Steel and Sorrow: Rise of the Mercenary king

Chapter 85: Night's cloak(1)

As night draped its cloak over the city, the guards atop the walls moved across the walls , their footsteps echoing softly on the stony ground. Each one held a torch aloft, its flickering flame casting dancing shadows along the battlements. With keen eyes, they scanned the darkness beyond, sweeping their torches forward and down in search of any sign of movement or intrusion.

The moon, a silent spectator in the sky, offered little assistance to the vigilant scouts below, covered by the clouds, Its pale light struggled to penetrate the thick veil of night, leaving vast stretches of the city's perimeter shrouded in shadow. .

In the cloak of darkness, hundreds of men stood poised and alert, their figures obscured by the blackness of night. No torches illuminated their presence, for stealth was their ally in this operation. With eyes narrowed against the gloom, they maintained close proximity to their comrades,shoulder to shoulder, ensuring that their formation remained intact in the shadowy expanse.

These were no ordinary foot soldiers; they were the elite infantry of the prince of Oizen , distinguished by their impeccable training and formidable equipment. Clad in the finest chainmail, breastplates, and helmets, they were the vanguard of the prince's forces, entrusted with the most critical of missions. Armed with sturdy shields and gleaming lances, they had earned a reputation for unyielding resolve on the battlefield, never faltering in the face of adversity unless commanded to do so, they were always the last one to enter the battle and the first one to be pull out of .

Reserved for pivotal moments in battle, they were accustomed to being held in reserve until their expertise was required to turn the tide. Their numbers were cherished by the prince, who recognized their irreplaceable value and took care not to squander their lives needlessly.Each soldier always trained in time of peace, and many of them were even literate. Now, as the city lay besieged by enemy forces, their skills were indispensable in reclaiming what rightfully belonged to their liege.

In the silent anticipation of the night, they remained hunkered down, their senses finely attuned to the slightest sound or movement. Each man awaited the command of their officers, ready to spring into action at a moment's notice and execute their duty with precision and unwavering determination.

The officers stood in a tight circle, their gaze fixed ahead toward their captains. Among them stood Shamliak, the nephew of the prince of Oizen and commander of the prince's elitè force.His father died in battle after saving the prince life, and in return he was always the favorite nephew of the ruler, who treated him akin to a son.

As the tense moments passed, Shamliak's heart pounded in his chest. Would their insider succeed in his clandestine task, or would their carefully laid plans crumble before their eyes? Despite his reservations, he kept his focus trained on the gate, unwilling to succumb to pessimism.

Then, as if a beacon of hope in the darkness, torchlight flickered atop the city walls,going forth and back four times signaling the beginning of their operation. Shamliak's breath caught in his throat as he watched the gate begin to creak open, a sense of disbelief washing over him.

''Man go forth!Take the city for your prince '' He spoke as he struck his horse forward.His words carried the weight of authority as the three hundred soldiers, entrusted to them by the prince, began to advance toward the gate. Each step was deliberate, purposeful, as they formed the vanguard of their army.

Their movements were synchronized, their armor gleaming faintly in the dim light of the moon. Shields held aloft, lances at the ready, they pressed forward . The fate of their mission rested on their shoulders, and they bore the responsibility with stoic resolve.

Behind them, the levy peasants of the army waited anxiously, their eyes trained on the advancing vanguard. They stood ready to follow suit, prepared to lend their strength to the cause should the road ahead be deemed safe.

Finally they passed through the gate,the road ahead was empty and they easily took control of the gate from the same men that opened it for them .The silence that enveloped the city was unsettling, especially considering the clamor their entry must have caused. His keen eyes scanned the darkness beyond, searching for any sign of movement or opposition.

With a furrowed brow, he turned his attention back to his men as they streamed through the gate behind him. Their figures were illuminated only by the faint glow of their own torches, casting long shadows against the stone walls of the city. Despite the eerie quiet, the urgency of their mission pressed on.

'Something is strange' he mused as he turn his head back , where he saw his men pass through the gate.It was dark , the few torches that were held on top of the gate were no more.'Where is that captain?' The commander wondered as he watched everywhere for him to appear 'Did he stood back?Where are those guards?'

He raised his head to see where the men they saw on top of the gate were,perhaps the captiain would be among them. It was dark though and Shamliak failed to see farther than the faces of the man that stood few meters from him.No one had torches so he couldn't send anyone to make light, he did not even know if they were there . Yet they were now inside and he had order to give to his squads, as there was no time to waste.

''Sir the gate is ours!Permission to go forth and take control of the rest of the walls?'' An officer came to report as he approched the relative of the prince waiting for instruction.The army could certainly not wait for him to wash away his doubts , he was the commander and he had orders to give.

''Send a message to the rest of the men out of the city to sally inside ,then take the rest and sweep any resistance you find along the way. I want this city to be ours by the end of the night.I want o looting , Have I been clear?''

''Yes my lord !Men come with me.'' The officer shouted as he took command of the men and march forward. With 100 men he started moving on the base of the wall, and whenever they reached a watched tower , they charged ,killed the few men insides and took control of it and went forward unopposed.

As the soldiers charged inside the city walls, their footsteps echoing through the empty streets, their spirits were high with the thought of victory on the horizon. The lack of opposition only fueled their confidence as they discussed the spoils awaiting them. "I can't believe how easy this is," one soldier remarked, a smirk playing on his face.

"We're practically strolling in and claiming this city as our own." His companion nodded in agreement, scanning the surrounding buildings for potential loot.

"I can already see the riches we'll be taking back with us. This city won't know what hit them."

One of these soldier perhapse out of curiosity , as he charged out of a watchtower, turned his head to watch on one of the many dark streets they passed . Perhaps by the gods' cruel sense of mirth or by chance, the soldier high with victory and greed was the first to see that this city would not be their triumph but their tomb. As in front of them , a lone ray from the moon , where hundreds failed to reach, had illuminated enough to see dozens of blade shining in the night,and the face of the man holding them poised to pay steel for steel and blood by blood.