Legends of Amacia Return of the Beowulf
Chapter 9: The Siege Line of Hreidmar’s Bastion

The Siege Line of Hreidmar’s Bastion

After briefly instructing the people in the throne room to follow Enoch’s orders and go through the portal to safety, Kusanagi and Liam led Hannibal and his recon team out to the siege line on the fourth circle of ramparts. Finding the leaders of the defenders gathered near the gate enjoying a brief lull in the fighting, Kusanagi called out to the top colonel in the group, “Col. Hancock, I’ve brought some help. What’s the status of the line?”

Hancock, the other leaders, and soldiers bristled, drawing their weapons when they saw Hannibal’s team, particularly Nemesis, Magnus, and Morpheus. “What in Fate’s name; are you daft to bring Xenians inside the line, Kusanagi?” Hancock demanded. “And who are these other outlanders? They don’t look like us and some are giants.”

“Calm down, Hancock,” Kusanagi stated, “The Xenians are on our side. They are the original prototypes from which the hordes are cloned. They’ve turned on the Emperor and have saved the Beowulf from the Emperor.”

“Says you!” a captain snorted. “They’ll kill us the moment we turn our back on them.”

“I don’t need to wait for you to turn your back to kill you,” Nemesis growled menacingly. “I can just as easily kill you face-to-face, but I chose not to. I don’t kill my friends and allies.”

“Easy, Nemesis,” Hannibal urged. “We’re here to help these people, not make enemies of them.”

“And just who are you?” Hancock demanded of Hannibal, walking boldly up to him, pointing his blaster at Hannibal’s chest. “You’re not one of us. That’s for sure.”

“This is the Beowulf, Colonel,” Kusanagi declared. “And these are some of his friends. They have come to help us escape the 7th Division.”

“Not likely,” Hancock growled. “More likely, they’re spies showing the enemy the way around our defenses.”

Hannibal’s expression soured at Hancock’s comment when a cry arose from the perimeter, “Col. Hancock, incoming! Take cover!” Seconds later, everyone heard the roar of aircraft diving at their position.

“Shit!” Hancock growled. “That’s all we need now! Take cover!”

The soldiers and leaders scurried for cover, leaving Hannibal and his team in the open with Kusanagi and Liam. “Go, Master Kusanagi,” Hannibal urged, seeing six fighter aircraft on a strafing approach. “Get under cover with Liam. We’ll handle this.”

Kusanagi nodded, urging Liam to take cover with Hancock and the leaders, physically pushing him under cover. “Let’s show these guys which side we’re on, fellas,” Hannibal growled, cocking the Draken Gauntlets with an elbow jab to the rear while turning to the danger.

“Yes, sir,” Nemesis answered, instantly morphing his machine arm into a plasma cannon and taking aim at the incoming aircraft.

Magnus likewise switched his machine arm to the plasma cannon, taking aim while calling out to the rest of the team, “Target the nose and bellies of the fighters. They have to lower their shields to use their weapons. You’ll only have a second or two to do so.”

“But I don’t,” Hannibal crowed menacingly as a red hue filled his eyes and a red aura briefly swirled around him. “Let’s show these guys how we make war.” Punching four times in rapid succession with a shout, Hannibal fired the Draken Gauntlets. The shots plowed into the first three aircraft, blowing them out of the sky. Their wreckage crashed into the third circle, taking out the leading edge of the enemy as they advanced towards the fourth gate.

Nemesis and Magnus opened fire with their pulse cannons, downing two more of the fighter aircraft. The remainder of Hannibal’s team followed Magnus’ orders, firing at the last aircraft’s nose and belly. Their fire struck the missiles on the belly and wings, causing the aircraft to explode, Pieces of flaming wreckage smashed into the wall just south of the fourth gate. Nemesis rushed to the wall with Magnus, clambering up the side of it to the top like spiders. The soldiers on the walls made way for them, having seen them destroy the enemy aircraft without so much as a flinch. Scanning the immediate sky and area, Nemesis bellowed, “All clear for the moment, Hannibal, but I see the enemy advancing towards this gate from the south. They’ll reach us in minutes. Whatever you plan to do, you should do quickly.”

“I agree,” Magnus concurred, opening fire on a platoon of Spider Xenians topping the third wall two hundred feet away. “Nemesis, Spiders on our twelve; they’re coming over the wall.”

“I see them,” Nemesis growled, seeing a plasma chain gun lying at his feet among the dead soldiers. Sprinting to the chain gun as the live soldiers backed away in fear of the titanic Xenian, Nemesis crowed, “Oh, this will do nicely against the Spiders.” He grabbed the chain gun with his machine hand, picking it up. In seconds, his machine arm melded with the chain gun. Taking hold of the chain gun’s secondary handle with his organic hand, Nemesis opened fire, cutting down the Spider Xenian as they swarmed over the wall. The heavy plasma rounds ripped many of the Spider Xenians to pieces. The soldiers watched in fearful amazement as Nemesis and Magnus slaughtered the enemy without mercy or pity.

“Fate, preserve us,” Colonel Hancock breathed seeing Nemesis and Magus holding back the Xenian horde. “They really are on our side.”

A few seconds later, the fire from Nemesis and Magnus ceased. “All clear,” Nemesis called out. “But we can’t let our guard down. I see the artillery out beyond the wall targeting this area. We don’t have much time.”

“I understand,” Hannibal replied, approaching Col. Hancock and Kusanagi. “Are you satisfied about our intentions now, Colonel Hancock?”

“Yes,” Hancock replied, bowing to Hannibal. “Please, forgive us, milord. We’ve been in a pitched battle for the last two days and had to retreat when the enemy broke into the third circle. We mined the causeway as we retreated to slow them down, but it hasn’t stymied their advance. They send their heavy mobile units in first and detonate our mines before they can be of use.”

“I see,” Hannibal said stoically, his expertise in war now kicking in. “How many men do you have left out here?”

“Three hundred,” Hancock stated. “And a third of them are wounded to varying degrees. We’re being overrun.”

“I can see that,” Hannibal replied. “Pull back your wounded into the keep. I have provided a way of escape in the throne room. A gateway created by the ancient machines of the 1st Age lays open in the throne room. On the other side of the portal is Antilla: my base of operations and the only place in this savage underworld the Emperor doesn’t have any sway over. Corso is presently leading the civilians through to Antilla along with the rest of my team.” Hannibal put his hand on Hancock’s shoulder, looking him in the eye. “Kusanagi has seen the portal and can vouch for its safety. My team and I are here to help evacuate your people to safety. I swear to you by the Almighty Ancient of Days, I will not leave a single soul here to die under the boot of the 7th Division. We will hold the line until everyone is safely away, and then we’ll pull out.”

“You must trust him, Colonel,” Kusanagi stated. “He is the Beowulf reborn.”

“Is there truly a way for our people to escape?” Hancock asked Kusanagi.

“It is,” Kusanagi replied. “We cannot save this fortress, but we can save ourselves and our culture. Fortresses can be rebuilt; a people cannot. Trust me. We must pull out now that we have a means of escape.”

“Then we will trust you, Master Beowulf,” Hancock stated. “But my men and I will help you hold the line while the civilians and wounded are evacuated. We were given the responsibility to protect these people and that’s what we’ll do.”

“Your loyalty to your people is admirable,” Hannibal stated, “As is your honor; we will stand shoulder to shoulder, brother, against this scourge. Now, send the word for your wounded to retreat immediately. How many ways are there into this level?”

“Just this gate,” Hancock stated, “Though the enemy has breached the walls of the other levels with explosives and artillery.”

“That means if they concentrate their fire on certain sections, they can make an opening,” Hannibal surmised. “How many ways are there into the keep?”

“Just the main entrance and the roof,” Hancock stated. “The main entrance is heavily fortified with metal doors and a portcullis. However, the roof is our weak point. That’s why there are a hundred soldiers up there. The spiders can climb the walls and the enemy can drop troops out of their aircraft. We have some heavy plasma cannons and chain guns up there to dissuade the airborne troop carriers and fighters from approaching the roof. I’m not sure how many are left. In the last major push, the enemy attacked the roof of the keep viciously, but we managed to keep them from reaching it.”

“Hmmm,” Hannibal murmured. “Seems we need to beef up the roof; Kusanagi, can you take Nathanael, Hunter, Andrew, and Kahn to the roof to help the guys there? I suspect the spiders and the strafing attack was merely them scouting our preparedness. We can expect a major assault any time now with artillery, aircraft, and infantry in a coordinated attack. They know this place is about to fall. Nemesis, Magnus, Xavier, Carver, Tyr, and Morpheus will stay here with me and reinforce Col. Hancock’s forces.”

“Of course,” Kusanagi replied. “Come, Liam...let’s take them to the roof.”

“Watch your back, son,” Nathanael urged, touching Hannibal on the shoulder.

“You too,” Hannibal replied. “Watch out for your grandsons, Nathanael. They’re about to get a crash course in siege warfare.”

“I will,” Nathanael replied, “Lead the way, Kusanagi.”

As they were about to leave, Hannibal felt Grimm’s Mask send out an urgent telepathic pulse. “Wait, Kusanagi,” he called out. “It’s time for me to use the Mask. I can sense it. It’s calling to me rather urgently now.”

“Right,” Kusanagi replied, opening the bag and pulling out Grimm’s Mask in the presence of Col. Hancock and the leadership of the defenders. “Colonel Hancock, captains and lieutenants of Cushar...you will now see the truth of the Beowulf. He has heard the call of Grimm’s Mask. It bids him to take its power and use it in our darkest hour to protect us. Only the Last Caverias...the Beowulf reborn would be able to use its power. Milord Beowulf, take Grimm’s Mask and show us you are the One. Is there anyone who thinks he should not use this helmet of our founder? Speak now without fear of reprisal.”

A gasp of reverent awe and surprise echoed from the soldiers and leadership. “We all know the prophecies, Master Kusanagi,” Hancock stated. “If this man isn’t struck down by the Mask when he dons it, then all doubt will be removed about who he is. Only the Beowulf reborn will be able to put on the helmet and channel its immense powers safely.”

“Know this, my friends,” Hannibal stated, gently taking Grimm’s Mask into hand. “I honor your traditions, and in no way covet the power of this helmet. I do this only to protect you. As soon as everyone is safely in Antilla, I swear I will return it to Kusanagi so it may be placed with the rest of Hreidmar’s effects. You have my solemn word on it.”

“He remains unscathed by touching it,” one of the captains whispered. “Is it true this man is the one of the prophecies?”

Hearing the whisper with his now almost Lynxian-like hearing, Hannibal turned to the captain with a sober expression filled with concern. “I honestly do not know if I’m the one your prophecies say,” he told them. “But I swear to all of you, I will not stop until all of you are safe and the Emperor has been destroyed. All I ask is for the chance to prove myself. Now, I must conquer my fear of this Mask and my own destiny.” His words stunned those present as he slipped the helmet on. For a moment, he held his breath waiting for something bad to happen. As the helmet slid into place, it immediately adjusted to his head size. A platinum-colored liquid extruded from the helmet, covering his neck down to the armor where it seemed to fuse with it. The liquid then solidified into what appeared to be flexible platinum draken scale.

Hannibal flinched with a groan as his armor suddenly grew six-inch spikes on the shoulders and a series of four-inch spikes running down his spine. The Caverias Sword suddenly blazed like a star for a moment before diminishing to a soft glow. Hannibal dropped to his knees, grabbing the helmet, growling in pain as he shook his head violently. “No; not going to give in,” he hissed. “Too many people are counting on me. I must...not...let it win.” He began to tremble as he fought with the intelligence of Grimm’s Mask. His Rage suddenly spiked and a roar erupted from Hannibal as he jumped to his feet. At the same time, a dark aura swirled around Hannibal and the multiple eyes of the helmet suddenly glowed red.

“Everyone get back!” Nathanael shouted urgently, sensing Hannibal berserker rage rising like a tsunami. “The Rage has taken him! Don’t approach him or make any hostile moves. He’ll kill anything that he feels is hostile.” The urgency of the call caused everyone to back away quickly in fear, giving Hannibal fifty feet.

“Oh, no you don’t, Gorogoth!” Hannibal shouted in fury, clenching his fists while looking to the sky. “Thought you’d sneak up on me by hiding in this helmet, did you? Foolish demon shit, I sensed you the moment I started to put the helmet on. You will not use my power against these people, nor take me back into the Darkness! Go back to the Abyss in the name and power of Jesus of Nazareth, son of the most holy and powerful Ancient of Days!”

The dark aura surrounding Hannibal roared, flowing up and out of Grimm’s Mask into the air thirty feet above and in front of Hannibal. It formed into a colossal shadowy reptilian creature consisting of a smoky haze twenty feet tall. Six blazing red eyes appeared in its elongated head, which spanned seven feet in length and three feet wide. Six-inch teeth like that of a T-rex lined its maw, which glowed yellowish red when it opened in a roar. Its body resembled a giant bat with massive legs, taloned feet, and leathern wings attached to its colossal arms that ended with clawed hands. It brooded above everyone in fury, striking intense dread into everyone present except for Hannibal, who stood his ground. The perimeter around Hannibal suddenly expanded to a hundred feet with the appearance of Gorogoth.

“Fate, be merciful; a real demon!” Hancock cried in terror. “We’re done for!”

Panic started to infect the soldiers when Hannibal roared icily, “Hold your ground and do not be afraid. Gorogoth feeds on fear and terror. Conquer your fears and he will not be able to harm you.” Hannibal’s deadly tone filled with authority sparked courage in the soldier’s hearts. Furthermore, their fear of Hannibal overrode their fear of the demon floating over their heads.

“Foolish mortal insects,” Gorogoth growled menacingly. “I will strip the flesh from your bones while you yet breathe. No one resists the Lord of Fear.”

“Silence, demon; the Lord rebuke you!” Hannibal snapped, looking up at Gorogoth as he reared up in a fearsome display. “You have no power here, Lord of Fear. Now get thee hence back into the Shadow of the Abyss. We have no time for your sorry ass.”

“I will rip you apart and feed your rotting corpse to the Grimm for that insolence, treacherous mortal ape!” Gorogoth raged. “No one can withstand the Lord of Fear, least of which you, traitorous human maggot.”

In the blink of an eye, Hannibal pulled the Caverias Sword, which blazed like a supernova casting shadows. “Enough of this,” he growled, stepping back into an attack stance with the Caverias Sword in a hasso samurai stance. “It’s time to return to the Abyss, Gorogoth. In the name and power of Jesus of Nazareth, I strike you down in the power of the Ancient of Days! Be gone from this dimension, infernal spawn of Hell!” A brilliant white aura suddenly swirled around Hannibal, causing the Grimm Mask to blaze like the sun. The aura also fed the Caverias Sword, increasing its brightness to the point everyone except Hannibal had to take cover. Once again, the deep long forgotten battle instincts rose in Hannibal. The Caverias Sword suddenly flashed with an audible bang, the blade itself opening from point to hilt growing from three inches wide to almost seven inches. Blue and white fire enveloped the ancient blade as its runes blazed like molten metal in the fire. Those present gasped in amazement, cowering before Hannibal as he confronted the dreaded demon Lord of Fear, Gorogoth. The enlarged Caverias Sword and Grimm’s Mask drank in the white aura until they had consumed every bit of it. Gorogoth’s reptilian face fell in great dismay as suddenly realized he was outmatched by Hannibal, who struck viciously and without mercy in a diagonal cut from ground to sky with a powerful shout. A blazing wave of bluish-white energy flew from the Caverias Sword before Gorogoth could react, plowing into the demon Lord of Fear with devastating results. The blast obliterated the shadowy, smoky form of Gorogoth in a ball of bluish-white light that completely consumed his form before exploding in a concussion blast that flattened everyone except for Hannibal, Nemesis, and Magnus. Gorogoth’s shriek of excruciating pain and terror echoed throughout the complex as the explosion blew him out of this dimension back into the Abyss.

“I finally got you, mother fucker,” Hannibal crowed triumphantly. “I’m finally rid of you! Good riddance, you foul malignant piece of demon shit!”

“Are you all right, Hannibal?” Nathanael called out cautiously.

Hannibal looked at Nathanael through Grimm’s Mask as the Caverias Sword collapsed back into its original form. “Yeah,” he growled. “I’ve waited a lifetime to dispose of that demon prick. He was the last one, the last demon of my past that refused to leave. Now, I can do what I need to and he’ll not get in my way.”

“Is it okay for us to relax?” Nathanael asked. “How’s the Rage?”

A deep sigh of relief escaped Hannibal’s lips that everyone noticed. In a much friendlier tone, he said, “Yes, Nathanael...you guys can relax now. I’m okay now, but I must admit this helmet is very strange. I’m sensing things through this helmet I’ve never felt before. With Gorogoth no longer interfering, I can clearly see what the Mask is and what it wants me to do.”

“He’s done it,” Kusanagi breathed in awe. “He purged the Mask of the Darkness and has mastered it and himself. Can there be any other doubts that he’s the One?”

Hannibal slung the Caverias Sword and walked to Kusanagi as everyone approached him carefully. “Oh, I wouldn’t say that,” Hannibal stated. “Yeah, I did get rid of that dark pest Gorogoth, but I cannot say I’ve adequately mastered the Mask’s power yet. It’s still teaching me. However, I do believe I now have enough grasp of its power to use it safely to help us get your people out of here.”

“I’m glad you’re okay,” Nathanael admitted, “I worry every time the Rage gets on you.”

“So do I,” Hannibal stated. “But I’m learning how to not just control it, but utilize it as a weapon. Now that I’m in control of the Mask and not vice versa, let’s get to work. Kusanagi...take Nathanael, Andrew, Hunter, and Kahn to the roof to reinforce them while the rest of us slow down this onslaught.”

“Yes, milord,” Kusanagi chimed, “Come, let’s get to the roof.” With that, Kusanagi and Liam led Nathanael, Andrew, Hunter, and Kahn away.

“Okay, Colonel Hancock,” Hannibal stated. “Let’s get to work. What do you need us to do?”

“We need to block the causeway before they can reach the gate,” Hancock stated. “However, we don’t have enough debris to do it.”

“Okay,” Hannibal stated. “That sounds like a good place to start.” Seeing the soldiers still apprehensive of him, Hannibal touched the Mask on both sides near the ears. The helmet hissed with what appearing to be a visor opening on the mask showing Hannibal’s face. “I apologize if I frightened you guys,” he stated. “Here, see my face and know that I’m not a monster. I’m still human and will fight at your side until every man, woman, and child of Cushar who took refuge here is safe in Antilla.”

“Good move,” Xavier declared. “They needed to see your face after what just happened. I sure know I did.”

“I know,” Hannibal stated as he heard a rumble in the distance. In an instant, the visor of Grimm’s Mask closed up while Hannibal quickly cast his eye up the wall. “Nemesis!” he shouted. “What’s that rumble? Do we have incoming?”

“Yes,” Nemesis shouted down off the wall. “The main attack is now in motion! The rumble is from incoming aircraft, artillery, and the infantry coming up the causeway. They have the heavy mechanized units in front to clear any obstacles. If you have a plan, now is the time. We’ll do what we can to cover you from up here.” Nemesis suddenly turned his plasma chain gun on the incoming artillery plasma rounds, detonating them before they reached the inner wall. Magnus opened fire on the aircraft as they began their bombing run.

“Colonel, pull your guys back to the gate and cover me and my team from the walls,” Hannibal ordered. “We’re going out there to slow the infantry down. If you have any portable launchers left, now would be the time to use them. We must hold the line until word comes that the civilians have been evacuated.”

“Yes, milord,” Hancock stated. Turning to those under his command, he ordered, “Battle positions, everyone! This is it! Cover Beowulf and his team! We must hold the line here! Go; man the walls immediately and prepare for battle! Milord, may I have the honor of standing with you on the front line with my platoon?”

“Yes,” Hannibal replied, seeing a full platoon of heavily armed soldiers gathering around. “I would be honored to stand beside you and your men in battle. Come; let’s make these bastards regret ever chasing your people to this place.”

Turning to the captain of the platoon that had gathered around them, Hancock ordered, “Captain Osborne, take the Tora-ryu platoon and reinforce Jen’s platoon in the courtyard. We will be out in a moment.”

“Yes, sir,” Osborne replied, flashing a salute along with the rest of the platoon. “You heard the commander! Let’s get into position!” He led the platoon out the gate, all of them carrying heavy handheld blasters, missile launchers, and plasma grenade launchers along with swords, spears, and other medieval weapons.

“This way,” Hancock replied to Hannibal, Xavier, Carver, Tyr, and Morpheus, picking up a heavy plasma rifle and his sword while heading to the gate. Turning to one of the captains, he ordered, “No one but us comes through this gate, Captain Ormand. If we fall, destroy this gate and fall back to the keep.”

“Yes, sir,” Captain Ormand replied with a salute.

“Come, this way,” Hancock ordered Hannibal and his team, leading them towards the gate that was cracked open just enough to allow soldiers outside. The soldiers rushed around, taking positions on the walls and inside the gates.

Hannibal noticed the contact explosives all around the gate, placed in such a manner as to bring the wall down into the fifty-foot high cavity of the gate. “The explosives are a nice touch,” he commented to Hancock. “It’s your plan B, isn’t it?”

“It is,” Hancock stated as he led the team through the gate. “If they reach the gate and begin to break through, we’ll pull back and set off the explosives, sealing the gate and taking out as many of those monsters as we can.”

Once they stepped through the gate, Hannibal surveyed the three hundred foot wide courtyard, seeing it a ruin. Piles of debris lay heaped around the walls where they’d partially collapsed. The smoldering wreckage of one of the fighter aircraft sat burning next to the outer wall. He noticed the enormous broken columns five feet in diameter in pieces twenty to thirty feet long scattered around the courtyard. It became obvious the shattered columns had been moved to create obstacles and cover. Craters dotted the courtyard along with the pieces of dead defenders. Two particularly large mounds of debris lay heaped up at the entrance to the courtyard, making a narrow choke point. Soldiers used the debris mounds, craters, and fallen columns for cover. Osborne’s Tora-ryu platoon took up position at the forty-foot tall debris mounds at the entrance to the courtyard. The sounds of coming infantry rushing up the causeway echoed through the walls as Nemesis, Magnus, and the soldiers on the walls above them fired on a new wave of aircraft and spider Xenians topping the walls. In all, Hannibal saw at least fifty soldiers in defensive positions in the courtyard.

“Come on,” Hannibal urged, heading towards the entrance to the courtyard, leading everyone to the mounds. In less than a minute, everyone gathered at the gap between the large mounds. “Hmmm,” Hannibal murmured, looking down the causeway, seeing smaller mounds of debris lining each wall along with the pockmark of artillery and grenade explosions. Off in the distance down the causeway, he saw smoke rising from the other downed fighter aircraft. “I remember you saying you mined the causeway, Colonel. How far up did you do it?”

“We ran out of mines two hundred cubits down the causeway from here,” Hancock reported as Osborne came down from the left hand mound. “We had thought to block the causeway by collapsing the outer wall here down there, but we haven’t had the time to do so. The forward line of the 7th is a hundred cubits farther down, so anytime we venture down there, we’re fired upon.”

“Can we get some men on those piles just down the way?” Hannibal queried, pointing to two rather large piles of debris from the wall that again created a choke point seventy cubits down the causeway. “If we can take up position there at that choke point, we’ll catch them in a crossfire situation. Those mounds are not has high as these, so the guys back here can cover those on the front line in case they need to fall back. We’ll also have cover fire from the top of the walls. As soon as the armored mobile units come into range, we need to get rid of them before they can target us.”

“Sounds like a good plan,” Hancock stated. “But who’s going down there?”

“That’s where we come in,” Xavier stated, “Carver, Tyr, Morpheus, and I will take up positions there, though it would be useful if we had a small team of five or six for each mound.”

“You got it,” Hancock stated, “Osborne, we need volunteers to back up these brave Cimmerians down on the causeway.”

“Yes, sir,” Osborne replied, quickly going to fetch ten men.

“Where are you going to be, milord?” Hancock asked Beowulf.

Hannibal pointed down the causeway. “Down there on the front line in front of those debris piles,” he stated grimly. “The first thing they’re going to see is me. If the legend is true and I can instill fear in them using this helmet, we’ll have the advantage.”

“I will stand beside you,” Hancock insisted.

“No,” Hannibal replied bluntly. “You do not want to be down there with me when the Rage gets on me, and I know it will. It’s trying to get out now. I don’t want you to be hurt by whatever may happen. You can stand with Xavier, Carver, Morpheus, and Tyr, covering me with that sniper rifle of yours. Are you any good with that?”

“I’ve killed armored Xenians at 1,000 cubits with this weapon,” Hancock bragged. “When I shoot, they go down for the count.”

“I expect to see that skill, my friend,” Hannibal replied. “It will be very useful, especially if you can find the weak points in the mobile units.”

“Here we are, sir,” Osborne announced, approaching with ten of the meanest, toughest soldiers in the courtyard. “You have your team.”

Hannibal surveyed them and grunted with satisfaction. “Very good,” Hannibal stated. “We’re going to take up position down there on those mounds where we have another choke point.” He pointed out the mounds to the new team. “Xavier, Carver, Tyr, Morpheus, Colonel Hancock, and I are going to be down there to greet the force coming up the road. When you see the enemy, show no pity or mercy for you will receive none. Colonel, is there any way you can communicate with your other teams?”

Hancock pulled out a communicator, which chirped as soon as he pulled it out. “Report!” he barked into the communicator. In fifteen seconds, every team reported that they were ready for action. They also reported two platoons on the wall presently engaging a swarm of spider Xenians trying to come over the outer wall on the courtyard with Nemesis and Magnus keeping the aircraft and artillery back. Everyone could hear the blaster fire, Nemesis’ plasma chain gun, and Magnus’ plasma cannon echoing over their heads. “Everyone is ready,” Hancock told Hannibal. “Those who aren’t engaged in repelling the spiders and aircraft are waiting for the order.”

“Tell them to open fire only when I do,” Hannibal stated. “I’m taking the first crack at these bastards. After that, they can open fire. Tell them to concentrate on the mobile units first before taking down the infantry.”

“Yes, milord,” Hancock stated, relaying the order through the communicator to the defenders.

“Captain Osborne, we’re counting on you to cover us,” Hannibal stated, looking Osborne in the eye through Grimm’s Mask. “We’re in your hands. Don’t let us down.”

“We have your back, milord,” Osborne replied, feeling a chill race down his spine while looking at Hannibal wearing Grimm’s Mask. “If we don’t survive, let me say it has been an honor to meet you, milord.”

“We’re not dead yet, my friend,” Hannibal said in a friendly tone that gave every soldier in earshot courage. “Take your positions. Come on; let’s get into position ourselves. Follow my lead.”

“Yes, milord,” Osborne and Hancock replied simultaneously. Osborne quickly raced to his position on the left mound, making sure it and the right mound were defended adequately.

Hannibal waved to his team, sprinting down the causeway sticking to the shadows. “Let’s move,” he barked, his war experience kicking into high gear. “One last thing; if for some reason we have a quake, everyone should fall back to the keep immediately.”

“Why do you say that?” Hancock asked, noticing the urgency in Hannibal’s order. “We haven’t had any major quakes in this part of Cushar for generations.”

“Just an instinct of mine,” Hannibal stated. “Something doesn’t feel right in the earth beneath my feet or in the air around us. There’s an eerie tension building, and it isn’t from the 7th Division’s attack. Just keep alert, all of you. If the ground starts to shake and it isn’t the 7th, pull back because it’s going to be bad. Send word to your men about it too so they’ll know what to do.”

“Of course,” Hancock replied as the team ran down the causeway, relaying the message with his communicator to his troops. In two minutes, Hannibal’s team sat in ambush positions behind the smaller mounds. Xavier, Tyr, and five soldiers took the left mound while Morpheus, Carver, Hancock, and the other five soldiers took the right mound, keeping their positions concealed. Hannibal hid at the base of the left mound, which was slightly bigger than the right one. A series of explosions from down the causeway sent clouds of smoke and dust high into the air. It shook the ground as everyone waited for the dust to clear. The rumble of machines and noise of troops running echoed in the defenders’ ears.

“Okay, show time,” Hannibal growled, feeling his berserker rage suddenly rise with approach of the enemy. An eerie chill raced down his spine as he pulled the Caverias Sword, readying it. The Caverias Seal and the Seal of Khitia hanging around his neck cooled significantly, becoming icy against his chest, alerting him to impending danger. Three blasts from the frontline mobile units hit fifty cubits away, carving six-foot craters in the causeway while raising a large cloud of smoke and dust. Debris pelted the defenders as they hid in place. The cloud created an effectively smokescreen, allowing the enemy troops and their mobile armored units to advance under cover. Seeing an opportunity to get close without being seen, Hannibal darted into the smoke like a ghost, disappearing from the defenders’ sight.

“What is he doing?” Hancock asked, perplexed at Hannibal’s move.

“I don’t know,” Carver admitted. “But I’ve learned to expect the unexpected from Hannibal. He must have a plan. We just need to be ready for whatever he has in mind.”

“He’s using their smokescreen against them,” Morpheus reported, carefully eyeing the dust cloud. “He’ll get right on top of them before they realize he’s there. But what he plans to do, I’m not sure. Whatever it is will need to be dramatic in order to slow this rabble down.”

“I pray you’re right,” Hancock replied, training his sniper rifle on the dust cloud. “The last men who went out in the open like that were blasted to dust.”

“But they weren’t Hannibal,” Carver stated, “And they definitely didn’t have the means to protect themselves the way Hannibal can. You’re about to see why the Emperor fears him.”

“I hope so,” Hancock replied. “This Hannibal is a good man. I don’t want to see him fall.”

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