Warrior Priest of Dmon-Li - Brian Pratt [120]
“Just wait,” James assures him.
Suddenly, they see a shimmering bubble making its way slowly down the street toward the soldiers at the gate. The translucent bubble is hard to see unless you know what you’re looking for. As it gets closer, the mage there suddenly turns his head toward the bubble, sensing its magic resonance.
The mage says something to a soldier next to him who barks an order and everyone there comes immediately to attention. The crossbowmen on the walls are staring intently into the darkness of the street but fail to find anyone.
The bubble abruptly turns around and goes back the other way. The mage, sensing the magic moving away from him moves to follow when from across the town…
Crumph!
…the warehouse erupts in a tremendous explosion throwing fire and stone into the air. The mage immediately begins moving toward the explosion, half the soldiers going with him.
James can detect several of the bubbles in the area, throwing off the senses of the mage as he tries to hunt down the source of the magic he’s sensing. He watches as the mage begins walking determinedly down the street, directly toward the place where he’d stopped those four times. When he reaches the center of it, four lights flare into being. The mage cries out as he falls to the ground and the soldiers with him try to run but are stopped by an invisible barrier that has sprung up between those four lights, boxing them in. Trapped, the soldiers begin crying out as they strike the barrier with their swords and fists but to no avail.
James takes some slugs out of the pouch at his hip and begins launching them up to the crossbowmen on the walls. One by one, they’re struck and begin falling off the walls, some landing within the courtyard, others falling outside the walls.
Pytherian glances to James with renewed respect as he continues launching slugs until the walls are cleared of crossbowmen.
With his knives drawn, Jiron says, “Milord, it’s our turn.”
Nodding, he pulls the sword from its scabbard as they move toward the soldiers guarding the gate.
As Miko turns to follow them, James grabs his arm and says, “We need to open the gate.”
Snapping back to himself, Miko nods and follows James to the gatehouse. On the way, James takes out two more guards before Jiron and Lord Pytherian begin to engage them.
Within the gatehouse are several levers and James begins pulling them at random. Miko stands at the door to the gatehouse, sword drawn and keeping a lookout. A loud clatter suddenly can be heard coming from the gates and then they begin to slowly swing open.
“Let’s go,” he says to Miko as they leave the gatehouse. A horn sounds from the top of the wall as a soldier there warns of the gate beginning to open. James looks to Jiron and Lord Pytherian who have already disposed of half the remaining guards and are standing back to back as they hold off the last four.
Down the street, past where the soldiers are trapped by the force fields, James can see a band of cavalry coming.
“My Lord!” a voice cries out.
Coming through the east gate are Miller and his band who’re moving to engage the soldiers battling Lord Pytherian and Jiron. They quickly overwhelm them and secure the immediate area.
“My Lord,” Miller cries out as he reaches his side. “We must leave!” Behind Miller is an extra horse for Lord Pytherian.
As he gets into the saddle, Lord Pytherian hollers, “James! Come on!” More crossbowmen are running along the wall as they rush to join the battle before the gate.
Jiron mounts up behind his friend as James and Miko run toward them. Bolts begin raining down as some of the crossbowmen on the walls near the gate.
James glances down the street and sees the cavalry already moving around the trapped men and racing toward them.
Crumph!
The ground under the leading horses erupts, throwing men and horses into the air and causing those behind them to come to a stop.
One of Miller’s band cries out as a crossbow bolt strikes him in the back, causing him to fall