Maggots

Wuyi had been sleeping in his armor, his head down on the table in the Central Tower. He woke to the silence, and he was up the ladder in a twinkling, his armor ringing.

Xianyu Ma was already on the battlements. He pointed to the enemy stone throwers—just five li further west. Close enough to touch, or so it seemed.

"Qinujian could reach 'em with an arrow. Or Yuei," Xianyu Ma grinned. "I'm tempted to try, myself."

"Even if you caught one or two," Wuyi said, "there are many, many more of them." He was much more exposed here—they were outside the main defense array of the fortress. He could feel Luding.

He looked around.

The Lower Town's curtain wall was breached in four places.

Wuyi used his consciousness to move towards the fort. "Xilai," he called.

He felt the old man stir. "Well sent. I hear you."