ordered a withdrawal from the outer wall then.
But then Krytien stepped in. He scared them so much that the enemy retreated.
She spared a glance toward the mage as he fought against sorcery thrown at him from multiple directions. Though he looked more like his old self, she knew better than to count on him for relief again.
Last time he thought that was our only option. She remembered Kaz’s orders. “Hold the wall for as long as you can. But don’t be foolish. Withdraw across the catwalks before things become hopeless. Otherwise, we won’t have the ability to regroup at the middle wall. We can’t afford to be overrun there as well.”
Yanasi grabbed several of her officers to sound the withdrawal. She sent a runner to bring up fresh reserves to cover their retreat. Another she used to send word to Kaz, making him aware of her decision.
What was it Jonrell once said? “A commander who stops to think in battle is a commander who dies in battle. The thinking should happen before the fighting begins. Trust your gut, and act.”
* * *
Drake’s responsibilities grew more difficult as the hours passed. An engineer was most useful when hammering the enemy from a distance. The closer the enemy got, the more creative Drake had to be with his weaponry. Trebuchets continued to rain rock down on the back lines of the attackers while he adjusted other equipment to maul the siege towers.
The two catapults under his command fired short, high-arcing shots just behind the towers. Stone crashed into those waiting to climb through the wooden structures and up to the walls. Ballista released large javelins into the open mouths of the tower doors. Some of the missiles managed to take out two and even three men at a time.
And despite all that we’ve done, it barely seems like it’s slowing them down.
“Drake!”
He turned toward the shout, and saw a messenger. “What is it?”
“Captain Yanasi is ordering a withdrawal to the middle wall,” he huffed. “She told me to tell you to fall back immediately before you’re unable to do so.”
Even though Kaz had presented the option of withdrawal, his chest clenched anyway. His men stopped their duties, waiting for his orders. He hadn’t felt so helpless since Cathyrium.
We lost a wall then and won, but we needed Jeldor to bail us out. There isn’t anyone to bail us out now. He grit his teeth. Kaz will figure something out. He has to.
“You heard the man. Janik, set the equipment on fire so they can’t use it against us. Everyone else, grab what you can, and let’s get out of here before we’re left behind.”
The messenger continued to gulp air as he looked over the teaming mass of soldiers fighting below. “Sir, I don’t know if I can get word to Raker.”
“Don’t worry. He’ll figure it out in a minute. Worry about the rest of your orders,” he said, slapping the soldier on the back.
Behind him, flames found life amid the wood.
* * *
Raker noticed the fire from Drake’s position. He swore realizing what had happened.
“Senald! Loose whatever you can, wherever you can, as long as it isn’t aimed at us. Then douse the equipment with oil, and dump the braziers on them.”
“Wait, what?” He looked over to Drake and then down to the men under Yanasi’s command. “Oh. Aye!” he yelled and set to work.
Raker situated a shield on his half arm, thankful he still had enough there to strap one in place. He unlooped the mace at his belt and secured it in his good hand. He looked forward to taking out his anger at losing the equipment.
Raker leaned over the side of the tower, trying to get a feel of the best route to the nearest catwalk. He spat.
None of it looked easy.
He opened his mouth to yell for them to move out, when furious movement amid the enemy caught his attention. He squinted. Bodies lay in heaps around a lone figure fending off attackers from all sides.
Kroke’s having one of his moments.
Raker wheeled.
“Quick Senald, load me up one
But then Krytien stepped in. He scared them so much that the enemy retreated.
She spared a glance toward the mage as he fought against sorcery thrown at him from multiple directions. Though he looked more like his old self, she knew better than to count on him for relief again.
Last time he thought that was our only option. She remembered Kaz’s orders. “Hold the wall for as long as you can. But don’t be foolish. Withdraw across the catwalks before things become hopeless. Otherwise, we won’t have the ability to regroup at the middle wall. We can’t afford to be overrun there as well.”
Yanasi grabbed several of her officers to sound the withdrawal. She sent a runner to bring up fresh reserves to cover their retreat. Another she used to send word to Kaz, making him aware of her decision.
What was it Jonrell once said? “A commander who stops to think in battle is a commander who dies in battle. The thinking should happen before the fighting begins. Trust your gut, and act.”
* * *
Drake’s responsibilities grew more difficult as the hours passed. An engineer was most useful when hammering the enemy from a distance. The closer the enemy got, the more creative Drake had to be with his weaponry. Trebuchets continued to rain rock down on the back lines of the attackers while he adjusted other equipment to maul the siege towers.
The two catapults under his command fired short, high-arcing shots just behind the towers. Stone crashed into those waiting to climb through the wooden structures and up to the walls. Ballista released large javelins into the open mouths of the tower doors. Some of the missiles managed to take out two and even three men at a time.
And despite all that we’ve done, it barely seems like it’s slowing them down.
“Drake!”
He turned toward the shout, and saw a messenger. “What is it?”
“Captain Yanasi is ordering a withdrawal to the middle wall,” he huffed. “She told me to tell you to fall back immediately before you’re unable to do so.”
Even though Kaz had presented the option of withdrawal, his chest clenched anyway. His men stopped their duties, waiting for his orders. He hadn’t felt so helpless since Cathyrium.
We lost a wall then and won, but we needed Jeldor to bail us out. There isn’t anyone to bail us out now. He grit his teeth. Kaz will figure something out. He has to.
“You heard the man. Janik, set the equipment on fire so they can’t use it against us. Everyone else, grab what you can, and let’s get out of here before we’re left behind.”
The messenger continued to gulp air as he looked over the teaming mass of soldiers fighting below. “Sir, I don’t know if I can get word to Raker.”
“Don’t worry. He’ll figure it out in a minute. Worry about the rest of your orders,” he said, slapping the soldier on the back.
Behind him, flames found life amid the wood.
* * *
Raker noticed the fire from Drake’s position. He swore realizing what had happened.
“Senald! Loose whatever you can, wherever you can, as long as it isn’t aimed at us. Then douse the equipment with oil, and dump the braziers on them.”
“Wait, what?” He looked over to Drake and then down to the men under Yanasi’s command. “Oh. Aye!” he yelled and set to work.
Raker situated a shield on his half arm, thankful he still had enough there to strap one in place. He unlooped the mace at his belt and secured it in his good hand. He looked forward to taking out his anger at losing the equipment.
Raker leaned over the side of the tower, trying to get a feel of the best route to the nearest catwalk. He spat.
None of it looked easy.
He opened his mouth to yell for them to move out, when furious movement amid the enemy caught his attention. He squinted. Bodies lay in heaps around a lone figure fending off attackers from all sides.
Kroke’s having one of his moments.
Raker wheeled.
“Quick Senald, load me up one
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