His fears increased when they reached the hill to the south which gave them a view of the capital. The walled city was completely surrounded by thousands of Wild Ones of the Ice and Tundra Dwellers. Among them the Semi-Giants stood out clearly, thanks to their size. A little distance away was a group of Arcanes of the Glaciers.
Lasgol was awed. This was a siege to end all sieges. Deeply unpleasant memories came to his mind. They were in a disastrous situation. He could make out the defenders on the battlements, armed with bows and spears. The king did not have enough men to withstand that kind of siege for very long. The Wild Ones and the Arcanes would wear down the defending forces.
Another thought occurred to him: the Frozen Specter. He called upon his Hawk’s Eye skill and searched for it among the enemy forces, but could not see it. And yet if the hosts of the Frozen Continent were laying siege to Norghania, it could only be because they could count on its help. It had to be somewhere, even if he could not see it.
Eicewald too was watching the distribution of the enemy forces around the city. There was no way in or out of the capital. “How are we going to get in, Captain Enveras?” he asked.
“It’s all prepared, King’s Mage. Commander Sven’s waiting to hear of my return. I’ve already sent news by pigeon. He’ll have got it by now, and he’ll set a stratagem in motion to let us slip in.”
“I see. Was it Commander Sven who planned it?”
“Yes, with the help of the First Ranger Gatik.”
“Good. Then how do we get in?”
“We have to wait for nightfall.”
“Right. We’ll get ourselves hidden in the woods.”
When it was completely dark, Captain Enveras came to the group. “Time to get moving,” he said. “We go in through the southern gate.”
Viggo, who was listening, looked skeptical. “There are a thousand Wild Ones in front of it,” he whispered to Lasgol.
“Have faith. They must have thought of something.”
“Yeah, and I’m one of the trusting ones …”
“Don’t protest so much and listen to our orders,” Ingrid snapped at him.
A raven flew back to the captain with the instructions. “Everything’s ready,” he said. “Now we can set off.”
“This is going to be a laugh a minute,” Viggo grumbled.
“Stay together at all times,” Ingrid told them.
The look in Gerd and Nilsa’s eyes suggested that they did not have much faith in the plan. Lasgol noticed their uneasiness. “We’ll make it!” he said encouragingly.
They rode until they were behind the Wild Ones who were guarding the southern gate, then waited in silence. Suddenly horns and Norghanian war cries rang out. The northern wall was lit up from one end to the other with torches, and at the same moment several thousand archers appeared on it and began to launch arrows against the Wild Ones. The remaining three walls, on the other hand, were still deserted. The maneuver surprised the Wild Ones by the southern wall, who began to grow restless. One group began to move northeast and another northwest, seeking to find out what was going on at the western wall and whether reinforcements were needed. The line began to break up.
Suddenly the southern gate opened. From within the city came the Royal Rangers, accompanied by the Royal Guard. They began to advance toward the Wild Ones, who had been taken by surprise.
“Now!” yelled Captain Enveras, and they galloped straight to the gate.
The Royal Rangers and the Guard managed to break the line of Wild Ones, creating a narrow corridor.
They were all galloping as fast as their horses were able. Lasgol was beside Eicewald, who was not a good rider. Camu and Ona were at his side all the time, with Viggo behind them, Ingrid at the head of the charge, and Nilsa and Gerd behind her. Several Wild Ones saw them charging, and hurled themselves at them. Several of the captain’s riders fell under the blows of their axes. Ingrid released at a Wild One who was crossing their path on the right, and Nilsa did the same on the left. Gerd delivered a kick at one who attempted to seize him.
“To the breach!” Captain Enveras shouted.
Several of his men in the front line fell, but the Rangers and the Guard managed to hold the narrow corridor they had opened up. When Enveras reached it, he crossed it with a few of his men. Ingrid released again and faced the breach, with Nilsa and Gerd behind her. Lasgol noticed that Eicewald looked as though he was about to fall off his horse at any moment. If he did, everything would be over. Viggo had seen this too, and took up a position on the Mage’s other side to protect him.
They reached the breach just as it was beginning to close. At the same time more of those Wild Ones who had abandoned their posts began to come back to see what was happening.
“We’re there!” Lasgol shouted to Eicewald, who was holding on to his horse with all his might.
Two Wild Ones tried to close the gap, but the Royal Rangers riddled them with arrows. They fell dead, and the galloping horses leapt over their bodies on their way into the city. The group made their way in, and no sooner had they done so than the gates started to close. Rangers and Guards withdrew and made it inside
