Tweet
Noris’s eyes focused as he wrapped the salve soaked bandage carefully around the garish wound. “How by Torm did you get back to Mirakus with a wound like this? “ he said disbelievingly as he finished the wrap over the three inch gash in the soldiers thigh. The soldier didn’t manage a response as he was unconscious, beads of sweat lining his brow. Noris knew it was unlikely that the man would survive, but he had done what he could. It was then, in the tent that he had been stationed in to mend injured soldiers that he first heard the warning horn. His head turned quickly facing the wall of the tent where the sound had generally came from, wondering if in fact it was what he thought it was.
His understanding became much clearer when Tirones Hertz yanked open the entry to the tent. “Noris!, c’mon man we’re needed!” Noris, on his knees still next to the cot leapt over to the side of the tent where his armor and crossbow had been laid. “Give me a hand!” Noris pleaded as he struggled with his armor. Hertz took a longing look towards the city wall as the horn sounded once more and tossed the tent entrance open the rest of the way and went to helping Noris with his armor’s straps.
The two soldiers emerged from the tent, now matching in their Legion issued armor. They ran as swiftly as they could down the cobble streets toward their unit’s position at the Mirakus. With the addition of the two medics the unit was at its full count of a score of recruits. Only one of the men held a rank higher than Tirones and that was Immunes Youmer, a medium built man with thinning hair under his legion issued helmet, and marked as a Legionnaire. “Bout damn time you medics got here! Whole army ov the damn pond ah’ Lizzards is on the South West fortification!” Noris and Hertz glanced to each other, a hint of worry plain on their faces. “Take the rear and keep the men swinging!” Youmer commanded the two men. They were quick to form rank and Youmer took point as the unit left from the north east exit of the Mirakus marching in a column five wide and four deep.
The sounds of battle were fast to find the ears of the recruits, quickly stealing what little fortitude most of them had. The only one who didn’t seem fazed by the scene of the assault was Youmer, who raised his sword high and shouted to the top of his lungs. “Driving Wedge!” and with the drop of his sword he pointed to the location in the side of the lizard assault just behind the leading edge who was heavily pressing the local red blades. The squad of recruits did well, and formed a decently tight wedge. Noris and Hertz were positioned in the center of the wedge and equipped with crossbows and light maces.
The wedge began its steady, but swift movement with Youmer leading the tip. He had his Legion shield in his left and longsword held high in his right when he and his unit were spotted causing the lizards to swiftly form a defense, crude spears, and leather shields combined with sharp hisses and muscled maws met the wedge. Youmer hacked down the first lizard with a powerful diagonal slash, cutting cleanly through the beasts jaw, and deeply into its throat. In that same movement he braced his shield and drove the dying reptile into the spears of its allies. The pressure of his soldiers drove Youmer four strides deep into the line. The impact of the wedge from the north spurred on the Redblades who fought with trained precision, each doing considerable damage to the now partially distracted reptilian attackers.
From his position in the wedge Noris had his crossbow trained at the gaps and when given an opportunity he let fly a bolt into the wave of attackers. He was stunned suddenly when a spray of blood hit his face. He blinked briefly and saw the reptile’s spear being retracted from its thrust. The spear, with a wide blade on the end had bypassed one of the recruit’s defenses cleanly severing the artery on his neck. The soldier was too panicked to strike back, and simply stumbled back into Noris’s arms. One of the other members from the inner part of the wedge quickly stepped forward to fill the gap, but the space that was left had already been pulled open by the savage lizards.
“Fuck!” Noris heard Youmer cry as he too noticed the break in formation. Noris pulled his crossbows trigger reflexively as the new recruit who had filled the hole was pulled to the ground under the lizard force, there was no satisfying click or recoil of the bow firing tho, since he had yet to refill and relock it. He desperately grabbed at the bolt holder on his hip and fitted a new bolt to the track, as another of the inner force leapt in and fought to keep the man who was dragged down from being slain. Noris set his crossbow down and quickly began a series of prayers over the bleeding soldier. “This man’s duty is yet to be done, his sword is yet to rest, and family yet to sire. Spare him oh Torm and bring him back to this fight.” With the end of his words he placed a firm hand on the man’s gashed neck and felt his god come to his call.
A pulse of energy flowed down his arm and the man’s neck sealed before Noris removed his hand. The soldiers pained look, softened and his eyes drifted shut for a moment, before firing open filled with disbelief. He quickly reached for his wounded, now scarred neck. Noris was relieved that Torm had once again come to his aid, but he hadn’t the time to further aid the soldier, the unit needed him. He finished cocking his bow and fired into the gap, catching the beast on its right shoulder, distracting it enough for the soldiers to finish the job.
The battle seemed to drag on for eons, but in reality the large force was rather quickly routed. The lizards had taken heavy casualties in the assault, and although the defenders were victorious, they had also suffered losses. Noris’s unit lost three men, and had several still injured. The man who he saved in the battle was rendered mute, but at least he had his life. Noris and Hertz were busy well after the battles end, using all the healing magic they possessed, and when that was exhausted they used salves and bandages to mend whoever they could.
His understanding became much clearer when Tirones Hertz yanked open the entry to the tent. “Noris!, c’mon man we’re needed!” Noris, on his knees still next to the cot leapt over to the side of the tent where his armor and crossbow had been laid. “Give me a hand!” Noris pleaded as he struggled with his armor. Hertz took a longing look towards the city wall as the horn sounded once more and tossed the tent entrance open the rest of the way and went to helping Noris with his armor’s straps.
The two soldiers emerged from the tent, now matching in their Legion issued armor. They ran as swiftly as they could down the cobble streets toward their unit’s position at the Mirakus. With the addition of the two medics the unit was at its full count of a score of recruits. Only one of the men held a rank higher than Tirones and that was Immunes Youmer, a medium built man with thinning hair under his legion issued helmet, and marked as a Legionnaire. “Bout damn time you medics got here! Whole army ov the damn pond ah’ Lizzards is on the South West fortification!” Noris and Hertz glanced to each other, a hint of worry plain on their faces. “Take the rear and keep the men swinging!” Youmer commanded the two men. They were quick to form rank and Youmer took point as the unit left from the north east exit of the Mirakus marching in a column five wide and four deep.
The sounds of battle were fast to find the ears of the recruits, quickly stealing what little fortitude most of them had. The only one who didn’t seem fazed by the scene of the assault was Youmer, who raised his sword high and shouted to the top of his lungs. “Driving Wedge!” and with the drop of his sword he pointed to the location in the side of the lizard assault just behind the leading edge who was heavily pressing the local red blades. The squad of recruits did well, and formed a decently tight wedge. Noris and Hertz were positioned in the center of the wedge and equipped with crossbows and light maces.
The wedge began its steady, but swift movement with Youmer leading the tip. He had his Legion shield in his left and longsword held high in his right when he and his unit were spotted causing the lizards to swiftly form a defense, crude spears, and leather shields combined with sharp hisses and muscled maws met the wedge. Youmer hacked down the first lizard with a powerful diagonal slash, cutting cleanly through the beasts jaw, and deeply into its throat. In that same movement he braced his shield and drove the dying reptile into the spears of its allies. The pressure of his soldiers drove Youmer four strides deep into the line. The impact of the wedge from the north spurred on the Redblades who fought with trained precision, each doing considerable damage to the now partially distracted reptilian attackers.
From his position in the wedge Noris had his crossbow trained at the gaps and when given an opportunity he let fly a bolt into the wave of attackers. He was stunned suddenly when a spray of blood hit his face. He blinked briefly and saw the reptile’s spear being retracted from its thrust. The spear, with a wide blade on the end had bypassed one of the recruit’s defenses cleanly severing the artery on his neck. The soldier was too panicked to strike back, and simply stumbled back into Noris’s arms. One of the other members from the inner part of the wedge quickly stepped forward to fill the gap, but the space that was left had already been pulled open by the savage lizards.
“Fuck!” Noris heard Youmer cry as he too noticed the break in formation. Noris pulled his crossbows trigger reflexively as the new recruit who had filled the hole was pulled to the ground under the lizard force, there was no satisfying click or recoil of the bow firing tho, since he had yet to refill and relock it. He desperately grabbed at the bolt holder on his hip and fitted a new bolt to the track, as another of the inner force leapt in and fought to keep the man who was dragged down from being slain. Noris set his crossbow down and quickly began a series of prayers over the bleeding soldier. “This man’s duty is yet to be done, his sword is yet to rest, and family yet to sire. Spare him oh Torm and bring him back to this fight.” With the end of his words he placed a firm hand on the man’s gashed neck and felt his god come to his call.
A pulse of energy flowed down his arm and the man’s neck sealed before Noris removed his hand. The soldiers pained look, softened and his eyes drifted shut for a moment, before firing open filled with disbelief. He quickly reached for his wounded, now scarred neck. Noris was relieved that Torm had once again come to his aid, but he hadn’t the time to further aid the soldier, the unit needed him. He finished cocking his bow and fired into the gap, catching the beast on its right shoulder, distracting it enough for the soldiers to finish the job.
The battle seemed to drag on for eons, but in reality the large force was rather quickly routed. The lizards had taken heavy casualties in the assault, and although the defenders were victorious, they had also suffered losses. Noris’s unit lost three men, and had several still injured. The man who he saved in the battle was rendered mute, but at least he had his life. Noris and Hertz were busy well after the battles end, using all the healing magic they possessed, and when that was exhausted they used salves and bandages to mend whoever they could.