The Fireseed Wars

The Hostigi got off two more volleys before the crossbowman fired their first salvo, as they had to wait until their own skirmishers cleared the field before firing. If it affected the Hostigi shot, Tortha couldn't tell from the overhead sky-eye camera. He pulled in for a close-up. Some of the Hostigi musketeers were down with crossbow bolts, but the line was unshaken. When the Hostigi fired their next volley, the entire Grefftscharri front line began to waver and break-up. Some of the crossbowman reloaded and returned fire, but it had very little effect on the musketeers who began firing salvos by rank. Under concentrated musket fire, the ribbon of crossbowman faltered, wilted and then retired.

The spear blocks held firm as the crossbowman retired from the front. The Hostigi musketeers fired several more salvos before retiring. The Grefftscharri men-at-arms began to move forward to cover their otherwise vulnerable flanks. Suddenly the front ranks of the Hostigi pikemen lowered their pikes in the forward waist-high position and began their forward march, with the Hostigi light cavalry covering their flanks. The spearmen set their spears to receive the attacking pikeman. Those spearmen are going to receive a quick education on superior arms, Tortha decided, since the pikes had about a six-foot length advantage.

The forward ranks of Hostigi pikemen smashed into the Grefftscharri squares of spearmen. The pikes ripped through the spear blocks like a warm sword through a snow bank. At the flanks, the Grefftscharri men-at-arms threw themselves at the pikemen, but the pikes went up to meet their charge. For the most part their horses shied away but those horses who continued their charge were skewered on pike points.

While the Grefftscharri cavalry was pinned down, the Hostigi heavy lancers and cuirassiers charged from the rear, hitting both flanks and inflicting heavy casualties. From where he stood, Tortha watched as King Theovacar committed his cavalry reserve to keep the Hostigi heavy horse from outflanking both ends of his army. It was a good call, but not good enough to keep the Grefftscharri center from collapsing as the spearmen gave way to Kalvan's pikes.

The musketeers began to fire en masse. Soon it was hard to see through the swirling masses of smoke and dust. The only thing Tortha knew was that King Theovacar's Army was getting the tar walloped out of it.

Suddenly a green signal rocket for recall exploded overhead, signaling the arrival of the Styphoni forward element. This is the tipping point, Tortha thought. If Sarrask refuses to break off the attack, he'll have to fight the Grand Host's reinforcements. Through the battle haze he could see the mass of reinforcements who were several miles away.

For a few moments it appeared that the Grefftscharri slaughter, as their army was now in full retreat, would continue, then the Hostigi trumpets called for a halt. The pikemen reformed ranks and with the rest of the troops began to pull back toward the West Gate. The skirmishers remained behind to help the Uncle Wolf mercy teams remove the casualties.

Not even the Styphoni would blatantly disregard the rules of war and attack the Uncle Wolf teams: to do so would turn every worshipper of Galzar in the Five Kingdoms against them. The Hostigi cavalry reserve covered their evacuation.

Well, I'll be double Dralm-damned! Even an old dog like Sarrask can learn a new trick.

II

By the time Great King Lysandros and his reinforcements reached the West Gate, the Hostigi had retreated back through the gate into Thagnor City and all that was left were the dead and wounded Grefftscharri soldiers heaped in piles on the hoof-broken earth. Lysandros estimated their casualties at four to five thousand. It took the rest of the day to round up the Grefftscharri Army, which now numbered less than six thousand men. It appeared there were several thousand deserters. This did not improve his view of their new allies.

Theovacar, in polished black armor chased with gold, only returned with his Companions several candles after the main body had regrouped. Lysandros suspected that the King had led the retreat and noticed that Theovacar refused to meet his eyes when questioned about the debacle.

"We were attacked by the entire Hostigi Army!" Theovacar exclaimed. "Where was your army?"

It took all of Lysandros' restraint not to pull a pistol out of a holster and shoot the coward dead on the spot. "We just received the message that you'd arrived and were coming to join forces with you. It's not my fault that you didn't wait for us to arrive before approaching at the West Gate."

"We had no idea that Kalvan would have the audacity to attack Us!" Theovacar was all but foaming at the mouth.

"The Usurper is no fool. He saw a perfect opportunity to blood your Army when you marched up to his gates without sufficient reinforcements. What did you expect him to do? Wave at you from his ramparts?"