Bastards, she thought with venom. Part of her wanted to attack them now, when they least expected it. Extract her pound of flesh for what they'd done to her and others. With an effort of Will, she held herself back. Now wasn't the time.
They had glasses before the Domain shell broke, at best. How Calesca knew that, Rafny wasn't sure. The Dwarf had seen the back entrance to the Domain herself, but other than that damn kid's word, she hadn't noticed anything wrong with it. Yet he'd seemed so certain, and with the treasure hunter confirming the kid's statements it made her course of action clear.
She just hoped she wasn't too late.
Don't think about that. Just keep moving. Just wait for these Night cursed zealots to get out of the way and keep moving.
Heva reached out her crimson hand and grasped the Dwarf's own. "Hold fast, Rafny. We'll make it back in time. The gods are with us. They sent us the Fiend, after all."
Gods haven't done much for us yet, Heva. And I doubt that kid was sent by anyone, much less the gods. Rafny didn't voice her opinions though, merely gripped the Hobgoblin's hand instead. Heva had insisted on coming with her, though she wasn't as strong as some of the other Dusters that offered their help. "Thank you for coming, Heva."
The old Hobgoblin merely smiled and squeezed her hand once more before letting go.
Oveh was back at the warehouse, helping Bodie and the others. Thank the gods, Rafny thought without irony. She couldn't have dealt with two of them. Though perhaps the distraction would have helped. Bellyaching was easier than admitting to herself the actual reason for her anxiety. That might make it real.
She'd been leaving anyway on her task, but Calesca wanted her to help in another way too. Weapons and armor for her people. For their people, really. After this, they were all in it together. The Dwarven weaponsmith was more than happy to agree; the blades at her forge were aching for redcloak blood in any case.
Finally, the Inquisitor grunts turned the corner. Rafny whispered to the others. "Come, quickly."
Moving far quietly than eight people had any right to do so, Rafny and the others crossed the thoroughfare and passed into another twisting alley. Luckily it hadn't rained in days, and the hot summer sun had baked even these secluded side streets dry. Instead thick layers of dirt kicked up into a light dust as they moved to the edge of the alley. Another open road spread before them, Wending Street, brightly lit by the mid-afternoon sun.
We're close. It's just around the corner!
Heva's crimson arm grabbed the back of her gambeson and pulled her short just as the sound of clanking mail reached the Dwarf's ears. Everyone froze, still in the shadows between buildings. Carefully, Rafny peeked out.
A lone Initiate walked down the street, peering into houses as he went. He was big, for a Human, over twice again Rafny's own size and she was not slightly built. The man seemed to be still searching for stragglers.
C'mon, just keep moving.
The man stopped and turned, while a dart of fear shot up her spine. At first she thought the redcloak had heard her somehow, but her fear settled into cold dread as Rafny realized where he was looking.
Directly at the Coldfire Forge.
The Initiate quickly marched inside, bashing apart the door.
"No," Rafny whispered. Without turning to the others, she rushed forward. If Elle was still in there, if she was still alive...
The sounds of battle crashed against her senses before the weaponsmith made it to the halfway point. Metal screeched and clanged, grunts and shouts rang out, and the distinct tang of light Mana positively poured from the broken doorway. Rafny sped up, not caring if her people were behind her or not. They weren't Tempered, as she was.
Someone screamed.
Rafny burst through the entryway in time to see an armored figure collapse to the ground, seeming suddenly small as they curled over a fatal chest wound. The Initiate. Dead.
With disbelieving eyes, Rafny looked up and saw a vision in green platemail, an Adeptwork armor if she'd ever seen one. It was wrapped about a stocky, significantly curvy form, no taller than she, and the warrior yanked her short sword from the Initiate's chest with a feminine grunt.
"Elle?"
The armorsmith looked up in surprise, and her free hand lifted a visor on her peaked helmet. "Raffy? Oh, Noctis wept, you're alive!"
The two clutched at one another while the rest of her team arrived behind her, filtering into the smithy as surreptitiously as they could manage. Rafny could sense Heva holding them back a bit, murmuring something.
"Give them a moment, please."
Rafny took it, but released her wife after a few seconds longer. She stared into Elle's eyes, finding them wet and red-rimmed. How long had she been defending this place?
"Whatever's happening, it isn't going to end well, is it Raffy?" she asked.
"It's goin' south fast, Elle. They're...I can explain more when we get back. For now, we gotta pick up everything we can and bring it with us."
"Everything?"
"Whatever isn't nailed down an' we can carry, yeah," Rafny grimaced. "Weapons and armor are the priority. We might...we'll have to leave the forge."
"No," Elle said, resolute.
"Elle, please understand," Rafny pleaded. "Something bad is gonna happen. Worse than the Inquisition takin' over the town. We'll need what we can carry, and I don't have enough arms to bring the forge--"
Elle put a steel hand over Rafny's lips, gently. For some reason, the Veridian Steel felt warm. "Just listen, you hammer-headed fool. Everyone? You can come out now. It's safe."
With a murmur and shuffling, a few folks emerged from the back rooms. Then a few more. And more. And...
"Twins' breath, how many?" Rafny asked, looking over them all. She spotted a number of their apprentices and more than a couple neighbors.
"Seventy-eight, all told. Everyone I could get my hands on." Elle grinned and nudged her wife. "More than a enough arms, eh?"
Rafny couldn't help but smile. Elle always had that effect on her, even in the middle of all this.
"Everyone, come with us," Heva had stepped up and addressed the crowd. Rafny looked at her in surprise. "Grab everything you can carry."
"Where?" Someone asked.
"Somewhere safe," she said with a glance at Rafny. "Where we can make a stand."