The Ravens of Carrid Tower

by David c Black

  "I know that, damned you. Where have you been anyway?"

  "Saving you lot." He said as he reached the edge of the building and stood next to Rill. Harlon glanced quickly at the chaos in the road below and threw one of his grenades a few metres past the mountain of bodies the pikes had created in front of them. A fireball exploded and the pikes instinctively back stepped as heat filled the street, burning behind the heaped corpses.

  "Canno." The mage shouted. "Get your men back down here, you're no use to anyone on that wall"

  "Fuck you mage, I know that. There are no ladders!"

  "Rill will get you some." Harlon shouted back. Then to Rill he said, "The citizens pulled up a few bone ladders earlier, they are five junctions back there."

  Forgot about those…

  "Fine." Rill said, before shouting orders to the swords hanging back behind the pike’s shield wall. "And then? We're still stuck."

  "No, Canno can take his men and your swords back through the temple district, then south to reinforce the first inner ring. You take these men across the roofs."

  "To where?"

  "Main street, link up with Kellick."

  "And the pikes?"

  "They stay here for now with me."

  "Why?"

  "I might run out of bombs, if they take this road and move past we're surrounded."

  We already are.

  "That fires nearly out, throw another one." Rill said, unable to take his eyes off the hellish view in the alley below.

  Gods…

  Locke couldn't see a single cobble on Main street, dead bodies covered the ground like a carpet, arms and limbs interlocking in a grotesque tapestry.

  They will paint this one day. Blood, smoke and death. So much death.

  The first three of Kellick's low walls across the road were barely visible now, though a few of the iron spikes still jutted proudly above the fray. Men simply ran over them using the countless dead as ramps and were now struggling to get over the last one. The Shaa had already lost tens of thousands, yet the flow of attackers entering the road had barely slowed. The defender’s missiles had. Everything that could be thrown almost had been and most of the Ravens and citizens had fallen back to Market Square.

  Nice design, they can't climb it fast enough.

  Bodies were pushed into the spikes as they tried to climb the obstacle. Locke saw them scream, faces contorting in wild eyed agony as they were crushed, tighter and tighter, before disappearing under foot. He could not hear their individual noises though, so thick was the air with sounds of violence and suffering. The ring of iron on armour, the thud of blunt objects striking flesh and the cries of thousands of dying men and women in the street below him.

  "Kill those there, trying to open those doors." Locke said to the archers beside him, who took their aims away from the main body of attackers and downed the eight fanatics smashing a building’s door frame and boarded up windows.

  "Should we pull back yet."

  "Soon, I’m waiting."

  "For what?" The archer said as he loosed another arrow.

  "For that." Locke pointed to the breached wall.

  Heavily armoured men had appeared behind the mob, pushing fanatics out of their way.

  "Knights."

  "Aye."

  "What are they doing?"

  "Organising." Locke said while moving closer to them.

  "Where are you going?"

  "To blow up some officers." He replied without looking back.

  Locke could make out about five thousand knights where the destroyed barbican used to stand, more still marching through the breach.

  Formation. Discipline. Most Unexpected. Locke thought before realising that they were not moving into Kellick's bull run. They waited. Unarmoured peltasts and slingers started to enter the city around them, making their way directly up on to the battlements.

  Establishing firing positions. Well almost everyone is out of range, for now…

  Locke searched for anyone who seemed to be giving orders, but could find none.

  Shit they all look the same.

  The knights, veterans from the capture of at least five desert towns, had established their own defensive ring around the gate house, allowing thousands more behind them to march in without harassment.

  They have the south.

  He had been spotted crouching on roof watching the assembling army and projectiles started smashing into the ground around him. More of the Shaa's slingers started firing from the high battlements down onto the mage.

  I'm target practice. Shit.

  He pushed himself lower hiding behind the roofs low walled edge, as stones and javelins whooshed just over his head. He fumbled with his bag moving it onto his lap to protect it from an impact, then reached inside and threw the first grenade he could grab over his head. Just as the vial left his hand, it was struck with something. He pulled it back in pain and examined it. His right hand was covered in blood, at least two knuckles had shattered, struck by an iron ball.

  Unseen by the mage, the vial smashed on a knight’s armour and he disappeared in a ball of flames that engulfed everyone around him. Locke tried to ignore the pain as he reached into his bag again, this time with his left hand. The Raven who had stood with Locke saw the trapped mage and signalled to the archers on the roof to come with him. Once in range, they opened fire on the slingers. Twenty or so unarmoured missile troops fell before the rest realised the threat and turned their attention to the defenders, giving the mage a moment to flee.

  "Thanks for that" Locke said who had grabbed the bag and sprinted across the roof with his head down and broken hand sheltered on his chest.

  "Your hand?" The soldier asked seeing the blood stream down his fingers onto the Mages cuff and the floor between them.

  "Just a cut."

  "Can you throw?"

  "Not as well."

  "Give me one of those things."

  With his good hand Locke handed the man a vial, another to the man next him and kept one for himself. "On three we throw."

  "Where."

  "At the shiny ones."

  CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

  Ja Deist

  Azon could not mediate. Could not rest. He barely controlled his rage.

  So many dead by my hand. This is on you!

  The cost of their living is too great Azon. They would deliver on this city unimaginable suffering.

  They already are! You did this, you are no god. No god of mine. Still you do nothing.

  I am already involved more than I should be.

  Exactly. After this I am leaving the church. You are a false profit. A meddler. A failure.

  I am the only thing protecting you from something much worse Monk. Someone much worse.

  I've heard enough.

  Don't do it Azon.

  Stop me.

  Azon jumped.

  I should have done this a long time ago.

  You don't understand...

  But the monk was not listening as he landed in the Shaa's camp behind the siege lines. He saw soldiers immediately move towards him drawing weapons. Azon jumped again, but nothing happened.

  Oh…

  The Shaa had long anticipated the arrival of one of Carrid's famous monks. He was not without his own supply and knowledge of precious ores, lacing the ground around his command tent with a particular compound that mitigated the properties of other minerals.

  Azon drew both of his curved swords, running left to intercept the nearest knight. One blade flicked out, cutting the man’s throat just at the tip of the weapons edge. The monk span, slicing out with the other blade cutting the arm off the next man. They were in no way a match for the monk, spinning and jumping around the soldiers in a seemingly effortlessly dance, severing heads and limbs. But he had jumped into a hornet’s nest and before the last man fell, a ring of knights and camp followers had formed around him, too thick for him to see out beyond.

  So, this is how it ends, achieving absolutely nothing. At l
east I told you what a worthless parasite you are.

  Wait Azon. He's coming.

  A section of the massed men parted in front of him and spearmen filed out in another ring within striking distance this time. Their armour was black, faces covered with polished metal masks. A robed man walked between them.

  "Welcome Monk."

  The Shaa?

  Yes and no Azon. Yes and no.

  "Who are you?"

  "The shepherd of course."

  "I don't think much of your sheep."

  "They have a similar opinion of you I’m afraid."

  "You speak Carridean."

  "I do."

  Azon was about to say something before stopping himself.

  "Your people have delayed my plans" the Shaa continued.

  "They will do more than that old man."

  "Ha" he laughed sincerely. "I am that, yes."

  Come closer.

  "Don't do anything stupid Monk."

  What? He can't...

  "That's right Azon. Your friend and I share a similar talent. The same job in fact. Although of course he has rendered himself... redundant. Weak. Such a shame."

  "I don't..."

  "And you probably never will. In any case, I have an offer for you. Survival. If your countrymen over there can be made to see sense."

  "You think they will surrender? You are a fool too."

  "They have no chance in the end monk."

  "They have hope. Surrender means death. Worse." the monk said, spitting out the last word as he looked at the cannibals around him.

  "Very well. Kill..."

  Before the Shaa could finish his order, Azon leapt in the air towards the robed man, both blades slashing out. They cut the air where the Shaa had been before landing hard on the ground. Azon cursed to himself, looking around for the closest threat, raising his weapons and baring his teeth in preparation. The Shaa was gone.

  Jumped. But how?

  Canno looked back again making sure his band of men hadn't fallen too far behind. The streets were empty. Quiet and eerie, save for the sound of their boots on the ground and the distant ring of battle that grew louder every block they passed. As they reached a fork in the road, the Raven called over one of the citizens who had managed to keep up with his pace beside him.

  "Which way?"

  "Right, and then straight down to the market."

  Canno waited for everyone to assemble before saying, "Let's go". Rounding the first corner he saw soldiers.

  Ravens

  "Canno's coming from North!" someone shouted from a barricade in the road.

  "Aye, you're all safe now!" he shouted back, reaching the group of scouts and shaking the hand of one man he seemed to know.

  "Any trouble back there?"

  "Nothing, as long as the Pikes can hold the eastern roads we won’t be flanked. What about here?" He pointed behind the scouts towards the market.

  "Messy Canno. Very messy. But we're holding."

  "I want to see."

  "By all means. You should report to Kellick when you can, he's somewhere around the square. Was asking for you and Rill."

  “Aye.”

  "Where's Rill?"

  "Coming over the roofs, somewhere." Canno said moving past the Raven and signalling for his men to follow him. The Captain spotted him from one of the buildings edging the market square. "You're still alive then, Canno?"

  "For a few more bells Captain. I've brought friends. Where do you want us?"

  "Civilians up here. The swords need to spread between these three walls and help the pikes defend them."

  "You heard the Captain!"

  Canno climbed the building closest to the officer, pulling himself up onto the flat roof. Kellick reached down and grabbed his gauntleted wrist helping to pull the soldier up, grunting at the effort.

  "Heavens you're heavy soldier"

  "I'm fat. Must be too much of the good life." He said a little out breath still.

  Kellick laughed at that. "How's Rill holding in the east?"

  "The mage and some pikes bought us some time, but we got split up. I'd have thought he'd be here before me." Canno said hiding a flicker of worry for his friend. "What’s the situation here?"

  "They keep coming over the wall there. And into the pit. Room for a few hundred more. They know now though. Bastards are trying to take to roofs and come around us."

  "It's too quiet sir."

  "Aye. They have been coming in waves, but this one... Longer."

  Canno looked around the square in the dimming light. Carridean soldiers and armed citizenry held the buildings and alleys around the market in force but they were on edge, watching for the next target. All eyes facing south to a barricade dripping with blood trying to ignore the cacophony of misery from injured fanatics flailing on spikes or emanating unseen from the huge pit. Arrows fired across the square as a squad of Ravens on another building spotted armoured men crossing the far roof.

  Both sides of the street now.

  "Think they will try and hold their position?"

  "No, they are just consolidating the south and looking for a way around us. They have those buildings which means they have everything either side."

  "Anything to stop them spreading"

  "Not enough. Raven squads are in place on the streets around here and back towards the barracks. We should get some warning if they flank us in numbers."

  A grappling hook was thrown onto the wall, both soldiers turning at the sound of iron ringing on concrete as it landed and bit. Another two hooked either side of the first and then two more. Unseen to the defenders, the Knights had attached the thick ropes to camels brought into the city. With a couple of violent whips, the beast strained against the taught lines before suddenly finding slack and breaking free. The wide barricade guarding Market Street collapsed.

  That's not good.

  "Don't think we need to worry about being flanked just yet." Canno said taking an arrow from his quiver and loading. From the roof, he had a clear view through the toppled wall and took aim. It chilled him. Armoured Knights filled the street and roofs. Countless unarmoured fanatics climbed every available space like black spiders trying to get up onto the buildings and spreading out through the city. Arrows flew again and again into the attackers. The knights at the front crouched behind large shields and Canno knew only lucky shots would kill their target.

  Well we did better than anyone could have expected of us. But it's over.

  A fireball blasted out of the road taking Canno by surprise. His target had disappeared and he released the tension in his bow slowly. White smoke spread across the floor into the square growing thicker. Arrow fire diverted from the street to the roofs as visibility was lost.

  "There sir." Canno pointed.

  "One of the mages?"

  "Must be. With Ravens." The pair watched the party of twenty men or so run past jumping from one building to the next, skirting the mass of attackers. The three at the rear held back from the rest of the pack, throwing more objects into the Knights on Main street. More explosions boomed.

  "Gods." The Captain said, still not quite getting used to the destructive power of the mage’s weapons. Thousands of Knights, packed together in the street had been obliterated. Buildings on either site started collapsing into the road adding dust to the already thick smoke. A horn suddenly sounded and Canno recognised the signal immediately.

  Retreat.

  "We'll be redundant one day with those things."

  "Forget it soldier. We will just start issuing them to you."

  "I don’t want to go near them."

  "You will be firing them from your bow if I have any say on the matter."

  And wouldn't that be something. Raven mages. Or would it be mage Ravens? Probably for the best we're all going to die here.

  Rill feigned to the right making the knight he had been engaging recoil back before slashing his short sword down to the side, aiming for another Knight’s neck but catching his shoul
der plate instead. He struggled to keep a grip on the vibrating blade, its handle already soaked with sweat and blood. A pike shot out behind him striking the Knight in the face and Rill closed with another, deflecting a jab to his chest and kicking the man over the building’s edge.

  Tight spot this.

  They had been fleeing from one building to the next, south-west as best they could. Charging only a few buildings behind in the streets below were thousands of snarling fanatics desperate to engage them. The pikes in the rear had managed to hold them back, stabbing at anything jumping onto the houses, giving the rest time to get onto the next one.

  The knights had climbed the buildings ahead of Rill looking for a way around Kellicks fortifications. Rill's small band had run straight into them and now were trapped on all sides. There wasn't enough room to fight on the narrow buildings and a temporary stalemate followed. The fanatics couldn't get past the pikes from behind and the knights seemed content to just hold Rill back until they were surrounded. The Shaa's flock swarmed in the street, smashing open the windows and entering the house.

  Coming upstairs by the sound if it.

  The man next to Rill suddenly fell, then another behind him. Stones were flying into the packed men and Rill ducked, shield up looking for the source of danger.

  Slingers on that building. Shit, there's loads of them.

  "Everybody down into the gardens! Citizens and swords first. Pikes hold them back!"

  The citizens didn't need telling twice, they scrambled down the house to the walled gardens below, desperate to get away from the hail of stones smashing around them. One of the first down shouted up to Rill. "Where do we go?"

  "Market square." He said before jumping down himself. "But we need to go now. Run!"

  The house's back door to the garden burst open and four fanatics fell out, more behind them. Rill instantly moved to strike, stabbing two in quick succession, grabbing the hand of another man attempting to swing his pitch fork, then pushing him back into the other and running them both through with a single thrust into their unprotected skeletal bodies. More Swords joined Rill, pushing the door closed with their shoulders, anchoring their feet in the ground and forcing it closed.

  Windows to the side of the door and above on the second floor shattered. Everywhere Rill looked, the fanatics were closing in. One of the Swords holding the door was hit by a hammer thrown from the upper window and another collapsed under the weight of someone jumping from the roof. The door flew open again. Rill grabbed the fallen man trying to pull him onto his feet, stabbing at the fanatic on top of him who had sunk his teeth into the side of the man’s face. The Sword screamed, trying to get him off. More fanatics fell and Rill struggled to maintain his own balance, killing everyone around him with increasingly frantic slashes, but getting pushed further away from the soldier.