Continued from here part 8
The Capitol
A scout is spotted running toward the wall by a gatekeeper. A guard at the top of the North wall kicked down a rope ladder for the man and waited for him to get up. As he reached the top Gunnar reached over the edge and yanked the man up, "Report."
The man was a breathing heavy as he spoke, "There's a massive force heading this way. They split up and it looks like they're going to attack all three gates at once."
Gunnar then looked to some of the gathered guard, "Go see if any of the scouts have come back from the coast wall."
He looked back to the panting scout, "Go rest up, it's gonna be a rough day."
***
Sarah stood on the West wall with a spyglass as a guard ran up to inform her of the situation. She put up a hand to silence him, "Its a siege, right?"
The guard nodded, "Looking that way."
***
Marcus stood on the South wall as Uri came up with a yawn, "Why can't these things happen after breakfast?"
Marcus shrugged, "Just damned rude of them ain't it."
He then looked on Uri's weapons, "These good to go?"
Uri nodded, "They'll be giving the enemy nightmares for years, if they survive."
***
Alana sat up from bed and noticed Vargas putting on some light armor, "That's new."
"Picked it up from a shop a few streets over."
She stood, "So its starting?"
"Its just about to."
In the other room Hana was giving Angus a hateful look, "I will not go hide with the children."
Angus glared, "We can't be watching over you."
She crossed her arms, "I've been in fights before."
Vargas stepped up behind her, "This isn't a fight, its war. You may be good in a scrape but you aren't ready for this."
She then stomped away angrily.
***
Paimon stood within sight of the West wall of the city. He sent Zhin to watch for the signal to attack. Harris stood at the North wall with a portion of their army. One of Paimon's men, named Bao stood with his blade that was attached to a gauntlet. It was called the Falcon's eye and one of its abilities granted Bao a visual of the entire battle field which he was using to watch for their signal.
Belial stood next to a man named Dmitry who had a type of sword known as a pandat called the Wind Slitter at the South wall. Belial gave Dmitry a nod and he raised his blade. He swung it down causing a massive plume of dust to rise, signalling the attack.
Bao tapped Harris' shoulder. He nodded and raised the Dragon's Tail, he shot out a flame that smashed through the first wall of the gate. Suddenly flame seemed to pour out from the wall. Bao pointed, "You seem to have triggered a defense." The fire had ignited oil Uri had planted. As the burning oil poured down it ignited a hidden moat of the same. A huge wall of flame suddenly surrounded the city.
Catapults and ballistas began firing from the walls causing the attackers to fall back. Marcus patted Uri on the back, "Maybe you are a genius."
At the West wall Paimon had fallen back but looked to Zhin, "We need to disarm the wall."
She nodded as she unfurled the Silver Wasp. She then cracked it like a whip causing a swarm of small silver insects to appear from her blade. They flew over the walls and began attacking the weapons. They clogged the gears and chewed through the wood.
Paimon then nodded back to one of his men who twirled his blade causing rain to fall. Paimon then unsheathed the Red Tiger and blasted the gate. His men looked ready to charge but he halted them as a large cast iron plate covered in spikes slammed down. He then slashed again to breach the wall.
The soldiers at the wall were under attack from the insects but a series of vines sprung up from the wall. It shot out thorns that tore through the swarm. Sarah gave Alana a nod, "Decided to join us?"
Alana smirked, "Can't let you hog all the fun."
She then looked down as Paimon's men rushed forward, she noticed Zhin preparing to launch another swarm, "I should probably stop that."
She raised the Rose and the Thorn. She called up vines that sprung from the ground snaring attackers. Zhin began slashing at the vines but rosebuds appeared all over them. As they opened they released clouds of spores that quickly became too thick to see through.
Sarah then stood on the wall with her Lightning Lilly pointed to the sky. She then lowered it sending a lightning bolt toward Zhin. She barely avoided it but was caught by a vine. Alana rode down to the field on her vine and immediately began fighting. Sarah caught a rope and followed suit.
As Alana began slashing away at his men while using her vines to slow them down Paimon turned to attack her. Before he could swing a bolt of Lightning flashed before him. Some of his men stopped for a moment but he shook his head, "Hurry along boys, this one is mine."
At the South Wall Belial raised the Reaper's Arm and sent out a wave of black energy that caused the wood on the gates and weapons to rot and the metal rusted. He then order Dmitry to cut down the gates. He sent out a wave of wind that formed a blade that shattered the weakened gates.
As the men began to rush in several of them were launched back out. Marcus stepped forward with a pair of bladed Cetus called the Lion's Paws. He slammed a fist into the ground. The resulting shock wave sent cracks through the ground tripping up attackers as they ran.
Dmitry looked to Belial who seemed shocked, "The Lion's Paws are said to give a man strength that would rival a god. Did you assume, they would cower in fear of your blade?"
***
At the North wall Harris watched as the wall of flame died down and then lifted his blade to strike again. As he blasted a wave of flame toward the gate there was a sound of a piercing howl as his flames were shot back toward Harris and his men. Several were instantly ablaze as they ran away screaming. A massive cloud of smoke was now between the wall and its attackers.
From the smoke Bao heard a yelping sound, "Is that a dog?"
Harris' eyes widened a bit as he roared, "Fall back!"
The ground rippled like water until a crack opened up. Several men fell in. As they tried to crawl out the smoke enveloped them. They began to scream for a moment but suddenly went quiet. As the smoke began to dissipate Harris looked on Vargas standing with both the Wolf and Coyote bared. Blood dripped from both blades.
Bao leapt over Harris to attack but was batted away by a long blade. Angus stepped out followed by many soldiers and marshals pouring out of the gate. He yelled to Vargas, "We'll deal with the little guys, but you're splitting that bounty with me."
Vargas gave a slight nod as he glared at Harris. Harris sighed, "We don't have to do this."
"Shut your mouth, traitor."
Harris began to speak but recognized the look in his former friend's eyes, "Well I guess we do."
***
As the land gates were under attack a guard noticed a ship on the horizon from the top of the coastal wall. He nudged his partner with a spyglass, "Do we have trouble?"
The man hopped up on the wall to get a better look.
***
Marcus fought with all his might at the South wall but the enemy managed to get past him. The same was happening to Alana and Sarah's men on the West. Paimon and Sarah were engaged in their own battle.
***
As this went on Gunnar prepared to lead the forces inside the city. Ian stopped him, "I'd wager, they're after the Wrath."
Gunnar nodded, "I agree."
"Wouldn't it be wise to hide it?"
Gunnar glared, "I won't use it if I don't have to but it stays with me. Why aren't you in the shelter with the rest of the counsil?"
Ian huffed, "Boy, I was a marshal longer than you've been alive, I won't hide with the women and children when my city is attacked."
Ian put his hand on the hilt of a weapon that looked like a giant ice pick called the Frost Bite, "The old boy is looking forward to a fight."
***
The city erupted into chaos as the army of bandits and sell swords made their way past the walls. Hana paced in the shelter as the civilians of the city cowered at the sounds of clanging blades and explosions from outside.
***
At the pier beyond the coast wall a ship made port. Guards were present as the first man stepped off. Their eyes went wide as the mountain of a man stepped down the gangplank. He stopped in front of a guard, "Sorry we're late, had some pirates to deal with."
The guard was nervous as he replied, "Admiral Kearn?"
He nodded as he looked back to his men on the ship, "Looks like the Navy is gonna have to show these marshals how to defend a city. Where's my brother?"
The man straitened up a bit, "The High General is holding the South wall."
The guard asked as Kearn turned away, "Is the rest of the Navy coming?"
He gave him a wary look, "This ain't the only war going on boy, you're lucky you got us."
He looked over the guards, "You royal army?"
They nodded as he sighed, "Guess you'll have to do."
(To be continued)
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