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The Bow of Haladan Part XIX
The bridge thrummed beneath their feet, the hobgoblin troops came
to a halt but Fintan did not give them a chance to gather themselves for a
charge.
"Slingers, Loose!" the captain cried.
The stones buzzed through the air, the range was long, the
hobgoblins were well armored and many had heavy shields. Most rocks and
bullets rebounded harmlessly from metal chain or wooden boss, but a lucky
shot dropped a large brute senseless to the ground, another broke a banner
haft, the orc skull dropped to the ground and shattered on stones.
The troopers cheered, the captain shouted praise as well, but
cursed inside, one hobgoblin down, perhaps two hundred more to go, they
were outnumbered at least two to one.
There was a roar and then another hail of the stones, a weapon
fell from a broken hand, a orange furred jaw shattered like a wine filled
pot in a bag of skin. A bullet struck an eye, the hobgoblin howled and
clutched its head, another crushed a throat, a third smacked below the
edge of a black painted helm and split the monsters skull. Three bodies
fell, two would never rise again.
The hobgoblins had had enough, their leader, a strip of white
hair following an old scar down his face, tried to keep his warriors
in line so that they would charge as one. Instead they came on as
a mob, the quickest, the bravest or most foolish ran ahead, a wild pack
close on their heels.
Stones and bullets snapped out one last time, only one hobgoblin
fell, its kneecap splintered. The rolling body bowled down half a dozen
more and slowed a score that ran behind. The slingers drew their swords
and formed a second line.
A hobgoblin with a two-handed axe ran toward the line of troopers,
the huge blade was braced at top and halfway down the shaft, the edge a
long sharp curve. It never brought it off its shoulder, a troopers blade
went in below its ribs, rings of steel were split, the point came out its
back. The heavy axe clattered to the ground, the hobgoblin looked
surprised, its eyes rolled up and the monster fell backwards to the
ground.
The captain stepped out to meet the charge, he swept his blade
across a monsters neck, the head half severed lay across the hobgoblins
broad shoulder, it skidded, one leg twisted back beneath its body, the
other stuck out straight. A short stabbing spear went past his head, he
lunged and put his point above a shield straight between the eyes of
a brick-red grinning face. Three heartbeats, two dead hobgoblins upon the
ground.
A trooper died, a spear stuck in his chest, he was pulled back
and another trooper took his place. The last of the wild rushing monsters
were brought down by the wall of blades, and then the two lines met. A
sound rang out, harsh and loud. A long rolling chorus of steel on steel,
shouts, scream, cries of pain, the cleaving butchers sound as sharp
metal chopped into flesh. It grew and reached a peak, fell back and rose
again. The sound was endless like waves breaking upon rocks.
* * *
(To Be Continued)