The Reformation Wars: Conflicts Rekindled

Chapter 23

The first hour or so of the battle proved quite uneventful for Manfred as he and his comrades in the third company found places to conceal themselves both inside and around the swordsmanship academy. Captain Sloan had ordered they strive their best to make their presence entirely unknown, so that in the unfortunate event Innutuk defeated all the Monteraynian forces, they would encounter a terrible surprise upon entering the academy.

That being so, Manfred and five other men sat and waited under cover of a stone barrier on the west side of the property. A cluster of bushes stood in the path between their position and the academy, meaning that if need be, they could sneak their way through and take out passing Innutukians under the green concealment. With their quintet comprised of two archers, a spearman, a man wielding a pole-axe, and Manfred with his longsword, they formed a well-rounded team that complimented one another well.

Occasionally, Manfred peeked out from behind the stone wall to check on the status of the battle. For the longest time, the Monteraynian ranks held, even if progressively disorganized. But by and by, the Innutukian strike teams who tried to flank Captain Sloan's forces got closer to the academy. They always got struck down to the last man, but every time a new team attempted the run, their success increased. Manfred's grip on his sword tightened as time passed.

Finally, the largest Innutukian strike force of all emerged, and the sight of them caused Manfred's heart to deflate. Not merely for their greater numbers; he'd come to expect that. But what pained Manfred was the sight of a familiar face leading the charge—Andre Feliz.

Andre was flanked by a pair of spearmen on either side, with several more behind to take the place of any who fell. Dozens of archers galloped behind them, the tail of the strike force comprised of an array of Innutukian warriors wielding a variety of weapons.

Manfred turned to the man nearest him, the one balancing a pole-axe on his knees. "They're coming. Nobody can stop them in time."

The man turned to see, and upon sighting the mighty force, he gulped visibly. "My goodness, that's a lot of 'em. Archers, see if you can trim down their numbers some."

With a vigorous nod, the blond twins who held bows nocked arrows and loosed them on the incoming Innutukians. Manfred watched the projectiles fly with heavy dread weighing his heart down. Manfred didn't want Andre to get hit, but then again, he was a knight now. He had his mission. If it came down to it, would he be able to perform his duty? Manfred wasn't sure he wanted to know.

One arrow missed. The other bounced off the armor covering a horse's shoulder. All the archers had accomplished was catching Andre's attention. He glanced back at his own archers and directed their attention to where he wanted them to shoot.

Dozens of arrows rained on the quintet of hiding Monteraynians. With short breaths, Manfred scuttled out of harm's way. A sharp cry drew his attention briefly back to the fact his spearman comrade had taken a hit to the leg. The archer twins scurried to find new spots to fire from.

The Innutukian strike force drew closer. While their bowmen prepared for another round, the two Monteraynians fired a pair more of their own. One arrow raced toward Andre's heart, and Manfred tensed. With one efficient stroke of his sword, Andre sliced the projectile's shaft in half, knocking it aside in the process. Manfred felt relief, but wasn't sure how right he was to feel that way.

The second arrow hit its target, but only in the leg. A roar of Innutukian agony rewarded the Monteraynian archer's efforts somewhat, but not nearly the result he'd sought. The enemy thundered on.

Manfred gasped when Andre's horse leapt over the stone wall, landing on the other side with a thud and racing toward the academy. All the others followed, casting shadows over the Monteraynians as their horses cleared the barrier. Many pairs of hooves flew right over their heads. Manfred and his companions cowered in fear of being trampled.