laneys.info Beware of Yankees, drunks, and loose women.

After seven useless months trying to find the dark paladin garrison that they knew was buried within the forests north of Mellerud, Sir Clement decided to lead them south to catch up with the army that was destroying the towns of the Midlands. Alex noted the displaced as they carved out a living within the wooded boundaries of their duchy and wondered how long this war would last. Forlorn faces pleaded for respite and he prayed it would come soon.

As they rode along the quiet highway, his blue eyes noticed a clearing up ahead bridged by a long grey wall on the horizon. Jarna would be next.

"I wonder where they've gone," he asked Artek as the dwarf struggled to keep in the saddle.

"Who?"

"The enemy. I thought they would be here sieging the city."

"Maybe they wanted more of a contest and are waiting for us to get inside," the dwarf commented, preoccupied with centering his weight.

Alex eyed the templar in front of them half-turn, catching the comment and begin scanning the treeline. He did the same knowing that their foe would love to try and finish off the remaining seekers of justice and representatives of Arhus while flattening another baron's stronghold.
Replaced by large open fields of swaying grass, the city commanded a large prairie which was the western border of the Delgada Desert. Many stories of bandits and cutthroats came from this region who hid in the wastes that he could almost make out on the eastern horizon as the noonday sun brightened their surroundings. Winter wasn't far off and would be welcome.

Soon, the unit entered the open gates of Jarna, a city that was rich compared to it's bleak surroundings as miners and farmers alike had built a jewel to behold on the single highway that joined the Yaro River with the Frontier to the south. Faces lightened at the sight of their banner waving proudly at the head of the column as they rode to the central keep and finally dismounted. Saddle sore, Alex stretched as the dwarves climbed down from their perches, then dropped onto the grey flagstone.

"I hope this is a long fight," Artek began, then eyed the templar who guided the steeds to the distant stable.

Alex chuckled. "I know how you feel," he commented, rubbing the backs of his thighs.

Dark brown eyes watched him nurse sore muscles. "That's not what I was referring to. I've been without battle in the middle of this war for far too long. All that stomping through the forest up north made me bored." His companions agreed.

"I understand why Sir Clement wanted us to find it but, they hid it a bit better than I had hoped."

"Well," Dugall began. "Once we capture one of them when they hit this place, we'll make him take us there."

Alex nodded, then turned as the main door opened to see Sir Clement and Sir Brandon exit and stand at the head of the walled stair. "We're to help the people here strip the rooves from their homes along the perimeter of the city and dump the thatch and wood into the moat. We'll be working on the north side of the city near the church and stay within the gate and towers there until they decide to pay us a visit."

As they headed to the main thoroughfare, Alex lifted his waterskin and drank. 'No rest for the weary', he thought.

* * *

After two full days and evenings of tearing apart second story rooves, Alex stood near the merlons and gazed down the long street. Bordered by taverns, shops and homes, the city was still alive with business despite the impending attack that they knew would come. As his eyes drifted upward towards the marketplace, he noticed a column of armored knights ride proudly towards them, then turn right towards the flanking towers to their east. Waving in the light breeze, he recognized the emblem of Arhus displayed on a black field.

He turned to Sir Evan who sat on a barrel and finished his lunch. "Sir, more templar have arrived."

Brown, mature eyes looked up from a weatherbeaten face. "What?" he said as he rose and approached to notice the long metal snake soon disappear behind the distant buildings. "I'll be."

"Others coming to steal our victory," Artek huffed as his pipe steamed.

"The more, the merrier," Evan's face lightened.

* * *

Alex sat on the barrel atop the gatehouse as he listened to Sir Evan and several others trade stories of their past. It had been confirmed earlier, knights and templar from Davos had arrived and they would be holding a prayer service soon as the sun dipped below the horizon.

"We should be going," Evan stated as he nodded to those who would stay and watch while they attended the gathering. Alex followed while the dwarves remained behind also as a small group of templar walked along the parapets towards the distant towers. As they rounded the northeastern corner, he noticed the group of armored men in the street that bordered the curtain wall and his heart leapt. More who would help defend this city and they were of the same order. He realized that knights of the Golden Scepter were here along with many others he didn't recognize who stood with their squires and a few females. They descended the stair and joined their brothers-in-arms, greeting them warmly.

"Arhus be praised," a hand grabbed his shoulder and Alex turned to notice Sir Kenneth smiling, then turn and motion to the knight in front of him. "Look who I found."

Alexander's heart stopped as he looked up to Sir Stephen as his lord turned and smiled. "Good to see you sir."

Joyfully, Stephen hugged him, laughing. "Arhus certainly loves you, boy." He soon backed. "Where have you been?"

"I awoke in Dronfield to the north."

Their faces went blank as he continued.

"The halflings that took me in and nursed me back to health helped us rescue five dwarves in some giant caves and then we ventured to Exmoor where we met Sir Clement, the new Knight Commander of that compound and we've been riding with him ever since. We just arrived here a few days ago."

Both remained silent for a moment until Stephen cleared his throat. "Son, you realize that you need to be thanking not only Arhus, but also Elminoir and Archantael for your life along with Yaeby for the good fortune that he's blessed you with. Dronfield is more than several hundred leagues from the battle where you fell." He shook his head in disbelief.

Alex's joy softened at the revelation.

After the prayer and further greetings, he followed Sir Stephen to the tower he was stationed in and waited with them for the impending attack. They didn't have to wait long.

Explosions of fire soon welcomed the city to the magic that their enemy still commanded as men and buildings were engulfed in flame that rained from above as a warcry also boomed from the walls as Alex rushed to the parapets with the other knights. Siege ladders slapped the wall below and he looked down to see the undead soldiers climbing up, hunger in their eyes. Keeping his shield up from distant missiles, he prepared to meet the attacker.

Two horn blasts sang through the tumult and suddenly the moat erupted in flame itself, encapsulating those skeletal warriors below waiting for their turn. Screaming, the fiery bodies milled in various directions as they tried in vain to escape the inferno, arms flailing. Guarding himself from the heat, he waited for the soldier who continued his climb, then struck down on the skull and rusty helmet with his sword as he sent the attacker back downward. Swords and polearms clanged amidst screams and blazing, smokey hell that flanked the curtain wall until a break. Their eyes quickly gravitated to a single bolt of light that sped outward from a neighboring tower towards some unknown destination in the field beyond until hitting a figure whose body erupted in bluish flame, then dropped to the ground.

As they waited for more assailants, the thick wall of smoke soon dissipated to reveal quiet surroundings and smoldering bodies on the ground below. Not lasting for more than a few minutes, the fight was almost a letdown after all the preparation until Alex noticed the wounded being carried off of the wall and towards the church. Jarna was saved.