Night Calls the Raven (Book 2 of The Master of the Tane) (56 page)

“All arrows to me,” Dainz called. The men passed down what was left of their arrows, filling quivers as they went, until Dainz was surrounded by ten quivers holding twenty-five arrows apiece. He looked at Thane realizing what he had already determined and then sighed. “All right,” he said, “pass these out again, only five per person. The remaining
come back to me.” The men next to him nodded, carrying out his orders as they passed the arrows back relaying his orders down the line as they did so.

The shouts from below dropped off as the air broke with the sound of banging drums. Thane looked over the wall to see the enemy suddenly retreating back into the pass. “They retreat,” he called to the captain. Dainz rose and looked, the predawn slowly starting to give light enough at their backs to allow the HuMans a better view of the battlefield below. Both waited and watched for long minutes with nothing but the drums confirming the enemy’s presence. Then, out of the black beyond, large shapes suddenly materialized like specters in a fog.

“Trolls,” Thane confirmed. Ten large bodies marched forward, slowly approaching the wall. Thane’s hand instinctively dropped for one of the arrows at his side but stopped at Dainz’s command.

“Hold, Master Thane,” the captain called. “Let us first see what they are about.”

He nodded, and then caught sight of the white flag carried by the troll out in front. “They come to parlay?”

“Can trolls even talk?” Dor wondered aloud.

“Beware Captain,” Thane hissed a warning to Dainz. “There is something that smells worse than the filth of the dead in all of this.”

Dainz just nodded as they watched the trolls approach. As soon as they came to the first dead body, one of the trolls picked it up. “Do they come to clear the field?” Dainz asked, but his answer came almost immediately as the troll heaved the body forward against the wall. Another body took flight as another troll picked up the dead and also threw it forward.

“What is this?” Dor asked aloud.

Thane risked a look over the wall seeing that the dead bodies created a mound that ran halfway up the wall. Another body dropped on it near the top as realization suddenly struck him. “They’re building a ramp with the dead!”

“What?” Dainz looked over the wall confirming what Thane had just revealed.

“Dor,” Thane called, “take out the one with the flag.”

“But our arrows,” Dainz objected.

“Trolls are natural cowards,” he quickly explained as Dor drew back and took aim. “They will retreat if they feel they are outnumbered or at a disadvantage.”

Dor let fly, catching the troll holding the flag right through his left eye, immediately dropping him to the passage floor. The other trolls threw or dropped the dead they had picked up and with a roar of anger raced back the way they had come. But just as they passed out of sight, other forms rushed forward followed by the deafening roar of the advancing army.

“Hooks and ladders!” Dainz shouted as the first wave reached the mound of death below and scurried up the bodies carrying grappling hooks and ladders. “Hold your arrows,” he shouted. “Prepare the oil!”

All at the wall stowed their bows and pulled their swords preparing to cut the ropes from any hooks that made it over the wall or push back the ladders that were now being set and thrust forward. The horde swarmed up the stacked dead, pressing their weight against the ladders as they were pushed against the wall and the lead trolls took to the rungs. They had not counted on the pile up of dead bodies to cut the height of the wall in half, so no poles had been prepared to push back a ladder assault. As the men tried to shove against the heavy ladders filling with climbing trolls, they exposed themselves to the many enemy arrows that suddenly filled the air. Many of the men went down in the first assault.

“We can’t get throw the ladders back!” one of the men closest to Dainz shouted as a grappling hook bit into the wall next to him. Dainz’s sword fell quickly on the rope attached to it, dropping the climber back into the sea of enemy bodies below. All around them more hooks and
ladders seemed to be attaching themselves to the wall as the enemy climbed, coming dangerously close to overrunning the top.

Thane pressed hard against a ladder in front of him but was unable to move it, almost taking an arrow through his chest as it glanced past his side just under his arm. He fell back just as a troll’s head suddenly appeared at the wall. Thrusting his swords forward in a scissor move, he quickly dispatched the enemy but was almost immediately greeted by another troll following right behind. Other fights were breaking out all along the wall as more trolls made it to the top and were engaging the dwindling number of defenders.

Thane paused as a troll reached the edge of the parapet and was beginning to climb over. Calling forth a sudden burst of wind, he caught the troll right in the chest and sent it flailing back against the ladder and another troll just reaching the top. Both trolls held to the ladder as it suddenly separated from the wall toppling all that held to it back into the sea of bodies below.

“Pour the oil!” Dainz cried, running to help battle a troll that was getting the better of the soldier trying to fight him off. The fighting on the wall was quickly becoming desperate as the men at the great cauldrons lifted large handles protruding from the iron bowls and tilted them forward. The boiling oil spilled out onto the massing army below cutting off the screams of the dying almost as soon as the heated liquid devoured their skin.

There was a slight lull in the onslaught as the putrid smell of burnt flesh wafted its way into the air. The men at the cauldrons quickly refilled their pots with the extra oil, but it was sure to take too long before it was hot enough to cause any effect on the fighters below. Almost instantly, the dead were replaced by others who were eager to scale the wall and destroy the defenders above.

Dor ducked beneath a swinging cudgel aimed at his head before bringing his sword shooting up into his opponent’s groin, dropping the troll to his knees before taking off its head. Rushing over to help the captain take out an unusually large troll he yelled, “Have them pour the rest of the oil on the enemy.”
              “But it’s not heated yet,” the captain answered, thrusting his sword into the neck of another troll just reaching the top of one of the ladders.

Dor just smiled. “I have an idea.”

Dainz pulled his gore-covered sword back and then stepped away from the fray. “I’ll tell the one on the right,” he shouted. “You get the one back there,” he finished, motioning to the cauldron closest to Dor and Thane’s position. Dor returned to his post and quickly relayed the message. The men stared at him for a moment as if not understanding but when they saw the others suddenly dumping their oil over the wall, they quickly follow suit. Dor picked up one of the blazing logs set beneath the great pot and motioned with it towards Dainz who was watching him curiously from his position. A smile suddenly broke onto the captain’s face as understanding quickly washed over him.

“Back from the wall!” he shouted to his men as they struggled with the enemy that seemed to be breeching it now at will. The men quickly followed orders, allowing more trolls to make it to the top and over before Dor and Dainz tossed their ignited logs over the side.

Almost instantly, a great rush of flames shot up from below quickly engulfing the ladders, hooks, and bodies that were on them. The air was filled with the choking scent of burnt flesh sending up a black plume of smoke and ash that threatened to suffocate any who were too close. The trolls on the wall, suddenly feeling the tide of victory sweeping back, were quickly eliminated. Below, the flames caught onto more of the living, burning eyes and bubbling the skin of those pressed closest to the front. Long moments of torturous burning took the enemy as the press from behind did not allow them to retreat. Many caught near enough to the flames tried to scream but were cut off as lungs shriveled in the fire’s heat.

As the last troll was taken down on the wall, a great cheer went up from the men above as the first rays of a new morning’s sun broke through the night, shining brightly at their backs. They had held against the horde. The great body of trolls paused and wavered for a moment before turning as one and rushing back up the pass. Any who were too slow or were turned the wrong way were trampled in the retreat, now in full force, running away from the decimating fire.

The men rested against the parapet, dressing the wounds of those who could still fight and removing from the wall those too injured to continue or dead. The smoke still curled up behind them as the fires still burned the filth that had piled up. None could eat on the wall due to the awful smell of burning tissue so they went in shifts back to the barracks to get something to eat and wash away some of the gore left from fighting.

Dor and Thane were among the first shift to go since Thane needed to report to Haykon. Dor chewed silently on a piece of bread as Thane settled in against the barrack’s on the outer south side. Here he could do what was needed without being interrupted by the other soldiers. Though still respectful of two Tjal-Dihn warriors, many of the HuMans had voiced their thanks and showed as much support and friendship as they thought would be acceptable. Thane was grateful for the attempt at camaraderie but still wondered what they might feel should they know his true nature. Luckily, none had seen, or understood, what had happened when he’d knocked the troll and ladder back using the wind, but he knew that as the war progressed it would become evident that they were dealing with no mere Tjal.

He pushed away the sleep that was attempting to overcome him and called to the wind quickly, sending himself out with it along the plains toward Haykon. He passed the first relief party and felt somewhat heartened by their proximity but knew that it would still be many hours before they reached the wall. Continuing on he saw the second party and then a third newly gone from the city before he reached Haykon and made his search for Tam. This time he found her and Jack together in the practice ring that had been built onto the back of the colonel’s quarters at the city center. Tam had just blocked a fierce over the head strike. Going with Jack’s momentum instead of resisting it she guided his sword down as she sidestepped the attack and twisted around to his back. Pulling her sword with her she could have easily buried her fist into his face but pulled the punch at the last moment. He would have loved to have had the luxury to just sit and watch her.

“Hello, Thane,” she said, stepping back from Jack’s continued advance and bringing their practice to a halt.

“Where?” Jack said, putting down his practice sword and then turning his eyes to where Tam pointed.

Thane didn’t waste time on pleasantries, going right to the heart of the matter. He quickly told her about the battle at the wall and their casualty list. “We have thirty-eight able bodied men to hold the wall until the first relief gets here. The wounded will be sent back as soon as they are able to travel.”

“Any sign of Jne and her folk yet?” Jack asked.

“No,” Tam repeated the answer, catching the tinge of worry in Thane’s voice.

“How about the numbers at the wall,” Jack continued. “Is a hundred men enough or should we send more?”
              “He says a hundred are enough,” Tam answered, “as long as you keep them coming. They were caught off guard with the first attack but he feels that with the supply line secure and advancing every twelve hours that that should sustain them as long as nothing surprising happens.”

Jack just nodded his agreement tugging on his beard as he did so.

“I must return,” he said to Tam.

“Are you both still well?” she asked quickly before he could retreat.

He smiled weakly. “We are unharmed,” he said, though he didn’t add that the odds were against either of them making it back to see her in person again. Neither did he tell her that he would count his life cheap in the effort to get Dor back into her arms. He took strength in the smile of contentment mixed with concern that flashed across her pretty face as he called the wind to return him to his body.

Dor was watching him as he came back to himself and smiled. “So how was it?” he asked.

Thane shrugged. “Fine. Nothing new.”

Dor looked as if to ask something more but then seemed to change his mind.

Thane smiled slightly, understanding what was going through his head. “Tam looks good. She looks to be getting stronger every time I see her.”

Satisfied, Dor just smiled and nodded.

Returning to the wall, they watched as the smoke continued curling up into the sky. Thane directed the wind up the pass to keep the smoke’s choking stench and stinging ash pushed back away from the guard and heading toward the enemy. They all knew that once the fires died the assault would resume so they took full advantage of the respite they’d been given. Once everyone had eaten and returned to the parapet, a guard was set to watch so the rest could drift off to sleep where they were stationed.