more distant, sounded. We were only fifty yards from the wooden palisade. Soldiers carrying stretchers bearing wounded streamed past us while squads sprinted forward, toward the line that had thus far held.
Grand Wizard Seelain gazed ahead to our left at the Crusaders who waited behind the wooden wall. They’d removed their forage caps and were quickly pulling the goggled masks over their heads and faces. Then she gazed upward and scanned the sky.
I risked a quick glance up, and spotted circling dragons. I didn’t take the time to count. I figured she could watch the sky; I’d watch for threats from zombies on the ground. Explosions that sounded like a panzer cannon’s impact rose from beyond the earthen barrier.
Road Toad snatched a tattered cloak from a fallen officer and stepped in front of Grand Wizard Seelain. He held out the ruddy-brown garment adorned with purple and gold diagonal stripes. “Grand Wizard, place this over your robes.” He must have felt it was important, because he’d turned his back to the enemy.
The wizard sneered in disdain and moved to step past Road Toad.
Despite our proximity to the raging battle, Road Toad again blocked the wizard’s path. “I am charged with defending you.” The mercenary’s voice was deferential but insistent. “With this the enemy will not readily identify you as a target equal to your stature and strength.”
Winds swirled about the wizard, like she was preparing to brush Road Toad aside. Even so, I swallowed and stood next to Road Toad, lending him my support.
Two explosions, sending gouts of dirt and rock mixed with searing metal, slammed into zombies and defenders alike as they fought atop the earthen mound. A third shell landed midway between the mound and the wall. I flinched when its concussive wave struck my back. But Road Toad and Grand Wizard Seelain stood facing each other.
She pointed. “That is the enemy’s artillery, Mercenary. Do you know what comes next? The Crusaders do.” She glanced over at them in their goggled masks, fixing bayonets to the end of their muzzleloading rifles. “I do, and I am more capable of defending myself than you could possibly imagine. I suffer your accompaniment only as an oath to General Ellis.”
Road Toad stood his ground. “If it is your objective to expend your energies fending against enemy fire brought upon yourself, I will step aside.” Road Toad’s voice cut through the mayhem sixty yards ahead. “If you desire to focus your energies, aimed at the enemy’s destruction, don this garment.”
Watching the dispute, I nodded agreement with Road Toad’s assertion.
With a huff, Grand Wizard Seelain relented. Road Toad set the cloak over her shoulders and fastened it with a silver dragonhead clasp.
Just as we reached the palisade, the tenor of shouts changed to choking screams. Instead of explosive metal, sickly yellow-green clouds rose from the area where the artillery rounds fell. Instinctively, I held my breath.
“Chlorine gas,” announced Grand Wizard Seelain and spun her staff, pointing at one of the toxic plumes. Scattered dozens of wizards garbed as light infantrymen just behind the lines raised and gestured with their staves, summoning and harnessing elemental spirits.
Wherever enemy artillery landed, it released the poisonous vapor. The soldiers retreated, pursued by the unaffected zombies. But, after the initial shock, few solders fell to the gas. Wherever a wizard pointed, a wind elemental rushed in and took up the yellow-green cloud in a whirlwind before spiriting it away, skyward. Two leveled out and sped clouds of the deadly gas toward the enemy. Grand Wizard Seelain added her strength as she advanced, sending a stiff breeze over the mound and back toward the enemy, carrying remnants of the chlorine gas with it.
Even so, the zombies had crested the earthen mound, and the pitched battle now raged between the mound and the palisade. Desperate picket teams banded together into rings
Grand Wizard Seelain gazed ahead to our left at the Crusaders who waited behind the wooden wall. They’d removed their forage caps and were quickly pulling the goggled masks over their heads and faces. Then she gazed upward and scanned the sky.
I risked a quick glance up, and spotted circling dragons. I didn’t take the time to count. I figured she could watch the sky; I’d watch for threats from zombies on the ground. Explosions that sounded like a panzer cannon’s impact rose from beyond the earthen barrier.
Road Toad snatched a tattered cloak from a fallen officer and stepped in front of Grand Wizard Seelain. He held out the ruddy-brown garment adorned with purple and gold diagonal stripes. “Grand Wizard, place this over your robes.” He must have felt it was important, because he’d turned his back to the enemy.
The wizard sneered in disdain and moved to step past Road Toad.
Despite our proximity to the raging battle, Road Toad again blocked the wizard’s path. “I am charged with defending you.” The mercenary’s voice was deferential but insistent. “With this the enemy will not readily identify you as a target equal to your stature and strength.”
Winds swirled about the wizard, like she was preparing to brush Road Toad aside. Even so, I swallowed and stood next to Road Toad, lending him my support.
Two explosions, sending gouts of dirt and rock mixed with searing metal, slammed into zombies and defenders alike as they fought atop the earthen mound. A third shell landed midway between the mound and the wall. I flinched when its concussive wave struck my back. But Road Toad and Grand Wizard Seelain stood facing each other.
She pointed. “That is the enemy’s artillery, Mercenary. Do you know what comes next? The Crusaders do.” She glanced over at them in their goggled masks, fixing bayonets to the end of their muzzleloading rifles. “I do, and I am more capable of defending myself than you could possibly imagine. I suffer your accompaniment only as an oath to General Ellis.”
Road Toad stood his ground. “If it is your objective to expend your energies fending against enemy fire brought upon yourself, I will step aside.” Road Toad’s voice cut through the mayhem sixty yards ahead. “If you desire to focus your energies, aimed at the enemy’s destruction, don this garment.”
Watching the dispute, I nodded agreement with Road Toad’s assertion.
With a huff, Grand Wizard Seelain relented. Road Toad set the cloak over her shoulders and fastened it with a silver dragonhead clasp.
Just as we reached the palisade, the tenor of shouts changed to choking screams. Instead of explosive metal, sickly yellow-green clouds rose from the area where the artillery rounds fell. Instinctively, I held my breath.
“Chlorine gas,” announced Grand Wizard Seelain and spun her staff, pointing at one of the toxic plumes. Scattered dozens of wizards garbed as light infantrymen just behind the lines raised and gestured with their staves, summoning and harnessing elemental spirits.
Wherever enemy artillery landed, it released the poisonous vapor. The soldiers retreated, pursued by the unaffected zombies. But, after the initial shock, few solders fell to the gas. Wherever a wizard pointed, a wind elemental rushed in and took up the yellow-green cloud in a whirlwind before spiriting it away, skyward. Two leveled out and sped clouds of the deadly gas toward the enemy. Grand Wizard Seelain added her strength as she advanced, sending a stiff breeze over the mound and back toward the enemy, carrying remnants of the chlorine gas with it.
Even so, the zombies had crested the earthen mound, and the pitched battle now raged between the mound and the palisade. Desperate picket teams banded together into rings
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