by Paul A Jones
45. The Battle
The Keratha turned and moved slowly back towards their city. Sergun turned to his lines and told the commanders what had been said. The Keratha were not aware of the masks the soldiers carried with them. The band of enemy walked away and were soon out of sight. From the great alien city plumes of smoke and colours appeared as if huge fireworks were being fired towards the troops.
‘Masks on!’ The order was shouted all through the assembled troops lines. Sergun put his on. It was cumbersome and restricted his vision but it was better than choking to death on their horrific poison. The enemy fired bursts above their heads. What fell was like a drizzle of light rain. There was near total silence except for an odd cough or the horses. They waited for the poison to fall on their position. So much of it was fired it was like a mist forming over the troops. The odd person succumbed and fell dead. A couple died without their masks. The aliens were expecting all of the enemy to perish. They’d be shocked when they discovered their poison was no longer effective.
Sergun felt tense wearing the mask. It was a stressful time being so close to the enemy city and under attack with only masks keeping them alive. The ‘mist’ settled at head height. Without delay, the orders were issued to advance. Sergun knew the enemy must have spotters watching what was happening. They advanced without incident until they reached the correct distance away.
This was a critical moment, even with skill it took time to arrange the guns and make them ready to fire. Pits needed to be dug. There was frantic activity. This was the most vulnerable time before they could attack. They were in a great position with the biggest number of forces deployed in battle since the Deep East War. No one had attempted to make war against the Keratha like this in a century or more.
To the north of their position was a forest. They did not explore the area when they visited earlier. Their scouts reported no enemy there when they first came. To their astonishment and horror what looked like a horde of animals were leaving the forest. Animals pushing equipment on wheels.
‘Look to the east! Here they come! Form up. Mortars fire at will when range suitable!’
It was a huge Keratha attack and the wheeled vehicles they were bringing were horrific flame cannons. Sporadic mortar fire was aimed at them. It sounded ineffective and appeared to have little impact. Some of the larger guns were aimed towards their attackers. Shield walls were formed. The mortar fire grew intense and they were able to see the effect on the aliens. They were falling but so many were coming they looked dangerous. Bigger guns fired and impressive explosions were seen and heard. All too soon the enemy arrived.
The Keratha fire cannons were unleashed spraying the world in a terrible liquid of flames which incinerated all it touched and turned any vegetation to black. Screams of men and cries of Galls were heard and the stench was appalling. The combined troops fought with all of their might and skill against the aliens. There was a tremendous noise. Many were burnt but the troops fought with incredible vigour and killed many Keratha.
The fire cannons were moved on wheeled vehicles pushed and pulled by large aliens. Their range was limited but they were deadly weapons and there was no defence against them except to kill the crews and wreck the weapons. A few were destroyed by the mortars, many of the crews were injured. The bigger guns destroyed more and wreaked havoc on the aliens when they found them.
The appearance of the Keratha so close to their positions was a shock. They attacked quickly and devastated several regiments of troops. Talk of the aliens behind their lines was terrifying. One on one combat with an armoured monster was something few men could win. The troops fought in groups of seven when the shield wall was broken. The fighting went on with many losses on Sergun’s side but the enemy forces were wiped out. It was a terrible aftermath like nearly all battlegrounds. Blackened land, blackened corpses all around. The stench of the dead and wounded. The cries of those injured.
Sergun and Jehran removed their masks now the gas had settled at ankle level. Both were warm from wearing the equipment and there was no fresh air to smell when they breathed. The stench of battle was all around them like a thick harsh odour.
‘That was a surprise to them and us. They’re dammed, tough opponents.’
‘This is the start. More will come.’ Sergun replied.
Jehran looked in good health. Better than when he met him in the City of Dreams. His eyes were bright, his skin looked healthy and he has put on weight. ‘This is all or nothing. We vanquished the enemy in the Deep East long ago. These are a mightier foe. I rarely met them on my journeys.’ Jehran said.
‘They’re rarely seen in the eastern lands. It’s easy to see now how they hid themselves from us, made us believe they are few in number. They are clever creatures.’
‘I’ve rarely encountered their kind. Heard all the horror stories of course. I’m glad they don’t roam around the eastern forests!’
‘Yes, it would be a nasty surprise. Still, so far our mission appears to be going as well as could be expected.’
‘Agreed,’ replied Jehran. He surveyed the battlefield with pleasure. He hadn’t witnessed such slaughter in years and it brought back happy memories.
Before they had time to tend to all their wounded the alarm was sounded again. Another horde of Keratha was spotted in the forests and the information was passed and even Sergun felt trepidation. One battle was intense enough and to face thousands of the creatures armed with their fearsome flames and poison could be disastrous. The flame machines were not as portable or numerous as the Keratha themselves but were as deadly at close range as the artillery his side had developed with the assistance of the oracle.
Keratha scouts were spotted in the gloom and caused both fear and excitement. This time a great concentration of artillery fire was directed at the forest, devastating the trees and starting fires. The enemy armour was far tougher than flimsy human skin yet it seemed impossible that anything could endure such a barrage.
From the burning forest appeared the unmistakable outline of the Keratha and the shout went up. Hundreds of mortars fired against them. The sound was wonderful to hear. The sight was impressive as the ground burst open with the explosions. Many of the Keratha were killed or badly wounded. They moved fast against the line of Tharne men and Galls and combat again ensued. More powerful handguns had been issued and used to effect. The fighting was hard and furious. Many men in the line fell, Galls as well but the party of Keratha was fought until a handful retreated as the only survivors. Sergun knew there would be plenty more aliens to come.
Spotters in balloons reported the Keratha were advancing from the city gates. There wasn’t enough time to reposition most of the artillery. Instead, many of the mortars were readied and a few of the larger guns and the heavy cavalry prepared to attack the aliens.
Shot was fired at the first horde of the enemy, thousands of metal balls fired directly at them along with concentrated mortar fire. As the Keratha charged the many mortars began firing. No poison was used, only explosive and shrapnel. The air around the mortars grew smoky and the taste of powder was in the air which grew warm.
The heavy horseback riders of Tharne rode in fast and a tremendous battle ensued. Sergun was unwilling to fire their artillery onto the own troops. Instead, they sent forward five thousand heavily armed troops with orders to put their masks on. The Keratha fired their gas onto the battle area. Most of the riders of Tharne did not put on their masks. Those who were unmasked soon succumbed and the foot soldiers withdrew to their lines. The riderless horses ran in all directions. Some running back to the Tharne lines and falling onto the shield walls.
Within a short time, all but a handful of the Keratha lay on the ground either feebly moving or broken apart. The furious Keratha which reached the shield wall of the Tharne Galls were rapidly speared to death. They fell back, their screams terrible. Sergun turned away from the result after seeing the holes in the heads, bodies and the flood of black blood. The personal element to war he savour
ed was being replaced by machinery and yet such weapons perhaps would enable them to defeat even the Keratha if luck was on their side.
The great Alien city was only just visible and it felt strange to be able to attack it without seeing it. Sergun wished the oracle was close by so its eyes could inform them where the enemy was yet he knew if it was with them it risked being destroyed or kept by the Keratha as their prisoner. It was back within the borders of Tharne he was sure. Jannesse wasn’t with them this time and none of the Black Guard were either.
Lord Chromosol gave the order to fire the artillery. Through binoculars, they watched the distant city to ensure no massed ranks of Keratha were about to attack them. They kept artillery in reserve aimed and ready to fire in front of the gates when this occurred. Sergun watched the precision and relentless work of the gunners. The puffs of smoke and the noise as the shell were fired. The walls of the city were so impressive it was hard to see what effect the explosions were having within. They fired for hour after hour. Sweat poured off the men, it was tough work yet Sergun could not deny it was far safer than fighting tasks previous armies had undertaken. An accidental injury was the most common since so far the regular army had been able to defend the artillery troops against any counter attacks. It was mesmerising and hypnotic the relentless firing of the shells. A burning smell hung around and clouds of smoke. Over the city, a halo of smoke began to appear. Poison gas shells were fired in their thousands and it was the signal for the gates to open and a horde of Keratha to come charging towards them. It was a pitiful sight to Sergun as he saw thousands of tough enemy soldiers destroyed by hundreds of explosions. Barely a handful made it through alive and they caused few human injuries as again the long spears of the first rank pierced their bodies. No more Keratha ran from the city. The poison fired added to the smoky halo as though a cloud of death had come to lie across the place. Sergun rode in with the second wave of troops but soon dismounted when he saw the state of the great alien city. The elite heavily armoured troops went in first with their modified spears with their multi ultrasteel vicious heads and with grenades. Two on one Keratha and there was a good chance the men would win.
46. The Battle Continues
It was a clear sky. The horses moved around the slaughtered Keratha. It was a pitiful sight to Sergun but at the same time satisfying. If the Keratha had time to prepare an attack they would have used their flame weapons and only burnt corpses of his troops and horses would have remained. They wouldn’t have shown any mercy to his peoples. It was no time to show mercy to them.
The enemy capital was visible to the naked eye. It was an exhilarating and worrying view. Knowing within the huge walls lay the homes and barracks of hundreds of thousands of the enemy creatures. Sergun hoped they’d be able to take the city without having to destroy it. It would take many heavy shells to be able to bring down the huge walls of the city.
They viewed with binoculars as the enormous gates opened. Columns of Keratha formed. He knew it would only take a short time for them to reach his position at a charge. Within a few minutes, the outcome of the rest of the day’s fighting depended. Guns were setup as far as the eyes could see, sweating men screamed at one another to hurry. Once completed the only sound was the heavy breathing of the men and horses. The enemy was too far away for mortars to have an effect.
‘Explosives and shrapnel loaded.’ Target enemies in front of the gates. Fire at all until the order is given to stop.’
Sergun covered his ears. The sound of the guns firing was incredible, booming through his hands and he was at least fifty metres away from the nearest one. The ground shook, smoke filled the air and voices were heard.
Kall watched the distant results. It was hard to see much as the area in front of the city became covered in a shroud of smoke and materials. The firing appeared unsuccessful as out of the fog came hundreds of Keratha still intact. Sergun wasn’t worried. This battle may take days he knew. To take such a huge city full of humans would be quite an achievement. To take the Alien capital city would be close to a real miracle.
The mortar spotters called the shots and it was their turn to fire at the incoming enemy. As earlier only a few of the alien warriors made it to the lines of Tharne troops. They were quickly killed.
Among the Generals, it was agreed to keep firing as many shells of the poison as possible into the city for as long as they could. Keeping only the mortars free for repelling enemy attacks. This aspect of the battle was the strangest for Sergun. The continual relentless firing of his sides heavy weapons into the city but no explosions and no more enemies seen meant it was impossible to gauge the success of the actions. Perhaps the poison was ineffective and the Keratha were grouping to attack from the Eastern Gate? They had troops there but not as many as at the Southern.
It was a tense time for all watching. Thousands and thousands of shells were fired. The plumes of gas hung over the city giving it an eerie look. They could not see into the city so it was a mysterious time of expectation and confusion. Sergun knew if the oracle was correct in its formula then tens of thousands of Keratha were dead and dying in the city now.
Horns sounded in the distance. The noise became louder and louder. ‘From the walls they are coming!’
From out of sight suddenly thousands of Keratha appeared to the right of the troops. There was no gate there and it was impossible to see where so many had come from. They were too close for the large guns to fire at them. Mortars were turned and fired in large numbers reducing their ranks but more and more arrived. A defensive wall was arranged and then they arrived. The Keratha broke the ranks of men and Galls. Some held flame cannons and tried to burn down the guns and troops manning them. The screams of burning men and Galls were a shocking noise.
Cavalry charged into them and a fierce series of encounters were fought. Keratha fell, horses collapsed, flame weapons filled the air, the stench of burning flesh and guts added to the appalling atmosphere. Heavily armed veteran Galls and men rushed to the area under attack led by enthusiastic officers. The ground was too flat for Sergun to see what was happening in the distance.
The balloonists were hampered by the misty conditions and several of them were punctured by weapons from the aliens and fell slowly to the ground. Sergun led his elite guard unit into battle. The fighting was awful and fierce. Men, galls and hoofed aliens were fighting all in front and around the position as Sergun and his men strode forward. If the aliens broke through this position the army would be overrun.
The attack was severe and threatened to collapse their entire position. A great cheer went up as the great commander was spotted with his elite warriors. A number of his elite unit were armed with the largest handguns Sergun had seen. Several heavily armed Keratha were quickly upon his unit and the men fired their large weapons to devastating effect; one blew an alien’s head apart, another opened the torso of a creature and it fell to the ground. Others shot off alien limbs and those hit who survived were quickly killed. The next aliens were dealt with by the fearsome modified spears with vicious barbs on. Then the elite guard formed up in the shield wall and Sergun yelled for all hands to the defence. Order was restored. The mortars fired over them and the explosions were close. It was a hard battle, the most ferocious so far. Sergun helped kill several aliens with his sword. The battle was near continuous for hour after hour. Men and Galls in the shield wall took rest and were replaced. Sweat pored off Sergun and those fighting hard. Concentation was vital.
Grer and his warriors joined Sergun in the wall late in the day as dusk was falling. ‘Where have you been all day?’
Grer laughed. ‘Here and there. Everywhere it seems. We must have killed a hundred Keratha.’
Sergun saw the thick dark liquid glistening on the bodies of the Galls. They were all injured in various ways.
Runners came back with information of great losses. The battle raged until gradually darkness fell. The flames died down. Exhausted and bloody men and Galls walked back. The mortars were out of a
mmunition. The Keratha attack had been defeated, their flame cannons were destroyed. Tharne losses were near ten thousand missing or dead and wounded. Many guns were destroyed and lots of trained troops died in the counter-attack.
The majority of guns continued firing their poison into the city, now aiming further back. The southern gate remained open ready for seizing but there was no rush to run into the city. If it took them five days to conquer their capital it would still be an amazing achievement and it was only the first day.
Sergun’s headquarters was in the middle of the encampment. He barely slept on the first night. A couple of hours around midnight, and another hour before dawn. The sound of guns firing was relentless and even soothing. Voices outside their tent and movement. Kall was confident of their success in the attack. Runners and officers reported throughout the night. The firing of gas into the capital was relentless. Guns resting only to ensure their did not catch on fire.
It was a hazy dawn. Smoke from the fires and guns, the stench of cooking and the dead filled the air. The fearsome city lay close by and was silent. The dead bodies lay covered in their thousands. A walk to the area of battle showed the devastation and tremendous loss of life. No plant life remained.
Sergun sent troops to check how the Aliens had appeared so close to them. They reported back a huge hidden passage under the walls of the city leading up to a place two hundred metres distant. Once the doors were opened thousands had attacked them. Sergun wondered if there were any more surprises like that awaiting them. He ordered gas to be pumped into the tunnel.