"So, this is the city where the Imperial dogs imprison the daughters of the Alluvium?"
Gilgamesh, Siduri, and Ur-Namu stood with Kal'tsit and her warriors, concealed within the dense, humid forest. They silently observed the outpost before them. To them, who lacked the heavy engines of siegecraft, even these rammed-earth walls were a formidable barrier.
However, in the eyes of the Second Primarch and his veteran commanders—men who had seen the fall of great metropolises built of blue brick and fortified with archeotech—this mud-walled outpost looked like child's play.
"Correct," Kal'tsit nodded slowly, her fox-ears twitching toward the distant sound of a sentry's bell. "This is the collection point. Once they have gathered enough of our kin, they transport them in bulk to the north—to the harems and slave-pits of your central cities."
"I see... I understand." Gilgamesh nodded, his ruby eyes already calculating the structural weaknesses of the gates. He turned to Ur-Namu, his voice a cold, steady hum of authority. "Ur-Namu, since Kal'tsit has placed her trust in us, we must take this city and rescue the captives. I am giving this honor to you. Lead a task force to scale the walls and open the road from the inside."
"As you command, Lord Commander! I'll seize the gate and have the path cleared before the second watch," Ur-Namu replied. His voice betrayed a certain eagerness; he had missed the thrill of the "one-against-all" infiltrations.
"Wait," Kal'tsit interrupted, a flash of astonishment crossing her face. "You intend to simply have men climb the walls? No siege towers? No sappers? Just... climbing?"
"Kal'tsit, I've observed that the garrison here is remarkably lax," Gilgamesh explained with a calm, predatory smile. "The Empire holds your people in such contempt that they didn't feel the need for real fortifications. They never imagined a battle-hardened force from the Alluvium—one that actually knows the geometry of war—would come to knock on their door."
Kal'tsit's expression twisted at his blunt assessment, but she bit back her retort. She knew he was right. If her people's combat strength hadn't been so fragmented, she wouldn't have had to seek an alliance with these human rebels.
"I assume you have a specific plan, then?" she asked coolly.
"Heh, well... to keep casualties to a minimum, Ur-Namu and his 'vanguard' will execute a night raid. Under the shroud of total darkness, they will scale the walls, neutralize the sentries, and open the gates. Simple. Efficient."
"Is it wise to underestimate them so casually?" Kal'tsit pressed.
Gilgamesh merely chuckled, his golden armor casting a faint glow in the shadows. "You'll see for yourself tonight."
______________
Just as the King had predicted, most of the garrison had retired to their wine and dice, leaving only a few exhausted conscripts on watch. Out of pure arrogance toward the local beastmen, the sentries were negligent, their patrols predictable and slow. This was the window Ur-Namu needed.
"Move! Up the line before the next torch passes!" Ur-Namu whispered. Under Gilgamesh's orders, he had handpicked a hundred "dare-to-die" veterans from the Immortal Battalion. They reached the base of the wall like shadows cast by the moon.
The soldiers threw grappling hooks upward, the metal muffled with cloth. Once the teeth caught the rim of the earth ramparts, Ur-Namu was the first to begin the ascent. Inspired by his lead, the others followed in a rhythmic, silent climb.
In less than half an hour, the hundred commandos had reached the top. Moving with ghost-like precision, they neutralized the sentries before a single cry could be raised. Slowly, the heavy, iron-reinforced gates creaked open.
Outside, Gilgamesh and Siduri were already waiting with the main force. As the gates groaned wide, revealing the dark interior of the outpost, Gilgamesh gave a satisfied nod.
"Excellent work, Ur-Namu." A moment later, he raised his power-spear, its tip flaring with golden energy. "ASSAULT!"
The Auric Reclamation poured into the city like a flash flood. Most of the Imperial soldiers were disarmed and captured while they were still tangled in their bedsheets. There was no battle; there was only a harvest.
"Now, we find your kin," Gilgamesh said, turning to Kal'tsit as his soldiers secured the square. "Let us free them. I gave you my word."
"I know where they are," Kal'tsit replied, her animal instincts sharpening. "Follow the scent of fear."
Led by Kal'tsit and her warriors, the King and his commanders soon reached the cells. The liberation was swift. As the beastmen families tearfully reunited, the golden giant stood in the center of the courtyard, his presence making the mud walls seem even smaller.
"So... are we allies now?" Gilgamesh asked, his posture relaxed.
Kal'tsit looked at the rebel leader for a long time, her ears flicking as she processed the reality of her people's freedom. "Stranger, your actions have earned our respect. From this day forward, you may pitch your camp and settle in the Hidden Vales. And my people—all the tribes of the Beastmen—will aid you in your war against the Empire."
There was a faint, genuine note of gratitude in her voice, the sound of a debt that would be paid in blood.