Part 2
In an Ashen Empire carriage, Princess Verka fussed over her ageing father Prince Heather like a mother fusses over a small child. Making sure he had enough to eat and was comfortable, now she was forcing drinks upon him.
"Father you're far too old for this kind of trip, why did you insist on coming?" She asked as she offered him water.
"Verka, the Ashen Empire is why those men died at their posts. I owe it to them to relieve them of their duty personally." Heather replied, downing the glass of water in a single gulp.
"What do you mean?" Verka asked, finally relaxing somewhat.
"In the chaos of us uniting Southern Karand, Fort Axiom was forgotten about. They, and the city they protected, had come under siege from some of the desert tribes that inhabit this area of Itari. By the time the Empire found out about them and sent reinforcements, it was too late. The city was quite safe, make no mistake. The Fort though?" Heather paused, and shook his head. "Dead at their posts, every single one. But that didn't stop any of them. Like Dwarven automatons, they continued to load their cannons, firing them day and night for nearly a decade."
"So why have they stopped?" Verka asked, as the carriage continued down the desert road, kicking up dust behind it.
"That's the question, isn't it?" Heather said, giving a smile. "Maybe they finally woke up from their long nightmare."
The carriage continued on in relative silence, as Verka thought about her father's words. What kind of ghosts would they find at the Fort? Just who were these men, anyway? For his part, Heather sat in complete silence, as he studied the list of known missing soldiers last stationed at Fort Axiom. He was getting quite old now, and rarely travelled anymore, preferring to stay by Rebecca's side as she aged. It really did feel like she's going to live forever, but he could see her getting slower and slower, and it made him sad, in a way.
"Your Majesty, your highness, we're here." The driver called out, as they slowed to a halt. As they stepped out of the carriage, Verka and Heather took stock of their surroundings. The weathered old fort stood on the top of a small hill, but they were otherwise surrounded by unremarkable desert.
Motioning to the rest of the entourage, Heather led the way up the road to the Fort. He was in his dress uniform, and while he had declined to wear any of his honorary medals, he settled on a white peaked cap to shade himself from the desert sun. He quietly whispered to Verka as they drew near.
"They're waiting for us. Do you see them?" He said, his voice barely above the sound of the wind.
"Yes." Verka replied, looking at the soldiers on the Battlements, and the 2 waiting at the front gate at parade rest. "I think these are the first ghosts I've seen that aren't Victoria."
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"I don't recognise those uniforms, Colonel. Do you?" Jason asked as Heather and Verka slowly walked up the path, their honour guard remaining with the carriages at the base.
"Prince Heather Dorchaidhe. Never thought I'd see him in person." Colonel Kurtz said, remaining expressionless. "Of course it would be him."
"Sir?" Jason asked, but Colonel Kurtz would say no more.
When Heather and Verka reached Kurtz and Jason, Heather stood at attention and held a salute. Colonel Kurtz and Corporal Jason returned the salute, and Verka curtsied.
"Colonel Henry Kurtz, Corporal Jason Smithers, and to all of your men. On behalf of the Ashen Empire, and the fallen Kingdom of Gildare, I apologise. I regret that you were forgotten about until it was far too late to save any of you." Prince Heather said, reading from the scroll he had prepared. "Let it be known that you held the line, and the city did not fall. The cannons of Fort Axiom roared like thunder for a decade, protecting the city."
"The Moonfall Prince. It is an honour." Colonel Kurtz replied, smiling. "To be relieved of my post by a legend."
"Go now to your final rest, Colonel. I hold your duty fulfilled." Heather said, offering a hand.
"I'm afraid I can't do that, Sir." Colonel Kurtz answered, shaking his head. "Look out in the distance."
Verka turned around and gasped. A huge army was already massing, and advancing on the Fort. "Who are they?"
"So they're still out there." Corporal Jason said, narrowing his eyes. He held his right arm up in the air for a moment, before bringing it down and shouting. "Fire!"
Even Jason seemed surprised that the cannons responded to his command and began to fire again. The army soon turned tail and fled to the saturation bombardment of the cannons. For his part, Henry Kurtz merely smiled and winked at Prince Heather.
"I think not only me but my men will be here for quite some time yet." Colonel Kurtz said with a sly grin. "Unless of course, you have a rusalki artillery squad."
"I'll do you one better." Verka answered. "I'm a master exorcist. What's the range on these cannons of yours?"
"Hang on." Jason said, cutting in. "How did the cannons fire?"
"You were in command of the artillery squads, right?" Prince Heather asked. Jason nodded, and so he continued. "I daresay the artillery is an extension of you. These guns don't need to be crewed for you to fire them."
As they spoke, Verka noticed some of the ghosts were already starting to disappear, as if their drive to keep going was wavering. More and more of them vanished until at last it was just Henry Kurtz and Jason Smithers standing before them.
"Well Jason, how about it?" Colonel Kurtz asked. "What do you say we send some ghosts straight to hell?"