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Corporal Steinmann shoves a cloth in Lucas' face. It smells strongly of a medicinal chemical, and with a searing sensation, Lucas' sinuses clear up almost immediately. Rising to his feet, Lucas takes a shaky breath and quickly takes stock of the situation through the smoke. Most of the men seem to be turning to face him and the corporal. Two leering Kurgen look down from the the opening at the top of the ladder waiting to strike at any attempting to scale it.
"Rally to the tunnel! We must clear our heads of this smoke if we are to reattempt to save our comrade Gunterman!"
The men begin to file out mostly organized. Lucas can see the few casualties of the two Kurgen who were now blowing kisses at the retreating men and calling what were most likely lewd suggestions in their garish tongue. They nudged each other giggling and pointed at the bodies of the fallen soldiers who had not been agile enough to reach the top before being killed.
Lucas' felt a righteous anger filling him, and stepped forward, hands clenched. His boot bumped up against something. Looking down, it was a snotbomb. Without hesitation he picked it up and looking up saw Steinmann waiting for him with a storm lantern. Thinking quickly, Lucas called a couple short commands in Battle Tongue. Steinmann quickly shut the storm lantern and began moving towards Lucas. Lucas carefully approached the ladder clutching the snotbomb to his chest. Since he was leaving the light of the storm lanterns which were held by soldiers leaving the room, the two Kurgen squinted to try and make Lucas out in all the smoke. They laughed and catcalled down to him in very broken Reikspiel making loud sloppy kissing noises or perhaps they were meant to simulate something else.
Suddenly light shone from the below directly into the eyes of the Kurgen as Steinmann unfettered the storm lantern in their direction. They instinctively leaned back and covered their eyes. Lucas' voice could be heard yelling, "Lackey! Turtle!"
What happened next seemed almost to happen in slow motion. Perhaps above the noise of Lackey's bellowing, the Kurgens' heard something whiz by their heads. They did hear the pretty Imperial captain yell, "Hey!" They looked down and saw his angry eyes. "Kiss this," he said softly. In one smooth motion he pulled a pistol from a holster under his armpit. Frantically the Kurgen pulled back and that's when out of the corner of their eyes they saw it. They looked up in time to see a rather crudely shaped black bomb with what the Kurgens wouldn't know was paint meant to look like a snotling curled up reaching the top of its upward flight five feet above the opening. They heard the captain's pistol fire.
Little does Lucas know, that Albrecht has decided to high kick the canister out of the hood of one unlucky Private Aimes. Think Albrecht might have missed and kicked Aimes instead. Poor Aimes.
LACKEY:
The Kurgan are closing in from all sides; some are even undressing. This does not bode well for you. You grit your teeth and pray that something ends your life before the Kurgan have their fun, when you hear the deep voice of Captain Biedlemann shout up as clear as a bell from the smoking hole in the floor.
"Lackey! Turtle!" the Captain yells, and you immediately know what to do.
Hitting the floor, you pull a half naked Kurgan raper down with you, using the body of the flailing marauder as cover.
A moment later, the world explodes!
At the same time, perhaps just moments before...
LUCAS:
Had the situation not been so terribly dire, it would be impossible not to laugh. Things could not possibly have turned out worse or taken a more improbable or ridiculous turn.
The smoking, fuming canister flops this way and that, clattering off the roof or bouncing along the floor. At one point it even lands in the hood of Private Aimes who begins to spin around wildly trying to remove it.
And then, Albrecht, in his best impression as a Snotballer, kicks the iron canister from the hood of Private Aimes and directly into the face of Herr Roteshemd, who drops like a sack of potatoes, the dwarvish smoke bomb slamming hard into his Imperial sallet, spinning it counter clockwise around his head twice before the man hits the earth.
And yet, despite all the chaos and confusion, you manage to remember your officer training and formulate a wild (and dangerous) plan. Quickly, you work with Corporal Steinmann and prepare your last desperate attempt at salvaging yourselves from this terrible situation.
Steinmann unfetters his storm lantern into the eyes of the Kurgan pillagers, your voice filled with anger and retribution as you toss the explosive snotball upwards, "Lackey! Turtle!"
The last think you remember is the ominous click of your pistol, followed by a bone shattering blast...
From the Eye of the Raven...
Imagine then, if you will, the lone tower on the edge of the enemy side of the Wolfenburg Bridge, rising like a rude middle finger to the uncaring sky. The Eye of the Raven circles slightly, drawing closer. Strange green smoke can be seen pouring out through the open doorway of the Imperial structure, and as we draw closer, the sounds of combat mixed with the merry making of Slannesh abiding Kurgan can be heard.
And then, quite suddenly, the entire base of the tower explodes!
KAAAAABOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM SWOOOOOOOOOSH KRAAAAAAAAAAAAK!
A corona of masonry and bodies fly everywhere! Massive cracks blast upwards along the supports of the lumbering tower as it begins to buckle, bend and snap! The base of the tower implodes, causing the length of the thing to fall sideways down the steep slope towards the Wulfen River where it tumbles, rolls and splashes into the cold winter waters!
Those Kurgan not immediately killed by the blast are tossed high into the air like rag dolls, hanging for long moments, before crashing down to their brutal deaths in the river below!
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Krak tries to climb the ladder...pick in hand
.....ummmm
Krak tries to climb the ladder...pick in hand.
KAAAAABOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
The smoke clears slowly, wafting upwards into the chill night air. The small room beneath the tower has an excellent view of the night sky; Morrslieb peers down at you and seems to wink knowingly. The entire tower above has collapsed, mercifully falling at an angle down to the river waters below.
As your eyes clear, you can see Krak glued to what remains of the iron ladder, hanging upside down, his hands clutching at the empty air as he hisses and spits. His trademark red hair and beard have been blasted black by the explosion, his eyes are wide portals of stunned confusion.
"WHAT YA WAITIN FO!!!????? GET ME OFF DIS BLEEDIN LADDER!!!!" he bellows, flopping about comically like a floundering fish.
"Uuuuuuhhhh," Herr Roteshemd moans. "Are we alive? What the hell hit me?"
Rolling over, the Wolfenburg Warrior stares skywards at the night sky, the haze of smoke and debris only now beginning to clear.
"Huh?"
Elsewhere, across the bridge, in Imperial territory...
The massive explosion lights up the night sky for a brief moment, scores of Imperial soldiers leap to their feet, grabbing for weapons or scrambling for cover. When it's obvious the blast is not a Hellcannon attack, the tense soldiers pop their helmeted heads up over the shattered fortifications and deep trenches.
"Spotter, give me a report quick. What can you see on the far side?" Gunnery Sergeant Alard Schubert snaps to the man on his right.
A thinly built lays across and over the trench slightly, peering into a pair of heavy brass binoculars with stained glass lenses.
"One moment sir," the man says, biting his lip as he scans the horizon. "It's difficult to see through all the smoke. Wait, there! Some kind of detonation. East Tower is gone!"
"Any sign of enemy movement?" the Gunnery Sergeant asks, his eyes locked on the horizon.
"None so far. Wait, yes. I see movement near Old Corral Street...aye, sure enough! Enemy movement spotted sir! They may be making for the river to try an amphibious assault."
"We can't let them attempt it." Alard Schubert concludes, "Artillery officers?!"
"Aye sir? We stand ready!"
"Relocate your guns to..."
"Uh, Two Point Four Point Three, sir" the Spotter replies, hastily making calculations.
"Heave about to Two Point Four Point Three!" the Gunnery Sergeant repeats, confirming the order.
There is the heavy grinding of wheels and gears as several huge Imperial cannon very slowly begin to change their line of fire.
"This will give those bastards a little surprise."
On a makeshift table nearby, a sealed message from Commander Nulner detailing the mission of Captain Biedlemann's assault force lies lost in a stack of maps and papers, unread.
LUCAS:
Back in the ruins and rubble...
"Sir, are you all right?" Corporal Steinmann asks, reaching his hand down to help you up.
"If I know my training right, that little explosion will have drawn the attention of the gun crews on the far side of the river. From this range they won't know us as friend or foe. We best get moving, and fast."
Scrabbling through the rubble and ruin, Aimes cradles his smoldering backpack like a small child, digging through it furiously. Yes! His secret stash of Black Root is still intact. When no one is looking he grabs a piece and pops it into his mouth. Feeling invigorated, he continues to rummage.
OUCH! Aimes looks down, his finger bleeding. The strange jade statuette beams up at the young Private with a wicked smile, blood trickling from it's razor fanged mouth.
"What the--"
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Not for the first time, Gespana found herself very frustrated with her incorporeal existence. The young wizard to whom she had bound her spirit was unconscious having been stunned by the massive explosion. Her fingers flexed open and closed as she ineffectually reached out to shake the dazed fool, but naturally besides making Albrecht shiver slightly, he remained unaware of her touch.
Alllbreeecht! Wake up! You are in danger! My kinsmen approach. Alllbreeecht! You must convince the captain to flee into the tunnel and take the watery path.
She glanced at the lanky man sprawled next to the mage. He was also senseless, but he seemed to be rousing as a small tentacle reaching out from the pack at the man's side tickled his ear. It still galled her that this man had been the reason she died. All her magical might and she had been undone by a simple, while ingenious she admitted to herself begrudgingly, trap. She found she wanted to possess him, own him...something about him demanded she make him her pet to use as she desired.
Her rabbit moaned and brushed at his ear. The small tentacle quickly retreated into the pack and Rabbit didn't seem to notice. He sat up.
Yeess. Yes! Now that you are awake, you must awaken the wizard, my delicious rabbit.
He didn't respond. No acknowledgement he had even heard her. his bleary eyes blinked and looked around trying to understand where he was. Gespana could see the light of the "sight" was not present in his gaze. She would have screamed in frustration except those with the right senses would have been able to hear a wraith scream for miles.
Angrily she reached forward and "flicked" her fingers at the spot on Rabbit's forehead she touched before. Suddenly his eyes widened then quickly narrowed in focus. Gespana's breath would have caught if she had been breathing. He noticed! Rabbit looked around the immediate area in a quick scan, but still he didn't seem to see her. A small growl escaped Gespana. She needn't have worried however as when seeing nothing he expected, Rabbit's eyes snapped to the prone form of Albrecht.
Looking around again quickly, Rabbit reached over and began to roughly shake the man. Gespana would have sighed with relief.
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Elsewhere, back to the estate of the Lady Gravin...
Brother Pieter Shultz was an unremarkable man by all accounts. He was middle aged, overweight and balding, with only a moderate intelligence and no resounding courage to speak of. The one thing he did have in spades, however, was the desire to survive.
In the quiet solitude of his chambers, Brother Pieter kneels in prayer before the alter of Sigmar he had erected here, his white and gold habits strained to popping under his considerable weight. In truth, it had been some time since Sigmar had answered any of his prayers. It was as if the God of the Empire had turned a blind ear to the priest.
"Oh, Holy Sigmar, bless me with your strength and resolve. Show me the way to smite my enemies and--" Try as he like, the words were hollow and flat. They had no weight, no substance. It was of no use, at least not in this place. Brother Pieter no longer held any illusions about the true nature of the Gravin or her purpose, and because he had refused to act, refused to intervene, he also was damned, just like her.
A number of things had gone strangely wrong lately, Brother Pieter realized, and it had all started with his association with the Gravin. She had pulled him in, like a spider to a fly, luring him with sweet promises of wealth and power and other...pleasures. But the rewards had soon turned to blackmail, and it was far too late to turn back. If Brother Pieter wanted to survive (as he most certainly did), he would have to play his part. He had been weak, he understood that now, and the price for that mistake would be costly.
"Sigmar protect me..." Brother Pieter said grimly, straining to stand under his own weight. Like before, the words held no weight whatsoever.
Lucas' head and shoulder hurt. He opened his eyes to see Corporal Steinmann on all fours shaking his head vigorously probably in an attempt to clear it. Lucas groaned as he tried to sit up and look around. It seemed most of the men had made into the tunnel but a fair sized section of stone wall (or ceiling, who could tell?) had fallen partially blocking the entrance. Several soldiers including Privates Aimes and Roteshemd were blocking the view as they worked with those inside trying to shift the rubble. Off to one side, he could see Herr Geshburger sitting up and looking around with concern. He suddenly seemed to focus on Magister Baer who was a short distance away and leaned over to begin shaking the man awake.
Lucas' head and shoulder hurt. He opened his eyes to see Corporal Steinmann on all fours shaking his head vigorously probably in an attempt to clear it. Lucas groaned as he tried to sit up and look around. It seemed most of the men had made into the tunnel but a fair sized section of stone wall (or ceiling, who could tell?) had fallen partially blocking the entrance. Several soldiers including Privates Aimes and Roteshemd were blocking the view as they worked with those inside trying to shift the rubble. Off to one side, he could see Herr Geshburger sitting up and looking around with concern. He suddenly seemed to focus on Magister Baer who was a short distance away and leaned over to begin shaking the man awake.
A light shone in the corner where Lucas laid, and he saw that Steinmann was standing and retrieved his storm lantern. He offered a hand to the young captain.
"Sir, are you all right?"
Lucas takes the offered hand. With a grunt of pain, Lucas gets to his feet with the older man's help. Rotating his arm in his socket, Lucas doesn't feel any sharp discomfort just soreness.
"If I know my training right, that little explosion will have drawn the attention of the gun crews on the far side of the river. From this range they won't know us as friend or foe. We best get moving, and fast."
"I believe that you are most likely correct. However considering the unexpected size of this blast, there is no doubt the enemy will be descending on this location in force. We would never win through, and we would only escape detection if we possessed extraordinary luck. Something which we do not seem to have been gifted based on our experience from the onset of this mission." Lucas paused, a hesitation based on a very unwanted suspicion making him cautious.
Lucas reached into the collar of his chain-mail tunic and pulled an amulet on a chain from within. Holding it out towards Steinmann, Lucas muttered a prayer to Shallyah, Lady of Mercy.
"Speak truthfully, Corporal," Lucas said in a tight voice. "Have you had any dealings with the forces of Chaos?" The young captain's eyes burned into the face of the grizzled old soldier. there was no doubt in Lucas that he really didn't want to think any ill of the man, but the fact was obvious....they had been betrayed. Lucas couldn't allow himself to be naive and dismiss any possibilities.
"Answer me carefully, Steinmann."
After gathering himself, Boom races over to Krak and pulls him from the rubble.
Coughing and sputtering Krak looks for his mask.
...nowhere to be found.
Boom guides him and starts handing him gear..
"Quick! Take dis unt dis unt dis unt dis...."
A dazed and wobbling Krak is soon overloaded with quipment while Boom oddly looks to be lightly geared.
Using rubble that now creates a ramp up to the surface, the Dwarves clamber up into the smoke.
Boom looks about frantically.
....too much dust and confusion.
One thing is for certain are the sounds of angry voices and combat.
"VE HAVE TO GET OUT OF HERE!!!"Boom screams to the rest of the group.
Grabbing Krak by the hand, Boom attempts to run the opposite direction of the nearing noises looking for the nearest building or structure to hide in.
vs Fate
SUCCESS!! FINALLY!!!
Leading Krak who is blinded by a mountain of gear in his arms, Boom finally emerges from the smoke and dust and sees a 2 story manor which is mostly ruins.
Quickly the dwarves scurry into it and race up to the ruined second floor, finding a defendable spot. Pushing Krak down along with everything he is carrying, a still masked Boom peers over ruined bricks back to where the tower collapsed.
LUCAS:
"Speak truthfully, Corporal," Captain Biedelmann said in a tight voice. "Have you had any dealings with the forces of Chaos?"
"Sir?" the Corporal responded. He was shocked by the sudden question, but the look on his face never betrayed secrecy or guilt. "No, never. But I see the truth in your asking. It's also struck me as odd that our every movement has felt somehow watched."
Steinmann pondered for a long moment, absently surveying the scene around him, watching each man with renewed interest. "One of us then?" he asked at last. "You don't think perhaps Command--" he let his sentence drop, a look of doubt and worry crossing his old grizzled face.
*...gUuurk?!...*
Larjyn begins to shamble from the ground towards Lutke. It's a ghastly sight, his head split in half, brains and blood flowing freely down his face and chest...
Then falls into a heap at his feet with Lackey Gunterman standing, pushing the corpse off of him.
Brushing the dust and blood and remains off of him, Dat vas loud der did ve win?!? I tink dat fellow had a bit of ard-on fer me tink. Not the first time joo know everyone loves me. He bellows a bit in laughter, then fetches up his mallet as well as the blood-red blade of his brother "Sverð Sigr ". He secures them both and prepares for whats to come. Now ve start da ard stuff.
Aimes watched the two Dwarves load up their gear in the confusion and scamper off, up a pile of rubble and out into the darkness. The young private had considered following them, but the watchful eyes of Corporal Steinmann found him in the smoke and dust, peering thoughtfully in the sputtering darkness. Steinmann was talking with Captain Biedelmann! Had they found out already?!
Nervously, Private Aimes re-slings his backpack, doing his best to appear both wounded and busy. Soon enough, the eyes of the Officers have moved off to other men, now sizing up Herr Roteshemd.
"Your task is simple my love," the Lady Gravin had suggested. Aimes remembers the way she looked and smelled even now. "Bring this tiny idol, it's harmless really, and place it on the alter of the Temple of Sigmar. When this is done, no harm will befall any of us. Do you trust me?" The Gravin had kissed him then, pressing her warm naked body into his.
"I'll do it!" Private Aimes shouts aloud suddenly. Several soldiers turn to see who he is addressing. Blushing, Aimes waves them off with a nervous smile.
Now, all I need to do is find the right time to sneak away... Aimes thought to himself, And not get myself killed while doing it.
Looking about quickly to see that no one is watching, the brash Private takes another bite from his Black Root; a wave of artificial bravado washing over him.
KRAK/BOOM:
Still panting from your sudden exodus from the tower, you peer out and over the broken bombed out walls of the once proud manor you find yourselves in.
You blink.
None of the others have followed you?! Where is their sense of urgency. The fools are going to die down there in that tower!
Cursing under his breath, Krak grabs a large pair of binoculars from his trappings and steadies them on the rock wall, scanning the horizon for signs of the enemy.
Sure enough, THERE! Movement in the smoke and mist, strange loping figures are slowly moving their way from the burning streets above to the ruined tower nearby, cruel hellbent weapons glowing in the darkness. Adjusting the magnification, Boom zooms in to get a closer view--
Death is coming in the form of Deamons of Khorne. Typical. Krak chews his Dwarvish cud thoughtfully as his mind works over the situation, a masked Boom at his side pulling at his sleeve.
"WHATCHA SEE? HEY! LET ME HAVE A LOOK!"
LUCAS:
"It would seem we've lost the Dwarves, sir." Corporal Steinmann reports. "They've gone and scampered off in the confusion."
Captain Biedlemann frowned at this, weighing a thousand thoughts and priorities all at once.
"Do you want me to send some men after them, Captain? Whatever we do, we need to do it quick, sir. I fear our time here is running short."
Further compounding the situation, a pair of Wolfenburg Warriors return from the rubble above.
"Captain, we can't find any sign of Corporal Gunterman, sir. We searched the rubble. Scores of Kurgan bodies, but no sign of him."
"Your orders, Captain?" Corporal Steinmann presses.
Not yet I'm ere still boss will be ere till lata me tinks.
Albrecht gets to his feet patting his hair down from the explosion.
"Lutke, get up!" he nudges at him with his boot.
"I agree we need to get out of here fast!" Albrecht ignores the phantom, swirling around him.
"Wait, he's over here! We found Corporal Gunterman. He's alive!"
"FOOLS!! Watter dey thinkin?!"
Krak hands the Binoculars to Boom and spits a wad of chew.
"Well, now, canna have em be sucker punched can we?" he smiles at Boom.
He starts to get the Panzerfaust ready.
"SCHEIZAH!!!" he exclaims after seeing through the binoculars.
"Stupid humans alvays making ze same mistakes. No sense for battle."
Lowering the binoculars and looking at Krak with a crooked smile...
"Vere vil dey be ven ze dwarves can no longer help zem?"
"Sucking Chaos cock most likely. Here, you're dah gunner, and I'll load. Werra gonna set dah hand bombs dere anna dah firearms dere. Once we shoot, dell be comin fo us. We'll need to give da humans time to escape."
KRAK:
With a steady hand you begin to reload the Dwarvish Panzerfaust, your face a mask of thought and focus as you clean the compression springs, adjust the sighting mechanisms and tighten the recoil fittings. With slow and meaningful movements, you pull a long tube from your belongings and slide it the body of the launcher, carefully guiding the tube into place so as to avoid damaging the retractable stabilizer wings.
With a satisfied nod, you then begin to screw a large bulbous warhead onto the body of the rocket, happily mumbling an ancient Dwarvish mining song, one you had learned as a wee stoneling many years ago. There is an ominous click that indicates the warhead is affixed and the weapon is ready to fire.
"Unt, we can't forgetz. Safety first!" you chuckle, flipping up the warning panel on the back of the Panzerfaust that reads, Achtung! Feuerstrahl! or ("Attention! Fire Jet!").
"Der, dats dun it!" you say to Boom, wiping your hands clean. "Now, let me see dah rifle."
Albrecht looks outside the tower, checking the paths and streets. Trouble will be here any second. He tries to recall where exactly they need to be heading.
"Get on your damned feet! We need to move, NOW! We stay here and we'll be waiting for the Kurgan or the blasted idiots behind the shells."
He pokes his head outside once more, points our into the sky at and shoots a flare out of his hand at angle so as to allow it to drop elsewhere into the city. He prays the Imperials will take it as a sign of where to fire. Anywhere but on them.
Stepping thru the rubble a look of anger on his mug, Lackey is pulling on a large spiked helmet of the snotballer. Lackey pulls a heavy pack off his back and begins to work inside of it lacing a tether thru several rings within. I'm senseing a big bada boom in da future be ready boys.
After several minutes Grog moves to the crest of the crater looking for somewhere to hide, seeing the dwarves hiding in the debris a short distance away Lackey begins to serpentine to them using all avaliable cover pack on his back and Sverð Sigr in hand. Oi wittle one tis lookin like joo gonna be makin some noise, I gots some booms ere meself.
vs 40
Back across the river, in the Imperial Artillery Camp...
Gunnery Sergeant Alard Schubert watched the horizon carefully, but it was difficult to see anything in the dark. He lifted his gloved hand and prepared to give the order to fire.
"Sir?! Wait, there's--" the sharp eyed Spotter to the Sergeant's right quickly spoke, his eyes never leaving the lenses of his field goggles. "I see a flare, sir."
vs 60 (PER + 20%): SUCCESS!
"Sir, hold your fire!" the Spotter shouts suddenly, "Imperial soldiers at mark Two Point Four Point Three! I see their flare, it's landing at--"
The Spotter begins to make a new set of hasty calculations. "Mark Three Point Five Point Four, sir!"
The Gunnery Sergeant mirrors the hasty assessment as the guns begin to adjust once more. In mere moments Alard Schubert would unleash hell. He only hoped his Spotter had managed to get his calculations right.
"ON MY MARK, FIRE FOR EFFECT!"
Looking into Steinmann's startled eyes at the question, relief fills Lucas upon sensing no dishonesty or corruption.
Steinmann provides a quick synopsis, and Lucas curses to hear the dwarves have gone missing. The finding of Lackey alive was fortuitous, the men who saw him reported he shambled up from under the body of a Kurgen. Unfortunately within minutes they then reported they saw the man giant shamble off into the dust and smoke without checking in with anyone.
The men had managed to shift the rubble blocking the return path into the tunnel. Unfortunately the stones had fallen on Sergeant Kafka crushing most of his torso. He lived for a few very painful moments, but Steinmann simply shook his head when Lucas asked if anything could be done. Lucas rubbed his temples thinking at all the casualties this mission was already racking up.
"We don't have time for mourning and we will have the enemy down on our heads soon."
Lucas saw the wizard Albrecht shoot his flare. Herr Geshburger stood watching the wizard with a look of concern.
"Aimes! Roteshemd! Get those two into the tunnel." Lucas gestured to the bodies of the two men killed by the Kurgen on their foolhardy attempt to ascend the stairs. Turning to Steinmann, Lucas said,
"Sergeant Steinmann, get these men marching back to the location where that bog octopus broke through the tunnel. We'll make our way along that route and try to get through over there. If there is any luck, the anticipated imperial bombardment of this area should cover any traces we were here and still allow some stealth to be maintained. We can do our best to try and pile some rubble to block the entrance from our side...but not enough to trap us, just enough to hopefully cover our tracks."
Steinmann nodded and moved into the tunnel issuing orders quickly. Lucas moved to the mage and the tradesman.
"We move by a different path now. You two should get into the tunnel."
Lucas looked off into the clearing smoke and wondered if the two crazy dwarves and the lumbering corporal would be seen again. "May Sigmar and Shallyah protect them," he said in a soft voice.
Hearing the captain speak, broke Lutke's contemplation of the wizard and the ghostly familiar which Lutke was certain was somewhere around.
Lutke couldn't shake the feeling of doom, and the sense of wrongness and foulness coming closer and closer. Captain Biedelmann's suggestion of taking refuge in the tunnel seemed a good one. However, Lutke couldn't help but think he should follow Magister Albrecht. He waited to see whether if the mage would move based on the captain's command.
"All right men! You heard your Captain," Sergeant Steinmann shouts. "Let's get moving and quick. Into the tunnel, double time!"
The grizzled veteran has the knack for command, Lucas can see it immediately, hence the immediate field promotion to Sergeant. Had no one ever given the man the chance he deserved to rise in the ranks? Or was there something else holding him back?
"Move your asses, go go! If you want to live, into the tunnel!"
"What? How do I always get called out for this kind of lousy work." Aimes moans, huffing and puffing under the massive weight of the Kurgan corpse he slowly drags into the tunnel.
"Ah, shove it, Aimes!" Herr Roteshemd, the more hardy of the two men, snaps back. "If the enemy discover any hint that we were here, they may find the tunnel. We need to conceal these bodies. The Captain is only thinking ahead."
"I don't bloody see him or Steinmann lugging Morr damned bodies around." Aimes counters, pulling the badly bruised corpse behind him, a carpet of blood follows in his wake. "What I wouldn't do with just one more night with her."
"Oh, Private Aimes has himself a lady then?" Roteshemd chimes in, laughing.
"Yea, well, something like that..."
"Sergeant Steinmann, get these men marching..."
Update that title, soldier! And up to you if you want to do the same for Aimes. He may be over the post limit, but I also sense any promotion he receives wouldn't be for a while to come assuming he lives, lol.