Chapter Nine

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“Retreat!” Ceadric yells to his men. The press of soldiers is too great for them to break away effectively. Arrows begin flying from Hedry’s men, taking out those pressing Ceadric and giving them a chance to disengage.

The two forces that so recently made their appearance are closing fast. Most are foot though the force to their right has a contingent of cavalry as well. Delia scrambles to get her people back to their horses quickly.

“But there are three catapults that are still serviceable,” Orry states. The rest of the siege equipment is burning out of control despite the efforts of the soldiers that have made it to them.

“Leave them!” she hollers. When they broke off the attack, each grabbed their pack with what oil bombs they had left. James was most explicit in that they must remove all the evidence they can. Of course the shattered remains may give them some clue as to what happened anyway but why help them any more than they have to.

Ceadric and his men, now fewer by half a score, join them as they swing into the saddle. “Back to the river!” Delia hollers. Each realizes the way they came across is the only avenue left if they are to survive.

As they break into a gallop leaving the burning siege equipment behind them, the enemy forces begin forming an arc. “They’re going to drive us to the river and annihilate us against its banks,” Yern shouts.

“Not if we can find where we came across,” Delia hollers back. Two miles to the river with soldiers bent on their destruction behind them, they push their horses to the limit. They manage to maintain a constant distance between them and the cavalry coming up behind. The foot soldiers begin to fall behind.

After several minutes of riding, the river appears before them. “Beacon!” Delia hollers and a half mile away to the right, a light appears.

“There it is!” Devin exclaims.

Unfortunately, the force to their right has already passed the beacon which now lies behind their lines.

“What should we do?” Uther asks.

“Ride through them and kill them all!” Jorry yells with a touch of bloodlust in his voice.

“Ceadric,” she says. When she has his attention she says, “Fall back. Let me ahead.” She takes the lead and leads them on while maintaining a fast pace. From her remaining pouch she pulls one of the two crystals contained within. She moves to set it into her sling when her horse suddenly leaps to avoid an obstacle on the ground and the crystal falls from her hand.

“No!” she cries as the crystal hits the ground. She removes the remaining crystal from her pouch then gets it set into the sling just as…

 

Ka-Boom!

 

…the crystal which dropped on the ground explodes in a great eruption, throwing rocks and dirt into the air. Fortunately all their riders had passed the area before the explosion. The concussion wave from the explosion causes a few of the horses to stumble but they manage to correct themselves quickly and continue on.

With the last crystal in her sling, she winds it up and lets it loose toward the approaching cavalry between them and the beacon. “Stop!” she cries to the others and they quickly bring their horses to a halt. Hitting the ground, it lands a good twenty feet in front of the leading edge of attackers.

The approaching cavalry comes toward them rapidly and passes over the crystal lying on the ground.

Ka-Boom!

Horses and men go flying in another massive explosion. “Now!” she cries. “Ride hard!” Kicking her horse in the flanks, she gets it back to a gallop and races through the dead and dying.

Ceadric comes along beside her as they clear the area devastated by the explosion. Before them, no more than a hundred yards away, the glowing crystal beckons.

In the moonlight from above, they see the foot soldiers that had fallen behind the cavalry moving toward them at a run. A third is moving toward the glowing crystal by the bank of the river.

“We’ll hold them off,” Ceadric tells her. “You get your people across.”

“But once we start, there’s only a limited time before the bridge will disappear,” she replies.

“Just do it!” he yells. Then to his men he hollers, “For Black Hawk!”

A cry erupts from his men as they break off from Delia and her band to engage the enemy. “They’ll be killed!” Shorty exclaims.

“Let’s move,” she tells him. She veers to move directly to the light in the distance. It isn’t long before the sound of Ceadric and his men engage the foot soldiers heading for the beacon.

Upon reaching the light, she says, “Golden Gate.” The shimmering bridge once more springs into being. “Now hurry across,” she tells the others. “It won’t last very long.”

As the others move to cross, she takes Devin by the arm and asks, “Can you swim?”

Halting his horse, he turns to her and replies, “Yes, why?”

“I need you to do something,” she says.

 

Leading his men against the enemy, Ceadric realizes this will probably be his last fight. Sword falling, he takes out another soldier and quickly brings it back around to block the hack from another.

He needs to slow the advance of these soldiers to allow Delia a chance to activate the crystal and get across. With any luck, he and his men will be able to disengage and make it across as well.

They stall the enemy for several minutes then he glances back to the river. Seeing Delia and her group beginning to cross he hollers, “To the river!” As one, his men break off and race for the river. Several were unable to disengage successfully and were cut down before they could get away. Using the light ahead as a guide they race for their lives, which may very well be the price if they fail to make it in time.

As the light draws closer, he sees young Devin standing there with the light held aloft in his hand. He’s waving them to hurry as he shouts, “Twelve…eleven…ten…”

Ceadric hears him coming ever closer to one and pushes his men even faster. The first rider hits the bridge as Devin says, ‘Six’. On the far side of the bridge Delia and her band are lined along the banks with slings in hand, her two archers are there as well with arrows knocked and ready. At ‘Four’ Ceadric’s horse races onto the bridge. As Devin reaches ‘Two’, the last of his men hit the bridge and begin to cross.

The last five are still over the water as Devin says, ‘One’. A second later the bridge disappears. Men cry out and horses scream as they fall into the river below.

Once the bridge disappears, Devin moves to collect the bridge crystal lying on his side then places them in a pocket. A noise behind him causes him to turn just as enemy soldiers appear out of the dark before him. Turning back to the river, he races for the water and before he jumps from the shore into its raging depths, he hears Delia holler, “Now!”

Slings twirl and bowstrings twang as the enemy begins falling behind him. As closely as the soldiers are packed together, if a slug thrown by a sling misses one it’s sure to hit another, either to the side or behind. Hedry’s archers move into position with her slingers once they’ve dismounted and together rain a devastating volley of deadly projectiles and missiles across the river.

“Get the men out of the river!” cries Ceadric to the rest of his men. Moving to the edge, they work to get the men and horses struggling against the current to their side safely. Of the five men in the river, only four manage to reach the shore, none of the horses make it.

“Where’s Devin?” Delia asks as she sets another slug to her sling.

“Over here!” she hears him cry from downstream. The river has carried him further away.

One of Ceadric’s men cries out, “I’ll get him,” and then races downstream to retrieve him.

Across the river, the soldiers are falling back now that their prey is beyond their reach. Soon, the hail of arrows and slugs ceases as the enemy moves out of range.

“What’s the damage?” Ceadric’s voice rings out.

“Seventeen dead,” Hedry replies.

“Your group Delia?” he asks.

“If Devin makes it back then we’re all accounted for,” she replies.

“Everyone back away from the river,” he says. “Let’s not give them anything more to look at.”

As everyone begins moving away, Delia goes to the bank and retrieves the second bridge crystal. When she bends over to collect it, she’s surprised to see it’s broken in two. Picking up both halves, she puts them into her pouch. Mounting up, she joins the others.

A few minutes later, the man who rode to Devin’s aid returns with him and the fifth of the men caught upon the bridge when it fell. Both have been battered by the current, but otherwise are unhurt.

“Let’s return,” Ceadric says.

“We did it!” exclaims Orry.

They turn to watch the siege equipment across the water burn as they make their way toward the lights of Lythylla in the distance. Soldiers of the Empire are silhouetted by the flames as they work to put out the fires. The remaining three are being pulled away quickly to avoid any possibility of the fires moving to them.

Their group feels much lighter with the seventeen men they left on the other side. They talk in quiet hushed tones until Scar’s voice rises from where he and the others ride further back. “…no, seriously. It was on a trip me and Potbelly took across the Sea to one of the northern towns. Beset by pirates, we…”

They continue on toward Lythylla as Scar relates the events of an ill fated voyage that cost the lives of everyone on board but himself and Potbelly. Seems the way they managed to escape death was to hide in the bilge compartment below the hold until the pirates left. Of course the fact the pirates torched the ship to hide all evidence, and that they escaped by prying a board loose from the side with two spoons didn’t do much for the credibility of the story. Believable or not, it occupies their time until the walls of Lythylla come into view ahead of them.

The gates open as they approach and the men manning the battlements give out with a cheer as they pass through. Illan, James, as well as Lord Pytherian and his adjutants are there to greet them.

Ceadric pulls slightly ahead as the two groups meet and says, “All but three of the siege equipment are aflame. We lost seventeen.”

Illan nods his head. “Good work.”

“Will want a thorough debriefing about the enemy’s layout and forces,” Lord Pytherian says.

“From what I could tell, they still have a sizeable army out there,” Ceadric tells him. “We were almost caught between two attacking forces. Would have been slaughtered there at the bank of the river if that bridge hadn’t appeared.”

“From the report James has already given us,” Lord Pytherian says, “there were more men than previous reports indicated. But at least their initial assault should be stalled while they regroup.”

“Best not to give them that time milord,” James interjects.

“What do you mean?” he asks.

“I mean, tomorrow morning, we go on the offensive once again,” he explains.

“Do you think that’s wise?” he questions. “You and your people have barely come from a battle and you plan to throw them into another?”

“Yes milord,” he says. “I plan to do just that.”

“Best we talk about this in a more private location,” Lord Pytherian says.

“I agree,” responds James. He moves to Delia and asks, “Everyone make it?”

“All of our people survived,” she assures him. Then she lowers her voice as she adds, “The crystals worked perfectly, we brought them all back.”

“Excellent,” he says.

“Best we return to camp and get what rest we can before the morrow,” Illan suggests.

“I couldn’t agree more.” He follows Illan and Lord Pytherian as they turn back and enter through the gates with the rest right behind.

They work their way through town, most of the population is turned out to look upon the ones who dealt the Empire such a blow. Cheers and other salutations greet them as they make their way through the streets.

During their ride through the streets, Delia fills him in on what happened and how her people acquitted themselves in battle. He then gives her a brief rundown of what happened out by the palisade and what he observed of the enemies forces.

“Looks like we’ll have our hands full tomorrow,” she says.

“I’m going to see if we can’t have support from Madoc’s forces,” he tells her.

“It would be in their best interest,” she says.

“We’ll see,” he says.

At the plaza where their camp is set up, Lord Pytherian and his party take their leave. A meeting with Illan and James is scheduled to begin in an hour to work out the plans for the following morning. The others set about getting a bite to eat and then turning in, everyone that is but the leaders. They gather for an impromptu meeting before James and Illan leave for their meeting at the castle.

They meet in James’ tent. Ceadric, Delia, and Jiron make sure their people are settled in before they join James, Illan, and Miko in his tent. Before the last three join them, Illan turns to Miko and asks, “Just what happened out there?”

“What do you mean?” he replies.

“I mean, the Star shone bright and you were speaking in a language I didn’t understand,” he clarifies.

Shrugging, Miko says, “I don’t know. When the gate opened and I saw Jiron by the gate battling those creatures, the Star was in my hand and the words were coming out.” He glances to the others there before adding, “I didn’t know what I was saying.”

“Whatever it was,” Illan says, “it worked.”

James gazes at Miko for a moment, can see the concern in his eyes. “I don’t think it’s anything to worry about,” he says, allaying his fears. “It must have come from Morcyth in some way.” He sits for a moment thinking before continuing. “My guess would be that the warrior priest summoned them from somewhere that is in direct opposition to Morcyth and that’s why it had the effect upon them that it did.”

“Warrior priest?” asks Illan.

James nods his head gravely then turns his attention back to Miko.

“Sort of like your medallion back in that underground complex in the swamp?” Miko asks.

“Precisely,” he replies with a nod. “Seems Dmon-Li’s priests not only have the ability to control beings from the plane of fire but also to summon demons, for lack of a better term.”

“How is it that it works for me?” he asks.

“I don’t know. Perhaps because it has no choice if it is to spread its influence upon this world.”

Just then the tent flap opens and the other three come inside. As the tent flap closes, James sees Devin there taking his position outside his tent. Once everyone is settled in, he says, “Illan and I will meet with Lord Pytherian shortly. With any luck we’ll be able to count on their support in the coming battle.”

“If they want to keep Madoc free they better,” Ceadric interjects.

“There is a sizable presence here in Lythylla,” adds Illan, “not only of Madoc’s forces but those of the Alliance.” Around the group, a few heads nod in agreement.

“Whatever they decide to do, we still have a battle to fight on the morrow.” James glances around the assembled faces and adds, “We have a warrior priest to deal with.”

Delia gasps and Jiron nods his head, “Thought so. When I saw those creatures at the gate, I knew something had to be up.”

Gesturing to Miko he says, “The Star can deal with those creatures readily enough if they should make another appearance. What I’m concerned with is the sheer numbers we’ll be facing. If we can’t get help from Madoc, the items I brought along for this campaign may be completely consumed before we’re through here.”

“You can make more can’t you?” Illan asks.

“Sure, if I have a supply of crystals and time,” he explains. “But keep in mind it took me all winter to ready what we have. Anything I do on the run will not be as effective.”

“So what are we to do?” Jiron asks. “After this, we are going to have many more battles before we’re through.”

“I know,” he says. “I’m not figuring on facing any army head on after this.” He looks around at the reaction his words may cause. Illan and Jiron know pretty much what he plans to do so they fail to show any reaction. Ceadric though, he looks confused.

“How can we possibly drive them out if we don’t destroy their armies?” he asks.

“By making it difficult for them to keep their troops in Madoc,” he explains. “Where I come from, war has been going on for a long time. There are two main things which have to be in place for a nation to send troops into the field.”

“The first thing is internal security. If their kingdom has turmoil, then they’ll need their troops to maintain order. Also if the people feel the war is harmful that can add to the general unrest. But with the way the Empire’s run, the will of the people will probably have minimal effect.”

Ceadric nods his head as he begins to understand where this is leading.

“Secondly, you need to be able to support and supply your army. A hungry army, or one whose basic needs are not being met, will be ineffective in combat. Our band isn’t big so we can forage for what we need for the most part. As we head into the Empire, we take from the towns we pass.”

“What I plan is simply this,” he says and then pauses for effect. “When the battle here is over, we immediately head for the Empire. Destroy any and all forces we come across, providing they are no larger than our own. Those we meet as we move into the Empire should be those coming to reinforce the men on the border. With any luck, they’ll be smaller bands of a thousand men or less.”

Ceadric chuckles at that. When James glances to him he grins and says, “A thousand men being a small band. You sure are confident of yourself.”

“With what we have already with us,” he replies, “a thousand men shouldn’t be too much for us to handle.”

“We took out that many earlier this evening,” Jiron states.

“Anyway,” continues James, “as we progress into the Empire we destroy bridges, war factories, caravans, and anything that may be used to take supplies to the men in Madoc. At some point, they’re going to begin pulling forces from elsewhere to come after us. They’ll not let us wander at will within their borders.”

“Just like the old days,” Ceadric says to Illan.

“Only this time, we’re not killing civilians,” he explains.

“Good,” Ceadric states. “Never cared much for that part.”

“But they could bring forces from the south to hunt us down,” suggests Delia. “They wouldn’t necessarily take the soldiers out of Madoc to do that.”

“True,” agrees James. “But if they do, that leaves them open to rebellion from their less than complacent subject territories not to mention the time it will take for them to travel that far. From what we’ve gathered, many are itching for the chance to throw off the shackles of the Empire. I’m counting on the Empire not willing to take that risk.”

“In short, we make it extremely difficult for them to keep their forces in Madoc by whatever means available.” The others nod and Ceadric is actually wearing a grin.

“I like your plan,” he states.

“Our key to success is to stay mobile,” James continues. “Keep their armies on the move while we take out their infrastructure.”

Delia is staring at him in an odd way. “Yes?” he asks.

“You’re doing all this simply to have a temple built in the City of Light?” she asks.

“For the most part, yes,” he replies. “Also to free Madoc from a fate it doesn’t deserve.” He nods at Miko and says, “Not to mention payback for what they’ve already done to us and others. I’d take down the entire place if I could. Slavery is an abomination and I would like nothing better than to see every slaver put to the sword.”

“I’m with you on that one,” says Jiron.

James glances to Miko, expecting some reaction to that as he was only one present to be subjected to the hell of being a slave, but he remains quiet.

“What I’ve said here remains just between us. Agreed?” he asks. When everyone gives their agreement, he says, “We’ve got a hard day ahead of us. I suggest you get what rest you can before morning.” To Illan he says, “We better get the meeting with Lord Pytherian over with so we can get a few hours of sleep.”

Standing up, Illan nods his head. To Ceadric he says, “Get the men bedded down. We’re up with the dawn.”

“Yes, sir,” he says and then leaves the tent. From outside they can hear his voice shouting orders as he does Illan’s bidding.

“We’ll be back soon,” James says as he gets to his feet. To Delia he says, “Have Devin hit the sack too. I won’t need him when I return.”

“Okay,” she tells him.

He glances over to Jiron and says, “Get everyone to sleep. I want everyone up by dawn.”

“You got it,” he says.

Illan moves to leave his tent and James follows. Outside they find an exhausted Devin and James nods to him as he and Illan head for the castle.

Despite the lateness of the hour, the streets are still full of people. All are simply agog with the latest rumors about the events that transpired earlier in the evening. Few recognize them as they move through the dark streets and they arrive at the castle in short order.

At the gate, a page is waiting for them and takes them to the same conference room they met in earlier. Surprisingly, only Lord Pytherian is there, the other leaders are absent.

“Where’s everyone else?” James asks as the page closes the door behind him. Moving to the table, he sits down in a chair across from Lord Pytherian, Illan takes a seat the chair next to his.

“Thought it would be best to meet here in private,” he explains.

“There’s no trouble is there?” Illan asks.

“I don’t know,” he replies. “There’s been rumors going around of an agent for the Empire within the walls, but so far nothing definite has been uncovered.”

“Could just be rumors,” says Illan. “Such always happens during a siege.”

“Possibly,” Lord Pytherian replies, though his expression tells he doesn’t believe that.

James then begins to relate the layout of the enemy forces as had been seen by himself and Delia’s group. He also tells him of the warrior priest he encountered during his parley. When he tells of the subsequent battle and the killing of the mage, Lord Pytherian strikes the table and with a grin exclaims, “Good!”

“But the warrior priest is still out there,” he explains. “Not sure how that will affect tomorrow’s battle.”

“What do you plan to do?” he asks.

James then gives a brief rundown on what he plans. When he’s done, he asks, “Will you and your men be willing to back us up?”

“Plans are already being set in motion to do just that,” he answers.

“Excellent,” says Illan.

“Once the battle is over,” James tells him, “we’re going to push into Madoc.”

“With any luck we’ll draw elements of the various armies currently occupying Madoc into following,” Illan says. “If they do, you must be prepared to take advantage of that and press those that remain hard.” James and Illan then begin to give him a rundown of their plan once they begin moving into the Empire.

Throughout their narration Lord Pytherian sits and listens occasionally nodding his head at one point or another. When they’re finished laying it down, he says, “I may be able to help you with what you plan.”

“How?” James asks.

“By the time you’re ready to leave, I’ll give you a map detailing where various weapon storehouses and other vital complexes to their war effort are located.”

“That would prove most beneficial milord,” Illan says.

“Any mines located in their northern territory would be helpful too,” adds James. When Lord Pytherian glances at him questioningly, he explains. “May be able to collapse them and render them useless for years.”

“I’ll see what we can do,” he says.

“Whatever happened with Councilman Rillian?” asks James.

“He stepped down from the council,” Lord Pytherian replies. “Seems those he represents felt that with all the controversy surrounding him it would be best for another to lead.” He gives them a grin, “He wasn’t too happy about the situation let me tell you. The man who replaced him has so far conducted himself properly. We do have agents on him just in case though.”

“That would be a reasonable precaution,” agrees James.

“You needn’t worry about the former Councilman Rillian,” he tells them. “He left when most of the population fled Lythylla some time ago, as did the Council. It would be bad enough to lose Lythylla, but to lose the Council would be disastrous. The people need something to rally around in times such as these.”

“So the civilians who are left…?” prompts James.

“Are here to take care of the military,” he explains. “Or those just too stubborn to leave despite what may happen. Others are family members of the soldiers who chose to stay rather than be separated.”

“I see,” James says.

For the next hour they work out the finer points of the battle plan for the morning. Once all is in readiness, Illan and James take their leave. With only a few hours before dawn, they’re not going to get much sleep.

On the way back, they find the streets much more deserted than they were before, the people having finally returned to their homes. At the plaza which currently houses their people, James and Illan say their goodnights and each head to their tents. There are a couple of Ceadric’s men on guard duty stationed about the area and they nod or salute when they take notice of James or Illan.

His tent stands dark and lonely, Devin having long since turned in as he told Delia to have him do. Opening the tent flap, he enters and lets the flap swing closed behind him. Exhausted beyond measure, he doesn’t even undress just collapses on his cot. No sooner does his head hit the pillow than he falls asleep.