Wheel Of Life

Bertrand led the charge to reinforce the gate as the first blow from the felled tree turned battering ram hit. The whole structure shook and g.r.o.a.n.e.d loudly as it was hit, causing those above to look at each other in shock.

"Ernac and Ellac, reinforce that beam!" Bertrand shouted loudly at the twins. They nodded in reaction and charged towards the door as the battering ram hit it again, shaking the hinges again. Behind them Lucan and Vlad soon joined, pushing their weight against the gate in support.

"Someone grab some wooden beams quickly!" Vlad shouted, wanting to add some additional pressure from their side. Bertrand soon joined them dragging a wooden beam with Gregor and Harold, two new members that had joined with the Cave bandits. The propped it at an angle behind the gate beam, allowing it to take some of the brunt of the next clash of the battering ram.

The ram hit the gate for the third time,

The battle on the wall continued as the more drone like men climbed, meeting the defending Red Ribbons that lined the walls. Gan Ning sliced with his double swords tirelessly, taking enemies down with every strike. His black clothing covered in sticky red blood.

"Do not let them get a foot hold!" He shouted angrily at the Red Ribbons as a group of enemies had reached the top of the wall together and started to climb over. "Jin, get your men organised and get rid of those ladders!"

Jin's unit ran over to the new enemies and crashed with them, attempting to push them back over the wall. Swords were raised and crashed down with a grunt, followed by blood curdling screams as limbs were chopped from bodies. Most of the enemies fell back, but one of them reached the top successfully and charged wildly at Hassan who was part of Jin's unit. Hassan dropped low and drove his blade deeply in to the attacker stomach, throwing him and the blade in to the fort below.

"Well done Hassan!" Jin shouted before moving to the next section.

Similar tussles broke out across the wall as the Red Ribbons were under more and more pressure from the enemies. Their exhaustion levels were growing and Mark worried they would soon be in a position where they wouldn't be able to repel much longer.

The battering ram hit the gate again, causing splinters to fly loose in the air. The Heavy Division continued to push against the gate, reinforcing it with any heavy materials they could find. Sengo and Jorg also joined in.

Octavian hadn't yet joined in, and stood back grasping the shaft of his heavy hammer tightly preparing to charge and take down the first enemy that made their way through. His hammer head was still covered in blood and brain matter from the earlier retreat and his breathing was heavy as he built himself in to a berserkers rage.

Little Tai was also pushing against the new wooden beams against the gate, even in his weakened state trying to help keep the morale high within his men. Everytime the gate shook he exhaled in pain from his cautorized wound.

"They'll be through the gate soon." Dian Wei commented to Mark. "We should relocate to a safer location."

"I appreciate the concern, but no." Mark replied. "We'll head down and help them, a good leader leads from the front."

Dian Wei nodded in agreement, happy for the fight but reluctant to put Mark in harm's way.

"Boudica, the wall is yours!" Mark ordered, "Do not loose it!"

She glanced towards him in acknowledgement, before swinging her bastard sword at the next head that appeared over the wall. The head soon disappeared, followed by the body and ladder that crushed the enemies below.

Mark paced towards the staircase that took him to the fort floor. His spear held high above him so to not be in his way. Dian Wei behind him in support, defending him from any potential unexpected enemy.

The gate was hit again, this time creating a small opening between the wooden beams that it was made from. The angry, fearsome faces from Ned Lowe's men gazed at them from beyond the hole, making the Heavy division stare back and reflect their gaze.

As the gate was hit, the staircase shook, causing Mark to tumble down the last few stairs, landing heavily on the ground.

"F.u.c.k!" Mark exclaimed in pain as he reached round and rubbed his lower back that landed on the bottom step.

"I thought I removed the clumsy trait!" He exclaimed internally.

"Just because you are no longer clumsy, does not mean you can't have clumsy moments." Wilson cynically replied.

Dian Wei reached down and effortlessly lifted Mark up by his arm.

"Be careful." he commented seriously as he marched turned towards the men trying to hold closed the gate.

Mark shook his head in frustration as got up. An axe head came through the hole in the fort gate that had been created, chopping at the wood to create a larger opening. Ellac and Ernac were the nearest and stabbed their weapons through the hole at the enemies attempting to widen it.

The ram was pulled back once more, before crashing heavily again, this time causing the central beam that was keeping the gate closed to crack and splinter.

"She won't hold much longer!" Bertrand yelled in Mark's direction in warning as the Heavy Division stood back and prepared to meet the enemy who would break through any second.

The Red Ribbons on the wall continued to fight back against the enemies that climbed with the villagers in support, but more and more fell down either injured or dead. Boudica and Gan Ning were loudly ordering their men to reinforce certain positions, but they were rapidly losing resource.

"Tsubotai!" Mark ordered at the young cavalry leader that was stood by. "Order all available men to retreat to the fort centre, we will let them through the gate and attack them as they come through. Tell those on the wall to be ready to retreat and hit the enemy flanks as we pull back."

Tsubotai nodded in acknowledgement before letting those near him understand the orders they were distributing.

Mark pondered how they could win this fight, they had thinned the enemy number quickly, but would he be able to manage a counter attack successfully. He lamented that he may die so soon in to his new mission in life.

The rushly made ram hit again, this time bursting through the gate and pushing them wide open. A cheer erupted from the enemies as they through down the ram and charged through the gate. An arrow his the first enemy through in the eye, quickly dispatched from Orion that was stood on the wall defending against the enemies upon it.

Orion gazed at the attackers and nodded at two of his men who quickly jumped from the wall and landed on the nearest bunkhouse roof top, aiming their last few salvaged arrows at the enemies that charged through.

Bertrand and Wu Song stood shoulder to shoulder as the Heavy Division watched the enemies charged through the gate towards them. Mark and Dian Wei stood behind them grasping their weapons, ready to strike the enemy down.

Mark looked infront of him as they charged through, a look of excitement on the enemy faces as if they had already won this fight and would sweep the Red Ribbons away.

"Kill them all!" Mark heard the shout come from behind the charging enemy, from Ned Lowe who was thrilled with the way the battle was going. His men were just numbers that could easily be replaced and his goal of capturing this fort and taking over Runetown before the Wolfheads was coming to fruition.

The first enemy hit the wall of the Heavy Division, he was a heavily built man, with a long bushy beard and a bald head, his eyes were bloodshot and the smell of stale ale hit the noses of the defenders as he reached them. He hit the wall but was quickly stabbed down by Lucan who was stood to the side of Bertand, the former knight of the round table easily defending his comrade.

The next enemy hit and was quickly dispatched, followed by another and another. Soon however the individuals at the front became a group and they hit the Heavy Division hard, causing the two sides to become stuck in a duel of strikes

For every enemy killed, another Red Ribbon had collected a cut or wound. The Red Ribbons thought back valiantly, but the number of enemies continued to stream towards them.

Mark shoved his spear over Wu Song's shoulder impaling the neck of an enemy striking towards Wu Song. Blood splattered on the front line from his open wound as Mark pulled his spear head free. Another enemy soon appeared and was stabbed through by Wu Song's blade.

"We won't be able to hold much longer." Dian Wei commented as the Red Ribbons on the wall finally retreated and attacked the enemies charging through the gates in the sides. He continued, "We have seconds until the enemy has the wall and the gate."

Mark recieved Notification after notification as his Red Ribbon members count reduced, one by one their wounds taking them from this world.

"Wilson!" Mark exclaimed in panic, "What do I do?"

"Would you like to spin your Lucky Spinner?" Wilson replied.

"Yes!" Mark screeched as a Red Ribbon nearby fell to the ground, an enemy soon taking his place and charging towards him.