“Stop squirming Kaewyn. I nearly had it that time.” Camilla said with a frustrated groan as she pulled at a strap. “I have seen children less fidgety than you. Is he always this difficult Yohren?”

“Not every time.” Yohren timidly responded.

Kaewyn appreciated Camilla offering to help him with his armour as it was next to impossible to outfit himself properly without assistance, but he was quickly beginning to regret his decision. She was rough, often tightening the straps to the point that he had to complain for her to loosen them, but rather than listen to him, she simply told him to stop whining. He hadn’t the courage nor the desire to press the issue further than that however and simply decided to bear through it in silence.

“Who helped you with your armour before you convinced Yohren to follow you around anyway?” She asked as she pulled a strap tightly, causing him to wince.

“I rarely wore armour until very recently. And when I did, it was usually my brother or father who helped me.”

“And did you make it as difficult for them as you are for us?

“…No.” He said tiredly. “Just hurry up will you?”

Kaewyn had never gotten used to wearing full armour, nor had he ever expected the need to do so. Perhaps that had been a foolish thing to believe, being a son of a noble house, but he had always thought that his brother and father would be the ones riding off to war and battle. Wearing armour had always felt tight and uncomfortable to him, though he had to admit that the more he wore it, the less it bothered him. He knew that if he were to be putting himself in harm’s way as he had planned then whether he liked it or not, wearing armour was a necessary burden.

As a lord and member of a noble family, Kaewyn could afford the very best quality of protection available. Armour was typically worn in layers and generally, the more layers one had, the better protected they were. One type of armour or protection was seldom good enough to keep a person safe in battle, where one faced a wide variety of dangers from sharp, blunt and ranged weapons. The bottom layer that rested against his skin was made up of his simple cloth tunic. Above that, he wore a thick, padded gambeson made from wool that was designed to cushion and to protect the vulnerable flesh underneath. The gambeson protected his torso and shoulders, but left his forearms exposed. The next layer, hanging over the gambeson, was protected by mail. The mail shirt was excellent protection against the cut of a blade, and the added benefit of a full shirt of chainmail was that it covered not only the torso, but also the forearms as well. Finally, Kaewyn could count on his coat of plates. This heavier variant of armour sat atop the mail and gambeson and shielded the wearer’s torso from all but the most determined of attacks.

All of these layers meant that his body was relatively safe from harm, though there were still points where his armour did not cover. Vambraces needed to be tied to his forearms and wrists, the task Yohren had set himself to. Camilla on the other hand, had decided to focus her efforts on correctly tying his greaves onto his lower legs.

“Alright, I think we are done.” Camilla stated as she rose to her feet. “You look good. How does it feel?”

“Like wearing armour.” He responded dryly.

She rolled her eyes at him and shook her head. “In a bad mood, aren’t you? I never knew you could be so prickly.”

“It is difficult to remain civil with you both constantly poking and prodding me.” He said angrily as he tested the fit of the armour by lifting up his arms several times. “You know that I have barely slept, Camilla.”

“I’m sorry. I should not tease you on the eve of battle.” Camilla said sombrely. “It’s just that I do not really know what else to say. Everything feels so… tense.”

“I know… but I should not let my anger get the best of me. I apologise.” He said earnestly. “It is just the nerves getting the better of us.”

Yohren let out a nervous chuckle. “Well at least now I know I’m not the only one feeling so worried.”

“You are always worried Yohren, there is nothing new about that.” Camilla chuckled.

Yohren looked at the ground almost ashamedly, before letting out a sad sigh. Kaewyn could tell that her words had hurt him.

“While it is true that Yohren often bears a furrowed brow, I would never doubt his bravery.” Kaewyn said, nodding his way. “We have come a long way since that brawl outside the tavern, haven’t we?”

“We certainly have.” Yohren said smiling, but his jovial expression quickly turned thoughtful. “I came to Oakerton wearing my father’s rusty old mail and barely any idea of what I was even doing. But now, I have everything my father ever wanted for me, thanks to you. I… owe you a great deal, Kaewyn.”

“You owe me nothing, Yohren. You have already proven your worth tenfold as both my retainer, and as a friend.” Kaewyn said warmly. “I am grateful to your father for sending you our way.”

“This is all very sweet and all, but a brawl?” Camilla questioned with an inquisitive smile while her hands rested on her hips. “What happened? I never imagined you took part in brawls, Kaewyn.”

“It was not by choice, I assure you.” He explained. “I was trying… unsuccessfully, mind you, to stop two foolhardy scholars from inciting a brawl in the streets of Oakerton. When it got out of control and violence broke out, well… Yohren was the only one brave enough to stand by my side.”

“You do not have to convince me, Kaewyn. I’ve seen his bravery first hand. You forget that he did everything he could to protect me when we were captured by that vile Garren and his men.” She said, smiling warmly at Yohren. “That is why I trust him to keep you safe now. Though I wish you weren’t putting yourself in such a dangerous situation to begin with.”

“Your plan will work, Camilla. Have some faith.”

“I never said it wouldn’t work, but I did say it would be dangerous… several times in fact.” She emphasised her point by hammering her palm with her fist. “Yet you still insist on throwing yourself into danger. Take care of him Yohren. He seems intent on getting himself hurt, or worse.”

“I will do my best, my lady.” Yohren smiled and nodded. “You have my word.”

“My lord?” The General’s voice called from outside the tent. “It is nearly time.”

Kaewyn took a deep breath and smiled a quick, nervous smile. He reached for his helmet that sat upon the armour rack, but Camilla beat him to it. She handed it over to him, her eyes full of worry. A thought then struck him, prompting him to reach for the token of Ohnix that hung loosely around his neck. He lifted the token over his head and then took hold of Camilla’s warm hands and placed the token in the palm of her hand. He saw her eye the item curiously as she examined the token with her fingers.

“If I do not return… I want you to take this token to Rahim for me. He will know what it means.”

“It’s beautiful.” Camilla said, hardly taking her eyes off of the token as she continued to play with it. “Why do I recognise the shape?”

“It’s Ohnix.”

“…Ohnix? You mean the old god?”

Kaewyn nodded.

“I thought the only people who worshipped him now were old men and those who live on the fringes of civilisation. I never took you nor your brother to be Ohnix worshippers.

“We’re not. Not really.” He corrected. “It was my father’s belief. He had a token just like that one. If I should die, I want Rahim to have mine.”

“I do not like you speaking of your own death so casually. It doesn’t feel right.”

“Please, Camilla. Promise me you will do this for me if the worst should happen. It will grant me peace of mind and allow me to focus on what I need to do.”

“Very well. If it will make you feel better, then I promise.”

Kaewyn chuckled and held his hands up in front of him. “There is no need to worry yourself. I assure you; I have no intention of dying. I’m only asking this of you as a precaution.”

“Famous final words…” Yohren said under his breath, but loud enough for them to hear him.

“Hey!” Kaewyn said.

Yohren quietly laughed to himself, but Camilla appeared to not find it so funny. She eyed Yohren like a hawk until he noticed and stopped his giggling. Kaewyn rolled his eyes and sighed, shaking his head with a smile.

“Come, Yohren. We should go.” He said as he turned and began walking toward the exit.

“Hey, wait a moment.” Camilla said.

He turned his head back toward her to see what she had wanted, only to see her coming toward him. She grabbed a hold of his shoulder and turned his body around to face her, and then leaned in close to his face, kissing him on the cheek and then turned her head away. She was obviously feeling shy for having shown him such affection in front of others. Yohren however, had the decency to lower his head and pretend not to notice.

Kaewyn could clearly tell just how much she had come to care for him. He placed his free hand, the one not carrying his helmet, on her shoulder, then gently pulled her closer, kissing her on the forehead and showing none of the shyness that she had. It didn’t matter to him that Yohren was there, nor would it have mattered if anybody else had seen them in that moment. Faced with the very real risks associated with going into battle made him realise that it was important to show the people you cared about just how much they meant to you. He wanted her to know, needed her to know, that he too had come to care for her more than anything else.

His own father had left many a thing unsaid. Kaewyn had only come to realise how his father felt about him through his brother. He did not want Camilla to have to wonder how he felt about her, but speaking so openly and without reservation was difficult for him. His father had always been a stoic man, both in public and private, and often scolded Kaewyn for showing emotion where others could see. He realised then, that while he idolised his father for many reasons, perhaps this was one way in which he should not seek to emulate him.

He wanted to tell Camilla so many things, but the words just would not come to him. Instead, he kissed her again, holding her tightly in his arms and hoping she understood what he was trying to say to her without words. He then made a silent promise within his own mind that he would give voice to his feelings and tell her how he felt after the battle was over. To tell her that he did, truly, love her.

Camilla was the first to pull away. When their eyes met it was clear to him that she didn’t want him to go, but after a short silence, she reluctantly nodded toward the tent’s exit.

“Stay safe Kaewyn… and luck be with you.”

“…and with you as well.” He replied with a smile. “…Until the morn, then.”

With his goodbyes said, he forced himself to move away from her. In the corner of the tent, he found his shield beside the armour rack. It was heavier than he remembered, but he picked it up and double checked his equipment like Arlan had told him to do before every sparring session. The last thing he needed now was to forget his own sword. Satisfied that he was ready, he gestured for Yohren to follow him, and cast a final warm glance toward Camilla, then headed outside.

With his helmet in one hand and shield in the other, Kaewyn emerged from his tent to find himself standing in the cold night air amidst a darkened camp. Only a few torches were lit by order of Marcus, as any additional sources of light could indicate to an observant enemy that something was happening. The camp was full of soldiers, standing in formation and chatting quietly amongst themselves. Many of them hopped around on the spot as a way to deal with the nerves. None were mounted on horses, as Marcus and the General both believed that in the tight confines of the streets the cavalry would be of limited use, and thus all of the mounted troops instead would fight on foot alongside infantry for the coming battle.

The entirety of the Greystone army had been assembled for the attack, a number just over one-thousand men. It was hard to fathom for Kaewyn that his force was nearly as large as the force that had invaded Greystone Province so long ago under the late Lord Severus, and that he had defeated them with such a small force. The thought was humbling and reinforced in his mind that he had to be cautious, even if the advantage seemed to lay so clearly with the Greystone Army. If he had managed to defeat such a large army with a small force, then there was no reason that his enemy could not do the same tonight.

As Kaewyn walked around the camp in search of General Alaric, he found that the shield he was carrying definitely seemed to be heavier than it had been in the past, but perhaps he was just not used to having to be the one who carried it around all the time. He felt awkward and stiff moving and fighting with a heavy shield weighing down his left arm, for he had not practiced nearly as much with a shield as he had without one. The styles were completely different, and he found during his many training sessions with Arlan, that he greatly preferred to fight without a shield when possible. In a real battle though, the chances of catching an arrow in the chest meant that carrying a shield was near essential.

Kaewyn and Yohren soon found the General who was busy giving last minute orders to a small group of men he guessed were some of the senior military officials and officers. When he joined them, they bowed their heads to him and departed. The General looked confident and eager, and told him that the orders had been given and that everyone knew their responsibilities. Arlan and Marcus joined them soon after, the latter of which was not at all prepared for battle, which told him that Marcus had no intention of joining them in fighting personally. Arlan however, was fully armoured and armed with both his sword at his hip and his long spear in his hand.

“The men and officers are ready for the attack, my lord.” Marcus said.

“Good. What about our soon to be Lord of Oscua?” he asked.

“Lord Tavian and his two hundred men have formed up in front of our own troops.” General Alaric explained. “When we see the signal from Jaird, he will attack through the gate, with us to follow after we know this scheme is not some sort of deceitful trap.”

“And what of Lord Rhys? Is he ready to move?”

“A messenger arrived after dark with his reply.” The General said. “His troops will be ready to storm Taneby when you open the western gate.”

“Then it would seem we are ready.” Kaewyn said. “Arlan, has Alaric briefed you?”

“He has, my lord. My men and I stand ready to follow your lead and clear the walls. Our objective is to assist you in opening the western gate for the Vinum Province troops.” Arlan answered. “But I do wonder why we are not bringing more than a dozen men.”

“Because.” Marcus interjected. “This plan of Kaewyn’s relies upon the enemy not realising that we intend to open the western gate. If they see a large force heading there, they will react and your task will become near impossible.”

“Very well. You make a fair point Marcus. Regardless, my men and I stand ready.”

“Good. Keep an eye out for Jaird’s signal.” Kaewyn ordered. “We must be ready to move the moment we see it.”

“My lord, before the attack begins, I must compliment you on formulating your plan so quickly.” Marcus said with obvious difficulty and pain.” I must admit, I struggled to come up with something quite as inspired as your plan in such a short time. It was ingenious of you to think of a way to use of our access to the walls to open up a second entry point into the city. It is a rather impressive plan. Doubtless I would have come up with something by now, but you have spared me the effort, I thank you.”

“No need to thank me, Marcus. Truth be told, the idea was not even my own. It was Lady Camilla who came up with it.” He revealed, feeling quite smug about the whole thing. “I am sure she would be flattered by your words.”

“Lady Camilla came up with the plan? Nonsense.” Marcus said in bewilderment.

“She did. The idea struck her only moments after our meeting with Jaird.” He said casually, in a deliberate way to make her achievement seem even more impressive.

“She cannot have…” Marcus stammered in disbelief. “You are making this up Kaewyn.”

“You said so yourself Marcus. The very idea was ingenious. Does that fact change because it was her who came up with it?”

“No, I… of course not. It is just that, in truth, my lord, I did not think her capable of such a thing.” Marcus explained. “…Perhaps I have misjudged her abilities.”

“You can tell her as such yourself after the battle.”

Kaewyn had half a mind to take the opportunity to lecture his advisor, but a bright light from the direction of Taneby caught the corner of his eye and drew his eye.

“Look!” Yohren said loudly.

Ahead and some distance away, from atop the imposing walls of Taneby, several bright puffs of flame fell from the walls all at once. In a stunned silence, everyone watched intently as the flickering flames fell all the way down to the ground and continued to burn at the base of the wall. There was little chance that it was anything other than the signal from Jaird. With a resounding cheer, Tavian’s troops shouted the name of their province and lord and then rushed forward in a frenzy. The ground trembled as they continued to shout and charge toward the southern gatehouse at speed. Kaewyn felt a rush of anticipation as he saw that the gate was opening from the inside. He knew now that there was no turning back. The battle for Taneby was about to begin.

“General, have the men prepare to move. We need to be ready to support Lord Tavian and his men the moment we know this is no trap.”

General Alaric nodded and then chuckled. “Do you want to give one of your speeches before the attack? Like the one you made before the Battle of the Rau?”

“Definitely not.” Kaewyn replied and then turned to Arlan. “Arlan, have your men follow me. Yohren, stay close to me, alright?”

He lifted his helmet up and brought it down softly over his head. It took him a moment fasten the strap under his chin, but already he felt claustrophobic. With every breath, he could feel heat rise up within the inside of his helmet and warm his face. It was unpleasant and only compounded the claustrophobic and restrictive feeling. He could only see through the narrow vision slits which limited his view to a thin horizontal plane that made it difficult to see up or down without tilting his entire head. He had always disliked wearing heavy helmets, but he knew they were completely necessary in the chaos of battle.

Ahead, the last of Tavian’s men disappeared through the southern gate to the sounds of dozens of horns blowing in the distance. Soon the entirety of Taneby would be plunged into the chaos of battle. Kaewyn heard the General shouting orders from his left for the troops to advance. As the troops advanced in an orderly fashion toward the walls, he nodded his farewells to Marcus and followed them out of the camp just behind the main force. The General had rushed forwards and disappeared amidst the army, but Kaewyn knew exactly where the General was thanks to his booming voice. The way the General shouted and commanded reminded him of his father, the late General Alaric, who perished in the last battle between Edderfield and Severus.

After a few minutes of jogging toward the walls alongside his men, Kaewyn heard General Alaric’s commanding shout for them to halt. His order caused the Greystone troops to slow their advance and stop just shy of the walls of Taneby. It was here that they planned to wait to see if Jaird’s collusion was an honest one and not simply a well thought out trap to lure them inside where an ambush could be sprung upon them. The sound of battle from within Taneby told Kaewyn all he needed to know about whether Tavian was truly on their side or not, but the sting of his overconfidence in Taneby Forest still burned deep inside of him, and thus he opted to wait a little longer just to be sure he was making the right decision.

Kaewyn’s position amongst the troops placed him right in front of the open gate. Peering through it, he spotted swirling figures and glints of blades reflecting the moon’s light. Bodies lay strewn about the in the distance. He looked to either side of him and recognised Arlan and Yohren, both of which stood ready to charge through at his command. Each moment he waited to give the order felt like agony, but he had promised himself to never act so rashly again after the forest incident, and so he waited and waited.

As the entire Greystone army stood ready just outside the open gate, several injured and bloodied troops limped through the gate toward them. Kaewyn recognised their armour as Tavian’s men. They were hurt badly, and one seemed to be unconscious and had to be carried by the others. He shook his head and knew that if he was to give the order, it had to be now. He drew his family sword and raised it in one hand, shouting as loudly as his lungs would allow.

“To battle!”

Kaewyn was the first to step into the gateway and as he continued to press on into Taneby, he heard an immense chorus of voices thunder and echo behind him.

For Lord Edderfield! For Greystone!

He didn’t dare look back. He rushed past the injured men and passed through the southern gatehouse, emerging within Taneby a seconds later. His first experience of the city was a grim one. Bodies lay everywhere, bloodied and beaten. Spears and swords lay scattered about the area, some were even embedded within the dead. Others who still lived, writhed in pain and agony as they squirmed and thrashed upon the tiled street, their wounds creating puddles of blood. Many of the lit torch poles that would normally have illuminated the streets of Oscua had been knocked over onto roofs of nearby buildings. Kaewyn suspected that this was how the many fires throughout the city ad been started, burning homes and places of business in every direction he looked. The smell of fire, blood, smoke and sweat, quickly made him feel sick to his stomach. He gritted his teeth and shook his head in disgust. He hoped he would never live to see the day that Oakerton or Xu Castle suffered the same fate.

Despite Kaewyn wanting to help Tavian, it appeared that the fighting in this section of the city was already over, which meant that Tavian and his men must have already pushed forward deeper into the heart of Taneby. He looked for any sign of where they had gone, but vision within the city was low due to the darkness of the night, and even though the many fires that now burned helped to light the city, the heavy greyish smoke they produced now obscured much of his vision. As he continued to peer through the smoke for any sign of Tavian, Kaewyn felt a hand grip his shoulder. He almost jumped in fright, but he turned to see Arlan and Yohren pointing toward the steps embedded in the southern wall that led up to the gatehouse above the gate. Somehow, he had almost forgotten their task in the rush of the moment. Arlan once again pointed and said something, but Kaewyn barely heard his muffled voice over the war cries of their troops streaming endlessly into the city. A dozen men stood apart from the rest and waited for orders. It was then that he recognised them as Arlan’s men, mostly former volunteers who had joined Arlan in pledging themselves to his service. Along with Yohren and Arlan, these men were the soldiers that had been tasked with assisting them open the western gate for the Vinum Province troops.

Arlan and Yohren jogged over toward the steps with Kaewyn and the men following after them a moment later. At the base of the stairs Arlan gave the order for them to ascend to the walls. As they began to climb, Kaewyn looked back toward the gate that they had just come through from his elevated position to see General Alaric ordering the rest of their forces into Taneby. He was organising the troops into smaller groups and sending them deeper into the city in all different directions, with the largest contingent heading north toward the city centre. He hoped that the Greystone troops would find and reinforce Tavian’s men before they faced the brunt of the inevitable Oscuan resistance.

Returning to the task of ascending the wall, Kaewyn realised that climbing the steps at such a fast pace in his heavy armour was no easy task, especially considering he was carrying a heavy shield in his off hand. He had never struggled with tackling steep inclines, thanks to living atop a hill all of his life at Xu Castle, but with the addition of heavier armour and a shield the steps proved tiring. He could hear the others panting heavily with each hurried step they took as the group climbed and climbed. When he noticed that they were almost atop the wall he let out sigh of relief

As one of the first to make it to the top of the steps and onto the southern wall, Kaewyn looked around for any sign of trouble. His senses were on full alert, but it was so dark that he could barely see where to place his next step. The entire area atop the wall and around the gatehouse was completely dark. There were no lit torches and only the illumination of the moon provided a light to see by. He guessed that the signal they had seen be thrown from the city walls must have been made up of the many torches that would normally be lining the gatehouse. He made out the silhouettes of many torch sconces around the gatehouse which were definitely empty. Kaewyn believed that Jaird probably removed the already lit torches from their sconces and then simply hurled them from the wall in order for the attack to begin. The question remained however, of where their conspirator had gotten to now that the battle had begun in earnest.

As he stood in the darkness catching his breath and waiting for the rest of Arlan’s men to make it up the stairs, he was suddenly startled by a scream of rage. Kaewyn turned his head toward the gatehouse and saw a massive hulking soldier wielding a giant two-handed hammer emerge from within the darkness of building. Before anyone could react, the massive man swung his hammer in a wide arc and missed one of Arlan’s men who was lucky not to be decapitated. The enemy soldier was obviously skilled with his hammer however, as he used the momentum of his missed swing to twirl the weapon around behind him, bringing the head of the giant weapon around for another swing. This time, Kaewyn realised that the rage filled giant had set his sights on him. He instinctively tried to step backwards, but his foot caught on something he couldn’t see and he lost his balance. Temporarily unable to defend himself, he watched in horror as the hammer closed in. He braced himself for the impact knowing full well that it would do him no good. Such a giant weapon wielded by such a massive man could easily crush him regardless of what armour he was wearing. Just before the hammer head smashed into him, Kaewyn felt a strong shove in his back force him out of the way. He crashed to the ground awkwardly and felt the wind being knocked out of him, but he managed to look up just in time to see Yohren braced defensively behind his shield right where he had just been, ready to receive the blow in his place.

“Yohren!” Kaewyn shouted out, but there was nothing more he could do other than watch as the hammer connected with his friend’s shield.

The sight of Yohren’s shield bursting into a shower of splinters as the hammer struck it, was as terrifying as it was enthralling. Pieces of shattered wood broke off and flew in all directions. Kaewyn watched helplessly as he watched Yohren fall backwards onto his backside. The massive man then readied himself for a third attack which would surely be the end of Yohren without his shield to protect him. As Kaewyn scrambled to his feet in a vain attempt to help, he saw Arlan dive in with his spear and stab their attacker in the hip, penetrating his armour several inches deep. The massive man groaned in pain and dropped his hammer. He then pulled a dagger from a concealed place on his chest within his armour and tried to lunge wildly at Arlan in an attempt at revenge. Arlan however, dodged the slow and predictable attacks with quick, deft movements before stabbing the giant again, this time in the chest. The man fell to his knees and tried in vain to swing his dagger once again, but all his strength had left him. Arlan pulled his spear from the man’s chest and stepped back out of range of his weapon. Blood began to seep heavily from the two wounds as the man toppled over and crumpled upon the ground in a heap, a pool of red slowly formed around his motionless body.

Kaewyn had managed to stand in the meantime, but as all others watched the now lifeless body of the massive man with mixed curiosity and caution, all of his attention was focused on Yohren who was yet to rise. He rushed over and knelt beside his saviour as Yohren cradled his arm against his stomach. It was clear that he was hurt.

“Yohren, are you okay?” He asked with concern. “I… I think you may have saved my life.”

“May have?” Yohren said, coughing and wincing in pain. “I definitely saved your life. I’ve never seen a man so huge. His arms were like small tree stumps.”

“That may have been so, but now he is very dead.” Arlan said, prodding the giant man with the end of his spear to check. “He could have killed you. He must have been waiting here for us, in the dark. If not for your shield…”

“My arm… I think it’s hurt.” Yohren said as he gently poked at it with his other hand.

“I am not surprised. Your shield is… well, it’s nothing more than a pile of splinters.”

“To be honest with you, I don’t think I could carry a shield now anyway. Not with this arm.”

“That is not good Yohren, without a shield you could catch an arrow.” Arlan explained. “Maybe it is best for you to go back to camp so Athaia can have a look at you. Tend to your arm. I will send one of my men to escort you.”

“No, I’m not leaving Kaewyn in the middle of battle. I can still help.” Yohren protested as he forced himself back up onto his feet. Kaewyn offered to help him, but to his surprise, he was not needed.

“I may not be able to lift a heavy shield with my arm anymore, but I can use that!” Yohren said, pointing toward something he couldn’t quite make out against wall of the gatehouse.

Kaewyn had trouble seeing it at first, owing to the low light of the area, but he made out a small cylindrical shape about knee height. It looked as though it were made from wicker or something similar, and inside of this container of sorts, was a large number of arrows. Beside the container, a simple short bow adorned with both a red and white feather lay unused.

“A bow?” He questioned doubtfully. “You need both of your arms to use a bow, Yohren.”

Yohren walked over and picked up the bow with his sore arm. He then tested the draw and nodded his head. Kaewyn saw that the action caused him significant pain, but otherwise he looked to have the full range of movement he needed to use the weapon. He found himself remembering the time he had disappeared from Xu Castle to hunt in solitude, but was later joined by Camilla and Yohren. That trip had ended in them becoming prisoners of Garren and his deserters, but before that, he recalled arguing with Camilla about who was to shoot their quarry when Yohren ignored the both of them and loosed an arrow himself, and with far more precision and skill than either of them had shown that day. He had proven himself a competent archer.

“Can you still use a bow?” Arlan queried.

Yohren nodded. “It hurts, but I think I can do it. One thing I do know is that I couldn’t carry a heavy shield even if I wanted to. I think this will work just fine.”

“I don’t know Yohren, perhaps Arlan is right.” Kaewyn said.

“I won’t put myself in harm’s way.” Yohren explained. “I will hang back and help you from afar.”

“If he stays behind us, he should be safe. What do you think, my lord?” Arlan asked.

Before he could respond, a familiar voice shouted his name from within the structure of the southern gatehouse. Arlan and his men turned their attention to the unknown voice and pointed their weapons in the direction the voice had come from. It was still relatively dark within the gatehouse and Kaewyn feared another attack, but a lone figure emerged from within the gatehouse a moment later with his hands held high in a non-threatening gesture. The figure, whose face remained obscured by the darkness, was joined by a dozen other silhouettes.

“I am sorry it is so dark here, Lord Edderfield. We seem to have thrown every torch in sight over the walls when we signalled you to attack.”

“Jaird?” Kaewyn asked. “Is that you?”

“Aye, Lord Edderfield.” Jaird replied, coming close enough to be recognised. “I see you dealt with Biggs.”

“Biggs?”

“That brute you killed. He was the other commander of this gatehouse. My shift was during the night, his during the day. Bastard must have suspected something because he came here with a few of his men.” Jaird explained. “He wasn’t pleased when he found out what we were doing. Damn near killed me. After we chased him off and defeated his men, I figured he abandoned the gatehouse, but apparently the bastard was waiting here to kill me.”

Filled with relief, Kaewyn let his guard down. Out of the corner of his eye though, he realised that Arlan had done no such thing. He remained wary with his weapon ready.

“Where is Lord Tavian?” Jaird asked.

“Further into Taneby.” Kaewyn explained. “General Alaric and the bulk of our forces are flooding into the city thanks to you, but we have a different task. Help us reach the western gatehouse from the walls Jaird, and we can open the gates for the Vinum Province troops as well.”

“I’m sorry, Lord Edderfield, but I must refuse.” Jaird said apologetically. “My men and I want nothing more than to fight alongside our new lord. We cannot let him risk himself in battle without us there to protect him. I’m sure your own men would feel the same.”

“But you are already here and you know the place.” Yohren said. “We could really use your help getting to the western gatehouse, and besides, you don’t even know where Lord Tavian is. He could be anywhere in the city by now.”

“That may be true, but it is our duty to seek him out. I am sorry, but nothing you say can change my mind.” Jaird said as he turned to his men. “Come men, we must find our lord.”

Kaewyn signalled for Arlan and his men to let the Oscuan pass. Arlan lowered his spear and stepped aside, as did the rest of his men. The Oscuan’s then descended the stairs and disappeared as quickly as they had appeared.

“Unfortunate.” Arlan said aloud. “We could have used their help.”

“No matter.” Kaewyn said dismissively. “We have wasted enough time here already. Lord Rhys is waiting for us. Yohren, if you think you can continue, I won’t stop you. Just… be careful alright?”

“I will, don’t worry about me.”

Kaewyn nodded “Let us continue on then.”

The group began to move west along the wall at a brisk pace. It was hard going at first, but with each step the movements became easier. As he moved, he found himself looking out over the city. The brightness of the flames only hinted at the that was taking place within Taneby. The faint sounds of swords clashing and distant screams spoke of a far greater chaos that could only be heard and not seen from up on the walls. He couldn’t even imagine what the innocent people of the city were going through as Greystone and Oscuan troops battled for supremacy of the streets. He felt guilt at what the commonfolk were enduring, but he bit his lip and pressed on, knowing inside that this was the only way to restore peace to their corner of the Revaryn Empire.

It did not take long for Kaewyn and his men to reach the south-western tower. The defensive structure sat directly upon the wall’s corner and blocked passage between the southern and western walls of the city. It was half again as tall as the wall itself and Kaewyn realised that the tower dwarfed those of Xu Castle by some margin. At the base of the tower a fortified wooden door which Kaewyn dreaded would be locked, appeared to be the only way into the immense tower and indeed, through to the western wall and their destination.

“If that door is locked… Kaewyn said between breaths. “...we are in trouble.”

“Do not worry yet my lord.” Arlan replied as they slowed their pace and came to a stop. “At least the garrison does not yet know of our presence here.”

“The garrison?”

“Look up there my lord.” Arlan said, pointing up toward the top of the tower.

Kaewyn followed Arlan’s pointing finger with his eyes until he spotted a faint light emanating from two narrow arrowslits nearer the top of the tower, indicating a possible presence within. At first Kaewyn believed no one was up there, but a moment later he saw movement as the faint light was suddenly and briefly obscured for no more than a second before returning to normal. Arlan saw it too, and silently signalled for them to duck their heads and move in closer to the tower to reduce the chances of being spotted. Kaewyn saw the wisdom in Arlan’s idea, as the narrow angle combined with their position directly below the arrowslits meant that anyone peering through was unlikely to see them. He believed that they were lucky to not have already been spotted on their approach along the walls, but figured that the tower’s garrison was more than likely distracted by the fierce battle being fought in the streets.

Kaewyn and the others pressed themselves against the cold stone wall at the base of the tower. Without hesitating, he reached for the door and tested to see whether it was locked as he had feared. When the door resisted his attempt to open it, his heart sank. Arlan looked to him, and although his face was mostly obscured by the relative darkness and his helmet, he knew that he was thinking the same thing. How would they get through? The men accompanying them soon realised the grim reality of their situation. Their shoulders slumped and many looked around uneasily and nervously. The men were uncertain, anxious, and he couldn’t blame them. He had led them into a dead end, a literal locked door. He felt like a fool. When he and Camilla had gone over the plan together in his tent, they both assumed that the garrison of the tower and western wall would have been emptied or at the very least, manned by a simple skeleton crew due to the breach at the southern gate.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

Kaewyn’s mind raced to find an alternative solution, but all he could come up with was descending into the chaotic streets below and finding another way up onto the western wall, a daunting task for a group no larger than a dozen. It was either that or they attempt to bash down the door, he realised, but if the tower was manned with a garrison, then they would be ready and could signal for reinforcements. Despair began to creep up in the back of his mind as previous failures came rushing to the forefront of his mind. His capture at the hands of Garren, putting Camilla and Yohren in danger, and his decision to ignore advice and press on into Taneby Forest which led to the deaths of many of his own troops. Every thought gnawed at his confidence and the pressure to come up with an idea was overwhelming. The others all looked to him for a solution, a decision, but all he could do was grit his teeth and try to hide his conflicted feelings from view while he continued to think on what to do. For the first time, he found himself feeling glad that he was wearing his helmet. It was then, in that moment where the stress he felt threatened to overwhelm him, that a thought came to him.

“How are we going to get in?” One of the soldiers nervously asked. “We have to make it to the western gate.”

“This isn’t good.” Another said.

“Steady.” Arlan said coolly while gesturing for calm. “Lord Kaewyn and I will come up with something.”

“Arlan, I might have an idea.” Kaewyn said as he pressed himself up against the wall right beside the doorway. “Position yourself opposite to me, and get ready.”

Arlan nodded and immediately acted without question or hesitation. He ordered the men with a quiet but firm voice to take positions on either side of the door and prepare themselves for a fight. He might not have known what the idea was, but Arlan acted with a complete trust in him. It was comforting for Kaewyn to have someone believe in him so freely, despite the dire situation.

He took a deep breath, cleared his throat and then shouted.

“Open the door! Get out here and help!”

After a short delay, a voice called back from within the tower.

“Who’s there? Who is that down there?”

“We serve under Jaird from the southern gatehouse. The invaders have broken through and are pouring into the city. We need your help!”

“Commander Jaird?” The voice asked suspiciously. “is he with you?”

“…No, he ordered us here to bring more men to defend the southern gate.” Kaewyn replied, hoping that his deception was believable. “Come on, hurry up and get out here before Taneby is overrun.”

When no response was forthcoming, Kaewyn thought his gambit to fool the garrison had failed, but thankfully the silence was soon broken by a muffled voice.

“Eh, not sure about all this.” The voice said hesitantly. “How do I know this is the truth?”

“Commander Biggs said that if any refuse to do battle against the invaders tonight, he will execute them himself.” Arlan added, catching on to Kaewyn’s scheme.

“Commander Biggs? Oh shi—” Another voice cursed.

“Quiet!” The hesitant voice shouted. “Alright… we’re coming out. Just hold on a second.”

“Hurry up and open the door.” Another Oscuan said. “I’d rather fight Greystone soldiers than mess with Commander Biggs!”

Kaewyn backed away from the door and positioned himself to the side, just out of sight should the door be opened. He then held his shield in front of him for protection, with his sword held high and ready to strike. After a few moments of relative silence in which only the faintest sounds of fighting could be heard in the distance, the door’s lock clicked, and the door opened. The warm light from within the tower streamed out of the doorway.

Without the slightest hesitation, Arlan rushed through the door spear first. Kaewyn, despite his fear, mustered his courage and forced himself into action, following behind as quickly as possible and all the while hoping that his own men would do the same. He turned the corner in time to see his brave friend plunge his spear deep into the chest of the one who had been fooled into opening the door. Three other Oscuan soldiers stood stunned inside of the tower, but when Arlan could not pry his spear from the chest of their fallen friend, they sprang into action eager either to avenge him or to save themselves. Arlan, still unable to retrieve his spear, abandoned his weapon and drew his blade from its sheath just in time to parry two blows with one swift motion.

Kaewyn rushed in to assist Arlan but found that although from the outside the tower seem gargantuan, the inside of the tower by comparison was a rather small space. He was intercepted by the third Oscuan who lunged at him with his short sword. He instinctively lifted his shield to protect himself and felt the enemy’s blade bounce harmlessly off of the steel rimmed edge. He braced for another attack, but when nothing happened, he looked over his shield and saw that his opponent had stepped backwards and moved out of range. In fact, the Oscuan soldier had backed himself all the way into the corner of the room up against a table. Kaewyn saw the panic and fear in the man’s eyes as the two other Oscuan soldiers were handily dispatched by Arlan in quick succession. Now alone and faced with both Arlan and Kaewyn, the lone soldier looked around for a way out but he was completely trapped. The only other exits were a door on the far side of the room and a stairway that must have led further up into the tower.

The Greystone troops began to flood into the tower through the door behind Kaewyn, but many of them were forced to remain outside due to the lack of space. The soldiers who managed to squeeze in quickly surrounded the petrified soldier and pressed him further into the corner, pointing the sharp tips weapons at the man aggressively. As the men closed in on him the Oscuan soldier swung his short sword in front of him in an attempt to control the open space between them. Kaewyn felt a touch of pity for the desperate man as he was clearly terrified for his life.

“Lay down your arms!” Kaewyn shouted.

“N…no! Never!” The desperate soldier screamed. “Greystone invaders! I’ll never surrender to you!”

The lone soldier then rushed forward aggressively toward him and screamed something completely unintelligible. Kaewyn raised his shield to protect himself, but the effort was unnecessary. In the small, cramped room, the Greystone soldiers easily intercepted the lone Oscuan and cut him down swiftly before he could do any harm to their lord.

Kaewyn breathed easy for only a moment before something caught his attention. He heard a subtle creak, like a wooden floorboard straining under a heavy weight, and then a sudden click. The soldier standing beside him crumpled to the ground as a bolt embedded itself into his neck. Before the unfortunate soldier had even hit the ground, Kaewyn looked to where the bolt had come from and saw an Oscuan soldier standing halfway down the stairs, reloading his crossbow with a fresh bolt. Behind him, several more Oscuans charged down the stairs shouting battle cries.

For Taneby! For Oscua! Kill the invader!

Arlan shouted for the men to engage and gestured for Kaewyn to stay back. There were five Oscuan soldiers that had come down the stairs, as well as the one who wielded the crossbow. Inside the tower, the numbers between the two groups were relatively even, as about half of the Greystone troops could not enter and fight within the limited space. Kaewyn knew, that as one of the few already inside, he needed to be in the fight alongside the others. He truly appreciated that Arlan wanted him to be safe but he was not about to hang back and watch as their men risked their lives for him.

He moved in alongside Arlan and his men who were trading blows with the enemy soldiers in the cramped space, and found himself squared up with a particularly vicious looking Oscuan. The man wore little armour but wielded a gnarly hand axe. His face was scarred and his facial hair uneven and patchy. The Oscuan shouted something and tried to catch him off-guard with a quick strike but Kaewyn pushed the attack away easily with his shield. The Oscuan then changed targets, and tried to sneak in a cheeky attack on the Greystone soldier to Kaewyn’s right who was busy with his own engagement. Kaewyn managed to react just in time, and parried the blow on behalf of his ally. The Oscuan, enraged by Kaewyn’s counters, unleashed a flurry of attacks, hacking and sometimes even embedding his axe briefly into Kaewyn’s shield. This man was insane, Kaewyn thought as he felt the axe hit his shield once more. Sensing an opportunity, Kaewyn pushed forward with his shield into his opponent’s chest and knocked him off of his feet. Before he could capitalise on his advantage, he heard another click in his left ear and instinctively ducked his head. With a heavy thud, he felt the bolt lodge itself firmly within his shield, noticing that the head of the bolt had managed to pierce all the way through to the inside of his shield and only barely missing his arm by the size of a fingertip.

While he pondered just how fortunate he had been to not have been skewered by the bolt, the Oscuan with the axe had regained his feet and continued his assault with renewed vigour. Kaewyn defended himself by using his shield again but this time he wanted to go on the offensive. After absorbing the latest blow, he pushed the Oscuan away with his shield and then followed up with an overhead strike. Frustratingly, his attack was slow and clumsy and therefore easy to predict. The Oscuan simply swatted his blade away with the head of his axe and countered, almost catching him by surprise. He had not trained much with both the shield and sword together and he was finding it difficult to manipulate the blade with sufficient strength with only the one hand. The tight confines of the room also made it very difficult to manoeuvre and get much strength on an attack. As much as he thought he could do better with both hands on his sword, his trusty shield had already saved his life several times tonight and he was not about to give it up.

Just when Kaewyn thought his opponent was getting the better of him, he noticed that the Oscuan with the hand axe had ceased his assault. His scarred face, rather than show anger and rage, changed to one of serious concern and panic. The Oscuan then abandoned the fight and turned around, rushing to the door on the far side of the room by the stairs that Kaewyn had spotted earlier. Then the Oscuan opened the door and disappeared through it. For a brief moment Kaewyn was confused, but then he realised that the door must have led to the western wall. That was where they needed to go if they were to reach their goal of opening the western gate, he realised. With one of their own fleeing the fight, the other Oscuan’s began to withdraw toward the stairs and door in quick order. Whether the scarred Oscuan was going for help or simply saving himself, Kaewyn could not say, but his flight had caused his fellow Oscuan’s morale the plummet.

Arlan called out for everyone to continue pressing the Oscuan troops now that the advantage was theirs, and then expertly dispatched another enemy who had been unlucky enough to be matched against him. The Greystone troops replied with a cheer and pushed forward, sensing their victory was near, but Kaewyn spotted that the crossbowman on the stairs had readied another bolt. With his crossbow firmly in hand he took aim directly at one of the Greystone troops who was preoccupied with his own fight to notice the danger. Kaewyn shouted out a warning, but the soldier hadn’t heard him over the sounds of the fighting. He was about to shout again, but a whoosh in his ear caught his attention. The crossbowman on the stairs went limp as an arrow pierced his chest, causing him to tumble down the stairs ignobly. Kaewyn turned his head to see where the arrow had come from and saw Yohren standing in the once locked doorway, in his hand the bow he had claimed earlier. He was grateful to his friend for the timely intervention and nodded his head to show it. Yohren’s skill with the bow had proven invaluable.

Kaewyn returned his attention to the fight, but soon realised that Arlan and the Greystone soldiers inside the tower had managed to cut down the remaining Oscuans without difficulty, except for two who had managed to evade them and flee back upstairs to the top level of the tower. The Greystone troops took a moment to reorganise and assess their situation. Nearly all of the six Greystone soldiers that had fought inside of the tower had been injured to varying degrees of severity, and the unlucky man who had taken the bolt was in a critical state and in dire need of medical attention. He was no physician, but Kaewyn could tell that the soldier was unlikely to survive without immediate aid.

With the Oscuan’s dead or gone, there was room for the rest of their small force to enter the tower. Arlan immediately ordered some of the fresh soldiers to follow him upstairs as he chased after the fleeing Oscuans in an effort to clear the tower completely. From among the other fresh soldiers, Kaewyn was surprised when one of the younger soldiers whom he guessed was no older than his twentieth year, immediately began to tend to the man in a critical state. When Kaewyn questioned him, the young man revealed that he had apprenticed to a healer for many years in a remote village on the border of Greystone and Vinum, and that he knew a thing or two about treating injury. He then asked if the man would live but the young man simply promised to do his best, then explained that what the injured man really needed was a trained physician and not a healer’s apprentice. For a brief moment, Kaewyn considered having the injured man carried all the way back to camp so that Athaia could treat him, but there was no guarantee that they would even make it back safely or that the soldier would live even if he did make it to Athaia. In addition, he would need to send at least two men to carry him, and with the other wounded troops scattered about the tower, their number of fighting men had already been depleted enough that their chances of succeeding in their task had already been reduced.

Kaewyn wandered briefly around the room as he assessed their situation. He first ordered for his men to clear the tables for the more seriously wounded, especially the soldier with the bolt in his neck and then thought on what course of action to take. The wounded needed to be taken care of, but their task was not yet done. Should they push on and leave the wounded in the tower? Or send them back to Athaia and press on with even fewer troops? As he pondered which decision to make, one of the men got his attention and alerted him that a single soldier was rushing toward them from the southern gatehouse. Confused, Kaewyn ordered the men to stand ready. When the soldier got closer, he recognised him as one of theirs by the armour he wore. The soldier confirmed it when he yelled out Kaewyn’s name.

“Lord Edderfield!” The soldier shouted.

“Get inside.” One of the Greystone troops said.

The soldier, still breathing heavily, passed through the door and rested with his hands upon his knees. Kaewyn asked what the soldier’s purpose was and learned that he was a messenger sent by General Alaric. The General’s messenger explained that Lord Tavian’s forces had been encircled and were now trapped in the city centre, cut off from the Greystone forces. Despite repeated attempts by General Alaric to break through the Oscuan troops to relieve Tavian, he and his men remain isolated and were in danger of being completely wiped out. The messenger then went on to say that General Alaric was adamant that they complete their task and open the western gate for the Vinum troops as soon as possible, otherwise It was likely Tavian would not survive for much longer.

Kaewyn bit his lip and swore out loud. He could not let Tavian die trapped behind enemy lines. He realised then that his choice had just been made for him. Regardless of their current situation, they had to press on and make for the western gatehouse without delay. The wounded would have to remain here and hope for treatment later.

“Do you have orders or a message you want returned to the General, milord?” The messenger asked.

“I have a more important task for you.” Kaewyn said. “Ready yourself and join the men."

“Milord? But I…I am just a messenger.”

“Enough, we need as many men as we can get with our wounded out of action.” He said firmly, settling the matter.

Kaewyn thought that the messenger looked as though he wanted to protest, but thought better of it. Instead, he joined the others who rested while time permitted them to do so. With the more seriously injured under the care of the young man with healing experience, Kaewyn decided that it was time for them to press on to the western gatehouse. As if on cue, Arlan and his men came down the stairs. They moved tiredly and without the vigour and eagerness that they had possessed when they had first chased after the Oscuans. He could tell that something was wrong, and before he could even ask, Arlan explained that they had killed the two Oscuans who had fled earlier, but a third hidden Oscuan had managed to kill one of the Greystone troops and badly wound another before going down. It was bitter news for the group to hear. Looking around the room, Kaewyn saw that the spirits of the troops had dropped. It was his responsibility as the lord to serve as an example and motivate the troops in times such as these, but he too, felt as they did. He felt responsible for these men and with one dead, another likely to die without treatment, as well as many other wounded, it was hard for him to remain positive. With their number of fit fighting men reduced even further, their all-important task had become that much more difficult as well. The men were tired and even those lucky enough not to have suffered wounds no doubt still bore aches and pains from battle and exertion. They all took their opportunity to sit and rest, or lean against the walls to recover, and while he understood the need for rest, he also knew that in battle and war, momentum was everything. He couldn’t just let everyone sit around while their motivation plummeted, especially with Tavian and his men in such imminent danger. Every moment they delayed, more and more of Tavian’s men were dying in the city. He pulled himself back to his feet and pushed the negative thoughts from his head, ordering the men to move with a stern word reminiscent of the late General Alaric.

“I know you are all tired, some of you are worse than tired, but the time has come for us to press on to our objective. If we do not get the western gatehouse open for Lord Rhys and his troops soon, then many more of our brothers will be dead come the morning.” Kaewyn said emphatically. “When this battle is over, I do not want to think back and wonder if I could have done more to save the lives of our men. That is why I ask you to follow me into danger again. Not for myself nor for the possibility loot or plunder, but for your fellow soldiers down in the city fighting against a determined enemy as we sit here and have the luxury of rest. Come on, on your feet. Help me get that damned gate open!”

His words had an immediate effect upon all present. Even Arlan, who had lost his casual and calm confidence since returning from the upper part of the tower, seemed to return to his normal self after hearing him speak. As the men gathered their weapons and prepared to move, Kaewyn saw that his words had also had an effect on the wounded too. Several of the less seriously wounded, mostly those with nasty gashes, cuts and severe bruising, and even a man with a broken arm, stood and began to prepare to move as well. He shook his head and told them to stay behind, but they turned his own words against him, quoting that he had said only a few moments ago that he would need as many men as he could get. With a grateful smile, he nodded and helped them to their feet. He was truly honoured to be leading such brave men into battle. He only hoped that no more of them would have to die for them to succeed in their task.

Without waiting any longer, Kaewyn made his way to the doorway that the scarred Oscuan had fled through during the fight for the tower. He suspected that it led to the western wall and their destination, but truthfully, he was only guessing. With Arlan, Yohren and his brave men behind him, Kaewyn opened the door and stepped outside with his troops. His eyes had grown used to the brightly lit interior of the tower and took a moment to readjust to the relative darkness outside. To his relief, Kaewyn found that the door did indeed lead to the western wall. From his vantage point, he surveyed the area at a glance and saw that the flames had spread further throughout Taneby. The once distant sounds of battle had grown louder and more intense. He only hoped his Oscuan allies under Tavian could hold out a little longer. Determined to have the western gate opened as soon as possible, Kaewyn let out a commanding shout, ordering the men forwards at a quick pace. In the distance ahead, he could only barely make out a silhouette of what he guessed was the Western gatehouse. Their target was just a little farther on.

Although his feet were sore and his legs had long since begun to ache, he and the others moved relatively quickly along the top of the wall. The group however, had to slow after a short while when some of those carrying injuries began to fall behind. Once they picked up the pace again, it was not long before they had travelled nearly all of the way from the southwestern tower to what was now clearly the western gatehouse.

Arlan called for them to slow their pace and duck low as movement was spotted ahead, but his efforts were for naught. The enemy appeared to be completely aware of their presence. A force of Oscuans relatively equal in number to their own, stood in a formation of locked shields across the top of the wall. Their defensive position completely blocked the way through to the gatehouse behind them. Each Oscuan was armed with a rounded metallic shield, and out in front of this formation were two Oscuans. One Kaewyn recognised as the scarred man who had fled from the tower, while the other Oscuan wore a steel winged helmet and laughed loudly at their approach. The scarred one must have warned them that they were coming, Kaewyn realised. Cursing his luck, he ordered for his men to form a shield wall of their own to match the Oscuan formation. As the men obeyed his order and organised themselves into their positions, Kaewyn saw Yohren nock an arrow and crouch low behind the others. Impressed by his sneakiness, he sidestepped and positioned himself in such a way that made Yohren less likely to be seen.

“Careful my lord…” Arlan whispered. “I do not see an easy way to overcome them, prepared as they are. This will be a difficult engagement no matter what strategy we employ.”

“I am commander Silarn of the western gate of Taneby.” The Oscuan with the winged helmet identified himself, then gestured to the scarred man. “And you’ve already met my friend here.”

The casual confidence of the commander made Kaewyn feel uneasy. Down in the city below, homes and businesses burned as the common people scrambled to safety. The sound of battle echoed down every street while smoke and fire obscured vision and choked the air. The populace of Taneby were suffering, the very same people this commander had sworn to protect. He couldn’t understand how the commander could be so calm considering the circumstances. If the situation were reversed and it was he who stood in defence of an enemy force attacking Xu Castle or Oakerton, he doubted he would be acting so callously.

“Who among you is leader?” Silarn asked with a wicked smile.

“I lead these men.” He replied.

“And who are you?” SIlarn asked again. “We may be at war, but we can still exchange pleasantries. And if it comes to blows, I would prefer to know whom I bury afterward.”

Against his better judgement, Kaewyn decided to reveal his identity. If nothing else, perhaps it would give his words some credibility and authority if it came to a negotiation.

“I am Lord Kaewyn Edderfield.” He responded. “I would ask that you tell your men to lay down their arms and surrender. As commander, it is your responsibility to protect those under your command. As Lord, I can guarantee both you will not be harmed and treated well.”

Silarn cocked his head to the side and snarled. “You’re… Kaewyn Edderfield? The bastard who slaughtered our brothers during the Battle of the Rau?”

“Enough talk.” Arlan shouted. “We will control Taneby by morning. Nothing you or your men can do here will prevent that. Better to save the lives of you and your men and live to fight another day.”

Silarn shook his head aggressively and drew his longsword, causing both sides to step back defensively. “I was there you know. I barely escaped with my life. I made it back to Taneby on a half dead horse, my sword lost to the battlefield. Many of my friends were not so fortunate that night.”

Kaewyn winced in regret, thinking now that it may have been wiser to refrain from revealing his identity so quickly. The Oscuan commander was growing increasingly agitated with every word he spoke. He walked one way and then the other, all the while staring at him with a look of pure hatred. Behind him, his men were feeding off of his energy, building themselves up into a frenzy. He knew now that there was little chance of this ending without violence.

“I have been a soldier for thirty years, but I have never had the displeasure of meeting someone as vile and devious as you, Lord Edderfield! All you do is attack in the night, relying solely on surprise rather than the strength of your soldiers. First at the Rau and now here at Taneby. You deny honourable men the chance to die in battle, instead, you slither like a snake and take their lives before they can even grasp their weapons.” Silarn said angrily. “You’ve even managed to convince our very own Lord Tavian to turn against his own people with that snake like tongue of yours, but my men and I will NEVER surrender to the likes of you. We would rather see ourselves flung from these walls to our own deaths than be subject to your mercy.”

Behind Silarn, his Oscuan troops let out a cheer of support for their commander. They began to beat their shields in unison and hurl insults toward their Greystone counterparts. Words accusing them of cowardice and worse rang out from behind their shields, followed by mocking laughter. Such insults did not worry Kaewyn, but he could see that Arlan and the other soldiers thought differently. Many men, including Arlan himself, retorted with profanities of their own. He could feel the anger emanating from them as the insults grew louder and louder. Kaewyn tried to calm his men but when the scarred Oscuan insulted the late Lord Corrhen and then spat on the ground. Lord Corrhen was well loved by both the people and soldiery of Greystone Province and an insult to him was near sacrilege. With his death still a recent memory, the insults were too much for the Greystone troops to endure. Three of Kaewyn’s men broke ranks and rushed forward in a frenzied charge. Arlan shouted an order in an attempt to recall them but they either hadn’t heard him or didn’t care to listen. Silarn and the scarred Oscuan hastily withdrew behind their formation just in time to avoid the three uncontrollable men, who then smashed violently into the Oscuan shield wall. With a shout from Silarn, the Oscuan troops reacted in an instant and moved to surround the three Greystone troops.

Kaewyn shouted desperately for his own men to counter the Oscuan movement, but as they charged forward he realised that it was already too late. Yohren loosed several arrows in an attempt to support the reckless soldiers from afar catching one of the Oscuan soldiers in the shoulder, but the rest of his arrows bounced harmlessly off of the Oscuan shields. The Oscuans then handily finished off the three Greystone troops and turned in time to meet the charge behind their shields. Now outnumbered, Kaewyn ordered for the men to withdraw. Thankfully these men were more responsive to his command than the three who had rushed forward and began an orderly retreat as one unit. The Oscuans however had no intention of giving up their significant advantage.

“Remember our brothers who died at the Rau! Attack!” Silarn shouted, causing his men to charge forward. “Kill them all!”

“Hold!” Arlan shouted in response. “Hold fast. Do not let them surround us! Watch the flanks!”

Kaewyn saw that on the far-left side of the Greystone formation, a gap had appeared between two soldiers where one of three that had recklessly charged off had originally been. Knowing that a gap could easily become a rout if the enemy exploited it, he rushed forward and filled it with his own body. Now side to side with his men in the thick of the fight, he found himself under assault by two Oscuans who attacked one after another. He held his shield up as firmly as he could as blow after blow rained down upon him, ringing his ears with each clattering. He heard screams as bodies were stabbed and slashed, not knowing whether the person shouting out in pain was one of his own or the enemy. Kaewyn tried to launch an attack of his own by lowering his shield for just a moment, but the tip of a blade slid down his gauntlet and forearm with a metallic scrape. He was unharmed, but the reality of the situation left no doubts as to the danger he was in.

Kaewyn knew that he could not just hide behind his shield forever though, and so he stepped back to get out of range and lowered his shield. He saw that his two opponents immediately tried to push through the gap he had left, and he answered them with a diagonal strike, forcing them back only for a moment. When they tried again, Kaewyn parried one blow with his shield and the other with his sword, but a third strike slipped through his guard and threatened his sword arm. Just before the blade hit his defenceless arm, an arrow lodged itself in the chest of the Oscuan making the strike. The enemy soldier fell backwards and disappeared behind his formation as others rushed to take his place. The other Oscuan reacted quickly and retreated back into formation alongside his allies, but Kaewyn knew it was time for him to press his advantage. With the momentum is his favour Kaewyn unleashed several blows with a strong right hand down upon the Oscuan shields in front of him but nothing came of his efforts.

As the fighting raged on, Kaewyn realised that banging on the enemy shields was doing nothing but blunting his sword. The wall of shields in front of him seemed impenetrable. Whenever his concentration lapsed for even a second, the Oscuans would strike out from behind their wall of shields and more than once, they nearly found their mark. It was a dire and desperate situation, as Kaewyn looked to his allies and saw that many were struggling to hold the enemy at bay. Many soldiers had fallen on both sides of the fight, but due to being down three men before the fight had even started, the numbers clearly favoured the Oscuans. If the fight went on much longer, then he knew that the Oscuans would claim victory. Knowing he had to do something to turn the tide, Kaewyn desperately looked around for an answer.

He spotted Yohren trying his best to aim over the shoulders of their own troops for an opportunity to loose an arrow at the Oscuans, but he was not having any luck. It was then that an idea came to him. He signalled for Yohren to come closer and then told him to be at the ready. He then smashed his sword upon the Oscuan shields in front of him several more times, again to little effect. When Kaewyn relented his attacks for just a moment, the Oscuan in front of him lashed out in a counter with his blade as he had done nearly every time he had stopped attacking. Kaewyn looked to Yohren to see if he understood what needed to be done, and was given an understanding nod in response. Satisfied that his idea would work, he once again unleashed a flurry of blows upon the enemy shield and then paused, waiting for the inevitable counter attack. When it came, Yohren loosed his arrow at the perfect moment. Kaewyn saw the arrow fly past the Oscuan shield and lodge itself into the chest of the enemy soldier. Taking advantage of the Oscuan lowering his shield, Kaewyn followed up Yohren’s arrow by putting all of his strength into a slash of his own. He felt the edge of his blade sink into flesh as it cut cleanly through the Oscuan soldiers gambeson. The Oscuan screamed and fell backwards, leaving a clear gap in the enemy shield wall to exploit. Kaewyn was filled with excitement as he tried to take advantage of the gap he had just created. He shouted for the men around him to follow him through the gap, but when Silarn himself stepped over the fallen Oscuan and took his place, he stopped in his tracks.

Before he could even react to the presence of the enemy commander, Kaewyn was forced to raise his shield to defend himself from Silarn’s longsword. He shielded himself from three consecutive blows and then looked over his shield only to see Silarn’s gauntleted hand grip the edge of his shield and pull. Kaewyn tried to hold his ground but Silarn’s grip was like that of a lion. Knowing he’d be dragged forward if he did not let go of his shield, he desperately tried to slip his arm out of the strap. To his horror, he realised that the strap had tangled around his arm and no matter how much he struggled, he simply couldn’t break free. With his arm still strapped to his shield, there was nothing he could do to prevent himself being pulled out of position. He cried out in pain as Silarn’s iron grip yanked him viciously and caused him to lose his balance. Kaewyn fell forwards and stumbled over as he was thrown to the ground behind the Oscuan formation. He hit the ground hard and rolled once, feeling an immense pain throb all throughout his shoulder and left arm. Miraculously, he had somehow managed to keep a hold of his sword without impaling himself, but Silarn had wrestled the shield from him during the struggle.

Kaewyn looked up from the ground and saw that he was now completely isolated from his men and trapped behind the Oscuan shield wall. Feeling his heart race, Kaewyn climbed back up to his feet as quickly as he could and prepared to defend himself. Silarn paid him no mind, and instead let out a maniacal laugh and casually strolled toward the edge of the western wall. As he continued to laugh, he threw Kaewyn’s shield over the edge and turned his attention back to his shield wall. The Oscuan commander shouted at his men to fill the gap in their line and once he was satisfied that his men had obeyed him, he turned around and stared at Kaewyn with a wicked smile. As Kaewyn’s eyes frantically looked around for any sign of a way to get back to his own men, he saw both Silarn and the scarred Oscuan were approaching him slowly with their weapons drawn, like wolves circling a wounded animal. He felt his heart beating faster and faster within his chest, but he knew he had to remain as calm as he could. Having a calm and measured mind was the only way he was going to get out of this.

He gave himself a moment to take a quick breath and think. He could see no obvious way back to his own men and had absolutely no knowledge of the area behind him. The only option he had was to fight or to get past his attackers and make it back to the main fight. With no allies and without his shield for protection, he would have to rely upon his own skill with a blade to defend himself. Kaewyn cursed himself under his breath, wishing that he had spent many more hours upon the training field with Arlan.

Kaewyn began to panic as his two opponents closed in on him and found himself backing away to give himself more time to react to their aggression. Without even realising, he noticed that his feet had instinctively entered the stance Arlan had first taught him in the courtyard of Xu Castle. It dawned on him that this is what he had trained for. It was all coming back to him now. He had spent numerous hours sparring with Arlan since that first day of training. With every day and with every new bruise, he had learnt another technique, another way to parry and strike, to counter and evade. He felt more comfortable with his sword in both hands than when he had been fighting with his shield, but outside of sparring, he had very little actual fighting experience.

Kaewyn brought his blade up and pointed it forwards to control the space between himself and his approaching foes. He then placed his right hand firmly on the hilt and under the cross guard with his left hand just under that to support his grip on the blade. His left leg was forward while his right supported his body weight. Arlan had explained to Kaewyn that the benefit of this guard was that the enemy had little choice but to deal with the point of the blade in front of them when coming closer or risk being stabbed, and when they attempted to swat away the point, most fighters would leave themselves vulnerable to a quick counter thrust. Kaewyn had only managed to successfully catch Arlan a few times in sparring, but it was a technique he had practiced for many hours. He held the guard and heard Arlan’s voice in his head over and over again, just like he was sparring with him now back at Xu Castle.

Threaten your opponent with the point of your blade. This way they must deal with your weapon before they can attack you. When they strike at your blade, evade it and counter!

Kaewyn maintained his guard and slowly stepped backwards and watched as Silarn and the scarred Oscuan closed in on him. Silarn had a longsword of his own and approached cautiously, eyeing him all the while. The scarred Oscuan however, still armed with his hand axe, seemed more confident of his chances and wasted little time in closing the distance between them.

With an enraged shout, the scarred Oscuan rushed forward and swung his axe at the tip of Kaewyn’s longsword in an attempt to swat away the point as he charged in. Just as he had practiced hundreds of times, he waited until the very last moment before the axe would connect with his blade and then stepped back and shifted his blade out of the way, evading his opponents’ weapon completely. In that exact moment, he stepped forward and counter thrusted as hard as he could, aiming squarely for the chest. Through the point of his longsword, Kaewyn felt the briefest resistance before the point penetrated deeply into his flesh. He was entirely shocked that he had pulled off the technique Arlan had taught him so well. With the point of Kaewyn’s blade still embedded in his chest, the scarred Oscuan fell to his knees and dropped his sword with a metallic clang. The stunned man looked up at him with an expression of utter disbelief and when Kaewyn pulled his sword from him, the scarred Oscuan collapsed into a pool of his own blood.

Kaewyn stood victoriously over the body of his attacker and watched with unease as his defeated enemy writhed upon the ground in agony. The dying man reached out as if for some mystical force that would cure his wounds and restore him to health, but to no avail. Kaewyn found it increasingly difficult to look away as the last vestiges of life faded from the scarred Oscuan’s now still body, but sudden movement in the corner of his eye brought his attention back to reality. Silarn was coming straight at him.

“Stay back!” Kaewyn shouted as he raised his guard once more.

Kaewyn’s quick reaction caused Silarn to pause and narrow his eyes cautiously through the visor of his winged helmet. He sensed hesitation from the Oscuan commander as Silarn eyed him from a safe distance, before shaking his head angrily.

“Died like the simple fool I always knew him to be…” Silarn said, shaking his head in disgust. “Look well, Lord Edderfield, for you will be joining him presently.”

Silarn twirled his longsword with a flick of his wrist and advanced at a speed that shocked Kaewyn. He stepped back and tried to use the same technique that he had just used, but Silarn was too quick. Instead of evading his opponents attack and countering with a thrust, Kaewyn found himself being forced to parry just to avoid being hit himself. The enemy commander’s assault was unrelenting, and each blow was faster and more powerful than the last. He continued to back away to make space between himself and his opponent, but Silarn advanced just as quick and continued to rain down blows upon him. When Kaewyn stepped back again, his foot slipped on a loose rock protruding out from the ground and lowered his guard for just a second. That moment was all his opponent needed, as Silarn lunged forward with a stab and caught him just below his right shoulder with the point of his blade. The sound of metal scraping upon metal right in his ear caused Kaewyn to wince. A sharp pain began to throb all down his right arm and when he briefly examined the spot where the pain was coming from, he realised that his shoulder had begun to bleed.

Silarn pointed at him with his sword and laughed. “Backed into a corner like the dog you are!”

Kaewyn turned his head slightly and realised that he had indeed, backed himself into a corner where the western guardhouse met the wall’s edge. From here, he could see over the wall and out to the open fields below. It was then that dozens of small flames caught his attention. He quickly realised what those many little flames represented. It was Lord Rhys’ Vinum Province army. They were still waiting for Kaewyn and his men to open the western gate. Rows upon rows of soldiers stood in formation with banners flying the Callidus colours of white and green. Their iconic silver armour shone in the reflection of the moon’s light. Kaewyn knew Rhys would be down there somewhere, waiting for the opportunity to storm Taneby that he had promised him. They were counting on him to open the gates, as was General Alaric who was busy fighting the bulk of the Oscuans forces deep within Taneby. Lord Tavian needed him too, as it was only a matter of time before he and his men would meet their ends without the Vinum Province reinforcements. Even his own men upon the wall with him needed him now more than ever. Outnumbered, they needed an edge to overcome the Oscuan formation, an edge Kaewyn could provide if only he could defeat Silarn.

With all of these people counting on him, Kaewyn knew he could not afford to fail them now. He wouldn’t just let Silarn have his way, not without a fight. It didn’t matter that he was outmatched in terms of skill or experience, for he would fight to the death if that was what it took to win. He had to try, for everyone fighting, and for Camilla.

With his mind set, Kaewyn turned his attention back to Silarn who arrogantly twirled his sword and laughed as though he believed he had already won the fight. His guard was lowered and his posture relaxed, something Arlan had always berated him for whenever he did the same during a sparring session.

“I would offer you the chance to surrender, Lord Edderfield, but my brothers demand their blood be paid back in kind.” Silarn said with a snarl. “However, if you make this easy, I will make it quick.”

“If there was one thing you should have learned from the Battle of the Rau, commander, it is that an Edderfield does not give up, no matter what!” Kaewyn shouted as he lunged forward.

Silarn raised his guard just in time to parry Kaewyn’s lunged thrust, but it was obvious that he had been caught entirely off guard. The Oscuan commander’s footing was all wrong and he stumbled backwards. He attacked Silarn again, eager to take advantage, but this time the Oscuan was quick enough to dodge the strike and step backwards. He may not have harmed his opponent, but Kaewyn had gained vital space in which to manoeuvre once more. No longer trapped, he continued his offensive by attempting a side swing from left to right, but Silarn parried him and countered immediately, almost catching Kaewyn with the tip of his blade across the face. Unfazed by the close call and prepared to suffer any consequence to achieve victory, Kaewyn attacked from the same direction again. This time however, he feinted mid-way through the strike, and changed the direction at the last moment to a lower angle. Silarn was prepared for the initial strike, but the feint caught him off guard. Kaewyn’s blade caught Silarn on the outer thigh, piercing both his armour and his flesh. The veteran fighter screamed out in pain and fell to one knee. Kaewyn knew the wound was not one to end the fight, so while Silarn recovered, he made use of the chance and rushed past him which effectively swapped their positions. Silarn made no attempt to challenge him as he did so, as he was more focused on the cut to his thigh.

With Silarn now the one backed into a corner, Kaewyn kept his eye on the wounded commander and backed his way closer to the Oscuan formation, who were still battling it out with his own men.

“Edderfield!” Silarn shouted. “Don’t… don’t throw away your chance to act honourably.”

“What do you mean?” Kaewyn responded between heavy breaths. “I gave you the opportunity to surrender and you made it clear you’d rather be thrown from the walls than surrender to me.”

Silarn shook his head through grit teeth as he applied pressure to the bleeding wound on his thigh. Two trickles of blood emerged between the commander’s fingers and ran down his leg in tandem. Kaewyn didn’t think the wound was serious at first, but perhaps he had inflicted more damage than he had originally thought.

“Finish the fight to it’s conclusion. Don’t run to your men now.” Silarn said as he managed to rise back to his feet, almost pleadingly. “Just you and me. If you defeat me, then I will gladly accept death, and know that I was beaten fairly… and honourably, by a fair and honourable man.”

Kaewyn shook his head. This was not about honour, nor was it about fairness. He had marched his army into Oscua for one purpose, to end a threat before it rose up and harmed his people or anyone else in the Empire. He never wanted to harm the people of Oscua. In his mind the commonfolk were blameless. The late Lord Severus had brought this upon his land and people and when his son was given the chance to change things, he opted instead to swear revenge and build up his army. Kaewyn had no other choice than to invade and install Tavian as the new Lord of Oscua Province. In his mind, while taking Taneby would be violent and cause many to lose their lives, it was the only true way to create a lasting peace between Greystone, Vinum and Oscua Provinces for the long term. He was not about to risk all of that for at a chance to improve his standing with an enemy who had called him a bastard and likened him to that of a snake only moments ago.

“If you believe your sense of honour entitles you to trod upon those from other lands, to plunder and steal, to rape and to kill, then I want nothing to do with your honour, Oscuan. Nor do I trust a man who sees his brothers die in a foolish campaign led by a foolish lord greedy with ambition, and thinks to blame those who merely defended themselves.” Kaewyn said coldly.

Silarn’s pleading voice turned to one of rage and hatred once more as he screamed for his men to turn around, but not one of his men heard their commander over the sound of sword upon sword and shield. Kaewyn, with the longsword his father had given him firmly in his hands, turned away from the desperate Oscuan commander and rushed toward the rear line of the enemy formation. Unbeknownst to his presence, they fought on against their Greystone counterparts admirably, but when he thrusted his blade through the back of one of them their line broke immediately. Knowing they were defeated with their line broken, several Oscuan troops dropped their weapons and raised their hands in surrender, while others opted to make a run for safety. The sight of Oscuan men running from the fight sent their wounded commander into a frenzied rage.

“YOU COWARDS, YOU DO NOT DESERVE TO BE CALLED OSCUAN!” Silarn screamed. “YOU DISHONOUR US ALL!”

The Oscuan commander let out a war cry that would have deafened even the late General Alaric and charged at Kaewyn with all his strength. As Kaewyn turned to repel him, an arrow struck the commander in the throat forcing him to his knees. Silarn clawed at his throat in vain as blood began to seep through his armour. The once defiant light in the Oscuan commander’s eyes faded away almost instantly. After Silarn’s lifeless body collapsed to the ground, one loyal Oscuan true to the words of his fallen commander ran for the parapet and threw himself from the western wall without a moment of hesitation.

As the Greystone troops began to collect the weapons of the dead and surrendered, Kaewyn was joined by his one and only retainer.

“…Good timing, Yohren.” Kaewyn said tiredly as he took off his helmet.

“You’re hurt, Kaewyn. Your shoulder is bleeding.” Yohren pointed out with obvious concern.

“It’s probably fine.” He replied as he wiped the blood from his longsword on the cloak of a fallen enemy soldier, then sheathed it back into its scabbard.

“Athaia would disagree with you.”

“First, the gate.” He said while pointing at the gatehouse. “Take some men with you and get it done, will you?”

Yohren nodded. His retainer then gathered two Greystone soldiers and rushed off in the direction of the now, empty gatehouse. Kaewyn hoped that they would be able to open the gate without further difficulty. He then decided to check the wound on his shoulder, so he removed the gauntlet from his left hand and then gently felt the wound with his bare fingers. The wound stung to the touch, but otherwise it didn’t hurt too badly. When he looked at his hand afterward there was only a little blood. Satisfied he was in no immediate danger, he walked over to the parapet and sat down a little away from where the bodies had piled up from the clash between the two formations of troops. He watched as his men corralled the few Oscuans who had decided to surrender into a corner and had them sit down. His mind began to wander about what should be done with the prisoners when Arlan found him.

Arlan looked bruised and battered and it was obvious he had taken a few heavy hits. When he took off his helmet, Kaewyn saw that above his right eye, a wound had bled dry and left a trail a blood that ran down the length of his cheek.

“Are you okay my lord?” Arlan asked as he sat down beside him.

“I’ll be fine.” He replied. “I should be asking you that question.”

“Oh this?” Arlan smiled. “I’ve come out of sparring sessions worse off than this.”

Kaewyn chuckled, but every bit of movement caused his shoulder to sting. He shifted around and got comfortable again before breaking the silence.

“Arlan… without your training, I have no doubt that I would have met my end tonight.”

Arlan chuckled and lowered his head. “Without my training, I like to think you would not have come on this mission.”

“That is probably true enough.” Kaewyn laughed, hurting himself in the process. “But knowing me I would have stubbornly refused to be told what to do and come anyway.”

“Then it may have been you lying there.” Arlan said, pointing at Silarn’s body. “Tough bastard he was.”

Kaewyn breathed in and then exhaled deeply. His entire body ached with exhaustion, but it was nice to just sit down for a moment. He closed his eyes and tried to calm himself, but an unfamiliar horn blew loudly from outside the city, then another, and another. Soon, a whole chorus of horns were blowing in unison. Kaewyn stumbled to his feet with a little help from Arlan and peered out over the wall to see what was going on. He couldn’t quite see it, but the gate must have been opened as several lines of Vinum Province troops had begun to march toward the gate. At the very head of these troops, he also spotted several armoured riders. One of them stood out clearly though and Kaewyn recognised him almost immediately. It was Lord Rhys. He watched on with interest as his childhood friend ordered his troops forward through the gate. Kaewyn watched the Vinum Province troops march into the city for the next ten minutes, hoping that with their aid, General Alaric and Tavian would get the help they required to take Taneby. Camilla’s plan had worked he thought, letting himself smile. With his task of opening the gate completed, Kaewyn realised that his part in the battle for Taneby was over.