rushed down to the score of horsemen waiting by the castle gates. Once mounted, he led his men from the castle area. He had no sooner exited through the gate than a spray of sparks arced into the sky followed shortly by a series of energy bolts. Thinking it was nice of them to let him know where they were, the captain raced through the streets.
Word quickly spread ahead of them of their approach and the streets began to grow clearer. They could see the wall where it rose above the buildings and knew they were close.
Archers upon the wall were racing toward the gate area. Already there were half a dozen stationed there with more on the way. When the gate area finally came into view, they saw the gates were closed and two score guards stood before them.
“Now what?” asked Riyan. With the archers above and the guards below, not to mention an unknown number following in their wake, he didn’t like their odds should they attempt to fight their way out.
Kevik moved to the fore as the others slowed. “Keep close,” he said as he moved toward the gate.
“We’ll never make it though there,” Chad said to him.
“Just stay close,” Kevik told him. “And don’t move until I say so.”
“Okay,” replied Chad. “I hope you know what you’re doing.”
Silently, Kevik said to himself, So do I. As he drew nearer, one of the archers atop the wall released an arrow which fell short. Kevik spoke arcane words and a shimmering field appeared before him. Not slowing, he kept a steady pace as he approached the gate.
Ping!
Another arrow launched from the wall hit the shimmering field and was deflected to the side. Kevik inwardly smiled at the effectiveness of the shield.
“Behind us!” hollered Soth from the rear.
Kevik glanced back and saw a swarm of guards coming down the street toward them. There had to be at least fifty or more. Another stream of arcane words and a yellowish fog filled the street behind them.
Riyan watched as guards entered the fog and succumbed to its power. One after another they entered the fog only to fall shortly afterward. “Are they dead?” he asked.
“No,” replied Kevik. “Just asleep. Let me know if any make it through.”
“Alright,” Riyan assured him.
Turning back to the men at the gate, Kevik readied himself for his next series of spells. He was growing fatigued at casting so many spells in so short a time. What his master had explained as his ‘magical reserve’ was rapidly being depleted. He was confident, however, that he could still do what needed to be done.
“They’re dropping like flies,” observed Soth.
Kevik turned a deaf ear to the comments of his friends as he began his first spell.
Arrows were coming at them rapidly as they were now within range. His shield continued to deflect the majority of them, but the shield was only so large. A couple did manage to get through, though they failed to find a target.
Speaking arcane words, Kevik caused another yellow fog to appear among those before the gate. Before they even realized what was happening, the guards succumbed and fell to the ground. A few seconds later, another yellow fog appeared among the archers atop the wall. In short order, the defenders at the gate were unconscious.
Kevik pointed over to the gatehouse where a section of the yellow fog still held a presence. “I’ll have to dispel it before you can release the locks,” he explained.
“Then do it,” Chyfe said. “We haven’t much time.”
“But when I do, those affected by the spell will begin to regain consciousness,” he warned. “You’ll have to move fast.”
“Understood,” he said, then turned to Riyan. “You and Chad open the gate as soon as I get it unlocked.”
Riyan nodded.
“Let’s move,” Chyfe said. Riding toward the gatehouse, he scanned the area for any guards, but all he saw were locals staring out from windows and behind doors. Then just before he reached the edge of the spell, the fog disappeared. Once it was gone, he dismounted and ran the rest of the way to the gatehouse.
“Soth!” Seth hollered to his brother as he vaulted from his horse.
Soth turned and saw Seth running toward three guards emerging from a side street. Dismounting, he drew his sword and raced to join his brother. The clash of swords rang out as the twins engaged the three guards. Standing shoulder to shoulder, they held them at bay while the others worked to get the gate open.
Kevik remained in the saddle, staff clutched in his hands. He kept watch on the area, ready to give aid or cast a spell as the situation warranted. Seeing that Seth and Soth were holding their own, he turned his attention to the gatehouse just as Chyfe reached it.
Guards who had previously been laid out by his spell were beginning to come around now that he had dispelled it. Chyfe was forced to take the time to drag one semi-conscious body out from before the gatehouse door before he could open it. Once he had the guard out of the way, he was quickly inside.
Shouts could be heard in the adjoining streets as more guards worked to get by the area of fog in the street that blocked their way.
Clack-Bang!
“I got it!” yelled Chyfe as the wheels turned and the gate’s lock disengaged. Emerging from the gatehouse, he raced back to his horse. Suddenly, he saw bolts of energy leap from Kevik’s outstretched hand straight toward him. Throwing himself to the ground, he narrowly avoided being struck. A gasp and cry behind him drew his attention just as two guards were flung backwards from the missiles’ impact.
A creaking sound could be heard as Riyan and Chad began pulling open the gate. Guards in the area grew ever more aware of what was going on around them as the effects of the spell wore off. When they realized the gate was being opened, they moved to prevent it. But their coordination was still a bit off and the best they could do was a stumbling shamble.
Riyan and Chad pulled with all their might as the gate continued swinging open. From the corner of his eye, Riyan saw one of the guards coming toward him. Kicking out, he connected with the man’s chest and sent him sprawling backwards into the others.
“Seth, Soth!” hollered Kevik. “It’s open!”
Seth glanced back to the gate which almost proved fatal. The guard he was facing thrust at his midsection and almost didn’t see it coming. Twisting in the nick of time, he prevented the sword from skewering him but still received a cut along his side.
He was about to strike again when he was grabbed from behind by one of the recovering guards. Next to him, Soth cried out as others took hold of him.
The guards before them quickly removed the twins’ swords from their hands as those holding them immobilized their arms. “Now…” one guard started to say when a yellow fog materialized at his feet. He only had a moment to be surprised before consciousness left him.
Kevik, with the reins of the twins’ horses in hand, quickly dispelled the fog and rode over to the where Seth and Soth lay unconscious amidst the guards.
“Kevik!” hollered Riyan when he saw him going to the twins’ rescue. Around him, Riyan was laying about with the flat of his sword, striking recovering guards on the head and knocking them unconscious once again.
Ping!
An arrow ricocheted off the cobblestones of the road. Looking up, Riyan saw that the archers were regaining consciousness as well and were taking up their bows once more. If they didn’t get out of there soon, it would all be over. Glancing out the gate, he saw a gaggle of locals staring in startled curiosity at what he and Chad where doing. As it seemed they weren’t planning on interfering, Riyan dismissed them, all the while hoping they wouldn’t take an active part in thwarting their escape.
Turning his back on the onlookers, he and Chad quickly jammed several of the guard’s swords beneath the forward edge of the gate to prevent it from being closed. Once four swords were in place, he glanced over to where Kevik already had one of the twins laid across the back of a horse. Chyfe had just joined him and together they were securing the other.
“Riyan,” urged Chad, “let’s get out of here.” Glancing back to the onlookers, he saw that curiosity was beginning to turn into something else.
