Gate of Dimensions

[Act 1] Chapter 9: A Timely Arrival

City of Guinevere

Second week into siege

Guinevere looked on from her high palace to the battlements below with an ornate telescope, getting a good view of the army trying to break into her city. Beyond the Silver Gate was an over-sized army of squabbling men in tight condensed formations as if Mordred brought his most professional soldiers for the final battle, but everyone knew better. But if one was to look closely into the fray, they could see Mordred's army was bolstered by ogres, trolls and other monstrosities, showing his malicious intent of making his enemies suffer. But thanks to the professionalism of Guinevere's soldiers and Silver Hand knights, they managed to hold the city for as long as they could.

It was a true shame for the Empress to see her city being besieged. It was said that the first Arthur built the city in honour of his beautiful wife and now the bride is getting burnt and stabbed by Mordred's ruthless bandits. Ever since Mordred showed up with half a million soldiers, the past two weeks were nothing but horror. Nobody, not even the Empress in her palace, has been able to sleep well for two weeks.

Even though Empress Guinevere's loyalists have been peppering the Imperial army with arrows, javelins, and stones they shot at the Imperial Army, their numbers just keep swelling and the piles of bodies just keep growing. The touch of fire arrows turned their siege towers into giant pyres and its crews into human torches. So far in the two weeks of being besieged, none of Mordred's men managed to punch a single hole in Guinevere's defences.

The only true damage came in the form of Mordred's black steed Eclipse and the other Dragonettes. Parts of the battlements were set ablaze from afar by the winged monstrosities but none of the dragons caused any true damage, nor could they unless they wanted to be pierced by ballista arrow. But on the fourteenth day, Mordred and his beast were spotted in the far back, likely watching the battle that raged on whilst eating his childhood peach pie with cream and drinking Oparan wine.

"Your majesty," said Vera, tugging at her liege. "Please step away from the window."

Guinevere didn't bother turning to her subordinate, instead, she stood perfectly still on the balcony. "Why bother? My brother had plenty of times to fly in and set fire to my palace for the past two weeks but chooses to remain on the outside with Eclipse. Does he really fear the city's ballista defences or does he intend to bring my city to heel one piece at a time?"

Guinevere's Silver Hand bodyguards stood silent, not a single one had an idea on how to answer. None of them knew Mordred like she did, only that he was handsome and very charismatic enough to turn the entire Empire's court against the rightful heir, but judging by how Guinevere often describes him, they can easily spit on his name.

"Plus, I am waiting for the Grey Ones to arrive, I would have much to do by the time they arrive."

Despite every one of the knights sharing the same feelings, Vera was the one that openly groaned at the mention. "We don't even know if they are coming or not! We haven't heard anything from them in two weeks."

"I know they will come, they need to as they seem to need us more then we need them."

Vera almost giggled. "How do you know that, your majesty?"

Guinevere placed down her telescope and groaned. "Imagine if an army arrived in a world they have absolutely no knowledge of. The first thing they would do is find civilization to gain insight into the situation or politics, even better if one was willing to ally themselves with the new arrivals."

"With all due respect, if these people have the audacity to massacre an entire army without provocation, then these people, for all we know, could be raiders! Raiders don't need an ally, all they need are targets."