311. SHIT: WIREMU

I sensed the gate before we came around the corner to see it. The gate was shut and barred. There were lots of civilians milling around as their travel had been interrupted. The gate was wooden and the width that two wagons could pass through simultaneously. There was a smaller personnel gate to the side. Inside, covering both gates, was a steel Portcullis that was down and secured. The gate was embedded into the stone wall, which rose above it an additional two stories. There was a stone watch tower on either side of the gate.

The wall above the gate was lined with two squads of archers, plus however many were in the watchtowers. There were two squads on the ground with weapons and shields and in firm formation. All of them were looking toward us and the noise the three squads chasing us were making. Forty to fifty prepared Troopers were in front of us, stopping us from getting to the gate. Thirty troopers are hard on our heels.

I created a stone shield and yelled to Umreti, “Bow.”

He tossed me his short bow and his half-full quiver, and I gave him the shield. This bow would not take anything like Lava arrows, but I had more bow skills than he did. Before we came in sight, I created a double row of Granite Spikes across the road behind us and another two rows of shorter, less obvious ones. The mounted troopers who decided to try and jump the large spikes will find their mounts crippled by landing on the smaller rows. It will slow them down a bit, hopefully enough.

When we came around the final corner, the civilians were already scattering. Well, the smart ones were.

The remainder of Umreti’s Hornets, about two hundred, leave us and fly towards the archers on the wall. Before I started with the bow, my sling was already in motion, and I let loose the moment the gate came into view. I was afraid I had overshot as I tucked the sling into my belt and started with the bow. However, Tāoke saved the day again. He Grew, grabbed one of the crenulations on the wall and crashed down amongst the archers. I had already fired my first triple shot with two Venom Arrows before he landed, and I didn’t stop. The first two arrows struck their target, but the crenulations on the wall were not just on the external side, and the other archers took cover after sending their first volley in reply.

I was ducking and weaving as I tried to keep the archers busy. Time for a stone chest plate and helmet. That was just in time as an arrow with a power shot glanced off my helmet, chipping the stone. Another glanced off my thigh, taking some Snakeskin with it. These were no amateurs. Umreti was making headway, but the stone shield was chipped and cracked, and he had not gotten to the ground troops yet.

The archers were being harassed by the Hornet, which gave me some breathing space, and I sent a Powershot at what looked to be the Force Leader of the ground troops. She went down, but I wasn’t sure if I killed her. This drew more of their attention to me.

Then, a larger swarm of Hornets came from a road to our right and flew into and around one Watchtower and along the wall. This was over a thousand strong. I didn’t realise the hive had gotten so large.

Then, there was an Enraged Roar from that street as Težka let loose the Skill, and he appeared in a full run with Modrica on his back. The heavy cavalry had arrived.

Modrica was throwing javelins as fast as her arm would go. I saw several Troopers in front of the gate go down. One javelin I saw slammed into the wooden shield the trooper held, cracking it. He staggered back, and the next javelin punched through the crack into the trooper.

The troopers were disciplined as the shield wall moved to face the charging dire bear, and those with spears braced them against the ground to meet his charge. This wasn’t a horse charge. This was a multi-ton dire bear with Armoured Skin thundering at them. Težka didn’t bother trying to dodge or jump. He just ploughed into them, snapping spears and shields and sending troopers flying. He did not come out of it unscathed as I saw a couple of spears punch through into his body, but it didn’t seem to bother him.

He had done his job in breaking the shield wall and delivering his payload. Modica launched herself from his back into the midst of the troopers and went to work with her mace.

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Težka’s entrance had taken attention off Umreti, and he went for the watchtower on the left as that had the winches for raising the Portcullis. It would be easier to raise it than burn through it. We were conscious that this was only the opening round in this fight, and we would need all the energy we could conserve.

As Umreti busted through the door at the bottom, a larger group of Hornets swarmed in through the arrow slits and upper areas. Then, the hornets were suddenly swarming out of the building, and hundreds dropped to the ground dead when they didn’t get out fast enough. I could feel it from a distance, and it was some sort of Fear aura, like Tabitha’s. It was not as strong as Tabitha’s Intimidating Aura, but it had some sort of damaging effect as well, which was enough to kill hornets who weren’t fast enough. Looking at the range at which the hornets stayed back, it did not have that big a range either.

It made sense that if the guard was hunting a Hornet Hive, they would position their troopers with skills against Hornets around the city. I wanted to go in to help Umreti, but that was not my job. Tāoke was near the top entrance to the Watchtower. He would head down. I could feel through the bond he was feeling the effects of the Aura. He was tougher than hornets, and we had trained against Tabitha’s Intimidating Aura. He would hunt the Aura user.

Now that the archers on the wall were largely neutralised, my job was to deal with those who were chasing us. The first troopers who were chasing us had entered the square but had stopped and waited for the slower ones. They were forming ranks and assessing what was going on. That was not good.

Puia had been at work since I entered the gate square, but I didn’t want to give them time to spot the danger. I was out of arrows, so I shouldered the short bow, whirled around, and started throwing poisoned knives at the troopers. When the first one went down, they focussed on me. These were City patrol, armed with batons, swords and knives, and ex-mounted troopers, with swords and small light round shields.

The ones who were there started advancing on me with six shield troopers at the front. The shields were small, so did little to stop my knives and darts. I angled toward the gate some more so they would come around more. I threw a couple of Phantasm Darts to disorient them, and then the ground fell away from five of the front row, and they were knee-deep in lava. Several put their hands or shields down to stop their fall, but that made it worse.

I cut down four others with throwing knives in the confusion. Puia rejoined me, and I backed up toward the gate. I am a Master Trapper.

Then, trouble happened. All the hornets suddenly went crazy and dove toward the Watchtower the Umreti had entered. They were crazy enough to ignore the fear and started dropping from the damage it inflicted. Dropping in the hundreds.

In the door, Umreti entered, and a heavily armed Trooper appeared. He or she was in full-plate armour with a steel full-sized shield and sword. A second Trooper followed them, and then a slimmer trooper without a shield came out. He was also in full plate, but he was dragging a body after him. Two more troopers with shields were behind him.

The thin guy tossed the body aside. It was Umreti. His helmet was missing, along with an arm and half a leg. His face was cut and a tusk broken. He was alive, but with the amount of blood pumping out, he wouldn’t be for long.

Modrica released her Engraging Roar and started bashing her way towards them. The Shield bearers formed up calmly to meet her. There was no rush, just competent efficiency. These were not just Specialised Troopers. These were Elite Troopers.

Something was affecting my Thermal Sensing around these troopers, and I wasn’t sure what. I was moving closer as I was afraid Modrica was charging toward her death. As I got closer, I noticed the dead hornets had holes in them and some still had tiny needles stuck in them.

Bloody goblin shit.

“Wait!” I yelled, “Affinity User!”

Modrica never knows when to stop. Težka was not far behind her.

The thin man looked at me. This is no Water, Fire or Earth affinity. This was a Metal Affinity. Iron or Steel, possibly Ferrous. Everyone is in full steel plate armour with steel swords and shields. Elite Troopers. An Aura or Skill with flying needles. I noticed it now: the thin man stayed a certain distance from his guards. I bet he had a gap in his circulating needles at that distance.

I started running toward them. Modrica would need help to stay alive. Shit. Portcullis is still down, gate locked and a fight that will not be quick, allowing reinforcements to get here while we are trapped.

I changed the direction of my run. We would need a way out. I would have to trust Modrica to engage and survive while I bust through the gate.

The five troopers in full plate moved forward to meet Mordica and Težka, and as the rear trooper passed Umreti’s body, needles started tearing and ripping through his flesh.

Shit.