Haladras

Thirty

Skylar and Endrick pressed themselves against the cold stone wall, hiding in the shadows of a flanking tower along the castle's inner curtain wall. Two guards paced the parapet they needed to cross. They were close enough that both guards posed a threat, yet far enough apart that a single sleep bomb would not suffice.

"I could throw one at the far guard while you throw one at the other guard," whispered Skylar.

These two guards were the only obstacle between them and the east tower, where the first of the five cannons awaited them. Three more were positioned on the high towers. Krom had delegated himself to disable those. Rasbus and Grüny had gone to sabotage the main gates. If all went as planned, they would signal Arturo and Lord Rowvan just before daybreak to mount the attack.

"It's too risky," answered Endrick as they watched the two guards. "If one of us misses, the other guard will be alerted."

They waited.

Skylar's heart pounded within his chest. He scarcely breathed.

The guard nearest them had been walking steadily toward them, each second drawing closer.

"Another foot or two and the sleep bomb will put us to sleep with him," said Endrick. "I think it's the sword for this fellow."

"No, wait."

Suddenly, the guard turned and planted himself facing out over the battlements toward the city below. About that same time, the second guard passed within the east tower and then out the other side. A minute later and he was out of ready earshot. Seizing the chance, Endrick rolled one of the metal spheres out across the curtain wall. It chinked softly on the stones.

Startled, the guard nearest them jerked around to face the sound just in time to see the sleep bomb strike his armored boot. He crouched down and picked it up, and then collapsed across the battlement as the gas reached his nostrils.

Hastily, Skylar and Endrick dragged the unconscious soldier into the shadows of the flanking tower, then made for the east tower across the curtain wall. They gained the east tower without attracting the other guard's attention. The guard had continued his patrol along the parapet, never turning around, still moving steadily away from them.

"What if he turns around and comes back?" said Skylar.

"Let's hope he doesn't. Come on."

Mounting the tower stairs, they swiftly ascended the spiraling steps all the way to the top. They found the cannon unmanned and unguarded, and for good reason; there was no visible means of operating it.

"How do they use the accursed contraption?" said Endrick, as they hunted for some means of disarming the blaster cannon.

"It might be controlled remotely," said Skylar, his words echoing his thoughts more than responding to Endrick, "from some control room within the castle."

"Good thing, too. This whole business was beginning to seem too simple. Now, at least, we have a challenge and a good possibility of getting caught and ground into paqua slop."

Skylar continued to inspect the cannon.

"There must be something we can do to it."

"I bet if you beat at that armored sheeting with your sword, you could make a few scratches. Maybe even a dent or two."

"There must be something..." Skylar's voice trailed off. He admitted to himself that there didn't seem to be any weak point of the weapon. Well armored, it bore a barrel, six-sided, with the top and bottom sides longer than the other four, which projected out through a slit in the tower wall. The slit was wide enough that the cannon commanded nearly a full one hundred and eight degree range for firing at frontal-assaulting enemies. By means of two hydraulic arms, the barrel could also point toward the ground or sky. Every part was constructed of heavy steel. Impenetrable. Not a wire exposed anywhere.