The Heroes of The Elemental Academies Book 3 The Tides of War

Chapter 30: Seige Preparations

Rylee

  Rylee crouched in the bushes over looking the castle town of Durindal. In the dawn light the granite walls and soaring towers emblazoned with the blue and silver snarling wolf banner seemed almost majestic; gleaming like they had been freshly polished. If it wasn't for the glaring hole ripped in the outer walls big enough for five horsemen to ride through abreast, she would have thought nothing was wrong.
But, on closer inspection she could see damage on the gray and brown shingles houses. It was small. Windows broken and doors kicked in, but it was definite now that something had forced its way into the city. Scratch that somethings she corrected herself mentally. Outside the city had been virtually untouched fields of wheat and corn as far as the eye could see. Smoke rose of over the city.
Rylee turned and beckoned toward a brown curly hair kid no more than fifteen years old. He crouched and crab walked to her staying as low as he could. "Are you sure you saw them being taken in there Karta ?" She asked the boy. The boy looked up at her his blue eyes filled with worry.
"Yes ma'am," he said nodding. "The demons surrounded them on this hilltop and the. More demons scaled the cliff when they turned to face them and ambushed them." Rylee nodded her head taking this information in. She wanted to jump down this cliff and run into the town to rescue Seth, but she knew she couldn't. She realized with a start that even after a hundred years she was still very reckless when it came to those she loved.
Yes love, she had finally admitted to herself. She wasn't exactly sure what the feelings meant for her, but she could no longer deny them. She motioned for the boy, Karta to follow her then she pulled up the hood of her dull green cloak and went back down the path into the forest.

Half a day later they arrived safely back with the advancing column of agents. It had been decided that they were to lay siege to the city of Durindal in an attempt to both save Seth and to liberate the city from demon control. Rylee was still unsure how the city had even been taken with so little damage. The orders had arrived only a day ago and Rylee had ordered the breakdown of the entire camp except the walls and the main buildings. She had only a small contingent of agents behind to guard the newly built outpost. All together she had almost five hundred agents from different academies with her. It was definitely one of the most diverse armies she'd ever led. But, it wasn't enough to take the city, at least not directly.
She thought all this as she swung her horse around drew up along the leaders of the army. Karta followed her lead. She recognized two of her captains, older men with the same square pudgy faces and with hard looks. They both sported greying hair. She had fought with them for years, and she trusted them. Her lieutenant  Charles rode slightly behind them his armor clanking as he rode haphazardly.
   Rylee glanced back at Charles and gave him a tight smile before waving her hand so he would ride up to her left and join her.
"The city doesn't look like it's been damaged too much," she said with out preamble. The twin captains looked at her their eyes firm.
"Did anything happen while I was gone?" One of the captain Simian nodded.
"Yesterday about noon we picked up
Two more of Lord Malcovitch's squad. Their names were Leon Gilgreen and Justin Longdark.
Beside her Karta sat up straighter in his saddle his eyes blazed.
"Are they okay?" He blurted. Although Rylee had expected his rudeness she still held up a hand to silence him. She glanced over at him and he subsided looking rather abashed. She turned back to the two captains.
"Was there anything else?" she asked. The second of the twins Timothy answered at least she thought he was Timothy. She couldn't really tell them a part a lot of time. The only reason she knew the difference now was the color of cloaks they wore. Simian had a light grey cloak and Timothy had dark brown cloak. If they weren't always so serious she would have thought they might switch cloaks just to confuse her.
"We have gotten word that Chief
Commander Malcovitch is personally leading a force of another thousand agents to reinforce us us. Alas, they won't arrive until tomorrow."
"I don't suppose you would be willing to postpone the siege until they arrive?" Charles asked in a hopeful tone. Rylee shook her head.
" it's already been two and a half days since he was captured," she said trying to keep the tone of worry out of her voice. "As you all know Seth is vital to the protection and preservation of Elementia. Only three Elementists working together can defeat Reaper.
"But only the elemental Gems can seal Reaper," Charles pointed out. "Why can't we just use those to defeat him as well.
Rylee shrugged, she had had this conversation more times than she could count.
"The gems only bond to a single person. Also the power that courses through those gems might very well destroy Reaper if used together against him. They represent the elements in their most primal state." Before they could say something stupid like, " Good! Destroying is Good!" She continued.
"Our job isn't to destroy death. It's to keep it in check while fending off attacks by the evil one. "
"Besides if we needed the gems to fight Reaper
All the time then we would have been defenseless when the last war broke out. The gems will be  evenused to seal him away permanently," Charles chimed in. He flashed Rylee a small smile as of to say, See, I do pay attention. Rylee looked away turning her gaze on the uneven dirt road that was under her horse's hooves.
   "We need a plan, we are going to be arriving at Durindal by the end of the day," Charles said. Rylee racked her brain trying to think of a way to
Rescue Seth without occurring a number of casualties, but she just couldn't see one. A cold hand seemed to creep into her heart and squeeze it. She sighed and turned to face the worried faces beside her.
   "We will just have to hold them inside the city until the Chief Commander arrives," she told them not meeting their gaze.  Then without waiting to hear their responses she spurred her horse into a canter. Please be alive. Please be alive. The thought swirled around in her head like a prayer.