Hist. Ref. - Summer 1006 - The Battle of Arx 2

{221Hist. Ref.{_-{_{222Summer 1006{320{_-{_{540Siege of Silence - The Battle of Arx 2{n{n

{c{221Hist. Ref.{_-{_{222summer 1006{320{_-{_{540Siege of Silence - The Battle of Arx 2{n{n|/|/|/|-|h|!WTowards the Seawatch gate, the fire is the heaviest, and wordlessly the Silent Army is marching over hundreds of dead, and dozens of siege towers continue to roll towards the gate even as two more collapse, one pitching off the cliff and into the sea. The shavs go to a knee for another volley.|/|/|-|h|!WThe first confirmed bringer falls from an arrow shot by Merek at the Seawatch Gate, the thing seeming to dissolve shortly after its shot. First, but certainly not the last, as the arrow fire tapers off and finally the siege towers are approaching the walls of Arx- save strangely the Ward of House Thrax, where it seems no attack comes yet. At the Ward of House Valardin and Redrain, and particularly at the Sewatch Gate, towers roll up to the walls and ladders begin to go up, and by the thousands shavs begin to try to climb.|/|/|-|h|!WAlong the coast, Admiral Alrec reports that hundreds of rafts and canoes and other ricky vessels are hugging the coast towards the Gray River. Cheap, expendable craft with no more than a handful of shavs each, but obviously intending to storm the Lower Boroughs. The Pravus, Thrax and Argento vessels in the bay under the command of the Admiral turn to rake them with archery fire and capsize them, but some are certain to get through.|/|/|-|h|!WSmoke bombs fall from the wall of House Redrain, a concotion created by Vallery which seem to be causing havoc among the shavs attempting to scale the walls. It becomes obvious quickly that most of the forces that were attempting to attack the walls around the Ward of House Thrax have turned towards Redrain, and the heaviest hammer blows are falling upon Redrain and the Seawatch gate. The defenders are fighting furiously, and they have all the advantages as shavs try to scale. Boiling oil, arrows, even simple rocks are thrown down, as well as more exotic poisons perpared by Eleyna, Blacktongue and Valery. The defenders take full advantage of the vulnerability of the attackers, and the shavs die in the thousands. Near ten thousand shavs are dead in minutes, as hundreds upon hundreds of the Silent Army run right into the heart of the defenses... but it gradually is being overwhelmed. Near ten thousand are dead, but the the trickle of shavs getting over the walls on ladders threatens to become a deluge. Now is the time for swords.|/|/|-|h|!WIn the Ward of House Valardin, Ward of House Redrain, the Seawatch Gate and in the Lower Boroughs the battle intensifies. Shavs continue to pour over the walls using ladders and siege towers. A cheer goes up from the Seawatch Gate as Princess Peregrine Grayson cuts down a Bringer of Silence, and strangely is circled by crows overhead for a moment. The forces attacking House Thrax seem to have deserted it, as House Redrain is coming over even heavier assault. While thousands of shavs are dead, more are pouring in, and the defenders rush to meet them.|/|/|-|h|!WAs more and more shavs flood over the walls, the battle continues to intensify, with mounting casualties all around and more and more dragged to safety and the waiting aid tents set up by Eirene, Benjamine and Sophie. At the Seawatch Gate, a shot by Estaban fells a bringer, causing a cheer to go up from the defenders. At the Ward of House Valardin, it looks like the lines were buckling for a moment, and then Prince Valerion managed to rally them once more.|/|/|-|h|!WAt the Ward of House Thrax, the defenders hide for precious minutes, making it seem that the defenders withdrew to help reinforce House Redrain, and then robed figures hidden in an abandoned siege tower slip out and approach the wall of House Thrax. House Thrax's defenders rise and scream to loose a volley at the figures, and two of the three robed figures immediately fall. Arrows fired towards the third robed figure seem to disintegrate in mid air, as Prince Dominic Thrax throws a harpoon that seems to hit a wall in the air and turn to dust. The figure lifts a hand and flicks it dismissively towards Dominic, "Cease". With an ear-shattering explosion that deafens all in House Thrax and sends shockwaves through the city, the wall of House Thrax explodes outwards in a shower of rock, boulders flying into the air that disintegrate and turn to dust as they fly.|/|/|-|h|!WBehind the wall, all the thralls in the Thrall's Lament are killed instantly, reduced to dust, and the Gate of House Thrax is evaporated. The ramparts of House Thrax begin to collapse.{n