73 - Trapped Part Five
Five days later, the expected army finally arrives. John and his men have done a good job, because not only have they held up the army for a total of almost two extra days, they have also managed to eliminate a dozen more warriors. Now, however, they have finally arrived.
The three squads that made the fake soldiers also worked hard. They managed to get almost fifty fake soldiers at the top of the plateau, with a squad of real soldiers for the necessary movement and to discourage any climber.
Also near the gorge is a group of forty dolls, making it seem as if they are ready to support the single squad that can clearly be seen.
Furthermore, there are three groups of fifty dolls scattered along the river. Here, too, they are positioned in such a way that they are partly out of sight. By placing them between the vegetation, for example. From a distance it seems as if a platoon of soldiers is ready to intercept any enemy who tries to cross. The twenty soldiers patrolling the river are supported by two other squads although Raidon assumes that they won’t be necessary.
At the defenses there are now nine squads. Two squads will be reserves, one of which is John's squad. The other seventy men are waiting for the enemy on the palisade.
The Chakras have become a lot more cautious than usual due to all of John's traps. Several scouts are sent out to explore the defenses of the New Legion. However, as soon as they get too close, the soldiers shoot their crossbows. Each time, only a single shot is fired. This keeps the Chakras at a distance, but it is not noticeable that some soldiers are not real.
Only the next morning is the enemy commander ready to attack.
As intended, although the commander doesn’t know that, they directly attack the palisade.
"This man is clearly not an experienced general. He hasn't even looked at any other way to get past the palisade. I think we put all that effort into dolls and everything for nothing." Grumbles one of the soldiers standing near Raidon.
"Maybe, but even then we can also use them when there’s a bigger attack. Let's make sure we survive this first."
Raidon didn’t speak a moment too soon. While a part of the Chakras is still setting up, their commander sends the first units towards the palisade.
"What's the point of that. Those guys don't even have ladders with them." Calls the soldier again. This time Raidon doesn't have time to answer. At the last minute, he calls on his men to shoot their crossbows.
Indeed, this ill-considered attack falls flat. Just before the ditch, the horses stop in their tracks. No horse will jump over a wide ditch where there is no room to land on the other side.
Several warriors almost fall out of their saddles, only to really fall when the soldiers of the New Legion shoot their crossbows. Immediately panic sets in among the Chakran warriors. This attack was repulsed without any of the legion being wounded. On the side of the Chakras, the arrows of Raidon and his men had a devastating effect. Of the seventy arrows, nearly three-quarters hit targets. Because Raidon waited until the last moment, the distance was so small that they could hardly miss. Nearly fifty Chakras have been left behind, with even more injured, or remaining in their saddles after being hit.
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"What a pity that we haven’t been able to build a gate yet, then at least we could have looked for our arrows." Raidon mumbles. Due to the early attack of this garrison, they completely finished the ditch, and did not build a gatehouse. Eventually it has to be done, but they simply didn’t have the time to build a drawbridge.
As the Chakran warriors retreat, the next units are already gearing up to make another attempt. These are not the well-trained warriors on horseback, but these are the peasants and criminals who have been conscripted against their will into Chakra's slave armies. These men often have no shields or other protection. They also have the cheapest weapons: spears.
"Let them come, men!" shouts Raidon as they come storming. "Save your arrows and throw some stones down on them. We'll need those arrows later!"
This attack also has little chance of success. Although these men do get over the ditch, they have little chance of getting to the top of the palisade. Dozens become entangled in the ditch and are trampled as the men behind them trample them. Stones are now being thrown from the walls, causing dozens more to be injured and killed. Not much later, this attack is also called off.
"I think they lost a hundred men in that attack." Reports Sergeant Liam, who, along with Raidon, commands from the palisade.
"At least, I think there will be even more if those men can't get out of the ditch. They still have about fifteen hundred healthy warriors. The rest are dead or wounded."
"Well then we might still have a hard time."
"What do you mean by that? We have already reduced this army by a quarter without losing anyone."
"Yes, but what do we do when the army of Fort Shi arrives? They have a lot more men than we see here. If they treat their people the same, they can walk up over the bodies of those slave warriors. Then we're not going to be able to fight them off with our handful of soldiers."
"Maybe you're right, but what do you suggest to do about it?"
"That's a good question. Maybe build an extra wall behind this one? I don't think we can get this wall higher without undermining its strength. In the end, I think a stone wall would be the best option, as with a solid foundation you can get it quite high."
"A stone wall is too much for now, I'm afraid. But that would be the solution. In the worst case, you can then throw oil down and burn down the entire mountain of bodies."
"Bah, that's a very unsavory thought."
"We will have to cremate the bodies anyway, Liam. Or did you want to bury them all? I don't think we have the time for that."
Even before the sergeant can answer, the trumpets announce the next attack of the Chakras. This time they are slightly better prepared than the previous two attacks. While the soldiers of the New Legion were chatting, the Chakras cut down a dozen trees. By leaving the branches on the trees, they have turned them into improvised ladders.
"Now it's getting serious, boys!" shouts Raidon, "when they are at a hundred meters I want a salvo with the crossbows. Focus on those warriors who lift the trees, squad leaders aim at the officers. Then shoot when ready, but pick your targets."
The mass of warriors of the Chakran army are slowly moving. It is clear that the slave warriors no longer feel like it at all. However, they are more afraid of real Chakran warriors than of the soldiers of the New Legion.
As the attack progresses, however, they become more and more enthusiastic. Whipped up by the encouragement of their officers and the whips of the masters of discipline, they attack the wall with abandon. When they arrive at the one hundred meter mark, the men who lift the trees notice that it is not without danger to carry those heavy things. Seventy soldiers shoot their arrows all at the same time, causing dozens of Chakras to go down. At least three corporals and two masters of discipline are brought down by the squad leaders. However, the attack is unstoppable, not with the weight of almost fifteen hundred warriors stomping over the fallen. Three trees fall but are immediately picked up by other slave warriors.
Fifty meters away, the first soldiers of the legion have nocked their crossbows again and arrows are again being fired into the mass of Chakran warriors. This time the effect is not even visible, because each soldier shoots as soon as he’s ready. These single arrows don’t have the big effect that the first volley had.
Then the Chakras are finally at the ditch. It is still half full of bodies from the previous attack, which makes it a lot easier for the warriors to get to the other side. Once again they are pelted with stones, but still the Chakras manage to put the improvised tree-ladders against the palisade.
Immediately the slave warriors climb the trees. Dozens fall from the trees due to well-aimed stones of the soldiers. Others fall thanks to branches breaking off from the trees, after all, they remain improvised ladders. Here and there a whole tree is even pushed down by the soldiers with their war hammers and axes. Unfortunately the two-handed swords have less of an effect against the ladders.
Eventually, the Chakran slave warriors manage to emerge and the fighting begins in earnest.