The Fallen World

Fort Battleaxe - Part 3

     “You’re eating, at a time like this?” exclaimed Corporal Cheston in disbelief.

     “What do you mean, a time like this?” demanded Private Grey around a mouthful of mutton pie. “We’re all about to die. What better time is there?”

     “Since we’re all about to go to the afterlife, I thought you might want to give some thought to the condition of your soul. Maybe spend a few minutes in quiet contemplation and prayer?”

     “Bit late for that I reckon,” replied the other man, taking another bite. “If we’re all going to Hell, to be punished for all eternity for our sins, I want to at least have a full stomach.”

     Cheston decided he couldn’t fault the other man’s logic. “Pity you don’t have any more of that fetid goats cheese on you. You could get out of here just by breathing on any Shad that gets in your way.”

     “I have got some, I was saving it for after. Want some?”

     Gallit’s company was squeezed in amongst all the other of the city’s defenders, just inside the west gate. Some of the other men of the company were shifting nervously, pale and sweating. Others were sharpening their weapons, determined to give as good an account of themselves as possible when the time came, their faces set and grim. Gallit himself had been walking up and down the ranks and files trying to give words of encouragement and hope, but his attempts had only reminded them of what was coming. Seeing this, Gordon and Grey had begun one of their inane dialogues, talking nonsense about anything that came into their minds, and it was this that had settled the men. A sense of normality. Mind numbing and soothing. Reminding the men of every other inane dialogue they’d had during patrols and missions that they’d come back from. Even Gallit himself drew comfort from it, and he silently blessed the two men.

     “It’ll slow you down, you know. Having a full stomach. Me, I know better. When the fighting starts I’ll be fast and agile. That’s why I’m the Corporal, you see, because I know how to think in tight corners.”

     “You’ll be thinking how hungry you are and that’ll distract you. Having a full stomach means I won’t be distracted. I’ll probably have to watch your back while you’re searching the battlefield for something to eat.”

     A messenger appeared, making his way amongst the men, giving last minute instructions to Captains who passed them on to the men under their command. Everything as quietly as possible so as not to be heard by the Shadowsoldiers on the other side of the wall. The breakout would take place precisely at noon, and every eye turned to look at the large ornate clock under the arching roof of the town hall. Ten minutes to noon. Hearts began to beat even faster and hands tightened on weapons and shields.

     There were several thousand men gathered before the gate in companies and regiments, all the fighting men remaining in the city. The tower stood almost empty for the first time in over a century. A space had been left clear in front of the gate itself with the infantrymen on either side of it. Between stood what was left of the city’s cavalry, the riders doing everything they could to keep their horses quiet. Fortunately there was quite a lot of noise coming from the other side of the wall, where the massed zombie legions were marching continually around the city, still trying to drive the defenders to a state of panic. The occasional whinny wouldn’t be heard by the enemy. Gallit looked up into the sky, where one of the wyverns ridden by the Shadow aerial cavalry was circling overhead. There was supposed to be a layer of illusion camouflage above them, hiding the assembled army from sight. Since the wyvern rider seemed calm and relaxed, he assumed it was working.

     “I was talking to Monk just now,” said Cheston, suddenly serious. “His company’s going to make a stand just outside the city. Form a square and hold as long as possible. We’re not getting out of this. You know it, I know it. They just want to take as many of the bastards with them as they can.” He glanced at the Sergeant, close enough to overhear.