<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 12 (filtered medium)"><style></style></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><o:p> </o:p>Here things go from odd to desperate.<o:p></o:p> I'll admit an odd obsession at times with Last Stands - Custer's Last Stand, Battle of Roarkes Drift and the stand of the British Para's in Arnhem in 1944. My question all of you - What would you do in their place? How would you handle it?<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> Chris<o:p></o:p>The Lurking Fox<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p>***********<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> The sight that greeted them at the gate was chaos. A solid stream of people was streaming through the gates and into the city. There was no way to force their way through that mass to leave the city. The three Keepers took refuge in a doorway.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> "It's as if the whole valley is trying to get in the city," Nestorius commented as the trio watched the mass of humanity stream past.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> "Not the whole valley," Edmund responded. "Just the northern portion. This is a well rehearsed plan. The lutins have invaded the valley before."<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> Stealth watched a man and woman hustle past with a half a dozen children in tow. For a moment he wondered how many of them would survive. Were they among the ghosts that haunted the valley? He pushed those thoughts from his mind sand turned to other things. "How many times have they invaded the valley."<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> "The records that have survived speak of Camulodunum having been besieged a dozen times before it's fall," Edmund responded.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> "We cannot use this gate," Nestorius commented. "We'll have to try one of the other gates." He pointed off to the southwest. "That will take us out of the city but still keep us away from the citadel."<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> A figure on a horse raced up to the gate. The rider used his mount's massive size to push the stream of people aside. He steered through the crowd and towards the officer. "THEY'VE BREACHED THE WALL!" The rider shouted as he leapt from his horse.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> "They've breached the wall and they're streaming into the valley in the tens of thousands," the officer explained as a group of people clustered round them.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> "How long till they reach the city?" Edmund asked.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> The man simply pointed out the gates. Looking through the open gateway they could see tall pillars of flame and smoke. A group of buildings in the distance started burning. They watched as buildings closer and closer caught fire marking the path of the approaching invaders.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> A solid stream of refugees was still flowing over the drawbridge and through the gates. Buildings barely a stone's throw from the ditch that surrounded the city exploded into infernos. The flames added a ghastly red tint to everything as sparks and ash rained down everywhere. More ominous then the flow of refugees was when that stream diminished down to a trickle and then stopped completely. A dozen soldiers slowly made their way into the city. Then a last ragged group of women and children hustled past.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> Last through the gate was a soldier. The man was dressed in armor that was splattered with mud, ash and blood. He had a large bow in his hands with an arrow nocked. He walked backwards a few steps never taking his eyes off the burning buildings. Then he paused a moment and loosed an arrow.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> A figure silhouetted by the flames of a burning building suddenly dropped to the ground.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> The bow carrying scout walked over to the officer. "I'm the last," he said calmly. "Nothing but the lutins out there."<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> "Close the gates!" Came the order. "We're under siege."<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> "I think that's me!" Stealth said slowly and pointed to the scout.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> Both of his companions turned and looked at him. "Why do you say that?" Edmund asked.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> Stealth's reply was cut off by the deep BOOM, BOOM as the massive city gates slammed shut. The large iron bolt over a foot thick and twenty feet long was quickly drawn across locking the gates shut. The invaders were locked out but that also meant that the defenders were locked in.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> "Do we have time to make one of the other gates?" Edmund asked.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> Nest looked to the south n the direction of the Castra. - the massive fortress that overlooked the whole city. Already a purple haze hung over the fortress like a storm cloud. "No," the mage answered.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> "Whatever they're doing has already started," Stealth added and cursed under his breath.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> Edmund looked at the castra and saw that cloud that made him shiver. Every part of his soul rebelled at it. Whatever was happening there was wrong and evil on a fundamental level. His hand wrapped tightly around the hilt of his sword.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> Stealth placed his hand on Edmunds arm. "No."<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> Edmund looked at his friend. "What?"<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> "I know that look," Stealth answered. "You want to go to the fortress and stop them right now."<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> "Stop it right here and now," the paladin responded. "Before it happened."<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> With a shake of the head the scout answered him. "No. This has already happened and we can't stop it. We're not here to change history. We're here to see what happened."<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> Both Edmund and Nestorius looked at their friend. "Why do you say that?"<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> "Well," Stealth said slowly and pointed to the mage. "You said we the living are seeing the dead replay what has already happened. That means that all this," he waved his hand towards the refugees still making their way past. "All this is just a ghost of the past."<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> "How do you know that?" Edmund asked.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> "Remember when we were in the sewer ruins and we found all those bodies?" Stealth asked.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> "You mean where the tunnel collapsed and trapped them back in 150?"<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> Stealth nodded his head. "Yes. Remember how we saw their ghost and how they saw us. We couldn't change what happened to them. They still died. All we could do was watch."<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> "It's an intriguing theory," the mage commented.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> "If not that," Edmund countered. "Then why are we here?"<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> "I think the time to answer that question is long past," the paladin commented. "How long till the city falls?"<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> Nest shook his head. "I cannot be sure but only a few hours. I simply do not have enough information to make an accurate estimate."<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> "We already know the city fell in a single night," Stealth commented.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> Nestorius looked at the mass of people and the city around them. "All of this gone in one night. What a shame."<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> "Let's get up to the top of the wall," Edmund ordered. "We'll be better able to see what is going on."<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> A set of stone steps led up from the street to the top of the wall that surrounded the city. When they reached the top they found it filled with people. Lining the battlements was a collection of Legionnaires, Vigili and men in civilian clothes who were nervously looking at the world outside their walls.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> The valley should have been alive with the lanterns, candles and lights of a prosperous province of the empire. The valley was alight but with the fire of burning buildings and flaming debris. Wherever they looked they saw pillars of fire climbing into the night sky. Each pillar was a house, a building or a home being looted and destroyed.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> "They're burning the whole valley." someone called out.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> Edmund leaned against the battlement in a mock-casual move intended to calm people down. "They're moving fast and the main body of the Lutins should be here soon."<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> "Occasus is burning," a legionnaire commented and pointed off to the northwest.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> "And so is Orcasus," his companion said and pointed to the northeast.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> "That means they've taken the full length of the wall," the first answered.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> "No they have not!" A legion officer countered and pointed to the north. "The main gate still holds."<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> The first soldier smiled. "They'll not take the Primus Applius so easily."<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> It seemed like only a few minutes before Stealth's sensitive ears heard the deep rumbling long before they came into sight. A half dozen large, long, wheeled things each as large as a wagon loomed up out of the darkness. They were covered with thick hides over massive planks of wood that were sheathed in iron. Still others were hauling massive tree trunks that were slung between large wooden frames that moved on wooden wheels. Swarms of Lutins ran alongside the siege weapons.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> "Battering rams and siege shields!" Edmund snarled. "They've come prepared."<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> A bolt of lightning set one aflame as burning figures screamed as they writhed in agony. Soon a second lay in flames with its crew. A catapult on one tower sent a massive block of stone into a third smashing it and its crew into s bloody, shattered mess.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> Stealth raised his bow, nocked an arrow and took aim. Edmunds hand came down on his shoulder. "Wait till they get closer."<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> Edmund waited till the mass of infantry got to within a hundred yards before giving the command. "LOOSE!" he shouted loudly.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> A cloud of arrows rose from the battlements and rained down on the advancing Lutins. Scores of the invaders died each moment. from the lethal rain. But for every Lutin they killed a dozen took their place.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> The city moat, deep and wide had stopped a dozen other attacks over the centuries was only a momentary delay. Lutins rushed forward tossing timber, rocks and earth into it. Arrows, spears and javelins from the wall and towers took their toll but it did not slow down the attack. Soon the moat was nothing more than a shallow depression that the attackers raced across.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> A giant as tall as a tower lumbered forward tossing boulders that weighted a ton a piece. The massive rocks smashed walls and towers sending rocks and debris tumbling to the ground. <o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> There was a loud thump and a ballista on the roof of one of the gate towers sent a javelin five feet long and as thick as a human arm into the giant's chest. The monster stumbled backward and vanished from sight. But two more giants stepped forward. And the first boulder they tossed smashed the tower and its massive siege engine. A massive stone weighing over half a ton came lofting over the wall and smashed into one of the giants. The monsters head exploded in a spray of blood and gore. The headless corpse toppled to the ground smashing a dozen Lutins in the process.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> The remaining giants smashed away at the wall with massive hammers and mauls while battering rams hammered at the gates. All ignored the arrows and spears that rained down on them.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> Nestorius pronounced a short spell and a ball of fire erupted from his fingers. It raced down from the wall and exploded on the middle of the attacking horde. Scores of lutins were incinerated instantly, while others ran screaming into the night with their cloths and flesh on fire.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> But for all effort by the defenders the attack continued unabated. The dead and wounded were ignored and the work of destroying the wall continued. Soon with a deep rumble a section of wall collapsed creating a breach wide enough for a pair of wagons to roll through side by side.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> "They've breached the walls," the officer announced. "We can't stop them here. Fall back on the Argunta Comandio. Its walls are strong enough to hold them off."<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> "NO!" Edmund had a shield in his left hand. One of the large rectangular ones the legion was famous for. "We can't fall back there. We have to hold the breach."<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> Stealth stayed on the wall, at the top of the steps leading down. Next to him was Nestorius. From there they had a perfect view of everything below them. "Do we stand a chance of stopping them?"The scout asked as he nervously counted his arrows.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> Nest turned to Stealth. "You're joking right? We both know how this ends."<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> A ragged mix of Legionnaires, Vigili and civilians formed a thin line across the breach. They mustered behind a hastily thrown up barricade made of boxes, wagons and whatever debris was at hand.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> The first three lutins through the breach died from Stealth's arrows. Others simply swarmed over the rubble and the bodies without slowing down.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> In the breach pandemonium reigned. Screaming and shouting hammered at their ears as the smoke and flaming debris filled the air, making it hard to see far. Everywhere people were fighting and struggling. Edmund with a dozen legionnaires behind him charged out of the smoke. "HOLD THE BREACH!" The paladin shouted and waved his sword overhead. Then he charged straight into the chaos.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> Stealth snapped off each arrow as fast as possible. Sending each little messenger of death off to a Lutin destination. <o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> Nineteen.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> Eighteen.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> Seventeen.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> He kept careful track of each arrow he used. Not out of vanity to know how many he had killed but how many arrows he had left. He knew all too well that his quiver held only twenty arrows. All the rest had been used.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> A trio of lutins charged out of the smoke, screaming as they brandished long swords with wickedly curved blades. They headed straight for Edmund.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> The scout grabbed a trio of arrows and nocked, drew and released them all at once. Two of the lutins tumbled to the ground. The third kept coming.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> Sixteen, Fifteen, Fourteen.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> The archer snapped off another arrow.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> Thirteen.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> He paid no mind to the previous target as the lutin gurgled and twitched on the ground before it died. The archer spied two Lutins fighting another human.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> Twelve.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> Eleven.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> Stealth felt more then heard something behind him and he ducked and dodged as he spun around. A Lutins with a massive scimitar was drawing back for another swing at the archer. He never got the chance.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> Ten.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> A Lutin in heavy armor climbed the rubble and paused for a moment. He turned and looked behind him and beckoned with his sword. His armor was thick and should have made him invulnerable but the archer noticed a weakness. When the leader raised his sword a second time he revealed that there was only simple leather protecting his arm pit. A well aimed arrow went through the leather all the way up to the fletching.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> Nine.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> A group of lutins clustered around their dead leader and made the mistake of standing still for too long. Three fell in quick succession before the rest scattered.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> Eight. Seven. Six. <o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> A score of others replaced the fallen. Stepping over the still warm bodies of their compatriots. A ragged line of legionnaires met them with notched swords and battered shields. At their head was Edmund standing tall and shouting orders.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> Lutins and Legionnaires clashed amidst the rubble and the archer picked his targets carefully.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> Five.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> Four.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> A spear came flying towards him. Its sharp point slicing through the armor on his legs. A quick glance down showed him the wound was small. He ignored the pain and looked back to his work.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> Three.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> There were fewer soldiers now. Only two still fighting besides Edmund. "The end is soon," he thought to himself and took aim at one of the four lutins attacking his friend.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> Two.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> Another arrow sank into the flesh of his hip and he cried out in pain but he still kept his aim steady. He looked where the arrow had come from and found the archer who had loosed it.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> One.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> He looked at the arrow for a moment. Taking in its smooth shaft and carefully crafted fletching. Slowly and carefully he nocked it to his bow and pulled the weapon to full draw. He saw a dozen lutins charging straight at him. He clearly could see the features of one. The scar along one cheek and the gold ring dangling from his left ear. He loosed his arrow and the projectile raced off and buried it's point in the creature's chest.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> The other lutins hesitated for a moment and the archer used the moment to sling his bow across his back. Stealth drew two gladius; the short swords that had served the legions well for centuries. "Let's finish this." He took a deep breath and charged.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> Stealth took the steps two at a time and hurtled down into the chaos below. He had a sword in each hand and was lashing out with both of them. Each twist and slash of metal seemed to take down an attacker. Swords slashed and spears stabbed at him as he dodged and twisted to avoid a dozen different types of death. The Lutins in front of him melted away and Stealth found himself face to face with his friend Edmund. <o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> The paladin smiled and leaned on his sword, grateful for the momentary break.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> "I've always wondered what it was like in the city when it fell. I never expected to experience it firsthand," Nestorius said as he joined the group.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> Wherever he looked all Stealth saw were Lutins and more Lutins. "We're trapped. What do we do now?"<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> Edmund turned a full circle looking at all their options for escape. There weren't any. "We die," he responded. "Again."<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> The invaders surged forward again with a loud roar like a charging lion. The firelight from a hundred burning buildings lit the scene.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> Nestorius shouted words of power and a hail of ice pelted the area in front of them killing a score of the lutins. A score more of the invaders swarmed over the rubble stepping over the dead and wounded without a moment's pause.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> "Back to back!" Edmund shouted. "We'll make our last stand here."<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> "It's as good a place as any to die," the mage responded as a spell of his blasted a dozen lutins with fist sized daggers of ice.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> Edmund smashed his massive shield into a lutins face, sending him tumbling backwards. But the one Lutin was replaced by three more. He gutted one with his sword as the blades of his enemies bounced off the shield. "I like this shield. No wonder they conquered the known world with it!" A kick of the boot sent an enemy to the ground as his sword slashed another.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> Next to him Stealth was lashing out with his swords ripping into the Lutins attacking him. His right sword deflect the spear of an onrushing Lutin while the left ripped thru the creatures armor spilling his blood and ripping open its chest. The feline dodged the swings of an axe from another attacker. He pushed his blades under the swing of the axe and buried both blades into the stomach of the Lutin wielding it.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> Nestorius raised his arms to cast another spell when an arrow sprouted in the mage's throat. He stood there a moment clutching at the foreign object that had shattered his throat. He gurgled and spit up blood that sprayed over his chest. There was a look of surprise and confusion on his face just before he collapsed to the ground.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> Stealth found himself in a world of lutins. A Lutin with a large iron hammer swung the weapon and sent one of Stealth's blade flying off. A second Lutin dodged under his swinging blade and pushed a spear into his chest. Stealth stood there for a moment and stared at the thing in his chest. Surprise, fear and disbelief raced through his mind as he grasped the shaft of the spear. His strength failed him and he tumbled to the pavement.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p> Edmund paused for a moment and looked around. He was alone. Both of his friends were gone and the only legionnaires around him lay sprawled in death. A score lutins were just out of reach and slowly moved toward him. He raised his face skyward and said a quiet prayer. Then the paladin charged straight into the largest group. He was still swinging and fighting when a sword blow caught him in the throat. The last thing he saw was buildings burning all around as figures raced past. Then the blackness claimed him.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p><o:p> </o:p></div></body></html>