The rain of wood and stone from the explosion had everyone finding what cover they could. Tom put his shield up and extended it as far as he could. Once the sound of falling masonry had subsided, the Captain released Tom to go and look for his friends. He walked through the throng of battered soldiers, some were expiring right there on the street, others were being helped by their comrades to get to the large triage area near the hospital. All told, there was maybe only a third of the original force still able to fight. The horde had less than a quarter of its strength left, and for the moment they were restrained by the river. The rest of the dark army had forded the river eleven miles downstream and the remaining beasts were heading there now. There was no movement to track back from the main force headed towards Oesterin and the Frostheims. Tom levitated to get a better look over the carnage and saw Shae's black scales in a square to the South. Hurrying over, he was pleased to see Kael was with her. They both looked exhausted and had flesh wounds in various places. Tom hugged Kael, ignoring the patches of gore on his armour, while Shae transformed back in to a human.
'Any sign of Isabelle?' Tom asked.
They both shook their heads.
'The last I saw, she was leading a charge in to a breach on the North wall.' Shae said. 'That was about half an hour before the call to fall back.'
Shae eased on her tunic with a wince and Tom hugged her gently.
'Do you need a doctor?'
'I'll be fine, let's go and find out what's happening.'
The three of them wandered towards the shouting. The big sergeant at arms was standing on a box and directing the forces again. His arm was in a sling and he had a bandage around his head.
'Where's the Duke?' Tom asked, when the sergeant paused for breath.
He briefly pointed to a building further up the waterfront, then got back to shouting.
As they approached the building, Tom could hear a familiar voice raised in anger.
'...blow up half the city? That's not a plan, it's a disaster! You don't know the first thing about tactics.'
They ran to the argument and came upon Isabelle being restrained by two guards, while the Duke stared impassively in to the onslaught.
'Isabelle!" Tom cried and flung his arms around her.
'Are you happy now, Tom?' She rebuked him. 'I gave him a chance and he's destroyed the city.'
She did calm down, however, and the guards loosened their grip on her.
'I am happy.' He said. 'Happy to see that you're ok.'
Isabelle stuttered as her brain changed tack.
'I-I'm happy to see you, too.' She even managed part of a smile.
'But you know he's doomed the city, don't you? It won't be held, even against the last few of the horde that are going to ford the river.' Her anger had turned to dispair. 'So many died for nothing.'
'Not for nothing.' The Duke said quietly. 'Never for nothing. They died to keep the horde here. To cost the dark army as many recruits as possible so others might prevail. The battle wasn't winnable, but we lost as well as we could.'
There seemed to be a dampness to his eyes as the Duke ran his hands through his hair and sighed.
'We're taking those that can make it back to Oesterin. The rest will have to hide in the forest as best they can.'
He stood and donned his helmet.
'Will you come with us to help?'
'I'm not welcome in Oesterin.' Tom said. 'But I will make sure those left behind get to cover before heading home.'
The Duke nodded.
'Then I thank you for the help you have given and will give. The Queen will hear of your deeds and those of your companions when we reach Oesterin.'
'If you reach Oesterin.' Isabelle said, not quite under her breath.
The Duke paused, then left the building with his retinue.
'Any sign of Isabelle?' Tom asked.
They both shook their heads.
'The last I saw, she was leading a charge in to a breach on the North wall.' Shae said. 'That was about half an hour before the call to fall back.'
Shae eased on her tunic with a wince and Tom hugged her gently.
'Do you need a doctor?'
'I'll be fine, let's go and find out what's happening.'
The three of them wandered towards the shouting. The big sergeant at arms was standing on a box and directing the forces again. His arm was in a sling and he had a bandage around his head.
'Where's the Duke?' Tom asked, when the sergeant paused for breath.
He briefly pointed to a building further up the waterfront, then got back to shouting.
As they approached the building, Tom could hear a familiar voice raised in anger.
'...blow up half the city? That's not a plan, it's a disaster! You don't know the first thing about tactics.'
They ran to the argument and came upon Isabelle being restrained by two guards, while the Duke stared impassively in to the onslaught.
'Isabelle!" Tom cried and flung his arms around her.
'Are you happy now, Tom?' She rebuked him. 'I gave him a chance and he's destroyed the city.'
She did calm down, however, and the guards loosened their grip on her.
'I am happy.' He said. 'Happy to see that you're ok.'
Isabelle stuttered as her brain changed tack.
'I-I'm happy to see you, too.' She even managed part of a smile.
'But you know he's doomed the city, don't you? It won't be held, even against the last few of the horde that are going to ford the river.' Her anger had turned to dispair. 'So many died for nothing.'
'Not for nothing.' The Duke said quietly. 'Never for nothing. They died to keep the horde here. To cost the dark army as many recruits as possible so others might prevail. The battle wasn't winnable, but we lost as well as we could.'
There seemed to be a dampness to his eyes as the Duke ran his hands through his hair and sighed.
'We're taking those that can make it back to Oesterin. The rest will have to hide in the forest as best they can.'
He stood and donned his helmet.
'Will you come with us to help?'
'I'm not welcome in Oesterin.' Tom said. 'But I will make sure those left behind get to cover before heading home.'
The Duke nodded.
'Then I thank you for the help you have given and will give. The Queen will hear of your deeds and those of your companions when we reach Oesterin.'
'If you reach Oesterin.' Isabelle said, not quite under her breath.
The Duke paused, then left the building with his retinue.
Tom and the others mad their way to the hospital. There was a building nearby which had a heavy traffic of soldiers coming and going. Inside was the Captain Tom had been with on the wall. He looked up in surprise as the group filed in.
'I thought you would be off to Oesterin.' The Captain said.
'We're here to help you evacuate the wounded.' Tom explained.
'Then we're better off than I thought.' The Captain smiled.
'These are my companions; Isabelle, Kael and Shae.' Said Tom, gesturing to each in turn. 'This is Captain Ignatius.' He turned to his party.
Several "pleased to meet yous" were exchanged and Tom asked what they could help with.
'We haven't got much time before the horde is back at the wall; four, maybe five hours and we'll be trapped. I need you to get the walking wounded and less serious cases deep in to the forest, then come back here and help with the rear guard operation while the seriously injured are moved.'
'Where in the forest?' Isabelle asked.
'There is an old fortress built in to one of the mountains. That is our goal, but it's too far to travel in such a short time. About three miles in to the forest is a clearing.' Captain Ignatius pointed at the map on the table in front of him. 'We'll use it as a staging post and send groups on different routes to the fortress.'
When they left the building, Shae stood on tip-toes and could just see the peak of a mountain over the dense forest.
'How far away are they?'
'Sixty miles or so.' Kael mumbled, despondently.
Shae looked shocked.
'There's no way they'll make it there before the monsters overtake them.' She said. 'It's suicide.'
'They don't have a choice.' Said Tom. 'Some might make it if the groups split up and hide.'
'It's another noble sacrifice.' Isabelle said, dully. 'They're not meant to make it. They're meant to distract the horde so the army of Sudjo can make it to Oesterin.'
Looking around at the bodies of the dead or injured, Tom felt the burden of defeat rest on his shoulders. The truth was that anyone not well on their way when the horde turned up was more than likely dead.
'Come on.' He said. 'We have things to do.'
Tom was first in to the woods, levitating a large platform above the canopy. Onboard were those that couldn't walk fast, but there was only room for about eighty. Those that were able to walk fine followed him, trailed by the limping and the stretcher bearers. When he reached the clearing, just over an hour later, Tom set the platform down and waited for the wounded to hobble off of it. When it was empty, he picked it up again and returned through the forest. On his way, he passed Kael, Shae and Isabelle, all pulling together to carry a Jotunn with a thick bandage around his mid-section. They nodded grimly to each other and continued on without a word. Tom managed one more trip, catching up with his friends on the way back to the remains of Sudjo, before the howling of the monsters came close.
'This is it then.' He said. 'Good luck to all of you, I'll see you at the fortress if we make it there.'
They hugged each other and said their goodbyes.
'I was afraid to ask.' Shae said to Isabelle. 'And we seem to have been busy since we found you again, but my mother...?'
Isabelle shook her head slightly.
'I'm sorry, we were chased this way from Oesterin and I saw her fall as I was being carried away.'
Shae nodded as if she had expected as much and took a deep breath.
'Then at least I have a chance to vent my anger.' She said, unbuttoning her tunic.
The horde charged quickly around the wall of Sudjo, falling on the soldiers protecting the precession of injured Jotnar being carried in to the forest. Tom's shield was up and he started where he'd left off, decimating the ranks of monsters. He still had no answer for the floating tentacle beasts, though. They lashed at his shield and he was forced to fall back. He tried fire spells, but they couldn't burn as violently as the Sudjo explosion. Every time he fired a spell at the creatures they grew a little, soaking up the power of the magic. Then a bear beast came charging to the fore and Tom immolated it. To his surprise, the tentacle monsters shrunk slightly. Then it struck him that if magic sustained them, all he had to do was suck as much magic out of the aether around them as he could, just like the monster he'd accidentally conjured outside Harrowden. It wasn't the spell that mattered as he'd assumed, only the amount of magic used. The most complex spell Tom had learnt was teleportation, so he bolstered his shield as much as he could, then started flitting around the battlefield. Every time he appeared and disappeared next to a tentacle monster, they shrank a little. It was about twenty minutes before the first one popped out of existence, but then they started disappearing quickly.
'Where in the forest?' Isabelle asked.
'There is an old fortress built in to one of the mountains. That is our goal, but it's too far to travel in such a short time. About three miles in to the forest is a clearing.' Captain Ignatius pointed at the map on the table in front of him. 'We'll use it as a staging post and send groups on different routes to the fortress.'
When they left the building, Shae stood on tip-toes and could just see the peak of a mountain over the dense forest.
'How far away are they?'
'Sixty miles or so.' Kael mumbled, despondently.
Shae looked shocked.
'There's no way they'll make it there before the monsters overtake them.' She said. 'It's suicide.'
'They don't have a choice.' Said Tom. 'Some might make it if the groups split up and hide.'
'It's another noble sacrifice.' Isabelle said, dully. 'They're not meant to make it. They're meant to distract the horde so the army of Sudjo can make it to Oesterin.'
Looking around at the bodies of the dead or injured, Tom felt the burden of defeat rest on his shoulders. The truth was that anyone not well on their way when the horde turned up was more than likely dead.
'Come on.' He said. 'We have things to do.'
Tom was first in to the woods, levitating a large platform above the canopy. Onboard were those that couldn't walk fast, but there was only room for about eighty. Those that were able to walk fine followed him, trailed by the limping and the stretcher bearers. When he reached the clearing, just over an hour later, Tom set the platform down and waited for the wounded to hobble off of it. When it was empty, he picked it up again and returned through the forest. On his way, he passed Kael, Shae and Isabelle, all pulling together to carry a Jotunn with a thick bandage around his mid-section. They nodded grimly to each other and continued on without a word. Tom managed one more trip, catching up with his friends on the way back to the remains of Sudjo, before the howling of the monsters came close.
'This is it then.' He said. 'Good luck to all of you, I'll see you at the fortress if we make it there.'
They hugged each other and said their goodbyes.
'I was afraid to ask.' Shae said to Isabelle. 'And we seem to have been busy since we found you again, but my mother...?'
Isabelle shook her head slightly.
'I'm sorry, we were chased this way from Oesterin and I saw her fall as I was being carried away.'
Shae nodded as if she had expected as much and took a deep breath.
'Then at least I have a chance to vent my anger.' She said, unbuttoning her tunic.
The horde charged quickly around the wall of Sudjo, falling on the soldiers protecting the precession of injured Jotnar being carried in to the forest. Tom's shield was up and he started where he'd left off, decimating the ranks of monsters. He still had no answer for the floating tentacle beasts, though. They lashed at his shield and he was forced to fall back. He tried fire spells, but they couldn't burn as violently as the Sudjo explosion. Every time he fired a spell at the creatures they grew a little, soaking up the power of the magic. Then a bear beast came charging to the fore and Tom immolated it. To his surprise, the tentacle monsters shrunk slightly. Then it struck him that if magic sustained them, all he had to do was suck as much magic out of the aether around them as he could, just like the monster he'd accidentally conjured outside Harrowden. It wasn't the spell that mattered as he'd assumed, only the amount of magic used. The most complex spell Tom had learnt was teleportation, so he bolstered his shield as much as he could, then started flitting around the battlefield. Every time he appeared and disappeared next to a tentacle monster, they shrank a little. It was about twenty minutes before the first one popped out of existence, but then they started disappearing quickly.
By the time Tom had finished with the tentacle monsters, those who could get to the tree line were already there. He teleported one more time to rejoin the rear guard, then reverted to his elemental spells. The extended magic use was taking its toll on Tom, though, and he started to feel light-headed. His hands were so cold they were numb and the world began to spin. He couldn't concentrate on the hand movements or the words he needed to say and, with the horde still pressing, he fell back behind the other defenders.
Without the magical support, the other soldiers couldn't hold the ground and began to be pushed in to the forest. In amongst the trees it was difficult to hold formation and the defenders started becoming isolated and overwhelmed. When half the force had been killed, what was left of the rear guard turned and ran for the safety of the mountains.
Tom struggled on, feeling weak and sick. He passed close to the clearing, and redoubled his efforts at the sounds of the slaughter going on there. It seemed like an eternity later when he finally heard no more monstrous sounds and slumped, panting at the base of a tree. Aware of his vulnerability, Tom tried to levitate in to the tree, but blacked out from the strain.
Waking from his deep sleep, Tom still felt queasy, but was able to stand and stagger on once more. Night had enveloped the forest and he stumble over scrub and tree roots as he pushed deeper in ot the undergrowth. His firefly pendant still lit the way and Tom made a mental note to repay Isabelle for such a useful gift. A sound behind him made Tom spin around. There was a snuffling as of a scent hound and a large shadow moved through the trees. Tom hid the light and crept away as quietly as he could. All of a sudden, there came a long, loud howl from the direction of the shadow and something started running through the trees towards him.
Forcing his legs to break in to a run, Tom galloped between the trunks, low branches whipping at his face and upper body. The creature was gaining on him and he started jinking left and right randomly. Terror propelled him onwards, but the beast was closing on him. He slipped and pulled himself up quickly, but a claw swiped at the back of his legs, lifting him off the ground and sending him sprawling in to the base of a tree. The monster advanced on him, bearing its teeth. It looked like a massive wolf, with fire in its eyes and foot-long fangs. Tom's vision became blinkered as unconsciousness close din on him once more. He was thankful that at least he would not feel the pain. Just as the wolf was about to pounce, a cry went up from the trees around them. The wolf hesitated, then spears and arrows rained down on it, pinning it to the ground. Tom watched the lifeblood leak out of the creature as his eyes slowly closed again.
Without the magical support, the other soldiers couldn't hold the ground and began to be pushed in to the forest. In amongst the trees it was difficult to hold formation and the defenders started becoming isolated and overwhelmed. When half the force had been killed, what was left of the rear guard turned and ran for the safety of the mountains.
Tom struggled on, feeling weak and sick. He passed close to the clearing, and redoubled his efforts at the sounds of the slaughter going on there. It seemed like an eternity later when he finally heard no more monstrous sounds and slumped, panting at the base of a tree. Aware of his vulnerability, Tom tried to levitate in to the tree, but blacked out from the strain.
Waking from his deep sleep, Tom still felt queasy, but was able to stand and stagger on once more. Night had enveloped the forest and he stumble over scrub and tree roots as he pushed deeper in ot the undergrowth. His firefly pendant still lit the way and Tom made a mental note to repay Isabelle for such a useful gift. A sound behind him made Tom spin around. There was a snuffling as of a scent hound and a large shadow moved through the trees. Tom hid the light and crept away as quietly as he could. All of a sudden, there came a long, loud howl from the direction of the shadow and something started running through the trees towards him.
Forcing his legs to break in to a run, Tom galloped between the trunks, low branches whipping at his face and upper body. The creature was gaining on him and he started jinking left and right randomly. Terror propelled him onwards, but the beast was closing on him. He slipped and pulled himself up quickly, but a claw swiped at the back of his legs, lifting him off the ground and sending him sprawling in to the base of a tree. The monster advanced on him, bearing its teeth. It looked like a massive wolf, with fire in its eyes and foot-long fangs. Tom's vision became blinkered as unconsciousness close din on him once more. He was thankful that at least he would not feel the pain. Just as the wolf was about to pounce, a cry went up from the trees around them. The wolf hesitated, then spears and arrows rained down on it, pinning it to the ground. Tom watched the lifeblood leak out of the creature as his eyes slowly closed again.
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