The Silver Sphere (36 page)

"How many archers do you have, General?" asked Macklin.

Krupp grunted. "Our battalion has three hundred. The one
we have on its way has the same."

"Good. We'll place them on higher ground before we attack.
They'll fire as we approach, and if we need to retreat and regroup, they can cover
our escape."

Shelby listened to Blunderbuss's discussion with Brodeur.

"My men are nervous they will be arrested by Lord Achernar,"
said Blunderbuss.

Brodeur laughed, "I believe some warrants are out for me
as well. Bianca has told me Lord Achenar will pardon us if we join the battle, and
welcome us to stay in Meracuse."

"City life is not for me. We will continue to live the way
we always have," said the Centurion leader.

"Well, keep that to yourself. We are welcome for now, and
if Malefic triumphs, none of us will be able to live the way we did."

"I know. That's why I'm here."

They passed several villages and gatherings along the course.
Every village mirrored the one before. Stone houses with thatch or shingled roofs
lined dirt or cobbled streets. Many had wells and inns where Shelby wished they
had time to rest on their weary march. Forests gave way to farmland.

Numerous men from the villages joined their ranks and the battalion
swelled.

In front of Shelby, Bianca held her temple for a time. "I
have made contact with Presage. Nightlanders have surrounded Meracuse and begun
storming its walls. Their weakest flank is on the east side of the wall."

"How many Nightlanders?" Throg asked.

She tensed and rubbed her temples. "Twenty thousand."

Everyone gazed at one another, silent.

Bianca sucked in a lungful of air. "Okay then, we will have
General Krupp's other battalion meet us on the eastward flank. You need to get to
the central gate, which is the weakest point of Meracuse. You must protect it until
we can summon the Sphere and have the Truth Seekers engage Biskara. Something is
holding the United Forces back from launching the star darts, and my guess is Biskara
is holding them at bay. If the gate falls, then the star darts will not be able
to offer much help. They can't fire into the city. General, who is leading the other
battalion? I'll contact him and confirm our plan."

"Colonel Demetrius Maza."

Gunther blew air through his nose. "Good Swine, but be wary.
He may be foolhardy and try to take down the Nightlanders without our aid."

She concentrated again and held her temples. After some time,
she looked up. "It is done."

"How much longer?" Max asked.

"A few hours," said Rowan. Though she and Riley were
both blonde, and had the same pirate-like smile, Rowan carried stern and cold features.

Shelby noted that those on the Assembly were more than political
figures. They were
warriors
.

They ambled forward, their ranks continuing to surge. As they
grew closer, the battalion had doubled in size. The citizens of Meridia that joined
the cause brought up the rear.

The march was long, and Shelby was growing tired. She nibbled
on a piece of chud to keep her energy up.

"We will arrive soon," said Macklin. "We need
to ride east now. Nearby the tunnel we will use to get inside Meracuse, there is
a clearing. You can set up camp and plan your offensive there."

They broke off the Gida Path at Macklin's direction and hastened
their pace.

"Scouts! I need scouts!" Krupp roared. A group of Battleswine
rode forward atop their massive chargers.

"Yes, General?"

"Ride forth over the hill. Observe what's up ahead and report
back to me. Do not go farther than two miles."

"Yes, General!"

The scouts buried their hooves into the enormous horses' flanks.
Their mounts turned and lunged in the direction of the rolling hill ahead. Where
green, lush grass once covered the ground, now only churned mud and soil lay on
the slope.

"Halt!" boomed Krupp, his voice carrying across the
field.

Banner men and other soldiers repeated his order, and the battalion
stopped as they awaited the scouts. Flags and banners fluttered in the wind like
snakes churning. Nervous whispers arose from the masses.

Shelby glanced behind her at the men who had come to fight alongside
the Kin for the freedom of Meridia. A swell of pride rose within her, and she smiled.

Before long, the scouts returned. They rode hard down the hillside,
racing toward the main battalion. Both reined in beside Krupp.

"There are several Nightlander sentries posted in the trees
around the clearing, General Krupp."

"We will dispose of the sentries," said Milo. "Stonecoats,
with me!"

He brandished his naked blade and charged forth. The Stonecoats
raced after him, their camouflaged armor glittering under the late afternoon sun.
While they were gone, the soldiers in the battalion shifted uneasily.

After some time, Milo returned. "All is clear."

"That was fast," said Shelby.

"'Tis but a warm-up for the Stonecoats, lass."

Macklin reared his steed to the front of the army, and cried,
"March!"

"Move out!" thundered Gunther.

The battalion galloped up the hill, the men on foot marching
behind. Captains and other leaders organized and motivated the soldiers, shouting
encouraging words to those who came to fight.

Shelby followed the rest of the Kin up the slope, leaning into
her steed as the mare raced.

Shortly, the army reached a grassy clearing. The Battleswine
poured onto the field and dismounted, then scurried across and set up camp as Gunther
and others called out directions. Krupp barked orders, commanding his men to arrange
the tents first and get their weapons taken care of.

Milo said, "Meracuse is down the hill ahead. Let us scout
out the terrain and make our plans." He removed his helm, and a red mark covered
his cheek where the helmet had been too tight.

The Kin accompanied Macklin, Milo, Gunther, and a score of Stonecoats
as they snuck their way to the top of the highland. When they arrived, Shelby looked
down at Meracuse.

The city beamed. Bright lights of many colors emanated from inside
the imposing walls. Enormous buildings of pristine white spiraled toward the heavens.
The center of the city rose high on a hill, surrounded by a bailey, the better for
defending against an army breaking through the gates.

Stone walls were the only things keeping out the Nightlanders,
now a sea of black encircling Meracuse. The sounds of battle pierced the air.

Milo pointed to a large precipice. "We will position the
archers on that bluff. They'll further weaken the eastern flank as we charge down.
They will remain there, protecting the camp and providing cover as we carry the
injured back or need to regroup."

"There will be no need to retreat," said Gunther, pumping
his huge fist in the air.

The Nightlanders' numbers were massive. Disheartened at the size
of the army before them, Shelby was sure the city would fall. Her gut twisted in
fear as she stared down. The Nightlander legion was winning, and obviously so. Raging
Disembowelers ripped Meridian soldiers clean in half. Their army slaughtered on
sight anyone who opposed them. She wondered if they were marching to their doom.

At last, she and the others tore their gaze from the city and
returned to camp.

Milo approached General Krupp upon their return. "We need
to send scouts to a cliff we spotted. That will be the best position for the archers."

The general nodded. "Excellent. Colonel Maza is only minutes
away."

Shelby sat alongside her fellow Kin, joined by Morgana and Simon,
around a campfire as they awaited instructions. It was cold, even sitting in the
middle of camp. The flames sizzled and crackled as cooks prepared food and men prepared
for battle.

Colonel Maza's battalion soon arrived and reinforced the camp.

At last, Macklin cantered by on his steed. "Zach, you will
accompany the Assembly into Meracuse through the tunnel in a few moments."

Zach nodded, wringing his hands.

Milo trotted up to the Kin. "And the rest of you will ride
into battle with the Stonecoats. Remain here until I return." He galloped off,
shouting orders as he rode.

"Stay close to me when we get down there," Max whispered
to Shelby.

She nodded.

Zach said, "Morgana, I insist you remain in the camp with
Simon."

"Nay, Zach, I will join the archers. My father trained me
for this, and I will be safe while providing assistance. I do this in his memory,
and I vowed vengeance."

Zach stared at her a moment. "Okay then. I forgot for a
second what a good shot you are."

The fervent pace of the camp around them filled the air with
electricity. Archers raced by, circling Macklin and Elita.

Morgana packed up her bow. "I'm off now. Godspeed to you
all."

Zach walked her to her steed, and they clasped each other a long
moment before she mounted and raced off.

Macklin returned, spotting Zach's gaze upon Morgana as she rode.
"She will be fine, laddie. We must go now."

Zach turned his eyes upon his fellow Kin. "Godspeed."
They all nodded, and he climbed on his horse and trotted away with Macklin.

The Kin fidgeted among themselves and inspected their weapons
as they awaited Milo's return. There was little else to do.

Shelby was too nervous to eat anything. She kept tapping her
foot, digging the heel into the soft earth below.

Max stood and tore the bandage from his eye. "I know things
look grim," he said, his voice stern.

Shelby caught his good eye as he looked at each of them squarely.
She shook her head. "This is different from anything we've ever faced. But
we are Kin. Azimuth is our home. I know in my heart we will not fail. When we go
down there, we're going to fight back. Malefic and Biskara can't hurt anyone anymore—we're
here to make sure of that."

Max smiled, and a rush of warmth surged through her limbs. She
stood, unsheathed her saber, pointed it into the air, and cried, "For Meridia!"

Riley jumped to her feet and met Shelby's blade with her own.
"For Meridia!"

One by one, the other Kin stood and clanged their weapons against
Shelby's. Shouts of, "For Meridia!" resonated in the chill air. Soon several
men began chanting, and Battleswine screamed the words. Shelby's pride swelled and
she nodded with great resolve.

Milo galloped up on Shara, with the Stonecoats right behind.
"Let us ride. For Meridia!"

They mounted their horses and followed Milo. Throg and Brodeur
stood waiting with the Battleswine army. Blunderbuss rode up with the Centurions.

Shelby looked into each face they passed. Some she knew, some
she did not. Her gut churned as most of these men, she realized, would probably
die today. A number of the soldiers were on horseback. They would be the safest,
she hoped. Those on foot carried pitchforks and sickles. She feared for those men
most of all.

Milo turned in his saddle. "We will lead the attack and
cut our way west to the main gate. Onward!" He turned and bolted toward the
highland with the Stonecoats.

Shelby drew in a deep breath. She and the Kin raced after them
with the Battleswine in tow. A scream sounded behind them, and all of a sudden,
her fear subsided. The battle cry invigorated her and made her skin crawl with excitement.

The army advanced over the hill with zeal. Swooshing sounds rang
overhead and hundreds of arrows cast down on the startled soldiers ahead. Scores
of Nightlanders whipped to the soil in agony. Milo and the Stonecoats broke their
ranks like a sledgehammer, pushing the throngs of dark warriors back. Swords clanged
and axes smashed as hundreds of hooves pounded across the earth.

Shelby stiffened and tightened her grip on her sword.

Stuart blasted his hand-cannon as they engaged. Max hacked furiously
away as he launched forward. In an instant, Blunderbuss was snapped off his horse,
and he crashed to the ground. Riley provided cover for him from behind as she whipped
her pellets at the black horde that converged on him. Throg hauled him up to his
steed, and they ambled forward.

Shelby unsheathed her saber with a hiss of metal, and cut down
every foe that came her way. One man she stabbed clear through the chest. Another
lost his arm and then his head. Whacking and hacking, she pushed forward.

Max fought by her side, wielding his imposing great sword. Together,
they downed two dozen men. More flooded in to take their places, followed by Disembowelers.
Strike after strike left her bloody and covered in gore. One man's ear flung off
into the fray. She cut his throat next.

The action blurred in a maddening whirlwind of sounds. At one
point, a Nightlander hurled a war axe at Riley's head. The Kin elegantly slid from
her saddle and latched herself to the side of her horse. The axe missed her and
she swung back atop her mount.