The main gate loomed ahead like an enormous wooden shield. Its towery doors were set in the centre of an enormous archway of stone. Latticework bracing was cast into the wood to reinforce its strength, and Saurus pitied any army given the task to break through such a gate. Appearing on the left of the gate, Saurus saw the outline of a wicket door, it too sealed shut.

“We need to take the gatehouse,” ordered Saurus, pointing upwards. Inside the gatehouse, they would find the means to open the portcullis on the outside, as well as the mechanisms to move such a formidable gate.

Ahead of them, the city streets gave birth to a large stretch of muddied courtyard seasoned with straw. To access the gatehouse, they would need to cross this open plot or, risk circling around the heavy patrolled city wall. Saurus could not see much torchlight above the gate but managed to spot a couple outlined helms from the patrolling Royal Guards, their helms now catching the rising sun.

“They may look like Royal Guard up there,” Saurus said, addressing his followers. “but they’re not. Strike true and stay quiet. Rely on your element of surprise, for it's our biggest strength. Once the fighting begins: hold up in the gatehouse.”

The group nodded in agreement and it was Hadwin that spoke up next.

“Where is Lady Black?”

The group looked around as if to find her among them.

“She was just ‘ere?” One of the merchants said.

“The Lady got us in, true to her word. The rest is up to us.” Saurus said, “You are all brave brothers and sisters today. I pray your Gods are watching” Saurus trailed off, thinking about his own God. The God of earth and rock, and tree. He felt his head grow light as if his mind were trying to escape him; then he found himself in the sky above? Flying with black wings and beak. He looked down and saw the city of Leeside…Then his mind plummeted and he was somewhere dark and cramped; in his small pink hands he held a chunk of rotten bread and could see the tips of his whiskers. A rat?

“Saurus...Saurus?”

Saurus felt his vision return to him and it was Hadwin’s face he saw. The other twenty-three were also staring at him.

“My Lord?” Hadwin asked. “Your eyes, they—well they—”

“Skin-changer” Someone whispered.

“Druid” Another called out.

Hadwin shot them all a glare like the words were insults, then Saurus raised himself back to his feet, he had not remembered falling to one knee. What was it he had just experienced? Why was it happening now? He anxiously waited for the sudden strange sensation to happen again, but his mind felt sharp and present again. He considered what would happen if this phenomenon happened in combat, and how fatal that could be.

“I’m fine,” Saurus lied, shoving Hadwin’s steel grip from him, Hadwin looked alarmed. “I have much and more to tell you, my friend. But we are wasting time here.”

Saurus looked out over the gatehouse. The sun was slightly higher breaking the horizon made by the wall. Saurus placed a firm grip on the hilt of his sword, trying to abandon the recent event from memory entirely, and ventured forward.

Saurus moved across the open courtyard as quietly as his heavy armour would permit. Hadwin was close on his heels and the twenty-three trailed just as deafly behind. When they reached the outer wall, Saurus stuck himself to the stone, gathering his breath back in mouthfuls, his eyes darting around for any movement. He saw shadows move beyond the sinking glass panels in adjacent buildings. Whether they had been spotted was yet to be discovered, but Saurus could only press on.

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Saurus steadied his breath, then began to make the climb up the stone steps leading to the battlement. He could hear the clinking of armoured suits above, as the Royal Guard patrolled mindlessly from wall to wall. He wondered if the creatures inside the suits were still as potent with a sword as the men they once were—Saurus severely hoped not.

Taking one last glance downwards to soak in the faces of the people who agreed to come along on this brave errand; he gave one last nod, then mounted the wall, steel in hand, and moved to engage a passing group of Royal Guard.

The clinking of Royal Guard armour gave Saurus a mask to conceal his approach, he and his soldiers swept upon a group of Royal Guard like a wave. Saurus raised the tip of his steel with a mailed fist and drove its point into the lightly armoured neck of his opponent. Black blood exploded from the entry like a boil, spraying corrupted blood in an explosion. Hadwin let out a roar as he brought his axe down hard on the helm of another. It impacted the metal with a ‘thunk’, then released a torrent of blood to flow like a stream; the royal Guards legs buckled slightly, then cradled as if made of straw.

The twenty-three charged the remaining two Royal Guards, slicing and stabbing at them before they were able to draw their weapons. One of the Royal Guard had a halberd but was charged and unable to bring the colossal weapon around in time. Katlyn swung her sword around heavy and as it bit into the armour, it stuck stubbornly in a breastplate. Fortunately, more were there to aid Katlyn, otherwise, that furious strike could have proved fatal in one and one combat.

“For the Empire!” Someone shouted when the element of surprise was spent. More Royal Guard's were stomping around the walls now, and Saurus caught the sight of another group in the gatehouse itself.

“Hadwin, to me!” He called, charging headlong. Hadwin followed his Commander, steel axe gleaming in a wash of blood.

Four Royal Guard chased to meet them from the gatehouse ahead, Halberds raised and ready to fall when Saurus got in range. Saurus felt his mind begin to submerge again.

“No—not now!” He begged, but it was too late. His eyes blinked and Saurus found himself in the sky again, black wings all around. He was a raven and all around him were his black brothers. Then his brothers formed a dive, tucking their wings tightly beside their bodies. Saurus felt the instinct to follow—rather lead—and tucked in his own wings. The city below rushed to meet him in a storm of wind, then, astonishingly, he saw himself. On the wall, outside the gatehouse, he saw himself in armour standing idly-by. He saw Hadwin beside him and the charging Royal Guard that approached. He swarmed, and his feathered friends swarmed also, attacking the men in steel.

Then Saurus was back, his eyes returning to the battle he had just left. Ahead he saw Hadwin, but Hadwin was backing up.

“Saurus, the birds.” Hadwin cried. Saurus stood in stunned acknowledgement as a tornado of ravens swirled around the approaching Royal Guard. The Royal Guard flailed, some cutting down the ravens assaulting them, but there were too many. Ravens pecked mercilessly at the lightly armoured throats and buried themselves in any weakness they could discover. Hadwin returned to Saurus, he too appeared beaten into stunned silence.

“Why do the birds do this?” Hadwin asked at last.

An alarm bell rang out, loud and booming over the city. It shook sense into Saurus as he watched the birds peck apart one Royal Guard. Whether the alarm bell was for them, he could not say. But he doubted it was for anyone else.

“Into the gatehouse!” Saurus yelled. Behind him, the twenty-three were engaging in combat of their own. Royal Guards were rushing around the perimeter of the wall; and among them, Saurus saw figures in black with the image of Spiders on their breasts. The ravens were finished with their prey as one Royal Guard flung himself over the wall in wailing anguish. He hit the ground hard, with a metallic crack, and Saurus saw a black cloud of wings disperse from the corpse, like flies on rotten meat.

“Inside!” Roared Hadwin and together they entered the gatehouse, forming walls behind the rectangular archways. Inside the gatehouse, Saurus saw two enormous wheels attached to the portcullis below. Head-sized rocks lined a killing hole positioned in the centre of the gatehouse and more contraptions were all around, dotted beside unused weaponry.