Off to one side, a pile of crossbows, swords and other such equipment is being brought forth from the storehouse. The pack horses which had carried the crossbows gathered from the last caravan they sacked are brought in as well.
“Time is short so I will get to the point,” he says loudly. Pausing just long enough for Jared to translate, he continues. “We mean to fight the Empire. They’ve taken our lands, our people, our children and it’s time they paid.”
He pauses as his gaze travels the breadth of the assembled people. “We came to Korazan, not to take it, but to take you from them.” A murmur ripples through the crowd as Jared translates. “Slavery is hateful. I would see every slave free and every slaver put to the sword.” At that, a ragged cheer goes up.
One of the men standing in the front hollers up at him, “That’s all well and good, but we aren’t fighters. Seems to me most of us will die if we go with you.”
“True,” admits James. “I’m not about to lie to you. We are an army at war in enemy territory and it’s a long way back to Madoc.” Scanning the crowd, he sees many nodding their heads at that. “Should some of you wish to remain here in slavery, we won’t force you to come. Anyone who wishes for the chance to be a free citizen of Madoc rather than a slave, may. What I offer is the chance for freedom. You will have to fight for it and it’s quite likely we all may die before we return home.”
Gesturing over to the gates leading from the compound into Korazan, he says, “If you wish not to accompany us, there’s the gate.” He pauses a moment. Not one person makes to move toward the gate. In the quiet of the courtyard, they hear the gate opening and many turn to see another dozen slaves enter at their chance for freedom.
“Very well,” he says. “An army is even now on the way here and will be here within a couple hours.” Fear comes to the eyes of many, while others have the look of those ready for a little payback. “Do not fear,” he assures them. “They are not so great as to destroy us.”
“You mean to fight them then?” a voice cries out.
“Yes,” he replies.
“Is that why you are setting us free?” one woman hollers. “To let us be the fodder for their swords?”
Shaking his head, James replies, “No. But if you want your freedom, you’ll have to fight for it.” He gestures to the armament laid out on the ground and says, “Any who will fight for their freedom, see the men over there and you will be given the opportunity.”
Men have already been designated to aid in the distribution of the weapons. As the freed slaves begin moving to either the crossbows or the other weapons, Raiders begin handing them out. Those who choose the crossbow are given a crossbow, a brace of bolts and are being grouped into squads of thirty. The ones able to wield the other weapons such as swords and knives are grouped together in one unit.
Once the squads are formed, they are taken from the compound and through the wall where they begin learning the rudiments of wielding a crossbow. The fighters on the other hand, most already know how to wield their weapon of choice. One young lad of about thirteen stands with a short sword in hand and despite the seriousness of his expression, appears like he’s never held one before.
“Think they’ll do the job?” James asks Illan. They’ve moved off to the side away from the hustle and bustle going on in the arming process.
“We’ll see,” he says. “Anyone’s first battle is always the toughest. We’ll know after that.”
While the new additions are armed, escorted out through the hole in the wall and begin practicing, Illan sends forays into the city for some much needed supplies. In the immediate vicinity of the slaver’s compound are many business which yield sufficient quantities of food, equipment and other necessities that their force requires.
Wagons are also commandeered to haul the additional supplies. Many are used strictly to carry barrels of water. Seeing as how their force will be reduced to moving at the speed of the slowest person, wagons will no longer be a hindrance.
Citizens of Korazan are seen here and there as they keep an eye on the invaders, but other than watching from a window or peering around a corner, no hostile move is made. James wonders what became of all the slavers that had been at the compound. The number of dead slavers couldn’t account for half of the ones he saw here during his last visit. Gone to ground most likely until they leave.
Once word comes that the pursuing army is now less than an hour away, they begin taking their force out of Korazan and getting it into position in the field. Those unable to join in the fight remain within the slaver’s courtyard. To protect them, Illan has a squad of crossbowmen and the unit of newly armed fighters remain with them in the event of an attack from the city.
The ground around Korazan is fairly flat with some scrub brush and stunted trees doing their best to survive in the dry environment. With no high ground of which to speak of, Illan forms the ranks a couple hundred yards away from town. In the center stands Jiron with his fighters, Delia and her slingers are just behind. To either side sit Ceadric and his raiders. The newly formed squads of crossbowmen stand behind the Raiders. In their loincloths and slave garb, they are a stark contrast to the armored riders before them. If the situation wasn’t so grave, it would almost be funny. But there’s nothing amusing about the determination exhibited by each of the crossbowmen. Totaling over three hundred, what they lack in skill their numbers should readily make up for.
At the fore, Illan stands beside James. “Scouts say their numbers haven’t increased,” he says.
“That’s still twice ours though,” counters James.
“Not any more,” he says with a nod toward the crossbowmen. “Besides, we have you.”
“There is that.”
To the east a dust cloud rises from the approaching army. Delia and her slingers move to stand before the others, each carries a pouch at their hip containing two crystals. They wait as the Empire’s forces continue to advance.
Several hundred yards away, the enemy army comes to a halt when they see James and the others already arrayed for battle. Trumpets sound as their force moves into position for attack. Over a thousand men-at-arms, several hundred cavalry, and ten score crossbowmen make ready their assault.
After several minutes, the army before them finally gets itself into attack formation. Then the horn sounds the attack and they begin moving. “Here they come!” Potbelly announces.
“We can see that,” mutters Jorry in reply.
“Yeah,” states Uther, “does he think we’re blind?”
James pays little heed to the good natured bickering between them. To Delia who stands before him he says, “After you send the crystals flying, fall back.”
She simply nods her head in reply, all the while keeping her eyes on the advancing army. When they’ve covered half the distance between them, she hollers, “Ready!”
Her slingers place their free hand on the pouch containing the crystals. When they are within a hundred yards she yells, “Now!”
Each of the slingers removes a glowing crystal from their pouch and places it in the sling’s pocket. Twirling the sling rapidly over their heads for a second, they let fly their crystals toward the advancing soldiers. The crystals fly through the air and land a dozen yards before the front rank of men.
“Again!” she hollers.
Once more, her slingers remove a glowing crystal from their pouch and send it flying to land near the others. As their second crystal is released, each turns and hurries back through the soldiers behind them.
After the first crystal was removed from the pouch, James began counting down from sixty. Each of the crystals has a sixty second delay before going off. The forward line of men charging toward them comes ever closer to the crystals lying on the ground. When James reaches ten, the front line races past the crystals.
“Ready bows!” Ceadric cries out, never once taking his eyes off the enemy. Hedry’s archers, as well as the newly formed crossbow units, prepare to launch their deadly missiles.