Chapter 7 – Karla

“Open the Gate!” I command.

Gilden and his and his forces slowly approach the gate. I investigate the crowd trying to catch sight of Grimm. I see his scared face leading the crowd along with Caltrain as the forces enter the gate.

Gilden white horse struts into the gate. Gilden and his horse trot towards me and he dismounts.

“Good morning beautiful.” He says.

I shot a cold glance at him. “Good morning, Lord Gilden.”

Grimm approaches obviously worn down from the journey. Everyday his age seems to show more. I see the large Carriages full of food. Gilden orders a random soldier to begin distributing food to the starving. Caltrain begins to help hand out foot with some of the other soldiers.

“So, you two were able to make it to Great Lake?” I ask.

Grimm clears his throat. “Yes, but not without some casualties. We were attacked in the night and ambushed. “There wasn’t much we could’ve done in reality.”

“Well at least you made it back.” I say.

Grimm looks as if in mourning. “I wish everyone could’ve made it back.” He says.

“Its war Grimm not everyone is going to make it home, You’re the one that taught me that.” I say.

“I guess I’ve started getting soft in my old age.” He says with a small chuckle.

The day slowly passes in the hot sun. The Moral of the fort seems to have shot up since the arrival of Lord Gilden. The afternoon sun seems to leave the troops of the Great Lake weary. Gilden begins to organize his troops and set up schedule the night watch as the sun begins to fade from the dessert sky. Celebrations begin around the campfire. The people are still weak but are happy. Gilden keeps his troops on high alert on the night watch as the civilians celebrate.

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They celebration was not long lived. As the sun rises the troops and civilians were awaken by the sound of crumbling walls as the enemy launched a fiery catapult. They’ve finally attacked. The troops stand ready as the battle began.

“Get down!” Grimm orders as boulders fly overhead.

“This fortress was built to last year long sieges!” He roars with an odd excitement.

“Greet their arrival with a darkened sky of arrows!” Grimm commands.

The archers release a volley of arrows, and the sky blackens on the enemy position. Caltrain approaches Grimm.

“What do you need me to do Grimm?” Caltrain ask.

“Just watch and learn boy.” Grimm instructs his voice sounding rough and hoarse.

He orders the archers to continue launching volley after volley of arrows. He questions the surveyors.

“How many are left.” He says gruffly.

The soldier’s answers quickly, “Too Many!”

He shouts demandingly, “Fire the catapults!”

As I gaze into the ranks of the outlanders as the boulders rip through the enemy leaving many crushed and some crippled. They rush forward at a rash attempt to storm the gate. The archers slowly thin out the herd of enemies. They begin battering the gate with a ram. It thunders against the worn wood of the gate. The archers continue to rain arrows down onto them. They target the men carrying the ram with the arrows and they quickly collapse. Grimm gathers the men to exit the gate and charge the ranks. He puts the small calvary force and lets Gilden lead the charge, following the calvary is the infantry men lead by Grimm and Caltrain. The men quickly open the gate and the calvary rips through the ranks and infantry swarm what remains.

Caltrain shows off his agility and skill and Grimm cleaves through the enemy soldiers with his violent brute force leaving blood coating the steel of his blade. Grimm slices through the legs of his foe, leaving them crawling and desperate before bleeding out onto the sand, while Caltrain disarms his opponents before beheading them. Quick and clean. He runs through the basics of sword fighting like his father had trained him to. Soon he becomes outnumbered two fighters on one. Caltrain begins becoming fearful, he was trained for dueling not this.

He hears a war horn as Gilden circles around for a second charge. The enemy looks for the sound but are quickly ripped apart by calvary. The remaining outlanders are forced to retreat, Gilden wasn’t going to let them survive and his calvary charges leaving nothing but splintered spears and corpses in their wake.