Kingdom of Fire by Nick S. Thomas

Author:Nick S. Thomas
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Epic Fantasy, Sci Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy
ISBN: 9781458106445
Publisher: Swordworks & Miro Books
Published: 2011-05-31T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter 8

Markus was galloping towards the village of Baden, praying that his friend still lived. The wide-open plain of the valley was a beautiful sight in spring, so similar to his homelands of Moden, and yet his experiences being so radically different. Back in Moden he had imagined the glory of being in the Werstrian Wolf Pack, but the reality was nothing of the sort. He now led more men than he could have ever imagined and wore finer armour than he had seen in his life, but he felt weaker than he used to then.

Growing up in the rural and safe easterly lands of Werstria, Markus had been fed the grandiose stories of the Empire and its vast and great lands. Never could he have imagined how close his country was to falling into destruction, slavery and death. He always wanted glory, but never responsibility. Markus had imagined himself following great Kings and Lords, being a great champion for them, not having the responsibility lying on his shoulders.

As he rushed to Baden Markus could only wonder, with the power and responsibility he had, was he now making the right decision. He was risking time and lives to rescue one man, and perhaps a village that could already be destroyed, its peoples ravaged, murdered or sent back to Karsia as slaves. They rode as fast as they could to reach the village, until Markus finally stopped them as they had just reached sight of it. He turned to look at his men, all were eager to follow his commands but equally as unsure about how they would breach the walls.

“You all know what is at stake here! We do not have the time to even begin to assemble the sort of equipment needed to attack those walls. However, they do not know as such. Carl, I want you to take charge of the main force, assemble in the woods within eyesight of the gate, I want you to make it look as if you are building ladders for an assault.”

“Okay, to what end?”

“I want their attention focused on you, whilst I find a way in. With any luck they will get cocky and march out to fight you, otherwise we will do what we can to get the gate open. Either way, be ready to fight at a moment’s notice. Vesart, Ulrich and Tobias, you are with me.”

“Good luck to you,” said Carl.

“To us all!”

Carl led the men on down the main path towards the gate of the village walls. Markus led his horse north through the dense woodland with his three companions.

“You know we should wait till night for this,” Vesart said.

“In an ideal world yes, but Bull might not last that long, and we have a pressing engagement to the north, I’ll be damned if anything will stop us!”

They could hear the shouts of the Karsians ahead, responding to the sight of the force that approached them. Markus drew his horse to a halt.

“This is close enough, tie your horses here, and get your armour off.

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