Lord of Ashes

FORTY-SIX

From her vantage point on the bastion of the River Gate, Janessa watched again as the Khurtas attacked. She’d lost count of the number of men she’d seen slaughtered, the number of Khurtas cut down by volley fire. And still she watched.

Through the rain she watched as brave men died. She watched as the Khurtas attacked again and again. She watched as they flung themselves at the Steelhaven phalanx. Janessa Mastragall watched until she could watch no longer.

Now was the time to act. Now was the time to fight. All else had to be forgotten — all her pain and grief. All her past doubts. Even River, who she had last seen held prisoner by her most hated enemy. It all had to be forgotten as she led Steelhaven against its unstoppable foe.

A siege tower moved inexorably into view, peppered with arrows, looking like it had been hacked from a mountain of steel. There were barely half a dozen men to stand against it, but still they stood, ready to die to defend the city. Her city.

Janessa’s heels kicked her horse’s flanks as she loosed the reins. The Helsbayn rang from its scabbard as she galloped along the wall. Kaira cried something in her wake but Janessa paid it no mind. Men moved from her path in panic and arrows hissed past her bare head as she made her way towards the siege tower. The ramp fell with a metallic clank just as she reached it and the Khurtas within were unleashed, howling at the night.

The Helsbayn sang its reply.

Janessa felt the excitement of her first kill as the blade took a head from its shoulders. The thrill of that one small victory. A hunger began to burn as she swung again, taking another Khurtic life. Her steed bucked and snorted, its bulk knocking three of the enemy from the ramp. Janessa was screaming now, adding her own battle cry to the dirge. Blood splashed her armour and chin, matting the curls of her hair. She had no idea if any of it was hers but it mattered little to her now.

She turned to see Kaira watching from the saddle of her own horse, the sword in her hand slick with blood. Her eyes were wide with disbelief, but there was also pride. She said nothing, she didn’t need to. Janessa merely gave her a nod, which Kaira returned, and that one gesture meant everything; more than any words could ever convey.

You are a warrior queen now.

Janessa turned her attention back to the battle. All along the wall she could see the Khurtas swarming to attack. Even she knew that every man who stood against them would be slain if she did nothing.

She spurred her horse, riding it along the walkway, shouting at the top of her voice for her men to rally, to hearken to her call. Janessa held the Helsbayn aloft as she rode and saw every eye turn to her. As she rode past one of the wall’s bastions she plucked a flag bearing the Steelhaven coat of arms and raised it up. The flag was drenched from the rain and heavy in her grip but she held it out for all to see the crossed sword and crown emblazoned upon it.

‘Rally to the square,’ she cried. ‘Follow me.’

Janessa rode back down the stairway, her fleet horse managing to stay sure of foot on the slick surface. The open space had few defensible positions but at least her soldiers could form ranks. The Khurtas would be channelled, their numbers less overwhelming in the confines of the square.

As soon as she reached the bottom of the stairs Kaira and Captain Garret were by her side. Kaira’s destrier snorted, sensing battle was coming.

‘This is madness,’ said Garret. ‘We have to get you away from here. You have to retreat to-’

‘I won’t leave them,’ Janessa said, as men flocked all around, milling in the square awaiting their orders.

Kaira began forming the defenders into ranks, ordering an upturned cart be made into a meagre barricade and that archers take positions to the rear.

‘Your safety is paramount,’ said Garret more forcefully. ‘I cannot protect you if this is what you insist on.’

‘Then don’t protect me,’ Janessa replied. ‘Protect my city.’

It was not an order, which she knew he would obey without question, but a plea.

Garret stared at her, the rain soaking through his hair and beard. The days of fighting had left him looking smaller somehow, his face matted with dried blood from half a dozen wounds.

‘Always, Majesty,’ he replied.

Janessa glanced back towards the battlements. Already the Khurtas had breached the wall, flooding over it, the noise of their arrival rising above the pounding of the rain on the square.

She urged her horse forward, still holding the flag in her hand, raising it aloft.

‘Men of Steelhaven!’ she cried. ‘I don’t ask that you fight for your city and never that you fight for me. Only that you fight with me this one last time.’

There was a cry from every man. A cry that filled Janessa with pride. For a fleeting moment she only wished that her father had been here to see this, to see her one last stand. But he was not here. There was only her. Queen Janessa Mastragall. Sovereign of Steelhaven and the Free States. Protector of Teutonia.

The Khurtas had reached the bottom of the wall now and were charging towards the square. Janessa spurred her horse, drawing the Helsbayn from its scabbard once more and riding forward. There was a cry on her lips, something feral, something from the dark empty pit inside her. Kaira spurred up beside her, as did Garret and half a dozen Sentinels — all that remained of her retinue. They smashed into the Khurtas like an axe hitting rotting wood, splintering the enemy charge. The Helsbayn hummed through the air, delivering Janessa’s fury.

As they fought there was a thunderous smash. Janessa pulled back on her reins, her horse rearing as in the distance she saw the Tower of Magisters had been struck by a massive boulder. The ancient stone at its base suddenly gave way, the tower lurching back violently. It toppled, crushing rooftops and houses beneath its vastness, but Janessa had no time to lament the loss as the battle still raged around her.

Arrows whistled overhead in both directions whilst the rain beat down relentlessly. Janessa’s red curls were plastered to her head, the rain running in rivulets within her armour, but it did not weigh her down or hinder her as she swung that sacred blade.

Something struck the haft of the flag she held, jarring it from her grip, and it fell amidst the press of Khurtas. She parried a swing of a sword, raising the Helsbayn to counter when her horse stumbled beneath her. With a squeal of anguish the stallion collapsed to the ground, Janessa crying out in anger and frustration as she fell. The impact jolted the sword from her grip, her head hitting the cobbled ground. Her vision swam as Janessa made to stand but her leg was pinned beneath the dead animal. Panic gripped her as she realised she was helpless.

The melee continued to rage all around as the Sentinels did their best to protect her, but she was held fast. The Helsbayn was just beyond her grip, tantalisingly close as she reached with outstretched fingers.

Janessa looked up in time to see the sneering face of a Khurta bearing down on her but his expression twisted from anger to agony as a sword blade pierced his chest. Garret withdrew the blade with practised ease, reaching for her as the Khurta fell. She gripped his arm, crying out as he dragged her from beneath the horse, her leg numb from being crushed beneath its weight. She still had the presence of mind to grasp the Helsbayn as Garret helped her to her feet, despite the pain. In an instant Kaira was also at their side, her own horse forgotten.

‘Get her out of here,’ snarled Garret. ‘To the temple.’

Kaira nodded, dragging Janessa away from the battle as her Sentinels and bannermen blocked the Khurtic assault. She was about to protest but the pain in her leg stifled any objections. As they retreated Garret turned back to face the Khurtas, his sword held high as he proclaimed his loyalty to the Crown for all to hear. She could only stare at Garret — brave, loyal Garret — as he was consumed within the mass of savages, his blade still swinging.

Janessa held onto Kaira as they backed away from the fighting. ‘Retreat!’ Kaira barked to the rest of the men, cowering behind their barricade. ‘Into the city, hide yourselves!’

Some of them ran immediately, needing no further encouragement, but some raced forward, helping Kaira lift Janessa to her feet.

Her leg throbbed, a stabbing pain shooting through her knee with every step, but still Janessa moved. She had wanted to fight the Khurtas to the end, but now that seemed like madness. This whole thing was madness. In the distance something brayed to the night, like an angry herd of bulls had been unleashed upon the city, only adding to the insanity.

The Khurtas were rushing forward now, their fury unrestrained, cutting down anything in their path. Kaira did her best to help Janessa move south, away from the carnage, but with her leg the way it was she knew they’d never get far.

Two Khurtas burst from the pack, charging forward with blades raised. Janessa pushed herself away from Kaira, stumbling slightly but still finding her feet. She raised the Helsbayn as Kaira had taught her, holding it poised to strike. It felt good in her hand, it felt ready to kill.

A shadow dropped from the building next to them, pouncing on the two Khurtas like a leopard on its prey. Janessa watched in horror as the beast caught one of the savage’s heads in its mouth, gripping the other by the throat. With a snap of its jaws the head came free. A squeeze of talons and the throat was ripped out. For a moment it took the time to feast, tearing flesh from its victims with abandon, and all Janessa could do was watch in horror. Then the beast’s black eyes looked about as it sniffed the air.

Janessa felt Kaira’s grip on her arm, pulling her back, and slowly they moved away until the monster was out of sight.

‘What was that?’ Janessa asked, her heart thumping in her chest, the hand that did not hold the Helsbayn shaking uncontrollably.

‘I have no idea,’ said Kaira. ‘But we can only hope it hates the Khurtas more than it hates us. Now come, I must get you to safety.’

‘Where are we going?

‘The Temple of Autumn. It is our last line of defence,’ said Kaira as they stumbled south through the deserted streets.

Janessa saved her breath, moving as quickly as she could and biting her lip against the pain in her leg.

The sky was lightening. She could only hope that when the new day dawned there would still be a city to defend.