Part 16 (1/2)
”Delia,” Illan says. ”Are your people ready?”
”As ready as they're ever going to be,” she says. To her slingers she says, ”Wait for my signal before you remove anything from your pouch!”
”Yes ma'am,” Orrin's voice answers from his position down the line.
Illan turns to Ceadric and says, ”They'll want to take out the catapults first. Be prepared.”
”Aye sir,” he says.
A hush falls over the battlefield as the final men make their way through the palisade and take position. They are outnumbered seven to one, Black Hawk's Raiders number somewhere near a thousand while the Empire's force appears to be at least seven or eight thousand strong. The initial numbers they had of the enemy may have been off.
None of the enemy cavalry has yet taken the field. Illan nods to Jiron as he retakes his position at the head of his men. ”Cavalry not coming?” Jiron asks.
Illan nods to the two ends of the palisade far in the distance. ”My guess would be for them to make an end run around the far side of the wall once the battle begins.”
”I'll keep that in mind,” he says.
Illan turns to the officer in charge of the catapults. ”Give them a volley.”
”Yes, sir,” he replies. Turning to his men he hollers, ”Let em go boys!”
As one, the five catapults are loosed and their deadly projectiles are thrown toward the ma.s.sed men before them. The five boulders fly through the air and come to land in the midst of the soldiers. Most are able to dodge out of the way but two are struck by the rocks after they hit the ground and begin to roll.
”Not very effective against ground troops,” comments Ceadric. ”Need grapeshot.”
Just then, they hear a command shouted by the enemy commander and horns begin to sound.
”True,” replies Illan. ”Hadn't planned on using them against troops, just the walls.”
The enemy crossbowmen move forward and raise their crossbows. At another command, hundreds of bolts are loosed and fly toward them. ”Raise the s.h.i.+elds,” cries Jiron as he and the others raise s.h.i.+elds to protect themselves as well as Delia and her slingers from the barrage.
As the bolts reach the apex of their arc and begin descending down toward them, the three crystals atop the staves James had planted in the ground flare. A s.h.i.+mmering field springs to life between them and extends above the staves at least thirty feet. Most of the bolts are deflected away. Some soar high enough to go over the top of the field but are easily brushed aside with s.h.i.+elds.
”Way to go James!” Devin's voice rings out.
”Quiet back there!” Illan orders as the crossbowmen ready another volley. ”Hedry, see if you can distract them.”
”Archers!” he hollers. ”Ready bows!” The line of bowmen including Errin and Aleya put bow to string and draw them back to await his command. Hedry raises his arm and then lowers it as he cries ”Fire!”
A hundred arrows fly toward the enemy, some taking out crossbowmen while others fly further and find their mark among the rank of soldiers. From the walls of Lythylla behind them, a cheer erupts from the onlookers.
”Fire at will,” Illan says to Hedry.
”Fire at will!” Hedry repeats to his men and as fast as bowmen can put arrow to string, they fire at the enemy.
Horns from the enemy blow and the soldiers behind the crossbowmen surge forward with a war cry. Swords gleaming in the morning sun, they rush Illan's position. ”Any time, Delia,” Illan tells her. Another round of bolts is loosed from the crossbowmen as they and Hedry's archers exchange fire.
”Okay my lads,” Delia says as she turns to face her slingers. ”Take out one from the pouch and set it into your sling. As soon as you do, launch it to the enemy. Wait five seconds then do it again.”
Removing one of the special missiles James had put together, she places it within her sling. Before she finishes twirling her sling up to speed, several of the others let fly with theirs.
As the approaching soldiers see the missiles flying toward them, they pause in their charge and raise their s.h.i.+elds. The hardened clay missiles shatter on impact and the soldiers are surprised at the crystals contained within. Each has a glow to them and after nothing happens, they resume their charge.
”What went wrong?” Illan asks Delia after the first round fails to do anything.
”I don't know,” she replies as she winds up her sling to launch her second volley.
Then all of a sudden, soldiers closest to the first volley of crystals begin falling to the ground as the crystals leech power from them. A second later, orbs begin filling the air and start emitting bursts of electricity.
The momentum of the charge falters as men are struck with the lightning from the orbs. Officers order their men forward and the charge resumes as more and more men fall victim as the second volley of crystals activates.
”They're not going to get all of them,” says Ceadric.
”No, they aren't,” agrees Jiron.
”Be ready,” Illan says as he draws forth his sword.
Behind them, the catapults fall silent as the approaching soldiers close the distance and move out of the target range. Catapults are for long range attacks, not much good for in close fighting.
The last volley of crystals soars over head, some of the slingers aiming for the remaining crossbowmen at the rear of the charging men. ”There's their cavalry!” hollers one of Ceadric's men.
From his position on the walls of Lythylla, Lord Pytherian sees the hundreds of cavalrymen emerging from around both sides of the palisade. ”Send forth our men,” he tells Henri beside him.
Henri turns to the men waiting in the courtyard below and gives the signal. First through the gates rides the cavalry, five hundred strong. They split up on the far side of the bridge, half moving to meet the oncoming riders on the right and the other half those on the left.
Illan takes note of the riders spewing forth from Lythylla, coming to their aid. ”About time,” he mumbles. The lightning from the orbs is creating merry havoc with the men charging his position. Though their momentum is faltering, it isn't stopping. ”Jiron! Ceadric!” he hollers as he sits his horse with sword in hand. ”Hold your position! Let them come to us.”
The first line of soldiers runs into the barrier between the staffs, their faces showing the startlement of hitting the unexpected barrier. Then they become squashed against it as other soldiers. .h.i.t them from behind. Around the far sides of the barrier the soldiers encounter Jiron on the right and Ceadric on the left and the battle is joined.
Delia and her slingers are protected from the onslaught by the barrier and the fighters on either side. ”Fire at will!” she calls out as she sets a slug to sling and begins twirling. Letting loose, she watches the slug fly through the air and strike a soldier square upon the forehead. The man stands stunned for a moment then disappears from sight as he falls to the ground and is trampled by the men coming up behind him.
At first she was worried that the barrier would prevent the slugs from going through, but James had allowed for that. You can't imagine the relief she felt when her first slug went through the barrier. Now, they rain a constant hail upon those wedged on the far side. Most of the slugs simply bounce off the soldier's armor, but a few find their mark and take them down.
Given the chance she would lead her slingers off the field of battle, this is no place for them. If the barrier were to fail, they would be cut down in no time. Out of the corner of her eye she keeps track of the fighting going on around her. Jiron and his men are devastating the line of enemy soldiers, Shorty stays closer to Delia and her bunch as his knives wouldn't be as effective in such a melee.
A group of Parvatis moves against Ceadric's position and wades into them with both swords felling men fast. ”To the left!” she cries to her slingers. ”Take out the Parvatis!” Turning slightly left, she winds her sling up and lets loose another slug. It flies through the air striking a Parvati in the side of the head. As he falls, more slugs and arrows from Hedry's group begin to take their toll.
The memory of the Parvati Qyrll whom she had met once while he was staying with James flashes across her mind. A good man and honorable, she dislikes having to kill his countrymen, possibly his kin. But what else can she do?
From the edges of the battlefield, the sound of horses neighing can be heard as the two cavalry forces meet. The riders from Lythylla are outnumbered but are holding them at bay while their foot soldiers rush to their aid. Still streaming from the gates of Lythylla, they race as fast as possible to join in the fray. Already, the number of allies on the field is approaching that of the Empire.
The light from the Star moves throughout the battlefield as Miko tends the wounded as only he can. He longs to join in the battle, but the need to save the lives of these men outweighs the need for glory. Moving from injured man to injured man, he ministers to them with the healing power of Morcyth.
At one point he was healing a man with a severed arm. He reattached it through the power of the Star and was about to move to another when the tide of battle s.h.i.+fted. The line between himself and the enemy suddenly collapses. Putting away the Star, he draws forth his sword and meets the oncoming soldiers.
With speed the likes of which few soldiers have ever encountered, he blocks the attack of one while kicking out at another. In a blinding attack, two soldiers fall away with mortal wounds while a third launches into a series of attack which Miko is able to easily counter.
From the side a sword strikes at him and leaves a long gash along his side. The pain of the wound is barely even noticeable as he strikes out at the soldier and removes his head from his shoulder.