Mercury Mind (The Downfall Saga Book 1) (22 page)

When they passed out of sight, he turned his attention back to the city. He didn’t recognize it, which was surprising given that his tutors had forced him to memorize the features of every moderately sized city in Rourke as well as some in the other nations.

He looked at the sun to get his bearings. He felt that it was mid-morning, and using the position of the sun in the sky, he concluded that the castle lay at the eastern side of the city. He found himself in an affluent section of the city, adjacent to the castle. He identified a couple of other churches in the area and many small estates, surrounded by short walls. Their green, manicured lawns were at odds with the drab buildings and dirt streets covering the rest of the city. Docks lined the south side of the city, beside many large warehouses. Many buildings on the north side of the city were on fire, and people ran to and fro, either trying to put out fires, or fleeing the area. A short wall surrounded the entire city.

An open square occupied the center of the city and seemed to be the center of attention. Men were building barricades on the eastern side while others held a group of invaders at bay. He could see many more invaders converging on the square from adjacent streets, but no reinforcements coming for the defenders.

He paused to give the city a more detailed scan. He saw furtive movement in a bell tower above a cathedral a couple blocks away. He stood motionless by the window, watching the tower for several minutes. He occasionally saw figures moving inside, silhouetted against the light shining in the open windows. He was convinced that there were two people inside and they were watching the conflict in the square.

Exiting the building, he quietly made his way towards the cathedral. The streets around him were empty. Most people in this section of the city had long since fled or barricaded themselves indoors.

The cathedral was large and blocky, but covered in beautiful stained glass windows. Hurrying across the street, he entered through the large double doors. He paused in the relative darkness of the entryway as his eyes adjusted, acutely aware that he was unarmed. Despite his best efforts to keep quiet, his footsteps echoes around the room as he walked between the pews and past the podium at the far end, before disappearing through a plain door in the rear wall. He followed a narrow hallway past several doors until he came to a set of stairs leading up.

He stopped one flight below the top. He could see a wooden door at the top of the stairs, which he assumed led to the tower where he had seen the figures. His heart began to hammer in his chest as he decided whether he should announce his presence before heading through the door.

“Hello,” said Caddaric.

He heard some shuffling in the room above before receiving a response. “Who’s there?”

“I’m here to get an update,” said Caddaric.

The door opened a crack, and he saw an eye peering out. After a moment, the door was opened and he was motioned upwards. Entering the small room, he saw that it was very similar to the one that he had started in. A large bell hung overhead, and narrow windows opened in all four directions.

“What do you mean, you’re here for an update? We’ve been waiting for an update for over an hour.”

Caddaric gave a helpless shrug. “I’m just doing what I’m told.”

They studied his face for a moment before answering. “I’m Garret and that is Wacian,” said Garret, pointing to the other man who stood looking out the window towards the square with a long spyglass.

Caddaric crowded in beside Wacian to watch the conflict. “I’m as confused as you are,” said Caddaric, “so give me an update of what has happened from the beginning.”

Garret gave him a strange look, but obliged. “The attack began about an hour ago. We had no warning that the Sibt were in the area. They rushed the walls and were over before a defense could be organized. They started burning buildings on the north side of town, mostly people’s homes. People started flooding into the area to help put out the fires when they were ambushed and cut down in cold blood. Since then, the Sibt have been making their way towards Joran’s square. It provides the most direct access to the rest of the city. Our men are setting up barricades in the square to try and hold them off, but it doesn’t look good.”

“Why? What’s happening?” asked Caddaric.

“Captain Adolphus was killed in the initial attack on the square,” said Garret. “Adolphus liked to have all the power for himself, so there are no qualified lieutenants to take over command. The Sibt are mostly armed with swords, and we have a decent force of archers that are being wasted. They’re unprotected on the ground and their shots are being obstructed by our own soldiers.”

“Reinforcements?” asked Caddaric, watching a burning building collapse.

“There’s a company of cavalry behind the castle walls,” smirked Garret, “but King Earh won’t send them out to get involved in any real fighting. He’ll keep waiting for the opportunity to make a grand entrance and crush his enemies with a single charge.”

“It works in the stories,” said Caddaric, with a laugh. “If we were going to setup a proper defense, where would you recommend putting it?”

“There,” said Garret, pointing to a street that ran directly from the square to the castle. “The intersection of King Street and Claire. A small force can block off the intersecting streets, while we make our stand. There are plenty of buildings with many second story windows to station our archers. It won’t be pretty, but when you’re outnumbered all that matters is survival.”

“I couldn’t have said it any better myself,” said Caddaric. “I’m heading to the square to pull our men back. Are you able to signal the King when it’s time for him to make his charge?”

“Aye,” said Garret, motioning towards a book and many flags, each with a different pattern, resting on the floor.

“Don’t hesitate when you see an opportunity.”

Caddaric clasped hands with Garret, and patted Wacian on the back before leaving the cathedral. The winds shifted and he was struck by a putrid smell from up ahead. He placed his arm in front of his nose to block out some of the smell, but still nearly had to stop to retch. The sounds and smells grew as he neared the square until they were overwhelming.

Years of training had taught him how to keep his composure during adverse situations. He stopped and took several slow breaths through his mouth while clenching both his hands as he visibly calmed himself, and forced himself to ignore the smells.

Finally, the square took shape ahead of him. Roughly fifty archers hid behind upturned carts, blocking the entrance to the square. Occasionally one of them would take a shot into the square, but they mostly just stood there watching in horror. Walking up behind them, he got his first good look at the square from between two of the carts. Four simple fountains stood at the corners of the square, bodies polluting their waters.

A rolling battle was taking place throughout the square. There were no battle lines. There were no organized squads fighting together as units. It was many individuals, fighting alone, on both sides. Caddaric shook his head. This was no way to fight a war even if they had the advantage, but especially not when they were significantly outnumbered.

“Who’s in charge here?” he asked the group of archers.

“No one,” said a grizzled man to his left. “The orders stopped coming a long time ago, so we dug in here to wait.”

“What’s your name?”

“Iomar.”

“Here’s the plan, Iomar. We’re pulling back to King Street and Claire. Do you know where that is?”

“I do,” said Iomar, firing an arrow into the square. Caddaric didn’t even bother to look to see if it found its intended target.

“On my signal, I want all the archers to go there and take up positions in the upper floors of the buildings on either side. The foot soldiers will try and delay the Sibt to buy you some time, but don’t dawdle. Can you manage that?”

“I can,” he said, “but how will I know the signal?”

“You won’t be able to miss it,” said Caddaric with an ominous grin.

Caddaric slide his way between two carts into the square. Ignoring the fighting for the moment, he moved along the edge of the square to the next set of barricades. Repeating his instructions to the men there, he moved to the third set and did the same. Now that all of the archers had been given their instructions it was time to get the rest of the army’s attention. He knew that it would be impossible to travel throughout the square, spreading his instructions to each individual soldier and, even if he could do that, it would be difficult to disengage from the fighting without getting hacked to pieces.

Standing in front of the barricades leading to the most direct route to their fallback point, he raised his arms in the air. He paused for a moment, gathering his strength, before dropping his arms to his sides. Four bolts of lightning fell from the cloudless sky and detonated the fountains, spraying debris all over the square. A moment later, a near deafening clap of thunder shook the square, threatening to knock people off their feet.

Silence enveloped the square and people looked around, trying to determine what had happened.

“Soldiers, to me!” bellowed Caddaric in an unnaturally loud voice that could be heard by the men in the castle.

What the soldiers lacked in discipline, they made up for in blindly following orders given in commanding tones. The archers abandoned the barricades and fled at a run to the east. The Sibt soldiers hesitated for a moment too long, trying to piece together what had happened, allowing the defenders to disengage and form up around Caddaric.

“Alright, men!” he yelled. “Form ranks behind the barricade.”

They hurried to obey. They were organized behind the barricade by the time the first Sibt reached them, and they hacked the Sibt down as they tried to climb over. Caddaric allowed the men to remain here for only a few moments as many Sibt fell, but he knew that they would be moving through the side streets, attempting to flank them.

“Fall back,” he said, and they began a measured retreat down the street.

Caddaric singled out a couple of squads of soldiers. Quickly explaining the plan to them, he sent them running off to begin blocking the side streets near their destination.

The Sibt continued to test them as they retreated, attempting to get them to engage, but Caddaric kept the men focused.

At one point the Sibt force was so spread out and lacking any sort of cohesion that Caddaric was inclined to take advantage of the opportunity. Ordering a charge, his lines overwhelmed the individual Sibt spread in front of their main force. As soon as they met any real resistance, Caddaric ordered them to fall back again.

This continued until they neared King Street and Claire. Glancing behind him, Caddaric tried to get a glimpse of the archers hiding in the adjacent buildings, but he couldn’t see anybody. This would be a colossal failure if the archers weren’t in position. As the streets broadened, their lines spread out to the point where they were barely two men deep.

Crossing Claire, he ordered a halt. His men stood shoulder to shoulder, swords gripped firmly in their hands.

The Sibt halted a short distance away, trying to determine what was going on, but Caddaric didn’t give them the opportunity. Seeing a small group of men who he assumed were officers, designated by blue cloths tied around their arms, clustered together having a discussion, he dropped a flaming ball of fire into their midst. This had the desired effect, and some of the Sibt began an undisciplined charge while others held their ground. They were ten feet away when a barrage of arrows fell into their ranks.

Their line held as the Sibt crashed into them. The next barrage of arrows fell amongst the Sibt standing in the distance, which prompted them to engage as well.

“Hold!” screamed Caddaric. “Just a few more moments.”

The line miraculously held as the archers rained down death from above. Caddaric added his magic to the battle, taking down any Sibt who threatened to break through their lines.

The street was quickly coated in blood, and the Sibt now had to climb over the bodies of their fallen to engage the defenders. They were doing an outstanding job, but it was evident to Caddaric that it wouldn’t be enough. Every time a defender fell, the entire line became weaker. Soon they wouldn’t have enough men to hold the entire width of the street. As soon as the Sibt managed to get around to their flanks, this battle would be over.

Caddaric spared a glance over to the cathedral. He saw two flags hanging out of one of the windows, but had no idea what they were signaling. He prayed that the King would bring his cavalry into play soon. The wide, flat street was perfect for a charge. He even thought that the Sibt had been sufficiently weakened that their charge would pass right through their lines allowing them to trap the enemy between the two forces.

Years of training had taught Caddaric to deal with the problem at hand and not wish for someone else to come along and solve it for him. He focused his attention back on the battle.

A hole was opening up in their line and he hurried to plug it. Magic flashed from his hands clearing his enemies from the gap. Already tiring from using so much of his magic, he picked up a sword off the ground and joined in the fighting.

Deep down, he knew that he was at best mediocre with a sword, so he was surprised by the grace in which he could wield it. It was almost as if he could anticipate his opponents moves before they made them, and with a savage grace he cut them down. Caught up in the middle of the fighting, he couldn’t tell how his forces were holding together, but he knew that things were becoming hopeless, when he felt the ground begin to rumble.

His opponents looked up in terror, staring at something behind and above him. Taking advantage of the opportunity, he savagely waded into their numbers, felling them as he went. He knew that it was foolhardy to isolate himself like this, but he knew that the cavalry was coming, and the more chaos that he could create, the better.

Cavalry swords held high, the King’s men plunged into the Sibt, hacking and trampling men as they passed. The Sibt were apparently unprepared for the sudden appearance of the cavalry and tried to break ranks and flee. The horsemen turned around after passing through the Sibt lines and began carving their way back towards their own forces.