Chapter 15: The Cost of a Citadel
The relative calm at the western gate was short-lived. The Corrupted, repelled by the reinforced shield, didn't retreat. Instead, they flowed like a foul river around the perimeter, seeking a weaker point. The din of battle simply shifted, moving deeper into the city's heart.
Calyx's words hung in the air, colder than the dream-steel of Talia's blade. "It's being directed."
"The Lady," Kael said, the name tasting like ash. He flexed his hands, the energy that had just healed the conduit now itching for a different kind of release. "She's here. Somewhere."
Talia nodded, her eyes scanning the chaotic skyline. "She is testing our defenses. Probing for weakness. This assault on the gate was merely a distraction."
As if to confirm her theory, a new sound cut through the noise of combat—not a scream or a blast, but a deep, resonant gong that echoed from the direction of the central citadel. It was a sound of alarm, but also of summoning.
The golden-armored soldier they'd just aided snapped to attention, his face paling beneath his helmet. "The Citadel Bell! The Council is calling all available defenders to the core spire! The corruption… it's not just at the walls!"
A different kind of fear gripped them. They had assumed the fight was to keep the corruption out. The idea of it already being inside, striking at the very seat of one of the largest cities of the Dream Continent, was a terrifying escalation.
"We have to go," Talia said, already turning. Her decision was instant, absolute.
"Whoa, hold on!" Juno protested, gesturing wildly at the street around them. "What about all these people? We just saved this gate! We can't just leave them!"
She was right. The artisans and civilians who hadn't evacuated were huddled in doorways, their faces etched with terror. The dream-soldiers at the gate, though bolstered, were still outnumbered.
"The citadel is the heart," Talia countered, her voice hard with a logic that brooked no argument. "If it falls, the entire continent falls. Everything we do here will be for nothing. This is a tactical retreat to defend the strategic center."
"It's not a retreat, it's abandoning people!" Juno shot back, her voice cracking with emotion.
Kael was torn. Talia's cold calculus made sense. But Juno's fierce compassion resonated with the part of him that had fought for one person in a dungeon, not just a strategic objective. He looked at the frightened faces of the dreamers, so different from the powerful soldiers he'd seen before. These were the people the craftsman had spoken of. The ones who needed heroes to live.
"Talia's right," he said finally, the words heavy. Juno stared at him, betrayal flashing in her eyes. He pressed on. "But so are you, Juno. We can't just leave them undefended."
He turned to the golden soldier. "You! What's your name?"
The soldier stood a little taller. "Lyrian, sir."
"Lyrian. The conduit is stable. Can you hold this position if the main horde doesn't return?"
Lyrian glanced at his weary but determined troops. "We can hold, sir. For a time."
"Good." Kael looked at his team. "Talia, you and I go to the citadel. We're the heaviest hitters. We answer the call." He then looked at Juno and Calyx. "You two stay here."
Juno's protest died on her lips, replaced by confusion.
"Juno, your ranged attacks are perfect for defending a fixed position from up on that wall," Kael explained. "And Calyx…" He looked at the healer, who raised an eyebrow. "These people are going to get hurt. They need you more than we do right now."
It was the right move. Talia saw it instantly, giving a curt nod of approval. She hadn't considered splitting their force, but the logic was sound. It played to each of their strengths.
Calyx's usual smirk was gone, replaced by a look of grudging respect. "A triage point. Efficient." He looked at Juno. "Well, 'Babysitter'. Looks like you're with me. Try not to blow up any patients."
The reality of the responsibility settled on Juno. The fear was still there, but it was being crowded out by a fierce, protective resolve. She was being trusted to hold the line. She straightened up, her expression hardening. "Just keep them alive, Healer Boy. I'll handle the messy parts."
There was no time for long goodbyes. With a final, shared look—a mix of fear, determination, and unspoken trust—Kael and Talia turned and sprinted into the war-torn streets, heading for the glowing spire of the citadel that now seemed under a darkening shadow.
Juno watched them go, then turned to face the battered gate, her hands glowing with crystalline light. "Alright, ugly," she muttered to the shifting darkness beyond the shield. "Let's dance."
Back-to-back with the most infuriating boy she'd ever met, she prepared to defend her piece of the dream. The cost of saving the citadel would not be this gate. Not on her watch.