After parting ways with Imeeya, Timaeus had made his way down the burning streets after the soldier in almost record time. That, of course, was due in part to how quickly he ran after him as the need to rescue these children was more than worth the aching cries of his smoke-filled lungs that protested the exertion. However, as he skidded to a stop to the one building that had a group of people surrounding it, Timaeus couldn’t help, but feel as if it had been in vain.
He could see smoke billowing out of the building and the slight orange glow from within told him that at the very least the first floor was on fire. His stomach dropped when he overheard someone saying that the children were trapped on the third floor. The captain could tell right away that the only way to get to them was through the flames and he knew that the only staircase within would soon be cut off if it hadn’t been already, dooming anyone who was inside. Needless to say, it was far too dangerous for anyone to go in or they would die too.
It was hopeless, anyone could see that.
Well, almost anyone.
Just as Timaeus as about to take charge of the situation and call off the effort to redirect the rescue effort to places that could make better use of the men here, a large bang roared through the space. It instantly pulled his attention to the doorway where he could see the soldier kicking down the door to force his way in. “WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!?” Timaeus screamed as he pushed his way to the doorway in an effort to haul the kid away from certain death. “Soldier! Soldier! Stand down! I order you to stand down!” Timaeus shouted uselessly as he watched his orders fall on deaf ears as he disappeared into the building.
Standing closest to the doorway, heaving as the smoke from inside filtered out into the already-hazy air, he stared incredulously at the sight of the burning house. The soldier was already too far inside to be seen and as Timaeus watched the flames in wide-eyed shock. He doubted that he would ever see him alive again. There was no way someone can walk out of that unscathed.
“No one follow him.” Timaeus said sharply as he turned to face the crowd that had now formed around the burning building. The Baron knew that he needed to now quickly divert their attention away from the spectacle that had just occurred before their eyes lest any of the younger people surrounding the house saw Maximus’s stunt as anything, but stupid and foolhardy. After all, the last thing any of them needed was a dozen teenagers with immortality complexes seeing this as an easy way to become the heroes they admired.
“Do not follow him if you value your life!” Timaeus shouted, allowing his vague, but forceful, threat to echo in every man’s ears. It did not matter to the captain how each of them interpreted his words as it was not directly clear that he was speaking of whether the flames would kill them or if the young man would haul any insubordinate men to the fylaki when all was said and done. All that was important to him right now was that they would not lose any more men in such a stupid manner. Timaeus had no faith that the soldier would be able to reach the children. Not while they were trapped on the top floor of a building that was burning from the ground up. As far as he was concerned, the soldier would be lucky to make it to the stairs… if he could even manage that.
It was just a hopeless cause. Any man with a pair of eyes and a sane mind could see that to be the case.
Not knowing the soldier or the children and not seeing any possible way any of them could make it out alive, Timaeus wanted to redirect the soldiers and citizens that were gathered around to other households. They would be of more use in finding other survivors who stood more of a chance. Yet.. the Valaoritis knew he could not give the order, no matter how sensible it was… Everyone here was too invested. He could see it in their expectant gazes that they directed at him. They were clearly waiting for him to direct them in the best course of action to save those inside. It was almost as if they expected his rank and title to give him some wisdom as to how to save four hopeless, and maybe already dead, souls from the flames.
He didn’t.
Yet Timaeus was innately aware that he needed to give them a semblance of hope that there could be a pleasant outcome to all of this. He knew from his time working with his province’s military unit that it was his job to keep those under him in high spirits, even when certain death was imminent. This was the same even though most of those here would never follow the Valaoritis into battle.
Thinking quickly, Timaeus came up with a solution that would bring them that illusion of hope while relocating the resources they had to those who needed it more.
“Listen closely!” He shouted, launching his voice above the din, “If you are strong enough to lift a sack of grain, leave us here and find those who are trapped. Do not go alone and do not put yourselves in any more danger than necessary. There are plenty of children trapped like those here. Find them and return for more men if needed!” He then paused for a moment, letting his words pass through the crowd before speaking again, “All others, quickly find anything that will hold water. A cup, a vase, a bucket… it does not matter. Once you have something, form a brigade between the house and the nearest well. We must keep the entryway clear if they are to stand a chance!”
The other soldiers spread the message to all those there and soon the group began to disperse based on Timaeus’s orders. Rather than run off to find something of his own to transport water to the house, the captain turned back to watch the curling flames just within the entryway. He eyes strained to see any sign of the soldier within the building as he also kept warily glancing about him, hoping to not see anyone else be foolish enough to try and run into the flames.
He was not about to watch anyone else run straight into Hades’s open arms, though he would be truly surprised if anyone would be foolishly brave enough to try.
Imeeya of Drakos, Maximus of Laconia
He could see smoke billowing out of the building and the slight orange glow from within told him that at the very least the first floor was on fire. His stomach dropped when he overheard someone saying that the children were trapped on the third floor. The captain could tell right away that the only way to get to them was through the flames and he knew that the only staircase within would soon be cut off if it hadn’t been already, dooming anyone who was inside. Needless to say, it was far too dangerous for anyone to go in or they would die too.
It was hopeless, anyone could see that.
Well, almost anyone.
Just as Timaeus as about to take charge of the situation and call off the effort to redirect the rescue effort to places that could make better use of the men here, a large bang roared through the space. It instantly pulled his attention to the doorway where he could see the soldier kicking down the door to force his way in. “WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!?” Timaeus screamed as he pushed his way to the doorway in an effort to haul the kid away from certain death. “Soldier! Soldier! Stand down! I order you to stand down!” Timaeus shouted uselessly as he watched his orders fall on deaf ears as he disappeared into the building.
Standing closest to the doorway, heaving as the smoke from inside filtered out into the already-hazy air, he stared incredulously at the sight of the burning house. The soldier was already too far inside to be seen and as Timaeus watched the flames in wide-eyed shock. He doubted that he would ever see him alive again. There was no way someone can walk out of that unscathed.
“No one follow him.” Timaeus said sharply as he turned to face the crowd that had now formed around the burning building. The Baron knew that he needed to now quickly divert their attention away from the spectacle that had just occurred before their eyes lest any of the younger people surrounding the house saw Maximus’s stunt as anything, but stupid and foolhardy. After all, the last thing any of them needed was a dozen teenagers with immortality complexes seeing this as an easy way to become the heroes they admired.
“Do not follow him if you value your life!” Timaeus shouted, allowing his vague, but forceful, threat to echo in every man’s ears. It did not matter to the captain how each of them interpreted his words as it was not directly clear that he was speaking of whether the flames would kill them or if the young man would haul any insubordinate men to the fylaki when all was said and done. All that was important to him right now was that they would not lose any more men in such a stupid manner. Timaeus had no faith that the soldier would be able to reach the children. Not while they were trapped on the top floor of a building that was burning from the ground up. As far as he was concerned, the soldier would be lucky to make it to the stairs… if he could even manage that.
It was just a hopeless cause. Any man with a pair of eyes and a sane mind could see that to be the case.
Not knowing the soldier or the children and not seeing any possible way any of them could make it out alive, Timaeus wanted to redirect the soldiers and citizens that were gathered around to other households. They would be of more use in finding other survivors who stood more of a chance. Yet.. the Valaoritis knew he could not give the order, no matter how sensible it was… Everyone here was too invested. He could see it in their expectant gazes that they directed at him. They were clearly waiting for him to direct them in the best course of action to save those inside. It was almost as if they expected his rank and title to give him some wisdom as to how to save four hopeless, and maybe already dead, souls from the flames.
He didn’t.
Yet Timaeus was innately aware that he needed to give them a semblance of hope that there could be a pleasant outcome to all of this. He knew from his time working with his province’s military unit that it was his job to keep those under him in high spirits, even when certain death was imminent. This was the same even though most of those here would never follow the Valaoritis into battle.
Thinking quickly, Timaeus came up with a solution that would bring them that illusion of hope while relocating the resources they had to those who needed it more.
“Listen closely!” He shouted, launching his voice above the din, “If you are strong enough to lift a sack of grain, leave us here and find those who are trapped. Do not go alone and do not put yourselves in any more danger than necessary. There are plenty of children trapped like those here. Find them and return for more men if needed!” He then paused for a moment, letting his words pass through the crowd before speaking again, “All others, quickly find anything that will hold water. A cup, a vase, a bucket… it does not matter. Once you have something, form a brigade between the house and the nearest well. We must keep the entryway clear if they are to stand a chance!”
The other soldiers spread the message to all those there and soon the group began to disperse based on Timaeus’s orders. Rather than run off to find something of his own to transport water to the house, the captain turned back to watch the curling flames just within the entryway. He eyes strained to see any sign of the soldier within the building as he also kept warily glancing about him, hoping to not see anyone else be foolish enough to try and run into the flames.
He was not about to watch anyone else run straight into Hades’s open arms, though he would be truly surprised if anyone would be foolishly brave enough to try.
Imeeya of Drakos, Maximus of Laconia