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None of the enemy cavalry has yet taken the field. Illan nods to Jiron as he retakes his position at the head of his men. “Cavalry not coming?” Jiron asks.

Illan nods to the two ends of the palisade far in the distance. “My guess would be for them to make an end run around the far side of the wall once the battle begins.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” he says.

Illan turns to the officer in charge of the catapults. “Give them a volley.”

“Yes, sir,” he replies. Turning to his men he hollers, “Let em go boys!”

As one, the five catapults are loosed and their deadly projectiles are thrown toward the massed men before them. The five boulders fly through the air and come to land in the midst of the soldiers. Most are able to dodge out of the way but two are struck by the rocks after they hit the ground and begin to roll.

“Not very effective against ground troops,” comments Ceadric. “Need grapeshot.”

Just then, they hear a command shouted by the enemy commander and horns begin to sound.

“True,” replies Illan. “Hadn’t planned on using them against troops, just the walls.”

The enemy crossbowmen move forward and raise their crossbows. At another command, hundreds of bolts are loosed and fly toward them. “Raise the shields,” cries Jiron as he and the others raise shields to protect themselves as well as Delia and her slingers from the barrage.

As the bolts reach the apex of their arc and begin descending down toward them, the three crystals atop the staves James had planted in the ground flare. A shimmering field springs to life between them and extends above the staves at least thirty feet. Most of the bolts are deflected away. Some soar high enough to go over the top of the field but are easily brushed aside with shields.

“Way to go James!” Devin’s voice rings out.

“Quiet back there!” Illan orders as the crossbowmen ready another volley. “Hedry, see if you can distract them.”

“Archers!” he hollers. “Ready bows!” The line of bowmen including Errin and Aleya put bow to string and draw them back to await his command. Hedry raises his arm and then lowers it as he cries “Fire!”

A hundred arrows fly toward the enemy, some taking out crossbowmen while others fly further and find their mark among the rank of soldiers. From the walls of Lythylla behind them, a cheer erupts from the onlookers.

“Fire at will,” Illan says to Hedry.

“Fire at will!” Hedry repeats to his men and as fast as bowmen can put arrow to string, they fire at the enemy.

Horns from the enemy blow and the soldiers behind the crossbowmen surge forward with a war cry. Swords gleaming in the morning sun, they rush Illan’s position. “Any time, Delia,” Illan tells her. Another round of bolts is loosed from the crossbowmen as they and Hedry’s archers exchange fire.

“Okay my lads,” Delia says as she turns to face her slingers. “Take out one from the pouch and set it into your sling. As soon as you do, launch it to the enemy. Wait five seconds then do it again.”

Removing one of the special missiles James had put together, she places it within her sling. Before she finishes twirling her sling up to speed, several of the others let fly with theirs.

As the approaching soldiers see the missiles flying toward them, they pause in their charge and raise their shields. The hardened clay missiles shatter on impact and the soldiers are surprised at the crystals contained within. Each has a glow to them and after nothing happens, they resume their charge.

“What went wrong?” Illan asks Delia after the first round fails to do anything.

“I don’t know,” she replies as she winds up her sling to launch her second volley.

Then all of a sudden, soldiers closest to the first volley of crystals begin falling to the ground as the crystals leech power from them. A second later, orbs begin filling the air and start emitting bursts of electricity.

The momentum of the charge falters as men are struck with the lightning from the orbs. Officers order their men forward and the charge resumes as more