After The Rabbit (Waldo Rabbit Series) (31 page)

Theos stared down at them. They had been assembled behind the gate with most of the knights there to command them. If things went well he would open the gate and they would go out to deliver the death blow. Theos would only do that once the battle was decided and the enemy completely disorganized. Every man born in Lothas was taught how to fight and knew he might be called upon to serve against the goblins. Most were old enough to have marched the last time the army was raised. He did not doubt their courage or willingness to fight, only their discipline.

One well trained, well-armed soldier was worth at least five militia in the field. He would rely on his regular troops to fight this battle. All along the ramparts were cauldrons filled with pitch, piles of brick and stone, and quivers stuffed with arrows. His soldiers had all been trained to use longbows. The walls of Norwich had never been breached, its gate had never been broken. Ten thousand goblins could not take this city. This undead horde would smash itself against his walls. Archers would pick some off, others would burn with pitch or be smashed with falling stones. And when most were destroyed he would open the gates and lead out the brave men at his back to glory.

Theos spread his hands on the stone battlements. He would win this battle and save the city. The duke knew that the story about his lost sword had gotten out, and now all could see he was without Lawgiver. He could feel the eyes of his men digging into his back. Theos could guess what they were thinking. Their liege lord had, had the symbol of his power stolen on the eve of battle. Could there be a worse omen?

It doesn’t matter. I’ll win this battle despite what that coward and his whore did.

XXX

It was the quiet that was the most unnerving thing.

In his life he’d had plenty of experience against goblins and bandits. As a young knight he’d even visited Torikai and fought in the Grand Tournament once. Whenever goblins gathered for a serious battle they would take up a chant to drive themselves into a frenzy. ‘Grum, grum, grum’ they would go, sometimes for hours. Then from their throats would come a deafening scream that would make any man shake. The beasts would then charge mindlessly into battle. Men always talked as they fought. They boasted, shouted, cursed, threatened, begged, cried, screamed in pain or in fury, fighting for your life brought everything out. Even fighting in a tournament you were surrounded by sound.

Now in the fields before the city there was an army approaching, and it was silent. The only thing you could hear were their steps as they stamped down the grass on either side of the road. As he watched they just started spilling out of the wood. The first was the lich he’d heard about. It wore black robes with a pair of glowing orbs within its hood. Following behind it were the other undead, they followed after like sheep following a shepherd. At first you could see individual bodies, then small groups, and before long there was just a mass of them shambling out of the wood.

Most of them had to be long dead for they were mere skeletons. Perhaps one in five was a walking corpse. They carried no weapons. There was no order to them, no line of battle, they were just a mindless crowd following behind the lich. It was a hot summer’s day and each small breeze filled the air with rot. Every breath was nothing but the over powering scent of corruption. Theos was familiar with it, it was the aftermath of battle, when bodies had been left out to rot for days after a battle. Either because you didn’t have enough hands to bury them, or you didn’t care to. Even to a veteran like him this sickening pall was almost too much. He only kept from bending over and tossing up everything he had in his belly. Up and down the battlements he saw many of his men doing just that. Even many of the men lined up behind the gate started throwing up.

Theos deliberately ignored it. He couldn’t blame them, and calling attention to it would only shame them needlessly. If the smells wasn’t bad enough just the sight might unnerve a man. He’d heard the stories about undead since he was a child. Growing up so close to Alteroth he had always heard tales about the black wizards and their disgusting practices. He had never actually seen one until now though. Watching the dead shuffle along below him was truly sickening. These had been people! His people! They had either been murdered or brought back from their rest. This was an abomination in the eyes of gods and man. If Waldo and the other whites were truly behind this then they were every bit as foul as the darks.

What Theos knew about the undead came from the stories. They were slow moving, but would never tire or need rest. They existed to kill all living folk and knew no pain or fear. The only way to stop them was to smash in their skulls or burn them up. The dead would keep coming until they were destroyed or until they’d killed every living person in sight. Luckily the stories all agreed that the dead could not climb walls or cross running water.

When they stopped coming out of the wood Theos estimated their number at five or six thousand, a good sized army. The lich came to a halt well outside of bow range. The other undead halted when they neared it. None would go past that point. The undead kept shuffling ahead until they were packed in tight, one great mass of corpses standing behind their master.

Theos could see his men pointing talking to one another. Many drew circles over their hearts to ward off this evil. They huddled together and stared out into the field. He could hear their murmurs, the tone if not the words were clear to him.

“Steady men! There’s nothing to fear!” He called out in a loud clear voice. “We’ll wipe out these foul things, never doubt it. Stand to and be ready to fight.”

His words appeared to have the desired effect. The archers got back into their lines. For a leader half the job was making sure the men kept their heads. That was a challenge in a regular battle. Facing these monstrosities it was even more important.

That was when the black robed creature began to walk forward alone. Where all of the others shuffled and staggered, it alone walked like a man, with steady, certain purpose. The sight sent a chill right through his guts. Theos was sure he was not the only one who felt that.

“Arrogant.” The duke muttered under his breath. Liches were frightening creatures because they were a combination of undead and black wizard. They were terrifying because they could use all sorts of unnatural magics. His men had grown up with the same stories he had.

“If it wants to come stand beneath our walls we’ll give it a proper welcome. Archers, light!”

Up and down the wall sergeants repeated the command. By each squadron of archers there was a lit torch. The men placed the tips of prepared arrows into the flame where they caught.

“Knock!”

The order was again repeated by a series of voices. The men placed their arrows against string.

“Draw!”

As one they pulled back on the strings and lifted their bows into the air.

Theos watched the lich stride into range and continue forward at a steady pace.

“Hold!” He wanted the lich closer.

It continued to walk towards them.

“Hold!”

He guessed it was within two hundred and fifty yards. Then two hundred and forty, thirty, twenty, ten.

At two hundred it was in easy range.

“Loose!” The duke cried out.

Loose! Loose! The call went out up and down the rampart. Twangs reverberated as hundreds of draw strings were released. The air filled with flame arrows arcing up into the sky, to rain down all around the lich.

XXX

Lucius Corpselover had heard the lord’s orders as he’d approached. Seeing all the flame arrows came as anything but a surprise. He came to a stop and watched as they fell. The ones that came nearest struck his barrier spell and bounced away.

Did those savages actually think their arrows could touch me?

The arrows that were knocked away and the ones that had struck further out began setting the grass on fire. With wand in hand he cast a simple spell. “
Velar est akua
.” A thick mist formed over the ground and quickly smothered the flames.

“You barbarians have no concept of what magic can do.”

Lucius continued walking until he was within just thirty yards of the gate. Despite his poor vision he was sure there were wide eyes and gaping mouths on many of the faces above him. No more arrows rained down. The liege lord seemed uncertain.

He was near enough to be easily heard. “I have no interest at all in your city.”

“Then why have you come here?” Their leader demanded. “Why have you done all this?”

“I have come here for Waldo of the white robes and his familiars. Send them out to me and I will spare your city. All of you can live.”

“So it’s true then? Waldo really was behind you and all your vile crimes?”

“Yes, he is the cause. I am here because of him. Now send him out to me.”

“You’re too late! Your master has already fled. My men have searched everywhere within Norwich and found no trace of him.”

“You think Waldo is my master?” Lucius began to laugh. If he’d still had eyes they would have watered. “What sort of lies has that boy been spreading?”

“He never admitted to anything, I pieced together the truth.”

These people truly are idiots.
“Well, whatever you believe makes no difference. Are Waldo and his familiars truly gone?”

“Yes, there has been no sign of them for two days. The coward ran away as soon as I told him we would ride out to face you.”

“Then the boy has a good sense of survival.” Lucius tapped his wand into his other hand. “Though his not being here is rather annoying.”

Well now what?
Lucius had hoped to draw his grandson out, but despite dressing like a White Mage the boy wasn’t stupid enough to behave like one. If Waldo had left two days ago then he needed to find the trail again as soon as possible. He had no further use for his undead minions, they were useless for tracking and would only slow him down. With Waldo gone the city meant nothing. Which was almost a shame since the walls were not warded and so completely vulnerable to magical attack.

He gave a shrug of his bony shoulder. “Oh why not? I am already here.” Lucius held out his wand. “
Ossum paros lutum
.”

To the right of the gate the base of the wall was transformed from grey stone to ordinary dirt. There was an ominous cracking, followed by about a hundred yard stretch of the wall come tumbling down. Mixed in were some funny screams from the soldiers manning that section.

Lucius turned around and began walking away. He sent out some mana to give orders to his servants. “Enter the city and kill every living thing.”

As one the undead began to stumble forward to obey. They parted to allow him to pass through as they continued on toward the breech in the wall. Behind him Lucius could hear the liege lord and others shouting out orders to try and rally their troops. There was no chance they would keep his servants out entirely, but they might defeat them in the end. Undead actually didn’t make very good combat troops, especially when they were left unsupervised. Depending on whether the defenders broke or not the city might survive.

Lucius didn’t care though. Tracking down Waldo was his only concern.

Chapter 27

The Third Familiar

They found a road in the marsh. It was a simple dirt trail that just suddenly began in the middle of nowhere and ran in the direction of their goal. Waldo assumed it had to be a remnant from the attempt to fortify this place. After all, what good was a fortress if you could not supply it? Now that they had solid footing he was actually the one out in front leading the others. Alice was at his side with Gronk and the thief trailing after. He was so excited he could hardly wait. To his eyes a reddish light blazed out ahead of him, perhaps just half a mile away now. It was every bit as bright as what had come from Alice or Gronk. There could be no doubt at all this was his third familiar. Once it belonged to him a part of his quest would be completed, and he would be in excellent position to deal with the rest.