Page 81 of Knot All Is Ruined: Part 2

Chapter thirty-four

The sun was particularly scorching as we traversed over the barren wasteland on our way to Stalhold City. We’d left early knowing the sun would be brutal, but this seemed to channel the General’s energy as it beat down on the trucks. Thank god for the coverings, or all of us would be fried to death before we could even fight. The energy of the soldiers was different from what I’d experienced in the previous battles. These men were focused, determined, and full of energy prepared to do whatever it took to make this happen.

Granted, the soldiers I’d been with over the past month weren’t really actual soldiers but men and women who’d had little choice in the matter. If they wanted to survive and keep their existence alive, then fighting is what needed to happen. So on battle days, they would be more reserved, almost as if they felt guilty about what we were doing. Not being citizens, these men didn’t have the same tie to this place, but oddly, I felt like it helped. If a hard choice was needed to be made, they’d do it without question, without feeling the sense of betrayal Northern soldiers would.

“Cities in sight,” Savo’s voice called over the comms. “Twenty minutes out, weapons at the ready. We don’t know what our reception will be.”

Taking a deep breath, I double-checked my handgun and rifle to ensure everything was in order. Touching a hand to my hip, I felt the pouch with extra ammunition for both guns next to the sheath for my knife. Closing my eyes, I worked through the meditation Petru had been working with me on to slow my heartbeat, keeping my mind clear from the rush and panic of adrenalin. A sniper couldn’t be accurate if they weren’t able to focus on their target.

“Dani,” Toma murmured, resting a hand on my thigh trying not to startle me. Opening my eyes, I met his gaze. “I need you to know how much I truly love and admire you. Spending time in the North and seeing what it's like here, the life you had to endure, it makes me sick to think what would have happened if we hadn’t found you.”

Reaching out, I cupped his cheek, my thumb brushing across his skin. “I love you too, and I thank the fates every day you all were brought into my life. I’ve always needed a purpose, a mission, something to make me feel like I’m making a difference in the world. You gave me that, along with learning what it means to truly love someone. I’d been so resistant to allowing anyone to help or care for me, fearing it would make me weak. What actually made me weak was thinking I could do it all on my own.”

“We’ve only begun our life together,” he pointed out. “I hope you don’t think this is what it will always be like. Since the day you brought up wanting a home and a nest, we’ve all been working toward that goal. It was a dream we didn’t know we wanted, though maybe it was because our family wasn’t complete yet. Anyway, I just wanted to make sure there was no doubt between us about how I feel about you. That way, no matter what might happen today, nothing is left unsaid.”

Everything in me wanted to tell him not to talk like that, we’d be fine and make it through this with no problem, but I didn’t. The past month has taught me that there is no warning when a loss might hit you. One moment things are fine. The next, the world can come crashing down around you. I was eternally grateful that other than a few grazes, bruises, and a broken finger, we’d made it through together.

When the truck came to a halt, nothing was said. I had to hold back from getting up and peeking. We were to remain right where we were until the order to get out of the truck was given. There were twenty trucks full of soldiers that were surrounding the city as we sat here. Being the first truck in the line, we had to wait for the others to fall into position. The plan was for the people behind the wall to have no idea how many soldiers were in each of the trucks. This way, we could use their fear to end this with as little to no bloodshed as possible.

“Stalhold City, we have you surrounded,” Lucian said through a megaphone, alerting the people within just in case they didn’t notice the trucks. “I am Lucian Bakal, heir to the current General, and I demand to speak to him or one of his advisors, or we will attack this city.”

“Sniper team, at the ready,” Sorin ordered. “Explosives team, you are a go.”

Much like our plan for the first training camp, charges were set at various intervals along the wall that would collapse the whole thing. Concrete, while effective in many ways as a deterrent, wouldn't be keeping us out. My guess was they did it this way because there were no other materials for them to use, so they did with what they had.

Staying in the back, I moved forward and flipped back the cloth covering the front just over the cab of the truck. Setting my rifle on a beanbag to keep it steady on the metal since there was no room for a tripod. Getting into position, I swept the top of the wall, ensuring no soldiers were in my designated section. There was no movement at all. I couldn’t even be sure if anyone was on the other side of the wall. Then a person appeared, though it was clear they were a civilian and therefore protected from us. Two more joined the first, and then the wall was flooded with people. Could it be the bastard was putting innocents up on the wall to keep up from blowing it up?

“Explosives team, you are not to detonate anything without my direct order. Civilians are flooding the top of the wall. I repeat do not detonate without a clear, direct order,” Sorin snapped.

It would seem he had the same thought I did.

“People of Stalhold, we know the militia is no longer in your city to protect you. Our fight is not with you but with General Rasvan. So again, I ask for him or a representative to make themselves known,” Lucian informed them.

A gap was made, and a person stepped up to the edge of the wall. He was dressed in a military uniform and didn’t show the same signs of malnourishment. After a moment's hesitation, this man produced his own megaphone and responded.

“We do not recognize you as the heir to the North. The North has no heir and needs no heir while the great General Rasvan lives,” he announced. “If you truly mean to attack this city, you will have to take down the wall. And as you see, doing so would kill all these people.”

“What?” Toma snarled as he shot to his feet. “You can’t be serious. Did they really just do what he said, Dani?”

I glanced over my shoulder at him. “He absolutely one hundred percent did.”

“Bastard,” one of the other soldiers cursed.

“Then I no longer need to speak with you. Instead, I will speak to the people,” Lucian stated. “Did you all hear that? The great General Rasvan is happy to sacrifice each of your lives to save his own. Hasn’t he killed enough of us with this damn never-ending war? This wall isn’t to keep you safe. It’s there to make sure you don’t abandon him and run to the mountains seeking a better life for yourself. I’m standing here today because I want to offer you that chance, a chance for all this to be over and free yourself.”

As Lucian spoke, I’d been watching our military friend and saw him draw his weapon aiming it at Lucian. I decided to give the people around him a few seconds to see what was going on and react before shooting him. A woman screamed and dove out of the way, crashing into others, and one man fell over the wall crashing to the ground below. Wasting no more time, I pulled the trigger, nailing him right in the heart I wasn’t sure he even had. It was confirmed, though, as he also fell forward off the wall.

“Medic team, grab the civilian and see if we can save him,” Savo ordered.

Lucian gave everyone a few minutes to calm down before he started speaking again. “We have a medic team on the way to help the man who fell due to the actions of the General’s representative. I apologize for needing to shoot him, but as you can see, he didn’t give a shit if anything happened to you. He just wanted to shut me up. Tell me, have you had enough? Are you willing to stand up and make a change, fight for your freedom, and stop the war that’s been bleeding our country dry?”

There was hesitation, but then a man climbed on the back of another, thrust his arm into the air, then yelled long and loud. “Enough is enough.”

With his battle cry, the others cheered, clapped, and whistled their agreement. Then slowly, a chant began that built louder and louder as more people joined. “Enough is enough, enough is enough, enough is enough.”

“Holy shit, Dani, your plan is totally working,” Toma said in awe as he stood next to me, observing through a pair of binoculars.

Indeed it was. I’d firmly believed that the people of Stalhold City would be our greatest asset in this fight. Not only would it work in our favor to have them choose to be on our side, but it helps them make a stand for themselves. This was only the first part of the plan, the second wasn’t going to be so easy.