The Thick Of It 61.

Winter.

Beldane the cleric swings his mace, as rebel soldiers run out of the rift and onto the top of the wall.
The fighting cleric from the kingdom of Nastell, is careful not to use the magical weapon's powers that involve energy.
As energy if it would hit the rift, would likely result in an explosion that would be devastating to all in the immediate vicinity.
Both the enemy running out of the rift, and the defenders along this stretch of the south wall of the city of Kuradum.
The first three enemy soldiers who have come through the rift, stop in their tracks.
They drop their weapons, scream and clutch at the sides of their heads. As the magical mace, which often has a mind of it's own, attacks them.
One falls off the top of the wall. Fall being a more sympathetic description. As he basically runs off the wall, and falls to his death.
The second drops to his knees, and topples over onto his side, still holding onto his head, screaming in horror.
As his mind is attacked by the powers of the magical weapon that the powerful cleric wields.
As for the third of the enemy soldiers hit by the powers of the cleric's mace.
He runs, screaming, holding onto his head, along the top of the south wall of the city.
He runs until he basically runs into a wall. A big green wall, that roars, grabs him by the head. And flings him off the top of the wall.
Down to the river below, that other rebel soldiers are crossing, as they continue to attack the south wall of the capital city of Kuradum.
After throwing one of the enemy soldiers who has come through the rift, off the top of the wall.
Dorc da Orc, who has an axe in one hand. Throws it at the rebel soldiers pouring onto the top of the wall from the rift.
The axe slams into one of them, chopping through his body, and hitting another rebel soldier directly behind him.
Even so, more and more of the rebel soldiers fighting for the cause of councilman Hirrye.
Run out of the rift, onto the top of the south wall of the city of Kuradum. On this cold, winter's morning in this part of the city-state.
Not to be outdone by his bitter rival the ork warleader. Sir Percavelle Lé Dic, runs at the enemy coming out of the rift.
The nobleborn knight from the kingdom of Druvic, goes by the large ork from the southern polar region of the world.
The large, heavily armoured knight is grinning behind the faceplate of his full helm as he goes by the ork weaponsmith.
When suddenly the former paladin in the order of the Knights of Saint Mar-che.
Is yanked off his feet, and falls backwards onto his rump with a clang.
As the ork general grabs the Druvician nobleman's white cape, and pulls on it.
"Nah cunt" says a laughing Dorc da Orc as he looks down at his bitter rival, who no way in hell, is going to get to the enemy before he does.
The large ork steps by the prone knight, and heads towards the enemy who are running out through the nearby rift.
As for the nobleman from the kingdom of Druvic, who is briefly disoriented as he wonders what just happened.
Scowls as he realises what's happened, he gets to a knee. Then the former earl of Lé Dic, who is still holding the weapon he drew, when he first saw the rift appear, grins.
"Take that you evil beast" mutters sir Percavelle Lé Dic, who up on one knee, stabs forward the weapon he's holding.
It's the magical sword of knockdown, and it hits, barely. The ork warleader who has walked by, in the ass. With predictable results.
"Fuck" yelps Dorc da Orc, it's more of a squeal than a yelp, as he's suddenly lifted up off his feet, and propelled forward at speed.
The big, burly ork from the frozen bottom of the world, whose ass stings like hell.
Is pretty certain he hears his bitter rival sir Percavelle Lé Dic, laughing like hell behind him.
As he goes flying forward, just a few inches off the top of the wall, a good thirty feet, before he crashes into the enemy who are pouring out of the rift, that has appeared on the south wall of the capital city of Kuradum. Tamric Drubine the field commander rolls his eyes as he sees what happens.
Though he must admit, Dorc da Orc flying through the air, and smashing into the enemy, dropping a fair few of them.
Briefly stops the flow of the rebel soldiers coming out of the rift, that's appeared here on top of the south wall of the capital city of Kuradum.
"Shit" mutters Tamric Drubine the field commander as more of the enemy start appearing out what's essentially a magical doorway.
"Can you close it?" asks the young nobel originally from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin as he looks over at the fighting cleric who is standing nearby.
"Not without blowing us and the wall up in the process" is the quick reply of Beldane the cleric, who sourly smiles as both Dorc da Orc and sir Percavelle Lé Dic are in the way.
The young field commander in the armies of Farque grimaces when he hears that from the member of the church of Glaine.
Then Tamric Drubine or Tam as he's more commonly called by those who know him well.
Grunts when the powerful spellcaster from the kingdom of Nastell, who technically isn't a member of any of the armies of Farque.
Infact he's never stepped foot in the lands Farque, as clerics are banned from there.
Quickly tells him "Best thing to do to close it, is to kill the caster". Beldane briefly pauses before continuing with "Or i could try and dispell it".
Field commander Drubine, who knows that dispelling any spell is difficult.
Even for someone powerful in magic like the fighting cleric in the half plate armour is.
Sees that many of the enemy soldiers coming through the rift. After taking one look at Dorc da Orc, who angrily roars as he gets to his feet amongst the pile of enemy soldiers he went flying into.
Either head down the stairs, the rift is right next to. Or they go around to the backside of the rift, as there's plenty of room on either side of it to do so.
As the top of the city's walls, essentially what a parapet is if it was a castle, is fairly wide.
It's why there's two small catapults here on top of the wall, above the middle of three sets of gates that are located along the south wall of the city of Kuradum.
Tam who figures it's no coincidence that the rift has been placed where it is, right next to the set of steps, which are the closest set to the gates below.
Is a little concerned that the group here on top of the city's south wall has essentially been split in half.
With himself, Beldane the cleric, sir Percavelle Lé Dic and Dorc da Orc on this side.
While the rest of the group up here, Lisell Maera the scout, Jarjin Littlefoot the hobbit, Shur Kee the monk, Zam the ex mercenary.
Along with field commander Drubine's lover, Saanea the witch are behind the rift.
The senior officer in the armies of Farque, sourly smiles to himself as he realises he's got the biggest problem on this side.
To be precise, the two biggest problems, the bitter rivals. The ork warleader and the former paladin.
As they're just as likely to fight one another, as they are the enemy. Who have suddenly appeared on top of the south wall of the city, as they come through a rift that's been cast for them.
"Do your best to close it" says Tamric Drubine the field commander to the powerful cleric.
Then as other defenders along the top of the wall, run by the young noble who hails from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin.
The senior officer in the armies of Farque starts shouting out orders as to what he wants done.
Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy is down in the square, across from the gates when the rift appears up on the top of the wall.
The elf who is originally from the principality of Alínlae, is talking to Tovis the war engineer when the rift appears up on the wall.
"What the hell?" says Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy as the two of them stand to one side of one of the two trebuchets on this side of the square.
"Shit, a rift" says Tovis the war engineer when he looks up to the top of the city wall, where the elven spy is pointing.
"Well, we thought something like this would happen" quietly says the spy Tanith who like the captain in the engineering corp is speaking in elven.
They watch as enemy soldiers pour out of the rift, and they see one get grabbed by Dorc da Orc and get flung off the otherside of the wall.
Then the two of them share a look after seeing the interactions between the bitter rivals Dorc da Orc and sir Percavelle Lé Dic.
Which ends up with the large ork go flying through the air, barely above the top of the wall.
Before he crashes into a number of the enemy who have just come out of the rift.
"Get the ballista up here!" calls out Tovis the war engineer as he sees quite a lot of the rebel soldiers who have come from the rift.
Are making their way down the nearby set of steps. Then lead down to the side of the gates in this stretch of the wall.
Dalinvardèl Tanith or Dalin as he's more commonly called by the others in the group.
Has put an arrow to his bow, and let it fly. Hitting one of the enemy soldiers hurrying down the steps, knocking him off.
"We're going to have a problem there" says the spy Tanith with a nod of his hooded head to the gates across the square from them.
The young war engineer who is originally from the kingdom of Druvic, where he previously served a baron Harkonin.
Nods in agreement with the company commander in the scouts and rangers division of the armies of Farque.
As there's only a small number of local soldiers from the city garrison, and guards from the city watch, behind the gates.
Then as the trebuchet launches a shot up and over the city wall, at a high trajectory to hit the enemy on the otherside of the city's south wall.
The elven spy who previously served in one of the more prominent noble houses in his homeland of Alínlae.
Takes another arrow from his quiver, and puts it to his bow, saying "And here as well i guess".
"I would assume so" says Tovis the war engineer, as Dalin lets the arrow fly from his bow.
An arrow that takes another of the enemy soldiers hurrying down the steps, in the side.
Sending him tumbling forward down the steps, knocking two other rebel soldiers off the steps, to fall to the ground below.
Then as the first of the enemy soldiers get to the bottom of the steps, and engage with the defenders stationed at the gates.
The captain in the engineering corp of the armies of Farque looks back up to the top of the south wall of the city of Kuradum.
Wondering what else he can do to help them up there, where the enemy have placed a rift.
A rift where more and more of the soldiers in the army of the rebel leader, councilman Hirrye.
Are coming out of, on this cold but clear and sunny winter's morning, here in the capital of the city-state of Kuradum.
The war engineer looks behind him, and nods as he sees the two wagons from the side of a nearby building, being pushed forward by members of his company.
Tovis then looks across the square, and sees that the defenders at the gate will soon be overwhelmed with the number of the enemy making their way down the steps.
"That's a shit load of them coming down the steps" says the young engineer who hails from the kingdom of Druvic.
"They don't want to face those two mad idiots up there, that's why" dryly says Dalinvardèl Tanith referring to Dorc da Orc and sir Percavelle Lé Dic.
The captain in the engineering corp grunts in agreement with the company commander in the scouts and rangers division.
Then seeing the deteriorating situation at the gates across the square from them.
And that some of the rebel soldiers who have come down the steps, have noticed them.
And are now starting to head across the square, in this direction.
Tovis the war engineer calls out the order of "Chains!". To the crews manning the wagon mounted ballista.
Next to the young Druvician engineer, the spy Tanith winces when he hears that order from the captain in the engineering corp of the armies of Farque.
"By the forest gods, things are about to get messy" murmurs Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy, as the enemy continue to come out of the rift up on the top of the south wall of the city of Kuradum . . . . . .