Guildmaster Gumptor woke suddenly when his wife put her elbow firmly in the middle of his back.
'I don't like those guildsmen coming at all hours,' she said, shoving him towards the edge of the hard wooden bunk.
'What are you talking about?' Gumptor said, rousing slowly from a bad dream.
'Someone's throwing stones onto the roof again. I'll break their head's if they keep at it. You tell them as much or I'll come down and—'
'Okay,' Gumptor said, sitting upright on the edge of the bunk. He rubbed his face with one hand and then stepped across the room to grab a house cloak from the back of the old oak door. Slipping it on, he stepped out onto the landing and heard something thudding on the roof overhead. Gumptor winced, guessing what would come next.
'Stop that bloody banging!' his wife said.
'I'll tell them,' Gumptor said, shaking his head as he closed the door behind him. He hurried down the steep stairs, being careful not to trip over his wool slippers as he made his way through the house, past the kitchen, smelling of garlic and thyme, and all the way to the back of the house.
When he opened the back door, Guildsman Peter Turnpike was standing in the street with a handful of stones.
'For the sake of my marriage,' Gumptor said. 'Don't throw that stone!'
Turnpike saw him for the first time and lowered his hand. 'Sorry, Guildmaster.'
'Are you going tell me why you have antagonised my wife so?'
'I bring news.'
'It had better be urgent. My wife is not well and I worked late into the night. We were hoping to sleep late.'
'It's, almost lunch time, Guildmaster.'
Gumptor blinked. 'It is?'
Turnpike nodded.
'Why didn't you wake me?'
'That's what I was trying to do. I banged on the door but there was no answer.'
'Well, what is it? What's all this fuss about?'
'A Kamari army is attacking the city.'
'What?!'
'We thought you knew already but then I spoke to Guildswoman Emma Maven, and she said nobody had seen you this morning. We were beginning to fear the worst.'
Gumptor stood with his hand on the door knob while his thoughts caught up with what Turnpike was telling him. 'You'd better come in,' he said.
Turnpike filled him in on what was happening, telling him about the news channels that were now broadcasting the same message in a loop, asking the people to go at once to their nearest shelters. The people were getting agitated, and the security forces were pulling them out of their homes, taking them to places underground. Gumptor shook his head. This wasn't how it was supposed to be.
Gumptor thanked Turnpike and sent him on his way before heading back upstairs to wake his wife. He told her to go to the nearest shelter. She wasn't pleased about any of it but she stopped complaining when he told her about the Kamari army.
Once she had gone to warn the neighbours, he finished dressing and headed north, his journey taking him upstream through the Old Quarter, walking against a current of fleeing men, women and children.
Most people recognised him as they passed. He could see fear in their eyes. Some of them called out for him to turn back, saying it wasn't safe. They were running for their lives. He couldn't blame them, but Gumptor had never much liked the thought of running. He walked proud with the emblem of the Merchant Guild emblazoned across his tunic. He would see what this was all about. The guilds didn't tolerate violence. Once he found the other guildmasters, he would decide how best to face this situation. They would help the people anyway they could.
An explosion ripped a nearby box cabin in half, spewing rubble across the street. An old man turned and held up his hands, but he was too late to avoid the falling rocks. He fell onto his side, half buried by rocks and debris. Gumptor placed his spade-like hands on his hips and glared at the silver monster that loomed above him. It stood above the ruined box cabin like an enormous monster, blocking the sky.
It was true then. The Kamari army had entered Cinnamon City. All Roy's words of diplomacy had come to nothing. What had happened to working together to negotiate a change of power? Roy had promised there wouldn't be any violence. He had assured Gumptor that the Kamari weapons were only a threat - that they would never be used in anger. The Kamari were supposed to support the people of Cinnamon City, to help them achieve a democratic government so they could rule themselves rather than being the puppets of absent lords. Gumptor felt heat rising in his face. He had trusted Roy, and now the Kamari sent their war machines into the city, killing men women and children for their own gain. It was a disgrace. He would never have dealings with the man again, except in anger.
'You cowards!' he shouted at the droid above him. 'You lied to us all!'
The droid strode forwards, shaking fallen rubble from its wide, claw-like feet.
Gumptor stared up at it with disdain. He raised his voice against it as though he could strike it down with words alone. 'You have no place here! Go back where you belong.'
The droid ignored his orders. It approached with its bulbous head swaying from side to side and its weapons whining in torment. Explosions shook the ground on the other side of the street.
'What are you doing?' Guildmaster Jenny Sanworth said as she rushed up beside him. 'You'll get yourself killed.' She took his elbow in one hand and tried to pull him away but Gumptor remained planted on the ground like a mighty oak tree.
'I won't let them pass,' he said. 'This is a disgrace!'
The droid fired over his head, destroying more box cabins with a deafening roar of endless munitions.
'It's terrible,' Sanworth said, 'but we can't stay here. It will do the people no good if we get ourselves killed before we can help them.'
Gumptor looked Sanworth in the eyes. He was angry. He felt betrayed, and he was willing to give his life, but he realised she was right. These monstrosities didn't belong in Cinnamon City, but he had to use his strength wisely. He couldn't block their path through force of will alone. He loosened his stance and allowed Sanworth to guide him to the side of the street.
The towering droid strode past him, blasting its weapons at more buildings up ahead.
'Cursed machines!' Gumptor said. 'We must stop this!'
Sanworth nodded and pulled him away.