Erica was glad to be fit, for between all the walking and the combat, she had been active for several hours since departing the Invictus. The rain wasn't helping things, though Erica had withstood worse downpours on guard duty in Copperwood. Forest parted to the view of a set of large stone walls with towers spread out across it, and a gatehouse with a dark metal portcullis barring entry. Erica noted that the walls were constructed of blocks of stone rather than one shaped mass.

"Looks like the rain's letting up," Damon said softly, "Good. Better for visibility."

"This is a major city, isn't it?" Erica asked, "Where are we now?"

"Those are the prodigious walls of the city of Watersteel, the point at the end of the continent of Bladefell. Everything to the east, south, and west of here is ocean, barring the city itself of course."

Erica looked around, "Even with my limited experience, I can tell that it's too quiet here."

"Given that the Diezens are based out of Bellhold, it would make sense for Watersteel to have been hit first in their invasion. Which is why the Altean Army has an increased presence here, but our mechans must have been dispatched quickly if they couldn't get word out in time." Damon's expression darkened. "There's no telling what we'll find in there. Be ready for anything."

Erica felt her stomach drop. She didn't want to think of what atrocities she might see inside these walls, but if there were any survivors it was her duty to help them. She clenched her fist before relaxing her hand.

Damon was surveying the wall in front of them. "Now, as for getting in, walls like this tend to have a sheet of metal in them to foil attempts to simply shape a hole and walk on through. This gatehouse, and likely all the others, are not options either."

"Could we shape steps going to the top of the wall and then descend the steps built into the other side of the it? It looks like guards were posted up there," Erica observed.

"Using the surrounding dirt and stone to make the steps and avoid damage to the wall...? Clever thinking. You're getting the hang of being a shaper fairly quickly."

"Thanks," Erica mumbled as Damon walked towards the wall. With the raising of two fingers he raised a set of stairs leading up to the top of the wall's rampart. The two of them then went up the stairs and stepped onto the wall. Stretching out before them were countless buildings, tiled roofs arrayed row after row stretching ahead of them. Erica was stunned for a moment, she had never seen so much civilization in one place before. Copperwood and Zellas were quite small by comparison. Damon showed no such wonder as he descended the steps on the inside of the wall to street level. Erica followed, shifting her view from tiled roofs to cobbled streets and brick walls. Everything was still, doors broken in or otherwise ajar. They stepped forth through puddles and over rain-slicked stone, keeping to the walls. They ducked into a side street as a patrol of Diezen mechans approached.

"Do we take them out?" Erica whispered.

"Not yet," Damon looked up, maiga swelling around his legs, "For now we go up."

With a surge of power aiding him, Damon jumped up, landing on the top corner of the roof before moving forward and disappearing from sight. Hearing the clanging of steel feet against the cobbles, Erica mustered maiga into her own legs and followed Damon, leaping into the air with a surge of force she couldn't normally muster. Now on the roof, she could see Damon ahead of her hopping from rooftop to rooftop, careful not to slip on the slippery tiles. Following his lead, she moved as fast as she dared to catch up. Damon leapt across the street ahead of them with maiga assistance, checking over his shoulder once on the other side. Erica looked below before continuing, looking for any other Diezen patrols and seeing a trio of robed figures with firearms sweeping the street. Taking a few steps back to get a running start, she jumped the width of the street with a burst of maiga, arms circling to keep herself steady midair.

Erica and Damon continued this for several blocks with only the occasional slip, ending the rooftop stint when they reached a large square that backed onto a harbour. All but one ship there were smoking wrecks, half submerged with burnt masts askew in the air. The ship that remained appeared to be a sizeable merchant vessel, though the addition of the fanged Diezen bull's skull insignia on the flag indicated a more sinister ownership. Cultists were loading crates onto the ship with mechans standing guard around them, looking around tensely. In the square itself stalls were overturned and shoved aside to make room for multiple gaggles of people being held hostage by Diezens, both cultists and mechans surrounding them. Erica could hear distressed murmurings from the crowds, but their captors would bark at them for silence and it came. Her and Damon were crouching behind the edge of the foremost roof, trying to avoid detection from the large force of Diezens that were present.

"There have to be several hundred people down there," Erica mused, "How are we going to save them all?"

"I like that that's where your head's at. They are indeed our priority, but if we can stop that ship from sailing out as well we'll have stopped as much of the Diezens' plans as we could. Look," Damon pointed at a somewhat larger mechan on the docks, directing the loaders with oversized hands with fingers that glinted in the light. "The Black Apostle is here as well, so they know we're on our way and are trying to make off with what they can."

"But they don't know we're here yet because we didn't tip off any of the patrols. How are we dealing with this then?"

"With a lot of shaping. I want you to dispatch the Diezen mechans guarding the civilians while I deal with the living cultists. We're going to disable all of them at once."

Erica looked over at him, "You sure that's a good idea? I've already overloaded once."

"If I'm right about how your shaping works, it would take more than this to push you over that edge again."

"What about The Black Apostle? If I have to fight him again it could force me to overexert myself."

"I'll handle him if it comes to that. For now, focus on dealing with each of the Diezen mechans in the square. Take what time you need to gather your power, then we'll attack at the same time."

Holding out her right hand, palm to the sky, Erica focused the surrounding maiga into a ball of electric power. The crackling sphere grew until she was confident it was enough to deal with each mechan that was standing around the crowds. Nodding to Damon, he counted down, "Three, two, one, now!"

As he planted a palm to the roof they were crouched on, Erica thrust her hand to the sky. A bolt exploded into the overhead clouds. As everyone looked up, lightning fell from multiple points in the clouds, lancing the Diezen mechans from head to toe in a thunderous cacophony. As the sky erupted with light, the earth below jumped up and encased the Diezen cultists, keeping them from bringing their arms to bear. Panicked screams filled the air as lightning struck, in some cases mere paces from the hostages. The struck mechans fell over as their maiga harnesses shattered within their chests while the cultists struggled in vain against their restraints. The Diezens on the docks froze and stared at the spectacle of power before them before The Black Apostle thrust a hand forward and barked an order. The remaining mechans surged forth while the cultists abandoned the unloaded cargo and boarded the ship with The Black Apostle.

"Go, protect the people!" Damon jumped off the roof and ran forth, launching firebolts at the most forward Diezen mechans.

Erica vaulted down and charged, drawing her saber and surrounding its blade with an electric field. She struck down those with guns using bolts of lightning from her sword and cut down those with melee weapons as they got near with powerful swings from her prosthetic. In mere moments she had felled six of them as she reached the far side of the square. Looking around, there seemed to be no more Diezens between her and the ship, though the vessel had dropped its sails and was already a good distance out of the harbour. Erica flicked her blade at the ship, sending another bolt of lightning to strike it in the back of its upper hull.

"Stop! We don't know if you'll hit any of the cultists doing that!" Damon startled her with the force of the order.

She looked back sheepishly, kicking herself for not thinking of that risk. "So we just let them go?"

Damon caught up to her, looking at the rapidly shrinking frame of the ship as cultists were rushing to put out the fire Erica had started, "Looking after the people here takes priority, as much as it pains me to miss the opportunity to deny the Diezens whatever they did manage to load onto that ship. We'll get another chance at The Apostle as well, I'm sure."

Erica turned from the salty sea air to face the square again. The hostages had started to cautiously fan out, stepping around bound cultists and felled mechans. Spotting Damon and Erica, some of them rushed forth with cries of joy, a large crowd forming around their saviours. Erica sheathed her saber before the first of the rescues reached her, a sudden throng of bodies trying to shake her hands and thanking her profusely. All kinds of people were here, with humans, kroll, and even the diminutive guhr, bald humanoids with grey to copper armoured skin and large pointed ears and noses, present. One brownish guhr was tugging on her pant leg as a slate grey kroll and an elderly dark skinned human were shaking her hands. The entire horde of people was converging on her, pushing and bustling to get in and thank her. The human shaking her prosthetic hand was now looking at it, perplexed as to why it wasn't flesh and blood.

Erica was utterly overwhelmed, she had never seen this many people in one place before, let alone have all of them focused on her. "Hold on-! Hey-! Can you-! Stop that-!"

A sudden pressure filled the air, nearly knocking Erica a step to the side. Everyone turned to look at the pressure's source, and at its center was Damon. He was exerting force on the surrounding air, quelling the crowd and forcing them all a few steps back. He continued doing this as he walked up to Erica, lessening the pressure aimed at her as he did so.

"I'm sorry about their enthusiasm, this is fairly normal after we fend off Diezen activity. Normally it isn't this concentrated, though."

"That's alri-" Erica felt a sudden wave of fatigue wash over her, staggering to stay on her feet.

Damon caught and steadied her, "You've done a lot today, and enough for now. Come with me." 

They walked through the crowd as Damon dropped his pressure. They clamoured around the Alteans, trying to get their questions and gratitude through. Erica couldn't make out any of it, as the words were overlapping and she wasn't able to focus on anything but putting one foot in front of the other. As they reached the building they had initially launched their attack from, Damon sat Erica down against the wall before turning to the crowd.

"Now I know you've been through a lot, but there is still danger out there as there are still Diezens patrolling the streets. Please take shelter while I flush out the remaining forces."

His voice was amplified with maiga so that he could be heard over the crowd. As Erica focused on his words, she wondered what she should be doing. Resting, if her current condition was any indication. But as she registered the crowd pulling back toward the docks, she realized that she had lost track of Damon. She could hear explosions a few moments later dotted with gunfire, that must have been him engaging the remaining patrols. Erica tried standing again, but had to sit back down as she got dizzy. Using her right arm made it worse, so she let it lie limp at her side as she pushed a damp lock of hair out of her face.

They had done it, her and Damon had saved all these people. She allowed herself a smile, the pain she had endured was worth it if it meant they were safe. 

"Excuse me," A middle aged, copper scaled kroll approached, "We know who Damon Arbiter is, and are familiar with the Altean Army. However, I don't think any of us know of a human woman working with him. Though, that coat and matrix maigum seem to indicate you're with the Army as well...?"

Erica sat up straighter, "Yes, I'm the Army's new hire. What of it?"

"Oh, I see. We wanted to know more about our mystery rescuer, since shaping that potent is rare. You gave me quite the fright when the sky split and struck the Diezen standing scant meters from me! Or were you the one who trapped these damnable cultists? Or... did you do both?" The kroll's eyes went wide at the possibility.

"No, I was responsible for the lightning. Damon detained the cultists. I'm sorry you had to go through all this, I can only imagine how it was to be rounded up by the Diezens."

The kroll's expression turned blank, his eyes staring vacantly somewhere past Erica. A few uncomfortable moments passed, and just as she was about to say something, his eyes focused again. "We can put that behind us now, thanks to you. If you'll excuse me..."

"Of course," Erica said quietly as the kroll turned around and trundled back to the crowd who had been watching intently. They were murmuring amongst themselves, more nervous than before now that Damon had gone and they were left on their own. People were asking the kroll numerous questions once he returned, though Erica suspected he couldn't answer most of their questions given the tone and expressions surrounding him. 

Her stomach suddenly let her know that it was empty with a pang of hunger. Remembering her satchel, she shifted it so that she could fish out a ration bar from it. Grimacing at it, she nonetheless mustered her prosthetic into motion to peel away the paper wrapping so she could bite into the dubious substance militaries the world over considered food. She kept an eye out for any more curious citizens, but no one else came up to her as she ate and took sips from a canteen she also pulled from the satchel. 

Half an hour passes, the sounds of Damon fighting dying out as he finished locating and neutralizing Diezen patrols in the city. After a few more minutes of relative quiet, he was standing next to Erica once more.

"How are you faring?" Damon asked. He looked over the discarded ration wrappings with an unreadable expression, "It's good that you're resting."

Erica inhaled before blowing a breath out from her mouth, "I hardly have a choice, my body has just about had it with all the fighting and shaping. I have no idea how you still have the energy to move around like that."

"Call it my gift and my curse. Everyone here keeping safe?"

The crowd had not missed that Damon had returned. Many sets of eyes were on him, and the chatter picked up from the murmurs of before. 

"I haven't noticed anyone trying to be brave and go back into the city," Erica said, "But what are we gonna do now that the city is cleared?"

Damon turns from her to face the masses of people in the square. He shouted, "Can I have your attention, please! I require the help of a local to open the city gates to allow my forces to provide aid."

"Why should we help 'Demon Arbiter'?" A distant voice heckled, "You took your sweet time to help us!"

"This wouldn't have happened if you never pushed the Diezens to become a power!" Another voice, more bereaved, rang out.

Erica bristled. There were still those who opposed the Altean Army's existence, she knew. These people were just saved by the Army, but were still willing to tear them down? She made to stand up, to shout back, but Damon answered before she could get her feet under her.

"I know I was late. For that, I deeply apologize." He bowed his head. "However, the Altean Army is here now and ready to help. I just need someone with knowledge on the gates to help me open them to let us in."

There was a clamouring coming from the assembled people. Concern, frustration, fury, confusion, sorrow. Erica could hear notes of each coming from them, tinting the feel of the ambient maiga. She stood now, leaning against the wall to steady herself. She was stowing her canteen when a burly woman stepped forth from the group.

"I serve with the city guard, I can help you." She announced, shushing the crowd somewhat. 

Damon lifted his head, "Thank you. Please, lead the way. Everyone else, you may return to your homes if you wish. The Altean Army will come to you to provide any aid necessary." 

As the two moved into the street leading away from the square, Erica watched the rounded up crowd begin to disperse, talking amongst themselves as the went toward an uncertain future.