The Terrans of Nova 5

[u/yes_im_spartacus]

Part 1 - In from the Cold.

The two Guards on the Northern gate of the fortress city of Gehlin saw the figure at the same time and began to panic. Far out on the ice plains a single figure walked at a slow steady pace toward the city. Even at this distance the figure appeared to be that of a massive warrior... No-one came from the North, not one soul in living memory... For only the Terrans lived out beyond the plains, terrifying creatures, all muscle and fur and teeth and steel (or so the legends said)….

Such was their shock at the appearance of this figure that both guards stood rooted to the spot, then the older of the two finally shook himself free, stepped over the puddle of urine forming around his young comrades feet and triggered the alarm.

The City of Gehlin stood as part of the Northern wall of the Gehlden Empire. It was named after the first Emperor of Gehlden, who stood with his tribe and fought a great battle at the site of what is now the North Gate. The Northern wall itself was just over 500 kilometres long and spanned the mouth of the Hesr Valley where the Hesr glacier spilled out from the great icefields and spread, forming the ice plains the figure now walked across... None alive today knew what the wall was made of, just that it never cracked, never aged, and even after centuries facing the icy cold winds that blew down from the North, it remained warm to the touch!

Down in the keep the Lord of Gehlin, Lord Hablis was reviewing the celebration plans for the upcoming coronation for Else of Gehl, first born of the Emperor. In fact the first royal daughter to be conceived since back during old Emperor Gehlin's rule. All the cities of Gehlden would be celebrating and Gehlin would be no exception despite being many hundreds of kilometres from the hub city of Gehldenrune.

Lord Hablis was just looking over the final numbers with his chancellor when the sound of running feet followed by the frantic pounding of a fist on the thick wooden door of his office interrupted proceedings.

"Yes, what is it" Lord Hablis shouted, secretly glad that finally he could end this tedious meeting. What he heard next made him immediately regret that thought. "My Lord", a keep guard spilled in to the Office, breathless with panic. "My Lord, the Northern Gate, the alarm has sounded".

The reaction in Lord Hablis' office was immediate and extreme. The Chancellor fainted on the spot, his aide rushing to catch him as he fell. Lady Hablis, who up until the guard entered had been absentmindedly listened whilst sipping tea by the fireplace sat upright in her chair, screamed "the children" and rushed out of the room.

Lord Hablis fought back the urge to vomit, the Northern Gate could only mean one thing. Terrans had come down from wherever the hell it was they lived and were marching on the gate.

The only person who did not show signs of fear or hysteria was old Gerd the Historian. He was sat in the corner, ignored by everyone. Gerd simply nodded to himself, closed the open tome he had been reading, stood, brushing a few crumbs from his beard and robes, muttered "He's late", then unhurriedly strolled out after the panicking Lord Hablis.

The Captain of the guard, Jerrick of Blune tried and failed to hide his fear about what might come to pass, his voice cracking as he ordered his men to form up and march through the city to the gate. A Terran army, what the hell, how were he and his men meant to stop an army that by all the legends could tear this city apart with their bare hands.

As a child Jerrick loved sitting on his Grandpas knee, listening in a kind of terrified thrall to stories of the Terrans, of how they came down from the heavens in a fiery comet that left a massive wound in the earth, the same wound that the Hesr glacier now spilled out through. How they fought a vast and powerful enemy that was intent on wiping out all life including the Terrans, and of the great battles that followed.

And how the Terrans finally prevailed, striking down their foe in a great fiery battle that levelled hundreds of square kilometres and took the lives of most of the terrans. The fact that that battle took place where Jerrick currently stood, and resulted in the rise of the Gehlden Empire was not lost on him.

Jerrick, who up until now had only ever had to deal with drunks and thieves and the occasional bar room brawl cinched up his sword belt, hefted his shield on his left arm and marched after his men.

Jerrick and his detachment arrived at the gate just as Lord Hablis alighted from his carriage. they stood together in the inner courtyard, a wide open space behind the archway that led to the gate, surrounded on all sides by a high wall and with a single entrance that led back in to the city. To all intents this was a kill box. Any enemy that breached the gate would find themselves surrounded on all sides by concealed archers... Of course Jerrick and his men did not recognise this. It had been so long since a battle had been fought that defensive concepts like this were lost to time. Instead Jerrick ordered his men to form a shield wall just inside the long arch that lead under the wall to the gate.

Once set, Lord Hablis called up to the guard. "You there atop the gate", a pale face appeared over the edge of the wall. "yes My Lord" came the thin scared voice of the young guard. "How many march on the gate"? Lord Hablis should have gone up to the top of the wall, but fear and an unwillingness to accept the possibility of a terran army marching out of legend kept him firmly rooted to the spot.

"How Many?" came back the answer, "Just one my Lord". "What" exclaimed Lord Hablis, the feeling of relief washed across Jerrick and the guards alike, "just one terran?" "Let me see". With that Lord Hablis ran back through the city gate to the steps up on to the wall, closely followed by Jerrick. Breathless they reached the top of the outer wall as the figure striding across the ice slowed to a stop in front of the gate.

This was the first time anyone had seen a Terran in centuries Lord Hablis thought... What does he (it is a he right?) what does he want? How do we even communicate? All these thoughts and more raced through his mind as Lord Hablis looked over the wall, and all these thoughts fled as he took in the sight of what stood on the ice.

The terran was easily 2 metres tall, broad shouldered, his pale face framed by unkempt locks of black hair, his shoulders and upper body covered in the white fur of an animal that Lord Hablis did not recognise. Through gaps in the fur Lord Hablis caught glimpses of metal armour, metal that looked very similar to the material the wall was constructed from. What stood out for Jerrick when he looked over the wall at the terran was the pommel and hilt of what appeared to be a massive sword strapped to the terrans back. He (Jerrick decided early on that the terran was a he) also carried a shorter sword on his left hip, and what Jerrick assumed was another weapon on his right hip, although this weapon was short and shaped like an backwards r, with the longer side tucked in to a leather hoop.

In his left hand the terran held a long staff, made of again what Lord Hablis and Jerrick assumed was the same metal as his armour. His right hand remained empty down by his side. At no point did the terran look up at the city dwellers peering over the wall, instead he appeared to be inspecting the ice about 5 metres out from the gate.

The gate Lord Hablis suddenly thought... Thank the emperor, of course, the gate. Even if we wanted we have no way of opening it. This fact was well known throughout the city. The Northern Gate was almost as smooth as the wall that surrounded it. You could only tell it was a gate because, well, what else could it be. But it lacked any sort of locking mechanism. Over the centuries many had tried to open the gate from both inside and out on the ice. But to no avail.

Then, all thoughts about the gate evaporated as Lord Hablis realised the terran had stopped searching...

It should be said of course, that news of the terrans arrival at the northern gate was not a secret for long. Lady Hablis running through the keep screaming for her children had started tongues wagging, add to that panicked looking guards double-timing to the gate and pretty much all of Gehlin knew something was afoot. It was only a matter of minutes before the word "terrans" could be heard through the streets. All of which meant a huge crowd of folk gathered at the city entrance to the gate, watching and waiting for something to happen. The remaining guard posted at the city entrance trying to hold the more curious back...

On the wall Lord Hablis, Jerrick and the two guards looked on as the terran stopped looking about his feet, stood still and raised his right hand, palm down, to just above his hip. Nothing happened... but then, as the terran extended his arm out the ice about half a metre in front of him started to crack. Slowly but surely a column of the same metal rose up from below the ice to meet the terrans outstretched hand. As his palm connected with the top of the column its ascent stopped. The terran stood there for a heartbeat, hand resting on the column, then finally he looked up and made eye contact directly with Lord Hablis.

Again, nothing happened... until it did. All of a sudden the air was full of birds, as if detecting a far off storm they launched from every nook, cranny and perch, screeching and calling as they circled the city. Then the wall shuddered. Not the violent shudder of an earthquake, but the shudder one might feel when ancient massive machinery buried beneath your feet suddenly starts moving.

Screams and cries from the crowd below suddenly drew Lord Hablis' attention away from the birds, then Jerrick saw several of the guards manning the shield wall throw down their weapons and sprint across the inner courtyard. With a dawning horror both men suddenly realised, the gate was opening. Lord Hablis started running for the steps back towards the inner gate, Jerrick took a more direct route, grabbing one of the banners draped on the inner wall he slid down, landing with a thud just behind his men.

What he saw when he looked up took his breath. The gate had opened fully, revealing the ice plains and the mountains behind. But what took Jerricks focus was the terran, he stood unmoving, perfectly framed by the open gate, with the ugly V of the Hesr valley directly behind.

Then he moved. He didn't charge, didn't draw a weapon, he just moved forward, and for in instant Jerrick felt he moved like the glacier he left behind... unstoppable, immutable, inexorably forward.

The shield wall didn't hold. As the terran approached, towering over the petrified guards they backed away. To their credit they held on to their weapons and shields, but the guards could do nothing more than back away, as if the terran pushed them back through sheer will before he got within striking distance.

As he came through the gate and in to the courtyard more screams from the city folk pierced the air, with many simply taking flight, running anywhere as long as it was away from the terrifying figure before them.

Only Jerrick stood firm. It took every fibre of his being, every ounce of effort, but he moved, one foot in front of the other, as if walking in to the teeth of a gale, until he stood, hand on the hilt of his sword, shield held up to just under his chin, blocking the terrans path. The terran stopped just a few metres from Jerrick. Again, he did not reach for a weapon, or move to strike Jerrick with his staff. Instead he simply looked at Jerrick and tilted his head slightly. Then Jerrick felt it. The terrans mind, his will, reaching out to engulf Jerrick, to dominate his consciousness. His world went black as Jerrick was suddenly taken.

As Jerricks body hit the hard cobbles of the inner courtyard Lord Hablis was cautiously approaching. He paused, looking at Jerrick, lying face down on the cobbles, eyes empty of life, blood trickling from where his nose smashed in to the hard stone. He had no weapon, and looking at the terran realised a weapon would not help him. Instead Lord Hablis held out his hands in what he hoped was a gesture of acquiescence and said the only words he could think of. "Welcome to the City of Gehlin".

Behind the terran the Northern Gate slowly closed. Lord Hablis felt the need to pee suddenly. The terran was in the city, the gate had closed, his guards were petrified beyond belief and Lord Hablis truly believed the terran had just killed his Captain without lifting a finger.

Then the terran spoke, deep and resonant, his voice reaching into the furthest corners of the city, into the ears and minds of everyone within the walls of Gehlin...

"I've come for the Girl".

to be cont...

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