The Union 280 Battle of the Bridges 3

Geraldine's crew ran for cover as bits of Hellfire showered. A drop would scald. Ten drops would melt the skin and into the bones.

The shower ended and sighs from the shaken crew sounded. Bernard raised his head. The other galleys were not so lucky. As always the Hellfire was terrible.

The Wismarines had been attacking them since before dawn and it was nearly morning now. It was insanity. The Wismarines were insane.

"Artillery crew at the ready!" Bernard shouted, voice booming in the cold morning air. "That now lads was a poor use of Hellfire. The Wismarines may have discovered how to fling Hellfire at us but they will never- I'm telling you, never- steal our expertise. Inaccurate bastards. Now show them how to use Hellfire!"

The artillery crews began working. It was still somewhat dark but Bernard was confident that they would do more damage than the Wismarines' sorry attempt of imitating their Hellfire barrage.

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In a moment the crews finished loading. The other artillery from the other ships were also through. In a simultaneous deafening scream of torsion springs, hundreds of fireball flew, illuminating the sky into day.

Cocky bastards, Bernard thought. Vanadis is the king of the waters.

***

"Go!" Arthur shouted, trembling finger pointing at a group of Falconheads trying to flank the artillery crew.

"We cannot rush calculations or we'll be off!" Shouted one of the engineers.

"Then do it faster! Or we'll die. You will die. I will die. Omniscient. We will all die!"

He shouldn't be here. He should be in the back lines, enjoying a sip of Hadean wine with his feet slung on a table. But no, he was here, commanding a bunch of moody old men.

"We should just abandon the artillery pieces." Said one of the engineers. "We cannot hit them all. Even one or two of them reaching us will be catastrophic!"

The beardy old man was right. A single Falconhead reaching them would put all their lives in peril. Most of the artillery crews were not versed in defending.

"Do not let them run, Arthur." Layfare said. "Tell them to stand their ground and keep flinging those projectiles."

"But they wouldn't listen!"

"Then make them. You are a Prince of Vanadis, are you not?"

"I am. But... but..."

"Do it Arthur"

Arthur looked at the Falconheads. He then turned to the rest of the Vanadians fiercely defending against the attack of the Wismarines. He should not run right? This was the right thing to do. He was scared. Omniscient. He was terrified.

He grabbed the engineer's white beard.

"Keep firing or I'll cut your ugly beard in pieces!"

***

Eleven Hellfire projectiles hit Holm, Admiral Bisham's flagship. The galley was engulfed in fire. Burning splinters covered the water.

Bernard's eyes were open. The flagship was just adjacent to Geraldine and he saw it burst into flames. It was sinking fast.

"Row to the left!" Bernard shouted. Admiral Bisham mustn't die.

Geraldine steered to the burning wreckage of Holm. Bernard's eyes jumped from one corpse to another, hope fading that he would find the Admiral alive.

And then Bernard found the Admiral clinging to some wood. His skin was burnt when they fished him out. His fine uniform was tattered. He was dying.

"The flag" Bisham forced through his blistered lips. His voice was low, a squeaky sound of a dying man. "The flag. Raise it."

Bernard knelt near the Admiral, staring at a loyal man. He was a veteran who had served Vanadis for too long. He conquered half of Calgari. Now Admiral Bisham was dying.

"Take the flag." The Admiral said again. His eyes closed after that.

Bernard rose, looking at the stunned crew of Geraldine. Splashes and screams around indicated another barrage from the enemies. Nobody cared. The Admiral was dead.

"Take the spare flag below. The bright blue one." He ordered calmly.

"The symbol of the flagship?"

"And the horn. Get it now. Holm has fallen. But Geraldine will become the new flagship. With haste. Now."

Two sailors scrambled down the deck. Bernard swiveled his head around. Many of the allied ships were turning around, routing. The Borondians were also breaking. Only the Castonian galleys were still unmoved.

The sailors returned with the admiral's flag. It was hoisted high on Geraldine's main pole. Bernard grabbed the horn and looked at the Admiral. Bisham was now at peace and that was good. Bernard would continue this no matter what.

He blew the horn. A long booming sound reverberated in the air. It was the signal for an all-out attack.

He extended his arm forward to the ugly Wismarine galleys.

"Onward! For the Queen. For the King. For the Union. We shall not sink today!"

***

"Steady."

The afternoon sun was hot on William's skin. The sweat was unbearable. And the sight of the dead and dying was terrible.

The Wismarines had been attacking them since before dawn. His men were exhausted. The Wismarines were too. But the battle wasn't over. It wouldn't be over until one side buckles and William swore that it wouldn't be the Vanadian side.

But as he examined the casualties, he was beginning to doubt their victory. The desert warriors under Cohir were being slaughtered. Their charge was ineffective. Thousands had also fallen in the front lines. And at the back the artillery crews were silent. William feared for Arthur's life. He had sent every man he could spare to help the artillery crews but none returned.

"Steady!" He shouted to a buckling line. He kicked them forward. He rode to another portion and reinforced them with shouts.

"The navy!" A shout informed, the man pointing to the river. The Vanadians cheered before William could see what was happening.

The Vanadian navy was sailing toward the bridge and chasing the routing Wismarine navy. Most Wismarine galleys didn't make it and were either rammed or battered by Hellfire.

The sight emboldened the Vanadians and shook the Wismarines. The battle was finally won when the Navy turned their catapults toward the Wismarines' backs. The punishment of hundreds of Hellfire ravaging their ranks was too much. The Wismarines routed.

But William was not contented with that. He would take Stony bridge today.

"Advance!"

***

'First Day of Late Autumn, Year Five Hundred Eighty-three

I have never seen Highness Sarah so angry before. Winds guide me, I almost pissed my trousers.

She executed the General with her own hands. Ripped the corpses to pieces and threatened to kill everybody in the tent. Imagine my fear! I was just serving her some afternoon tea and I almost died! Oh Ashkara.

Well her anger is understandable. Those idiots defending Stony bridge thought themselves as smart and attacked the Union instead. Can you imagine that? They attacked instead of defending. They must have become overconfident because of their victory yesterday. It is a blunder. The navy is destroyed. Only a few creaky galleys remain, I have heard. Among the fallen are Admiral Hadin, Governor Derit's only son, General Kihu, General Vahil, High Priest Nado and the Grand Priest himself.

In the Union's side I heard that their Admiral had also fallen. The chief of the desert tribes had also been slain. Rumors are still cloudy regarding Prince Arthur of Holm though. Other say that he was injured. Some confirmed his death.

But beyond the battles and deaths, one thing still bugged me. It is the talk in the camp for the past days. The spies have confirmed that the Castonians and Tulosans attacking Sha bridge are led by the Marquis of Castonia and the Grand Master. These two combinations alone could make even the bravest Wismarine waver. But Sha bridge is the most crucial one of the three. If the Union is going to take it then King Timothy himself would lead right? But there hasn't been news or rumors regarding the King. The feared Rooster legion is missing too. I wonder, as I scribble in these dusty pages of my journal, would I just wake up one cold morning to the crowing of the Rooster?

I hope not. Ashkara, I truly hope not.'

Chapter end