Omnixius
patreon
DKP 6-26 A legend falls.
🕑 Added 2021-04-18 20:06:30 +0000 UTCThe sun rose in the east, bathing a green landscape in soft, warm light. The open plains were split by a broad road that led straight to the city. The wind was gentle but strong enough to blow banners that were held aloft, letting their foes know who had come to challenge them. Flags for Ulustrah, Astikar, Vellis, and Balisha were prominently displayed, marking the major powers that had come to right a terrible wrong. In addition, came those of other formations and noble houses. Units that had joined as his army advanced across the land. The dove shields were featured prominently, a red shield with a single white dove at its center, a small flower in its beak. They had a score to settle with the great liar as they called him and had volunteered from some of the most dangerous challenges.
From this distance, the city looked imposing, its great walls rising to the sky like a ring of mountains. They circled the city in a near-perfect ring giving Calathen its legendary title, the city whose walls had never been broken. Standing in the center was a tremendous gate of golden metal rising to a pointed arch. Behind the walls rose a city larger than most of the army had ever seen. It was built on the remains of a small mountain so that the closer to the center you went, the higher the city rose. The central spire of the palace stood above it all, its white walls glistening in the morning sunlight. A beacon of power and might seen for miles and an eternal reminder of its glory. From its top spire, the emperor could look down on the whole of the city and lands beyond. Were there an emperor now, he would see his doom approaching.
Lilly led the way with Gersius and Thayle on her back. To either side marched the thousands of men and women who comprised the army. They walked in perfect formation sweeping across the landscape like a dark wave, trampling anything in their path. The units were mixed, with heavy armor to the front and the thinner to the rear. Gersisus blended the units, mixing the various faiths to maximize their effectiveness. The only unit that remained as a single force were the battle priests of Balisha. To them, he wanted a special place to help reinforce their return to the world and the role the goddess would play. Intermixed throughout the formation were rows of unarmed women marching in groups of three. They formed a thick line every five ranks, nearly doubling the size of the army. Gersius wanted this for two reasons, to make the enemy believe his army was much larger than it really was and give him the means to reach those walls. Of all the formations in his army, the unarmed women of Ulustrah were the most important. Now was their time to shine, and Gersius intended to prove that armed or not, they were valuable.
Behind the army rode the cavalry, broken into two distinct formations. Alayse led the women of Ulustrah on the right, while Jessivel led the men of Astikar and a hundred or so heavy knights to the left. The two commanders rode side by side in the middle, waiting for the moment to act, each determined to beat the other into the city.
Directly behind Lilly came her warriors of Balisha, marching as an honor guard of the dragon that was their high priestess. They guarded four wagons covered in tarps that were pulled by blindfolded horses directly behind. The wagons were a vital part of Gersius's plan, and even now, he could feel Lilly's tension over what he intended to do. It was the only way to accomplish the goal fast enough and limit the loss of life, but for Lilly, it was like asking her to tear off her own wings again.
Far to the left and right, the flanking armies appeared, moving quickly to converge on the gates. If his plan worked, the enemy was now scrambling to strip their defenders from other parts of the city. In minutes, they would all be on the walls or in the courtyard behind the gates, right where he wanted them. He knew how defenders thought and the arrogance of trusting in walls. Any army determined enough could break a wall, but Gersius had other plans. He needed them to fear his reputation as a city breaker and commit all they had to defend this one point.
As the army advanced, they heard bells ringing from the distant city. The people were being told the battle had come, and Gersius was here. It was a moment he thought would never come, but here he was, and history was about to be made.
“How many?” Dellain yelled as he stormed down the battlements.
“We estimate his army at just over twentythousand,” Mathius said and joined his side. “but we only see one of his dragons.”
“The others are no doubt going to sweep the walls,” Dellain commented and cleared a tower so he could get a good view. He leaned on the walls and took it all in as three massive armies swept forward, heading right for the gate. With a shake of his head, he laughed at the foolishness of the move. “Gersius, you predictable fool.”
“My lord?” Mathius questioned.
“He’s bound and determined to complete the prophecy. He won’t step foot inside the city unless it’s through that gate. He’s even pulled his other armies back to throw everything he has at the strongest point in the city. Pull the other garrisons from the walls and assign them here.”
“But my lord, the wall is already crowded with defenders,” Mathius argued.
“Then put them in the yard. Put everything we have right inside that gate. If his vines do manage to break the doors, I want everything we have ready to defend the breach.”
“Of course, my Lord,” Mathius said with a slight bow. “Gersius will never set foot inside this city.”
Dellain gave his commander a look of disdain. He knew full well Gersius was coming through the gate. Gersius was a master strategist who knew how to break fortifications. He wouldn’t be marching on the walls unless he had a plan to break them. If Gersius did intend to use the vines, then it would work, and Dellains only hope was the sheer weight of numbers they could throw against him. Let Gersius’s army of ten thousand collide with Dellains thirty thousand, made up heavily of Raven guard and priests.
“Do the best you can,” Dellain said and turned away. “But don’t underestimate him. If you lose the walls, fall back to the inner ring and double your defenses. Don’t let pride cloud your judgment.”
Mathius nodded as Dellain took one last look at the sight before him. He knew this moment was coming. Gersius was here, and the final battle would commence. With a shake of his head, he left the defense of the walls to Mathius. Dellain had some final preparations to make and a trap to spring for Gersius and his dragon.
The wind picked up slightly as the army advanced, shields held high as if daring the enemy to attack. They looked like a proper army now as eyes stared with determination at the prize.
“The walls are covered with rows of people,” Lilly said as her dragon sight swept over the scene. “If we get any closer, I won't be able to see the top anymore. I can’t believe how tall they are.”
“They are the tallest walls in the world outside the gates at Eastgate,” Gersius said. But their walls do not surround the city.”
“That because the mountains surround most of the city. How close can we come before they start attacking?” Thayle asked.
“Another twenty meters,” Gersius replied. “But they will not fire right away. They will allow us to get the army well inside range and then open up with everything they have.”
“You’re sure this plan will work?” Lilly asked nervously as she looked on walls that even Sarah couldn’t climb.
“Have faith,” Gersius said. “We did not come this far to fail.”
“And the divines choose the best leader in the land to see it done,” Thayle added as she glanced back to him. “It is your time to show the world you are the only true emperor of the dragon empire.”
“Do not forget that you are every bit as important,” Gersius reminded. “The title of Empress will weigh on your shoulders as well.”
Thayle smiled weakly as she considered the thought. “I know we will all be empresses at your side, but this day is your day. I might have marched an army to Calathen, but only Gersius could break those walls.”
Gersius nodded and drew his sword as the army continued to march forward. The ground shook with the stamp of feet, and the wind carried away a cloud of dust as the inevitable tide swept on. In seconds they would be well within range, and the enemy would only be waiting for them to get close enough to slaughter.
“Nobody fires until I give the command!” Mathius shouted as he paced the wall. “We wait until they are in arrow range and then tear them to pieces!” He turned about to see the courtyard below swarming with soldiers. The raven guard's ranks had swelled to nearly twenty thousand, and there were another twentythousand soldiers besides that. The loyal priests of the other faiths were also present, standing at the ready to protect the gates, adding almost another ten thousand to their ranks. Most notable among them were the women of Ulustrah assigned directly behind the doors. They numbered only eighthundred, but they believed they could blockthe vine growth. Failing that, they would counter the problem by boosting the growth and using the vines themselves to seal the breach.
All in all, they outnumbered Gersius three to one and had the advantage of the defense. Even if Gersius broke those gates and made it inside, he would find an inner yard packed so densely with soldiers; there was barely room to move.
Mathius was honored to be the one chosen to grind them to dust. His name would go down in legend as the man who finally stopped Gersius and saved the empire. Turning back to the walls, he ordered the siege engines loaded, and the weavers took their place at the front battlements. Five full ranks of battle priests stood in perfect rows behind them, ready to use blessings to defend. Behind the priests were ten rows of archers spread down the whole length of the wall for a hundred meters in either direction. With a single command, Mathius could put five thousand arrows into the air. The rain of death would wither Gersius's army long before he got close enough to use those words.
All that was left was to wait as the moment drew so close that only seconds remained. Clear markers had been placed on the field so he could tell the range. When the army was inside, he turned to those waiting on the walls and gave the command.
Gersius felt that moment come again. That time right before a battle where he looked for the beauty around him to remind himself what he was fighting for. Seconds seemed to last for minutes as he looked up and saw Lilly’s blue scales shining in the sunlight. She was like a goddess herself, bravely marching into a fight only because she loved him. She reminded him of Thayle and Sarah, the three women who vowed to love him. If ever there was a doubt in his mind, it was if he was worthy of such a blessing. This was what he was fighting for, the right to love and have a family. This was his moment of peace and beauty, his wives marching at his side into the storm.
Ahead of them were the walls of the city that had never been breached. No army had set foot inside that sacred place in known history. It was a testament to the strength of those wall and the people who defended them. Every major faith and most of the minor ones had grand temples in the city. They always came to protect the walls and the people in times of trouble. He knew today would be no different and that never before had the walls been defended so well. Only a madman would attack such a strong point, risking the loss of his army in a futile display.
He took a deep breath as the gap between them narrowed and the gates loomed higher. Looking up, he saw the sky darken as the first volley was loosed. Red light flashed all along the battlements as weavers began to cast. Stones and great spears joined the incoming doom as his army marched into it with divine confidence.
Thayle jumped down as Gersius stood in the saddle facing the incoming death, his purple cloak flapping in the breeze.
“Now, Thayle,” he said over the bind, the battle finally beginning.
“Shields!” Thayle cried as thousands of women raised a hand to the sky and a chorus of voices rose with it. The landscape was bathed in a single beautiful song that echoed from the walls of the city. Green disks appeared above the army, overlapping like the scales of a dragon and covering the entire formation.
Angry red flashes exploded on the surface, followed a moment later by a thunderous hail of arrows. It was a thunderstorm with intermittent thunder when a stone shattered on the green discs and scattered across the surface in fragments.
This was his enemy's folly, Gersius mused. No man could approach these walls unless he were willing to throw away most of his army to get there. To be successful, he needed a way to approach the walls without being torn to shreds. Thanks to the madness of his enemies, this problem was solved. Thousands of women of Ulustrah now lent their strength to the war, giving him the one thing he needed, protection. Stone and arrows shattered like glass on those barriers even as the army continued to march forward. The sound was deafening, and shields did fail under the relentless barrage, but Gersius had planned for this too. When one disc failed, it was replaced by another as the groups worked in threes to keep a single cohesive barrier up. It was the sole task of the unarmed women to maintain that barrier and get them in range. Their voices never faltered as the lines grew closer and the bombardment increased.
Shields began to break more rapidly, particularly when struck by the weaver's deadly bolts. Occasional arrows made it through, and soldiers fell, but priests of Vellis were mixed in the formations as well. They quickly worked to stand any injured soldiers back up and kept the formation intact.
“How much closer do we have to get?” Thayle asked as the barrage intensified yet again.
“A few meters more!” Gersius yelled to be heard over the noise.
Those last few moments seemed to take forever, but at last, they were close enough. With a raised hand, he called on Balisha's power, a single silvery dragon's claw appearing high in the sky. The cavalry suddenly burst into motion, one group charging around the army to the left the other to the right. They rode at full speed, racing around the flanks of the army as Gersius lowered his hand.
“Hold!” he shouted, bringing the formation to a halt as stones shattered on barriers above his head.
“Lilly, now is the time,” he said and jumped down to join Thayle. He felt her turmoil over what was about to happen, but as she promised, she didn't hesitate.
Lilly nodded and began to chant in low tones, twisting her hands in a practiced dance as her wings unfolded and were held high. She began to build the power of the weave as the army moved away, giving her the room she needed. The cavalry cleared the flanks and were now racing to the gates as Lilly's hands began to glow.
The tarps were pulled from the wagons to reveal the gold and treasures collected in the march. As Lilly worked her weave, they began to glow as well, and then to gasps of amazement turned to dust, becoming clouds of glittering golden light that flowed to Lilly. The once blue dragon turned to gold with a halo of brilliant white as her entire body blazed with fire of the same color. She pulled her hand back in a fist as the power gathered, the light so intense soldiers had to cover their eyes. Once again, she looked like a goddess, only now awash in power that spun about as it collected in her hands.
“Open the way!” Gersius shouted as the green shields before Lilly were removed a second before Lilly responded.
When she punched, and released the weave, a star of brilliant golden light as large as her body, raced out with the speed of lightning. It slammed into the gates, and the walls of Calathen shook, dust and stones falling from the battlements. There was a terrible shattering sound as the doors buckled and exploded inward, the upper half hanging in the air as the lower half was hurled in fragments into the yard behind it. Even as the stunned army watched, several of the buildings behind the gates collapsed, the impact of Lilly's weave carrying clear across the inner yard. The dust from the stunning attack hadn't even finished billowing out as the cavalry charged inside. Gersius quickly climbed to Lilly's back and stood, pointing his sword to the doors.
“Forward, the city is ours!” he shouted, and the army surged, running for the broken gates as alarm bells rang in the city. Lilly took off at a full-running pace, eager to be inside the gates. Above them, a shadow passed overhead, and Gersius looked up to see Sarah and Numidel now enacting their part of the plan. The massive cages held aloft more by magic than dragon strength as they flew over the shocked walls.
Mathius reeled in hock, staggering to the inner wall to look into the courtyard. The riders were already pouring into the city, spilling into the space left in the wake of that weave. The strength of his army was obliterated and torn asunder by that star. The women of Ulustrah were incinerated, and nearly half his men were already dead, slain in the explosion as that light blasted through the gates. The half that remained were severely injured, and those still standing were stunned, blinded, and helpless. Even as he watched, the cavalry was shredding them, cutting them down with brutal efficiency and fanning out into the streets.
A pained memory returned to him as he recalled the rumors that Gersius had boasted he would take the city in one hour. He and the other captains had laughed, accusing Gersius of going mad or spinning lies to encourage his soldiers. Now he saw the truth; Gersius wasn't boasting. He planned to take the city as fast as he said and divines help who stood in his way.
“The walls are breached!” he shouted, unable to believe what he was saying. “Gersius has broken the gates!”
“Dragons!” men shouted, and he turned back to see the missing dragons coming right for the walls. They carried cages beneath them and strange rows of shields on their backs. As the red dived right at them, he ordered the defenders to repel her. Hammers and red bolts filled the sky, but to his surprise, green shields appeared to protect the dragon. She loosed a gout of fire, but he too could play at this game. The priests fell into locked ranks, channeling their protective shields of their own. The dragon's fire passed over them harmlessly, but as the dragon flew off, arrows trailed behind it. From the saddle on her back dark-skinned warriors, and dozens of women with crossbows filled the air with death. Soldiers thinking the fire was the only attack didn't realize the danger until several of their numbers were dead. The blue did the same to the wall further down, and then both flew into the city, carrying their cages over the rooftops and ignoring the walls altogether.
“Call the dragons!” Mathius shouted as he looked on helplessly. “Send the signal and call the dragons before we lose the inner walls too!”
Men ran to a nearby tower, and a moment later, a loud gong rang out to send the alarm. It was hoped the dragons wouldn't be needed as Gersius wasn't supposed to reach the walls. Now he was through them, and his dragons were over the city, carrying more soldiers inside. It was a turning point in the conflict, as once the dragons were called, they would take control. Now they would lead the war effort answering only to their master far to the east. Mathius had to swallow his pride and give an order that had never been spoken in Calathen before. “The outer city is lost! Fall back to the inner walls!”
Men abandoned positions and ran, hurrying down the length of the walls for the security of the inner city. The secondary walls were not as high but protected a smaller area that would be easier to defend, but for the first, he wondered if they could stop Gersius?
“We have to hurry!” Numidel bellowed. “That ringing is almost certainly a call for their dragons. They will be on us soon.”
Sarah nodded and banked away, heading for the distant wall that joined the inner wall to the outer. These elevated causeways were built over the city to act as a means of rapid movement for soldiers. She was rather impressed at the human ingenuity and design when it came to defenses. They had a knack for thinking of things like ease of use and mobility. They always sought to bring as much of their strength to bear on a single target. Gersius thought like this; his planning of exact routes and divisions of movement to keep his forces flowing inward was genius. Even this ploy to block the enemy's retreat and turn the outer walls into a trap was brilliant. This would leave the inner city bare of anything but the elite guard, or so they hoped. She spied the causeway that was her first stop and spread her wings to turn when a red streak passed on her left.
“Shoot her down!” Ayawa yelled from Sarah’s back as arrows flew. Sarah turned to see a younger red climbing high and banking to make another pass. She couldn't maneuver with the cage and riders, so she tried to outrun it, putting her much greater wingspan to use. She would be faster by far in a flat race, but this younger dragon was diving, gathering speed as his mouth began to glow with fire. One thing Sarah noted immediately was the cruel barbed spear it held in its hands. She had seen that spear before, in the hands of her daughter when she returned to slay her.
A gout of flames raced Sarah's way, but it suddenly twisted and turned aside as Tavis used his weaving to deflect it. The dragon flew by at terrible speed, spreading its wings wide to catch the air and turn as Sarah finally reached the wall. She practically dropped the cage allowing the soldiers inside to spill out and seize the causeway. The cage itself would be the barrier, and the soldiers were only there to ensure it wasn't removed and secure the inner gates. As they poured out of the cage, Sarah flapped to gain altitude and speed, knowing her fight wasn't over. Grateful her arms were free; she finally turned to face the younger dragon only to see that two reds were now racing her way.
“There is another,” Sarah called and banked away, heading for the final drop-off.
“Numidel has three on him,” Ayawa shouted as she aimed her bow. “Better to get to the drop-off than try to fight them.”
“Can you outrun them?” Tavis asked.
“Will those ropes hold you?” Sarah asked in return.
“They will hold fast,” Ayawa said as she stood tall, a rope tied around her waist and a metal ring in the center of the saddle. It acted as a firm anchor, giving her enough room to lean to the side and aim. It was a common tactic of her people when they used war animals, and all the southern warriors were comfortable with its use. To add to their firepower, many dove shields were tied in rows up the sides of the saddle. Their shields bolted to the leather and interlocked to make rows of low barriers they could hide behind. In the very center were six terrified women of Ulustrah who used their shields to intercept any projectiles they could. Somehow it was working, and when one of the dragons came too close, it veered off as a hail of arrows pelted at its face.
Sarah put on a terrible burst of speed, causing all of the riders to lean to one side as she tore across the sky, eager to be rid of them. She would drop the riders at the last causeway to join Numdel and then take the fight to the sky and deal with these younger pests. As that causeway drew near, red bolts began to rise to meet her. Holes were punched in her wings when green shields failed to intercept them. She growled and tore on as one of the reds made another pass, boldly trying to sweep the riders from her back. It roared as it filled with arrows and tore away, climbing up and out of range.
“Hurry!” Ayawa shouted as Sarah tried to bank between the red bolts filling the sky.
“I am top big for maneuvering like this!” Sarah snarled back and decided to fly low, skimming the rooftops to avoid any of the weavers having an easy shot. When at last she came over a street and saw the causeway, she breathed a sigh of relief. Numidel was already landing, and his riders jumped off, eager to be on firm ground. Sarah joined him a moment later, and Ayawa led the way down as Sarah's saddle cleared in moments.
“Where is that dragon?” Sarah shouted and looked skyward. “Shardros is supposed to be here!”
There was a flap of wings, and Sarah looked back to see the sleek black form of the dragon drop from the sky to land on the causeway. He looked irritated as he stalked forward and took up a position to block the path.
“Where have you been?” Sarah demanded as he finally arrived.
“I could not find a safe route down. The air is filled with hostile dragons!” he shouted and looked up to see one diving their way.
Numidel let out a chant as an orange hammer formed in his hand and was hurled the dragon's way. It wisely turned aside, avoiding the massive weapon as Sarah beat her wings to take the battle to the sky.
“We will handle these broodlings,” Sarah said as Numidel joined her in the sky. “You must keep that causeway blocked, or Gersius will be trapped in the inner city,” Sarah called as she moved on.
Shadros snarled and turned to look down the long narrow causeway that joined the inner and outer walls. Ayawa, Tavis, Gedris, and over fifty others joined his side as they waited. It was only a matter of moments before men appeared on the far side and began to rush their way.
“You and the dove shields must hold this causeway,” Ayawa said. “The rest of us have to secure the gate and ensure it is open.”
“This is madness!” Shadros growled. “Dragons should not be fighting dragons.”
“Then fight the men,” Ayawa snapped and pointed their way.
Arrows flew as the dove shields formed a defensive line to protect Shadros, firing crossbows over the shields in the first volley. When it failed to slow enough of them, he let loose a breath of pure cold, dousing the narrow walkway in a cold that froze flesh and blood. Still, men kept coming, some protected, others just outside the cold and now stepping over frozen brethren.
“There are so many,” one of the Doves cried in fear.
“We have no fallback position,” a second added as she looked back to Shadros. “What do we do?”
“Why are you asking me?” he bellowed as the woman looked stunned.
“You are the dragon,” she replied as if that answer explained everything.
For the first time, he realized these humans saw him as something of a leader. Because he was a dragon, he would be able to lead them. With a bellowing sigh, he looked back to the line of men now forming proper ranks to meet them head-on. The front row had shields formed into a wall, and the subsequent rows laid spears over them to rush forward.
Shadros thought of Mingfe and how she had come to mean something to him. He cared for her and her well-being, even so far as to be angry that she was someplace else in this battle. For the first time in his life, he experienced worry, concerned that he was not there to keep her safe. It was an unpleasant sensation, but as he looked at the women lined up before him, he felt a new feeling, a sense of responsibility. Gersius had spoken to him at length about how important this causeway was to winning. He was given the task of protecting it, and the soldiers assigned to aiding him. Now, these women were facing those mad soldiers as he wondered what to do. Never in his life did he believe he would find himself protecting humans from other humans. It was an annoying thought, but logic told him that the battle would end sooner by holding this point, and thus Mingfe would be under less risk. For her, he would do all he could to hold the line and protect the others.
The line of men surged forward, orange hammers leading the way as they closed the ground. In seconds they would be on them, so Shadros stepped over the doves to take them head-on. He was almost immediately wounded as trained men hurled blessings and spears, battering the dragon. In a rage, he snapped and clawed, tearing through them with a vicious animal hunger.
The front line of soldiers broke under the first swipe, but they didn't flee. Instead, they formed a new line as spears and blessings continued to batter him. In particular, they aimed for his face, something Lilly warned him about. His eyes were more vulnerable than any other part of his body, and men made a habit of targeting them.
Spears began to find his underbelly as he waded into the lines, crushing men and sweeping them off the bridge by the dozens to plummet to their deaths. Still, the stabs and cuts were taking a toll, and he began to feel the need to get out of their reach as his blood stained the stones. Green shields started to pop up around him, blocking hammers and protecting his chest. Other women ran to his side, placing hands on this hind legs as they sang a soft song. The healing energy of Ulustrah coursed through his body, mending the wounds as he tried to stand still and fight. He resorted to throwing bodies into their ranks as they wisely pulled back and resumed throwing hammers.
Dove shields ran around him to form a new protective line, some taking hammers meant for him. He was amazed that these humans were willing to risk death to protect him. Another hammer raced in and was about to pummel another of the women when he reached out a hand and caught it, absorbing the blow himself.
“Get back behind me!” he commanded. “Your shields can’t absorb those hammers.”
The doves looked up as if confused, but he had a new idea and turned to the women healing him.
“How long can you use those protective shields?” he demanded, his eyes narrowed on a group of the women.
“We can maintain them as long as we sing, but a strong enough blow shatters them and forces us to call on a new one. Each new shield is a drain on our power.”
“I need you to shield the causeway, create a wall they can't get through,” he said as the woman shook her head.
“Their hammers are more than enough to break a shield,” the woman argued. “We won't be able to maintain that wall for more than a couple minutes; then our power will be depleted.”
“I only need one minute,” Shadros replied. “Hold them back and give me a dozen meters to work.”
The women looked to one another, and then one of their ranks gave the command, and together they formed a green wall between them and the men hurling hammers. The shields began to shatter under the hail, but just as she said, they were able to replace them relatively quickly, maintaining the barricade.
Shadros focused on his task and the orders he was given. He was told to prevent the enemy from using the causeway to get to the inner walls. However, nobody said how he had to accomplish this task. With claws strong enough to cut through stone, he began to dig, cutting furrows in the blocks that made up the bridge and rapidly tearing stones loose from their mortar. He had a small pit dug in moments and started to use his great strength to tear larger chunks away, taking a moment to put some on to the ledge creating a rough barrier between his forces and the enemy.
“We can't hold this much longer!” a woman cried, but Shadros was already so deep into the bridge he couldn't be seen from the surface. Finally, he broke through the arch underneath and, with a final few swipes, finished a wide trench, creating a gap. He jumped free and used his wings to fly by to the top, landing in an open space to admire the three-meter-high wall that now protected his side from hammers.
“You broke the bridge,” a woman said in awe. “They can no longer use this causeway.”
“I saw no reason to fight them the way they wanted,” he replied. “Let them jump the gap and climb over that wall if they want to come this way.”
“Thank you,” one of them said, quickly followed by more praise as he looked down on happy faces staring up.
“What is this?” he said and recoiled. “Why do you look at me like that?”
“You saved us,” a woman of Ulustrah said. “Your brilliant thinking turned the tide and ended the threat. You’re a hero.”
He looked around to see nodding heads and felt a strange sense of shock and a sincere desire to run away and forget this ever happened.
“I, I need to go check on the gatehouse,” he stammered and looked back to the trench to see the men had realized the way was now blocked. They were retreating to the outer wall to seek a crossing on another causeway.
“Hold this position encase they think of a way to bridge the gap,” he bellowed and stepped over them. “I will be right back.”
Shadros heard them call after him, but he wasn't listening. All he could think of was ensuring the gate was open so the armies could get inside. He struggled to understand why he cared about these rodents, but every time he thought of it, she came to mind. He saw Mingfe smiling down at him as her hands cupped his face. She smiled and leaned down, pressing her lips to his. A sensation like no other washed over him, and then she pulled away, still smiling, and whispered, 'I love you.'
Now in torment, all he could think of was ensuring this battle ended quickly. He could feel her over the binding they shared, someplace behind him, leading one of the armies as it entered the city. Her goal was to get to the inner yards, and this was the gate she would use. He would make sure it was open and clear the way for the woman who called herself his wife. One way or another, he would open this gate.
Comments
So I wrote the "final chapter" and realized it was 30 thousand words long. I am now looking for logical break points to split it into smaller chapters I can reasonably edit. I am also removing some fluff to narrow it down. I wanted to give a section to every character especially Dellain and Mathius. What I am doing now is interspersing Dellain and Mathius into the sections where their moments occure. The snippets tend to be small, but they give you quick insights into what the other side is thinking or feeling. In other news I am STILL waiting for my medical tests to be scheduled. They keep telling me that the paperwork isn't filed or processed yet, and that I am not the only person waiting. I had no idea the medical system had gotten so bad in some places. Where I used to live up north it was fairly common to call your doctor and get tests done the very next day. If they were super busy it might take two days. Here in the deep south, two weeks is considered quick. On the plus side, most of the pain has subsided and the condition seems to have abated slightly. This might be a sign that it is indeed a work related injury and that continuing to work was only making it worse. I am still swollen and having trouble looking to the right, but I find typing to be MUCH easier. I am going to use my time off to really press hard to catch up and even do some early chapter clean ups.
