Chapter 37 - Counter

 "Gahhhhhh" "ZALSAC!" The two armies collide, the black Halberds, swift blows dealt with the wave of goblins. The grim legion, the Black Halberds of Mountain. Pommel Bits of pieces of innards splattered as heads and ________ "LUCIUS!" The golden-haired knight yelled at his companion. Seeing the arrival of their Lord's Army, Lucius raised his staff he as chanted. Right as Lucius was preparing for his spell. A shout sounded near the breached gate. "MEN! Our reinforcement arrived, it's time, drive these monsters out of our home!" Barov, with an axe in his hand, led the charge of the remaining defender near the gates. Despite their injuries the once fallen defenders rise once more, to defend their home. Slasing and stabbing their foes the men were soon showered in blood. _______ "Earth Golem!" Lucius, summoned an Earth Golem outside the settlement walls. Turning to his friend he spoke his plan, as he jumped onto his summons palm. "Lancel, go and return to the village center. Help Bran and his men to defend it. I'll ride on the Earth Golem and head for the goblin army's rear." Lancel nodded as waved Lucius away. The destruction of the goblin army, would mean victory on both fronts. As long as Ecish kills the goblin leader, and the Lord triumphs against the goblin army. The feral goblins would soon turn tails. For now all he and the men of Hatr could do, is to isolate those who have entered village from those outside. Once isolated the goblins will be at their mercy, by then the scale of victory should have been in their favor. "Defend as much area of the walls that you can. It's okay if you're pushed back, as long as you stay here the men below will have an easier chance retaking the walls." Lancel, told the elderly Raul. "I'll head for the village center, I fear the few left there wouldn't be able to defend themselves let alone the people hiding under it." Raul, despite knowing the danger of his task, nodded to Lancel. He understood the importance of the wall, but he also understood the lack of defenders left to protect the elderly, the women and the children of the village. "Go ahead, Ser Lancel." Receiving Raul's answer, Lancel swiftly made his way towards the village center. ______________ *UGHHH* A goblin let out a pained sound as Barov, divided its body into two. *Puchi* An axe hit a goblins head, as Istav covered in transparent film, took a dagger from his waist, then with a wide stride he closed the gap between him a a goblin. Avoiding the goblins claw, he grab the feral creature by the neck then slammed it in to the hard ground. *Ahhhh* Feeling its back hurts the goblin let out a pained sound, unaware that a dagger is aimed at its throat. *Puchi* The sound of flesh being penetrated soon sounded. The goblin attempts to cover its neck, but soon its movement stopped as the life it once possessed is now gone. Raising his head Istav saw a few men still at the walls defending it as goblins kept on pouring in. Realizing the importance of retaking it, Istav turned to Barov. "Captain, the walls! Even if we sealed the gates the goblins can climb through it." *Puchi* *Puchi* The sound of flesh being pierce sounded near the gates, as the defenders, around Barov gathered and formed a small spear formation. Having a time to pause and scan around, Barov nodded. He knew the importance of both the walls and the gates, but with their limited numbers they can only focus on a single objective at the moment. Gritting his teeth he turned to Istav. "Take a few men with you, rally the defenders on the walls. Try your best to defend it. Just hold the walls until further reinforcements arrives." Despite their small numbers, Ecish, decided to risk it. Istav nodded and without saying another word. He tap the shoulders of some of the defenders and signaled them to follow him. As they head for the stairs, the battle in the gates intensified as neither species want to give up its control. The garrison and militia are injured in various degrees. Some had their bodies bitten while others were clawed. Their light armor proved little in defending against the sharp claw and strong jaws of the goblins. But in spite of their injuries the men fought on. Every time they were injured a goblin fell. The moment a goblin took a bite of them or approached to slash their claws on them, they struck the goblins with their maces, axes and swords. A trade of casualties. A life for their injury, this is the only way they can quickly and effectively deal with the goblins. They no longer have the walls to provide them protection, all they is themselves and their weapons. This intensified the humans and goblins contest for the gates. As the two warring species fought, footsteps and screeching sounded from outside the settlement. The sight of a small band of goblins rushing for the gates was seen by the two warring sides. The goblins let out roars, as if celebrating the arrival of their kin. Seeing this Barov's eye burned. So close, they were so close to retaking the gates. With the army fighting outside, this is the best chance to seal the gates and deal with the remaining goblins inside. Clenching his battle axe's handle, Barov, let out a breath. Walking towards the incoming wave of goblins, leaving the rest of the defenders here. His walk, soon turned to jog, then full on run. He charged towards the goblin tide alone. Then with wide strides, he gathered strength in his legs. Then he jumped. He shouted and raised his axe, as the distance between him and his opponent decreased. He suddenly swung his axe at them. *Snap* Suddenly, something snapped inside him. The previously transparent film surrounding him was now bronze in color. When his axe landed on a goblin, it easily split the opponent in two. With its momentum the axe passed through the goblin as continue its downward path towards the ground. Then… A small blast of energy bursts the moment Barov's axe came in contact with the ground. *Boom* The goblins were blasted away. Their bodies twisted and mangled, as they slammed towards the walls and ground. The eyes of the defenders widened. Barov, the captain of the guards, ascended and became a Bronze Knight. Someone in the same league as Ser Lancel and Sir Lucius. Barov clenched his fist as he felt his body lightened and sight clearer. Then with a shout, he raised his battle axe and shouted to the men. "Men! The defenders of Hatr! It's time to retake our lost ground. To seal the gates and occupy the walls! As we speak Bran, and Oros are dealing with the goblins who breached the village! The few of them dealing with goblins many times their numbers. We need to close the gates before we can reinforce them! So fight! For your love ones, for you fallen, and for the people!" "We secure Hatr, then the goblins inside is left to our mercy! Let their blood serve as offerings to our fallen! FOR HATR! FOR ZALSAC!" With his axe raised he chatged at the remaining goblins, letting out a scream as he began chopping down his foes with ease. Seeing Barov's action, the defenders emotions boiled. The baron is outside with the relief force, accompanying him is Ser Ecish, a silver knight. Now with Captain Barov becoming a Bronze knight. The tide of victory stack on their favor. "FOR HATR!" "FOR ZALSAC!" The injured defenders yelled as they followed Barov's lead. They began hacking through the goblins, as their morale rose. ________ "FOR HATR!" "FOR ZALSAC!" Istav and his gathered men, heard the shouting behind them. Their grasp on their weapons became tighter. Their companions are fighting to the last to retake the lost grounds. The mens emotions raged, as they thought of their home prior to the invasion of the goblins. Their once peaceful village now turned into a war torn land. With tight hold on the weapons, the defenders of Hatr raged. All the goblins in their way fell one way or another. A defender with his war hammer, hit a goblin by its chest. As the goblin lay on the wooden stairs, the defender raised his hammer as he kept on hitting the defensless goblin. As he slammed his hammer for a final time he yelled. "This is for my brother!" Similar situation like this is happening all over the gates and stairs heading to the wall. The peoples anger are now at their peak. Fear and hopelessness were overpowered and replaced by anger, the cruel nature of humans began to show itself. Their anger can only he quenched by revenge. Revenge for their fallen, for their home, and for taking their way of life. As the men made their way a top the stair case, they struck their foes occupying the stairs with their axes and maces. *Ahhhh* *KUUU* The goblins terrified voices echoed a top the walls. As the defender in their fury, began hacking the goblins with full might. Some of the goblins bodies were decapitated while others bodies had their bones and ligaments crushed. The commotion in the stairs attracted the attention of the remaining defender a top the walls. "Charge!" Seeing Istav and their companions being besieged by the goblins. The defenders led by Raul sallied out from their defensive positions, attacking the goblins rear, and giving Istav and the rest a chance to land a finish blow on their foes occupying the stairs. The fighting raged for a while, until the last of the goblins on the stairs have been dealt with. Raul looked at Istav "How's the gate? Have it been retaken?" Istav, looked at the men around him. Then he shook his head at Raul. Conveying their situation and the command given by Baron. "Captain ordered us to hold the walls. We need to push off any incoming waves of goblins. Once the gates is sealed, the men in the village center can sally out and join the Captain in dealing with the goblins who have breached the village." Raul nodded, adding to what Istav said. "Then we only need to defend the wall, as for the rest, the captain with the remaining men will deal with the goblins inside Hatr as the lord baron and his army deals with those outside…" Istav nodded, then raised his axe towards the other part of the wall occupied by the goblins. "Raul, you and the defenders here hold this position, I'll take the rest to retake the other portion of the walls. As soon as the captain seal the gates, he'll probably send someone to notify us what to do next. Send someone to relay the message to us… Don't die old man." Raul smirked. "You too brat." Soon Raul and his group began to take actions, stabbing the climbing goblins, dropping what remains of the rocks on them, throwing goblin corpses on to their climbing kins. Doing their best to delay the climbing goblins. On the other hand, Istav led his men to retake the control of the other parts of the walls.