The Tale of TarValon.net - Part 1

Author: Cursor Wrathwind

Val a'shain rode his tremendous beast to the front of the army. The columns of the home guard and a few accepted and Aes Sedai doted his ranks. Morni galloped his courser up to meet the Master at Arms on the crest of the ridge. The host was organized into tight columns, legions of soldiers bearing tower shields and shouldering wicked halberds. Ballistae and catapults stood in batteries behind the legions.

"This is the host we were commanded to sortie?" The Captain shook his head. "they outnumber us at least fifty to one."

"And they march upon our home Captain, do not forget why the hall pressed for action. But, dammit there's just so many!"

A shiver ran through the ranks of the army of the Tower when the peaked about the crest. Roars of dissention sounded throughout the lower ranks. ?We?ll be slaughtered!? A recruit named Atane shouted.

"God damn, I never thought I'd die this way." Kheldin strung his bow despite his gripes. Even soldiers were complaining and the chorus of mumbles did nothing to better the mood of the commanders.

"Fall in! Companies forward, recruits in the back, guard the channelers." Val roared and watched the host scurry to form into order. The Val'Cueran formed the left flank, the San D'Ma Shadar assembled in the center while the Dai M'Hael formed in the right flank. Recruits formed a phalanx in the back, with scores of channelers huddled in groups behind them. "Forward!"
The drums beat and the company surged forward. Arrows shot out from Val's bow, and Kheldin cursed wildly as he shot at the legions. Fire balls flew from the ranks in the back towards the enemy, and the drums of countless hoofs drowned out the mindless roar of the guard.

The barrage hit the legions, sending furls of smoke and the smell of charred flesh up into the air. Val raised his hand for a halt. The legion that received the barrage of power and arrows stood strong, already filling in the gaps among their lines. Ballistae creaked and a hail of metal bolts ripped free of the mechanism's restraint. Pottery smashed against the ground and enveloped the guard in gouts of flame as the catapults unleashed their fury. The lines broke, company commanders shouting to re-order their troops. "Get back into flaming formation!" Valorian roared at a gaggle of soldier's who broke away after the catapult barrage. "Company forward!"

San D'Ma Shadar and Dai M'Hael were quick to follow suit. "Charge, we must break their formation!" Val hollered, unleashing a rain of arrows. The companies charged the enemy, Val and Morni noting every action. Kheldin loosed an arrow; Arythan charged forward, sword moving through creeper embraces the oak, Drill Sergeant Trant Ordered a line of recruits into a slow advance, not forsaking cover to the channelers who work the power with fury.

A guttural roar emitted from one of the creatures, wearing a golden helmet. The leader, Val surmised. A chorus of hideous shouts followed, a deep guttural growl that made a horrible crescendo to a frightening peak of fury. The legion of creatures advanced, keeping tower shields tight pack, allowing only for the jagged edges of their halberds.

The guard reached the advance of the legion and the field rang with the song of steel. Cursor knocked a shield into the air from his horse with a quick blow from his long scimitar, impaling the wielder with a heavy lance. Mazarin's axe fell with a cascade of black blood as he severed the head of another creature. Still the legion charged forward, the halberds danced among the shields, crimson blood watered the field as the horde advanced. The guard was fighting a losing battle.

"Companies forward! I want their lines broken now!" Val roared of the glorious music of battle. The legion of invaders pressed on, masking their identities by their armor. When they died, gouts of flame consumed they, charring whoever happened to deal the deathblow half the time.

"Val Gaidin, we have to retreat!" A soldier called Cursor yelled. "Pick your battles!"

"We have orders soldier, and I mean to carry them out."

"That's not loyalty Val, that's insanity." Valorian backed Cursor. The commanders and troops of the companies murmured in agreement.

"I agree, but you tell the sitters that we fled in fear!"

Cursor drew his sword and pressed it to Val's throat, meeting his venomous gaze. "We must retreat."

"You dare to threaten me, boy?" Val spat, but whipped his neck around when the point of Valorian's sword pressed against his cheek. The swords of others joined them, including that of the Captain of the Guard.

"Blood and bloody ashes, the hall won't like this RETREAT! Everyone retreat to Tar Valon! Recruits cover the channelers advance! Companies, cover the retreat!" The creature in the golden helmet seemed to perceive what Val was ordering, and after a few guttural roars the legion of mystery creatures broke into a charge. They channelers did their best to stem the advance.

"Hit the trees, burn the path!" screamed Kariada Sedai as she hurled two fire balls into leatherleafs.

After roughly an hour had passed, the legion stopped harassing the retreat. The tower was in sight now, shining like a glorious beacon of salvation on the horizon. A small cheer went up among the guard, but it was short lived. Everyone nursed wounds, some were seriously wounded. Emia Sedai led a gaggle of Yellows in healing, but they needed more help. "We need more of our sisters." She said.

Val marched at the head of the column, silent in contemplation. Yenie is not going to like this, not one bit. Why was she so stolid in her call for action? The wind was his only answer.

To be continued...