Bla, didn't know how to write this at first, but I think it came out fine.
Will keep the promise of another chapter at the end of august! I do not like breaking promises...
Enjoy!
Chapter 12.
The earl's troops marched towards the dirt field with purpose, clinging on to their weapons. Part of the infantry ventured first out on the field and the archers and rifle men were supposed to follow but as expected the flowers attacked once again. The soldiers, who'd been ready this time, cut the vines and managed to gain ground towards the fortress. The silvery weapons reflected the sunlight as they were brought above the wielder's head as they put every ounce of power into their thrusts. Shields lay scattered around the ground – proof of the many casualties.
So it continued for many hours. The soldiers would gain a few feet but then be pushed back for what seemed like a never ending thug-o-war. Slowly the numbers dwindled and it wasn't until midday they were forced to retreat back to safety. They'd managed to get so far as halfway to the fortress' outer walls. Kanda had ordered the archers to be on standby in case of an unexpected development, but once again he had underestimated Count Krory's giant, man-eating flowers.
"I'm quite surprised, count, I thought they would've managed to cut straight through them, make a path towards us... how come that did not work?" Allen asked not turning his gaze from the army in the distance, the sun shone right above them and his white hair glistened in it, he had an eager look on his face – as if he wanted the army to come closer. Allen was armed with a rifle strapped to his back and a short sword in its sheathe around his hips. He wore a black cape over his shoulders with an accompanying hood with silver linings and underneath he wore an equally black cuirass and greaves of a material Kanda could not recognize. He himself wore a leather armor that he had been given by his father before the marriage.
"The flowers are not, uhm... stationary. They can move around the dirt field as they please, so if one dies another can take its place", Krory explained, his visage sorrowful as he gazed upon the field and the many flowers laying there unmoving.
"They will think twice before threading out again", Kanda said before turning around to return inside. Allen leaned against the stone railing looking out at the army, deep in thought.
"What is it?" Krory asked making Allen jump out of his stupor.
"Oh nothing. I just... I'm just wondering what their leaders are thinking. They won't get anywhere with just trying to force their way through..."
"Well, from what you told us before this 'Noah' family isn't exactly the brightest out there", Krory smiled warmly at Allen.
"Yeah..." Allen agreed but he still felt a bit uneasy, he turned to the captain, "be on your guard, the Noahs are unpredictable."
"Will do, Your Highness!" the captain saluted and left. Allen went down the stone stairs to the courtyard where soldiers where either training with each other or resting. They were so few in comparison to the army outside. Though, the flowers did a good job in reducing that gap. Even though they got siege towers they would have to get closer to be able to use them the same with any catapult they might have. Whoever led those soldiers must have had no idea what to expect when coming here. They've basically stranded themselves half a kilometer from the place they were supposed to lay siege on. But Allen knew that they wouldn't give up that easily. The Noah would try and try again – until they either succeeded or were all annihilated. He just hoped the siege wouldn't last for too long, he felt impatience, itching to use the skills he's acquired the last couple of years.
The rest of the day was quiet. The enemy didn't attempt to traverse the field during the day or night. Allen had expected them to try again by morning the next day but no such thing. Nothing happened during the entire day, once he heard Kanda mutter: "should go out there ourselves soon", which Allen partly agreed too, feeling just as impatient as his partner, but a direct confrontation against that army would not end well.
It was after dinner Allen met up with the soldier Aron Dexter, the one who bet that Allen would become 'close and cuddly' with Kanda before the coronation of the two. The sky darkened and the two stood on the northern wall with other soldiers.
"I wonder what they're planning, they've been awfully quiet today..." Aron thought aloud. Allen shook his head.
"I don't know, if they're thinking at all that is."
"How's the marriage holding up, your Highness?" Aron then suddenly asked, a smirk forming, Allen hit him on the shoulder.
"I've never lost a bet you know, soldier."
"You haven't lost... yet", rolling his eyes he said goodnight to Dexter and turned around to go inside. A red glow on his left caught his attention and he stopped to try to discern what it was. The red ball became bigger as it closed in and...
"Watch out!" Aron ran and pushed him out of the fireball's way at the nick of time. The projectile it the courtyard and exploded. Allen tried to catch his breath; he looked down at the burning courtyard the soldiers were disarrayed but the Sokaro's captains had them man up.
"What...?" Allen was about to stand up when he felt rumbling from beneath him. The door leading inside the fortress was kicked open and Kanda, his sword drawn, came outside at the precise moment when the northern wall beneath Allen crumbled and sent him and a handful of soldiers down to the fiery ground. Kanda stopped in his tracks, his brain yet to realize what had just occurred. The field north of them were in a blaze and the flowers underneath couldn't escape the fires and more and more burned to cinders. The enemy advanced, at first precariously, but when nothing attacked except a few dying flowers they became braver and rushed to the fortress. More and more exploding fireballs were plunged onto the walls. Kanda ran down the stairs to see if he could find Allen, but the large stone slabs were unmovable. He heard a rumble as another section of the wall came crushing down, which unlike the northern wall Allen had been on were easier to get through. With a split second decision he told the soldiers to follow him and ordered a few others to find the other prince.
Enemy soldiers welled in through the gap in the wall and engaged the soldiers already there. As Kanda and the dozens of soldiers following him made their way to the battlefield they met Krory who commanded his own set of troops. He looked different now Kanda noted. His normal friendly demeanor had been replaced by a vicious fighter armed with a long, two edged spear.
"Where is Prince Allen?" The count asked, even his voice seemed darker.
"I don't know, he fell down with the northern wall", Kanda told him, after a look from the count he added: "I've ordered some men to clear the rubble and find him. What is most important now is to stop the enemy from getting too far inside." The count agreed and together they attacked the red armored soldiers.
Allen couldn't see anything at first. He closed his eyes trying to gather his senses, at first he couldn't hear anything, but when he focused he could hear the distant roar from a battle taking place. He opened his eyes again and because they've become accustomed to the darkness he tried to figure out where he was. He tried to stand up but immediately noticed the weight on his person. As he pushed to get free he heard a moan coming from the thing on top of him. He recognized the voice as Aron Dexter's and he continued to drag himself from his position below the other soldier and when he was free he bent forward toward the soldier.
"Are you alright, Dexter?" Another moan was his answer. "Just wait, I'll try to find some light!" Allen stood up on slightly wobbly legs and he carefully walked on the somewhat unsteady ground. After some minutes of searching he saw a bright red light from a torch slightly above him. He quickly, but cautiously, climbed up to get the torch. He got it and made his way back to Dexter.
The sight shocked him. A large piece of rubble had fallen down on Dexter's legs, crushing them, the man was trapped. He was laying face down on the rubble, Allen put the torch down and helped him turn his face to the side so he could breathe without getting tons of dust into his mouth and nose.
"Are... you alrig..." he coughed harshly and then slightly out of breath he continued with what he had been about to say, "alright, your Highness?"
"I'm alright, we just have to get out of here", Allen answered, though he didn't know how to accomplish that feat. Aron Dexter laughed humorlessly but it soon turned to a cough.
"I... can't feel... my legs... I'm sure it's... bad", he said slowly with hints of coughs.
"Don't worry, alright? I'll get us out", Allen tried to reassure him but it didn't work.
"No... you get... yourself out..."
"I'll...!" Allen began but was interrupted.
"I will... definitely... win that... bet..." The air escaped him and he was dead. Allen clenched his fists and stood up.
"I've never lost a bet", he said quietly. He took the torch and left the corpse, he found his rifle among some rubble not far from where he had fallen and he took it in his left hand. Without any distractions he looked around the area he was in. He was underground, that much he knew. The enemy had somehow blown up the base of the wall, perhaps in an attempt to create an opening to inside the fortress. By chance some of the rubble had stacked in a way so it created a cave-like environment. The 'room' was not large, but he noticed the dirt walls and more importantly dug out holes in them. Inspecting the holes he saw that they were big enough for him to walk hunched over, and seeing no other way out he entered the hole and slowly followed it. He came across another tunnel coming from the right and going left. He stopped and wondered whether he should continue on or turn right or left. He was about to go right when he suddenly saw a large shadow come rushing from there, he quickly backed up the way he came from and for a moment he wondered if he should put out the torch just when the thing went past him. Blinking, Allen recognized the pink bud with black dots – Krory's flowers!
He felt another rumbling when he crossed the intersection, scared that another flower were on its way he almost threw himself across, but instead of another flower coming he heard a shrilling scream coming from the left and when Allen looked around the corner he saw the flower some ways down the tunnel on fire. Not wanting to get too close to it he continued forward. More intersections came but he didn't stray, he felt comfort in going straight, and because he hadn't met anything nasty coming from this tunnel he kept on going down it.
The torch died out and he was sent into complete darkness. Feeling somewhat nervous now he stretched his arms so he could touch both walls and he continued forward like that so he could feel if he met another intersection, which he did a couple of time. He could feel the tunnel he was in bending right somewhat but then it was straight again. He could feel rumbling both from above and from the sides. He didn't know how long it has been neither did he know how well the battle went. At some spots he could feel an immense heat from above or from another tunnel and he would quickly continue. Then after what almost felt like forever he felt a slight breeze of fresh air in the otherwise stale air. Thinking that he could finally get out the tunnels he hurriedly made his way toward where he had felt the breeze come from. Then suddenly he heard another shrill scream, this time coming from behind him. In the bent part of the tunnel he noticed a fiery light which became redder and redder. The scream was heard again – closer this time and Allen ran as fast as he could towards what he hoped was an exit, without looking back. He reached what seemed like a dead flower. The hole the breeze had come from originated from a hole leading up and the dead flower was blocking the way slightly.
He used the rifle to help making the hole bigger while now and then looking over his shoulder to see how close the flower on fire was. It had just gone round the bent part and was now raging towards him. Desperation overcame him and even though he couldn't fit properly he tried to squeeze his way up. His arms were first to come up and then his head. He pushed and pushed against the stalk so that rest of him could fit, his shoulders and then chest and then his waist all in a couple of seconds. He could feel the heat closing in with his legs and with a last, desperate pull he got out completely just as the flower hit the dead one hard. The fire spread to it as well and within mere seconds it was engulfed in fire.
Allen crawled away from the fire and then sat down holding the rifle close to him; he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Happy to be out in the open again. He then opened his eyes and looked around to orient himself. It was dark so he couldn't see much. But what he did see was fire. It was like the whole dirt field was on fire, and a few hundred meters away the fortress seemed to be in ruins but there were still fighting going on. Allen was about to stand up when he suddenly felt a barrel of a gun or rifle pointing at his head.
"Lookit here, Jasdero", a male voice said, "Ah think we caught ourselves a prince!"
And how will Allen get out of that mess, huh?
I've no idea haha... yet atleast.
hmm... I'm sure that there was something else I wanted to say but I can't remember it now... Ah well
Seya next time!
