Seeker (The Source Chronicles Book 1) (21 page)

Nadav’s mission may have been a technical success, but the cost had certainly been too high.

Chapter 17

Dak held the looking glass to his eye.  It was almost totally dark, and the fires on the walls of the barracks were the brightest source of light.

The fortress at Brivarn was a large affair.  Housing two companies of the Sharron Army, it was a defensive post against a southern invasion from the Medaelians, or any landing off the ocean to the south. 

The Town of Brivarn, to the west, was a walled trading post, as well as the location for the Southern Sharron University.  The school was a well respected place of learning, having produced some of the greater thinkers since The Falling, outside of the near legendary schools of Anaria and Afpar.

About four miles separated the two, and the barracks was built upon a plateau rising ten feet above the woodlands that surrounded it.  The forest had been cleared for nearly a hundred yards all around, and the walls stood a good twenty feet.  Easily defended, hard to attack without terrible casualties.  That was the case in daylight.

At night, fires were lit.  It marked the location of the barracks, and provided a defense against attack.  But it also ruined the night vision of the soldiers atop the walls, and though the blind spots this made for were relatively small, they were enough to be exploited with the proper planning.

Thorough planning was a big part of the Falcon Raiders operations.   The average military commander considered a night attack to be a large waste of time and effort, as coordinating a battle in the dark was difficult at best, and moving about with torches and lanterns provided wall-mounted archers with easy targets.  Worse yet, stumbling around in the dark was an easy way to injure more of your own soldiers than the enemy would.  All in all, not the best way to win a fight.

Lyrra-Sharron was well educated, and not the average military commander.  Neither was Dak Amviir.  Together, the unconventional plan they’d dreamt up would be an interesting study if it worked. 

Of course, they had every intention of it working successfully.

Dak stepped back into the woods, placing the looking glass in his saddlebag.

“Report,” Lyrra-Sharron commanded quietly.

“Before they lit the torches, I caught a dozen walking the walls.  I marked arrow slits every ten feet or so.”

“One of our people from Brivarn reported a company rode out this morning, going north,” Lyrra-Sharron reminded him.  “No doubt joining the search for us, though it is possible they are reinforcing our soldiers at the Medaelian border, if what we have heard is to be believed.”

“Let’s hope that whatever it’s about, they have less to defend the barracks with,” Dak stated.  His tone changed  “We’re all in position.  It’s nearly time,”

They both turned to look at the Sorcerer.  Cam stood, arms crossed, waiting.  “I only need about two minutes.”

Lyrra-Sharron took a deep breath.  “Alright.  Let us proceed.”

Dak, Cam, and Lyrra-Sharron moved back to the edge of the woods.  Cam would need to see their objective to do what they had planned.  Dak and Lyrra-Sharron both hoped he was right about what he could do.

They were on the edge of the treeline, looking at the fortress.  Cam sat down, beginning to focus.  Lyrra-Sharron drew a rapier, and Dak held a small hand crossbow, waiting.

Cam concentrated, took in the fortress before him, and then closed his eyes.  He began examining his power, thinking about what he wished to achieve.  It was not a very complicated magic required. 

He immediately found the sphere of light and color that was his power made material.  Cam looked over the opening, felt along its edges, noting how much it would allow him, really analyzing if what he wanted to make happen was possible. 

He could do it, he was completely certain. 

Cam paused, took a deep breath, then looked to Lyrra-Sharron.

“I’m ready.”

Lyrra-Sharron glanced towards him, and bobbed her head once in response.  She looked now to Dak.

“Give the signal.”

Dak pointed the hand crossbow up.  He fired, the tip scraping across the flint as it ascended.  Just above the road to the gate, it burst into a small blue flame that was there in only the blink of an eye.

From the road, flaming arrows soared out at the wooden gate, now sealed.  Several struck, and the portcullis began to smolder.

Shouts from atop the walls, and missiles flew out at the invisible attackers from the arrow slits nearest the gate. 

More fiery arrows responded, striking the massive door again.  It was well and truly beginning to burn.

Another storm of arrows lashed out from the slits, joined by more from the top of the battlements.  There was much shouting, and movement could be seen atop the walls between the flames, soldiers repositioning near the apparent attackers.

While this mayhem began, Cam had sunk into a semi-meditative state, concentrating on his power.  He slowly chanted in the ancient tongue, requesting his spell.  He was far more methodical than he’d ever been with the casting, and was certain he could understand nearly all of the ancient language he quietly bespoke.  And with the conclusion, feeling the energy build to a crescendo, he prepared to release it.

“Incendere.” he spoke quite clearly.

It took a moment to be noticeable.  At first, it was hard to believe.  Soon, it was unmistakable.

The torches became brighter.  Hotter.  Bigger.  It was soon almost blinding how powerful the fires became.  Not only those atop the walls, but any burning within the barracks, Cam had no doubt.

Both Lyrra-Sharron and Dak were clearly taken aback.  Cam stood, observing his handiwork.

“Not bad,” he said matter-of-factly.  “I’d probably start the stone afire at full power.”

Dak drew his sword, and Cam took up his staff.  Lyrra-Sharron gestured towards the barracks.  “Let us go.”

Crouched low to the ground, Dak ran across the open space towards the wall.  Once there, he stayed against it, between arrow slits.  A moment later Lyrra-Sharron followed.  Cam took a deep breath, and ran across the intervening space to join them.

Cam felt his heart thumping in his chest, nervous about being seen and shot.  He felt the cool air brushing his face as he crossed the field, heard the crackling of the flames, the twang of bows and crossbows, and conflicted shouts of the soldiers of the barracks.  Finally, he reached the wall, the smooth, night-chilled stone reassuring him that he was relatively safe.

“Ok, we’re this far.  Where are they?” Cam asked, taking hold of his breathing.

As if in answer, Andim and Kallan lead their group into view, for only a moment, then disappeared again into the woods along the side of the road. 

The blazing gates were throne open, and several dozen soldiers ran out.  Some threw buckets of water to put out the flames, while others charged into the woods to face the opposing force.  A sound tactic, leaving a solid defense.

If it had been a frontal assault…which it was not.

Dak stepped away from the wall, swinging a grappling hook at the end of a long rope.  The hooks were covered in leather and cloth, to prevent any sound when they hit the walls.  The torches made it almost daylight, and when Dak sighted his intended target, he tossed the hook up quickly.  He pulled, making the rope taut in his hands.

“Go!” he hissed.

Lyrra-Sharron sheathed her rapier, and grabbed the rope.  She climbed quickly.  Reaching the top, she clearly winced at the intense flame.  But it would not be as hot as it looked, being half fire, half illusion.  As she’d wanted.  In a moment, she was over the wall.  She gestured to the men below.

“Go!” Dak hissed again.

Cam started up the rope, pausing as Dak wedged the staff into his belt at his back.  He scaled up as fast as he could, elated at his own strength.  Soon he was at the top, freeing the staff first, then pulling himself over the wall.

The battlements were wide enough for a small cart.  The spell had rendered the night powerless, and it was clear the fortress was well maintained.  The odor of the torch oil permeated the air.

It only took Cam a moment to observe the soldiers above the gate, not seeing the intruders scaling the walls behind them, still seeking the attackers. 

It took him only a moment more to see that they had not arrived completely unnoticed, as soldiers were running towards him and Lyrra-Sharron from both sides.

“Spread out!” she cried, drawing her second rapier.

Cam faced the other direction, spinning his staff.  The first soldier to reach him had a longsword.  He struck, but Cam blocked.  Ducking, he swept the soldier’s legs out from under him.  As he fell, Cam stood, leaned in, and bashed the man’s head with the end of his staff.

*****

Deep in the state she referred to as battle meditation, Lyrra-Sharron calmly awaited the onslaught of the nearest soldier to her.

Her first opponent had a longsword, and his weapon met her rapier.  As she stepped forward and brought her other blade in, he stepped back, dropping his point down.  She neatly stepped even closer, catching his blade with her left-handed swords’ quillions. 

Clearly surprised, he looked at her face as she drove the point of her right-handed rapier into his chest.

*****

Cam’s second opponent had a longsword and small shield.  He attacked quickly, using thrusts and fast swings.  Cam spun his staff, blocking, backing up.  He could sense that he was getting too close to Lyrra-Sharron. 

Summoning his strength, he crouched, then leapt up, flying over the head of his attacker.  Landing on his feet, he quickly spun around, swinging his staff.  He cracked it against his attacker’s small steel helmet. 

The soldier stood a moment, dazed.  Then, he collapsed, blooding spilling from beneath his helm.

*****

Lyrra-Sharron faced a soldier with a two-handed sword, but as he swung at her, she neatly stepped to the side, bringing up her left-handed rapier, slicing it across his throat before he even completed his stroke.

An arrow whizzed by, followed by two more.  Then another soldier, armed with a rapier, met Lyrra-Sharron. 

He also wielded a long dagger in his left hand, and was exchanging attack, parry, riposte with her.  Their motion was a blur, but Lyrra-Sharron cried out as his rapier nicked her left arm.

Trying to play his advantage, the soldier stepped in, forcing Lyrra-Sharron’s blades down and out to the sides. 

But she’d let him in, and before he could bring his blades to bear from his parry and lock, Lyrra-Sharron swept hers in, crossing her arms, both blades slicing the soldier’s chest deeply.

As he began to collapse, Lyrra-Sharron took another step forward, to use his body as a screen against the next soldier.  Uncrossing her arms and swinging her blades out behind the back of the soldier shield, she thrust both blades into the chest of the next attacker.  Stepping back, withdrawing her blades, both dead men dropped.

*****

Cam had broken his staff on his last opponent, making it worthless.  He discarded it as the next soldier approached him. 

The man attacked, using a longsword.  Cam dodged, using the little time he had to withdraw the dagger behind his back with his left hand.  Holding it point down, the blade against his forearm, he ducked the next attack, slicing his blade upwards as he hit the ground.  The soldier collapsed, screaming, as his guts spilled out of the wound.

Cam rolled, but before he could get up, another soldier faced him.  He kicked Cam in the stomach, making him curl up in pain, the wind knocked out of him. 

The soldier kicked Cam again, this time in the chest.

Cam was unable to move, and sensed the soldier preparing to deliver a killing blow with his blade.  He felt movement from the other side, saw a shadow through his half open eyes, then heard the sound of a blade swinging through the air. 

Squeezing his eyes tightly shut, expecting steel to enter his chest, the next sound he heard was the dull thud of a crumpling body.

“Cam!” Dak called.

Cam rolled some, opening his eyes to see Dak Amviir standing above him.  His sword was in his right hand, bloodied.  He held the other hand out to Cam.

The sorcerer was hauled up, and for the first time realized there were no additional attackers.

More Falcon Raiders were along the walls, and fighting off soldiers.  The majority were still above the gate, as yet unaware of their attackers.  As he refilled his lungs, Cam watched Lyrra-Sharron finish a fight.

Finally regaining his breath, he realized he’d half-consciously jogged beside Dak over to her.

“You alright?” Dak asked.

“Yes, just scratched,” she said, indicating the ripped tunic and blood welling up from her wounded arm.

“We need to get the gate open,” Dak stated, acknowledging the battles being fought all around.

The flames were still bright, making the night feel like day.  Lyrra-Sharron looked to Cam.  “How long will that last?”

He shrugged.  “I don’t know.  Probably less than fifteen minutes, now.”

Falcon Raiders were pouring over the walls, and now the soldiers above the gate recognized that they faced a diversion.  Orders were barked, and the archers turned around, taking aim at the rebels on the walls.