The Kindling

Dom was crouched in the tree line to the south of Tongpai Town, in wait beside him were Tomyris and Centurion Octavian, both with mud smeared on their and armour, to help them blend in to the darkness that was now settling around them. Behind them were the fierce Legionaries from the first Century, as well as a mixed Century from the First Legion under Centurion Percennius, which had now been renamed the Third Century of the first Riverside Legion by Xun You as they strategised the Tongpai Trap. All of the troops were similarly coloured, with their armour being covered in mud, dirt and leaves.

Further behind them were, stood patiently, were half of the Horse Archers that Subutai was in charge off, as well as Banas the leader of the Horse Archers. They all had sticks in their mouths to keep them quiet, their riders dismounted beside them keeping them calm. Nearby were some of the Sabre Tooth Tigers from the Forbidden Guard that were joining this Cavalry detachment as support if they met in a melee. Balius the current leader of the Balearic slingers was also here with some of his men, the rest being spread across the ships or the other detachment. 

The majority of the force was stationed to the East. With the Infantry controlled by Tomoe and Crassus, with the Cavalry and overall Strategy of the battle under Xun You. The units here were the second Century under Pullo and the fourth Century under Meng Gao, as well as the Praetorian Century under Septimius and most of the Hoplite under Alexander. Lu Fang was also here, with the detachment of Horse Lancers, with Xun You in charge of the Horse Archers and the Balearic Slingers. Abubakar who would manage the Hoplite, Spartans and the large amount of Celts whose commander was clutching to life and being cared for by Riverside's Doctors, as well as any of the loose units that were not included in the main battle structure. 

The majority of the units under Abubakar would fill in gaps and support where needed on the battlefield, with the flexibility to move around the wall and dispatch any enemy that escaped. The Celts had been given very little instruction, other than to fight where they felt it was needed. Tomoe on the other hand would surround the main wall and flank to the north with the Praetorians to block the enemies escape once they were in, whilst Crassus would take command of the Eastern wall. 

With the three main infantry forces under Tomyris, Tomoe and Crassus, Tongpai Town was fully encircled on the land side. Dotted around the walls there were hidden areas where volunteer Hoplite, Spartans and Slingers had hidden with fire making materials to start the fires. They had a risky job but they were all chosen for their speed and if the plan succeeded their exposure to risk was reduced.

Gan Ning and the small Riverside and Tongpai merged Navy where stationed further away and ready to come in and close the encirclement once the signal was sent. His ships packed with the rest of the slingers, Forbidden Guard Archers, some Hoplite and Spartans that could shoot arrows, as well as some Civilian hunters or those that had come from area with hunting experience before they came to Riverside.

Inside Tongpai Town, Gu Kaizhi and Hua Rong were prepared for the enemy. Gu Kaizhi was sat ready to play his own little concert, the gates to the north left open and small torches lit to direct the enemy in. Beside him were a couple of fast runners who were either Hoplite's or Legionaries that were stripped down with nothing but a sword. Their escape route was cleared for them to get to the basement and out as quick as possible once the enemy neared the centre, a quick footed slinger was stood at the entrance to keep his eyes out. Theirs job to protect and help Gu Kaizhi escape.

Hua Rong was hidden on the roof with two of the Horseless Horse Archers, who would all launch signals to let the outside forces know it was time to strike. There was three of them in case any of them failed. Once launched they would slip down and through the same escape route that Banas used to leave Tongpai Town.

.....

"It can't be long now." Dom whispered to Tomyris beside him, even though they were the furthest from the any potential action currently, he still felt the need to whisper as the sun disappeared and the moon stood proudly in the sky. In the distance, the sound of stringed instruments could be heard playing gentle melodies from the centre of Tongpai Town as Gu Kaizhi performed his concert to an empty town.

"I hope so, It's been a tiring week and everyone needs a rest after this." Tomyris responded, before her a look of anger flashed over her eyes, "But we need to make sure we exterminate them here, otherwise there will be a lot of restless nights in the future."

"None of them will survive." Dom promised, thinking back to his memory of the tree in the Silver Forest that was covered in a variety of human bodies that had all been cruelling killed and then hung in a strange ritual or ceremony. 

....

Hua Rong lay quietly on top of the Town Centre of Tongpai Town, he felt the very small breeze on his face and worked out where he would need to aim if he wanted to hit the flickering torch in the distance. His mind constantly trying to keep itself occupied as his body felt heavy from the lack of movement he had made in the last few hours. Beside him the two female horse archers did similar routines, the inner hunter in all three of them waiting for their prey to arrive. 

Behind him Gu Kaizhi continued his performance, the Warriors around him stationed in different positions to keep watch and prepare to move quickly. The Balearic slinger stood at the doorway, watching through the open gate in front of him from the inner wall. The Hoplite at the entrance to the courtyard watched the Balearic Slinger, in case anything happened to him. The Legionary behind him, stood near some of the metal used to create the loud acoustics, watched the Hoplite, in case anything happened to him. Gu Kaizhi kept his eyes closed as he played, another Hoplite stood behind him, watching the Legionary and ready to pull Gu Kaizhi out of his playing trance and run as soon as he was needed. Another Legionary was stood further inside, watching the others and ready to open the hatch they had created to take them to the basement below. There were a couple other guards in the corridors, similarly watching each other. As soon as the first reacted, a domino effect would take place and they would all act.

The melody was relaxing and soothing to Hua Rong's ears as he looked across Tongpai Town for any movement. Nothing had changed since the sun had began to set, and even though he was surrounded by two fellow Warriors, he began to feel anxious. He trained his eyes on the corner of a house, the street beside it the most likely route for the enemy to enter through, still no change, no sound traps triggered, no shadows stretching from the enemies as they walked past. He looked back up to the moon in the sky above.

"Soon." He thought to himself, as the leg beside him suddenly jerked straight and he looked down where the Horse Archer beside him was looking. He didn't see anything at first, as his eyes squinted and noticed the torches in the distance flicker before going out. One by one more torches flickered and then disappeared as the streets from the north slowly became darker and darker. 

"They are spreading out." The other Horse Archer whispered nervously, "Like a swarm of locust. Every street is getting darker and darker, which means it must be thick with them."

Hua Rong agreed with her assessment, and was worried as the pace increased. Suddenly he could hear them over the noise of Gu Kaizhi, the sound of traps across the north of the city being set off as bells rang and doors creaked. The light footsteps of their enemy now heard as the number of them swarmed through the city, quickly making their way to the Town Centre. The music from Gu Kaizhi continuing to play unaware of the wave of enemies that were charging down to him. Hua Rong was impressed with Gu Kaizhi's mental strength, not knowing if he could survive, but trusting those around him and his role.

The Horse Archer whose leg had initially twitched quickly grabbed her bow, but Hua Rong held her hand down.

"Not yet." He whispered quietly, the fear in his own body wanting him to react, but he knew he had to wait until the last minute, they had to get as many in to the city as possible before they launched the trap. 

"They are coming!" She angrily whispered back, the tone in her voice betraying her fear. "There must be thousands of them."

Hua Rong could now see some on rooftops, the grey slim human like figures barely reflecting the moonlight that was shining down on them. He couldn't see much of the figures, but he could clearly see the moonlight reflecting from the mismatch of weapons that they held in their hands. Part of him felt the irony of the situation as the calming music below calmed his soul, but the eyes showed him the hell that was inbound.

The torches disappeared at an even quicker pace, as if a strong wind was blowing out candles row by row. Parts of the city disappearing in a blink of an eye to the darkness. Hua Rong suddenly felt a pang of panic as a small house collapsed in the distance, the creatures on top of it falling in to a pile of dust, as the main parts of the inside had been stripped for fire wood. He panicked, thinking that this may alert them, but they seemed to continue as if they had a hive mind and the lose of a few soldiers was meaningless to them.

"We don't have long!" The other Archer exclaimed, her bow in her hand now. 

Hua Rong agreed, but he realised something, they were a lot faster than they had expected. By the time the Balearic Slinger noticed them below, it would be too late for Gu Kaizhi and the group.

"Shoot an arrow down below, Gu Kaizhi needs to run now." Hua Rong ordered the first Horse Archer, "We will shoot the others when the torches outside the inner wall go out."

"That's too late!" The second Horse Archer argued back. Hua Rong looked out and agreed, they didn't have the time.

"Alert Gu Kaizhi and go, I'll be right behind you." He ordered, as he saw a torch in the distance fall over rather than going out, catching a nearby fire prepared house on fire. Suddenly there was a gush of flame in the distance that illuminated hundreds of tightly packed enemies that were running through. Some quickly caught fire, spreading amongst themselves, but those around them continued to run onwards.

"You won't make it!" The first argued, panic on her face as she saw the chaos that was spreading as the first house set the second on fire, spreading the fire but not reducing the enemy press as more and more torches flickered out.

"I can shoot arrows further and faster than anyone else, and I am fast." Hua Rong replied as he lodged the first signal arrow in his hand to let Dom, Subutai and the others know what was happening. He had only been part of Riverside for days, yet somehow he was risking his life for this new family that had welcomed him.

"But you need to start the other fire's as well." The second stated, some resolve in her voice "I'll stay, I can help!"

"I can do it." Hua Rong said sternly, as the first shot her Arrow to alert Gu Kaizhi, not waiting any longer for them to continue speaking, her decision to go made. 

The soothing melody suddenly stopped and there was noise below as Gu Kaizhi and his group all quickly ran towards their escape route. Hua Rong was expecting this to have some impact on the enemy flow, but he was pleasantly surprised to see they were still coming. The pleasantness then becoming reality again as they were coming towards him. 

"Go!" Hua Rong said as he turned back away from them, they would do what they needed to do, but there was no point sacrificing themselves, he had full trust in his own skills, "two more rows of torches and then I'll be behind you, keep the hatch open for me."