Lords of the Sands: An Epic Dark Fantasy Novel

by Paul Yoder

  Bannon and Metus conferred along the platform at the interior side of the city wall, speaking with Darious who left as Hathos rushed up for a report to the two men.

  “The wall remains a man-and-a-half all the way around the town, no exits other than the gate in,” Hathos reported, the rest of the town busily about tasks to prepare for the worst-case scenario.

  “As you saw, the entry gate has a short corridor before the second, sturdier gate. I fear that first gate will not withstand much punishment before breaking down. The second gate, however, is hinged better, twice as thick, and I think might withstand any punishment troops might offer without siege weapons.”

  Metus nodded, considering the report. “That is good, we have enough archers that even with five hundred riders at their disposal, they won’t be able to remain within shooting range without losing troops and horses constantly. Their only hope would be to breach those gates and overwhelm us.”

  Bannon answered the gap in their plans. “Then we better make sure that doesn’t happen. And if it does, we will need half of your Blood company there at the entrance with their spears to halt a trample and to defend against those who vault the wall, the other half positioned around the rest of the town’s walls to defend against those that would make it over the walls on sides and back.”

  “What of the other companies?” Hathos queried.

  “The Shield company will be joined with most of the Shadow company to provide ranged attacks. The Shields will be along the walls, firing their crossbows while taking care of any jumping the wall, while the Shadows will position themselves on vantage points along the rooftops. Darious pointed out buildings to me that they use as watchtowers. They have wood slats that will help act as turrets.”

  “We also have a hundred battle-ready dolingers if the walls are breached. Controlling them may be tricky in a melee, so we’ll need to make sure we’re organized. If those beasts are not properly handled, they can become more hindrance than aid,” Bannon replied.

  “What about civilians? Will they be in the way?” Hathos asked, looking around the small town as indeed, quite a few townsfolk scurried from the buildings to retreat deeper into the village.

  “Darious is taking them below ground,” Metus offered. “They’ve connected tunnels that go quite deep into the mountain. They should be completely safe from any missiles coming into the town from the enemy.”

  Metus took a deep breath, a clear plan being laid out as they came to some quick conclusions about their tactics and aim.

  “All this being said, this is only if they press an attack without accepting any of my offers. If this is Set we’re dealing with, negotiations may be difficult, but hopefully, he will find this town well defensible and simply too much trouble to make a move on.

  “If not, I’m willing to offer myself up as prisoner. Beyond that, we’ll fall back to defend ourselves here and hope the skill and experience of the Hyperium will be up to the challenge of withstanding an assault from such a large troop. May the Gods find favor with us this day.”

  “I disagree with allowing them to just take you,” Bannon said, holding in that comment as long as he could. It would be a sticking point, he knew. “It’s my task to keep you safe, and just to allow you to walk into the hands of the enemy…I don’t like it.”

  “Bannon, your charge is not to keep me safe, it’s to keep the people of the Plainstate safe. If they demand a prisoner instead of a war, more lives will be saved.

  “The only reason we didn’t attempt negotiations straight from the start is because if it truly is Set that pursues us, my life may not be enough for him. I’ve known him for a good many years now, and if there’s one attribute that defines him, it is that he’s an opportunist. He will take all that’s on the table possible for him to take. He would look at the Hyperium as a simple numbers game. By the odds, he should be able to annihilate us. With no survivors, he’d be able to write history as he wishes, slandering our mission and possibly the motives of the Plainstate as well.

  “I won’t allow that to happen. However, if I am brought back to answer for what crimes they have chased us thus far for, then so be it. I will answer and give testament to our mission before their judges once more.

  “Do you understand?”

  Bannon looked out over the mass of troops along the entrance of the canyon and to the reddening sun beyond. He did not show expression often, but the disapproval was clear to Metus now in the light of the setting sun.

  At length, after keeping an answer from Metus for too long, he begrudgingly said, “I understand, though I disagree.”

  Letting out a sigh, frustrated with the position they were in, Metus shrugged, “Let’s hope a show of force is all it takes to dissuade them. Us behind walls puts a cavalry unit, even one as large as theirs, at a massive disadvantage. If he’s not completely blinded by revenge, a total military imbecile, or has no regard for the lives of his own troops, it’s an easy solution to not press an attack on a well defended troop.”

  “You listed all three reasons I worry for the worst if that is indeed Set up there at the front of that line,” Bannon said, pointing to the line of horsemen.

  The two stood, staring into the mouth of the canyon in reflection as Naldurn rushed up to Hathos, giving a brief report to him. Metus asked Bannon as they waited for Naldurn to finish her report, “What of prophet Henarus? You say he was stricken by Nomad?”

  Bannon sighed shortly, “Yes, though it seems Henarus will pull through, he is quite dazed. Perhaps a concussion? His priest is tending to him, though he will be of no use to us in this encounter. It is too bad; we could use his blessing of clarity. We’ll be on our own unless some watchful eye of a stray god happens to grace us.”

  Hathos stepped up, calling for Bannon and Metus’ attention.

  “Ganlin is stationed on the tallest rooftop, there,” he said pointing to a two-story building about a block back, wooden pallets propped up to create a barricade from projectiles, a strong-armed woman with an especially tall longbow comfortably perched behind the wooden wall.

  “As our best sharpshooter, she’ll be ready for orders to dispatch high-priority targets. Her effective range is about two hundred yards, three hundred with some deviations in accuracy on a human-sized target.

  “Naldurn says the rest of her troops are in position along the rooftops, preparing for the first few volleys at your order. Most have good cover. Looks like they’ll be in good shape to weather any return fire.

  “The Blood company is barricading the gates and the main courtyard to inhibit a charge in case both gates are breached. After which, they’ll hunker down behind walls.

  “The Shield company is positioning along the front walls and readying their crossbows, setting up their station. If the enemy makes a move to encircle the fort, they will relocate as needed to fend off flanking maneuvers.

  “The townsfolk have gone underground apparently; none are within the buildings at least.

  “Also…” Hathos said pausing for a moment to let out a small grin, “before he left to shepherd his people, Darious pointed out two mounted heavy arbalests on both ends of the front wall. They’re not quite as large as ballistae, but they’ll rip through man or horse and keep going by the looks of them. They were covered up to protect against the weather when we entered, but I have two teams of two from the Shield company finishing uncovering them and loading them. It might be a show of power that could give our enemy pause.”

  Bannon looked to the two teams along down the walls at work uncovering the machines, stroking his chin in thought. “That’s four men from the Shields. You believe a gain of two heavy arbalest operators worth the loss of four crossbows?”

  “To lower the enemy’s morale alone, yes, I think it already a worthy trade. That sort of weapon was built for armored cavalry,” Hathos answered with confidence, getting an approving nod from Bannon.

  “This is well. It seems all troops are in order, my sultan,”
Bannon saluted, followed quickly by a salute from Hathos.

  “This is well,” Metus spoke, sticking to Bannon’s last words, attempting to convince himself that the upcoming situation might just work itself out in their favor this day.

  “We will soon know. Look, they approach,” Bannon ominously added, turning everyone’s attention to the rising dust cloud as the horses rode forth.

  “They are not slowing,” Hathos pointed out, as the five hundred riders came clearly into view, everyone waiting for a speaker to approach alone to make demands.

  Hathos slowly detached himself from the command group, giving prompt orders to Naldurn as the two rushed to their respective battle posts.

  Bannon broke the silence between him and Metus, speaking their fears, “There will be no negotiations today, my sultan.” Metus’ countenance turned grim along with his commander as they watched the riders charge forward, battle cries sounding as they approached the town.

  “May the red sun set its final time upon our enemies this night,” Bannon reverently offered, his solemn prayer agreed upon by Metus with a nod.

  “Men, to your posts! First volley, loose!”

  47

  The Grave Canyon

  Horse after horse hit the ground, throwing sand and dirt up in their wake, tossing their riders violently to their doom amongst the charge. Their yells and screams were cut short upon impact or drowned out by the thunderous trample of stampeding hooves moving forward over them.

  The first volley of arrows hit the riders with devastating accuracy. Even with the first line of riders being stretched long, only two deep, their spaced out formation still succumbed to the deadly aim of the Hyperium’s skill with their respective ranged weapons.

  For every two archers, at least one rider ended right there and then, and the first company of riders, that moments earlier spanned the width of the canyon, was now left considerably thinned.

  A bit delayed, the heavy arbalests fired, one, then the other, both hurling shafts as thick as spears, shooting much farther than the other bolts and arrows, ripping through the midline troops, causing an upheaval of horses, slowing the charge in the area slightly before the company could make their way around their downed comrades.

  “Those arrows and lives cannot be taken back,” Metus announced, seeming to fully commit to their battle plan now that the window of negotiations had officially passed.

  “Next volley, ready!” Bannon yelled down the line both ways. Most in the Shield company had already been hard at work cranking their crossbows back to load while the Shadow company nocked and drew their bows.

  Bannon held his hand up, waiting for the last of the Shield crossbowmen to finish cranking.

  “Aim!” Bannon yelled, adding, “Make it count,” as bowstrings drawing tight all across the rooftops sounded.

  “Loose!”

  Bolts and arrows, all in unison, hurled towards the fast-approaching army, felling even more this time, decimating the frontline troop, horse and rider tumbling to their end, head over hoof, eaten up by the ferocious charge of those behind them, if not dying from the missiles outright, the stampede ensuring their demise.

  The mounted arbalests launched again, careening through multiple targets in the mid-ranged group, spooking the horses, halting the charge for parts of the unit.

  “Fire at will!” Bannon shouted above the roar of the approaching horde, causing a loose of arrows to fly skillfully at the two companies behind the remaining front line, the archers having enough collective warfare experience to know that if they didn’t start thinning out the preceding units, they could easily be overwhelmed by the time they arrived at the wall still fresh.

  As the bolts started to click off, Bannon could see the two rear companies begin to fan out, moving fast to position themselves to take the flanks, rushing ahead, most likely to make for the sides of the town’s walls.

  “We’ve got our work cut out for us tonight,” Bannon murmured under his breath before shouting to Naldurn, “Focus half of your Shadows on those two companies flanking! The other half, keep on the three center companies!”

  Turning to Hathos, Bannon blurted out orders, “Head the breach they’re about to attempt, get with Undine and ensure the Bloods secure the walls for those that vault it. I’ll make sure Tau and the Shields keep the heat on ‘em.”

  Hathos quickly saluted, running off to join up with Undine at the front gate.

  “It begins, my sultan,” Bannon said, taking one last look at the approaching unit, only seconds away from arriving at the walls.

  “Stay with me,” he said, then shouted down to Tau a quick order to send five on each end to follow the two companies that were flanking.

  A crash shuddered the front gate as a press of horsemen slammed against it, being rammed against it again and again by the horses behind it, all pressing on the main gate, the hinges failing within seconds as the wooden gate blew open, trampling over those who sacrificed themselves as the first ones in the charge. Horses rushed to jump over downed allies into the gate corridor before being halted at the second gate.

  Two squads on both sides of the gate lined up against the wall, standing on their saddles, jumping up to pull themselves over the barrier. The first to raise their heads up over it were met with spear and sword tips, falling back off their horses in a gush of blood, beginning to litter the outer wall with corpses as the red sun began to fall beyond the horizon, the light leaving the grounds now, only illuminating the wall and the mountains behind.

  Half of the Shadow archers that had been picking off the flanking companies were now joined by ten Shield soldiers, and slowly, their targets were falling; though, not quick enough to keep up with the hundreds still incoming. The remaining horsemen were closing in around the side walls, and less than two dozen or so troops per side had been dropped.

  “Bannon, we need support along the sides!” Naldurn shouted from the rooftop.

  Luckily, Bannon heard her through the chaos, ordering four mounted Blood soldiers over to the right wall, rushing to Hathos, shouting to him to send four more to the other side.

  Just as Hathos sent his four men off, the last gate lurched, another wave of riders packing into the corridor, pressing in, straining the heavy gate, causing it to buckle dangerously.

  “Spears in!” Undine shouted at his thirteen men surrounding the corridor along the walls, Undine himself joining in, stabbing into the crowded pit of horse and man flesh, blood covering the walls and floor completely by that point.

  Though the number of dead rose, so did the stacks of bodies along the floor, those horsemen rushing into the corridor now standing a bit taller, batting away the spears that were now level with them.

  Javelins launched over the walls and gate, though they were being thrown blindly, it was making it difficult for the troops to focus on the task at hand, having to watch the skies constantly now.

  “They’ll be over the wall soon at this rate,” one of Undine’s lieutenants yelled at him, stabbing another rider that took his spear with him as he plummeted on top of the stack of bodies that continued to grow.

  A sword slashed over the gate at the lieutenant, hacking in at his face, his helmet deflecting most of the cut. He fell to the ground, blinded by all the blood that seeped out of his deep gash along his face.

  “Shadows! Focus on those entering the first gate!” Undine ordered, looking over the wall to gore the Rochatan soldier that had felled his lieutenant.

  Looking at the first breached gate, he could see well over thirty horsemen attempting to, or waiting to squeeze through the space. The gate would fall, he could see. They needed to fall back now, or risk having the gate breach before they were ready.

  Naldurn’s Shadows had kept picking off the second line of riders at a steady pace, but now, they were at the walls, completely surrounding the front half of the town, along with most of the sides as the flanking groups rode up to the rampart, using their mounts as stepping platfo
rms to hoist themselves up and over the ledge.

  The heavy arbalests fired one more time, ripping through the closest troops, pinning corpses of man and horse to the sands. The Shields manning them quickly took up their lances, goring the Rochatan riders that rode up to the wall, ready to leap over it, only to be met with a lance through their chest, deftly yanking the shaft out before it went through the enemy so as not to bind up, losing them their most prized weapon.

  Riders were climbing over the walls at a growing rate, throwing javelins as they went, forcing the Shadows to take cover.

  They came like rats leaving a flooding sewer, scrambling to simply make footing on the other side of the wall. Some were greeted with crossbow bolts and arrows as they breached, others cut down and speared as soon as they landed on the other side, but as the crossbows were less and less being loaded, and the amount of riders vaulting the wall increased, the Blood and Shield companies were quickly being overwhelmed.

  “Blood company, send your dolingers over the wall on the attack! Shadows, all focus on the gate!” Bannon shouted, his voice ragged from barking commands at the top of his lungs.

  The gate was buckling, and men now spilled over the fortifications. Though the Blood and Shield troops were dealing with infantry, he knew that if the gate fell, they’d have a flood of riders enter the battlefield, which could easily turn the tides of war in their enemy’s favor. Rather than working on supporting the Blood and Shield troops, he determined their archers would be best used to keep focus on thinning the riders at the gate, holding them off for as long as they could.

  Sultan Metus dodged a hack from a scimitar just as he noticed three men jump down from the wall, he parried another slash and riposted, hacking through the man’s arm, sticking the belly of the second, then squaring off against the third.

  Bannon caught the man off guard, slicing in from the flank, the man barely getting his falchion up in time before Metus cut into his exposed side. Bannon took advantage of the distraction and quickly ran him through as he recoiled in pain, falling atop his slain brethren.