Treachery : book 2 of Codex Elysium

Chapter 40

Chapter 40

Present time: Nidavellir

The raiders surged forward like an oncoming tide, this time Lucifer had sent a full half of their contingent and a small portion of the heavily armoured troops as back up. The raiders had yet moor ladders with them and the battering ram this time. The main objective was to get through the gate and hold it. The demon commander was furious with this timid approach but Lucifer had argued that the defenders may still be concealing weapons and she didn't want to risk the whole army.

Upon the ramparts, the dwarves yelled and cursed at the oncoming tide. After the first assault, a lot more mead had been passed around and the defenders had new levels of defiance and confidence.

Lucifer sat ridged on her horse and watched the ladders go up, her troops once again reached the wall without taking any loses. The demon commander was a cold silent presence besides her. She couldn't see any of his face beneath that beastly helmet and yet she could feel him giving her an I told you so look. Not one arrow had been loosed, not a single rock thrown. The princess of Hell again scanned the length of the wall for signs of Gods or druids but once again she was disappointed. It was only a matter of time now, Nidavellir's doom was imminent.

High king Dvalin watched the battles progress from the command balcony. Rekkr quietly observed from the kings side. Behind them stood a group of young dwarves that wore no armour. They were merely messengers and would relay the king's commands and orders.

The battle progressed just like the first time, enemies rained off the wall onto the waiting masses below, dwarves fell. The battle was a lot more intense this time round, the raiders fought harder now they knew they had back up. In many places along the wall the attackers were gaining footholds. The defenders fought back ruthlessly. Although they were smaller and shorter than the attackers, what they lacked in height they made up for in strength and courage. War hammers delivered blows that broke limbs and sent men flying off the wall, axes cut deep and severed heads and limbs alike.

Rekkr watched the battle with increasing concern, he kept flicking glances at the makeshift hospital near the wall. It was simply a group of white canvas tents which had countless camp beds set up inside. Where they could, field were carrying the wounded off the wall towards the hospital. Even though the din of battle was loud, above the clash of weapons and shouts of men the steady thump of the battering ram could be heard. Rekkr looked at his king then towards the empty area of ground behind the gate.

"My lord? Shouldn't we dispatch troops to defend the gate?"

Dvalin turned to his second with a mysterious smile but said nothing before turning back to watch the battle. Rekkr scowled. The gate was heavily reinforced but it was not invincible, if it was breached the first line of defence was lost. What was the king thinking? Why was he not worried? The sound of splintering wood drifted up to them. Rekkr looked at the king again.

"My lord?"

High king Dvalin waved a dismissive hand at his second and kept watching the battle below. Rekkr's scowl deepend. What would become of the hospital? There was no chance of evacuating back to the main fortress in time. Had the high king taken leave of his senses? Had he given up?

The fight all along the wall was becoming more desperate, the heavily armoured troops of the dark army had gained the wall and were wreaking havoc. In two patches, they had completely cleared the wall of defenders. These two patches began to swell in size as more attackers poured into them.

Rekkr didn't even realise he was gripping his sword hilt until his hand started aching from holding it too tightly. He couldn't just stand there and watch while his brothers in arms died, he needed to be down there fighting with them. More splintering sounds drifted up to the command post, the enemy would be through the gates in minutes and the first line of defence would be lost.