TBA
Wagon Member
- Last Seen: 7 yrs ago
- Joined: 9 yrs ago
- Posts: 41 (0.01 / day)
- VMs: 0
-
Username history
- Wagon 9 yrs ago
Status
User has no status, yet
Bio
User has no bio, yet
Most Recent Posts
Chapter 18: The king's men
The king took a deep breath and turned around to walk out of the room. He descended the stairs again and beckoned over his two remaining knights, which swiftly scurried over to their monarch. "Sword.", he concisely commanded. Sir Richard procured the king's sword and extended it with the hilt first, presumably he had found it out on the street when they stumbled upon the royal. Leofric grasped his weapon and eyed it over briefly. Despite a prolonged use, the blade remained in pristine condition. Leofric and his knights had their weapons crafted from a metal commonly known as Skysteel in the Northlands. Skysteel was extremely durable and tough, but also rare and was only found in the mines located in the peaks of the northernmost mountains in the kingdom, where the metal received its name from.
Leofric clenched his left hand and looked up. "Our reinforcements are here. Sir Arthur is descending the northern hills with a vast army as we speak. We'll hold the manor until he has retaken the town. This will be the first place our lads will come looking.", he leered to both knights in turn, waiting for their response. They both nodded. Leofric shuffled past the two knights to find Hal, whom he suspected was occupied somewhere in a vacant room with forging an escape plan of sorts. A sudden shout caused him to stop and turn around. One of the soldiers that kept watch by one of the windows next to the manor entrance took a few steps back and pointed somewhere on the outside. "They're coming! The bastards are actually coming this way! They've found us!"
Leofric hurried over to the nearest window and glanced outside. Across the plaza he could see a large group of Raylian soldiers approaching, and he swiftly counted up to at least thirty of them. A few of them pointed towards the manor and shortly after the enemy troop set off into a jog. Leofric sighed and stepped away from the window, his right hand reaching for the grip of his sword. "Rally to me! We've got a fight on our hands!"
Around the manor his men sprung to attention and rushed over to form up infront of the entrance with raised shields, at least those that still had them. A door to one of the side-rooms opened up and from it came Captain Hal running out who swiftly joined up with the rest. Sir Richard and Sir Rodges walked off to the sides and took up places by a window each on either side of the entrance door, their hawkish eyes staring out at the approaching enemy with ruthless determination. Hal appeared at Leofric's side and extended a spare shield, though he dismissed it with a hand gesture. The officer shrugged a shoulder and grabbed the shield for himself before barging past the formed up soldiers to take the front.
Leofric eyeballed the few men he had left. They had formed up in ranks of four, and the narrow entrance would serve to their advantage. They just had to keep the Raylians from flooding in too many at once. He could now hear voices from the enemy outside, and something hard suddenly hit the door. Leofric's men had naturally locked the door behind them, but it was no gate by any means. The Raylians would have it off the hinges within moments. Something hit the door again, judging by its force it must have been a ram, makeshift or otherwise. Leofric took another breath and braced himself.
The town was within clear view now, and what he saw fueled his resentment. A steady stream of enemy soldiers rushed in through the massive gap in the wall and much of the town still stood smoking. Arthur's lips formed into a thin line in silent bitterness and his left hand tightened its grip around the reins of his partially armored destrier. Voices reached his ears from the town as the Raylians spotted them and begun to form up outside the broken walls. Arthur guessed that most of their men were inside Lowburg at this point, as the ranks forming consisted of a meagre few hundred men. He turned his eyes away from the enemy and looked at his own advancing down the hillside, near five thousand of them, with the majority sitting on horseback, and behind him waited the other half of the "Liberation Army" as some of the men had taken to calling themselves.
Trumpets and battle-drums sounded through the air as the first half of the army reached the bottom of the hills and its archers unleashed volley upon volley at the outnumbered Raylians. After having sufficiently weakened the enemy the trumpets culminated in rapid succession, signalling the charge. The first few ranks broke off and stormed ahead with a mighty warcry, causing some of the lesser courageous Raylians to turn tail and run. Meanwhile, the one and a half thousand horsemen on the right flank wheeled in and spurred their four-legged companions into a vicious charge, simultaneously clashing into the side of the Raylian force as the infantrymen barged into their front, resulting in a swift but bloody end to the Raylian resistance.
Arthur turned around in his saddle and made a gesture with his hand, ushering the remaining five thousand men onwards. "Take back the town! Find the king!", and then urged his destrier down the hill, followed by a contingent of knights. The horsemen spread out and circled around Lowburg to mop up whatever Raylian soldiers remained outside, while Arthur and his knights and led the four thousand infantrymen into the town itself. The soldiers branched off into the various streets of Lowburg and sound of battle quickly picked up. Arthur rode for the manor and encountered barely any resistance on the way, whatever Raylian that happened to stand in their way was quickly cut down on the move.
Finally he reached the plaza before the manor and held in his horse, followed suit by the other knights. The manor sat silent, its front door breached. Arthur frowned deeply and swung a leg over the saddle to dismount while gesturing for the other knights to do the same. He ordered five of his men to remain with the horses while he gathered the others and marched off towards the manor.
"Let's go. For all our sake I hope the king is still alive."
The king took a deep breath and turned around to walk out of the room. He descended the stairs again and beckoned over his two remaining knights, which swiftly scurried over to their monarch. "Sword.", he concisely commanded. Sir Richard procured the king's sword and extended it with the hilt first, presumably he had found it out on the street when they stumbled upon the royal. Leofric grasped his weapon and eyed it over briefly. Despite a prolonged use, the blade remained in pristine condition. Leofric and his knights had their weapons crafted from a metal commonly known as Skysteel in the Northlands. Skysteel was extremely durable and tough, but also rare and was only found in the mines located in the peaks of the northernmost mountains in the kingdom, where the metal received its name from.
Leofric clenched his left hand and looked up. "Our reinforcements are here. Sir Arthur is descending the northern hills with a vast army as we speak. We'll hold the manor until he has retaken the town. This will be the first place our lads will come looking.", he leered to both knights in turn, waiting for their response. They both nodded. Leofric shuffled past the two knights to find Hal, whom he suspected was occupied somewhere in a vacant room with forging an escape plan of sorts. A sudden shout caused him to stop and turn around. One of the soldiers that kept watch by one of the windows next to the manor entrance took a few steps back and pointed somewhere on the outside. "They're coming! The bastards are actually coming this way! They've found us!"
Leofric hurried over to the nearest window and glanced outside. Across the plaza he could see a large group of Raylian soldiers approaching, and he swiftly counted up to at least thirty of them. A few of them pointed towards the manor and shortly after the enemy troop set off into a jog. Leofric sighed and stepped away from the window, his right hand reaching for the grip of his sword. "Rally to me! We've got a fight on our hands!"
Around the manor his men sprung to attention and rushed over to form up infront of the entrance with raised shields, at least those that still had them. A door to one of the side-rooms opened up and from it came Captain Hal running out who swiftly joined up with the rest. Sir Richard and Sir Rodges walked off to the sides and took up places by a window each on either side of the entrance door, their hawkish eyes staring out at the approaching enemy with ruthless determination. Hal appeared at Leofric's side and extended a spare shield, though he dismissed it with a hand gesture. The officer shrugged a shoulder and grabbed the shield for himself before barging past the formed up soldiers to take the front.
Leofric eyeballed the few men he had left. They had formed up in ranks of four, and the narrow entrance would serve to their advantage. They just had to keep the Raylians from flooding in too many at once. He could now hear voices from the enemy outside, and something hard suddenly hit the door. Leofric's men had naturally locked the door behind them, but it was no gate by any means. The Raylians would have it off the hinges within moments. Something hit the door again, judging by its force it must have been a ram, makeshift or otherwise. Leofric took another breath and braced himself.
The town was within clear view now, and what he saw fueled his resentment. A steady stream of enemy soldiers rushed in through the massive gap in the wall and much of the town still stood smoking. Arthur's lips formed into a thin line in silent bitterness and his left hand tightened its grip around the reins of his partially armored destrier. Voices reached his ears from the town as the Raylians spotted them and begun to form up outside the broken walls. Arthur guessed that most of their men were inside Lowburg at this point, as the ranks forming consisted of a meagre few hundred men. He turned his eyes away from the enemy and looked at his own advancing down the hillside, near five thousand of them, with the majority sitting on horseback, and behind him waited the other half of the "Liberation Army" as some of the men had taken to calling themselves.
Trumpets and battle-drums sounded through the air as the first half of the army reached the bottom of the hills and its archers unleashed volley upon volley at the outnumbered Raylians. After having sufficiently weakened the enemy the trumpets culminated in rapid succession, signalling the charge. The first few ranks broke off and stormed ahead with a mighty warcry, causing some of the lesser courageous Raylians to turn tail and run. Meanwhile, the one and a half thousand horsemen on the right flank wheeled in and spurred their four-legged companions into a vicious charge, simultaneously clashing into the side of the Raylian force as the infantrymen barged into their front, resulting in a swift but bloody end to the Raylian resistance.
Arthur turned around in his saddle and made a gesture with his hand, ushering the remaining five thousand men onwards. "Take back the town! Find the king!", and then urged his destrier down the hill, followed by a contingent of knights. The horsemen spread out and circled around Lowburg to mop up whatever Raylian soldiers remained outside, while Arthur and his knights and led the four thousand infantrymen into the town itself. The soldiers branched off into the various streets of Lowburg and sound of battle quickly picked up. Arthur rode for the manor and encountered barely any resistance on the way, whatever Raylian that happened to stand in their way was quickly cut down on the move.
Finally he reached the plaza before the manor and held in his horse, followed suit by the other knights. The manor sat silent, its front door breached. Arthur frowned deeply and swung a leg over the saddle to dismount while gesturing for the other knights to do the same. He ordered five of his men to remain with the horses while he gathered the others and marched off towards the manor.
"Let's go. For all our sake I hope the king is still alive."
Chapter 17: Uneven odds
The spear whistled over his head, and he swear he could have heard it rasp against the helmet. No matter. Leofric weighed the sword in his right hand and reached out to tap the knight's shoulder infront of him with the left, signalling them to advance. They were slowly losing the battle over the barricades, simply by the fact that they were severely outnumbered. It was all or nothing now. If the gates fell, then all would be lost. He raised a hand above his head, gesturing forward while shouting at the reserves holding behind the barricades. "Go! Move in!"
The soldiers formed up in squares steadily advanced to reinforce their struggling comrades at the barricades. So far they had not been breached at any location, but the number of fallen black-clad northerners were alarming enough. The sight of fresh troops filtering in to reinforce the barricades seemed to cause the Raylians at the front to waver. A few started to push themselves backwards, gradually followed on by their brethren behind them. Leofric heard a few of his men taunt the enemy or cheer, believing that the battle had turned - that they had inflicted enough damage to the enemy. But the way the Raylians retreated suggested otherwise. It wasn't a blind rush in retreat, but rather a disciplined, orderly fall-back at a steady pace. Someone had called them back from the gates.
Leofric twitched a frown. The enemy had another trick up their sleeve, must've had. Before he could collect his thoughts and decide what to do next, a loud crack emitted from the sky above them, similar to that of a lightning strike. He looked up, and what he saw perplexed him. It seemed like the very sky was stirring, the clouds gathered together, as if someone was reeling them in. After forming into one, large mass, the clouds started to shift and slither downwards in an uncanny way. A chill went down Leofric's spine as he relised what was happening. Magic.
The wind got fiercer as the clouds encroached closer to the ground, before disappearing beyond the wall. Leofric turned on his heels and quickly ran to the side, towards a set of stairs leading up the wall. Reaching the top, he could see the Raylian force below, patiently waiting in silent ranks. The clouds, the magical abberation, kept going north, before it took a sudden turn and rushed back towards Lowburg. Leofric clutched the wall with a hand, watching as the conjuration picked up in speed and flew like a bolt toward the gates. He knew what was happening, but they were never going to get away in time. Regardless, he turned around and yelled down to his men behind the barricades, who had also spotted the strange event occuring above. "Retreat! Fall back! Fall back!"
Before anyone could react, the mass of clouds and air struck against the gate with a force worthy of Gods. It tore the gate and parts of the wooden wall clean off, throwing pieces of lumber and splitter into all directions. Leofric witnessed for only a second how his men behind the barricades were thrown backwards into the buildings behind, before the wall he stood on gave away. The world spun around, nothing was beneath his feet anymore. He felt the wind tear and drag in his cloak as he realised he was flying through the air, before he hit something hard, and an excruciating pain rushed through his back - his helmet was torn off and he felt the sword slip out of his grasp. White and black flashed before his eyes until he finally landed on something partially soft, but it knocked the breath out of him all the same. He gasped for air, his head was ringing. He blindly reached around for something to grab on to but only grasped nothingness. He groaned internally and dropped his arm, but someone grabbed his hand before it reached the ground. More hands grabbed him, and he was helped up to his feet. His vision was still blurry, but he could make out dark silhouettes around him. Whoever had grabbed him started to move, dragging Leofric with them. His boots dragged behind him, his feet unwilling to cooperate with him.
The world was blinking in and out from his conciousness and he wasn't sure how much time had passed. When he came to his senses and looked around he saw that he was inside a building with rich decorations, lush plants and impressive paintings. There was only one place in Lowburg that could have this, and he concluded in his spinning head that he must've been inside the manor. He blinked sluggishly and looked ahead, watching as a figure kneeled down before him with someone in their hand. The tip of a waterskin was pressed to his lips, and he sub-conciously took a healthy swig, ending up with a coughing fit. The pain in the back was still present, and also felt his head pounding now. He focused his vision at the person kneeling infront of him, and eventually recognised the man as one of his knights. His visor was up, exposing a grizzled face and greying hair. It took a moment for Leofric to recall the knight's name - Sir Rodges.
"Sire? Sire, can you hear me?" the knight inquired. Leofric groaned and mustered to nod his head. "Are we in the manor?"
The knight nodded, looking aside. "Yes, Sire. We found you a distance away from the gates and managed to take you here."
Leofric blinked again and turned his head to the right, registering a few more men inside the manor. But they weren't many, he counted only fifteen. "Who made it?"
"Captain Hal and group of soldiers, as well as myself and Sir Richard. As soon the gate was gone the Raylians stormed inside, butchering all of our men. We barely escaped with our lives."
Leofric gritted his teeth as another painful surge rushed through him. "And the southern wall?"
"Don't know, Sire. From what we can tell they didn't make. So far there's been so sign of other survivors in the streets." Rodges replied with a pinch of bitterness in his voice. "But the manor is secure for now. I don't think anyone saw us coming up here."
Leofric nodded. "Keep an eye on the windows. If you see the enemy come this, inform me at once. Now help me up."
Sir Rodges assisted Leofric up to his feet and he gave the knight an appreciative nod before waving the man off. Despite the pain in his back, he could still walk. Nothing was broken, at least.
With some struggle he ascended the stairs guiding up to the second floor, and he pushed himself through the doors leading into his chambers. From the windows he had a good view of the town. He saw groups of armoured men rush through the streets and he was fully aware that they were not his own. He turned his eyes away from the streets and looked past the walls to the northern hills, now shrouded in fog. He wasn't sure when that had rolled in, but it must have been quite some time ago, as he was certain it started to slowly dissipate. Leofric was just about to look back to the streets when something to the north caught his eye. Through the light fog he could just barely make out the dark mass behind it, and as the fog continued to loose up, the mass turned into men - thousands of them, marching down from the hills in ranks with raised banners. On the flanks came just as many cavalrymen, if not more. Hope rekindled within Leofric. There was no force to the north except his own.
Arthur had returned with help.
The spear whistled over his head, and he swear he could have heard it rasp against the helmet. No matter. Leofric weighed the sword in his right hand and reached out to tap the knight's shoulder infront of him with the left, signalling them to advance. They were slowly losing the battle over the barricades, simply by the fact that they were severely outnumbered. It was all or nothing now. If the gates fell, then all would be lost. He raised a hand above his head, gesturing forward while shouting at the reserves holding behind the barricades. "Go! Move in!"
The soldiers formed up in squares steadily advanced to reinforce their struggling comrades at the barricades. So far they had not been breached at any location, but the number of fallen black-clad northerners were alarming enough. The sight of fresh troops filtering in to reinforce the barricades seemed to cause the Raylians at the front to waver. A few started to push themselves backwards, gradually followed on by their brethren behind them. Leofric heard a few of his men taunt the enemy or cheer, believing that the battle had turned - that they had inflicted enough damage to the enemy. But the way the Raylians retreated suggested otherwise. It wasn't a blind rush in retreat, but rather a disciplined, orderly fall-back at a steady pace. Someone had called them back from the gates.
Leofric twitched a frown. The enemy had another trick up their sleeve, must've had. Before he could collect his thoughts and decide what to do next, a loud crack emitted from the sky above them, similar to that of a lightning strike. He looked up, and what he saw perplexed him. It seemed like the very sky was stirring, the clouds gathered together, as if someone was reeling them in. After forming into one, large mass, the clouds started to shift and slither downwards in an uncanny way. A chill went down Leofric's spine as he relised what was happening. Magic.
The wind got fiercer as the clouds encroached closer to the ground, before disappearing beyond the wall. Leofric turned on his heels and quickly ran to the side, towards a set of stairs leading up the wall. Reaching the top, he could see the Raylian force below, patiently waiting in silent ranks. The clouds, the magical abberation, kept going north, before it took a sudden turn and rushed back towards Lowburg. Leofric clutched the wall with a hand, watching as the conjuration picked up in speed and flew like a bolt toward the gates. He knew what was happening, but they were never going to get away in time. Regardless, he turned around and yelled down to his men behind the barricades, who had also spotted the strange event occuring above. "Retreat! Fall back! Fall back!"
Before anyone could react, the mass of clouds and air struck against the gate with a force worthy of Gods. It tore the gate and parts of the wooden wall clean off, throwing pieces of lumber and splitter into all directions. Leofric witnessed for only a second how his men behind the barricades were thrown backwards into the buildings behind, before the wall he stood on gave away. The world spun around, nothing was beneath his feet anymore. He felt the wind tear and drag in his cloak as he realised he was flying through the air, before he hit something hard, and an excruciating pain rushed through his back - his helmet was torn off and he felt the sword slip out of his grasp. White and black flashed before his eyes until he finally landed on something partially soft, but it knocked the breath out of him all the same. He gasped for air, his head was ringing. He blindly reached around for something to grab on to but only grasped nothingness. He groaned internally and dropped his arm, but someone grabbed his hand before it reached the ground. More hands grabbed him, and he was helped up to his feet. His vision was still blurry, but he could make out dark silhouettes around him. Whoever had grabbed him started to move, dragging Leofric with them. His boots dragged behind him, his feet unwilling to cooperate with him.
The world was blinking in and out from his conciousness and he wasn't sure how much time had passed. When he came to his senses and looked around he saw that he was inside a building with rich decorations, lush plants and impressive paintings. There was only one place in Lowburg that could have this, and he concluded in his spinning head that he must've been inside the manor. He blinked sluggishly and looked ahead, watching as a figure kneeled down before him with someone in their hand. The tip of a waterskin was pressed to his lips, and he sub-conciously took a healthy swig, ending up with a coughing fit. The pain in the back was still present, and also felt his head pounding now. He focused his vision at the person kneeling infront of him, and eventually recognised the man as one of his knights. His visor was up, exposing a grizzled face and greying hair. It took a moment for Leofric to recall the knight's name - Sir Rodges.
"Sire? Sire, can you hear me?" the knight inquired. Leofric groaned and mustered to nod his head. "Are we in the manor?"
The knight nodded, looking aside. "Yes, Sire. We found you a distance away from the gates and managed to take you here."
Leofric blinked again and turned his head to the right, registering a few more men inside the manor. But they weren't many, he counted only fifteen. "Who made it?"
"Captain Hal and group of soldiers, as well as myself and Sir Richard. As soon the gate was gone the Raylians stormed inside, butchering all of our men. We barely escaped with our lives."
Leofric gritted his teeth as another painful surge rushed through him. "And the southern wall?"
"Don't know, Sire. From what we can tell they didn't make. So far there's been so sign of other survivors in the streets." Rodges replied with a pinch of bitterness in his voice. "But the manor is secure for now. I don't think anyone saw us coming up here."
Leofric nodded. "Keep an eye on the windows. If you see the enemy come this, inform me at once. Now help me up."
Sir Rodges assisted Leofric up to his feet and he gave the knight an appreciative nod before waving the man off. Despite the pain in his back, he could still walk. Nothing was broken, at least.
With some struggle he ascended the stairs guiding up to the second floor, and he pushed himself through the doors leading into his chambers. From the windows he had a good view of the town. He saw groups of armoured men rush through the streets and he was fully aware that they were not his own. He turned his eyes away from the streets and looked past the walls to the northern hills, now shrouded in fog. He wasn't sure when that had rolled in, but it must have been quite some time ago, as he was certain it started to slowly dissipate. Leofric was just about to look back to the streets when something to the north caught his eye. Through the light fog he could just barely make out the dark mass behind it, and as the fog continued to loose up, the mass turned into men - thousands of them, marching down from the hills in ranks with raised banners. On the flanks came just as many cavalrymen, if not more. Hope rekindled within Leofric. There was no force to the north except his own.
Arthur had returned with help.
Chapter 16: Breach
The hundred men assigned to guard the gate had kept themselves busy. Makeshift barricades had been constructed in a crecent formation around the gate and they had also reinforced it with a few, sturdy wooden logs. A group of five soldiers stood inclined against the gate with their shoulders first, adding further weight and resistance to the attackers on the other side. But not by much. A handful of men had climbed up the walls as well, and were occupied with throwing down rocks large enough to crush a man's skull at the enemy below. Behind the barricades sat the rest of the soldiers with weapons at the ready, waiting for the inevitable breach. One of the soldiers rose up to his feet and raised a hand to greet the approaching king, flanked by his ten knights. Leofric quickly recognised the man that had raised his hand as Captain Hal.
"Sire." Captain Hal hailed as he went to meet the king, a hand clenched hand raised to his heart in salute. He carried a weary and rugged look about him with a thick unkempt beard and tired eyes. The officer had probably not gained a lot of hours of sleep the recent days. Leofric nodded and glanced back Hal's shoulder towards the gate. "What's the situation?"
"Grim, Sire. We estimate there's at least eight hundred of them on the other side of that gate. We won't be able to keep them out for much longer, and we certainly won't be able to hold them here." Hal informed with a bitter tone in his voice. At the same time the sound of marching boots reached both men's ears and they turned to face it. From one of the streets came Captain Castor, followed by the four hundred men that had conducted the raid on the enemy siege weapons. They had been in the town for some time now, putting out fires and ensuring there were no breaches elsewhere in the wall where they enemy might've been able to slip in from. They stop a short distance away from the group and Castor raised a hand in salute. "Sire."
Leofric raised an arm to gesture behind him. "Captain Castor. Take a hundred and fifty and reinforce the southern wall, the guardsmen have it rough right now. Leave the rest of the men here." he commanded. Castor nodded firmly and collected the men he needed before they rushed off down the southern street towards the besieged wall. The remaining troops formed up in squares of fifty men each a distance away from the barricades, under leadership from senior veterans. Leofric idly tapped the tip of his sword against the ground and nodded to himself, content with the performance of his men so far.
A loud crack sounded from the gate, followed by one of the men pushing against it shouting out an alarm. Leofric glanced back to the gate and rolled a shoulder. "This is it, captain. It won't be long now. Return to your men and let's give these Raylian murderers a lesson for life." Leofric uttered and stepped aside, positioning himself a short distance behind the barricades with his knights on either side of him. He watched as Hal returned to his previous and bellowed a mouthful of orders which Leofric was unable to pick up on.
Another crack from the gate. And then another. This time one of the supporting logs fell over, and the head from the Raylian battering ram broke through the large wooden doors. The men pushing against them quickly abandoned their positions and scurried behind the barricades to join their comrades, but the handful of men on the wall remained where they were. The battering ram struck the gate again, causing another log to topple over. The knights around Leofric shifted around and formed up in a semi-circled infront of them with their shields locked together. Leforic gazed past their shoulders with his hands resting against the pommel of his sword, the tip pointed into the ground.
Crack. The gate broke open with an explosion of wooden splinter and swung back hard against the walls. The northerners could heard the cheering voices of the Raylians on the other side, though they quickly transcended into a battle-cry as the enemy soldiers stormed in through the gate with thundering boots, rushing straight for the barricades. Captain Hal's voice overpowered them all. "BRACE, MY BOYS! HAVE AT THEM!"
Upon Hal's command, the near hundred men behind the barricades rose up behind their cover with swords and spears. The first Raylians were caught off-guard completely and swiftly met their end from the Northlandic soldiers. Those that followed tried to re-organize themselves into some form of fighting order, but were pushed on by their comrades streaming in through the broken gates, and instead had to mob charge the enemy fortifications. Like the first group of enemies, the next dozen or two were brutally cut down. After that the enemy finally started to whip themselves into order and form up into smaller pockets to take on their opponents dug-in behind the barricades. The sound of steel upon still and agonizing cries of the injured sounded through the air, and Leofric observed with a bitter expression. He twisted slightly on the spot to leer back down the southern road. Hopefully Captain Castor and his men were able to hold the walls.
The hundred men assigned to guard the gate had kept themselves busy. Makeshift barricades had been constructed in a crecent formation around the gate and they had also reinforced it with a few, sturdy wooden logs. A group of five soldiers stood inclined against the gate with their shoulders first, adding further weight and resistance to the attackers on the other side. But not by much. A handful of men had climbed up the walls as well, and were occupied with throwing down rocks large enough to crush a man's skull at the enemy below. Behind the barricades sat the rest of the soldiers with weapons at the ready, waiting for the inevitable breach. One of the soldiers rose up to his feet and raised a hand to greet the approaching king, flanked by his ten knights. Leofric quickly recognised the man that had raised his hand as Captain Hal.
"Sire." Captain Hal hailed as he went to meet the king, a hand clenched hand raised to his heart in salute. He carried a weary and rugged look about him with a thick unkempt beard and tired eyes. The officer had probably not gained a lot of hours of sleep the recent days. Leofric nodded and glanced back Hal's shoulder towards the gate. "What's the situation?"
"Grim, Sire. We estimate there's at least eight hundred of them on the other side of that gate. We won't be able to keep them out for much longer, and we certainly won't be able to hold them here." Hal informed with a bitter tone in his voice. At the same time the sound of marching boots reached both men's ears and they turned to face it. From one of the streets came Captain Castor, followed by the four hundred men that had conducted the raid on the enemy siege weapons. They had been in the town for some time now, putting out fires and ensuring there were no breaches elsewhere in the wall where they enemy might've been able to slip in from. They stop a short distance away from the group and Castor raised a hand in salute. "Sire."
Leofric raised an arm to gesture behind him. "Captain Castor. Take a hundred and fifty and reinforce the southern wall, the guardsmen have it rough right now. Leave the rest of the men here." he commanded. Castor nodded firmly and collected the men he needed before they rushed off down the southern street towards the besieged wall. The remaining troops formed up in squares of fifty men each a distance away from the barricades, under leadership from senior veterans. Leofric idly tapped the tip of his sword against the ground and nodded to himself, content with the performance of his men so far.
A loud crack sounded from the gate, followed by one of the men pushing against it shouting out an alarm. Leofric glanced back to the gate and rolled a shoulder. "This is it, captain. It won't be long now. Return to your men and let's give these Raylian murderers a lesson for life." Leofric uttered and stepped aside, positioning himself a short distance behind the barricades with his knights on either side of him. He watched as Hal returned to his previous and bellowed a mouthful of orders which Leofric was unable to pick up on.
Another crack from the gate. And then another. This time one of the supporting logs fell over, and the head from the Raylian battering ram broke through the large wooden doors. The men pushing against them quickly abandoned their positions and scurried behind the barricades to join their comrades, but the handful of men on the wall remained where they were. The battering ram struck the gate again, causing another log to topple over. The knights around Leofric shifted around and formed up in a semi-circled infront of them with their shields locked together. Leforic gazed past their shoulders with his hands resting against the pommel of his sword, the tip pointed into the ground.
Crack. The gate broke open with an explosion of wooden splinter and swung back hard against the walls. The northerners could heard the cheering voices of the Raylians on the other side, though they quickly transcended into a battle-cry as the enemy soldiers stormed in through the gate with thundering boots, rushing straight for the barricades. Captain Hal's voice overpowered them all. "BRACE, MY BOYS! HAVE AT THEM!"
Upon Hal's command, the near hundred men behind the barricades rose up behind their cover with swords and spears. The first Raylians were caught off-guard completely and swiftly met their end from the Northlandic soldiers. Those that followed tried to re-organize themselves into some form of fighting order, but were pushed on by their comrades streaming in through the broken gates, and instead had to mob charge the enemy fortifications. Like the first group of enemies, the next dozen or two were brutally cut down. After that the enemy finally started to whip themselves into order and form up into smaller pockets to take on their opponents dug-in behind the barricades. The sound of steel upon still and agonizing cries of the injured sounded through the air, and Leofric observed with a bitter expression. He twisted slightly on the spot to leer back down the southern road. Hopefully Captain Castor and his men were able to hold the walls.
Chapter 15: Stubborn assault
The enemy ranks were bustling with activity, whatever they had been doing the past day it now seemed to reach its culmination. Leofric stiffled a yawn with a palm and looked across the fields with a tired expression. After Leofric's men had destroyed the siege weapons the enemy had learned from their mistake and now guarded their new project closely. It had ruled out any further lightning strikes from horseback and Leofric realised that they could do very little else now except wait for the next major assault. As he expected they would, the Raylians had harassed the walls every few hours with their own archers, and the defenders had answered, resulting in a bitter exchange of projectiles leaving casaulties on both sides.
Leofric drummed his palms idly against the wall and turned his head sideways. Along the wall a few guardsmen still kept watch while the rest sat slouched against the wall to get whatever spare minutes of sleep they could. They weren't professional soldiers, but Leofric was proud of them all the same. They had performed admirably during the enemy's first attack and never faltered under the Raylians' superior numbers. If they made it out of this alive he'd consider recruiting them into the army. He gazed back over the fields and could see the enemy starting to form up in ranks. He turned to a guardsman standing nearby with a horn in his hand and gave him a nod. The guardsman raised the horn to his lips and soon three short horn-blasts sounded across the town and nearby land. The resting guardsmen flung up on unsteady feet and gripped their bows tight. Not long after that the vast host on the opposite end of the fields began to advance. After their devastating loss in the first strike they had switched up their tactics and their footmen had formed up into a massive turtle formation with their kite shields protecting their front, flanks and heads.
Regardless, Leofric had ordered the guardsmen to open fire once the enemy came within range. There was always a chance a few arrows would slip in between the gaps in the shields, and it gave the Raylians something to be nervous over. A few enemy soldiers fell as a lucky arrow found its target, but it did not budge their advance. Their losses picked up as they reached the first set of trenches, but this time they crossed or circumvented them without too much struggle.
Leofric watched silently as the enemy host came closer to the walls. Their advance was stopped briefly by the next set of spiked trenches and their struggle across took another toll of a few dozen men, but enough of them eventually made it across and reformed in well-drilled discipline. The gaps formed in their ranks while they worked their way past the trenches caused Leofric to catch a brief glance at their next plan of action, several ladders seen carried by men, protected by their shield-bearing comrades around them. He saw men clad in suits of plate armor take point and clear a path through the caltrops field, though a handful of Raylians still fell victim to the dreaded devices, collapsing down with cries of agony. Arrows begun to fly back at the defenders from inside the mass of enemies, and those that did not fly too high pelleted against the wall and bounced off, but it was enough to throw a spanner in the works and briefly interrupt the defenders' volleys.
The Raylians weren't far from the walls now. The first rank broke off and stormed ahead, hugging in against the wooden pallisades with their shields raised above their heads. Behind them came the ladder-bearers. The guardsmen on the walls frantically tried to stop their advance by aiming for the carriers, but another Raylian soldier simply took the place of a fallen as they continued to rush for the walls. Leofric twisted on the spot and cupped a hand around his mouth to shout. "Tar! Fire! Aim for the ladders!"
Several defenders quickly dropped their bows and ducked down behind the walls and shortly after appeared again with pots of tar and firebombs in their hands. They threw them down at the attackers, specifically the men carrying the ladders, and fiery explosions popped off all along the Raylian ranks. A few ladders were put out of commission and the explosions had created a moment of chaos amongst the enemy while they tried to re-organize themselves or put out the fires engulfing their unfortunate comrades. But a few made it through and had raised the ladders up the wall, and Raylian soldiers were already climbing up. A ladder was successfully pushed off, but one was all they managed. The defending guardsmen that tried to push away the ladders were promptly shot down by enemy archers, somewhere outside the walls.
Leofric frowned and stepped down from his overlook. They had depleted what meagre arsenal Lowburg had at its disposal. Now they had to defend the town the old fashioned way. He gripped his sword and released it from the scabbard, but he was abruptly stopped in his track by another three horn-blasts, coming from the northern end of town. He saw one of his grey-clad soldiers come running down a street and he stopped below the wall to catch his breath before hollering up at the king.
"They're attacking the gate! There's hundreds of them!"
The enemy ranks were bustling with activity, whatever they had been doing the past day it now seemed to reach its culmination. Leofric stiffled a yawn with a palm and looked across the fields with a tired expression. After Leofric's men had destroyed the siege weapons the enemy had learned from their mistake and now guarded their new project closely. It had ruled out any further lightning strikes from horseback and Leofric realised that they could do very little else now except wait for the next major assault. As he expected they would, the Raylians had harassed the walls every few hours with their own archers, and the defenders had answered, resulting in a bitter exchange of projectiles leaving casaulties on both sides.
Leofric drummed his palms idly against the wall and turned his head sideways. Along the wall a few guardsmen still kept watch while the rest sat slouched against the wall to get whatever spare minutes of sleep they could. They weren't professional soldiers, but Leofric was proud of them all the same. They had performed admirably during the enemy's first attack and never faltered under the Raylians' superior numbers. If they made it out of this alive he'd consider recruiting them into the army. He gazed back over the fields and could see the enemy starting to form up in ranks. He turned to a guardsman standing nearby with a horn in his hand and gave him a nod. The guardsman raised the horn to his lips and soon three short horn-blasts sounded across the town and nearby land. The resting guardsmen flung up on unsteady feet and gripped their bows tight. Not long after that the vast host on the opposite end of the fields began to advance. After their devastating loss in the first strike they had switched up their tactics and their footmen had formed up into a massive turtle formation with their kite shields protecting their front, flanks and heads.
Regardless, Leofric had ordered the guardsmen to open fire once the enemy came within range. There was always a chance a few arrows would slip in between the gaps in the shields, and it gave the Raylians something to be nervous over. A few enemy soldiers fell as a lucky arrow found its target, but it did not budge their advance. Their losses picked up as they reached the first set of trenches, but this time they crossed or circumvented them without too much struggle.
Leofric watched silently as the enemy host came closer to the walls. Their advance was stopped briefly by the next set of spiked trenches and their struggle across took another toll of a few dozen men, but enough of them eventually made it across and reformed in well-drilled discipline. The gaps formed in their ranks while they worked their way past the trenches caused Leofric to catch a brief glance at their next plan of action, several ladders seen carried by men, protected by their shield-bearing comrades around them. He saw men clad in suits of plate armor take point and clear a path through the caltrops field, though a handful of Raylians still fell victim to the dreaded devices, collapsing down with cries of agony. Arrows begun to fly back at the defenders from inside the mass of enemies, and those that did not fly too high pelleted against the wall and bounced off, but it was enough to throw a spanner in the works and briefly interrupt the defenders' volleys.
The Raylians weren't far from the walls now. The first rank broke off and stormed ahead, hugging in against the wooden pallisades with their shields raised above their heads. Behind them came the ladder-bearers. The guardsmen on the walls frantically tried to stop their advance by aiming for the carriers, but another Raylian soldier simply took the place of a fallen as they continued to rush for the walls. Leofric twisted on the spot and cupped a hand around his mouth to shout. "Tar! Fire! Aim for the ladders!"
Several defenders quickly dropped their bows and ducked down behind the walls and shortly after appeared again with pots of tar and firebombs in their hands. They threw them down at the attackers, specifically the men carrying the ladders, and fiery explosions popped off all along the Raylian ranks. A few ladders were put out of commission and the explosions had created a moment of chaos amongst the enemy while they tried to re-organize themselves or put out the fires engulfing their unfortunate comrades. But a few made it through and had raised the ladders up the wall, and Raylian soldiers were already climbing up. A ladder was successfully pushed off, but one was all they managed. The defending guardsmen that tried to push away the ladders were promptly shot down by enemy archers, somewhere outside the walls.
Leofric frowned and stepped down from his overlook. They had depleted what meagre arsenal Lowburg had at its disposal. Now they had to defend the town the old fashioned way. He gripped his sword and released it from the scabbard, but he was abruptly stopped in his track by another three horn-blasts, coming from the northern end of town. He saw one of his grey-clad soldiers come running down a street and he stopped below the wall to catch his breath before hollering up at the king.
"They're attacking the gate! There's hundreds of them!"
Chapter 14: Arthur
The sweet, feminine giggle tingled through the empty hallway, ricocheting off the walls and seemed to emit from all directions at once. He wasn't sure where to start looking so he decided to continue forward through the vast, desolated hall with echoing footsteps. Grey and white marble pillars surrounded him on both sides and colourful windows decorated the walls behind them, letting in the sunlight rays from the outside world. He felt all too light, almost naked, but he confirmed that he was still dressed in his nobleman's ebon coat, grey trousers and high leather boots. The sensation was an odd and he twitched a frown but pressed onwards. He heard the high-pitched titter again, now around the corner on his right, leading out into onto a terrace. He stepped out and was met by a stunning, surreal view. Endless, spiraling towers rose up from an infinite highland that stretched as far as the eye could see with forested mountains in the far distance. He noticed that he was inside a similar structure himself, though larger, almost like a castle of sorts. But whoever he pursued was not out here.
"Arthur?" The sweet voice piped up again. Arthur turned on his heels only to be greeted by nothing, but he could hear vague high-heel steps ascending some stairs from the direction he had come from. He left the terrace and went back into the hallway and turned left this time. A stairwell circled up to another floor and he swiftly climbed the steps, ending up in a narrow corridor that branched off into every direction. Guest rooms, he thought to himself.
"This way, Arthur... I'm over here." The voice echoed again from everywhere, but Arthur knew exactly which way to go, as if he was being guided by an unseen hand. After navigating through the corridors he entered another large, empty room. Two thrones stood vacant on one side of the room with a single, enormous window behind them, granting an awe-inspiring view of the mystic landscape beyond the castle. He caught a figure moving between a set of pillars in the corner of his eye and twisted slightly on the spot to face it. He could now see the young, beautiful woman dancing around the pillars, dressed in a simple white nightgown with long, fiery hair flowing behind her as she spun on her heels, moving from pillar to pillar, laughing. Arthur twitched a smile and went a bit closer, watching as the exquisite woman peeked out at him from behind a pillar, only to disappear behind it again with an echoing titter. He went closer and rounded the pillar, but she was no longer there. He knitted his brows. How could he have missed her? He felt his heart skip as someone suddenly grabbed his left hand. He looked sideways and saw that it was her, and he could make out a coy smile behind her crimson tresses. "This way, Arthur.", she said and tugged him along to an open balcony with a majestic overview of the highlands. He smiled again. Everything was perfect. He would stay here in this castle for eternity, with her.
A violent crack in the air stole his attention. The sky and its radiant sunlight suddenly turned to dark clouds and thunder, and he could see large, flaming rocks fall from the sky. Meteors. Crashing down into the highlands and causing unimaginable destruction. Arthur threw out his left arm to shield the young woman, but all he swept through was air. A cry shrieked from behind him and he turned around, spotting her in the hands of three hooded men, viciously dragging her away with crooked daggers in their hands. He felt fear and fury build up inside him and he took a step forward, ready to storm across the room at the assailants. He was abruptly stopped in his tracks as the pillars on both sides begun to collapse inwards, and the roof above came crashing down. He saw the woman free one of her arms and reach out with her hand, crying out his name. But she was quickly cut away from his vision as rubble of stone and marble blocked his path. The ground below his feet cracked apart. He fell.
Arthur opened his eyes and inhaled sharply. He had been sweating but was promptly met by a chilling breeze upon his cheeks that had snuck through his tent. He swept aside the fur blankets and sat up at the edge of the bed. He clutched a hand against his soaked tunic but gave it little thought. He reached out for the chainmail and leather vest hanging over the back of an adjacent chair and dragged them over his head and torso. Finally he grabbed the swordbelt and strapped it around his waist and plonked down his feet into his boots. On his way out of the tent he grabbed his cloak and threw it around him.
The dream had left him in a bitter mood and he tried his best to dismiss the vivid images in his head by scouring through a handful of reports. He sat by his desk outside the tent and from here he had a good view of the expanding camp below the hill he was situated on. At some point in the past days a rider from Lowburg had arrived with a letter from the king, instructing Arthur to cancel the mass mobilisation and instead just rally the southern forces in the Northlands. Now they were all here, near ten thousand men, and Arthur could begin preparations to march them to Lowburg's rescue.
He sighed and folded a document together, putting it down on his desk. He sniffled and pushed himself up from his seat and made his way down the hill and into the camp. He stopped by the chief quartermaster's supply tent and glanced inside. There were many more tents like this throughout the camp, destined to house the necessary supplies for such a large host. He turned around at the voice behind him.
"Sir?", the chief quartermaster inquired. He was a middle-aged man with more than enough years under his belt with handling logistics. He held a board in his right hand, scribbled from top to bottom.
"Quartermaster. How goes the preparations?"
"Very well, sir. We have received the majority of our supplies and are just waiting for a few caravans from Lord's Crest to arrive. They are transporting extra pairs of socks, shirts and so forth. Don't want our boys to suffer trenchfoot or anything, eh sir?"
Arthur sub-conciously nodded and gave the man a pat on his shoulder. "Carry on, quartermaster. We'll march as soon the last caravans are here."
He strolled back to his tent and sat down in the chair with a frown while rubbing his temple with a few digits. He had already been gone long enough and wasn't sure if Lowburg was still standing at this point and if the king had perished along with it if so. He huffed a breath and leered out over the camp again. If Raylia had triumphed at Lowburg, he had the means to make them pay dearly.
Name: Arthur
Age: Early Thirties
Gender: Male
Bio: A high-ranking knight of the Northlands, often serving as the king's deputy. Few know from which family Arthur originate from as there are no records of his surname, but his loyalty to the crown and country is unquestionable, and he is rumoured to be one of the best swordsmen in the Northlands.
Title: Sir
Age: Early Thirties
Gender: Male
Bio: A high-ranking knight of the Northlands, often serving as the king's deputy. Few know from which family Arthur originate from as there are no records of his surname, but his loyalty to the crown and country is unquestionable, and he is rumoured to be one of the best swordsmen in the Northlands.
Title: Sir
Chapter 13: Allies
The door to Leofric's chambers opened up and a soldier towered up in its entrance. "Lady Freda of House Risley wishes for an audience, sire." the man announced. Leofric sat in a chair by his desk on the opposite end of the room's entrance, partially leaning over the table while studying a large, splayed out map with various figured positioned throughout it.
"Yes, yes, tell them to wait." the king concisely replied before realising what the soldier had just said, looking up. "Risley? Well, send her in then."
Leofric patiently sat reclined into his chair while the armoured princess explained the situation to him. He had always enjoyed women with a fighting prowess, capable of looking after themselves, and this womanly royal was the prime example. He raised a hand to idly scratch his cheek as the highborn lady concluded her news. His eyes shifted between Freda and the war map upon the table and let out a silent sigh before taking to words.
"I understand your situation, Lady Freda. Truly, I do. But as you undoubtedly saw coming here I am in no position to help anyone. I have five hundred men in town - eight hundred if I add the guardsmen, and there are thousands of Raylians outside my walls who are not keen on stopping their attack. They hate us with a passion. They are never going to cooperate with us, and quite frankly, I'm not even entertaining the thought myself of working with them. So this is my offer to you, princess..." Leofric delays for a moment to take a new breath and leans forward, clasping his hands over the table. Eyes fixed upon the female. "I will help you with this cult, but in order for me to be able to do so I'm going to need your aid first. Go back to your comrades and march them here. Help me destroy the besieging Raylian army and I promise you that your country will receive the full backing of the Northlands. I am aware that this would risk plunging your two nations into war with one another, so if this is unacceptable to you then... I'm afraid you'll have to return back empty-handed."
Leofric narrowed his eyes somewhat, studying the princess's reaction. She appeared conflicted about the dilemma he had presented to her, but eventually she bowed her head lightly, her response bouncing off the chamber walls. "I...I accept. We will help you to dispose of the Raylian rabble in exchange for your support. I'm holding you to your word, majesty." The highborn lady's words were reluctant, and Leofric noticed the shadow of anxiety from her as well. He understood. It was no easy decision to make.
"And I to yours. I suspect the Raylians will construct new siege equipment after we destroyed their old ones. It should delay them for a day or two under which we're given our opportunity to strike. Naturally, they will continue to harass my walls in skirmishes to keep us pinned inside, but we'll sally out if you get here in time. Together we will crush them and scatter the survivors. Then you will have your support."
The king smiled thinly and reclined into his chair again, gesturing briefly with a hand to indicate the audience was at an end. The warrior princess inclined her head respectfully and uttered her gratitude before turning to depart the chambers. Leofric watched the door close behind her and then rose up from his seat. He made his way over to a window and glanced outside at the greying sky. For his sake he hoped that Lady Freda and her army arrived in time. For her sake he hoped that she'd arrive at all.
The door to Leofric's chambers opened up and a soldier towered up in its entrance. "Lady Freda of House Risley wishes for an audience, sire." the man announced. Leofric sat in a chair by his desk on the opposite end of the room's entrance, partially leaning over the table while studying a large, splayed out map with various figured positioned throughout it.
"Yes, yes, tell them to wait." the king concisely replied before realising what the soldier had just said, looking up. "Risley? Well, send her in then."
Leofric patiently sat reclined into his chair while the armoured princess explained the situation to him. He had always enjoyed women with a fighting prowess, capable of looking after themselves, and this womanly royal was the prime example. He raised a hand to idly scratch his cheek as the highborn lady concluded her news. His eyes shifted between Freda and the war map upon the table and let out a silent sigh before taking to words.
"I understand your situation, Lady Freda. Truly, I do. But as you undoubtedly saw coming here I am in no position to help anyone. I have five hundred men in town - eight hundred if I add the guardsmen, and there are thousands of Raylians outside my walls who are not keen on stopping their attack. They hate us with a passion. They are never going to cooperate with us, and quite frankly, I'm not even entertaining the thought myself of working with them. So this is my offer to you, princess..." Leofric delays for a moment to take a new breath and leans forward, clasping his hands over the table. Eyes fixed upon the female. "I will help you with this cult, but in order for me to be able to do so I'm going to need your aid first. Go back to your comrades and march them here. Help me destroy the besieging Raylian army and I promise you that your country will receive the full backing of the Northlands. I am aware that this would risk plunging your two nations into war with one another, so if this is unacceptable to you then... I'm afraid you'll have to return back empty-handed."
Leofric narrowed his eyes somewhat, studying the princess's reaction. She appeared conflicted about the dilemma he had presented to her, but eventually she bowed her head lightly, her response bouncing off the chamber walls. "I...I accept. We will help you to dispose of the Raylian rabble in exchange for your support. I'm holding you to your word, majesty." The highborn lady's words were reluctant, and Leofric noticed the shadow of anxiety from her as well. He understood. It was no easy decision to make.
"And I to yours. I suspect the Raylians will construct new siege equipment after we destroyed their old ones. It should delay them for a day or two under which we're given our opportunity to strike. Naturally, they will continue to harass my walls in skirmishes to keep us pinned inside, but we'll sally out if you get here in time. Together we will crush them and scatter the survivors. Then you will have your support."
The king smiled thinly and reclined into his chair again, gesturing briefly with a hand to indicate the audience was at an end. The warrior princess inclined her head respectfully and uttered her gratitude before turning to depart the chambers. Leofric watched the door close behind her and then rose up from his seat. He made his way over to a window and glanced outside at the greying sky. For his sake he hoped that Lady Freda and her army arrived in time. For her sake he hoped that she'd arrive at all.
Chapter 12: Storming the walls
Arrows continued to incessantly whistle off from the walls, digging into their struggling targets below. The Raylians were falling in droves, hundreds were either dead or wounded and they were now climbing over their fallen littering the trenches to advance any farther. Pockets of men had successfully made their way across the trenches but had been forced to form up in small defensive shieldwalls to protect themselvs against the unrelenting volleys. Leofric had asked for a chair to be brought up to the walls, and he was boldly sitting with his feet thrown up and crossed over the wall while carving away pieces of an apple with a knife as he followed the carnage in the fields. He brought up the knife with a slice of apple and bit it off the blade, twitching a frown - something inhuman seemed to drive the enemy onwards. They had no way of breaching the wall now with their siege weapons out of commission, and yet they were trying to storm the walls, only to die. Perhaps their officers had been amongst the first to fall, leaving the rest disorganized and without orders - so they continued to do what their mission was, or they were still expecting their superiors to call out instructions.
He remembered the reports about the Raylian "auxiliaries", their horde of controlled undead, and felt his anger build up. Anger towards Raylia, towards magic, but most of all - Valentus. Still, so far there had been no sight of the walking dead. Leofric felt a pinch of unease from their lack of presence. If they weren't here, then where were they? Eventually he lowered his feet to rise up from his seat. He raised his hand and gestured for the archers to stop.
"Hold!"
The volleys ceased. All that could be heard now was the agonizing cries of the injured and the raging fire tearing the town asunder, but to Leofric's relief much of the flames had been extinguished by the designated fire brigade. Granted, much of the town had been damaged by the fires, some weaker buildings were on the brink of total collapse. Leofric sighed and made his way to the center of the wall and turned to face the fields. There were still hundreds of enemy soldiers out there, but they had stopped in their tracks, perhaps realising the futility of pressing their assault. He leaned forward and grabbed the edge of the wall, confident that the Raylians would not recognise him as king. After all, he wore no crown and his armor could easily distinguish him as a higher-up officer. "Who amongst you is in charge! Is there even an officer left alive down there?" he bellowed to the battered Raylians, waiting for a response. For a few moments nobody moved, until a man finally stepped out in the open, adorned in a delicate suit of plate armor. "I suppose that would be me! Who am I talking to?"
"The man who just crushed your feeble attempt to conquer this town! Look around you, whoever you are! Your comrades are dead by the hundreds and your siege weapons are destroyed! It is hopeless to continue this assault, you cannot win this battle!" Leofric shouted back.
"Her Grace, Queen Anne of Raylia, has ordered us to take this land! To make your king pay for his crimes! We will not back down, and never surrender to dogs such as you!"
Leofric stared back at the man with a deadpan expression for a few long moments. He suspected the man he spoke to was a knight of some sort, and he definitely did not recognise the king of the Northlands. Leofric took to words again, calmer and quieter. "Are you mad? You do realise that we will just kill hundreds more of you if you try again? Look! You haven't even reached the walls yet!" his voice raised again, and Leofric gestured with a hand to indicate the untouched ground below. The enemy had never truly gotten close. The trenches had stopped them good. Leofric noticed some of the Raylians were anxiously glancing around them, evidently distrught and demoralized by the sea of dead comrades around them, at the cost of practically nothing for their enemy. "Go home! Tell your queen that we'll hold no grudges! Let's end this unnecessary bloodshed."
"Never! I would rather die than disgrace my queen in such a cowardly act!"
"Perfect." Leofric muttered to himself and turned to the nearest guardsman. He grabbed the longbow from the man's hands and plucked an arrow from the quiver over his back. He knocked the arrow and twisted back to the knightly man in the fields. He raised the bow, drew back the string and fired quickly after. The Raylian never had the chance to react before the iron-tipped arrowhead pierced him between the eyes. He collapsed in a rattle of weapons and armor. Leofric extended the bow back to the guardsman who took it with reverence. The king had just kiled a man with his weapon.
"If they won't turn tail and run then we'll force them to. Shoot them down."
Shouts and cries emitted from the Raylian force as they were once again beset by hundreds of arrows, collapsing in scores and tripping over the already fallen bodies.
Arrows continued to incessantly whistle off from the walls, digging into their struggling targets below. The Raylians were falling in droves, hundreds were either dead or wounded and they were now climbing over their fallen littering the trenches to advance any farther. Pockets of men had successfully made their way across the trenches but had been forced to form up in small defensive shieldwalls to protect themselvs against the unrelenting volleys. Leofric had asked for a chair to be brought up to the walls, and he was boldly sitting with his feet thrown up and crossed over the wall while carving away pieces of an apple with a knife as he followed the carnage in the fields. He brought up the knife with a slice of apple and bit it off the blade, twitching a frown - something inhuman seemed to drive the enemy onwards. They had no way of breaching the wall now with their siege weapons out of commission, and yet they were trying to storm the walls, only to die. Perhaps their officers had been amongst the first to fall, leaving the rest disorganized and without orders - so they continued to do what their mission was, or they were still expecting their superiors to call out instructions.
He remembered the reports about the Raylian "auxiliaries", their horde of controlled undead, and felt his anger build up. Anger towards Raylia, towards magic, but most of all - Valentus. Still, so far there had been no sight of the walking dead. Leofric felt a pinch of unease from their lack of presence. If they weren't here, then where were they? Eventually he lowered his feet to rise up from his seat. He raised his hand and gestured for the archers to stop.
"Hold!"
The volleys ceased. All that could be heard now was the agonizing cries of the injured and the raging fire tearing the town asunder, but to Leofric's relief much of the flames had been extinguished by the designated fire brigade. Granted, much of the town had been damaged by the fires, some weaker buildings were on the brink of total collapse. Leofric sighed and made his way to the center of the wall and turned to face the fields. There were still hundreds of enemy soldiers out there, but they had stopped in their tracks, perhaps realising the futility of pressing their assault. He leaned forward and grabbed the edge of the wall, confident that the Raylians would not recognise him as king. After all, he wore no crown and his armor could easily distinguish him as a higher-up officer. "Who amongst you is in charge! Is there even an officer left alive down there?" he bellowed to the battered Raylians, waiting for a response. For a few moments nobody moved, until a man finally stepped out in the open, adorned in a delicate suit of plate armor. "I suppose that would be me! Who am I talking to?"
"The man who just crushed your feeble attempt to conquer this town! Look around you, whoever you are! Your comrades are dead by the hundreds and your siege weapons are destroyed! It is hopeless to continue this assault, you cannot win this battle!" Leofric shouted back.
"Her Grace, Queen Anne of Raylia, has ordered us to take this land! To make your king pay for his crimes! We will not back down, and never surrender to dogs such as you!"
Leofric stared back at the man with a deadpan expression for a few long moments. He suspected the man he spoke to was a knight of some sort, and he definitely did not recognise the king of the Northlands. Leofric took to words again, calmer and quieter. "Are you mad? You do realise that we will just kill hundreds more of you if you try again? Look! You haven't even reached the walls yet!" his voice raised again, and Leofric gestured with a hand to indicate the untouched ground below. The enemy had never truly gotten close. The trenches had stopped them good. Leofric noticed some of the Raylians were anxiously glancing around them, evidently distrught and demoralized by the sea of dead comrades around them, at the cost of practically nothing for their enemy. "Go home! Tell your queen that we'll hold no grudges! Let's end this unnecessary bloodshed."
"Never! I would rather die than disgrace my queen in such a cowardly act!"
"Perfect." Leofric muttered to himself and turned to the nearest guardsman. He grabbed the longbow from the man's hands and plucked an arrow from the quiver over his back. He knocked the arrow and twisted back to the knightly man in the fields. He raised the bow, drew back the string and fired quickly after. The Raylian never had the chance to react before the iron-tipped arrowhead pierced him between the eyes. He collapsed in a rattle of weapons and armor. Leofric extended the bow back to the guardsman who took it with reverence. The king had just kiled a man with his weapon.
"If they won't turn tail and run then we'll force them to. Shoot them down."
Shouts and cries emitted from the Raylian force as they were once again beset by hundreds of arrows, collapsing in scores and tripping over the already fallen bodies.
Chapter 11: The Nature of Man
"To your stations! To your stations!"
The order was repeated all along the wall and the town guard rushed into their positions. They were three hundred strong, all armed with longbows - a weapon the Lowburg guardsmen excelled with in marksmanship. A hundred of the king's own men had been assigned to guard the gate while Leofric and his knights took to the wooden walls. A rider had arrived mere moments ago informing them that the Raylian host would arrive within half an hour, and there was little time to waste.
Leofric leered up and down the wall, inspecting the guardsmen formed up in meticulous with their longbows resting against their left shoulders, all of them were gazing out over the fields. Night had begun to fall, and even though they were likely to fight in the dark, the guardsmen were well versed in the distance of their bows, and the enemy would carry torches with them to light their advance lest they were mad. Leofric had ordered torches of his own to be lit up along the wall in a deliberate attempt to draw the enemy's attention solely upon the town - that way they were less likely to notice the sharpened stakes dug down into the trenches in the fields before it was too late. Where the trenches ended they had spread out thousands of small, iron caltrops that were meant to delay an enemy advance against the walls from the sides.
Having seen his fair share of battles and siege warfare, Leofric anticipated the Raylian army would utilize their standard approach in attacking a fortified location that was severely outnumbered by the besieging force. They would place their trebuchets at the rear, guarded only by a handful of men while the rest of their force advanced fifty or so yards, ready to storm the walls as soon they had unleashed a devastating bombardment to soften up their enemy. Lowburg was going to be no different. Leofric knew he did not have enough men to stop the artillery rain itself, but he could prevent the weapons from being used further on. But in order to do that Lowburg had to suffer first.
The sound of marching boots now reached their ears and the illuminations of light-sources revealed the silhouettes of Raylian soldiers marching in columns. In the far distance their enemy was emerging, and as Leofric expected they took to the open fields to the south, after all, it was the only place where they could position their host. Some of the guardsmen shifted nervously on their spot but none made any effort to desert their post in fear. Leofric glanced out to the east and west from his elevation on the walls, but so far there had been no echoing alarms sounding their way. He nodded to himself. They still had a chance.
The defenders watched as the Raylians started to assemble their trebuchets with an unnerving speed and the guardsmen begun to mutter incoherently with one another. Soon they were about to have hell rain over them, and they could do nothing but weather the storm. Leofric cast another glance into the darkness to the far left and right of the Raylian force and he clenched his teeth together, realising that if his plan failed they would be done for, unless Sir Arthur and the Northlands army made a timely arrival. But he knew better.
Leofric turned his attention back to the enemy army as one of the men from the walls called out. Additional fires were ignited amongst the Raylians in a straight line, and all too quickly. It did not take long for any man upon the Lowburg walls to realise that they were setting ablaze the flammable shell wrapped around the stone boulders used by their trebuchets.
"It's time to duck, gentlemen." Leofric spoke up and shifted on his spot, edging closer to the wall and readied himself to dive down behind cover in case one of the rocks would fall short. Men along the wall prepared themselves too, some had already huddled down and were narrowing their eyes over the edge. Leofric could hear a few guards cursing under their breath and silently taunting the enemy, they waited for the initial volley - it was the worst one. After that it didn't get easier, but the insufferable wait would be gone.
"Get down!" a voice cried out from the wall and almost in sync the defenders huddled down behind the staunch wooden palisade. The Raylian trebuchets set into motion and almost all at once they flung up their beams up and unleashed their volley of fireballs. The boulders came roaring down upon Lowburg in various calibrations, some landed just short of the wall, others crashed into the palisades and set splinters flying, and some flew over the walls and crashed into the buildings beyond, destroying towers and rooftops and setting aflame anything that was flammable. Leofric feared for the few people that remained in town, and all he could hope for was that they had found shelter in time.
One of Leofric's knights turned on his heels and bellowed below for the fires to be put out. A dozen men, townfolks that had been picked for the task, sprung to life and grabbed their buckets, rushing off to the nearest well. They filled them with water and dispered into the streets in a gallant effort to combat the flames, but their struggle only increased as another volley flew in from over the walls, and then another, causing even more destruction to the town. Eventually the bombardment stopped, and the men on the walls slowly rose up to their feet. Only a handful had been injured by splinter. Leofric dusted off his chestplate and narrowed his eyes towards the Raylians who had begun their march forward, offering no respite to the defenders, but as Leofric had suspected they left their siege weaponry behind under a skeleton crew guard. He just had to let their army get closer before he set his countermeasure into effect.
He made a gesture with his hand, one that was picked up by a guard officer.
"Knock arrows! Prepare to rain death upon those bastards!" the officer yelled from the top of his lungs, and the guardsmen did as they were ordered. They ignited their arrows from the braziers positioned along various locations on the wall and stood ready. The Raylians were getting closer, and the sound of agonizing screams rung out into the air as the first attackers fell into the trenches and penetrated themselves on the stakes. Leofric gestured with his hand again, the officer bellowed. "Loose!"
The guards released their volley, the swarm of three hundred burning projectiles disappeared into the enemy host, adding to their disorganized panic and painful screams of the injured. They were ordered to keep up their fire, mowing down the Raylians as they tried to make their way across the first set of trenches with little success, but their numbers appeared near endless in the dark. A few hundred dead would not make much of a difference for the defenders.
Leofric watched the carnage with content, nodding to himself. Every second the Raylians were delayed by obstacles, the better. His gaze falls back upon the siege weaponry in the distance and the took a deep breath. "Now.", he uttered, and one of his knights grabbed a nearby torch and started to wave it sideways over his head. On the far flanks of the Raylian trebuchets hundreds of small fires were lit, at least two hundred on both sides. Leofric watched as his mounted force charged the enemy weapons from both sides with their torches, they quickly closed the distance and few Raylian guards that were assigned to protect them fled in panic. The two mounted troops then completed their pincer, riding past one another and throwing their burning torches over the trebuchets that soon caught fire. By the time anyone tried to get back and douse them it would be too late, the damage would be done. One by one the torches piled up around the siege weaponry, and the riders disappeared into the darkness again, revealed only by the thundering hooves. Leofric was pleased, they had succesfully wiped out their artillery. He turned back his attention to the killing fields.
Now they just had the army itself to contend with...
"To your stations! To your stations!"
The order was repeated all along the wall and the town guard rushed into their positions. They were three hundred strong, all armed with longbows - a weapon the Lowburg guardsmen excelled with in marksmanship. A hundred of the king's own men had been assigned to guard the gate while Leofric and his knights took to the wooden walls. A rider had arrived mere moments ago informing them that the Raylian host would arrive within half an hour, and there was little time to waste.
Leofric leered up and down the wall, inspecting the guardsmen formed up in meticulous with their longbows resting against their left shoulders, all of them were gazing out over the fields. Night had begun to fall, and even though they were likely to fight in the dark, the guardsmen were well versed in the distance of their bows, and the enemy would carry torches with them to light their advance lest they were mad. Leofric had ordered torches of his own to be lit up along the wall in a deliberate attempt to draw the enemy's attention solely upon the town - that way they were less likely to notice the sharpened stakes dug down into the trenches in the fields before it was too late. Where the trenches ended they had spread out thousands of small, iron caltrops that were meant to delay an enemy advance against the walls from the sides.
Having seen his fair share of battles and siege warfare, Leofric anticipated the Raylian army would utilize their standard approach in attacking a fortified location that was severely outnumbered by the besieging force. They would place their trebuchets at the rear, guarded only by a handful of men while the rest of their force advanced fifty or so yards, ready to storm the walls as soon they had unleashed a devastating bombardment to soften up their enemy. Lowburg was going to be no different. Leofric knew he did not have enough men to stop the artillery rain itself, but he could prevent the weapons from being used further on. But in order to do that Lowburg had to suffer first.
The sound of marching boots now reached their ears and the illuminations of light-sources revealed the silhouettes of Raylian soldiers marching in columns. In the far distance their enemy was emerging, and as Leofric expected they took to the open fields to the south, after all, it was the only place where they could position their host. Some of the guardsmen shifted nervously on their spot but none made any effort to desert their post in fear. Leofric glanced out to the east and west from his elevation on the walls, but so far there had been no echoing alarms sounding their way. He nodded to himself. They still had a chance.
The defenders watched as the Raylians started to assemble their trebuchets with an unnerving speed and the guardsmen begun to mutter incoherently with one another. Soon they were about to have hell rain over them, and they could do nothing but weather the storm. Leofric cast another glance into the darkness to the far left and right of the Raylian force and he clenched his teeth together, realising that if his plan failed they would be done for, unless Sir Arthur and the Northlands army made a timely arrival. But he knew better.
Leofric turned his attention back to the enemy army as one of the men from the walls called out. Additional fires were ignited amongst the Raylians in a straight line, and all too quickly. It did not take long for any man upon the Lowburg walls to realise that they were setting ablaze the flammable shell wrapped around the stone boulders used by their trebuchets.
"It's time to duck, gentlemen." Leofric spoke up and shifted on his spot, edging closer to the wall and readied himself to dive down behind cover in case one of the rocks would fall short. Men along the wall prepared themselves too, some had already huddled down and were narrowing their eyes over the edge. Leofric could hear a few guards cursing under their breath and silently taunting the enemy, they waited for the initial volley - it was the worst one. After that it didn't get easier, but the insufferable wait would be gone.
"Get down!" a voice cried out from the wall and almost in sync the defenders huddled down behind the staunch wooden palisade. The Raylian trebuchets set into motion and almost all at once they flung up their beams up and unleashed their volley of fireballs. The boulders came roaring down upon Lowburg in various calibrations, some landed just short of the wall, others crashed into the palisades and set splinters flying, and some flew over the walls and crashed into the buildings beyond, destroying towers and rooftops and setting aflame anything that was flammable. Leofric feared for the few people that remained in town, and all he could hope for was that they had found shelter in time.
One of Leofric's knights turned on his heels and bellowed below for the fires to be put out. A dozen men, townfolks that had been picked for the task, sprung to life and grabbed their buckets, rushing off to the nearest well. They filled them with water and dispered into the streets in a gallant effort to combat the flames, but their struggle only increased as another volley flew in from over the walls, and then another, causing even more destruction to the town. Eventually the bombardment stopped, and the men on the walls slowly rose up to their feet. Only a handful had been injured by splinter. Leofric dusted off his chestplate and narrowed his eyes towards the Raylians who had begun their march forward, offering no respite to the defenders, but as Leofric had suspected they left their siege weaponry behind under a skeleton crew guard. He just had to let their army get closer before he set his countermeasure into effect.
He made a gesture with his hand, one that was picked up by a guard officer.
"Knock arrows! Prepare to rain death upon those bastards!" the officer yelled from the top of his lungs, and the guardsmen did as they were ordered. They ignited their arrows from the braziers positioned along various locations on the wall and stood ready. The Raylians were getting closer, and the sound of agonizing screams rung out into the air as the first attackers fell into the trenches and penetrated themselves on the stakes. Leofric gestured with his hand again, the officer bellowed. "Loose!"
The guards released their volley, the swarm of three hundred burning projectiles disappeared into the enemy host, adding to their disorganized panic and painful screams of the injured. They were ordered to keep up their fire, mowing down the Raylians as they tried to make their way across the first set of trenches with little success, but their numbers appeared near endless in the dark. A few hundred dead would not make much of a difference for the defenders.
Leofric watched the carnage with content, nodding to himself. Every second the Raylians were delayed by obstacles, the better. His gaze falls back upon the siege weaponry in the distance and the took a deep breath. "Now.", he uttered, and one of his knights grabbed a nearby torch and started to wave it sideways over his head. On the far flanks of the Raylian trebuchets hundreds of small fires were lit, at least two hundred on both sides. Leofric watched as his mounted force charged the enemy weapons from both sides with their torches, they quickly closed the distance and few Raylian guards that were assigned to protect them fled in panic. The two mounted troops then completed their pincer, riding past one another and throwing their burning torches over the trebuchets that soon caught fire. By the time anyone tried to get back and douse them it would be too late, the damage would be done. One by one the torches piled up around the siege weaponry, and the riders disappeared into the darkness again, revealed only by the thundering hooves. Leofric was pleased, they had succesfully wiped out their artillery. He turned back his attention to the killing fields.
Now they just had the army itself to contend with...
© 2007-2024