From Londoner To Lord

Chapter 335 - 330. Strike Back - II

As the crossbowmen reloaded, Feroy called them up closer and glared at them. "I'd told you all to only shoot your target! That's why I allotted each man his own target—the leftmost guard will shoot the leftmost bandit and so on. How could you mix up your shots?"

"Uh..." one of the guards rubbed the back of his head. "I remember what you said, but... I got scared that they'd notice us... So I shot to kill someone—anyone—before I could count which one was my target..."

"Same here..." another guard added as he finished reloading.

Feroy exhaled. "Fine... I get that most of you're new to this. But keep it in mind in the future. I didn't make all those plans just to sound fancy. We can't afford wasted bolts in case the bandits outnumber our crossbows."

"We won't repeat the mistake," the first guard promised.

"Good. I hope you don't," Feroy nodded. "Our lives may depend on that..." He glanced around the group, peering into the darkness. "Now load faster!"

"Sir, yes sir!"

As soon as all the guards had finished reloading, Hudan took the lead again and started moving east along the wall. Tesyb waited for the crossbowmen to pass before he and the other swordsmen followed, Feroy once again bringing up the rear.

Tesyb took this chance to pray to the goddess, wishing that the coming fight would go just as well for them as this one had, but he knew that there were no guarantees in a battle. As proud as he was of his newly gained sword fighting skills, a sharp blade slashed by an enemy would take his life just as easily as before if his attention wavered or if he made the slightest mistake. So he had to do his best and make sure nobody died or got badly injured here. The other guards - no, his brothers - were depending on him.

At first they were running hard, boots pounding against the dirt, until they reached the northeastern corner of the wall. Beyond that point the glow of the first fire faded, and darkness pressed heavier around them. Their footsteps were still sounding too loud in Tesyb's ears, and he kept glancing toward the south, worried that the bandits at the next camp might notice the sound of their thudding feet on the ground.

However, the captain knew what he was doing, and by the time they reached halfway along the eastern wall, his run had eased into a careful stalk, and the men adjusted to match him. When they came to the southeastern corner, Hudan paused for a moment, crouched lower, and listened. Then he raised his left arm and jerked it forward, giving the signal to continue with the original plan.

Perfect, Tesyb grinned. This would give him another chance to take revenge. Torhan hadn't been at the first camp, and neither had Nokozal, but hopefully he would find at least one of them here.

The captain moved forward again, step by step, and Tesyb saw the faint firelight ahead as he moved around the corner as well. Another group of bandits was gathered around it, their shapes flickering in the glow. They weren't cooking this time, just sitting close to the flames. Tesyb wondered if they had already eaten or if someone here had ordered them not to cook.

It didn't matter. Nothing about it would change what was about to happen to these bastards.

Tesyb eyes scanned the sitting group and his breath caught when he spotted a shape that looked nearly twice the size of the man beside him. Broad shoulders, heavy arms. That had to be Nokozal! He clenched his sword tighter, his hand itching to run to him and drive the blade into that brute's neck.

No, he needed to be patient.

The line of the swordsmen crept closer to their targets, while slowly spreading around. Hudan slowed further, waiting for the right distance as the crossbowmen raised their weapons and steadied their aim, waiting for the captain to give them the order to shoot.

Then one of the bandits pushed himself to his feet, stretching with a wide yawn before turning his face toward the darkness. The bastard's eyes were lined up straight towards them...

Shit!

"We're under attack!" one of the bandits shouted, stabbing a finger toward them. The cry ripped across the camp, and the rest of the bastards were snatching up their swords in a heartbeat, turning with murder flashing in their eyes.

"Shoot!" Hudan bellowed, his voice echoing at the same moment. The crossbowmen already had their weapons ready, but Tesyb knew that they still weren't as close to their targets as they should have been when they got the order to pull their triggers. It also wasn't the same thing to shoot calmly at a group of armed swordsmen coming to kill you, compared to the first camp when the crossbowmen had gotten sufficient time to take proper aims and maximise their chances of taking out their enemies.

Ten bolts shot out nearly at once, cutting through the air with wicked speed toward the bandits rushing forward. But just as Tesyb expected, he only noticed a couple of them stagger while just one man collapsed, which meant the majority of the bandits had gotten away with minor injuries only.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

Fuck! He braced himself for a brutal fight ahead as his focus locked on his own target - the giant bandit leader known as Nokozal.

Past fights had taught him enough—this wasn't going to be easy. The man had gone up against both Hudan and him at the same time during the last raid on the village, slipping away with hardly a scratch. Tesyb could still picture Nokozal in that ambush near Kirnos, swinging like a mad ox, cutting a guard's arm clean off while holding off three men - and this was after Hyola's bolt had already grazed his upper arm.

Tesyb sprinted straight for him, sword and shield ready—until he noticed something strange. Nokozal's right hand still gripped his long sword as usual, but most of his left arm was just… gone. It ended in a stub just above where the elbow should have been, the ragged stump bound tightly with dirty cloth.

Tesyb faltered for half a breath. What the hell...

He blinked his eyes, thinking he was hallucinating, but this was real. Just what had happened to the bastard? He couldn't imagine a person who could have defeated the giant in a swordfight alone and cut his arm off. However, he suddenly remembered that in the last fight with Nokozal near Kirnos, this was the arm which had been hit by Hyola's bolt.

That's when the firelight flickered across the flesh above the wrappings, and Tesyb saw it was nearly black. Was that...?

It had to be! Nokozal's arm had gotten the rot! The bastard must have never cleaned his wound properly after that ambush, like Madam Helga kept telling the guards about. He must have been thinking something like that could never affect him, but he must have gotten the rotting disease in his arm soon after that night.

Tesyb's grip tightened on his sword. That meant the bastard might have cut his own arm off to save himself, but the blackness had already climbed past the stub. It wouldn't be long before the rot spread through the rest of his body and killed him anyway. But Tesyb wasn't about to let the goddess wait that long to claim this bastard.

He couldn't help but laugh as he closed in on the giant. The sound came out harsh and raw, carrying on a rush of joy. This was exactly what that bastard deserved.

Nokozal swung first, his long sword flashing in the firelight. Tesyb raised his shield in time, the impact rattling his arm and sending a jolt up his shoulder. He pushed back hard and countered with a thrust, his own blade darting for the giant's ribs, but Nokozal twisted, the strike glancing off the rag-bound stump of cloth at his side. The bastard grinned through his teeth, even with one arm gone.

They circled close to the fire, its glow flickering across their faces. The rest of the camp had already devolved into chaos - steel on steel, shouts and grunts, men falling under the guards' blades. Tesyb barely noticed it. His eyes stayed locked on Nokozal.

The giant's right arm was still strong, every swing of his sword forcing Tesyb back a step, sparks flying when steel struck steel. But his left side was slow, unguarded, and Tesyb was pressing toward it. He slashed again, forcing Nokozal to twist his bulk, but had to raise his shield again as the giant's blade crashed down with bone-jarring force.

The same dance continued for a while, Tesyb not getting any opening. His tired arms were already feeling the effects of the giant's strikes, even if he was mostly unbloodied by now.

Tesyb prayed he would get some help, knowing that the giant was going to outlast him, and that could only have one end...

That's when another guard darted in from the side to help, his blade arcing in low, before it bit into Nokozal's back with a wet sound. The giant roared and spun, his sword cutting through the air in a brutal backhand swing. The other guard was caught in surprise at the quick attack and didn't have time to bring his shield into position, and had to take the blow full on his arm. Blood splashed hot in the firelight, and the man staggered, clutching the wound with a howl.

Tesyb didn't waste the opening. As Nokozal turned, his chest came wide open. Tesyb lunged and drove his sword forward, the blade sinking deep. The giant bellowed in rage, thrashing wildly, his weapon hacking around again to defend himself.

Seeing the fury in the giant's eyes, Tesyb braced himself to defend from another bone-jolting attack, when Hudan entered the fight.

The captain's heavy frame slammed towards the giant in a vicious kick. Nokozal stumbled, his balance torn away, and crashed onto the ground with the firelight throwing his shadow wide. The injured guard, his face twisted with pain and fury, took this opportunity to ram his sword into Nokozal's remaining arm in retaliation. Bone cracked, and the giant's long sword clattered to the dirt.

Tesyb rushed in quickly, stabbing down into the giant's chest. Nokozal's roar grew ragged as Tesyb's blade pierced deep, and blood spilled across the man's armor. Hudan immediately raised his sword high, before his muscular arms brought it down in a savage arc, slicing clean even through the thick neck of the giant. The head rolled away into the dirt, Nokozal's eyes wide with surprise and fury, but without any life remaining in them.

For a heartbeat, everything seemed to go quiet. Tesyb's chest heaved with exhaustion after the brutal fight, before relief surged through him so strongly it nearly buckled his knees, and made him drop his shield. It was over... Finally, it was over.

He sent a silent thanks to the goddess, whispering the words in his head. He couldn't wait to bring this news to Lord Kivamus—and to Hyola, who had suffered as a slave under this brute. She deserved to hear that Nokozal would never raise a hand to threaten her again.

"West!" a guard shouted suddenly, his voice sharp with alarm.

Tesyb spun, eyes following the pointing hand. His gut clenched. A swarm of figures was pouring toward them out of the dark. The southwestern bandit camp must have seen everything, and now they were charging in. In the rush of battle, Tesyb hadn't even noticed their movement, but they were almost on top of them.

"Shit!" he spat, lifting his shield again.

He glanced quickly at the crossbowmen. Only a few had bolts loaded and ready to shoot; the rest were still fumbling, hands shaking in the frantic light. Hudan's order rang out sharply. "Drop the crossbows! Swords and shields!"

The line shifted at once, the guards throwing the unloaded crossbows aside, before steel scraped free. Feroy was there too, his blade slick with blood, but he must have been caught up in the fighting just as the rest of them had. The chance to surprise this last group was gone.

Tesyb took a deep breath as he readied himself. The battle wasn't finished. It was about to begin all over again...