by Tim Chaffey
The soldier on the right nodded. “Yes, Princess.”
Chapter 10
As Ashur and Navea headed for the gate, Naamah found Nivlac standing by her chariot. He had spent the previous day training volunteers from Iri Geshem in basic combat skills and only this morning returned to serve as her bodyguard. “Take me to the harbor. I want to see for myself how soon we’ll be ready to fight.”
Nivlac jumped into the two-wheeled cart and grabbed the reins attached to two brown beasts whose shoulders stood at his full height. Their massive furry frames rested atop short and relatively thin legs that ended in sharp hooves. Each animal sported a long, toothy jaw and bore significant tusks on either side of the head, providing a perfect attachment point for a bridle.
Naamah stepped behind her guard and gripped the cart’s handholds tightly. “Let’s go.”
Nivlac barked a command, and the creatures squealed as they charged away from the wall. He guided them down the city’s main thoroughfare. Hailing Naamah as she sped by, the newly trained volunteers lined both sides of the streets, ready to support the veteran soldiers when the time came.
Before reaching the expansive city square, they turned left and headed east toward the river. Citizens scurried about. Aware of the danger at their gates, some had barricaded the doors of their homes, but most of them continued with their daily business. They know that I’ll lead them to victory. In her excitement, her right hand slipped, and she bent her knees slightly to keep from falling. She regained her balance and took a deep breath. Twice, Nivlac shouted for people to clear a path or get run over.
Finally, they pulled to a halt on a ridge overlooking the harbor to the south. Over a dozen ships had run aground in the sand and at least two dozen more were moving toward the shore. Her heart leapt. Victory might be achieved after all. Hundreds of soldiers assembled on the beach, but her gaze locked onto something far more interesting in the midst of the group.
“I wasn’t expecting those,” Nivlac said.
“Neither—”
“It’s the princess!” A gruff male voice barked. “Kill her!”
Naamah flinched and spun to her right while her mind tried to keep up with her eyes. A man wearing a sand-colored robe stood beside the door of a rundown building pointing his sword at her. Though it was mostly concealed by the robe, she glimpsed the insignia of the Nodite army on his armor. At least four combatants ran toward her as several more streamed out of the house.
“Go!” Naamah shrieked and prepared herself for the impending jolt.
Nivlac whistled and then roared at the beasts. The cart launched forward just as the first Nodite grabbed hold of its side. He ran along with it, and just before the beasts outpaced him, he pulled himself forward and leapt into the crowded chariot.
Naamah squeezed forward to avoid the attacker.
The soldier drew a blade but immediately dropped it as Nivlac swung an elbow, striking the man in the head. Undeterred, the warrior reached for Naamah, dodging Nivlac’s next attempt.
Sliding down with her back against the front of the chariot, Naamah kicked the man in the stomach. He nearly fell off the back of the cart but steadied himself by grabbing Nivlac’s shoulder. Behind him, a number of Nodites were in pursuit. As the soldier reached for her again, Naamah yanked the dagger from her bracer and stabbed him in the leg.
Howling in pain, her attacker reached for his injury. At the same moment, Nivlac struck him in the face and the man tumbled out of the chariot, landing awkwardly and rolling a few times before coming to a stop.
“Whoa!” Nivlac pulled the reins back.
“What are you doing?” Naamah asked as she climbed to her feet. “Get us out of here.”
He pointed ahead, where dozens of her troops from the beach raced past her and gave chase to the Nodites.
“Kill them all!” Naamah fought to catch her breath.
“That was too close.” Nivlac turned toward her. “How did all these Nodites get into the city? And how many more are there?”
“I don’t know.” Naamah shook her head. If only I would’ve interrogated those spies. She swept an arm toward the reinforcements a few hundred cubits down the road. “We need all these men at the city gate immediately. Take us down there.”
“Yes, Princess.” Nivlac drove the chariot toward the beach and pulled it to a stop when one of the captains stepped in front of them and hailed Naamah.
“Captain, I know there are still more men arriving on the ships, but we need every single one of you, and especially the beasts and their handlers, at the front gate now. The battle may start at any moment.”
The soldier bowed slightly. “We haven’t been here before.” He glanced from Nivlac to Naamah. “Can you lead these men where you need them? I’ll send the rest as soon as they come ashore.”
“Very well.” Naamah straightened and pulled her shoulders back. “Tell them to follow us.”
As the captain belted out commands to his men, Nivlac turned their animals around. There was no sign of the Nodites who had ambushed her, other than the man she had stabbed. His body lay in a heap in the middle of the road ahead, and a grin spread on her face.
After the first wave of soldiers reached the chariot, Nivlac led them through the streets of Iri Geshem at a brisk pace. Bodies of several more Nodites and a few of their own soldiers lay unmoving near the city square.
A messenger rapidly approached, and Nivlac pulled the beasts to a halt.
“Princess.” The runner kept his eyes focused on the ground. “We’ve killed more than two hundred Nodites in the city and suffered some casualties in the process.”
“How did they get in here?” Naamah asked.
“We tortured one of the men to find the answer to that question. He said that they were shown a tunnel under the wall by a man named Noah.”
Nivlac frowned and kicked the wall of the chariot. “Did you say Noah?”
The man nodded.
Hatred flowed through Naamah. She glared at the man and clenched her jaw before willing herself to relax. “Did they say what happened to this traitor?”
“They let him go free.”
She moved directly in front of the man. “Where’s the tunnel?”
“He wouldn’t reveal that information.” Dropping his gaze even lower, the messenger said, “Our men are searching for it now. They think it’s on the other side of the river.”
“Find it and figure out where it leads. Then send out trackers to hunt down Noah.”
“Yes, Princess.” The man turned and sprinted away.
She looked at Nivlac. “I cannot wait to kill him.” Naamah turned to the officer closest to her. “The gate is straight ahead. Keep the men quiet. We don’t want the enemy to know we have reinforcements.” He turned when Naamah tapped him on the shoulder. “Go quickly. We need to tell the soldiers at the gate to be silent or else the Nodites may suspect something.”
Nivlac nodded, gave a command, and the chariot sped ahead.
While passing the volunteer recruits, Naamah shushed them. When the chariot stopped near the staircase, she stepped to the ground and leaned close to Nivlac. “Keep these men quiet and make sure the beasts are placed at the front. We have a special surprise for Captain Iradel.”
“I will.” Nivlac jumped off the cart and hurried for a nearby captain.
Naamah took a deep breath and marched up the stairs. She found Commander Tsek standing at the wall, watching the negotiations. “How is our councilman doing?”
“Princess.” Tsek bowed his head. “He looked nervous at first, but he likes talking, so he seems to have relaxed a little.” Tsek cracked his knuckles and kept his voice low. “The reinforcements?”
Grinning, she put a hand on his lower back. “Come with me, Commander.”
They walked toward the opposite edge of the platform to peer at the street below. The front of a long procession of Havilite warriors cleared the nearest building and entered the intersection. The line, eight men across, stretched back as
far as she could see. Near the front, soldiers stepped far to the side to make way for Iradel’s surprise. Four large, muzzled, horned grendecs, each led by a pair of giants, stomped to the gate and stopped.
Tsek rested his beefy arms across his barrel chest and smiled. “This should even things up.”
“Are your men ready?” Naamah asked.
Tsek lifted his chin and pulled back his shoulders. “The troops on the wall are, but I’ll need to briefly speak to the new arrivals. Should we wait for the councilman to finish?”
Naamah shook her head. “I have no more use for him or his traitor wife.”
“What about my soldiers with them?”
She shrugged. “If they survive, we’ll honor them for their service.”
“I’ll be right back.” Tsek disappeared down the stairs while Naamah walked back to the wall, hid behind a parapet, and peeked at the negotiating parties in the field. A smile formed on her lips as she savored thoughts of leading the people to victory. She stretched out her arms and raised her head, allowing her eyes to roll back. O Great Nachash. Hear me. Grant me victory today; then nothing can stop you from being worshiped around the whole world — not even the blasphemous king who only seeks to use you for his own power. Through this victory today, the people will see me as their rightful ruler and you as their only god.
Naamah took a deep breath and refocused her attention on the Nodite army. Thousands of soldiers held their positions as their captain listened to whatever Ashur babbled about. There was no turning back now. Once the battle commenced, she would emerge as the leader of Havil’s greatest victory, or she would perish in humiliating defeat. Either way, she would not report back to the king unless the people of Iri Geshem and the army of Havil viewed her as their savior.
“Princess, we are ready.” Tsek stopped beside her and waited quietly.
“First, a little misdirection.” She cleared her throat and raised her voice. “Captain Iradel of the fearsome Nodite army. Please pardon my intrusion into negotiations. We are ready to leave. As a token of our agreement, we have prepared a grand gift for you and your men.”
The captain stood and glared at her. “Why are you still here, Witch? Shouldn’t you be sailing away by now?”
“Indeed, Captain. But first, please accept this gift on behalf of Havilah.” Naamah spoke quietly to Tsek. “Send out the grendecs and fire upon the enemy as soon as they are distracted.”
Tsek nodded and strode to the opposite side of the platform and looked down to the street below. “Send out the surprise.”
The clanging and clunking of the huge iron latch being lifted out of place echoed off the stone walls. Hinges groaned and wood creaked as the massive door slowly opened outwardly.
“Now!” Commander Tsek’s bellowed command launched a flurry of activity.
Two horned grendecs burst through the gate, their muzzles removed. The first let out an ear-shattering roar as the second sped past it toward the Nodite army. The other two beasts charged right on their heels.
Tsek raised an arm and then dropped it. “Fire!” Archers along the wall launched arrows into the midst of the enemy.
Captain Iradel whipped out his sword, yelling instructions to his men as he and his entourage, which had circled tightly around him, ran back to the Nodite line.
Navea screamed and jumped back, away from the negotiating area. With the wall behind her and the Nodites before her, she turned left and bolted. Her Havilite escorts rushed after her, swords drawn in anticipation of attack.
Ashur hesitated when he saw the grendecs. He looked up at Naamah with wide eyes. “Wait! Not yet!” Glancing back toward the gate, he stumbled as he tried to get his footing. He screamed and dove to the side, dodging the first creature as it rushed into the front line of the Nodites. Unfortunately for Ashur, his lunge put him directly in the path of the next one. His cry ended abruptly as the grendec stomped his midsection into the ground.
Naamah’s stomach fluttered in excitement, and she bounced on her toes. Taking a deep breath, she quickly composed herself.
Arrows continued flying while the grendecs wreaked havoc on the Nodites’ front lines. The eight giants who had previously handled the beasts rushed forward leading a swarm of normal-sized Havilite warriors into the fray. Half of the titans veered toward the left flank and the other half attacked the right side. The monsters and their handlers cut swaths through the enemy lines before meeting significant resistance. Tsek pressed the advantage and assembled his troops outside the wall. He also ordered two of his men to hang the pair of captive spies from the top of the wall.
After the shock of the surprise attack wore off, the Nodites regained a semblance of organization. Two of the grendecs were cut down, a third lumbered away toward the forest to the west, while the fourth continued to assail the soldiers with its tail and powerful jaws. Meanwhile, the five remaining giants occupied about a dozen men each. Captain Iradel shouted orders, but the chaos prevented Naamah from hearing his words.
The Nodites attempted to reassemble, even though the initial assault had devastated the front third of their army. As the archers on the wall fired volley after volley of deadly missiles, Tsek ordered his infantry to charge. A small team set fire to the large wagon with the pointed tree trunk parked near the gate, while hundreds of soldiers streamed out of the city and joined the fight.
Swords clanged and clashed, javelins and arrows swooshed through the air, and spears frequently found their marks. Soldiers from both sides soon littered the battlefield, and in many places piled one on top of another. While Tsek boldly stood his ground, Naamah took cover behind a parapet when an arrow whistled past her. Peeking out, she was unsure which army held the advantage.
Eventually, the arrows ceased and Nivlac approached Tsek. “Commander, I have an idea.” The battle sounds prevented Naamah from hearing the rest of Nivlac’s words.
The large commander nodded and then walked to the edge of the platform overlooking the broad way inside the gate. “Send the trainees straight to the front lines! Men of Iri Geshem, the fate of your city depends on you! Fight and save your lives and the city!” A great yell rose from the streets as the four thousand novices raced through the gate. Most were armed with small swords and very few bore armor.
“What are you doing, Commander?” Naamah asked. “They’ll be useless out there.”
“Almost.” Tsek led her to the other side of the platform to watch the battle. “Their sacrifice will give our men a rest while the Nodites must continue to fight. Then we’ll make our final strike.”
Naamah watched intently as the new recruits crashed upon the front line like a large wave breaking on the beach of the Great Sea. The men battled fiercely, and although they were outmatched by the Nodites’ skill, they managed to create significant gaps in the enemy’s ranks.
As the Nodites reeled from the influx, Tsek ordered the Havilite soldiers to regroup with the two remaining giants and make straight for Captain Iradel. A narrow strip opened in the Nodite lines as the Havilite warriors rushed toward the enemy’s leader.
Dozens of guards formed a barrier to protect their captain, but Iradel recognized the danger a little too slowly. He whirled his chariot around and violently whipped the reins. Just as his animals lurched forward, one of the giants threw himself across them, causing the cart to flip. Trying to climb to his feet, Iradel stumbled sideways. Blood flowed from his head, and he struggled to remain upright. He cried out as Havilite soldiers surrounded him, but his men could not reach him.
The giant stood and unleashed a furious cry as he lifted Iradel above his head. The gesture seemed to take the heart out of the Nodites. Several hundred of their soldiers fled from the battle.
Tsek turned to one of his captains. “Take three companies to pursue those deserters.”
Before the man could respond, Naamah stepped forward. “I want one hundred of them kept alive for a grand sacrifice to Nachash.”
The captain saluted Tsek and bowed to Naamah. “It wil
l be done.”
A great cheer erupted from the remaining soldiers, and the city streets soon filled with citizens celebrating the monumental victory.
Naamah closed her eyes and took several deep breaths, trying to comprehend the weight of what they had accomplished. Nachash, you have led us to victory, and I will lead the people to worship you alone.
She followed Tsek down the stairs to meet with their victorious warriors. Soldiers and citizens inside the walls celebrated, stopping only momentarily to bow as Naamah passed them.
Naamah and Tsek walked beneath the massive city gate. Thousands of figures, twisted and bloodied, covered the field before her. Slight movements accompanied by groans indicated that more than a few were still alive, but only a small percentage would survive their wounds. A slash of color caught her eye. Amid the carnage, Navea’s crumpled body lay next to the soldiers who had followed her. Naamah gestured to Nivlac and two other guards. “Come with me.”
She led them to Navea’s corpse. “Take her back to the city for a proper burial.”
As the guards picked her up, the tiny vial fell out of her pocket.
“What’s that?” Naamah asked, knowing full well the answer.
After setting the body down, one of the men handed Naamah the small container. She opened the lid and lightly breathed in the flowery scent of the powder. She scowled. “It’s poison.” She looked at Nivlac, eyes going wide, feigning surprise. “The same kind used to poison the king!”
“Princess.” Tsek gestured for her to join him near the smoldering wagon with the pointed log. As she drew close, he pointed to the ground in front of him.
Ashur’s frame appeared almost comical in its unnatural shape. Although his midsection was all but gone, the lower part of his legs and his upper body appeared almost normal, other than the expression of horror frozen on his face. Naamah exhaled with a disdainful huff and shook her head. “Serves him right for teaming up with his wife to poison the king.”