Brave Men Die: Part 3 Read online

  With another dead Kyzantine at his feet, Pollux was about to rejoin the battle when he noticed the two archers on the rocky platform above. With frantic speed he launched himself up the path to their position and hoped they wouldn’t see him coming. The sound of the bow strings snapping thundered in his ears as his legs pounded across the dirt and rocks.

  His blade tore through the first archer’s arm, his second strike hit the other under the chin before he turned and finished the first off. Pulling his gore-covered blade from the man’s chest he looked below to see that Field was still going toe to toe with his intended target with the aid of one of the others. The fighter with the axe had charged into another group of Kyzantines further along the outskirts. Horns bleated in the distance and Pollux knew that more of the bastards were coming.

  The soldier fighting alongside Field took a stray arrow through the back and fell to his knees, and the swordsman immediately went after the sergeant. Pollux realised the man must have been toying with the two as Field retreated under the quick heavy blows. Within seconds the fight had turned and the blade was knocked from the sergeant’s hands.

  The armoured mercenary twirled the blade in his hands and drove it down through the sergeant’s collarbone.

  ‘Field!’ Pollux cried out.

  The sounds of the Kyzantine reinforcements hammered in his ears as they grew closer but he didn’t care. Leaping from his position above, he landed on one knee and got up running toward the swordsman. The man braced himself for the impact as Pollux rained down blow after blow, screaming as the swords sparked against each other.

  Oblivious to the approaching Kyzantines, Pollux focused on his opponent and ignored the fact that his companions were coming over. The blade cut from side to side and was blocked as easily as it was countered. It wasn’t until he noticed the hand on the swordsman’s shoulder that Pollux blinked in disbelief and all three men were gone, his blade slicing through open air.

  Pollux was worried. Who were these three new players? He came up here to fight Kyzantines and what he got was a headache. He hoped Ara could explain how the three blokes could just disappear into thin air without a mage around.

  Exhausted and defeated, Pollux spun around to search for the mercenaries but there was no sign of them. The Kyzantines were getting closer by the sounds of things and he needed to not be here when they arrived.

  Dropping to one knee beside Field’s body, Pollux ran his hand over the soldier’s eyes and closed them. He had been the one to promote Field to sergeant, he had seen something in the lad, the way he handled himself up on the wall. Since then he had been in and out of the infirmary, always eager to get back to his men. Now another good man had died.

  Pollux slowly rose as the noise of the approaching Kyzantines startled him from his reverie. He looked down at the fallen bodies of the men he led up here, cringed at the thought of leaving them for the enemy and the carrion, but he really had little choice. Taking one last deep breath he turned and ran, hoping that Ara would hear his thoughts and come get him before he was run down amongst the rocks.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Pyxis stared at the barricade’s tower, its flag drifting in the breeze. It had been two days since the cavalry had come out of the gates. She stood in the shade of the only tree in the pass, daring the knights to come out and claim her. But the men on the walls stood like gargoyles, waiting, watching. Where was the cavalry charge? Where were those relentless knights who butchered her peasants and called themselves warriors? This was unsettling. The lack of bloodshed was worrisome. Without fighting and dying there was no war. This would not do at all.

  Pyxis stalked back around the bend in the pass, kicking at the rocks on the ground. Her troops stared at her, hidden behind their shields, spears propped upwards toward the sky. She stooped to pick up a small stone and hurled it toward one of the soldiers. He ducked below his shield as it bounced off. Conscripts — never did last. She scooped up another and took a second shot.

  Sending that lot of rabble to the wall in an effort to take it would prove a mistake. The numbers she had behind her meant nothing, for they had the advantage of the wall. At least in the pass they had a good chance of taking down the cavalry each time they came out, and she had finally managed to get the archers set up in positions on the mountainside overlooking the pass.

  Cunx walked over, each stride full of confidence. Full armour, blade by his side. Unstoppable.

  ‘General.’

  Pyxis turned, looked briefly back over the cowards, watching them shirk away in terror. Smiling she turned to Cunx.

  ‘What is it?’

  ‘I was just wondering whether we were going to spend another day standing around waiting for them?’

  ‘Your point?’

  ‘Finding a more productive use of our time.’

  ‘Our time?’

  ‘Well, general, your time is best given to terrifying the troops, but they might serve a purpose by attacking the barricade.’

  ‘I do scare them, don’t I? But nevertheless, my fun is at an end. We have a war to win. Let’s take this barricade.’ Pyxis’ words did not betray her thoughts. These soldiers would not make it to the wall. Nevertheless the barricade had to fall to get them through to the Kingdom so even if she had to throw all of these soldiers and more at it, it would be done.

  ‘Yes, general.’

  Cunx ran off, ordered the other commanders to rally the troops. Drums began to beat in a steady rhythm. Pyxis picked up another stone and threw it at the irritating soldier. Finally the missile hit its mark, scalding the man in the side of the head. Pyxis smiled and walked to the squire holding the reins of her horse.

  Putting one foot in the stirrup, she heaved herself into the saddle and snatched the reins from offered hands. Riding up to the commanders of her forces she stopped in front of their little party.

  ‘I want a full assault. Don’t stop until the barricade is ours.’

  She remained motionless as the call was passed along the line and the commanders and their troops filed past her.

  Her mind raced. The cavalry would be useless unless the Murukans actually charged out and she doubted that they would. The infantry pressed forward in lines, becoming erratic as they rounded the bend in the path. Under the order of the commanders they straightened and kept going forward.

  A trumpet sounded a warning and Pyxis watched the shadows on the wall multiply and grow. They ran along the barricade’s length and stopped about a metre apart, each armed with bows.

  Pyxis stopped short of the firing range of the Murukan long bows but her infantry kept up the pace. They raised their shields as the arrows began to rain down, taking each deliberate step. Moving across the killing ground, the infantry went to their deaths. Men and women fell as arrows slipped through their defence. Marching over the dead they hit the wall in their thousands. Ladders scaled the walls. The battering ram smashed against the gate.

  The enemy clearly had the advantage defending the walls but Pyxis had the numbers. The Empire would strike. Ladders found purchase along the wall and soldiers climbed to engage with the enemy. Those that breached the Murukan defence leaped over the stone, ducking and weaving away from the steady downpour of blows, and landed on the rampart. Pyxis watched as one after another of her troops were cut down as they neared the top or stood on the stone fortifications to have their legs cut away from underneath them, their bodies tumbling back to the dirt below. The handful that made it pushed forward to desperately try to give others time to get up there and support them.

  Pyxis tilted her head at the sound of horses and wondered whether she had imagined it, just hoping that the enemy cavalry were charging. Her eyes widened as she steadily looked over the landscape but … nothing.

  Her ears betrayed her again but it was Cunx and a messenger who appeared beside her. They both looked worried, the messenger’s forehead covered with sweat caused by the summer heat or the disturbing news.

  ‘Well Cunx, what is it?’ she snapped.<
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  ‘Supply caravans crossing the Derelict Plains have been attacked by a Murukan cavalry force. They are slaughtering everyone and pillaging our resources.’

  ‘What?! How did they get through? None of the passes have fallen have they?’ Pyxis demanded.

  ‘No, general,’ the messenger replied. ‘We have breached the Musea Pass and the stalemate remains at Black Claw Gate.’

  ‘Then how did they get through?!’ She threw her helmet at the messenger.

  He shuddered under the blow as it hit his arm. ‘I have no idea general, please calm yourself.’

  ‘Don’t tell me what to do,’ she screamed, drawing her blade.

  Cunx kicked his horse’s flanks and intercepted the two quarrelling parties. ‘What are your orders Pyxis? What do you want us to do about the cavalry?’

  With her blade outstretched, Pyxis turned her attention to her second. As she spoke the messenger urged his mount backwards, gaining valuable breathing room.

  ‘Find me someone to replace Fizdis. Then organise my troops, we ride as soon as I feel the replacement can handle the attack.’

  Cunx nodded and rode off, taking the messenger with him. Pyxis watched as the men rode away, glancing at her blade shaking in her hand. She shook her head as if waking from a groggy haze and returned her attention to the battle, replacing her weapon in its sheath. Her thoughts turned to the absent cavalry attack and seethed at the possibility that they could be the ones in her Empire.

  The sun beat down on the Derelict Plains as Pyxis rode in front of her troops. The glaring heat was harsh, cruel and devastating. The once green grass that had come to life with the last downpour had lost its vibrancy and had turned brown under the sun’s daunting rays. The light reflected from the metallic armour, momentarily blinding all that were caught in its alluring glamour.

  There was no wind to cool them and her banner hung listlessly from its pole, the bearer’s arms weakening as each moment passed in the blistering light. The clouds had disappeared from the afternoon sky and all that could be seen was the vast blue and the radiating golden sphere. There was no sign of coming relief except for dusk, which was still hours away.

  The three hundred Wraiths she’d ordered to follow had come willingly: better to ride the enemy down then hang around waiting to be useful. They skirted around the forests, taking advantage of the shade to cool their wearied bodies. Pyxis needed them in good condition if they found the bloody Murukans.

  Pyxis noticed the blackened shells of the carriages first, their larger frames shadows on the vibrant green grass in the distance. She turned her stallion and rode toward the destruction slowing only when she was close enough to dismount. She walked through the debris, Cunx following a step behind. Bones were littered around the scene as she rattled off the growing body count. Counting aloud she disturbed the listening cavalry as the numbers escalated beyond double digits.

  ‘They were all women and children, no soldiers, no fighters.’ She looked at the fallen. ‘The enemy have shown what kind of men they are, with this cruel and despicable attack. Under the One God and the Emperor, I charge us with the duty of finding these men and slaughtering them. There will be no survivors, only death.’

  Pyxis remounted and looked over the map Cunx produced. Marking the caravan site on it, she searched for the obvious hiding places. Sporadic pockets of woodland littered the Derelict Plains that they could be hiding in. It would take too long to search them all. Pyxis flung the map to the ground and rubbed her face with her hand.

  ‘We are just going to have to ride around and hope that we come across them or find some kind of tracks. I don’t know what else we can do,’ she said softly to Cunx.

  ‘There is little we can do. I would suggest that we head up that way,’ he said, pointing to the north. ‘They will probably try to head further into the Empire in an effort to hamper the supply trains from the beginning of the route rather than at the final destination.’

  Pyxis looked at him with startled admiration. He was right, that would be their likely destination. Her older companion was a man of many talents and at times she forgot how well his mind worked. She nodded to herself and decided that was their course of action.

  Hours later they discovered another site where the Murukans had struck. The littered remains of the dead were unbearable to look at but she remained stoic and kept her eyes focused on what lay before her. The remains were not fired like the last scene but the wagons were disabled. Carrion birds moved amongst the dead, tearing and devouring flesh from the bodies. She swallowed down the bile that was rising in the back of her throat.

  ‘Check the dead,’ Cunx ordered, and soldiers dismounted and ran amongst them.

  ‘Over here,’ one shouted, standing over the body of a Murukan knight.

  Another raced over there and together they dragged his unconscious body back in front of Pyxis and Cunx. She looked down in disdain at the fallen warrior, a bolt protruding from his abdomen.

  ‘They left him here alive?’ she asked aloud to no one in particular.

  ‘They probably thought he was dead, general, his breathing is shallow.’

  ‘Well is he alive enough to question and kill all over again?’ she asked, a smile forming on her face.

  ‘I think that can be arranged, general,’ the soldier stated.

  ‘Good,’ she replied, her smile twisting into a sinister grin.

  Cunx dismounted and removed the canteen from a saddlebag and poured its contents over the Murukan’s face. He awoke and shuddered in pain, trying desperately to struggle from his captors’ grasp. They held him down while Pyxis dismounted and looked over the man.

  The knight was a big man, not fat but solid. The muscles in his arms and shoulders indicated his life had revolved around soldiering. He filled his armour well, although it was now dirty and dented from travelling, the dried blood from those he killed in the battle still stained his hands and armour. Dust had settled in his dark auburn hair, mixed with his sweat and stained his tanned face. His pale blue eyes looked frightened but defiant.

  ‘What’s your name soldier?’

  He looked at her and spat at her face. It didn’t make it the distance and came back down and landed on his cheek. Pyxis smiled.

  ‘Now, now, play nice or else I’m going to have to get tough.’

  ‘Do your worst.’

  Pyxis looked at Cunx before stepping onto his crotch. She dug her heel in and twisted. He screamed out in pain.

  She asked again, ‘What is your name?’

  ‘Jacob,’ he muttered between deep breaths.

  ‘Well Jacob, I need to know a few things about the men you were travelling with. Are you going to tell me?’

  The man looked horrified at the thought of betraying his unit. His mouth was open but his protests failed to come out. Pyxis trod down hard on his testicles and a groan escaped his lips.

  ‘The Nails,’ he whispered. ‘The Nails.’

  Sweat dripped from his forehead. His stomach wound was slowly killing him. Pyxis had to speed it up.

  ‘Who are your commanders?’

  ‘Hydrus, son of Cronos Scythe, Baron of Buckthorne. His second is Volans Thorr.’

  ‘The Reaper’s boy? Probably just like his father.’

  Pyxis noticed the look of confusion wash over the prisoner’s face, smiling that the baron’s youthful reputation was only remembered by the Empire.

  ‘Where were you stationed before here?’ she asked, pressing down with her foot.

  ‘The Gorgon Pass.’

  ‘That was you?! Who cut me, who gloated and bragged about wounding a Kyzantine general?’

  ‘His name was Castor Fallon and he can’t wait to finish the job.’

  Pyxis twisted the bolt in his stomach in a blind rage. Jacob screamed at the pain and passed into unconsciousness. She slapped him hard across the face until he awoke blurry eyed. She poured more water on his face to bring him back to the torment.

  ‘Jacob, you left us too early, it’s not
quite your time. You have yet to tell us the Nails’ location or their numbers.’

  Jacob looked at her and a weak smile formed on his thin lips. The slightest trace of blood appeared on them. He whispered something that she couldn’t make out so she leaned in to hear his betrayal. As Pyxis got close enough, Jacob coughed and covered her face with his blood. Pyxis frowned, wiped the blood away with the back of her hand.

  ‘Kill him,’ she ordered and walked away.

  Cunx drew his knife and ran it deep across his neck. Jacob gurgled as the blood came up the back of his throat and he took his last breath.

  ‘We head north until we find those bastards.’

  It was four hours after dawn the next day when Pyxis and her column were riding out in the open of the Derelict Plains. There was little cover to hide from sight and the sun’s glaring heat. Pyxis led the cavalry to the bottom of a small incline that cast a shadow into a trough of the plain. It was barely worth it and would only last for another hour before the sun moved higher in the sky, but anything was appreciated. The entire column had moved into the shadow when the Nails appeared on the top of the hill. With the sun behind them, their shadows loomed long on the grassy hill. Pyxis counted nearly two hundred knights in waiting. Their horses shifted occasionally, snorted, kicked at the grass.

  Pyxis ordered her troops to halt and they all turned their attention on the Nails. Cunx stopped beside her, his eyes constantly scanning for signs of entrapment, that they had them surrounded. She, however, kept her eyes on those before her, looking for the knight Castor who had marked her arm. Pyxis knew he was one of them, staring back at her.

  ‘We are not in a position to charge at them, general,’ reminded Cunx, at the sight of her tightening her grip on the pommel of her saddle. ‘It would be suicide.’

  ‘No, suicide is fleeing and having them run us down.’