by K. Lew
Chapter 9: Heavy Losses
The lady voice spoke out. “Sir, should I alert the people in the city.”
Kelan spoke. “Tell them that we are under attack and begin to evacuate the people to the underground safe houses. But reassure them so we do not have a wide spread panic. A panicked mob from within can easily destroy a city than any army outside.” The lady voice spoke out. “Sir, I have been informed that the first wall has indeed been destroyed.”
Fearful chatter began arise.
“Enough. Fear will defeat us if we let it linger and consume us.” Kelan spoke to them. He could tell Versia was shooting daggers with his eyes, but ignored him. He had a city to defend. But he was also worried Versia might use this as an opportunity to kill him.
The Grandmaster spoke. “Everyone activate your ID cards to battle. You will use them to fight and to communicate with each other.”
Everyone pulled their ID cards and activated them to battle, the ID cards illuminating in different, faint colors.
Kelan spoke. “Versia, I need you to tell Reno to ready the lightkeepers and have them meet us at the main gates as soon as possible.”
Versia was looking for the Grandminister’s approval. The Grandminister nodded. Versia turned away and walked away.
Kelan turned to the Grandmaster and spoke. “I want you to stay here to coordinate the battle from afar. Keep the communication lines open. Inform me of any changes, however insignificant it may be.”
The Grandminister nodded and spoke. “I will need Sky to stay behind to help me.”
The bald man with the three, blue dots on his forehead spoke. “As you wish Grandminister.”
Kelan spoke to rest. “Who else will join me and Sere at the main gates?”
Sere looked at him flabbergasted. Sere spoke. “Kelan, what possible use could I be out there?”
Kelan looked at Sere with affection and spoke. “Sere, you’re my oldest friend. You are the only person I trust watching my back.”
Sere taken back with emotion, spoke. “I need a drink.” A server waiting by the door, rushed to Sere with platter of bubbly pink drinks. Sere took one and downed it in seconds. Sere spoke. “Okay. I’m ready.” No one else stood up.
As Kelan and Sere started to go, a dark red haired woman who spoke up earlier, stood up. She spoke. “I’m coming.”
Kelan replied to her. “Thank you...”
She spoke. “Melody.”
Kelan repeated. “Thank you Melody.”
Before the three left, the Grandminister spoke. “The only defense that stands between them and the city is the white wall now that the outer wall have been breached. We pray for your safety and for the victory.”
As the three left the room, they walked through the hallway lined with lanterns with candles inside. The flickering light reminded him how quickly a situation can go wrong.
Sere whispered to him. “I think that just in case the city falls, it would be wise to have an escape route planned out.”
Kelan spoke. “We will not run. I remember before every battle, the Chemlam would the first one in on the frontline and the last one out after the battle was over. I prayed for the safety of his life before every battle and the Light Gods answered my prayers. When I finally did leave, he died. It was my fault I wasn’t there for him. From now on I will not run anymore.”
They left the Beacon of Light and saw that the white buildings outside were left untouched. They passed the gates and were about to enter the residential area. “Wait sir, here are some steeds.” A shout came from a server. Three grooms followed not far behind the server with three white horses.
Kelan climbed onto the horse, waiting as Sere and Melody mounted on their horse.
Kelan, Sere, Melody and the horses sprinted towards the main gates. They passed many homes. Many of them were crushed in by larger metal ores. There were many everyday items scattered among the debris to remind him what he was fighting for.
Kelan spoke. “Let’s move on. We press forward to the main gates. It seems like our enemies have catapults.”
Melody spoke. “What about the people whose homes are destroyed? All their dreams and futures gone in a blink of an eye.”
Sere spoke. “It’s a minor setback. We can always rebuild home.”
Melody spoke harshly. “I was talking about the people’s safety.”
Kelan replied, squashing the bickering between the two. “First we must win the battle.”
Finally Kelan could see the gleaming white wall in the distance. Kelan smiled and spoke. “But we have our own firepower.” He saw the huge catapults pointing towards the white wall. Then Kelan frowned. He counted only twenty lightkeepers. But what was even more shocking to him was the fact they were teenagers, a few of them who still haven’t grown out of their baby faces. He dismounted off his horse and ran in search for Reno. Sere and Melody dismounted off their horses and followed him. Finally he found Versia. He was near the main gates, conversing with three guards in white chainmail.
Kelan spoke. “Where is Reno?”
Kelan glared at Versia continued ignoring him. Kelan spoke even louder. “Where is Reno? Versia put aside your personal hatred for me. Right now is not the time.”
Versia turned around and spoke slowly. “He’s in the frontline, fighting.”
Kelan ran towards the main gates with Melody running not too far behind.
Sere spoke. “Where are you going, Kel?
Kelan yelled back. “Sere, you’re in charge while I’m gone.”
Kelan pulled out his ID card. It was glowing a faint red. He gripped his ID card tightly in his hand and suddenly his ID card projected a hologram of a sword. He grabbed the sword and put his ID card back into his pocket. Melody had her ID card pulled out. Kelan glanced down at his sword. It was double-bladed sword with steel grip and guard. When Kelan looked back at Melody, she was now holding a steel quarterstaff. Kelan spoke to Melody. “It’s time to say hello to these bastards.” Melody smiled in delight.
Two guards in white chainmail stained of dirt and dried blood ran towards him. They carried a man in a white stretcher. The man in the stretcher had black, wavy hair and brown eyes. There was dried blood on his white cloak with two, yellow collars. Kelan spoke to the guard in the front. “Who is this?”
Before the guard spoke, the man in the stretcher spoke weakly. “I’m Reno. I was careless and got struck. It is only some broken ribs. Who are you?”
Kelan spoke. “Kelan. The Grandminister appointed me as the lightbearer to lead the battlefield. If only I was here earlier...”
Reno spoke weakly. “Don’t say that. I am a soldier. I know the risks involved.”
Melody interrupted the two. “What is the situation out there?”
Reno answered. “Our enemies are the Troshi raiders. They are ugly brutes, but they are incredible strong. They are much larger than humans, reaching ten or eleven feet tall. They are thousands of them out there. When I got here with my lightkeepers, the first wall was already destroyed. Our causality at the moment is a hundred and counting, all guards.”
Kelan spoke. “How many lightkeepers are fighting out there?”
Reno answered. “Twenty. But we need more. I was signaling my men to retreat. But a Troshi raider from behind swung a nasty-looking warhammer the caught me in the rib. If it weren’t for these two, I would’ve been five feet under. Those barbarians are nothing to scoff about and considering their size, they are pretty nimble on their feet.”
Kelan nodded and spoke to the two guards. “Make sure he is taken good care of.”
Reno struggled to get up, but couldn’t. Reno spoke weakly. “I want to go back. It is not fair that I am retreating while my men are fighting. My men need me.”
Kelan looked at the two guards who shook their heads slightly.
Kelan spoke. “Reno, you have done all you can. Leave the rest to me and your men.”
Reno opened his mouth to speak.
Kelan interrupted him. “As of now Reno
, commander of the lightkeeper, your duty is to order the remaining lightkeepers and guards on standby to come to the final wall now.” Reno nodded.
Kelan turned to the two guards and nodded to them. The two guards took off to safety.
Melody spoke. “You were harsh on him. Reno is a good man.”
Kelan spoke back. “I dealt with men like him. They are honorable, courageous, loyal, but they are always the first to die. You have to be firm with them for them to accept your leadership. If he pushed any harder, he would’ve die from his wounds.”
Kelan and Melody ran through the main gates. He could hear the sound of metal clashing. He could hear the sound of the wall cracking and the chaotic yelling of soldiers. The second wall was already breached. The Troshi raiders destroyed part of the second wall that was now filled with white marble debris everywhere. He saw dead bodies everywhere. Then he saw the enemies. They were men streaming out of the breached wall. Men can be killed, but Light God they are huge.
Melody yelled. “I’m taking the right flank. Light save us all.” Melody rushed over to the right, where Kelan could tell the defense was weakening by the slaughter of Troshi raiders who continued swinging their mighty warhammers. Kelan ran towards the left side where ten lightkeepers shooting white light out of their flashlight, which burned anything upon contact with white flame. In front of the lightkeepers, were hundreds of guards in white chainmail fighting, some brandishing broadswords and others brandishing pikes. There was no organization, only confusion. Kelan saw that the lightkeepers were all young men. They were exhausted. Kelan spoke to the closest lightkeeper to him. “How much longer can you all hold them off?”
The lightkeeper replied. “Not much longer maybe a few more minutes. Where are the reinforcements?”
Kelan spoke. “They are coming. I need you to spread the word to the other lightkeepers that as soon as the other lightkeepers come to our aid. I want you to sound the retreat and run back to the city.”
The lightkeeper nodded and began spreading the word to others.
He ran past the lightkeepers to the frontline where the guards were fighting. A moment later, a guard in front of him was hit by a warhammer and flew into the air. A few seconds later, the guard hit the ground a few paces away from Kelan. The guard was motionless. The Troshi raider now turned his attention to Kelan. The Troshi raider was indeed a giant brute. He had to be at least ten feet tall. He snarled at Kelan and ran towards him, swinging his mighty warhammer around his head. Kelan swung his double-bladed sword to block the incoming warhammer blow. To his surprise, his blade ignited into flames. But he was not quick enough and the warhammer collided with his right arm. The blow felt like his arm was being crushed between two mountains. His useless arm dropped his sword of flames onto the ground. As soon as his sword left his hand, the flames disappeared. Kelan stumbled backwards until he fell. The Troshi raider strolled forward slowly. He had an enormous smile plastered on his face. Kelan scoot backwards until his back hit a dead body. He looked around and saw only despair. The guards who were beside him were gone, pushed farther back by the horde of Troshi raiders. He looked up at the blue sky. It was peaceful and calm. He felt himself drifting up to the clouds. So this is how my last moments alive feel like. Kelan could hear the stomping of Troshi raider get closer and louder to him. Finally Kelan saw the large, hairy feet. Kelan looked up as the mighty warhammer came down on him. Kelan closed his eyes, waiting for the inevitable. Kelan heard the sound of clang and he blinked once then twice. He opened his eyes and saw two golden tridents above his head against the head of the warhammer. There were two golden knights, protectors of the Chemlady. For a while the strength was even until finally a third golden trident pierced through the Troshi raider through his stomach. Kelan lifted himself on his good arm before the heavy warhammer dropped on him. The body of the Troshi raider fell, dropping with a loud thump. The three golden knights rushed away to aid the fourth, golden knight who was fighting two Troshi raiders simultaneously. Kelan looked around for his ID card and saw it. He ran over and picked it up. Then he saw a blast of powerful, white light colliding with a horde of Troshi raiders. The white light hit the Troshi raiders in the frontline of the horde, burning them in white flames. They screeched and howled in pain before they died. But they were hundreds more who took the place of the fallen as the remaining Troshi raiders marching forward, albeit more cautiously. Then Kelan heard a loud horn blowing out. It sounded like a jazzy trumpet. The hordes of Torshi raiders hearing the loud horn turned around and marched back. The remaining guards seeing the Troshi raiders fleeing took chase. Kelan ran to the guards, yelling loudly. “No do not give in to chase. Stand down! Fall back!” The guards slowed down and turned back. A lightkeeper from the reinforcement saw Kelan and the worn-out, bloodied guards, yelled. “Why are we retreating when we should be chasing them down?”
Kelan spoke. “We need to get our injured and collect our dead.”
Kelan turned to the fresh lightkeepers and spoke to them. “Take five platoons of guards and secure a perimeter outside the White Wall in case the enemy returns.”
Kelan returned to the safety of the White Wall. “I knew we would prevail. It was your victory. Well done, Kel.” The voice came from Sere. Sere and Versia was walking towards him.
Kelan spoke. “It was not my victory. The victory goes to the many brave souls who gave their life for this city to the guards and lightkeepers who fought to keep our enemies at bay and the four golden knights who turned the tide against our enemies. They are the one who deserve the honor.”
Versia spoke. “Why did they sound the retreat and fled?”
Kelan spoke. “Does it matter? We need to stitch our wounded and prepare burial rites for those who gave up their lives for this bittersweet victory. Come, there is much to accomplish.”
Versia spoke harshly. “In fact it does matter. What if they only temporarily retreated so then they can attack us when their reinforcement arrives? We have the advantage now. We should strike while they are still on the run.”
Kelan hesitated, as his useless right arm was throbbing in pain. It took all his concentration for him not to yell in pain. Versia spoke forcefully, pouncing on Kelan’s hesitation and indecision. “If you will not do what is necessary I will.”
“Versia, shut it or you will find my sword up your mouth.” The husky voice came from a golden knight. The golden knight gave a small nod to Kelan and Sere. Versia opened his mouth, but only air came out. Versia closed his mouth and walked off, cursing under his breath.
The golden knight spoke. “It feels so good to finally say something to that beastly man.” Sere laughed. Kelan turned to the golden knight and spoke weakly. “I’m in your debt. I will find a way to return the debt in kind.”
The golden knight replied. “Rescue the Chemlady and your debt to me is fulfilled.” The golden knight spoke suddenly. “You do not look well. You should go see a Chemlord.”
Sere turned and stared at Kelan. “He is right, Kel. You look like you have seen a ghost.”
Kelan stumbled forward to Sere as his legs failed him. The last thing he saw was the smooth stone pavement as the everything went dark.
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