What they did not expect were shells starting to land within the city. They were under bombardment. The general was concerned by the long-range artillery. The Austrian army had no weaponry that could fire that distance.
As he pondered this, a shell exploded twenty metres away, totally destroying a house, sending debris shooting into the air. Many soldiers took cover, but the general stayed on his horse. He was covered in dust and pieces of grit and fine rumble. A small cut above his left eye emitted blood. It was not a deep cut, but deep enough that a small trickle of blood slowly crept down his left cheek and dropped onto his tunic. He refused help and wiped the blood away with a glove.
A corporal stood up and called for a military doctor to come and assist. They came over straight away. The general turned his horse and started barking out orders. The major admired his courage under fire and his determination to get the soldiers and medical staff on the trains.
The shells continued to land around the city. They had not managed to accurately target the station, so this gave them time to load the carriages up. Supplies and everything else were ready. Steam engines had their fires stoked and water topped up.
The British Engineers rapidly boarded one of the trains. The general was acutely aware that if the enemy could get in front of them they would destroy the track, leaving them vulnerable.
Time was of the essence.
The dust had settled down in the distance but as far as the eye could see, a mass of movement filtered across the plains in front of them.
The soldiers stood in awe at the sight unravelling in front of them. The cannon fire was not directed at the wall; the enemy were firing over their heads and into the city. The shells had incredible power and destructive capabilities. Houses were being blown to smithereens around them. The noise was incredible, inflicting a sharp ringing sound in the ears of those close to the blasts.
The Austrian Sergeant on the wall was taken aback and watched this army unleash volley after volley. Their cannons could not even reach the first line of the enemy as their range was that of a typical field cannon. The gunners were accurate enough, but they were no match for this type of power.
The cannons ceased firing.
The sergeant told his men on the wall to brace themselves. Then came loud thunder claps, followed by shells smashing into the outer walls. The defences were taking a battering, with large chunks of rubble being flung up into the air. They were targeting specific areas along the main wall. This bombardment lasted several minutes. One part now looked decimated. This left some of the soldiers shaking their heads but luckily no one had been hurt. It was an unmanned section.
The next noise they heard was a collective mass of horns. This then fell into a roar. It was hard to make out. A mixture of creatures and shouts rolled into one.
A mass of figures came at them at a furious pace. The soldiers were told to hold their fire until the enemy came into range. This all unfolded as Colonel Kiesl arrived with more horses. He sent a soldier up to the walls to tell the men to leave with them immediately. The timing was awkward. The mass of creatures and humans was now in firing range. The cannons on the walls opened fire.
The mounted soldiers struggled to hold onto the extra horses as the volume around them intensified. They could also detect something else that was coming and it made them very jumpy.
Colonel Kiesl did not want to wait around. He hopped down off his horse and made his way up some stone steps.
He was there to witness the first Austrian volley rip into the approaching soldiers dressed in black. The effect on their tightly packed ranks was devastating; arms and limbs were ripped from their bodies.
The captain’s eyes fell upon what coming with them: giant bears with two heads, lizard-type monsters and a mass of walking humans with rotten flesh.
He could see that they were being led by men in long robes. He deduced they looked like Priests, but what Priests, he thought, would control such an army of darkness?
The fight was in full flow as the cannons roared and the small detachment of men shot from the wall parapets. The soldiers did not have enough firepower to stop the enemy arriving at the broken outer defences. They started to spill into the city with great purpose and vigour.
The priest soldiers arrived at the manned part of the city defence. Their faces were taut and gaunt. Their eyes carried rage and this fuelling a frenzied desired to reach the soldiers holding the line. Colonel Kiesl launched himself straight into action as he noticed a ladder arrived next to where he was standing.
The first enemy soldier did not last long as he hurriedly made his way up the ladder and tried to get on top of the wall. He placed his hand on a merlon and began to heave himself up. The colonel wasted no time in drawing his sabre and unleashing a deadly blow upon the drone. The soldier’s head rolled clean off and dropped down amongst his fellow comrades. Bullets started to whizz through the air as the soldiers below opened fire on the Austrians.
“This is not the time to die here, men. Fall back to the horses.”
Colonel Kiesl’s voice was strong and clear. The noise around the wall was muffled, but most began to fall back. The flesh-eaters were streaming into the city via the broken battlements. Hand-to-hand fighting was erupting everywhere as the Austrians started to fall back down the steps. Those that were not able to retreat died fighting where they stood. They all understood that no prisoners were being taken.
The men formed a line and kept firing as the others tried to get the wounded onto the horses and away from the oncoming enemy. Gunpowder had been lit around the cannon ammunition. This was adding to the haste with which they needed to retreat.
As Colonel Kiesl mounted his horse, some of the Austrian soldiers were still firing from their saddles. The shock on their faces when a giant lizard creature with scaly thick skin appeared from around a house was compelling. They had not seen what was happening on the other side; this was their first sight of the new enemy. It lurched forward, bullets cutting into its skin, but having little effect.
Two soldiers who were holding horses were directly in its line of sight. The creature tilted its head as it moved forward and bit into the leg of the soldier nearest to it. The man let up a scream as he was thrown into the air and then promptly slammed to the ground. The creature was interested in the horse for a moment and the poor injured soldier tried to move away from the beast with his leg practically hanging off.
The giant lizard was being hit with bullets and decided to grab the dying horse and leave for cover. The other men then ran forward to help their wounded comrade. It was of little use; he had passed out and his blood loss was uncontrollable.
The priest’s men were now flowing over the battlements and down the steps from the walls. To the side of a long road, the captain could see a shifting army of flesh-eaters coming their way. On the other side were several two-headed bears bounding towards them.
It was time for composure under huge stress. Colonel Kiesl got as many men mounted as possible. Some just grabbed already mounted soldiers. Bullets were still whizzing through the air towards the Austrian men. A horse was stuck in the chest by a bullet. It fell to the ground, writhing in pain. A couple of soldiers were also struck as they came under heavy fire.
The creatures and the enemy were closing in.
“We must fall back to the train station.” Colonel bellowed out this order.
The group began to fall back, some running alongside the horses. The shock and fear of the men as they saw the flesh-eaters and two-headed bears was evident. They had heard the stories from the Austrian Engineers, but seeing was believing.
The captain led the men down a narrow street. The main group was told to push on to the station. The priest soldiers and creatures were compressed into a small area, which opened the opportunity for the laying down of volley fire into their tightly compacted ranks.
There were around thirty Austrian soldiers. They dismounted and formed three rows.
“First rank, take aim
…Fire!”
“Second rank, take aim…Fire!”
This continued through each rank, It was a having a crushing effect on the approaching force. They were not organised in their advance and the creatures were hindering their progress. The bears were caught further back and literally crushing whatever was in their path to get to the front.
The dead bodies started to mount up, almost forming a wall. A couple of bears started to get through to the frontline, but came under intense fire to the head. They fell amongst the other enemy dead.
This was the moment to retreat and the captain acted. Some of the horses had escaped, but all the men were helped to ride on to the station. Those that had not made it from the wall or were stuck in nearby buildings, were either hunted down and shot by the priest soldiers, or eaten.
The trains started to roll out of the station.
There were two tracks running parallel to each other. Both of them led to Vienna. Four trains started to pick up motion. The fourth train was going slower to allow time for the Austrians coming from the wall. The British Engineers were camped in the second train.
Shells began to rain down on the old station. Debris was flung up from railway ticket office and shot over the fourth train as it pulled away. Some of the glass shattered in the end carriages, but most had sandbags to cover the windows and help lessen the impact.
Fires had broken out in the city as the shells brought mass destruction to the tightly packed houses, factories and shops.
The railway sheds were still full of food and other supplies that they could not bring with them. The general had not given the order to slash and burn as they retreated. The information from the high command was minimal.
As Colonel Kiesl arrived at the station he could see the fourth train pulling away. They had made it just in time.
Whilst several of the soldiers rode on to meet the train he kept a small number back to shoot from the saddle. Their covering fire would hopefully be enough to allow time for the others to get onto the moving train.
The shells were still falling around them. Thick plumes of smoke drifted in front of them. The enemy were not yet upon the station. Colonel Kiesl waited to see the enemy, but nothing came. The fourth train was starting to move out of sight.
He was satisfied the others had boarded the train and now wanted his remaining men to join them.
They galloped at full speed. The shells were still coming down around them, but luck was on their side and no one was blown from their horse. Once close enough, they calmly took it in turns to board the train and let the horses gallop off. They had wanted to take as many with them as possible, but keeping livestock on the train meant having more carriages, something that could not be spared.
The shelling suddenly stopped. This left smoke rising from the damaged buildings and fires burning across the city.
The steam engines puffed along as they picked up speed. An eerie sound filled the cobbled passages and the roads carried another noise, something that reminded the men of distant thunder. The soldiers manning the Gatling guns and cannons could pick up on this noise wave, which was now approaching fast.
General Haas was in one of the leading trains. He wanted to get the trains to move quicker as he feared they were still vulnerable to shelling. The noise made him turn his head as he made his way to the engine room. The sound was strong enough to carry into the carriages. It made the British Engineers come to the windows and try to peer out as best they could.
Their eyes fell upon a sea rolling in. It was thousands upon thousands of flesh-eaters. They were not running but moving at a quickened pace. Their collective groaning was what was making the noise. It was a humbling sight. The sheer numbers were hard to comprehend. General Haas was worried. He now thought of what lay ahead. They had not faced a huge force like this before. They were like African soldier ants consuming everything in their path.
He thought about how the British had come across the Jaeger regiment on the run and how they had turned on their own countrymen and General Von Bloch. Austria was in grave trouble. He wanted to reach the capital as quickly as possible.
The four trains began to pick up a good head of steam. The flesh-eaters were sweeping over the station and on to the railway tracks. They were coming from almost everywhere. The roads were covered with this horde. Fortunately, they could not keep up with the trains, which brought a sigh of relief from everyone. The tough veterans did not let this show in front of the others, but even they knew the battle for Austria was now on.
The corporals with the cannon crews and Gatling guns had been ordered to save ammunition and not fire on this walking army of death. It was preferred to save what they had and use it when necessary.
As the trains left the inner city and moved through the industrial side, all became quiet. The occupying force had not yet reached that part. It all looked a little surreal as they passed empty factories and dormant warehouses. It was like a ghost town waiting to be filled. There were supplies left stacked up, but nothing could be done now to destroy them. They were the prize assets of the enemy.
Captain Hayward walked amongst his men and reassured them they would shortly be returning to England.
A tunnel was soon approaching, which signalled the end of the city. The trains shot into the darkness at a brisk speed. There was a brief moment as candles were lit, that illuminated people’s faces. It was haunting to see the same expression. Their minds wandered, thinking about what life had in store for them now. The British Engineers thought about home, but the more experienced thought about derailment in the tunnel. That thought stayed in the back of their minds and was not allowed to fester. With the sea of flesh-eaters staggering after them, it would mean a grisly death.
Smoke bounced in from the tunnel walls and filled the compartments. The windows were promptly shut. General Haas made his way to the officers’ carriage. He had designated the middle carriage of the second train as his HQ. Once he arrived in the office he swept a table clear of documents and then grabbed a map of the train route to Vienna. He had studied it before, but his mind wanted to go over every possible scenario.
The light swept in as soon as each train burst out of the tunnel. The relief was evident on many faces. The four trains were in close proximity to each other. The men and women on them began to relax and let their guard down. For many, it was a good time to sleep or play cards. There were different shifts for the cannons and Gatling guns. The men manning them needed to have a rest and change of scenery.
Captain Hayward pressed his head against the window, thinking of his wife and children. In these moments of calm, his family came to the forefront of his thoughts. He started to close his eyes and eventually fell into a gentle sleep.
Chapter 16
“My lord, the trains are carrying the last survivors from the city and the British soldiers from the fort.”
The high priest rode forward.
“Everything is going to plan.”
The Junior Priest who spoke lowered his head.
“My lord, I do not fully understand.”
“That is why I am in charge and you are listening to my orders. Bring me the commander of the drones.”
The junior priest kept his head lowered as he backed away.
Five minutes later the commander of the drones arrived. He was not as pale as his soldiers, and had a slight nervous twitch. He was chubby man with grey hair and rough stubble.
“Your Highness, I hear you want to speak with me.”
The high priest turned and looked at him.
“The war is being won. I need you to have the riders of the North track and destroy this fleeing army. These British soldiers amused me at first, but now they are getting on my nerves.”
The drone commander nodded in agreement with everything that was being said. He was obviously scared of the high priest. It wasn’t helped by the fact that his ruler had leprosy.
It was in the early stages, but his skin was starting to be affected and he
was binding his fingers with cloth.
“I do not expect you to fail. If you do, then you know what will happen.”
The man began to shake. He couldn’t help himself. Rather than hanging around he bowed his head and left as quickly as he’d come.
A small group of priests rejoined their commander. They sat on their horses watching the drones and flesh-eaters destroy the city. The larger creatures had been reined in and were being led to any captured livestock for feeding.
Prisoners were being led away. These had been captured from the wall. They all looked concerned about what would happen to them. The flesh-eaters were being held back by drones and the occasional priest on horseback. The city had totally fallen into the enemy’s hands. Tokay was now no longer part of the Austro–Hungarian Empire.
The trains passed through villages and over hills. The engines were well stocked and did not need to stop for water or more fuel as of yet. The scenery was breathtaking, but made most of the Austrian contingent pause to reflect on the ramifications of this hostile takeover.
Private Brown went outside to an armoured carriage. Cold air whistled past. The cannon crew had gone inside to eat and a new watch was taking over. He wanted to see if the train next to his was okay, because this was the train carrying the nurses. Heidi was in there looking after the injured or sick men. He thought about her and prayed she would be safe as they travelled to Vienna.
Fields passed in a flash as the train sped along. There were herds of cattle and sheep along the way, wandering aimlessly, eating grass and looking carefree. It gave them hope that the horde had not reached them yet.
The trains carried on into the night and through to early morning. Most soldiers and nurses slept the best they could. The carriages had been converted in some cases and did not offer the same sort of comfort they would have wished when travelling a long journey. These thoughts, though, were kept to themselves. The alternative was walking all the way to Vienna, which was less appealing considering what was out there.
Europe Has Fallen Page 13