Little update: A big thanks to those who are following this story so far! In case you are wondering, this is a self-written story (an amateur attempt I know) during the days when I was fascinated by the stuff about knights, castles, kingdoms and sorcery, you get what I mean. For those who wish to check out the previous chapters, here's the link! With that let the adventure continue!
Chapter 37
The next morning, Zareth and a handful of them in Drogo also received the news about the attack in Bresburg. The group decided to gather everyone at the stone wall to break the news to them and discuss the course of action.
"Wayne, Brad, stop sparring! Zareth's calling everyone to the stone wall for a meeting!" shouted one of many messengers, who was tasked to spread the message within the town.
"We'll be right there!" replied Brad.
The two of them kept their weapons, took off their helmets, breastplates, and the rest of their combat gear. Neither of them said a single word as they were still catching their breath after the intensive workout under the morning sun. Beads of perspiration trickled down their foreheads as they slowly made their way towards the stone wall. Most of the people were there by the time Brad and Wayne reached.
Everyone settled down as Zareth stood in the middle of the crowd. Age was catching up with him and he looked weaker and visibly more tired than the time Wayne first saw him. However, he had the respect of the ex-soldiers and Wayne could see that his presence commanded the attention of the rest.
"Today, I have some bad news for you. It's regarding our city, Doria."
It stirred a slight commotion in the crowd but it dissipated after a while. Wayne looked up to Brad, and saw that his trainer was looking pensive and worried.
Zareth continued, "I believe all of us know the existence of the Perisher, as well as his follower, Ariton the mighty psionicist. For the past twenty years, they have been operating sneakily outside our radar. It was only until the recent months when their appearances became more frequent. We were aware of their activities and motives but we knew we were no match for them if we clashed head-on. Initially, we thought the aura of immunity would last till the 12th day of the 12th month but we were wrong."
He paused a while, swallowed his saliva, and announced, "Bresburg was attacked last night. As we speak at this very moment, I'm quite certain that the Perisher has captured the town. I don't think it would be wrong to assume that they will continue their invasion up north. So, as we are all Dorians and this is our land, I hope to seek your opinions and ideas on what we can do to put up some resistance in order to impede their progress. I appeal to all of you to do your part for Doria!"
"For Doria!" shouted someone in the crowd and the rest of them chanted in a rising crescendo.
The rest of the morning was spent on discussing strategies and the installation of traps in various key areas. As most of them were in their fifties, physical combat was ruled out. However, Brad requested to bring a small group of the younger ones out to ambush the enemies. He elaborated in detail about his plans and ensured minimal fighting. Zareth was convinced and he appointed Brad as the leader of the ambush team.
Wayne had been listening quietly to the seniors' discussion all this while, and just as he was wondering what his role would be, he heard Zareth call his name.
"I'm here," he replied.
"You will be joining Brad's ambush team, but it's for the time being. The city needs you in time to come and you will know what you ought to do when the time is ripe."
Not knowing what to say, Wayne could only manage a nod.
It was a busy afternoon for the people in Drogo. While most people were involved in preparing the traps and nets, Brad briefed the ambush team about their individual roles followed by their areas of focus.
"Assuming the majority of the city's defensive forces would be in Iglius, our main priority would be protecting the castle. We don't know how strong Ariton's forces are, or how long the Dorians in Iglius will take to win or lose the battle, so I suggest we set out tomorrow morning."
Brad continued, "As we are an ambush team, we operate in small groups. We will need two main groups. The first group, led by me, will guard the route between the castle and Bresburg. Though the route looks inaccessible, I don't rule out the possibility of Ariton's forces bypassing Iglius. The other group will be led by our new boy, Wayne. They will watch over the outer side of the north gate, in case the Perisher chooses to backstab the castle. Considering they had taken over the east gate, we cannot discount that option."
The briefing went on for another hour before the group of ten dispersed to rest for the night. Feeling exhausted, Wayne went straight to his bed upon reaching home.
The violet sky gradually made way for the crescent moon and the myriad of stars. When darkness blanketed the city of Doria, Ariton pushed for the advancement of the next batch of skeletal warriors through the east gate. There were thousands of them, spanning all the way from the east gate through the grassy plains and into the woods of Doria. Despite their numbers, these creatures marched in sync as their metal armour clanked with each step they took, producing rhythmic sounds.
It was a stark contrast in Iglius. Pin drop silence filled the atmosphere of the populous town. Other than the patrolling soldiers, not many Dorians were out in the streets. In view of the events lately, most of them had gone into hiding. In the inn, Selera was eagerly awaiting the reinforcement troops at the inn. She knew fatigue would hit the first batch of soldiers soon and there was a desperate need for more soldiers so that she could implement the patrolling in the form of shifts. She waited and waited, and finally, the neighs of the horses were heard exactly two hours past midnight. Later in the morning, the contingents of footmen arrived and the encouraging numbers lifted the morale of the troops significantly.
By noon time, the two towns were packed with troops from their respective sides. It was patently obvious that bloodshed was unavoidable.