by A. J. Smith
The fleet had slowed considerably and Halla thought it was more than a simple precaution against the fog. If Rulag Ursa was being awkward about the sailing order of the ships, then it could be a long wait to get the whole fleet through the narrow channels of Samnia. Algenon and the Hammer of Fjorlan were at the head of the fleet, but his battle-brothers were flanked by the ships of Jarvik and Rulag’s men.
The ringing of bells became more frequent and erratic and Borrin flashed a concerned look at Halla. ‘What are they playing at up there?’ he asked quietly. ‘Sounds like the ships are too thinly spread or they’re losing sight of each other in the fog.’
Halla stepped to the side and tried to focus her single eye forward into the dense mist; seeing only vague shapes in front of the Sea Wolf, she turned back to Borrin.
‘Those are warning bells,’ she said.
The rhythmic sound of bells was being echoed through the front few ranks of ships, indicating that they were trying to warn those on the flanks to stay close.
‘Only a fool would break off in this,’ Borrin said, going to the large brass bell that hung from a post.
He hefted the rope and rung the bell twice, loudly, a sound rapidly echoed by the other ships of Tiergarten.
Halla was confused. The fleet should be staying close in preparation for the journey through the narrow channels of Samnia. It made no sense that any ships should be breaking off, and yet the warning bells continued to sound. She stepped to the port side of her ship and tried to make out some kind of marker or feature that would tell her how close they were to land, but all she could see was fog and the rough outline of another ship from Tiergarten, equally confused as to what was going on.
‘My stomach’s rumbling, Halla,’ said Borrin. ‘That either means I’m hungry or that something bad is about to happen.’
The axe-master of Tiergarten was a superstitious man, very much of the opinion that his stomach could detect danger. Halla had never been sure whether he was joking or not when he claimed to have a stomach-related premonition, but now she had a similar sense of foreboding.
Borrin turned to address the battle-brothers of the Sea Wolf. ‘Steady, lads, we’ll be past the Kraken sea before you know it.’
His words did little to calm the sailors, but Halla guessed he’d said it as much for his own benefit as theirs.
Bells were now being rung rapidly and with a persistence that indicated something was genuinely wrong, though the dense fog meant that Halla, in the rearguard, could only guess at what was causing Algenon Teardrop and Wulfrick to ring such an insistent warning.
Borrin was deep in thought as he stood next to the axe-maiden and peered into the fog.
Suddenly he pointed to the port side of the ship and said, ‘Halla, look. What do you make of that?’
She had to blink several times to focus properly, but sure enough, far ahead of her ship, on the port side, roughly where she imagined the inlets of Kalall’s Deep must be, Halla could see what looked like fire. It was little more than an orange glow, but certainly fire. Then another dot of orange appeared, and then another, until a dozen or more fiery points could be seen through the fog to the port side of the dragon fleet.
Borrin looked confused at first and then, as grim realization dawned on him, he turned to Halla and said, ‘Rowanoco save us, those are catapults.’
As he spoke, the dots of fire moved, shot sharply upwards into the fog, illuminating the sky as they became balls of fire flying towards the ships of the dragon fleet. A dozen or more catapults, hidden somewhere in the fog, fired one after another and the sailors of the Sea Wolf stood and watched dumbfounded as a ship of Hammerfall was hit amidships by a huge cask of flaming pitch. Ranen sailors, now visible to Halla, ran in panic trying to put out the fire, but the ship was ablaze and many of the men simply jumped overboard.
‘Launch boats and help those men,’ ordered Halla.
‘Too late… look,’ answered Borrin as more ships were hit and the dragon fleet came under fire from several hidden inlets off the coast of Samnia.
The catapults shot volley after volley into the fleet and ship and man alike were hit. The screams of Ranen burning to death took over from the bells and Halla could now see where the shots had come from. The fire had cleared a portion of the fog and she could see a tightly packed group of small ships emerging from a narrow channel. They flew the banners of Ursa, and Halla roared angrily as she recognized the treachery among the Ranen lords.
‘Those are Rulag’s cutters,’ exclaimed Borrin.
Catapults fired from the starboard side of the fleet now, and Halla saw new cutters appear. The smaller ships were faster and more manoeuvrable than the large ships of the dragon fleet and each carried a catapult with a tremendous range.
The ships of Tiergarten, being in the rearguard, had not been hit by the flaming casks, although ahead of their position numerous ships, now burning furiously, had not been so lucky. Halla looked on helplessly as she saw men on fire diving into the icy water, and the way the ships slowly burned down to the water line made her even angrier. This was destruction by degrees, a carefully laid ambush designed to catch the ships in the narrowest channel where they couldn’t manoeuvre to avoid the flaming catapults.
Battle chants could now be heard as some of the captains tried to break away to engage the ships of Rulag the betrayer. A ship of Fredericksand, one of Algenon’s, with flaming sails and rapidly taking on water, plunged through the fleet to get to the cutters, but it was too big to avoid the other boats and its charge ended abruptly as it hit another ship. The cries of sailors echoed through the fleet as both vessels quickly sank.
‘Fight or flee, Halla?’ Borrin asked plainly.
Halla ignored him for a moment and shielded her eyes from the blazing fires in front of her. She was trying to find the Hammer of Fjorlan and hoping that Algenon and Wulfrick had managed to get away.
‘Halla!’
‘I can’t see the vanguard. We can’t leave until I know what has happened to the high thain.’ Halla was an axe-maiden of Rowanoco and was not afraid of death.
She steeled herself and, stepping past her axe-master, shouted to the crew, ‘To your oars, now! We need to get to the front of the fleet. Lord Algenon needs our help and Tiergarten will not disappoint him or Rowanoco by running.’
Her men paused for a moment, most of them still standing and staring at the burning ships ahead of them.
‘Move!’ shouted Borrin, causing each man quickly to regain his seat. ‘If this ship isn’t moving forward in two seconds, you’ll have to worry about me and fire – and I am much scarier.’
He didn’t question Halla’s decision and she was deeply grateful for her axe-master’s support, even as she strengthened herself for battle.
The Sea Wolf sprang into motion and moved quickly towards the wreckage of several ships from Hammerfall. Her other two ships followed suit and the three dragon ships of Tiergarten entered the fray.
‘Keep us in the channel,’ she said quickly to Borrin, who relayed the message to the helmsman.
A flaming ball flew overhead, narrowly missing the mast and thudding into the sea over the starboard side. Either side, the flaming shells of other Ranen ships continued to burn as the cutters of Jarvik maintained their bombardment. The fog was dense, but broken by shooting lines of fire, and Halla could sense the fleet was trapped between rocks ahead that required careful navigation and, on either side, the small, fast catapult ships hidden in narrow inlets. She could make out the looming cliffs of Samnia and knew that the water here was deep and freezing; a man in chain mail could survive for no more than a few minutes if he were to go overboard. The cutters were not coming close enough to be boarded and the remaining dragon ships were moving in circles, attempting to find a way out of the killing zone between the cliffs.
Banners of the Deep Cross and the Hammerfall intermingled as captains, lords and battle-brothers roared futile challenges and tried to keep their men alive. Several ships had been holed
by the semi-submerged rocks and were slowly sinking while their crews attempted to launch rowing boats to escape the freezing water. Many were still undamaged, but were sailing in circles as the Sea Wolf plunged past them.
Halla un-slung her axe and began to bang a rhythm on the wooden deck. She turned towards the crew and saw they were starting to row with more purpose, keeping pace with her axe rhythm and gathering speed. Over on the port side a cry of warning came too late to stop a cask of flaming pitch smashing into one of the other Tiergarten ships.
Borrin reacted quickly, roaring, ‘Eyes front, lads, we will honour them by staying alive. Now, forward!’
Halla glanced through the fog to see the other ship’s captain raise his axe in salute to her before his vessel began to sink, with all hands feverishly trying to launch boats. Another flaming cask hit them amidships and Halla winced as she saw the captain suddenly engulfed in flame. The men abandoned the flaming boats and simply jumped into the freezing water to await death or rescue.
The men of the Sea Wolf looked grim, yet determined, as they rowed on into the narrow channel where the majority of ships were still trapped, many ablaze or holed by the hidden rocks. Halla could see the larger dragon ships of Rulag Ursa. The traitorous lord had broken off from the vanguard and left Algenon’s ships isolated and trapped between the cliffs, with fire raining down on all sides.
‘Faster,’ roared Borrin, as he straddled the side of the ship and began to strike his axe on the hull, mirroring the tempo set by Halla.
Ahead, she could see the banner of Teardrop peeking out from between burning ships and the encircling cutters. The Hammer of Fjorlan was not ablaze and Halla suspected it had deliberately not been targeted. Beyond, the Kraken sea was clear to the south, but Algenon’s single ship was trapped by Rulag’s half-dozen and no aid was anywhere near, the majority of ships in the channel being now ablaze or sailing in circles to try to avoid running aground. She could see the dark coastline of Kalall’s Deep over her port side, but the towering cliffs meant that escape overland would be difficult. The Hammer of Fjorlan could not last long if all of Rulag’s ships closed in on it.
‘Pull for the high thain,’ Halla shouted.
A sickening sound came from her second escort ship as its hull was torn by semi-submerged rocks and it began to list badly to one side. The sailors had time to launch boats and escape, but they could be of no further help to the Sea Wolf. Bells were being rung on the attacking ships of Jarvik to alert Rulag that another dragon ship was approaching.
The ambush had been well planned, with many cutters, too small to be seen and in any case hidden by the fog, assaulting from all sides while staying out of the reach of the cumbersome dragon fleet. Rulag’s larger ships, all of which had been in the vanguard, had broken off before they had reached the narrow channel, causing the Hammer of Fjorlan to become isolated, along with the other ships of Fredericksand, when the bombardment began. The traitorous lord had then turned about and encircled Algenon, allowing no means of escape, while panic had gripped the fleet.
Halla could see axes thrown from Rulag’s ships thinning the ranks of Algenon’s battle-brothers and softening them up for the inevitable boarding. Around her, she could see no other ships afloat save two that had managed to find their way down a side channel and were now out of range of the catapults. She felt rage growing within her at the sight of burning wood and the smell of burning flesh. Many were dead and many more would not survive the water. Behind her, she hoped some of the ships of Hammerfall and the Deep Cross, which had been closer to the rear, might have been able to turn and flee to the north.
She breathed in deeply and, with axe held aloft, roared a challenge at the nearest dragon ship of Jarvik. Several of Rulag’s battle-brothers had turned to meet the Sea Wolf’s charge and she could see faces, ready for battle, beckoning her onwards.
‘Aim for the gap and punch through, we… will… not… die… today.’ Her words were loud and were spoken with deep conviction, making her men row all the faster and chant out oaths of battle and pledges to Tiergarten and the house of Summer Wolf.
Borrin continued to bang his axe on the hull, whipping himself up into a frenzy as he joined in the chanting. ‘I’ll tear your fucking faces off, you turncoat bastards… no soft death for betrayers.’
The warriors of Jarvik began to shout back, unaware that the two ships that had broken away had seen Halla’s charge and were now turning to rejoin the battle, quickly making their way out of the narrow inlet and into the channel behind the Sea Wolf. Six dragon ships of Jarvik encircled the Hammer of Fjorlan and two had begun throwing grappling hooks and preparing to board, the remainder poised to meet the oncoming attack of Halla’s ship.
‘Halla, more approach,’ shouted Borrin, pointing behind.
Halla saw several ships flying the banners of the Deep Cross plunging forward, shouting their own battle chants. They had not turned to flee when they had the chance, but had taken their cue from the Sea Wolf and were coming to assist their high thain.
Seven dragon ships were now sailing in loose formation towards the vanguard and the stricken Hammer of Fjorlan.
‘Throw your oars… draw axes,’ Halla ordered, causing her men quickly to pull their oars into the ship and across their benches, before standing as one and hefting an array of vicious-looking weapons.
The last few feet passed in slow motion and Halla saw faces fixed in battle fervour waiting on the ships of Jarvik. The Sea Wolf hit the gap between two of the ships, and splintered wood flew from all three vessels as the flagship of Tiergarten broke through. Others followed behind and the battle began.
Halla could see fighting on the deck of the Hammer of Fjorlan and could even make out the figure of Algenon Teardrop, swinging his axe in wide arcs, severing men at the neck, trying desperately to repulse the boarders. The men of Fredericksand were outnumbered but with Teardrop and Wulfrick in the fray they would always stand a chance. The axe-master was an immense presence, standing next to his thain and killing anyone who came close with thundering blows from his great axe.
More grappling hooks were thrown and it looked to Halla as if Algenon would quickly be overwhelmed. Her own men had moved to the sides of the Sea Wolf and were waiting for their opportunity to strike – an opportunity that came quickly when their ship abruptly stopped, wedging itself between the stern of the Hammer of Fjorlan and the port side of one of the attackers. Her battle-brothers roared out challenges and flooded from their ship on to the rear of the high thain’s vessel, joining the fight alongside the men of Fredericksand.
The other ships that had joined them were engaged against the encircling vessels and a confusing melee ensued. No more flaming casks were being fired and the treachery had come down to steel against steel.
‘Halla, cover the rear.’ The command came from Wulfrick as he barrelled two attackers over the side and into the water.
She responded by swinging herself into the midst of a group of attackers and shouting a battle cry. The men of Jarvik looked surprised for a second and she didn’t give them a chance to recover as her axe moved quickly, beheading the nearest man and cleaving through into the chest of another. Borrin was with her and, shouting insults at the Rulag Ursa’s men, he began to hack at limbs and bodies. Her men were whipped up into a battle rage by her actions and she felt pride as they threw themselves at the attackers, caring little for their own survival. Their ferocity had stolen a march on Rulag’s battle-brothers and she thought they might just stand a chance.
Rulag Ursa could not be seen, though Jalek, his axe-master, was leading the main assault and Halla saw him killing men of Fredericksand deftly and with skill, showing that he was a formidable opponent. She parried an incoming blow and quickly kicked the attacker overboard as she moved through the fray to reach Algenon. Borrin remained behind her, covering any attempt to strike at her and helping clear the way for more of her warriors to join the fight.
It was impossible to tell how they were faring as, in ever
y direction, all she could see was Ranen killing Ranen, in a series of brutal and often desperate encounters. The men of Fredericksand were surrounded now and only Algenon and Wulfrick prevented them from being overwhelmed.
Another volley of throwing-axes was launched from a ship of Jarvik and more of the high thain’s men fell on to the wide wooden deck.
‘My life will not be given easily, you sons of whores,’ roared Algenon Teardrop as he engaged three men, killing two quickly and then slicing the third almost completely in two, splattering blood over his face.
Halla had never seen him fight before and his reputation had been that of a man who would generally avoid violence, but now he appeared as dangerous a man as the axe-maiden had ever seen.
‘And mine won’t be given at all,’ shouted Wulfrick, now standing back to back with his thain.
Halla and Borrin were trying to cut their way through to join Algenon and Wulfrick, but the sheer numbers of men in their way slowed them considerably. More axes killed all but a handful of the Hammer of Fjorlan’s crew and Halla’s men now outnumbered Algenon’s.
The Ranen who had joined Halla’s charge were busy fighting on the decks of their own ships, preventing the betrayers from reaching the high thain, and their efforts were causing genuine concern to Rulag Ursa’s men – men who now realized they might not be able to win.
Jalek, the axe-master of Jarvik, barked out an order to a group of men to deal with Halla’s approaching warriors, before moving to engage Wulfrick himself. Eyes turned to see the weapons of the two axe-masters clash and the sound was deafening. Both were huge men and both were fighting for their lives, though Wulfrick was the more fearsome opponent and Jalek was taken aback by his ferocity.
Halla, Borrin and their battle-brothers moved forward in a wedge shape, hacking at the swarm of Rulag’s men. More axes were thrown and several of the men of Tiergarten fell, and Borrin took a solid blow to the back. The axe-master went to his knees, but motioned for Halla to continue as he winced with pain and pulled himself back to his feet.