FARHAYVEN: VENGEANCE

by S. K. Ng

  “Sir, yes, sir!” replied the exevian reluctantly, then he bowed and was helped away from the eastern battlements.

  A minvian-ranked swordsman paces up and down the eastern battlements checking the defence preparations done by his soldiers, shouting out orders and making corrections as he goes. Whoosh! The minvian utters a restrained shout of pain and collapses onto his knees. The wooden shaft of an arrow protrudes from his neck. His mouth opens wide, gasping for air, but the blood from his veins drowns him slowly yet surely. Tiny spots of bright light appear in his vision, growing evermore brighter and larger. Then everything turns bright before fading out to total darkness.

  “Shadow-archers! Shadow-archers!” shouts several of the nearby soldiers.

  Swordsmen crouch behind the parapets while archers draw their bows, scanning the entire area in front and to the side of the eastern wall for their elusive and nearly invisible enemy. Another deep whooshing sound is heard and a Fallsian archer falls off the eastern wall. A hundred arrows are let loose wildly into the area in front of the eastern wall. Then again the deep whooshing sound occurs, and another Fallsian archer falls off the eastern wall. Another hundred arrows are let loose again. Then there is just silence. One by one, the swordsmen get up from behind the parapets. The soldiers seem to be safe, for the moment. They resume their task of preparing for the defence of the border fort.

  Inside the prison building, Ray lay bruised and bleeding. Lance tried his best to tend to his mentor’s wounds. Spirit paced anxiously in his cage, occasionally gnawing at the metal bars to no effect.

  “Escape _ why do you not use your powers to do of this?” enquired Lance.

  “Reasons _ there are two of these, the first, is try to prove that we are innocent; and if we are not successful at that, then the second is develop a proper plan before we attempt to escape, as without my Reservers, my powers are limited,” explained Ray.

  Lance looked at the floor in disappointment. Ray laid a hand on his shoulder and gave him a gentle smile.

  Spirit was getting very agitated in the cage.

  “Calm _ stay of this, my friend,” said Ray as he looked at the white wolf and tried his best to calm him with hand gestures.

  Spirit sat down, yet he scanned his surroundings in a disgruntled manner. Ray rested his bruised body, but his mind was in deep thought. Lance stared out the barred window, which was placed high up in the prison cell. He listened for sounds and conversation coming through it and tried to make sense of what that was going on. A low rumble sounded in his stomach. Lance was starving. They were given sufficient water but insufficient food, being given meals only once a day. Lance suspected that the reason for this was that the soldiers did not want their prisoners to have enough energy to escape, or even to try.

  At Eastgush, Thorn Sayvion was busy setting up the village defence. People from several nearby villages had arrived the previous morning and were actively partaking in the defence setup as well. The total number of villagers had swelled to 750 men, women and children.

  The village meeting hall was selected as the central point of defence, since it was impossible to defend individual homes. Food, grain, water and medicine were stored inside the meeting hall. All the women and children who had chosen to stay were gathered inside it as well. The village men had built three widely spaced rings of barricade around this building, creating a very rudimentary fortification. These barricades were made of logs, tree branches, furniture and various other materials. Able-bodied men were taught the basic techniques of weaponry. Tips and edges of pitchforks and shovels were sharpened to become rudimentary spears and halberds. Axes, sickles and machetes were made substitute for swords. Even knives and sickles were secured to long wooden shafts to make them deadlier and more effective. A few of the villagers had bows, and a moderate number of arrows were made for them. Those who were to hide in the mountain caves were packing food, water and medicine for their journey.

  Most of the men and even a few strong-willed women were practising to block, slash, cut and stab with their crude weapons, under Thorn’s watchful eyes. By his count, 250 able-bodied men and 50 strong-spirited women were battle-ready to man the barricades. Another 100 able-bodied men were ready to escort the elderly, the sick, the women and the children to the mountain hideout.

  Those who were to man the barricades were lined up and set into formations, and as Thorn inspected them, he was disappointed to see amongst them a blond-haired, blue-eyed woman of the age 35 who bore a strong resemblance to Salmon Verance.

  “Caramel, what are you doing? Should you not be accompanying your parents?” asked Thorn, shocked.

  “No, Thorn. I’m staying to fight!” replied the blond-haired, blue-eyed woman.

  “Caramel, your parents need you to take care of them. Did we not agree that you and your parents will join the others and hide in the mountain caves?” insisted Thorn.

  “No, Thorn! You made that decision, not me! My decision is to stay and fight!” refused Caramel.

  Thorn shook his head in frustration. Salmon had warned him long ago about his sister’s character.

  “Your parents need you!” said Thorn as he pointed a finger at her parents.

  “My cousin Cod will be with them. I’m needed here,” insisted Caramel.

  “You are needed there!” counter-insisted Thorn, rather sternly.

  Caramel said nothing and did not move, but gave Thorn a defiant look instead. Finally, he relented and continued inspecting the rest of the formations.

  Thorn went up to Headman Sheppal, who was helping an elderly villager pack up for her journey.

  “We cannot wait any longer! The women and children must make for the mountain caves now, before it is too late. The Serpentians could arrive at any time,” said Thorn.

  “I agree with you, minvian. But what about the people from Bluewell Village? They’re not here yet,” questioned Headman Sheppal.

  “Most probably they will never come. Bluewell Village is not that far from here. If they had any intention to join us, they would be here by now. Forget not, their village headman did not give your rider an answer. The women and children must start their journey now. One more thing, Headman Sheppal; just address me as Mister Sayvion or just simply Thorn. My rank was void the very moment I deserted my post at Fort Eastguard,” replied the former Provincial Guard.

  “You’re right, minvian. I’ll get them going now,” agreed the headman as he nodded and turned towards his villagers.

  The midday sun radiates searing heat onto the soon-to-be battlefield. Sweat flows from the faces of the soldiers of Fort Eastguard. The metal of their armour absorbs the heat like a sponge soaks up water. Yet the expression on their faces is not that of discomfort or even fear, but of rage, a rage that comes from the need to avenge the plundering, slavery and murder of their fellow Fallsians.

  The Serpentians stopped 3000 paces from the border fort. Battlelord Constrictor had organised his soldiers systematically into five large columns. Three of these columns were in front while the remaining two were at the rear. The front columns were arranged with swordsmen forward, archers in the centre and Grand Catapults at the rear. The rear columns followed the same arrangement in a reverse order, with the exception of their Grand Catapults, which were moved forward to join the front columns.

  Convian Genox scanned the enemy’s battle configuration carefully, looking for any tactical weaknesses that she could take advantage of. No apparent weaknesses could be found.

  “Five heads in all, three for the main assault with two as reserves. Each head is equivalent to one of our lakes. Each head consists of five jaws, just like how each of our lakes consists of five ponds. Each jaw consists of five fangs, similar to our ponds as each of them consists of five rivers as well. Each of their fang, or our river, is a total of 62 soldiers and is made up of five of their eyes, or our streams. Each eye, or stream, consists of 12 soldiers. 7,812 Serpentian invaders in all, minus probably 1,800 soldiers assigned to advance raiding parties, which
makes their number about 6,012 and 50 Grand Catapults. An impressive and formidable force, do you think not, Convian Genox?” assessed Orgavian Deffs.

  “Impressive! But, we have approximately 1,600 men and women defending this fort. We have 16 Heavy Catapults. We have cavalry, which they do not. And these walls are strong and thick. The ratio is four to one against us, but I am certain we can repel them, sir,” said Convian Genox confidently.

  Orgavian Deffs smiled at Convian Genox.

  “Your confidence is inspiring, convian. But do not underestimate our enemy. This battle may not be ours to win. The loss of Minvian Jussette and her pond has taught me a good lesson. Never assume that everything will go as planned. Always expect the worse to happen! So, we need to prepare contingency plans on top of contingency plans. And it is important for us to utilise every option available. We must grab every opportunity that comes our way, indeed, we must create these opportunities; or else all will be lost,” stressed Orgavian Deffs.

  “I understand, sir!” acknowledged Convian Genox.

  Battlelord Constrictor scanned the border fort from left to right, as he too, looked for weaknesses that he could manipulate. A scout ran up to him to report his findings.

  “Battlelord Constrictor, I count approximately 1,600 enemy soldiers. They have approximately 500 horses and they placed all 16 of their Heavy Catapults just behind the eastern wall,” reported the scout after bowing to his commander.

  Battlelord Constrictor dismissed the scout with a wave of his hand. A sly smile had cut across his face as he realised the significance of the report. Fort Eastguard had not been properly reinforced! The fort’s wall would crack and shatter under constant pounding in the end. It may have taken the Fallsians years to build the wall, but he knew that his Grand Catapult could destroy it within a day or two.

  Battlelord Constrictor turned to look at his men. They were all anxious and eager to kill, plunder and enslave. Greed drove them just as aggressively as it drove him. The time had come for him to take what was his by right! And by right meant the ‘right of conquest’. ‘What you can conquer, you can own’, what a beautiful idea that was to the battlelord. He had no feeling of doubt or guilt. It was his way. It was the Serpentian way. It was never wrong, nor would it ever be, as far as he was concerned. Gold, silver, diamonds, crops, medicine, slaves for the fields and the mines as well as the ones for the bed; it could never be wrong!

  Whoosh! Immediately another minvian falls onto the ground in a pool of blood. Several arrows are let loose in return, but the Fallsian archers are intelligent, or concerned, enough to conserve their arrows for the upcoming main battle.

  Boom!!! A huge boulder crashes into Fort Eastguard’s eastern wall, creating a cloud of dust and debris while sending a shock so powerful, a few of the Fallsian archers and swordsmen lose their footing. Boom!!! Another huge boulder crashes into the wall with the same devastating effect.

  The Fallsian Heavy Catapult crews waste no time in reciprocating. They send a few boulders hurling towards the Serpentians. These boulders are smaller than the Serpentians’ and do not travel as far; but far enough to crush and kill a few unfortunate soldiers at the front of the Serpentian formations.

  Boom!!! A huge boulder smashes into the battlements next to where Orgavian Deffs and Convian Genox are standing. Debris bursts in all directions from the impact, sending lethal airborne projectiles into the bodies of nearby soldiers. Convian Genox’s vision turns dark. All she hears is silence. She does not remember falling. She does not remember anything. Now there is nothing but silence and darkness.

  Slowly, a ringing sound plays in Convian Genox’s ears. It grows gradually louder. She realises that she is still alive. She opens her eyes and slowly gets on her feet. Crimson fluid flows from cuts on her face. Her hair is in slight disarray. Her battle helm is missing. Her shiny armour is now brown and grey with dust. The ringing in her ears is ever so loud. She looks around, temporarily disorientated and confused.

  Several moments later, she regains her senses. The ringing sound fades away, only to be replaced by anger and sorrow; for in front of her lay the body of Orgavian Deffs in a crimson pool, pieces of debris protruding from his face and torso. Suddenly, a hand taps her shoulder.

  “Convian Genox, Orgavian Deffs is dead. And except for Minvian Eggle, so are all the other minvians. You are the ranking battle officer now! You are in command now! Do you understand me, Convian Genox!? You are in charge! What are your orders!?” says the owner of the hand that tapped her shoulder, who happens to be Verallvian Rod Sayson.

  The reality of her responsibilities hits Convian Genox like a boulder from a Serpentian catapult! Orgavian Deffs is dead! All the other minvians are dead! Minvian Eggle, who is just a temporary supplement to the fort, is not eligible for command as long as there is a Fort Eastguard officer who is battle-fit. So, she, being the most senior of the convians, is in command! She turns to look at Verallvian Sayson in a stunned manner.

  Spirit paced his cage nervously. The sound of every explosion was amplified a hundred times in the white wolf’s sensitive ears. He gnawed at the metal bars of his cage again, and again, but to no effect. Lance was scared as well. Ray tried his best to calm Spirit down, but the white wolf was too distracted to listen.

  Voices of men and women shouting orders and instructions on treatment of the wounded soldiers could be clearly heard through the barred windows.

  “Happening _ what is it of this, master?” asked Lance.

  “Bombardments _ these sounds are of these, which means the fort is under attack, most probably by Serpentians,” explained Ray in a serious tone.

  “Do _ what are we going of this?” asked Lance nervously.

  “Nothing _ we are going to do of this, but to wait for an opportunity to prove our innocence or to escape,” replied Ray.

  Boom!!! Yet another huge boulder smashes into the eastern wall. Cracks begin to form on the wall, connecting the huge craters already existent on its surface.

  “Madam, the wall cannot take too much of this type of assault. It will collapse and this fort will be lost,” reasons Verallvian Sayson.

  “Yes, you are right, Verallvian Sayson. We must neutralise their Grand Catapults,” concurs Convian Genox.

  Convian Genox shouts out an order of ‘Black Fire’ to the convians who are in command of the Heavy Catapults. The catapult crews begin launching sealed, large-sized clay jars towards the Serpentians. These jars reach far into the Serpentian columns and smash into their ranks of archers and Grand Catapult crews. More jars fly through the air and smash into the Grand Catapults, splashing black viscous liquid that adheres like glue to these wooden structures.

  The Fallsian catapult crews follow up by launching baskets full of flaming rocks at their enemies. The rocks are wrapped in cloth soaked with the same black liquid. A rain of fist-sized fireballs fall upon the Serpentians, setting whomever and whatever that had come into contact with the black viscous liquid, on fire. Hot dark red flames and belching black smoke appear in the Serpentian columns. Ten Grand Catapults, located at the centre of the columns, are now alight in flames.

  Smash! A few Serpentian archers find themselves drenched in black viscous liquid as a clay jar explodes on impact with the ground near them. Then flaming rocks fall upon them. The fortunate few die immediately as the rocks smash their heads while others stare in disbelief as hot black flames spread throughout their bodies. First they feel the intense heat, and then the unimaginable pain. Finally, they experience the darkness. As they lay dying, they all ask themselves the very same questions, ‘Why did I choose to come here? Is fame and fortune worth undergoing this horrible death?’

  The sight of his Grand Catapults in flames angers Battlelord Constrictor. The catapults are a vital strategic factor for the success of his attack. He shouts orders for the remaining catapults to target the Fallsians’ catapults. The battlelord wants the boulders to go over the wall, not slam into it, so that he can smash the Heavy Catapults behind it to bits. The
Serpentian Grand Catapult commanders in turn shout out orders to their subordinates to shift the angle of their gigantic military machines. The catapult crews align their catapults by pivoting them. Then they push their catapults forward so that the front wheels roll onto wedge-shaped wooden blocks. This changes the vertical alignment of the catapults. Then once again the Grand Catapults launch large boulders into the air, wrecking havoc on the Fallsians.

  Boom!!! A boulder smashes into a Heavy Catapult that is in the centre of the catapult formation. The resultant debris burst through the air and drives deeply into the faces, torsos and limbs of its crew and a few nearby archers. Shouts of pain and misery permeate the air. Fallsian soldiers rush to rescue their injured comrades. More boulders smash into the Heavy Catapults even as the Fallsians launch more clay jars and flaming rocks at their adversary. A few boulders fly over the eastern wall and smash into the buildings inside the fort.

  Convian Genox looks very concerned and Verallvian Sayson knows exactly why. Both Fallsian soldiers realise that the Serpentians have begun targeting their Heavy Catapults.

  Boom!!! Another Heavy Catapult explodes to pieces, with the resultant debris injuring and killing nearby soldiers. The Fallsians send their reply. More clay jars smash into the Serpentian catapults. By now, two more Grand Catapults, which are located in the northern area of the Serpentian columns, are being consumed by hot, dark flames. Meanwhile, a few more boulders smash against the border fort’s wall.