Krojan: 1: Breaking the Siege

Krojan looked through the hole in the cieling that led up to the surface. The sun was not yet high enough to cast its rays down the narrow shaft, but when it did, he knew it would be six in the morning on his twentieth birthday, and it would be time for him to celebrate.1

Just twenty years had passed since his father rode out for the last time, having waited to see his son once before leaving forever. Eighteen years had passed since Krojan had last left the city walls, and seventeen since he last stood on the surface.2

In those seventeen years, stalemate had been perpetual. The Tangooran warriors on the outside were unable to fight through the protection of the underworld to drive the Balriks out of their catacombs. The Balrik warriors on the inside were outnumbered and cut off from the rest of the world, unable to maneuver an attack against a completely solidified siege.3

The two sides were not completely balanced however. While the Tangooran soldiers stood complacent in their posts, the Balriks planned.4

For years they had been extending the tunnels of the catacombs, and the city grew to an enormous size, allowing them to plot and scout the world above through their own means.5

Krojan suited up in his light armor. The purple light of the candles scattered about his chambers gleaned off its polished black surface. From the back wall of his room, he selected a blade made from the glass found near the heat vents in the lower tunnels. After his celebration he would not be able to use this sword again.6

He took the diamond shaped lantern off of his wall, and hooked it onto his belt. Little whisps of souls floated around it, weaving in and out of the bizzare faces cut into its sides. Each soul had its own voice, and together they sang and clamored in gentle harmony.7

Krojan looked to the center of his room as it lit up noticeably. A sliver of sunlight shone directly onto a purple semiprecious rock, set into the middle of his floor. He said a quick prayer to his grandmother, that she might forestay his death one more day, and left to go meet with his king.8

Outside the wall, a messenger ran from the orderly tent of his regiment, to the commanding general's tent. The second in command recieved the message, and delivered it to the general, who was less than pleased with the interruption, but more than pleased with the content.9

He put on his best clothes and armor, and rode out on his most fancy carried platform to the front of the line. He drew back the top curtain, and stood up to lean against the bars holding his shades in place.10

Krojan approached through the thick field of knee high grass. The cape hanging from his hips fluttered unceremoniously in the breeze. He stepped within a stone's throw of the opposing general, and all bows raised, trained on him.11

He stopped abruptly, and the Tangooran general motioned for the archers to lower their weapons. "I am sorry soldier," said the general, "You see, you're making my men... they are a little bit nervous."12

"Then I apologize for making them so," Krojan replied, "I hope you can understand though, I am not sorry about it."13

"Clearly. I assume you've come here to negotiate. Pray, are you surrendering, or will you be staging some petty battle to try and rid your lands of our presence?"14

"You assume incorrectly, I will not be negotiating, because like everying else that is permanent, death is non negotiable."15

"It is as I feared, you too can not be reasoned with. Do you see this scar?" the Tangooran brushed back his grey hair to reveal a red streak across the side of his neck, "It is from the last man to stand before me and speak as you do. He and I dueled just beyond his death, and then your city fell silent."16

"You must be deaf to not hear the work of your enemy, it is no wonder that you cannot hear what I am saying."17

"I hear what you are saying, and I tell you that you are a fool if your thoughts match your words. I am required to allow you one chance. Surrender now, let us in, and command your men to obey the will of our gods, and you will be king of this province. From what I hear, it is the place you deserve."18

"I want nothing of the throne. That kind of power is for the weak that I defend. If that is all your gods offer, why should I follow their will?"19

"Why?" the general mocked Krojan, "Is it not obvious that our gods are powerful?" He motioned as he said this, and two teams of slaves raised up a statue of their divine father. He was a golden image of the ideal Tangooran. His body was somewhat wirey like the men standing around his feet, but he was much more muscular than they. His nose seemed disproportionately large to Krojan, who was more familiar with the narrow features of his kin.20

Krojan looked back down into his foe's dark eyes. "By the time this is through, the tan skins of your men will hang from our walls. I do not care for the will of your gods because our gods... Our Gods, Are More Powerful, THAN YOURS!"21

As Krojan screamed this blasphemy to his enemy, a command was sent through the tunnels to a team of men at the bottom of a pit. They lifted their heavy mauls, and smashed away the pillars supporting the ground, some distance above.22

The Tangoorans gathered around the feet of the statue recoiled, as the ground beneath them sank down a foot. It sank a little more, and then gave way. The soldiers nearby watched as their holy father was swallowed by the earth.23

"I am allowed to give you no chances!" Krojan bellowed over the clamor of frightened soldiers. He drew his sword, and marched toward his foe. He started cutting a path to the foreign general's high position.24

Trapdoors opened in the ground, and soon the field of battle was swarming with black clad men.25

The opposing general lost sight of Krojan in the fray, until he rose up out of the battle, pulled along by unseen hands. He stepped gently onto the platform. The Tangooran drew his sword and swung at Krojan's neck. Krojan raised a plated arm and blocked the blade. He stabbed the man in his upper thigh, just below his hip, severing the artery.26

The Tangooran fell, and Krojan took his sword. "No last words please," Krojan said calmly. With one hack of the saber, the Tangooran's head fell to the ground. His body slumped down against the bars of the platform.27

Krojan stepped gently off of the shoulder high platform. He turned and looked as three great spirits rose up from the city into the heavens. They each flashed in turn before breaking the clouds.28

"Sergeant!" Krojan shouted to one of the three platoon sergeants on the field, "Rally the men back at the gates!"29

Krojan turned and started walking toward the gates of the city. His men ran past him and reformed. They stood facing out at the opposing force. Their moral was bolstiered by the dramatic success of the skirmish, they had been outnumbered five to one, and had cut the opposing army's numbers in half.30

One of Krojan's lieutenants approached him, "Sir? Why do they stall their attack?"31

"The same reason we are stalling ours, they wish to fight on their own terms. Tell the archers to wait until they can see the enemy's faces."32

"Is there something you expect to happen, sir?"33

"Of course," Krojan replied, "Re-enforcements. The battle is still ours, this is meerly a delay."34

The standoff lasted with a few interruptions until noon. The occasional skirmish broke out somewhere around the city walls, forcing Krojan to call for additional troops to man defensive positions. By the time the slow rumble of heavy footsteps came, he had lost his patience with his enemy, and was ready to be rid of them.35

A strange smell drifted down the hills surrounding the city. "Lieutenant, do you know what that smell is?"36

"No sir, what is it?"37

"It is tobacco. Tell the pitfells that we have anasai coming, and they should be prepared for a struggle."38

The new troops formed up on the downward slope. In front of each small formation, stood a towering creature. They were manlike, with long limbs, and pear shaped bodies. Their round heads had ridges of black fur over the orafices. If the creatures had been wild, those patches would be longer, but they were cut short to help them in battle.39

Each of the creatures had a long pipe full of burning tobacco, believed to hone their senses in a fight. They also wore minimal plating, consisting of wood scraps draped over their chests, and fasioned around their legs and forearms. Some of them carried crude weapons, and a few had clawed gauntlets, but most were unarmed.40

In a gesture that Krojan had read about, but never quite understood, the Tangooran second in command rode out into the middle of the field. Krojan was compelled to meet him. He sheathed his sword, and took a hatchet from one of the squad leaders. The enemy commander was growing impatient when Krojan finally marched up to him.41

"Surrender. The day is lost for you white friend," said the Tangooran, "For even now the storm gathers behind us at the hands of our magai."42

"Your magai know nothing of magic," Krojan replied, "and your anasai will fall deep into the ground. Should I tell my men to keep prisoners, or do you want your 'honorable deaths'? I would gladly give you the honor of dieing for your cause."43

"I'll be sure to remind you of your bold words while I torture you. I think I'll wait until you start begging for my mercy."44

Krojan looked into the eyes of his foe. Giving him no chance to react Krojan threw the hatchet. It sank deep into the Tangooran's neck.45

The Tangooran adjutant watched as his executive commander fell from his mount. He leaned over to the chief of soldiers and whispered, "Sound attention."46

"Sound attention!"47

A horn blasted, and its tune was echoed down the line.48

"Sound charge!"49

Another tune blared out, more synchronized than before, on the very last note, the Tangoorans charged, screaming wildly, and brandishing their weapons. The anasai charged ahead of them, lumbering with their heavy steps. They outpaced their human masters, and were the first to come within archer range, but no arrows flew.50

As they came closer to the line of men, the earth caved under their feet. They tripped and stumbled in the small sinkholes, a few brok their legs.51

Small squads of Balriks rushed out from the line, armed with cleavers and spears, they killed the defenseless anasai.52

Several of the slower ones stopped before the trapped area, and picked up rocks. "Lieutenant!" Krojan shouted, "I'm worried now!"53

"What do we do sir?"54

"Break formation!"55

The anasai threw their stones into the defending army's ranks. The kill teams turned their attention, and rushed to the anasai. The charging troops swarmed the kill teams, and the anasai were free to throw another volley at the defensive lines.56

Krojan broke through the wall of shields, and started cutting through the attacking soldiers. Another volley of rocks made a hole in the line, and the Tangoorans broke through the middle.57

Krojan leapt up at one of the anasai. He extended ethereal claws from his hand, and caught it in the side. Using his sword as a climbing pick, he pulled himself up onto the beast's shoulders, and stabbed it in the neck. It fell down and broke through the thin mason support beneath the ground. Krojan jumped off and shouted down into the pit, "Knock out the supports!"58

Screams rose up as the ground caved beneath the Tangooran soldiers' back lines. The Balriks reformed their position, and pressed against the remaining enemies. Spears stuck out through the notches in their shields, jabbing and pivoting randomly, keeping the attackers at bay.59

Krojan continued fighting the anasai, and listened to his subordinate's commands, "Prepare for strike!" "Ready!" "Strike!" All the shields swung like doors, knocking back unfortunate members of the front ranks, and letting the Balrik linemen swing their cleavers into the rest. The next two lines of infantry hurled their javelins into the enemy's ranks, and drew their swords.60

The remaining Tangoorans died by blade, or leapt into the pits. They landed in the loving care of the blood witches and bonesmiths, and quickly came apart in their skilled hands