Blood Isle

Chapter Sixty-One: Regaining Strength

The harbor's waters lapped at the dock's timbers rhythmically as Changa scanned the seas for the fleet they were expecting. It was hours before the fleet was due to arrive; however, he would not relax until the rest of their soldiers had landed safely.

It would be at least a day before the soldiers that were due to arrive would be ready to march. Their army would be at full-strength once they came, but in and of itself, that was not enough to charge rashly into the fray.

The SDU last night had discovered that the enemy now knew of their presence, and they considered them a significant threat. So much so that the SDU's units lost fifteen hunters in the forest last night. Eight of the team members died in battles in underground storehouses, where they could not maneuver within the tunnels' tight confines.

Donovan and Maska decided to send in teams of sappers to burn as much as possible. It would be a raging dogfight, one that would maul thousands of allied soldiers. Some battles required the SDU, and there were those that the teams should leave to a more powerful force. Changa was grateful that their command was wise enough to realize this.

Three hours later, a lookout spotted the approach of the fleet. Donovan, Maska, Changa ventured down to the docks to watch the ships come in. The soldiers aboard them were the last impediment to a full-bodied assault upon Magdenar.

As they waited for the arriving soldiers to rest up, a team of sappers would work tonight to destroy the underground storehouses that the SDU discovered. The SDU teams would serve as hunter-killer teams against the Nyen snipers and destroy what devices of the enemy that they encountered.

As Donovan, Maska, Brenna, Morgan, and Changa watched the ships approach the harbor's waters; it was apparent by the looks on their faces that everyone was ready to take the next step.

The continuing war hinged upon tonight's activities; after considerable discussion, Donovan and Maska agreed to send in sapper teams with the SDU. The joint operation would send snipers to destroy any underground storehouses with heavily armored soldiers; the SDU would provide as much protection as they could against enemy snipers and search and destroy all traps and devices that they found.

Changa knew that Nyen, Kang, male Slyyth, and Giants would do everything in their power to stop them. The Centaur realized the actual assault would start tonight in the darkness, not two days from now, during daylight. He had always fought in the war ever since it started; now, he waited as others carried the load forward against Bemenah's evil forces.

The ships were approaching the docks; from all appearances, the vessels looked to be a little worse for wear. Something had occurred during their return trip; the boats' decks had several soldiers lying on cots, and the bows and hulls of every vessel were adorned with the enemy's arrows scorch marks.

As Changa saw these, he could not help wondering what had occurred. When the Elliana's Revenge moored at the dock, Captain Merza spotted their group as he disembarked from the ship; and approached them with a look of concern upon his face.

"It is nice to see that you have returned safely, from the looks of it; it appears that you ran into more than a little trouble," Donovan stated as he studied the ship's hold.

"We expected a long-ranged attack with fire arrows; imagine our surprise to see that Andakar ships side by side the with sea raiders. Those other ships ran the colors of the Andakar.

When they were within range, these new allies of theirs began bombarding us with trebuchets loaded with rocks covered with burning rags. Our crew and several soldiers eliminated the stones and stamped out the fires; we suffered no permanent damage.

"Our pavise crossbowmen replied to their attack with bolts that had burning rags wrapped around their broadheads. The large ballistae fired their shafts festooned with burning rags;  between the fiery shafts and flaming arrows, we traded shots with the enemy. The enemy had no choice but to break off the attack by their ships; the ship's sails and rigging were burning out of control, along with portions of their accursed ships," Captain Merza reported to Donovan and Maska in detail.