When Angels Sin

34. The Battle

Mikal

The Northern army approached the city walls. They could already see the western forces positioned outside the gates, crossbows and spears ready at the front, waiting to welcome them with their deadly pointed ends. Mikal signaled for his men to stop. Despite knowing that Grytia would not be taken without a good deal of bloodshed, the useless negotiations between both armies had to take place. Mikal, regally mounted on Alexandra and doing his best to display his calm and confident attitude, approached the enemy forces, accompanied by Vilfred.

In the distance he could see two Pegasi approaching them as well, mounted by two men, and he could clearly tell that both men were wingless. The bigger man, apparently of a higher position, was a fierce looking warrior with dark challenging eyes and a long mane of messy black hair. The other man however, despite appearing to be of a lower position, looked more presentable with his less fierce countenance, warm honey eyes and neat brown hair. Mikal and Vilfred had barely stopped their Pegasi, when the black haired human stepped in with hostile eyes.

"Take your people and go home," the man commanded, and Mikal could only stare coldly at the daring human who spoke with such an unusual air of authority.

"My home is right there behind you. I am afraid you are standing in the way, human slave," Mikal replied as coldly as he could, and the man's eyes only darkened further.

"Please watch your words, Sir?" the other gentler man said. "The man you just called a slave is Lord Tristan of Grytia, and King William's army commander!"

"Oh Tristan, the infamous human Lord?" Mikal smiled coldly as he turned to look at Tristan. "But what is wrong with what I said? Army commander or not, you are still King William's slave, am I not right?"

"Mikal!" Vilfred whispered behind him, apparently concerned about provoking those two humans.

"Sir Mikal!" Tristan said, this time smirking instead of scowling. "You are right indeed. I am still King William's slave. In fact it is an honor being King William's slave. And I will make sure you receive the same honor as well by the end of the day."

"Oh I don't think you will live long enough to see the end of the day and grant me such an honor, human Lord," Mikal said with a long expressionless stare.

"Mikal," Vilfred whispered gently behind him. "It's no use talking with them."

"Your friend is right," Tristan said. "It is no use talking with us, because my next answer will be a sword through your throat."

"Tristan!" The other man whispered in warning, while Mikal shot Tristan a long dark stare, doing all he could not to kill him right now.

"Mikal, let's go," Vilfred whispered, and Mikal still glaring at Tristan, pulled on Alexandra's reins to turn around, followed by Vilfred.

***

Mikal stood at the head of the Northern army, his heart hammering as he prepared himself to signal for attack. He knew that as soon as the Northmen approached William's army, the deadly bolts made of demon stone would shoot up from the enemy's crossbows, piercing them in midair. Mikal took a deep breath as he tried to quickly think of a way to attack without causing a lot of damage. But it was inevitable. They would have to pass over William's front lines of crossbows and risk getting shot anyway. Even casting an Angel Light shield would be useless, as it was known to be ineffective against demon stone. Not to mention the wasted energy it would cost them to conjure Angel Light and sustain a shield, when they should be rather focused on the fighting itself. Yet... 

Mikal smiled darkly before he turned back to his men.

"We are not going to fly," he declared to the shock of everyone. "We are going to attack on foot." Noise started to rise between the men. Mikal raised his hand up to silence them. "They expect us to fly. They will keep waiting for us to fly so they can shoot us down, but as we get closer they will finally realize that we are not flying anywhere, and they will have to shoot us on ground level anyway. We have to be sharply alert. The moment they release their bolts in our direction, we instantly change course and take up to the skies, and before they could manage to reload their crossbows we dive upon them and cut off their heads!"