Recruited Mage Page 10

  I looked around frantically in the confusion of charging men dodging crossbow bolts, and boys falling back to find safety. I remembered the clubs and shields and slung my crossbow over my shoulders by a leather strap on it before running to the main lines again and taking a shield and club from where they had been laid out.

  Next I looked to see where everyone was falling back to and saw everyone forming defensive circles around trees. I ran up to one of the circles just as the men were reaching the remaining second line. The second line broke away and sprinted into the defensive circles around the trees. I could not see any more as I was engulfed in the circle I had run to. All the boys drew out their clubs and formed an strong shield wall.

  Before I had even got to the tree the men charged into the shield wall with tremendous force. Everyone was pushed back a step and I was thrown against the tree headfirst. The impact made my head ring and everything seemed to draw in. I saw spots in front of my eyes and felt nauseous. I leant against the tree and dropped my club so I could put a hand up to my head where I had hit it. I felt a thing trickle of blood run over my hand.

  Please let it be nothing serious.

  Even without my hazy vision I would not have seen anything trough the mass of boys all around me. Every few seconds I would be thrown one way or another.

  I could not think straight and I decided to climb the tree. There were few knots in the bark and I grazed my knees badly on the wood. I however managed to climb onto the first branch and shakily spread out my legs. I pulled the crossbow of my back and laid it on my knees.

  Everything suddenly went quieter. I must have hit my head harder than I thought. Then I realised that the fighting had stopped.

  “Now I have you attention,” boomed a large voice suddenly in the relative quiet. “I will make you all a deal.” I saw it was the man who I had thought was the Commander talking. “Either you all will surrender to us now and we will tie you all up and lead you all back as failures to your Strike Team Commander,”

  What? No way! We could be flogged as failures.

  He continued. “Or you could fight us and we will ensure that there will be two of us to every one of you! And then we will break you… we will not be blamed if you die from it. And if you survive you will be no use to the Kingdom and even a hindrance to it. You would be thrown out on to the streets and left.”

  They can’t do that! No one else moved and I assured myself that they were thinking the same thing.

  We are safe as we are, we could stay like this for however long is left. Even twenty minutes if still that much is left.

  However to my horror the man stepped forward again. “You have decided then,” he shouted. “We will break you all.”

  He will have to get us first.

  Then to my horror the man gestured to a large group of his men behind him and from where they had been hidden behind them they brought forward five boys who had their hands tied behind their backs, almost delirious with terror.

  “Starting with these!” Everyone gave a shocked gasp.

  What are we going to do? A rush of fear swept through me and my hands became clammy with sweat. The men’s leader stepped towards the tied boys who cried out n fear.

  We have to do something! We can’t just watch this happen! I saw that one of the boys was Donal. Not Donal! I can’t help him from here!

  Then I remembered the crossbow sitting on my knees. I could use that.

  I hastily loaded my crossbow as fast as I could and slid a bolt into place. Everyone else seemed to be doing nothing but wait in shocked silence. I raised the crossbow to my shoulder and took aim at the leader who had taken a club and was not yet raising it above his head to strike the first boy.

  If I do not put him out of action he will probably kill us!

  I took a deep breath and fired. The twang of the crossbow seemed incredibly loud in the dreadful quiet. Everyone flinched at sound including the Commander who whipped his head to look towards me. Because of this, rather than hitting the man in the helmet uselessly, the bolt hit square on his temple and he was knocked unconscious.

  As the man dropped to the floor everything seemed to erupt into chaos. Everyone seemed to be running in every direction. It seemed that everyone was shouting. I turned, slowly stood up on the branch and leant on the trunk. I reached up to a higher branch and pulled myself up.

  I crouched low on the branch and looked around again. As I watched, the fighting stopped once again but this time I was alone; everyone else had formed a large circle. Around the circle were the men, each one almost shoulder-to-shoulder surrounding the boys.

  This time it was not the Commander who stepped forward because, he was still unconscious, it was another man.

  “We will not be merciful again!” he shouted to the boys who were however still triumphant. “We swear if you do not give up now we will rush in and get you all.” As the man shouted this he walked in ever decreasing circles around the boys who had sorted themselves in to a shield wall with two layers. The first layer was low of slightly crouched boys and the second was above that, held triumphantly up at shoulder height.

  A boy in the middle who I had not noticed before, wearing a gold stripe across the front of his waist coat, stood on what I guessed was a log so he could see over the other boys.

  “You see now sir,” he said loudly in a teasing tone that made the speaking man bristle with anger. “We have the advantage of everyone being here and you have captured no one. I also know that you don’t want to fight us, do you, wimps?” The word wimps made all the men angry. “You know you will get badly hurt if you fight us as you already have found out.” I noticed the man who had been shouting was no longer looking at the boy but was whispering to another man. That man then went around the other men and about twenty of them followed.

  I peered at the men, wandering what they were doing. I was no longer listening to what the boy was saying as I watched the men. In fact my attention was fully on them. I watched with dread as they went and mounted their horses where they had left them.

  I turned my attention back to the boy with the golden stripe on his waistcoat. He had seen the men go to the horses as well but to my surprise he was not frowning or looking surprised at all but he was grinning immaturely. Then I saw the ends of crossbows pocking out from behind the shields. If the horses try and brake the line they will be hit by the crossbows like before and stop!

  The boy gave the order to fire earlier than I thought, when the riders were still far away. Only two or three were fired every few seconds so a steady volley could keep the riders away. It had devastating effects and each time a shot was fired a horse screamed. The riders were driven quickly back. Then they started shooting the men, which was very risky as they outnumbered us. Every time a man was hit he would keel over in pain.

  However before more than ten shots had been fired the men could take no more and they charged forward with their clubs.

  The boys stood ready and in less than a second the men were almost on to them. Just before the men reached them however every loaded crossbow fired in a deadly point blank volley and at the same moment every boy leaned forward to meet the charge.

  The result was a desperate skirmish as the men smashed again and again into the circle. I tried to do my bit with my crossbow and I fired as many shots as I could into the mass of attacking men.

  I can’t believe this is only a training exercise, this is rough.

  War is rough as well. I almost fell of my branch in shock.

  Diryn Kust! What have you been doing! I forgot all about you. I need help! I… I… So much has changed.

  I know I have been watching and listening.

  I needed help! I surprised myself as a wave of emotions washed through me. I could have been caught! I need you. You can’t just leave me when you want! You didn’t call for me remember, as you said you forgot about me and you were fine.

  Suddenly there was a loud bang from the direction of the edge of the woods. There was a resou
nding cheer from the circle of boys. The men swore and walked slowly towards their horses. We can to go!

  I slowly climbed down from the tree and grabbed my club and shield from where I had left them. As we all walked out of the woods I realised how bulky my crossbow really was as it bounced up and down painfully on my back.

  “Where have you been?” came the angry voice of Detarian from behind me and I turned to see him stride up to me. “I am meant to be looking after you and keeping you safe from being wounded.” He looked at me expectantly.

  “But I was safe!” I said trying to convince him that I had been safe.

  “Really?” he questioned, not believing me.

  “Yes, I was left behind and I hid in a tree.” Detarian looked at me suddenly, straight in my eyes.

  “You were hiding in a tree?” he said almost shouting. “Well I suppose that you were safe so I have nothing to worry about, but remember this; If a Commander sees you up a tree whilst we are fighting he will have you flogged for cowardice.” At that I bowed my head.

  I could have got him in to trouble. I have to try for him.

  We walked out the trees and then towards where the Commander was standing, by the road. When we were three quarters of the way across the open area the Commander started a countdown from ten and everyone started running towards him. I followed along as best I could but everyone was faster than me and I only reached the Commander just in time.

  “Well done today.” said the Commander. “I have heard from a few people watching that you absolutely smashed them. They thought it was going to be so easy. They might have done a lot better however, if they had brought their bows. Also don’t brag too much as they are just scouts and they are not trained to attack, only to scout. That is the biggest group of scouts you will ever see and in these circumstances they would leave you alone, this was only a test to see if they could handle it if they outnumbered the enemy. Even so most of them would not even reach you. They would have died from the crossbows not get back up to fight. Into lines, now. ”

  At that command, everyone started running to positions. I stood looking for a place to go but Detarian grabbed me roughly and pulled be to a spot. Everyone else stood up straight with their hands behind their backs. I copied them and stood waiting in the correct stance. Someone at the front shouted forward and we started marching. I recognised the sound of the boy’s voice as the boy who had the waistcoat with the golden stripe. Marching was exceptionally hard, as I had to copy everyone else exactly. Luckily it was not an extravagant march and more of a purposeful walk.

  We marched to the compound and waited outside as the Commander went inside. He soon returned and we followed him around the back of the compound where there were five carts full of small wooden logs. We were formed into a long line from the carts to somewhere in the compound but I did not know where as I was positioned outside. Then the carts were unloaded, each log passed quickly along the line and into the compound.

  Once we had finished unloading all the carts we were taken back to the front of the compound. We put all our small bags that we had used for training in a pile and then all the other new boys and I were told to go and get our other bags. We obeyed and fetched them, packing everything into them.

  Once we had our bags we lined up again and marched along the road. We marched over the hill towards the city into the Engineer’s camp. Then we turned down a side road that ran along the side of the camp. We stopped by a large circle of tents with a small ditch running around the outside, which I assumed was where everyone, and now me, as part of the Three Hundred and Seventy Second Junior Assault Group, sleep. When we were gathered around, the Engineer addressed us almost shouting so all one hundred and fifty could hear.

  “For doing well, you get to go to sleep early. I would take this opportunity if I was you as we have something big planned for tomorrow” the Engineer said and turned to walk away. Everyone started walking off in groups, talking loudly. Detarian walked up and half-heartedly gestured for me to follow him. As I walked after Detarian into the circle of tents I caught sight of the Commander who I had guessed by now must be the Assault Group Captain, looking back at everyone with what looked like a smile of content on his face. I think he is proud of us.

  Detarian pulling my arm interrupted me. “Hurry up,” he said. “I have friends to talk to and other stuff to do.” So I followed him once more through the circle to a tent. It was quite small and I was surprised to see that Donal was already in it and I was to share the small tent with him.

  The tent was made of a thin fabric that rippled slightly in the wind. The entrance was a small flap that you have to squeeze through to get in. Sitting in the tent was cramped with Donal. We each had to sit against the walls so we were far enough away from each other to unpack our bags. The tent had no bottom so we were just going to sleep on a waterproof sheet and a blanket. After I had got all my stuff ready for bed I awkwardly climbed past Donal and out of the tent flap. My knees clicked painfully as I stood and it was already a relief to get out.

  As I stood outside the tent I looked out across the camp, which seemed to stretch as far as I could see until a hill at the far end.

  If this is just the Engineers, this is a big army.

  The sun was sinking slowly toward the horizon and I guessed it would be another hour until it would be dark. There were many fires around the camp including one in the centre of or tent circle, cooking over it were some large birds that I assumed to be geese. There is probably no need to light anymore fires all night, as there are so many alight already. Whilst I was looking around Donal climbed out of the tent and stood next to me.

  “The training in the woods went better than I expected,” he said slowly. “I thought I would be smashed up and breeding by the end of it, however no one was badly hurt except them.” Donal suddenly lowered his voice. “I have to admit that I was quite scared.” Donal raised his voice again. “Everyone is very good, don’t you think?” I nodded a silent approval. “The way they fought was amazing and very efficient.” Donal suddenly lowered his voice again. “I can’t believe it is only one week! I can’t stand fighting. Back home I would always run rather than fight.” Donal turned away for a few seconds and when he turned back to face me his eyes were brimmed with tears. “I’m just not ready,” he sobbed. “I am just not ready.”

  After that Donal went and stayed in the tent. He only came out for supper of goose that I had seen cooking. No one came to talk to me and I could not pluck up courage to go up to anyone and talk to them.

  After picking at grass around my feet where I sat for half an hour after having supper, I climbed into our tent. For at least two hours I practiced magic secretly in the tent, curled up just In case that Donal woke from his early sleep. Despite being distracted many, many times by the sounds of people talking and moving about, the crackling of fires and the sounds of the monsters in the cages that with each howl or roar chilled my blood, I managed to raise up my needle and spin it around. All of this I did without the help of Diryn Kust who ignored my many silent callings to him. I was very proud when I tried really hard and managed to conjure a blue spark for a whole second.

  11 Practicee assault

  I could see nothing of the approaching lakeside past the twenty other members of the Assault Group that were in my particular boat. All I felt was fear as I cowered in the back of the boat, no excitement and no adrenalin rush, just fear. To each side however I could see the seven other boats that carried the remainder of the Assault Group. They all were braced and ready for the creatures that we were to face on reaching our section of the two mile long bank, the two mile section that was about to be the battle ground of “the largest single training exercise ever.”

  It is not really a battle; we are fighting creatures, not an army. I suppose we can’t even call it a training exercise; danger of death they said. Not for us though apparently, all the monsters are meant to be “Down the other end” of the beach.

  The boats seemed to speed up
in anticipation as the ten or so men strained harder at the oars. The shore sped closer and closer. I bowed my head and took a deep breath.

  I touched the handle of the frighteningly real and sharp dagger that was strapped by my side, others just like mine had been handed to every one of us.

  And yet they said no fighting?

  Up in front on the shore were huge mounds of earth leading into a small but thick wood which apparently blocked from my view from a small palisade purposely built for us to blow up as had been explained while we walk for a whole hour to get to this huge lake.

  And guess who was chosen to place the explosives? Me! Everyone else just had their small bags whilst I, one of the smallest, had to carry the small bag and a few kilograms of fireshot powder in another bag. Whatever the fireshot powder was contained in was not soft and it rubbed painfully on my back whenever I moved.

  It should all be over shortly, but the monsters! What if one of them came down our end of the beach? What if it attacked us? What if it was worse than a large wolf? It could kill us all. What if…

  “Ready!” shouted a Commander and we all got to our feet. I struggled up and almost fell back down as the fire shot powder weighed me down. A mix of dread and exited mutters ran out among us.

  Well here we go. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. Everything is going to be fine.

  Closing my eyes was a mistake and I did not see everyone brace so when we hit the bank I was flung forward. My eyes flashed open quick enough for me to grab my bench to stop me falling. I jogged the few metres forward to the front of the boat and jumped out like everyone else into the shallow water.

  “Go, Go, Go!” the man shouted. The water was freezing cold and the mud and weeds clung to my boots as the weight of the fire shot powder pulled me downward. I pulled my legs free and struggled out of the water. Everyone was fanning out on the shore, some with shields and daggers others with crossbows. There was a gap in the middle, which was my place to go. I ran up through the heaps of dirt with an escort of five in front of me and to either side, staying in time with my opposites from the other boats until I could no longer see them.