With his claymore in hand, Brom entered the fray with crazed determination. After pushing past his comrades, Brom swung his massive sword left and right as he cut through enemy ranks. In the corner of his eye, Brom could see his siblings barely able to fend off King Robar’s men. After Lara was stabbed in the shoulder with a spear, Edward and Benjamin surrounded her as they protected her from further harm.
Seeing his family in danger, Brom increased his ferocity as he continued to take down one Baal soldier after another. However, despite Brom’s renewed efforts, the invaders were quickly beginning to overwhelm the defenders. Eventually, Brom found his true enemy: King Robar himself, who was in his demonic armor.
Hoping that the Baal army would break after killing Robar, Brom screamed with bloodlust and ran towards Robar. Brom swung his claymore in an attempt to decapitate Robar, but the king easily deflected it with his meat cleaver and falchion. With Brom briefly defenseless, Robar advanced on Brom and utilized a wild and unpredictable hacking and slashing technique with his dual weapons. Even with his deformed body, Robar was proving to be a strong and relentless warrior.
While the size and length of Brom’s claymore kept Robar at a distance for a time, the king managed to score some wounds on Brom’s arms and legs. Desperate to push Robar back, Brom lunged at Robar with a thrust, but Robar easily danced out of the way. In a counterattack, Robar swung his falchion at Brom’s face, slicing across his right eye. Brom cried out in agony and surprise as the king half-blinded him. With Brom weakened, Robar delivered a crushing blow with his meat cleaver on Brom right thigh, cutting it to the bone. When the blade was sickeningly ripped out, Robar violently kicked Brom backwards onto his back.
Dazed and wounded, Brom could only look up to see King Robar glaring down at him. Robar raised his falchion and meat cleaver in preparation of the killing stroke. Brom braced himself as he confronted his fate. However, before Robar could finish Brom off the sun became eclipsed and the high-pitched shriek filled the air before turning into a deep bellow. Everyone in the courtyard stopped what they were doing and looked into the sky. Brom also gazed up and could not believe what he saw . . .
CHAPTER 36
Astride Vaerox’s scaly back and the cold air on his face, Numen flew through the air as he contemplated recent events. When he and the Welts first came to the rebel camp, no one would trust him or take him seriously. However, when Vaerox came to the camp, no one questioned Numen again and he successfully took command of the rebel army.
The dragon explained that he came to Numen when he sensed Numen’s despair through their mystical bond. With a dragon on their side, the rebels’ morale skyrocketed and their hope was rekindled. Numen then explained his new battle plan to the Torrens, Dradas, and Marmors and they finally accepted it.
Numen and Vaerox were about to enact the first phase of Numen’s strategy. They were gliding over Foxden Castle and Numen could see the devastation done to the fortress. Fortunately, Vaerox’s roar got everyone’s undivided attention, which would give the Letums’ time to regroup.
In an uneasy tone, Vaerox asked, “Are you sure your army will follow with your idea?”
Chuckling, Numen commented, “I don’t know. You certainly gave everyone quite a scare. No one in their right mind would argue with someone who controls a dragon. Fortunately, even if they do not follow the plan I still have you because you could take on the Baal army by yourself if need be.”
Emitting a guttural laugh, Vaerox asked, “Shall we begin phase one, Monster Slayer?”
Nodding, Numen ordered, “Initiate!”
After those words, Numen held tightly to Vaerox’s back as the dragon swooped down on the Baal army. Numen felt nauseous as the velocity of Vaerox’s flight threatened to squish his innards against his spine. The wind blew so hard on Numen’s face that he could no longer feel his eyes, nose, or mouth.
Once Vaerox was one hundred feet above the outside of Foxden Castle, the dragon opened his mouth and sprayed two powerful streams of yellow and red liquids from glands in his maw. When the two fluids came into contact with each other, a massive blast of flaming chemicals was sprayed on the invaders. A series of fiery explosions erupted from the ground as Vaerox’s flame struck the ground. The beating of Vaerox’s large wings fanned the flames for even more devastation. As Numen and Vaerox flew back into the sky, Numen could see that Vaerox’s flaming chemicals stuck to the Baal soldiers as it burned them alive in their own armor. Numen could not help feeling a dark satisfaction as he watched his foes become incinerated.
“Again!” Numen ordered.
In response, Vaerox turned around and released another bursting inferno on King Robar’s army. The way the invading host screamed sounded like a collection of damned souls undergoing unimaginable torment. Numen giggled upon hearing his enemies’ shrieks of agony.
Sensing Numen’s excitement, Vaerox asked, “You’re enjoying this aren’t you?”
“You have no idea! I imagined this moment for weeks! I am finally in the process of avenging my family! Burn Baal scum! Burn!” Numen admitted loudly.
Laughing with Numen, Vaerox said, “Then let us give them their due, shall we?”
After those words, Numen and Vaerox continued to burn half the Baal army to ash, savoring the death and destruction in the process . . .
__ __ __
Barons Ubba and Karlor were in the middle of all-out mayhem as their host panicked from the dragon’s unexpected attack. The ground outside of the castle’s walls was set ablaze and burning men ran out of the wildfire, frightening and demoralizing the Baal force. Already half the army broke and ran away from Foxden Castle, desperately climbing over their own trenches as they did so. While Baron Karlor attempted to keep their men in line, Baron Ubba fled with everyone else.
Despite his best efforts to maintain order, Baron Karlor acknowledged the siege was lost and escaped on horseback with his men. However, once the Baal army was through their trenches, they found another army blocking their escape route. Barons Ubba and Karlor recognized the banners of Houses Torren, Drada, and Marmor. Both barons realized that they needed to fight their way out if they had any hope of escaping the one-sided massacre behind them. Desperation overriding all other thoughts, the remaining Baal soldiers charged at the rebel army at full speed . . .
CHAPTER 37
Edgar and Hondo sat on their horses as they watched the battle unfold at Foxden Castle. Just as Numen planned, half the Baal army broke into disarray and ran towards them. From what Edgar and Braun could see, the enemy forces were leaderless and unorganized.
While the Baal host was disorganized, the opposite was true about the rebel force. At the front was the cavalry, which consisted of one thousand eight hundred men. Behind the cavalry were one thousand two hundred archers. Finally, eight thousand five hundred infantry and men-at-arms stood behind the archers. While Edgar and Hondo commanded the vanguard, the Dradas commanded the right flank and the Marmors commanded the left flank, and Braun commanded the reserves. In anticipation for the forthcoming battle, Edgar wore a barbute helmet while Hondo wore a bronze helmet with stag antlers.
As they watched the Baal army approaching in the distance, Hondo asked, “How many do you think Numen and Vaerox left us?”
After studying the opposing host, Edgar guessed, “Probably eight thousand or more. At least we will have a challenge.”
Once the Baal army was two hundred yards away, Hondo turned to the archers and shouted, “Knot and draw!”
The archers took arrows from their quivers before drawing their bows into the air.
“Loose!” Edgar barked sharply.
Then the archers launched their arrows and the air was filled with a noise that resembled a swarm of bees. In the distance, the volley fell on the approaching Baal army, killing hundreds of men in an instant. Over the course of several moments, Edgar and Hondo had the archers fire two more volleys on the enemy forces, softening what remained of their defenses. After the third volley, Edgar drew his lo
ngsword and Hondo drew his falcata.
“Prepare to charge!” Edgar ordered as he held his longsword over his head.
The archers dropped their bows and replaced them with short swords and bucklers. Behind Edgar and Hondo, the cavalry pointed their spears and lances in the direction of their enemies.
“Charge!” Edgar declared and rode forth into battle.
Beside Edgar, Hondo rode just as vigorously, swinging his blade in anticipation of cutting enemies down. Behind the two men, the cavalry, archers, and most of the infantry followed them with thunderous footsteps. However, three thousand men stayed behind as they waited for Braun’s orders. As Edgar continued to ride, he noticed that Hondo and the other Welts were displaying signs of insane aggression as they foamed at the mouth and developed blood-shot eyes. Uneasy with the sight, Edgar moved his position slightly to stay out of the Welts’ way.
As the rebel army drew closer to the remnants of the Baal army, the cavalry and the Welts’ war wolves formed a pincer movement to keep their enemies from escaping the slaughter that was about to occur. After what seemed like an eternity, the two armies clashed with one another in an explosion of steel, bronze, and blood. At first, the cavalry was easily plowing through the Baal army’s disoriented infantry. However, when they reached the center of their enemies’ forces, resistance became more intense.
In the corner of his eye, Edgar saw a Welt with a panabas jump off his horse and decapitate a Baal soldier as he landed on the ground. Once the Welt landed, he bifurcated another soldier before splitting another one with a two-handed swing. Edgar was both amazed and disturbed by the Welt’s inhuman fearlessness and ferocity.
Eventually, Edgar was thrown off his horse as a pikeman impaled his horse’s throat with his polearm. Rolling with his fall, Edgar rose back on his feet and cut down the pikeman. Swallowed up by the chaos of the battlefield, Edgar fought his way through. Every now and then, Edgar dodged strikes from enemy cavalry and survived stray arrows and crossbow bolts. He cut through every Baal soldier who crossed his path. One time while dueling one such man-at-arms, a frightened horse ran the man over before Edgar could finish him off. The number of faces surrounding him were so immense that Edgar found it increasingly difficult to tell friend from foe. Soon, Edgar became drenched in blood and grime to the point of being unrecognizable.
While the armies from Houses Torren, Drada, and Marmor fought like normal soldiers would, the Welts were in a league of their own. The Welts fought with such inhuman savagery that it looked like each of them possessed the strength of ten men. At one point, Edgar saw a Welt that was impaled by so many arrows and yet kept on fighting as though his wounds did not hinder him. In addition, the Welt’s war wolves were just as menacing as their masters. On two occasions, Edgar spotted the war wolves brutally kill men; one ripping an arm out of its socket and another tearing out a throat.
The only Civil Folk who rivaled the Welts’ brutality were Harald and Roland Drada. Both brothers wielded claymores to great effect. They were so large and strong that they handled their claymores like a normal sized man would use a longsword. While the two brothers were socially shy, they were complete beasts on the battlefield. At one point, Edgar saw Roland slice halfway through a man’s waist and Harald split another man in half with one blow.
To make matters even more grisly, Edgar saw men wounded by the Welts’ poisoned weapons. They screamed in horror and agony as green veins bulged from their skin and foul-smelling foam dripped from their mouths. Within minutes, the poor souls dropped like flies facedown in the blood-stained mud.
Even the freed slaves Numen brought with him were fighting like madmen. Clovis swung his war hammer with such strength and ferocity that he smashed through armor and crushed bone. Tristan wielded his katzbalger in one hand with his other arm folded behind his back, cutting down one enemy after another with lethal precision. Joe brandished both of his kukris in a fighting style that resembled a dance and managed to chop off arms, legs, and cleave chests open.
All around Edgar, the rebel cavalry was cutting down Baal soldiers left and right while the overwhelmingly large infantry caught any stragglers. Edgar did not know how many losses the rebel army was taking, but it looked like a one-sided massacre from where he was standing. Overall, they were winning the battle.
However, as glad as he was that they were winning, Edgar was horrified by the grim reality of war. Edgar had been trained his entire life to fight and lead armies, but he never done it for real before. Now that he had, Edgar was disgusted with seeing so many men dying in front of him. Still, the adrenaline that filled his veins gave him enough energy and drive to keep battling until the bitter end.
Through the mayhem of battle, Edgar spotted Baron Karlor. Karlor was frantically trying to fight his way through the rebel ranks, but to no avail. Taking advantage of Karlor’s increasingly vulnerable state, Edgar charged at him and drove his sword through his back and out his chest. Baron Karlor released a gasp of surprise before collapsing facedown at Edgar’s feet. Smiling at the fact he removed an enemy leader, Edgar continued fighting with renewed energy . . .
__ __ __
On the outskirts of the battle, Baron Ubba and four of his knights were surrounded by corpses and broken weapons. The baron limped through the carnage as he clutched a wound on his right side while using his battle axe as a cane. Meanwhile, two of his knights were guarding his flanks while the other two were leaning on each other for support. As they continued to wander through their insane surroundings, Ubba ground his teeth with frustrated anger while contemplating how the battle had turned against them so suddenly.
“How could this have happened? We had the Letums right where we wanted them and those rabble took us by surprise with that dragon. Now the siege is broken and we are doomed!” Ubba growled.
Patting his liege on the shoulder, one of the knights assured, “Just keep moving, My Lord. We will return to Chainhorn Castle and regroup.”
The five men stopped in their tracks when they heard growling behind them. Stiffly turning, they saw two war wolves glaring at them with hungry eyes. The beasts’ muzzles and paws were stained with blood. For a long moment, Ubba and his knights stared at the wolves as they waited for someone to make the first move.
Then the wolves lunged at Ubba and his men. The wounded knights were quickly taken down and ripped apart while the able-bodied knights cut the wolves down with their swords. However, as Ubba watched the skirmish, his wounds acted up and he grunted with discomfort. Ubba was barely able to maintain his footing even when he used his axe as a cane. Once he regained his breath, Ubba and his surviving knights resumed their efforts to flee the battle.
“Leaving so soon, My Lord?” asked a voice behind Ubba and his knights.
The three men turned around to find Clovis, Joe, and Tristan standing before them. Clovis wore his horned great helm while his war hammer was drenched in the blood of his enemies. Tristan gripped his katzbalger with a tight grip, ready to engage his new enemies. Joe held both of his kukris with anticipation, glaring at his prey with hungry anticipation.
“Leave me alone!” Ubba demanded fiercely.
“I’m afraid I can’t do that, My Lord. Our orders are to keep anyone from escaping the true Emperor’s judgment,” Clovis explained.
Sneering, Joe added, “Plus if we take out one of the leaders of the king’s army, our new friend Numen might reward us handsomely for your head.”
“Get out of my way, Boys!” Ubba ordered, gripping his axe handle tightly.
“We will not, My Lord! You are sided with King Robar! That makes you the true Emperor’s enemy and will be treated accordingly!” Tristan affirmed.
Ubba’s two knights charged at their new opponents with desperate ferocity. Unfortunately, Tristan deflected his enemy’s sword before cleaving his chest open with his katzbalger. Meanwhile, Joe effortlessly sliced through the right hip of his adversary with one kukri before slitting his throat with the other. Joe and Tristan displayed lethal precis
ion as they dispatched their opponents.
Lifting his battle axe, Ubba bellowed with rage and charged at Clovis. However, Clovis countered by swinging his war hammer into Ubba’s sternum, causing a geyser of blood to burst out of Ubba’s mouth. After that blow, Baron Ubba was dead before he limply hit the ground.
Shrugging his shoulders, Joe said, “Well that’s the end of that. Let’s hope Numen rewards us after this chore.”
“You and me both, Joe,” Tristan agreed.
Scoffing, Clovis countered, “Bah! It’s not about the rewards. The only reward I want is the thrill of this epic battle! Now let’s get back and kill some more of these suckers!”
With their foes beaten, Clovis, Tristan, and Joe turned on their heels and returned to the fray . . .
__ __ __
King Robar roared with anger as he lost control of the situation. With half his army burning to death outside of the castle’s walls and the other half being ambushed by a rebel army, Robar knew he had been defeated. Taking advantage of their enemies’ confusion, the defenders cut down Robar’s soldiers until about one hundred remained. Even though they still outnumbered the defenders five to one, Robar’s men-at-arms were no match for the renewed morale of the castle garrison.
“Stand and fight, whelps! Stand and fight!” Robar furiously ordered, but his men’s will to fight was already broken.
Suddenly, the dragon landed right outside of the gap in the castle wall and growled menacing at Robar and his soldiers. On the dragon’s back sat Numen, who drew Gramfyre from his belt and pointed it at Robar.
“Robar Baal! Lay down your weapons! Your forces are defeated!” Numen ordered in a tone made of iron.
Numen the Slayer (Magnus Dynasty Saga Book 1) Page 16