by Gerard Bond
The first few enemy soldiers ran headlong along the rampart with every intention of taking up positions in the tower but they had no idea that Dark and her troops sat quietly at the ready. She let them come to within forty yards and then she yelled out,
“Fire!”
Crossbow bolts flew along the rampart and cut the first few down. The others behind had nowhere to go, back was too far and they milled in confusion. The second flight of bolts made short work of them. The soldiers that came along next were smarter, they had large shields up and ready. This lot approached much more slowly and Dark tapped an elf on the shoulder. She pointed out one soldier who was occasionally showing his side from behind the shield, the elf nodded and aimed. Dark squeezed the shoulder of Vaughn as she held up her own crossbow. The elf fired and the man went down screaming. As he did it opened a gap into which Dark, Vaughn and others fired into. It took down another three of them before the shields closed again. The going was slow for the enemy and that suited Dark just fine. The longer she did her job, the more reinforcements poured in.
Down below things weren’t going so slow. Thousands of Kingdom soldiers and elves were inside and they fought hand to hand with the Isogorreans that were showing up. It was a man on man battle with no ability to draw up ranks or organize large numbers of men in the narrow streets. With the elves there, the Isogorreans were at a particular disadvantage. The elves were faster, better armed, better protected and thus deadlier in battle. It took only fifteen minutes before inroads were made and the attacking forces were able to start pushing the Isogorreans back. The story was true at every gate as they enjoyed success at every turn.
In the entire war apart from one battle in the east of which none of the Isogorreans here had fought, the enemy had enjoyed victory after victory against everything that had been thrown against them. Tonight they faced a well organized army cooperating for the good of all. Now they were driven back further and further into the city. Every time they made a stand, the elves would come forward with their bowmen and decimate their numbers, it was turning into a rout.
Later that morning as dawn broke over the city, the main force of enemy soldiers were holed up in the inner walls of the original castle. Here they made an organized stand and it was here they stopped the total liberation of Kassandrea. There were still pockets of resistance fighting around the city, but as the attacking forces learned of them, more men were sent in and they were snuffed out.
Dark found the generals near the inner castle and as she approached she could hear them congratulating each other on a job well done. She walked inside.
“Don’t forget, it was Wollfen who made this possible, he was the one that got us in to open the gates.” Smiling General Arafin asked of his whereabouts.
“So is Wollfen still fighting?” Dark shook her head, she wasn’t sure what she should reveal.
“He got caught up with another situation that presented itself in the caves below. I am sure he will be along soon.”
She really hoped so, nothing had happened since he had gone down that flight of stairs and nothing had been heard since.
“What of the Isogorreans in the inner castle?” General Beowulf spoke up.
“We are trying to decide what is the best method of attack. A full frontal assault will be costly and this time we won’t be able to get the gates open like before.” Dark looked out at the castle in the distance.
“I have a better idea, let’s just leave them there. We can starve them out at our leisure. We have to leave some of our troops here anyway. They might as well keep an eye on them. I also suggest they be elven since we won’t need to use too many. How many Isogorreans do we believe are in there?” Beowulf responded,
“We estimate about eight thousand, it must be rather crowded in there.” Dark smiled.
“Well then their supplies won’t last long will they?”
The Generals all nodded. It made good sense, General Gwindour spoke up.
“I think five thousand elven warriors to watch the entire city should do it. And then we can organize an infirmary to stay here to take care of the wounded while our main army moves onto Oceania. If we take off by tomorrow at the latest, I can see us hitting them from behind just about the same time as they launch an attack on the walls of Oceania.”
“Are we all in agreement?” All the generals nodded. “Then we shall make it so.” General Arafin turned to Dark.
“Wollfen won’t mind catching up?” Dark didn’t think it would be a problem.
“No I am sure he would agree that you move out immediately, the sooner the better.”
Dark and Vaughn walked towards where they knew Nightwing and Loranda had fought at another gate. It shouldn’t be too hard to find them. They talked to some elves along the way and were pointed to the tower above the gate they defended. Night and Loranda hadn’t left it since the fighting ended. The two of them still asking directions on arriving were directed to go up into the tower, Dark started feeling some trepidation. Once they got to the room that the ramparts came off they found a solitary elf standing guard at the door. He saw Dark coming and motioned for her to go in.
Inside Dark was shocked to find Nightwing bent over Loranda who was lying in a cot, Night was stroking her hair and Dark could hear her crying quietly.
“Night?”
She turned at hearing Dark’s voice. There were tears streaming down her face and Dark felt her heart constrict. Night managed to sob a few words out.
“She fell during the initial attack on the tower.”
Now she cried openly and lay down on Loranda’s chest. Dark moved forward and could see a deep cut to Loranda’s neck, she had bled out and died quickly. Dark kneeled down too and began crying, poor Loranda.
Vaughn stood to the side impassively watching on but his mouth was turned down. Loranda had always given him a hard time and he had resented her for it but he wanted her back.
Down in the cave Wollfen came into consciousness and realized every part of his body was in intense pain. He lifted a hand and every part of his arm cried out. His whole body was shivering from the pain. Opening his eyes Wollfen couldn’t see much at all. Cerendell was still glowing but was far away in the corner. He needed it to get out.
He tried to lift himself but cried out. Every part of his skin was blistered and burnt. He steeled himself. No one was going to be able to help him, he was on his own. Turning over onto his belly Wollfen dragged himself inch by inch towards Cerendell. It took him ten minutes to do so and when he finally got there and placed a hand over the hilt he felt exhausted from the effort, it was excruciating. He realized he couldn’t possibly pull himself up all those stairs.
After laying there for a while dealing with the pain he got to thinking again, what could he do? Then the obvious occurred to him, the teleport crystal. Wollfen slowly reached into his pocked very gingerly and he let out a little whelp of pain from time to time as he did it. Once out he focused on Dark, he just hoped she wasn’t in the middle of a battle. He appeared in the tower with the other four and Dark cried out his name as he once again passed out.
Dark sat in a private room with Wollfen stretched out on the bed, they had stripped off all his clothing to reveal every single part of his body was burnt, even his curly hair was gone. The only reason Dark had recognized him when he had appeared was his breastplate. She sat there holding back tears as she dabbed his entire body in cream. She just couldn’t imagine how Wollfen could stand it, it was a small blessing he was unconscious. What had happened? Had Vincent done this to him? Was Vincent angry? Maybe Wollfen had come across something else down there, no one had any ideas.
All she could do was keep vigil. Could he recover from something this terrible? Was Wollfen doomed to go through a life of unending suffering like this time and time again? It made her think of her own mortality; she would grow old and eventually die just like everyone else. Then what for him? He would still go on, having lost her and alone again. It didn’t bear thinking.
A couple of days
later Wollfen awoke to find Dark in a chair beside him asleep. She had been staying by his side day and night. Now she awoke too to see him looking at her, she smiled.
“Hello my love. I’m so glad to see you back.”
He started to smile too but it cracked his skin and fresh pain flowed, he moaned a little.
“Don’t do anything baby, it’s okay. You are healing quite fast. It has only been a couple of days and already you are starting to look human again.”
He blinked his eyes to her, she understood.
“I have news for you. Some you will be glad to hear, some bad. The city is taken though we do have a sizable force of Isogorreans holed up in the inner castle, we have decided to starve them out. The rest of our army has already marched, it left yesterday and is on its way to Oceania.”
Dark paused for a bit before going on.
“The bad news, I’ll just say it. Loranda died in the initial battle to retake Kassandrea.”
She looked at Wollfen’s face, she could see tears welling up in his eyes but he remained silent. Then there was a low moan in his throat but that was all. She wished she could hug him or kiss him or something; she couldn’t give him any physical comfort at all.
A few more days later Wollfen was able to pull himself up in bed. He hurt and was very tender but was speaking and moving now. It was a vast improvement in such a short space of time. Dark sat next to him still feeding him like a baby and he wasn’t liking it one bit. He kept complaining and bellyaching as she did. ‘Yes, he is back,’ she thought to herself.
“How is Night? I still haven’t seen her?” Dark put down the bowl of food.
“She has been keeping herself busy. We found a building with a thousand women in it. They were being used as whores by the Isogorrean army, can you imagine? We even identified those sorcs you took the powers away from. No man has been able to approach them since the liberation, I’m afraid many are too emotionally broken. Night spends everyday with them helping as she can. She tells me that she intends to approach her father and ask him to donate one of the outlying estates to make it into a refuge for them. No men will be allowed there.”
“That’s a grand thing she is doing. I think I would like to see her tomorrow. I should be well enough to move by then. I wonder how things go at Oceania? We should go there the day after tomorrow I think, we can teleport to them.”
Dark looked on as Wollfen spoke. This wasn’t his way normally, just idly chatting about things. He usually just said what he wanted and what was going to happen. He seemed softer somehow. Dark wondered what had happened down in that dark tunnel below. He still refused to talk about it.
The following afternoon Wollfen stood with Nightwing.
“It is so good to see you Night. I understand you have been keeping yourself busy doing some good work?” Night nodded at him.
“Yes, They need me here and I’m free to help them. I am expecting word from my father in a week. I don’t think there will be any problems getting the estate. Once that is organized I’m going to take all these women on a wagon train out to the north. It is out of the way and secluded, perfect for these women to heal.” Wollfen noted she didn’t mention Loranda.
“She is in our hearts, remember that.” Night looked up and smiled a little.
“Thank you.” He smiled back and gave her a hug.
“I love you, take care Night, we shall see each other again.” Night was a little surprised but replied in kind.
“I love you too and yes we shall.” He turned and left with Dark on his arm, he was going screwy she thought.
In the afternoon Wollfen approached the general directly to get an understanding of what was happening with the siege of the inner castle. When he walked in, General Arafin was shocked to see the transformation. It had been less than a week since he had laid eyes on Wollfen’s burnt body.
“Good afternoon general, I hope you are well?” he could only nod in reply. “So tell me what the situation is with the castle?”
The General coughed and then spoke.
“They are an intractable lot. They won’t surrender and they refuse to parley whatsoever.”
“Hmm, so what are your plans?” The general shrugged.
“Simply keep up the siege until something happens.” Wollfen shook his head.
“No, that won’t do. I’ll go see their leader and talk some sense into him.” Arafin blurted out,
“Are you crazy? They will cut you down once you get in the gates!’
“I don’t think so. Let’s see what sort of reaction we get shall we? It can’t hurt to call at the gate.”
Wollfen started to walk off outside to mount his horse, the general watching on.
“Aren’t you going to come along?” The man shook his head.
As far as he was concerned it would be a fight to the death, no one in that room had any intention of allowing the enemy general or the officers live even if they did surrender. There was the question of the civilians slaughtered in each of the conquered villages and towns of the south, could that very well go unpunished?
Wollfen wasn’t thinking that far ahead though, he was simply trying to save some lives.
“Very well, I shall see you soon.”
Wollfen turned and made off in the direction of the castle. The ride turned out to be very uncomfortable, he chafed all over. He put it to the back of his mind as he approached the inner walls. At the gate Wollfen shouted out to the Isogorrean sentries.
“Look upon me! My name is Wollfen and I be overlord of this army! Tell your commander that I wish to talk!”
At the mention of Wollfen’s name there was chatter from behind the wall. These men had heard rumors from Isogorr after Wollfen had done his voyage there. They knew of this man and his exploits. A few minutes went by and a voice rang out.
“Do you give safety of passage to our General?” Wollfen called back.
“I do swear!”
“Then he shall meet you in front of these gates. There under the watch of his men he will talk to you.”
“I agree!”
The gates unlocked and parted a little, Wollfen watched as a man in full dress armor strode out in front. Wollfen got off his horse and left it behind as he walked to the man. General Marcellus watched on as Wollfen neared.
He could see the man approaching was full of confidence and carried himself not with arrogance but the self-assuredness of someone who knew his own strength.
“Greetings Wollfen, I have heard much about you. You have quite a reputation.” Wollfen smiled, it wasn’t often you got compliments from your enemy.
“Good afternoon General. You will forgive me for not knowing your name?” The man bowed his head a little.
“It is General Marcellus. Now how is it that I may be of service to you?”
“That’s simple General, I just want to save some lives here, not only my own men but yours too.” The general looked at him for a bit.
“I have heard you have merciful ways about you. I really don’t know what to make of that.”
“Make this point of it. I offer you this, if you lay down your weapons and walk out of the castle grounds, we will give you free passage to the coast. Also I will make sure that you will have enough provisions to see you there as well. Once at the coast we should be able to arrange some transport to Port Cholandra where enough ships will still be there of yours to carry you home.”
The general quietly considered Wollfen’s words for a bit.
“You make it sound like the war is already lost by us and that we are simply going to meekly go home now. This has only been one battle.”
“Actually, it’s two battles, one in the east where you lost ten thousand men to one of my lieutenants and here where so far you have lost twelve thousand to date. I see no reason why more should be added to that tally.”
“We are holding out though.” Wollfen countered.
“That’s only because the majority of my army now rides to destroy your main force at Oceania. I
t will not be pretty over there, your army this time will be out in the open and hit from the rear, they will be decimated.”
“It matters not, we have many more men down south.”
“No you don’t Marcellus, my eastern army rides to Port Cholandra and is double its numbers that defeated the army to the east those many months ago. On top of that I have another force coming up from the south of similar numbers to take Cholandra from the other side. In addition to all that I have the Oceanic navy as well as the southern navy that will attack Port Cholandra. That effectively cuts off all your supplies.”
Wollfen paused for it all to sink in.
“General, surely you can see. Now that we are organized it is only a matter of time to defeat. You can save many men’s lives here which we will be happy to send back, not only for your sake but ours too. We get to save our own men and your men will return to talk of what has happened here. That too will also convince your King not to wage war again.” The general’s shoulders slumped a little.
“I am supposed to believe you? Just like that?”
“Look around General. I am in a position of ascendancy here and that isn’t going to change. You have been holed up in this castle for close on a week. You started off with maybe eight thousand men in there, how many have you lost since then? I know the elves continue to pick off soldiers from these ramparts all day long with their arrow fire. You are running out of food fast. It is only a matter of time before we take your position. All I’m offering is a little mercy. Now it's up to you to decide whether to accept it or not.”
The General stood there for a time in silence contemplating Wollfen's words, then made a counter offer,
“I would ask that I be given the rest of the day to consider your offer. Could I ask that you stop for that same time the killing of my men?”
“Granted, your men have amnesty for the rest of the afternoon.”
Marcellus turned on his heel, returned to the main gate and was let in. Wollfen mounted his horse and rode off.
When he returned to General Arafin and spoke of his offer Arafin was not pleased at all.
“How can you seriously offer safe passage to all of those soldiers knowing the crimes that they have committed in this land?” Arafin wouldn’t sit quietly back this time, this was outrageous.