出してきたヒーラーと公使がこのヴァーローレグの盟友たちへの応対にあたったが、その間もヴァスウェンはただ見守りながら、自分に何かもっと出来ることがあればよいのにと思っていた。
「この街に対しての献身と貢献、そして内外の脅威排除に対する支援活動を称え、ここに我々は、トリンシックにおける男爵の称号（Baron of the city of Trinsic）を贈るものであります。おめでとう、これからも期待しておりますぞ」短い式典は終わり、集まった男女は拍手を送った。新たな男爵の誕生だ。困難な状況は続いていたが、今が最悪の時だとは思わない者もおり、他の街の商人たち同様、トリンシックの商人たちも結束を固めていた。商業と、怒れる人々によって追放されたかつての貴族の生存手段を手中におさめた商人たちは、権力をいつでも我が物にせんとする勢いで、いまや事実上の支配者と言ってよかった。これは商人たちにとっては良いことだが、喜ばぬ者もいた。その中の一人がバルコニーから中庭を見下ろし、眼前の式典を茶番だと考えていた。
顎ひげを軽くなでた男は、傍らに控えて主人の表情から考えを読み取ろうとしている従者の方を向いた。数秒の沈黙ののち、男は従者に語りかけた。「クランシー（Clancy）よ、栄えある評議会の真似ごとをしている商人のことを、お前はどう思う？」明らかに、その言葉には苦々しい響きが満ちていた。
クランシーは一瞬眉をひそめ、ただ首を振った。「アークース様（Lord Archus）、わたくしにはこの街の将来にとって良い兆しだとは思えません」
アークース卿は向き直って集まった人々を再び見下ろしていたが、くるりと踵を返した。翻ったクロークが、床上すれすれを舞った。「確かに悩みの種ではあるが、私の目下の最大の関心事は別の事だ。ヴァーローレグでの出来事に対し、どう行動するべきか考えていたのだ。彼らが直面している問題の報せが届き、私の結論は出た。ついてこい。私が焼き払った高価な品々が実を結び、私の元に伝令が現れるかどうかが判るだろう。その伝令だけが……、あの男と繋がる可能性のある唯一の手段なのだ」
聞き間違いようのない音、すなわちヴァロライトがヴェライトに、鉄が銅に、ブロンズがアガパイトに激突する音が、戦場のいたるところで鳴り響いている。騎士が前進しようとすると必ずネクロマンサーが全力で阻もうとしたが、荒々しい騎士分隊は2、3人足らずの魔法使いの支援を受け、襲い来る野獣や暗殺者の攻撃を撃退しようと最善を尽くしていた。
一人の男の姿が現れ、鬨の声があがった。その磨き抜かれた鎧姿が最前線に突入し、続く馬群は風の中で激しくはためく旗を掲げている。男のヘルメットの側面は数々の打撃を受けて変形していたが、傷一つない頭頂部には、深い紫色の聖杯の飾りがついていた。目にもとまらぬ剣さばきと受け流しに、敵の野獣使い、毒使い、ネクロマンサーの陣形は瞬く間に崩れていった。前線が過ぎたばかりの場所には、自然の掃除屋たちがもう集まり始めている。戦いの中で邪悪な魔法に使われずにすんだ亡骸を、カラスやネズミが漁る。激しい戦闘音と熾烈な戦いの中では、他とは違った行動をとっているねずみが居ることなど、誰も気づきはしなかった。
騎士団のリーダーは、最後の総攻撃とばかりに大声をあげたが、彼の馬にファイアーボールが命中し、馬が倒れて彼は振り落とされた。男は徒歩で敵軍に近づき、敵のリーダーと思われる女めがけて素早い剣の一撃を放った。邪悪な唸り声をあげて女は剣をクリスで受け止め、両者は一瞬にらみ合ったが、男が盾を使って女を殴り払った。女は流れるような動作で口に運んだビンのコルク栓をくわえとって薬を飲み干すと、活力を取り戻した様子でこのプレート鎧に身を包んだ騎士を挑発した。二人は戦いを続け、二人の軍勢同士も戦いを続けたが、最終的には騎士が優勢に立ち、女を地面に叩きつけた。女の胸をプレートレッグに包まれた足で踏みつけて押さえ、男は相手の顔に剣を向けた。
「あの女の居場所を言え。言えば今日のところは正義ではなく慈悲の徳を見せてやろう。知らないなら、少しはマシなことを言い残せ」
ダガーのように鋭い目で男をねめつけた女は、血まみれの口元に暖かさのかけらもない笑みを浮かべると、不本意そうに答えた。「フン、彼女はあんたみたいな武者修行の騎士なんかの手の及ばない所にいるよ。それに、あんたよりずっと強いさ。あんたのちっぽけな王国はボロボロと崩壊中じゃないか、欠片はあたしたちがいただいて……」
女の言葉は途中で途切れた。騎士の剣が女を永遠に沈黙させたのだ。何も言わずに騎士は女から離れ、眼前の状況をうかがった。残存敵軍は明らかに退却中であり、彼の部下たちの多くは馬を失うか傷を負っていた。剣を振って血を払い、腰につけた鞘に戻しながら、男は自軍の副官の方へ向かったが、戦場を横切って駆け寄ってくるねずみに気づいて立ち止まった。ヘルメットを脱いで黒髪から汗を払うと、男はひざまずいてこの古き友を拾い上げた。
「まさかこんなところで会えるとはね、シェリー（Sherry）。ということは、緊急事態かい？」
騎士の声には今でも朗々とした響きがあり、最近では滅多に感じられない親しみやすさをシェリーは感じた。何も変わっていないものが少なくともここにはある、そのことにシェリーは心の中で感謝した。
「デュプレ卿（Lord Dupre）、実は現状のことで……」
デュプレはこめかみ付近を軽くなでていたプレートグローブをはめた手を止め、その手を使ってシェリーに「それ以上言わなくていいよ」と仕草で伝えた。「シェリーにとって、オレはただのデュプレでいいんだ。おいで。その話、酒でもなきゃ聞いてられない話じゃないといいんだが。とにかく、最高に美味しいごちそうを齧らせてあげるよ」そう言うと、デュプレは手綱をとって魔法使いがゲートを開くのを待ち、腕に乗せたシェリーと共にムーンゲートに入っていった……。
