A Paradox in Retrograde (44 page)

"My god you do make an impressive sight." Landaus said as he
saluted the parading line of horses. Ananda unsheathed his sword
and raised it up into the air in exhalation. "I swear to you upon
my very life that you shall be delivered once and for all from this
eternal enemy."

During this brief pause in the bombardment Aaralaat moved
quickly, ordering his men to evacuate the ships. "To you ladders
men. We must break out of here and find shelter before the
shelling begins again." There about the smoking wreckage his
words turned to action as those warriors who were able, made
ready their weapons. There was a flurry of activity as all manner
of weaponry were represented. Some warriors wielded battle axes
and crossbows while the majority brandished the battle standard,
sword and shield.

The main escape hatch was miraculously undamaged in the bombardment. So the crews began to swiftly deploy to the ground.
Aaralaat was the last to leave the ship. As his men exited he made
a mental tally of the ships remaining compliment. He estimated
that twenty five, a full third of is force had been killed or severely
wounded during the first moments of the landing. Inhis mind
though these losses were significant he felt his wager was still a
good one. Satisfied that all had exited he made hisown way
down the ladder. Speaking to himself he said, "We may yet
snatch a victory from defeat." As these words left his mouth his
conscious thoughts were once again shattered by theconcussion
of cannon fire. He reached the bottom of the ladder in time to witness the second ship sustain multiple impacts; the force of which
shook him to his core and made the ships metallic skin seemed to
crumple. In short order it too had succumbed to the attack, like
the first ship it too would never fly again.

Meanwhile Landaus from his observation post within the secondary perimeter surveyed the landscape before him. Through his
spy glass he watched as the enemy made a desperate exit from
the crippled ships. He lowered his glass from his eye and gestured for a runner. He was about to call out loud when the runner
appeared there before him. "Ah there you are young man. I need
a message sent forward." He produced from his vest pocket a
small notebook and began to furiously scribble a new batch of
orders. A moment later he turned to the waiting messenger handed him the note and said, "Bring this note to the attention of the
forward commander, and make it double quick. Do you understand me boy?"

"Yes Sir." He folded the note carefully and slipped it into his own
vest pocket. Then he was off without another word spoken. Landaus watched as he ran, wending his way between the dugouts
and gun emplacements. Grunhuf who was standing at his side
asked, "If I may ask, what were your orders?" Landaus turned
and looked at him incredulously, "I guess it doesn't matter you'll
find out soon enough. I authorized the forward commander to
have his muskets and mortars begin to acquire individual targets." Just about this time another signal went out. In response to
this all around the barricade well-practiced marksmen were making their long rifles ready. They knew what to do next. With one
final signal from the commander, a few notes on a horn sounded
and the marksmen on cue laid down a curtain of lead and smoke.
With impeccable timing the fusillade arrived just as the survivors
of the second ship were breaking out of the wreckage. One by
one they attempted to filter through this no man's land. In the
first barrage of musket fire those in the front ranks bore the brunt
of the barrage as the sheer volume of shot overwhelmed them.
Perhaps twenty in the first volley alone were killed or severely
wounded under the withering fire. There then they discovered
their desperate need for cover as the air around them came alive
with hot lead and exploding canister.

Eldred and several warriors wading thick into the maelstrom
managed to reach the safety of a natural dip in the terrain. By
now virtually all the men had been hit by fire. Only the most exquisitely accurate of shots or a close call with a mortar had found
gaps in the armor. Often these were fatal as the rounds and great
shards of shrapnel tore swaths of flesh as they spun through the
body.

Aaralaat's group had fared better as their place of landing was not
directly before the barricade as was Eldred's. However as they
moved forward from behind the wreckage they came into the
field of vision of the marksmen. Their movement there caught
their attention. Now they too fell under heavy fire. As they surged
forward to the natural break Aaralaat took a direct hit to the head
from a musket ball. Though he was knocked from his feet and his
helmet shattered he was merely dazed. He reached up to feel the
warm ribbon of blood issue forth from underneath his helmet.
Staring at his gore stained hand he thought to himself he would
need to be more careful for next time he may not be so lucky. His
head was throbbing as he rose to his knees. He cast his broken
helmet aside. Scanning the ground for a replacement he found the
lifeless body of a warrior. He knelt down before him and removed his helmet. Looking upon his face he realized that he recognized him. It was a young man not much older than his own
son. For the briefest of moments he was overwhelmedby remorse. Tears fell to mix with his blood as he affixed the helmet
on to his own head. Then just as before, the blastof cannonade
burst high above his head jarring from this self-indulgence. A
rain of shrapnel was falling deflecting off his helmet. Surely the
timing could not have been accidental.
Silently he thought to
himself that his survival had been no accident. Though generally
not prone to fits of superstition he began to feel as if the presence
of Hector had interceded on his behalf and had given him one last
chance to face his ultimate challenge, Hector himself. In doing
so Hector had washed away any doubts that may have troubled
him. Filled now with a new resolve Aaralaat got to his feet and
raced toward the safety of the rise. Once he had reached the place
of safety he watched as his men by ones and twos made their
ways across this no mans land. With each survivor’s return his
heart grew more emboldened.

With a sound and fury the third ship finally began its deliberate
descent. Their compatriots on the ground watched as this ship
like the others before it had come under a heavy attack. Under the
hail of withering fire its fuselage crumbled before it was toppled
onto its side by the bombardment of the long cannon. Having
fallen like a mighty tree Its survivors fell also to the rain of shot
and mortar. However As day turned to evening the advantage had
begun to shift for in the darkness they would be not be so vulnerable. In they dug into new positions a reckoning was made of the
casualties. When all was accounted for despite having taken
heavy losses they were still formidable

Chapter 19

From the high watch the guard on duty looked out upon the field
below. There but for a scant scattering of fire light the plain was
blanketed in darkness, for the skies of the gathering storm had
obscured the moon. And as the guns had long grown silent, all
that could be heard over the sounds their beating hearts within the
opposing camps, were the plaintive sounds of wind and surf.
Within the human camp these ghostly noises played havoc on
these men's minds as they awaited the inevitable attack. The jubilant celebrations of impending victory were but a forlorn memory
as night enclosed around them. And with its coming their initial
exuberance was replaced by a spectrum of emotion that ranged
from mere anxiety, to a fear that you felt deep down in your
bones. All along the barricades and look outs then, keen eyed
guards with somber anticipation peered out through the inky
blackness, watchful for any sudden sign of movement. They
knew that it was only a matter of time before they would find out
who would blink first.
Within the relative safety of high Breideblic, Lady Xora looking
down over its cobbled ramparts saw there out upon the darkened
plain a landscape punctuated by the light of distant campfires.
She imagined the scene to look like a surreal tableau turned upon
its head. Caught there in its image she had not noticed that Ibsen
wrapped in his blanket, had joined her at her side. By now the
intensity of rain had elevated from a light drizzle to a steady
shower. In response Ibsen merely lifted the edge of the blanket
over his head to make it into a makeshift hood. To her surprise, it
took her nearly a minute to recognize his presence there. So intense was her gaze over the wall that she was startled by his sudden appearance there. "Oh Ibsen" She shrieked, "You nearly
scared the living daylights out of me."

"I've been standing here for a while now, you haven't noticed me
here?"

"Obviously I had not noticed. You ought to announce yourself
before you enter a room. It's not only good manners, but on a day
like today it might save your life."

"You're obviously exaggerating."

 

"Perhaps, but not by much I would wager. By the way, what has
possessed you to be up at this ungodly hour?"

 

"Well, isn't it obvious? The quiet is deafening, it's like waiting for
the other shoe to drop. But mostly, I'm scared and I can't sleep."

"OK now we've gotten to the truth. Why don't you let me get you
something warm to drink and perhaps I'll sit with you a while?
How does that sound?"

"I'd like that."

"Good, let's get you something." She put her arm snuggly around
his shoulder and drew him in tight. Together they made their way
in from the cold and rain.
Xora brought him out of the elements to small enclosed break area just a few steps off the parapet that was used by the duty
guards. She turned on the light and pointed Ibsen to a seat at the
plain but serviceable table. He took his seat and removed from
his head the sodden blanket. He watched as Xora searched
through the cabinets of the rudimentary kitchen for a package of
tea or cocoa. The pot of water was already on the burner. Once
she had found the cocoa. She turned the valve, struck a match and
lit the gas fire below the pot. "There that shouldn't take too long."
With the light on she now could tell just how wet and cold young
Ibsen had become in the dank night air. She removed her hooded
parka and replaced it for the blanket around Ibsen's shoulders.
"There that should warm you up a bit."

"Thank you Lady Xora, you are too kind."

 

"That's nonsense; it's a simple gesture between friends. And by
the way my name is Xora; you can drop the lady part."
"But my father say's I should treat you with the proper respect that
is due your station."

"He's right of course, however I'm making an exception in your
case, at least while we're alone." She watched as the beginnings of
smile curled up on the corners of his mouth. "Thankyou for being
so kind." She put her arm around him again and said "You're
welcome. I know things have been tough on you and your father
since your mother died. I want you to know if you are ever in
need, let me know."

After a short while steam rose from the pot as the water began to
boil. Xora rose from his side to fetch the cups and packs of cocoa
from the cabinet. Just then Ibsen turned to look out onto the night
through the kitchen window. He was instantly alarmed by what he
saw there. For in the bare light emanating from the window he
watched as from the shadows emerged a hideous creature with
pale skin climbing up the citadel wall. Stripped tohis waist a lone
warrior had scaled the shear ledge of the wall andwas now only
meters from the parapet. He called out, "Lady Xora, It's one of
those warriors. He's climbing up the outer wall." She rushed over
to the window in time to see that it had advanced quickly up the
wall. Soon she thought it would reach the top. She turned from
the window and quickly scanned the room for her pistol. A mere
second later she spied it on the counter. She rushed over and
made sure it was loaded. Once she was assured that it was, she
burst out through the door out again onto the barricade. She
leaned over the ledge to spy that the warrior was within several
feet from the top. By now it had noticed her presence there and
was set to leap the remaining distance. He flexed his hind legs
making ready for the jump. With her reflexes well tempered she
raised her pistols in time with the creature's swift movements. As
he leapt up and forward she was ready. As they were almost face
to face, Xora released the hammer on her pistol. In a flash of light
and smoke the lead projectile struck the unarmored creature
square in the middle of his chest. The force of which countered
his forward momentum. Still his mighty hands managed to catch
the edge of the wall. She wasted no time and used the now useless pistol as a hammer as she bashed his hands with it's but
stock. With two good whacks its hand broke free. She stared into
its eyes as it fell backward. It attempted feebly to flap its glider
wings to no avail as finally it succumbed to its mortal gunshot
wound.

She hadn't had time to recover when to her surprise a second
creature dropped onto the parapet from some where in the darkness. This time she was caught completely off guard. As the creature ambled slowly towards her she realized she wasnow unarmed. She let out a primal scream. Unbeknownst to her she was
not alone there on the barricade. Rushing forward with a pike another guard ran his weapon right into the warriors back. It let out
a scream of its own though not of fear but of agony. It turned
with rage filled eyes towards its attacker. It reached its arm
around its back and broke off the pike handle. It too was mortally
wounded but it was not done fighting. It took the blood stained
handle and swung it with all its might at the hapless guard. The
guard was struck with such force against the side of his head that
the power of the blow knocked him clear over the side of the barricade. Luckily for him he was knocked unconscious, so he did
not fathom his own impending death as he plummeted downward.