Champion Revised: A Songs of War Novel

Chapter 6

The trapdoor in the roof swung open with a creak. Sarrettus emerged out of the ladder-hatch. A strong Ardoni with about sixty years in the militia, he had served in the Cad'Vod, the unit of soldiers tasked with aiding the Champion of Ardonia in his raids. Quite tall and broad even for an Ardoni, the captain had a reputation for skill in combat and a penchant for violence. His pauldrons were immaculately centered, his sword shined to gleam, his sheath without a single blemish.

The soldiers on the rooftop saluted as he walked by. He returned their gestures crisply as he made his way to Thalleous. The two officers exchanged courtesies, then turned to face the artillery.
"Where did you learn to man this?" Sarrettus inquired.

"During my time in the Cad'Vod," the lieutenant answered. "They had me as a cannoneer for their light assault weapons."

Sarrettus tilted his head. "They never had cannoneers in my time."

"In your time, raids near mountaintops were quite common, and carrying the obsidian would have been quite the task. We only had a few raids on peaks in my days."

Sarrettus nodded absentmindedly as he inspected the weapon. Soon, he finished his checks and stood up. "It is of a good quality."

Thalleous smiled. "At the least, it won't detonate in my face."

Sarrettus turned to face the other soldiers on deck. "Are the ballisti primed?"

"Yes, sir!" came the response of a dozen Ardoni.

"Are the cannons armed?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Swords!"

"Ready!"

"Bows!"

"Poised for attack!"

Sarrettus looked at Thalleous. "They'll do just fine."

Thalleous beamed. "Thank you, Ky-Sarrettus."

"Sir?" asked one soldier on the roof, looking at the captain. A sergeant "by his shoulders," his pauldrons shifted slightly. "Where are they coming from?"

Sarrettus glanced around. "Our interrogation of the netheran hasn't revealed that yet. When it does-"

Just then, Thalleous heard a disturbing clattering noise from the north. He recognized that noise.

Wither skeletons.

He raised his crossbow and placed his hand on the lever to his cannon. He scanned the horizon as the dying flames licked the ground and water buckets splashed the trees. He heard the guttural tones of a wither, hissing and screaming into the night. He could tell they were coming closer. He heard the plodding footsteps of netherans, and saw the last guards on fire duty run inside as the flames began to die out. He steeled himself and prepared for combat.

"Lieutenant Thalleous!" one soldier yelled. "Look!"

A wither skeleton in chain-mail armor ran out from the forest, his sword at the ready. Five arrows promptly pierced his skull. He collapsed just as five more ran to take his place.

"To your stations if you've left them!" Barked Sarrettus in his bass tone. The sound of Ardoni soldiers running joined the unhallowed clatter of Wither skeletons shambling. More foes ran toward Eterden, swords at the ready. Netherans came out from behind them.

"Fire all!" yelled Sarrettus. Ballisti arrows and catapults shot into the night. Cannons resounded, leaving craters in their wake. More and more soldiers poured out of the woods. The lieutenant shifted his cannon to meet a team of netherans head-on. Thalleous slammed down the lever to his artillery. Moments later, he heard their screaming. Cannon shots came from the forest, the loud booms a drum beat for the army's attack.