The night came alive with the sounds of war. Steel clanged; far-off cracks of flames, guttural cries of men filled our air as we held the walls. Every blow felt like a drum in my chest as Galarcia's siege engines pummeled at us-the beat just never letting up, echoing every beat of the urgency of survival.
Chris stood beside me, his face lit by the orange firelight. He looked at me, his voice calm but firm. "We'll hold this wall till our last breath, Chloe. But if the Blackwood Legion breaches the ridge…. "
I stopped him, holding his arm. "We can't afford to think that way. We have to hold both fronts, no matter what. The villagers behind us… they're counting on us.".
It was almost suffocating under the weight of our mission, yet little room for doubt. I looked around at the soldiers before raising my voice above the commotion. "Stop your men! Tonight we fight not for ourselves but for all that is held dear to us. Let them hear our roar!"
A hearty cheer broke from our ranks, echoing across the battlefield as if a form of earthen war cry. The archers notched their arrows, whose sharp silhouettes stood stark against blazing fires. As Galarcia's forces once again advanced, I gestured for them to loose. A storm of arrows rained down, piercing holes through the enemy's shield wall. For a moment, it was as if we had turned the tide.
But the illusion didn't last.
A scout staggered up the parapet, his face pale and drenched in sweat. "Commander! The eastern ridge. it's falling. Blackwood Legion's vanguard has just broken through the scouting party!"
Chris cursed under his breath, jaw tightening. "If they get to our side, that'll be it. We're going to be caught by a pincer."
"We'll send for some reinforcements," I said, my words riddled with bitterness. "We have no choice.".
Chris hesitated. "If we pull men from here, the walls may not hold."
I locked gazes with him and tried to hide my own uncertainty. "If we don't, there won't be walls left to defend."
He nodded his chin, grim but decided. "Then we fight on two fronts.".
Orders were issued and we made a dash for the ridge, our faces set hard but black with fear. Chris and I turned back to the fray and each blow our sword gave was just a desperate lunge to keep the foe from us.
Hours ticked by endlessly. Each corner of the battlefield needed to be noticed. I fought with all my might, my body screaming at me in its rebellion. Muscles on fire, vision blurry, I wouldn't give in. Across me, the cries of soldiers falling fade into the roar of war.
The night darkened, and the Blackwood Legion figures became shadowy. Their movement was high on calculation, precise. They went forward as a tide of death with blades that shone like the fangs of some long-dead beast. I could feel the morale of our men wavering, the weight of exhaustion and despair clawing at their resolve.
Hold the line! Fight for every inch!" Chris bellowed over the din, his voice like steel.
His words were a lifeline that pulled the men back from the brink. I followed his lead, rallying the troops with every ounce of strength I could muster. As he exhorted us, holding up the walls against Galarcia's unyielding assault, I knew we had only so much time left.
Another messenger came running, with his face covered in dirt and blood. "Commander, Captain. the reinforcements coming from the east are weakening. The Blackwood Legion is closing in!"
My heart sank. I looked over at Chris; there was no answer to be found anywhere on his face.
Then, a shout from the battlements drew our attention. Galarcia's forces had brought their siege towers to the walls. One had already latched on, its massive iron bridge slamming down like the jaws of a predator. Soldiers poured out, their war cries deafening.
Chris gritted his teeth, raising his sword. "We deal with this first. The ridge will have to hold."
We made a charge at the breach, hacking through the enemy with desperate ferocity. The fighting was savage: every step a battle for survival. Blood slicked the stone beneath our feet, and the air reeked of death and smoke.
Amidst it all, Chris fought like a madman with his sword of motion. I stayed along him as best as I could, trying to keep pace with every step, my own sword slicing through the mess as well. We made a fine fighting team, but even so, our combined might seemed a mere drop in an ocean.
There it stood, looming over us, monolith of death. Its shadow cast a dark pall over the wall, and I knew we hadn't much longer to go.
Then, from the eastern ridge, a distant horn sounded, a mournful, haunting note that carried over the battlefield. The Blackwood Legion had broken through.
Chris turned to me, his face pale. "We're out of time.".
I gripped his shoulder, voice steady despite the storm raging around us. "Then we fight here, to the last man if we must. This is where we make our stand."
He nodded, his eyes meeting mine with a fierce determination. "Together.".
Then the next wave of attackers came, and we stood there. The night was full of smoke and shadows, but in that instant, no fear, no uncertainty was present-only a determined will to preserve what we loved.
With the first light of dawn now over the horizon, the fighting continued. Our fortress bore the brunt and remained unbroken-a testament to the strength and spirit of those who stood for it. But the day was far from won, and the greatest test was yet to come.