Chapter 15

“They are here Lord Jake”

“With a force that large even I can see that Brent go to the tower and only use the swinging mace on my signal”

Brent bowed quickly and left Jake up on the Keep with a dozen trained guards and a group of marksmen. He did not even look at Brent once or anyone else for that matter because the sight of the two thousand man army Led by King Bev held his attention completely. He watched as row after row of infantry appeared from the forest and made camp at the same location the training camp use to be. Everything of value or importance had already been taken the day before but to see Bevs force taking over a place that once was his unsettled Jake.

On the walls stood three hundred with another hundred or so directly below them for when a spot on the wall was in danger of falling. If that started to happen the marksmen and other archers would thin the invaders then replacements would completely take it back. The archers on the group stood in front of a huge shield adding some protection to the waves of arrows that would be coming along with an extra bundle for each archer.

The air the hanged on the walls and around Jake was stiff but resolved for what had to be done next to protect their homes once again after such a short time. A growing noise could be heard on the wall and looking beyond it to the forest below revealed the King Bev had finally shown, his armor and knights standing proud and powerful on their horses with heavy armor. The King himself had no armor and instead wore his gold crown on top his head.

Far cry from what I am wearing

Jake shifted his body slightly trying to still get use to his new armor that had been completed last night. As it was made especially for him and used body measurements it was actually easier to move in. The most striking feature was the long curved blades that started from his wrist and moved as far done as his elbow. Hopefully it would allow him extra protection in case he lost his sword or to pull down an invaders shield. There was also a blades hidden under each hand and a blade the pointed out on top of his hand that extended an inch or so longer then his hand would be completely flat. It seemed wearing it gave the men around him a boost in moral, showing that they had a ruler that would fight with them when the time came and Jake was willing to fulfill those hopes.

“Looks like Remi was right, Bev thinks this is going to be a long day”

From his position he could see ladders come from the forest and continue to make their way passed the camp. Remi’s Phantoms had reported that pre built ladders would be making their way and causing an early day attack. With Sir Adam making it impossible to completely in circle the Keep attacking the wall was Bev’s only option. It would take some time just to reach the top of the hill to put the ladders on the walls. Due to how steep it was a past ruler had to cut side by side instead of a path directly down making any attack a slow and painful one.

From down below a series of horns were heard and the men that had just gathered started to make their way up. The earliest the archers could fire on them with decent accuracy would be when the ladders were about half way up causing the day before then to slow to a crawl. Jake stopped looking at the rows of invaders that were making their way up to them but instead looked at the tower where he waited for Brent’s signal to him to begin. His last look at the men coming and Remi’s reports showed him that every last man was collected for this army, there armor and weapons varied greatly with only those who personally paid for better gear or King Bev’s personal troops.

A flag suddenly came from the tower, swinging wildly out of an arrow slit to the side but that movement was not needed. Now was the time to begin, the start of a battle to win and in doing so the death as many of them as possible. The archers on both the ground and on the wall which was the first row on the wall, they all at once grabbed an arrow and knocked it.

“ARCHERS…FIRE!”

Jakes screaming command dozens upon dozens of arrows to launch into the sky, the arrows from below the wall making huge arcs while the ones coming from the wall a much more direct shot. When the arrows started to fall the men working their way up tried to protect themselves but did not work together making it impossible to block both the arrows coming from on top and directly at them. The first volley brought down a good deal of men but were replaced by others behind them and in return for Jakes attack a much larger amount of arrows returned there attack.

“SQUADS FORM SHIELD WALL”

Once again Jake yelled out and in response the squads of five did what they had been trained to do. Archers on the walls hid under the swordsmen behind them and shields were locked over them all. There were so many arrows that it sounded like one sound stretched over a number of seconds. When the last arrow fell it was clear the formation had done its job, yells could be heard and while a number had still been wounded few if any had actually died. The overhead that the troops on the wall stood under had been built for that very purpose and with its sheet of metal not a single arrow made it through.

There was no need for any loud orders since everyone had been told what to do beforehand, the arrows started to fire at will with Brent directing those on the ground. Jake did not have enough archers to stop them from getting to the walls but he had one trick to delay them a great deal. It seemed the direct arrows were having the most effect as the suddenly felled portions of a line at once. This made those carrying the ladders to move even faster over the bodies of their dead protectors.

“Well it’s about time I made my way to the wall, want to see it in person”

Confused about Jake was talking about it but not wanting to say anything his guards fell into line around him. He was in rush combined with the weight of his armor made his journey a slow one but he guessed would not be an issue. When he made it outside it seemed the archers were firing even faster with Bev’s troops nearly at the walls with their ladders. Jake jogged across the open area between where the archers stood and the wall, his guards forcing Jake to hunch over so they could raise their shields above him to protect from another wave of arrows. Quickly going up the stairs he was on top of the wall, those around him got out of the way so he could stand on the very edge. Looking down he saw a trail of bodies that led to the large group with ladders nearly ready to fling them upon the walls.

“My Lord we must get off the wall, the invaders will soon be where you are now”

Even the men who were already defending the wall agreed but Jake paid them no mind for he was not that worried.

“Ever see Game of Thrones?”

Before anyone could respond to another of Jakes odd questions a ladder rested right in front of him and he watched as even being cut down made their way up. One man on the ladder seemed to know who Jake was and grinned. Ten or so other ladders had now reached the wall and the men climbing them nearly at the top but still he was not worried, in fact this was what he had been waiting for.

“Raise the flag”

By Jakes command without looking at him the guard next to him raised flag of pure red causing Brent to disappear into the tower and from eyesight. A moment later a large snap could be heard and out from the large blanket in front of the tower came a huge spiked steel ball attached to a long chain. Its swing making its way over the length of the wall, the very reason the tower was built. As it went it destroyed the ladders resting on the wall and killed dozens, those it did not fell off or fell with it onto the ground and others.

Only Brent and his marksmen knew what was going to happen so the information would not weak out and quickly renewed there fire on the confused and disoriented attackers. With the ladders destroyed and the losses they suddenly had the attackers fled back down the hill. There losses had been great as could be easily seen from where Jake was but the defenders had lost people also. He knew they would be back the next day with spare ladders and told by Bev’s officers that they had to take the Keep or he would kill them himself.

It was now up to Sir Adam to get there in time before the wall fell since there ally had refused to help and no word could be heard from them.

How did your battle go Sir Adam?