The Hire 56.

The City Of Savariss. The Duchy Of Phelm. The Kingdom Of Nastell...

His name is Domanik. He's from the unruled lands in the southern reaches of the Colevar Mountains to the north of the kingdom of Nastell. Specifically the area that the robber baron Almard has claim to.
He's seventeen years old, and has been a soldier in the robber baron's army for the last two years.
And tonight he's one of the many now advancing upon the north wall of the city of Savariss. The northern most city in the duchy of Phelm. And the northern most city in the kingdom of Nastell.
Domanik and his squad, and many others in the army of the baron Almard have marched forward, and have made their way through the lines of war machines.
Though he and the others can see that some of the smaller catapults are being pushed, and pulled forward too. Heading to the walled city that their army is attacking this night.
Their squad and the others get ahead of the frontline of war machines that aren't moving forward, and the order is given.
They take off running, and though it's dark, it isn't too dark this early in the evening. And the fact that there's lit torches dotted along the top of the north wall of the city.
Domanik and his squad of soldiers in the army of the robber baron Almard know where they are going. Though they just can't see exactly where. Until someone calls out to head more to the left.
It helps that an energyball that's come from their battlelines, has gone ahead, and gone through where the gates in the north wall of Savariss previously stood, and exploded inside the city.
That's where they're supposed to go, and that's where Domanik and the squad he's a member of, make their way towards.
Until there's a thunk that comes from a top of one of the towers dotted along the top of the north wall of Savariss.
And Domanik, and a half a dozen of his squad mates. Are stopped dead in their tracks as they're struck by heavy rocks flung from an enemy catapult.
One of the rocks smashes right into the front of Domanik's face, smashing in his skull, and killing him instantly. Two more heavy rocks pelt into his body before it hits the ground.
Tripping over the squad member who was running directly behind the seventeen year old soldier from the area of the unruled lands claimed by the robber baron Almard, who now lies dead just a hundred yards from the north wall of the city of Savariss.
His name is Ballick, and he's from here in northern Phelm, and though he's been a soldier in the army of duke Hargen for nearly five years now, this summer is the first time he has experienced battle.
First with a defeat further north, near the border with the unruled lands to the north of the kingdom of Nastell.
And now here in the city of Savariss. A city that Ballick has visited a number of times during his twenty two years of life.
Though in his previous visits here, he never thought he'd end up fighting a nighttime battle here in the walled city.
Ballick and his squad, or what's left of them who survived the battle against the enemy army a few days ago that was predominantly made up of the robber baron Markell's army.
Hurry up a set of steps from the street directly behind the north wall of the city, to the top of the wall.
As the call has gone out, that the enemy are now charging the north wall of Savariss after continuously bombarding it with their war machines during the early part of the evening.
Ballick, a young family man. Who sent his wife and two young children south to stay with relatives at the start of summer when reports started coming in that the robber barons of the unruled lands in the Colevar Mountains to the north of the kingdom of Nastell. Were raiding south across the border into the kingdom's northern most duchy, Phelm.
Gets to the top of the wall, behind a couple of his fellow squad members. Just next to one of the squat broach towers that are dotted along the north wall of Savariss.
Unfortunately for Ballick, he's just passing by one of the long merlons along the top of the wall, which probably would of protected him.
Instead a missile shot from a wagon mounted enemy ballista, clips him on it's way up to the top of the low, broach tower.
That's all it needs, as the ten foot long heavy spear, takes off half of Ballick's head before it thuds into the base of the roof of the tower, barely missing it's intended target. A small catapult upon the top of the broach tower.
Those in the squad closest to Ballick, exclaim as most of his skull and brains splatter over them, as he drops dead to the top of the wall, minus half of his head.
His name is Nelvard. A mercenary from the city-state of Andelka. Who has been hired into the army of the robber baron Solomard.
The experienced archer who is his early thirties. Has made the right decisions so far this summer.
He briefly flirted with the idea of being hired into the army of duke Hargen of Phelm. But at the last moment, he decided to head further north, and cross the border to the unruled lands in the southern reaches of the Colevar Mountains, and take up a position in one of the armies of the robber barons.
Ending up in the army of the robber baron Solomard, which was a wise decision.
Because in every skirmish, and now battle. The robber baron has been victorious. Especially so ever since the mercenary army from some southern nation by the name of Farque, has taken over the command of the robber barons war against the duke of Phelm, duke Hargen.
Nelvard, a tall, lean beady eyed fellow. And his squad of archers, and two other squads of archers and crossbowmen. Both soldiers and mercenaries in the army of the robber baron Solomard.
Make their way forward on the left front. The three squads are to provide cover for those who are to enter the city of Savariss by way of the gates in the north wall of the city. Or to be exact, where the gates once stood.
The mercenary archer from the city-state of Andelka hurries forward with the others, keeping a careful eye on any enemy archers and crossbowmen on top of the north wall of Savariss. As well as the enemy war machines that are now firing upon the advancing army.
It helps that there's an elven archer in one of the other squads, who can see clearly in the night. Who is calling out warnings as the three squads get into the range.
What he doesn't have to give a warning for, is wave of magical fire, that sweeps down from the top of the north wall of Savariss, they all see that, as it's dark red, with a white crest, that sprays like a real wave of water on a beach.
None of them have to wait for the order to scatter. They do that immediately as they see the rolling red wave of fire come their way.
And though most of the three squads of archers and crossbowmen avoid it. Not all of them do. Including Nelvard, who is the first of them to get struck by the wave of magical fire.
The experienced archer feels himself get knocked down as if from a strong wave of water. At first he's stunned, and thinks his luck might still be with him. As nothing else happened.
Then he goes to stand up, as he does he feels his entire body is hot. And he sees that his bare hands are red. Infact all of his skin is red, the red of fire. He goes to scream as the heat is so intense. No sound comes from his open mouth, but flames do as he's consumed from the inside by fire.
It only takes a few moments, but Nelvard, the mercenary archer from the city-state of Andelka, is burnt away from the inside, out. The only thing that remains of him is a small pile of ash, that's soon blown away as a light breeze blows across the ground that's directly to the north of the city of Savariss.
Her name is Delvina. And she's one of the few women in the city guard of Savariss, which is commanded by the captain of the guard, the swordmaster Gallene.
Delvina, who has recently turned twenty years old. Had to literally fight to get into the city and castle guard. And over the last two years since she has been in the guard. She has had to fight to keep her position.
But that hasn't stopped her from being the best guard that she can be, in a male dominated profession, like the city guard of Savariss.
Delvina who has been given an order by a subcommander up the broach tower where the captain of the guard, Gallene is directing the defense of Savariss.
Hurries down the steps of the tower, yelling at people to get out of her way. They do, for though she might have a pretty face, Delvina has a short, squat body, that she knows how to use. Often knocking down people who are too slow to get out of her way.
Not this time, as everyone on the steps makes way for her. And she hurries down onto the street that runs behind the north wall of the city.
The female city guard, who was born, and grew up, and has lived all her life here in Savariss.
Makes her way along the street, heading in the direction to where the gates in the north wall stood earlier this evening before they were destroyed.
Delvina can see the ranks of soldiers, mercenaries as well as her fellow city and castle guards, getting ready to block the breach in the north wall of the city, behind a hastily gathered barricade of wagons, doors, and anything else they could get a hold of, to block the enemy from entering Savariss.
Delvina spots the army captain she's supposed to give the order to. He's crouching behind the barricade, looking out through where the gates once stood, watching the enemy army that's advancing towards the north wall of the city this night.
She pushes her way through the ranks to him, after yelling at those in her way to move. And as Delvina is about to tell the army captain the order from the subcommander, she looks up and out through where the gates once stood here in the north wall of Savariss.
The female city guard blinks in surprise as she sees come flying through the night sky over the advancing enemy army. A large boulder flung from an enemy trebuchet, that's covered in flames due to the pitch that's been smeared all over it.
The flame covered boulder comes hurtling through the breach in the north wall of the city, where the gates once stood.
And smashes into the makeshift barricade, and those directly behind it. Who include Delvina, who like the pitch on the boulder, is smeared across it, as she's killed instantly from the impact.
The boulder continues rolling and bouncing along the ground a good fifty feet, before it smashes into a building, and comes to a stop after devastating the ranks who were intending to hold the breach in the north wall of the city of Savariss.
His name is Pharren, he's a soldier in the army of the robber baron Gergus. Recently turned eighteen, and only a year or so in the robber baron's army after two years of being an apprentice blacksmith, and failing at that job.
So far this summer, Pharren hasn't seen much action. First with the raids into the north of the kingdom of Nastell by the armies of the five robber barons who have decided to wage war upon duke Hargen of Phelm. Then the subsequent battles.
He's been to the rear of the army of the robber baron Gergus. For a number of reasons really. But predominantly because he's not that good with the hammer he wields.
But now this night, as the combined armies of the robber barons attack the walled city of Savariss here in northern Phelm. He finds himself amongst those in the army of the robber baron Gergus, charging the north wall of the city, to where the gates previously stood.
Pharren, who like most of his fellow squad members, all of whom are soldiers, with none of the mercenaries that Gergus the robber baron has hired.
Has just looked up as a flame covered boulder has just passed over them, and gone flying through where the gates once stood in the north wall of the city that's under attack this night.
Cheers and yells come from the voices of not just their squads, but others as well as they rush towards where the gates once stood in the north wall of Savariss. After seeing the flame covered boulder smash into the hastily built barricade, and the enemy who were in the breach in the north wall of the city.
Pharren grins as he clutches his hammer in his hands. The young soldier from the area in the unruled lands of the southern reaches of the Colevar Mountains, furthest east of those claimed by the robber barons.
Who is getting his first taste of battle. Never thought it would be so exhilarating as he runs towards where the gates once stood in the north wall of Savariss.
Pharren's first taste of battle isn't very long. For as he shouts in jubilation as he steps on the road just infront of where the north gates of the city once stood, an arrow shot from an enemy archer up on top of the wall. Slams into his right shoulder, knocking him down.
His hard boiled armour protects him from a fatal wound. But it doesn't protect him from all of those running behind him, whose momentum is up, who keep coming forward.
And though the first few soldiers behind Pharren spot him on the ground, and leap over him as he screams in pain clutching at the arrow in his shoulder.
Those behind them don't. And run over the eighteen year old soldier who is in his first battle. Trampling him to death as they continue their charge towards where the gates once stood in the north wall of the city, as the battle for Savariss continues to rage this night.
His name is Barnic . . . . . .