Shades of the Past_ Book Six of the Morcyth Saga - Brian S. Pratt [100]
Wagons are also commandeered to haul the additional supplies. Many are used strictly to carry barrels of water. Seeing as how their force will be reduced to moving at the speed of the slowest person, wagons will no longer be a hindrance.
Citizens of Korazan are seen here and there as they keep an eye on the invaders, but other than watching from a window or peering around a corner, no hostile move is made. James wonders what became of all the slavers that had been at the compound. The number of dead slavers couldn’t account for half of the ones he saw here during his last visit. Gone to ground most likely until they leave.
Once word comes that the pursuing army is now less than an hour away, they begin taking their force out of Korazan and getting it into position in the field. Those unable to join in the fight remain within the slaver’s courtyard. To protect them, Illan has a squad of crossbowmen and the unit of newly armed fighters remain with them in the event of an attack from the city.
The ground around Korazan is fairly flat with some scrub brush and stunted trees doing their best to survive in the dry environment. With no high ground of which to speak of, Illan forms the ranks a couple hundred yards away from town. In the center stands Jiron with his fighters, Delia and her slingers are just behind. To either side sit Ceadric and his raiders. The newly formed squads of crossbowmen stand behind the Raiders. In their loincloths and slave garb, they are a stark contrast to the armored riders before them. If the situation wasn’t so grave, it would almost be funny. But there’s nothing amusing about the determination exhibited by each of the crossbowmen. Totaling over three hundred, what they lack in skill their numbers should readily make up for.
At the fore, Illan stands beside James. “Scouts say their numbers haven’t increased,” he says.
“That’s still twice ours though,” counters James.
“Not any more,” he says with a nod toward the crossbowmen. “Besides, we have you.”
“There is that.”
To the east a dust cloud rises from the approaching army. Delia and her slingers move to stand before the others, each carries a pouch at their hip containing two crystals. They wait as the Empire’s forces continue to advance.
Several hundred yards away, the enemy army comes to a halt when they see James and the others already arrayed for battle. Trumpets sound as their force moves into position for attack. Over a thousand men-at-arms, several hundred cavalry, and ten score crossbowmen make ready their assault.
After several minutes, the army before them finally gets itself into attack formation. Then the horn sounds the attack and they begin moving. “Here they come!” Potbelly announces.
“We can see that,” mutters Jorry in reply.
“Yeah,” states Uther, “does he think we’re blind?”
James pays little heed to the good natured bickering between them. To Delia who stands before him he says, “After you send the crystals flying, fall back.”
She simply nods her head in reply, all the while keeping her eyes on the advancing army. When they’ve covered half the distance between them, she hollers, “Ready!”
Her slingers place their free hand on the pouch containing the crystals. When they are within a hundred yards she yells, “Now!”
Each of the slingers removes a glowing crystal from their pouch and places it in the sling’s pocket. Twirling the sling rapidly over their heads for a second, they let fly their crystals toward the advancing soldiers. The crystals fly through the air and land a dozen yards before the front rank of men.
“Again!” she hollers.
Once more, her slingers remove a glowing crystal from their pouch and send it flying to land near the others. As their second crystal is released, each turns and hurries back through the soldiers