"You do realize that I could have you just shot down with some crossbows, right?"<br/><br/>"Whereas you realize at the same time that I would have known so, yet I came here alone. It stayed your hand well enough, I suppose." Morr answered the newly-promoted captain of the guard.<br/><br/>"Well... why are you here?" the man was of average stature, a short black beard adorning his middle-aged face.<br/><br/>"I wish to know, why this negligence? Those who commanded your predecessor, let alone your predecessor himself, certainly they were aware that this neglect had to lead to this very moment, the peasantry having risen in a bloody rage, outnumbering you by the hundreds?"<br/><br/>"I have no idea. We received our orders from the former captain, who in turn received his from the magistrate..." the man paused "My last and, since my promotion, only orders were to hold this gate, sent by a messenger. No one has seen the magistrate himself for days, if not weeks."<br/><br/>Strange, Morr would have remarked "Beyond that, I must question both your own sanity and morality. Certainly, you and others of the rank you held before the former captain's demise should have been able to see this disaster coming? And how were you able to live with yourself?"<br/><br/>The new captain spat on the ground "The law must be followed, that is the truth by which every guard lives. Without us, there would be nothing but chaos. Besides that, I personally, along with some others, refused several of the more brainbusting orders, like one to set a fucking orphanage on fire! I guess I was only promoted because barely anyone else is left. Look over there." he gestured up to a tower, three guards visible, staring down at them blankly "These guys were discussing to just refuse to fight altogether, some of those in town are their families after all."<br/><br/>Setting orphanages on fire? That sounded, no matter how heineous the act itself, almost comically insane. Had those fools wanted for the population to start their uprising?<br/><br/>Thinking of that, Morr could only ask "How did this town not manage to rise up before I came?"<br/><br/>"Oh, they did. Which was why we were so fast to respond when you had your little move, hero." again, he spat "Though we weren't nearly prepared for a town-wide uprising of several hundreds. But now, why are you here, just to ask questions? Or have you finally seen that this riot is nothing but an insane suicide run. Sure, they will most likely be able to overwhelm us guards and kill all the fat idiots up there- " he pointed with his thumb backwards over his shoulder "But after that, the Emperor will not look kindly upon one of his towns setting itself up as rogue." he sternly looked at Morr "You know what I'm talking about. It will be a whole-sale slaughter."<br/><br/>Morr had come to that conclusion long ago "I am waiting."<br/><br/>"So you are, but what for?"<br/><br/>Hearing the heavy thudding of many feet on the stone behind him, Morr answered "Them."<br/><br/>The people had arrived.