Isolde opened her mouth to object but Cedric was already out the door, bellowing into the chaos. Hilde pushed Gilbrecht’s stiffening corpse of the bed so it landed with a thump and was concealed behind the low straw mattress.

“We have to get out of here,” Hilde declared urgently, digging through a trunk for a clean shirt even as she stripped off her blood stained garment. Isolde watched her for a moment longer, what had passed between the pistoleer and Gilbrecht. She felt more and more certain that attempted rape was not it, but she had bigger problems to worry about just now.

Hilde pushed roughly past the mage and started trotting down the hallway. Isolde scurried to keep up, not wanting to be left alone. The two women circled downwards on the stone stairs. Hilde drew a pistol from her belt, although more from habit than current need. Isolde grabbed her arm, forcing the other woman to pay attention to her.

“No one wants out of this place more than me, but we don’t even know who is out there,” Isolde declared.

“Yes we do,” Hilde responded with a bone deep certainty.

-----------------------------------------
The wave of screaming beastmen hit the wall, the breach wasn’t complete yet, or even nearly complete, but fallen rubble had made a ramp of sort and they were determined to be first to feast upon the defenders. The nightmarish tide of fur, horns and flesh surged against the battlement.

The defenders hacked and slashed but they were disorganised and scattered. Runners were dispatched for orders from Sir Gilbrecht, but he hadn’t been found. Some knights refused to even leave the central citadel, determined to guard whatever precious artefact was concealed there.

The Hell Cannon roared again, its flaming projectile pulping a score of beastmen climbing towards the breach. The night was filled with the smell of burning meat and scorched hair.