by Tom Larcombe
“Rhys, do you know where the highest ranking officers in this camp are staying?”
“Sure,” he pointed to a tent, larger than most of the others, “but there are guards around it and wards to keep out magical probes.”
Merlin's lips stretched thin as he smiled.
“I don't think they'll be able to keep me out. I need to know when they're moving to see if I should wait or leave on my own now,” he said.
“Merlin, could I talk to you for a second?” Gunter asked.
Merlin sighed and stepped over to Gunter. The two men walked off a few yards so they could speak without being overheard.
“Are you sure you're doing okay?” Gunter asked. “You seem more aggressive than I'm used to seeing you.”
“You know I checked on Nimue the night before we left, right?”
Gunter nodded.
“Well, she's getting worse. She's not eating, or at least not enough. Ave impersonated me while I was her prisoner and nearly got through Nimue's shields, and Nimue lashed out at me when I tried to check on her. She wasn't sure if I was myself. Ave needs to be dealt with and soon. I've developed a serious hatred for her and I'm sorry if that shows through.”
Gunter's reply was cautious and slightly hesitant.
“I'm sorry for asking then. I was unaware of Nimue's condition and I didn't know you were checking on her. I suppose that explains your mood, although...”
“I know, it doesn't explain the eating habits,” Merlin interjected. “I don't know what's causing that but I can't let it stop me. I don't know how much longer Nimue can hold out.”
Gunter grimaced.
“I imagine that's probably contributing to your mood as well. Please forget that I asked about it. You've more than enough reason to be angry, it's just that normally you hold your emotions in check better.”
Merlin shrugged.
“I do it so I can tap into them when I need to, but my normal methods just aren't working right now.”
“Let's rejoin our new companions then,” Gunter said. “You had questions for them?”
“I'll ask those later, first I need to find out when this army is moving out.”
Gunter and Merlin walked back over to the other wizards. Without saying anything else, Merlin sank down to the ground and drew out a clear, uncharged crystal. He used the prism it generated in the sunlight to assist him in separating his awareness from his body, saving as much of his energy as he could. Then he launched his awareness towards the tent that Rhys had indicated earlier.
Four boring hours later, Merlin had his answer. He stood and stretched before locating Gunter.
“Well, we can just stay here. They're putting in the attack tomorrow. The troops will be going east and we'll go with them.”
“Then today we eat and sleep. A soldier learns quickly to do both whenever he can because he doesn't know when the next chance to do so will arrive,” Gunter said.
A bit of Merlin's normal attitude came through with his next statement.
“That and some questions about the integration of magic into modern warfare,” he said, his eyes shining brightly.
* * *
Gunter dozed in the shade of the tank while Merlin spoke with its crew.
“So, you're saying that you can actually affect the flight path of your shells?” he asked.
“Yes, but only if we attach our our awareness to it before firing. Otherwise it moves too quickly. One of our favorites is to put a small magical tag on the target, then use it as a targeting beacon for the shell,” Evan answered.
“Is this tank new for you? It doesn't look like it's seen combat.”
“Not that new, it's seen a few battles. Ollie's the British Cromwell model, named after a man who traced his ancestry to Wales. Some Welshmen hate him, but to us it just makes the whole team Welsh, tank and all.”
“So, this particular tank has been in battle? It doesn't look like it,” Merlin said.
“We have a few more tricks. We've taken some hits, but Owain's magic works well with metal. He normally does repairs to the armor before we get called in for maintenance. We integrate our shields into the tank's armor. We can adjust the angles on our shields depending on where we're taking fire from. Because of that, the tank's armor takes less damage.”
“Doesn't that tire you out? I know taking enough bullets on my shield exhausts me.”
“You can stop bullets with the strength of your shield alone?” Evan asked, eyes wide. “We tie the shields into the tank itself so the impact is distributed to every portion of it. Otherwise we wouldn't be able to stop even a single incoming shell. The shield just changes the angle of the shot and then channels the remaining force to the tank itself. We've had hits that felt no worse than driving the tank over a bump.”
“So, with just two spells you've multiplied the force of your tank several times over,” Merlin said.
“We have a few others. We can use the energy from a crystal to help the tank get an extra five or ten miles per hour but only if two of us are strengthening the tracks at the time, otherwise they're liable to snap. That's surprised more than a few opponents.”
“Wonderful! I wonder if I could ride a bullet like you do your shells. They were always moving too fast for me to adjust their flight path when I tried before.”
“Only one way to find out. All three of us like to experiment and try new things. That's how we developed the tricks we use,” Evan replied.
Later on Merlin was speaking with Rhys.
“Your tank crew is impressive. Do you know what they can do?”
“Yes, I know. It's why I chose them. They'll talk about it for hours if you let them. I've heard about it ever since the Great War.”
“They were in the first world war?”
“Oh yes, they worked as a team then. Still looked young enough to sign on when this war came around. Somehow they managed to get assigned as a team and then run through tanker training again.”
“From what I gather talking to Evan, there was no somehow about it. I'm pretty sure they used magical influence to get that outcome.”
“I don't doubt it, but splitting them up would have been a waste, so...”
“If what Evan was telling me is true then it would have been. I'm going to go ahead and get some sleep myself now. If we're heading out in the middle of the night, I want to be well rested.”
Merlin found a patch of shade near Gunter and laid down to rest.
* * *
He woke to Gunter gently shaking his shoulder.
“Merlin, time to get food if you want it. Last chance before we move out.”
Merlin sat up immediately. His stomach felt as though it were empty despite a heavy breakfast and several snacks over the course of the day.
“I'm ready, let's get something to eat.”
The two of them walked back into the camp, towards the mess tent they used earlier in the day. The lines were long but moving quickly. Once again Merlin filled his plate with as much food as he could get to stay on it.
“I don't know how you're fitting all that in,” Gunter said as Merlin shoveled the food into his mouth.
Merlin paused long enough for a short reply before continuing to eat.
“Must be magic.”
“Did you just make a joke?” Gunter asked. “You must be feeling better.”
Merlin considered that as he finished his food.
“You know, I think I am. For the moment at least I'm not hungry and I have my emotions under control. Frighteningly enough, my emotions calmed as soon as I knew we'd be entering the fight soon. So I think that's only a temporary reprieve. We'll see how I react when we get to the fighting.”
The two returned to the Welsh wizards' camp and broke out their gear for cleaning and maintenance. Merlin had the Luger he'd requisitioned while Gunter had his own. Gunter also had the Sturmgewehr rifle he'd acquired the year before out for cleaning.
“You love that storm rifle, don't you?” Merlin asked.
&
nbsp; Gunter caressed his rifle.
“It's precision machinery, even if mass-produced, and I've trained with it. I've had training on lots of American weapons now as well so if there's a problem I can switch to something else if it's available.”
Merlin was silent for a moment, caught in a brief flash of prescience. When he answered, his voice was soft and low.
“It's good you have other options for weapons. I don't think you could be carrying enough ammunition for what's ahead of us.”
Gunter cocked his head and looked at Merlin.
“I don't like divination. That doesn't mean that I don't get the occasional flash of the future. I may not trust it but this one fits well with what I fear,” Merlin said.
They finished caring for their gear in silence, then laid down again to get what sleep they could before it was time to leave.
* * *
Chapter 11
Merlin woke to a flurry of activity. Engines were starting, officers were calling out orders, and the small camp he was in was being broken down.
Merlin saw Gunter take his hand off his Luger. Gunter had woken, rolled to his feet, and started to draw his weapon in reaction to the commotion.
“A little on edge?” Merlin asked.
“I've been in too many battles not to be. I know what's coming and it won't be pleasant.”
“I've been in my share of battles,” Merlin said, “Although I think this one will be larger than any to date.”
“Plus there will be modern weapons; artillery, mortars, guns that can fire farther than you can see in the dark. Chaos and mayhem will rule supreme and I need to keep you alive through that,” Gunter said.
Any further conversation was cut short by the tank behind them starting its engine.
Merlin looked up and saw Lloyd about to drop himself into the tank through the hatch. He motioned Merlin out of the way and screamed.
“Watch out! Ollie's coming through and he won't stop for much of anything.”
Merlin and Gunter hurried out of the way and the tank began to roll forward. As it passed they saw the four wizards who weren't part of the tank crew riding on the back and sides. Rhys gestured them to join them on top of the tank.
They jumped onto the tank just before it began to accelerate.
“It's getting a little crowded up here,” Sionn yelled. “If you see us jump down, follow suit. The officers frown on soldiers catching a ride like this.”
Sionn and Iestynn shifted themselves and their gear to make room for Merlin and Gunter. The two settled down onto the tank, waiting to see where they were headed.
They joined a stream of vehicles that were leaving the camp to the east, tucking themselves in with a group of Sherman tanks crewed by Americans.
I'm guessing no-one who actually does notice that the tank doesn't belong here would say anything, Merlin thought. The soldiers, at least, are probably glad to have another tank along for the support.
He scanned the line of vehicles moving out.
Although, with the number of tanks already here, one more probably won't make much of a difference to them.
Merlin watched through the darkness, looking to the east. He wondered when they'd run into resistance and where the front line was.
When word came that they were taking enemy territory, he still didn't hear any combat. Dawn came and went but there was no opposition.
“What's going on Gunter? I thought that once we reached the front there would be a massive fight?” he yelled over the engine noise.
“Probably the enemy is in disarray. This force is moving far faster than I've seen armor move before, that contributes to it. It takes time for an army to react and they aren't giving them that time.”
An hour later he lost any doubt as to whether he was on the front lines.
The explosion sent a tank farther ahead in the column lurching off to to one side. Merlin saw that the track on the right hand side of the tank was destroyed. The tank pulled off the side of the road, clearing it for the rest of the column.
Concerted gunfire rang out, audible over the noise of the engines. Several tanks slowed, rotated their turrets, and fired. Merlin wasn't sure if they hit their target or not but the combined tank fire destroyed a large section of the forest in the area they were aiming at and the gunfire ceased.
They continued moving until mid-afternoon, having small skirmishes at random intervals. Finally the tanks pulled off the road and came to a stop.
Lloyd slid up out of the tank hatch.
“The 2nd armored knows what they're doing. Their living up to their nickname,” he said.
“Why do you say that?” Merlin asked.
“They call themselves Hell on Wheels and they're living up to it. They've adopted tactics that maximize the ground covered. Did you see how when they took fire, a whole group of tanks would fire in return? A moving tank can't hit the broad side of a barn, but when they all fire at the same time, towards the same target? The entire area around the target gets torn apart.”
“This is a new tactic?”
Lloyd nodded.
“Yes, tanks normally cover short lengths at a time. We've already come twice as far today as most armored divisions cover in twenty-four hours. The day isn't over yet either. They're determined to get to Berlin.”
“Are they going all the way there?” Merlin asked eagerly.
“Only if they get orders for it. They expect those but haven't received them yet.”
Merlin mused about being able to ride the tank all the way to his target.
Lloyd was right about them covering a lot of ground, he thought. For me to walk this far would've taken two days, assuming no fighting. I hope they get their orders. If they do I might get there in half the time I expected.
The column continued moving against light resistance. They moved all day long with short breaks and then through the night as well. When the sun rose on the following day, it slowed them down not at all. By the evening of the second day, they were at the banks of the Elbe river.
The column formed a defensive perimeter and took sporadic fire throughout the night. On the following day more of Ninth Army arrived and engineers began building a bridge across the Elbe.
The enemy forces were determined that they not succeed. As the bridge grew across the river the engineers drew more and more fire. Finally, when the bridge passed the mid-way point, artillery shells began to fall. The span that crossed the middle of the river first was the first one destroyed.
Merlin decided to try out the shield the tankers had told him about. When he heard the shells coming in again, he quickly constructed a shield, anchored to the bridge itself. It was designed to spread the impact of the shell over a large portion of the structure, and it worked well. Unfortunately, the portions of the structure that took the force of the shell weren't strong enough to survive even the distributed impact and the engineers lost about a fourth of the bridge they'd already completed.
For the next several hours, Merlin tried various shields and other ways to deflect the incoming artillery. He discovered that anchoring a shield to the river bed, beneath the bridge, and giving it a slight slant would cause the shells to veer off at the last moment. Every time he heard the artillery, he'd shield the bridge. Keeping the shells off the engineers drained one of his last crystals of energy but by late afternoon, the 2nd Armored was crossing the river.
As the troops gained the far side of the river and tried to establish a bridgehead the fighting was fierce. The artillery ceased firing when they realized that they'd been unsuccessful in stopping the armored division's crossing.
The Welsh wizards, with Merlin and Gunter, were the last tank to cross the bridge. With Merlin holding the shields that allowed the others to cross mostly unharmed, they didn't want to disturb him. When they crossed the bridge, the fighting was still going on. The armored division had forced a small bridgehead just due to their numbers but they were unable to expand it against the German resistance.
Olli
e and his crew jumped into battle right off, trying to identify and remove the strongest points of resistance. It didn't seem to make a difference though. Germans kept arriving to replace those who fell, while the 2nd Armored had few reinforcements readily available.
Gunter and the other Welsh wizards guarded Merlin, who was resting from his efforts to shield the crossing.
In a brief lull of the battle Merlin spoke to Gunter.
“Why are the Germans so determined to hold here?” he said.
“Berlin is only fifty miles to the east. This armored division covered almost seventy-five miles in two days on this last advance. If they break through here and get orders to take Berlin, it could all be over in a couple more days,” Gunter replied.
“Desperation then?” Merlin asked.
Gunter nodded.
Merlin scratched uncomfortably. The scales had spread over the last few days. The process had accelerated during his efforts to shield the crossing. He could have asked Anguis to move so he could see the results, but he feared what that would reveal, so he didn't ask.
His emotions were roiling also. As the scales spread and the itching intensified, his desire for battle grew to nearly a full-blown blood lust. If he weren't exhausted from his efforts during the crossing, he'd be in the lines hurling fire and lightning at the enemy.
The fighting continued through the night. With no way to distinguish friend or foe certainly, Merlin continued to hold back from the fight. His own inner battle to avoid entering the fray so he wouldn't endanger the Allies took all his willpower.
In the early morning, Anguis slipped away from Merlin. He returned a few minutes later with several chunks of metal.
{I can feel your discomfort. Here, do whatever you did to the metal last time and eat it. It will help.}
Merlin knew he held part of a tank's armor but in the darkness he couldn't tell if it was German or American.
It doesn't matter either way, he thought. Anguis was right about this before and any relief will help. I don't know how much longer I can resist before plunging into the battle.
