A Book Of The Lands: The One Who Would Be King

Chapter XVII: Battles For The Ages

It took quite some time for the army to appear out of the forest because his entire forces had to travel in columns less than ten men wide and the wagons rolled single file due to the limiting forest trails, but as they filed out into the field, the respective commanders started barking orders for their warriors to get into position. He had to reign in his nervous stallion; the horse pawed and spun, awaiting action.

First came the Trolls, front and center. They would be directly in the middle of all the troops, in a column twenty wide. The first three rows were trolls of unusually large size. They held enormous hammers that they would first use to breach the crumbling walls, then they would use them as crushing weapons. The elvish Imperials then fanned out on either side of the thick column of trolls. These brave men and women all carried bows and would try to keep the goblins from flooding forward and away from the city gates. Directly behind the trolls, the catapults were set up and made ready. Behind the machinery, the Waypriests and humans created an even thicker, longer column, all of them ready with their swords, maces and axes. They would form the secondary phase of the attack.

"Signal Alya," said Djar.

Several trumpeters began blaring a call; it was a signal to the Treeguard that the attack was immanent. Alya would then begin her attack as well. The Treeguard were to attack up and down the length of the city walls where trees and forest directly outside the walls could give them some cover. They would not directly engage if possible, but use their slings and bows. Their primary purpose was to ensure the goblins had no place to rest or fall back to – unless they left the city walls right out the north gates!

"There they are!" cried Trever. "Look at those sharg-infested monsters!"

From their vantage point, they could see hundreds, perhaps thousands, of goblins swarming toward the gates, much like the leaders thought they would. The goblins didn’t know much about defending a city, as they were almost always the attackers.

"Sound the charge," said Djar.

"Oh, boy, here it goes," he heard Cookie say very quietly.

The trolls erupted. Their column seemed to move like one huge undulating snake as they quickly ran toward the walls.

"Fire the ‘pults!" Djar then cried.

Huge rocks then reigned down, but not on the goblins inside. The catapults were aimed and adjusted to blast the old section of wall, and they did the trick. Before the trolls were even one hundred yards from the walls, there were already two or three huge, gasping holes. The first rows of trolls would use their massive hammers to widen the holes and their axe-wielding brethren would swarm past and wreak havoc on the goblins inside.

"Hold the ’pults!" cried Djar, wanting to ensure that no troll was taken by friendly fire. "Now, readjust and signal the bows!"

The elves let loose with a flurry of arrows, hundreds upon hundreds, then did it again. The goblins inside hefted their crude shields as the deathly rain came down all around them. Hundreds fell where they stood. As the arrows flew, the catapults were adjusted to fire deeper into the city, and they soon rained down upon the goblins as well.

" Masterful!" cried Trever. "Djar, it’s working perfectly!"

It was, but Djar knew it was only the beginning. He also hoped that the Treeguard was faring as well. As soon as they had to enter the city, the fighting would become hand-to-hand and that’s when they would suffer casualties.

Dust from the masonry and the dirt that was being kicked up by all the action started to decrease visibility considerably. Djar completely lost sight of the trolls as they swarmed forward, into the awaiting goblins.