Chapter 9: Chapter 9: Across The Sea

"SHIELD WALLl!" Gudbrand shouted as a hail of arrows filled the sky, dense and thick. Following Gudbrand's orders, before the arrows could hit, the outside ranks formed a dense vertical shield wall whilst more inner classes held shields high above their heads, creating an impenetrable tortoise-like shell over Gudbrands men. Arrows slammed into the surface with loud thuds with only a few piercing and narrowly missing warriors' heads. As the last arrows made contact with the shields, another order was bellowed from Gudbrand!

"Gudbrand, my scouts reported that we are completely outnumbered on this frontal attack at least 3 to 1," reported Floki to his king.

"We march. They will be there!" reassured Gudbrand before yelling,

"MARCH!"

The mob of shields began moving forwards and up the beach towards the hills that lined the bay. Another wave of arrows slammed into the shield wall, however, not making any real impact or damaging anyone. After what felt like an eternity, the miniature army reached their destination, Rivermouth.

"NOT FAR LEFT, PREPARE FOR HEAD-ON COMBAT!"

The shield shell managed to reach the hill, letting them escape the bay and giving them a far better view of their surroundings.

"Warriors, up ahead, we have the first battlements. We rush them fast. Show no mercy!" Gudbrand shouted to everyone under the shields and was met with a trusting response and measurement that they would follow his command. "We wait for the next barrage of projectiles! Then we charge!"

The impenetrable wall stopped where it was standing and hunkered down just 20 meters away from the battlements. Confused, the defending soldiers watched as their attackers just halted in the middle of the field. As if clockwork, the archers pulled their bowstrings back and released, sending another wave of arrows. They watched as the arrows banged into the shields making the Rivermouth soldiers confident that they must have wiped out a large amount of the attackers.

"NOW!"

Suddenly, the shield wall dispersed, showing an entire division of warriors who began charging toward the battlements shouting at the top of their lungs, brandishing their large axes and shields. Out of nowhere, spears were launched from the defender's sides, taking out a large portion of the archers who had just reacted and began to pull their bowstrings.

Gudbrand looked to the right and then to his left. He watched as his other divisions, who had landed a bit further down the coast, arrived right on time and began assaulting the defenders at their weakest point, the flanks. In a state of panic, the defending soldiers dressed in shoddy armour brandished their own long swords. They charged, preparing themselves to meet the attackers head-on.

It was almost as if time had stopped before both sides slammed full force into each other, swinging their respective weapons, slashing and stabbing as each side began to lose numbers. The flanking divisions finished off the last archers on the battlements before turning to charge at the division of defending soldiers with their backs to them.

Realising their mistake, the soldiers turned and tried to escape but could only get so far before being sandwiched between the three attacking parties! Screams pierced the air as they were brutally sandwiched together, some even stabbing each other with their weapons. If not, they were brutally cut down by a giant axe cutting flesh and breaking bones.

Gudbrand sliced his axe sideways into a poor young soldier's jaw, leaving the boy's jaw dangling, only being held on by a strained tendon. The boy went to scream but physically couldn't before being put out of his misery with a downwards thrust by Gudbrand, separating his skull into two and popping out both of his eyes.

It was a slaughter.

The last standing defender was pierced by multiple spears before being lifted into the air and left to bleed out screaming in pain. After an excruciating few seconds, his body went limp. It was sent falling to the ground as the attackers yelled out in victory.

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"NOW! THE VILLAGE!" Gudbrand ordered, "Kill everything you see apart from the women! Do not kill the priest!" Gudbrand watched as his army cheered before rushing towards the defenceless village to steal and pillage everything for its worth!

"The langskips have been secured, my king," Floki reported, "the ships are ready to leave on your command."

"Thank you, Floki. You have done very well."

"Anytime, my King. Shall I go make sure the troops don't kill the priest?" Floki queried, unsure of Gudbrands motives on why they were attacking a small village with little value just before leaving Wintervale and heading home to Guron.

"Yes, that would be a good idea. I have some questions for him. I'll walk with you." The pair set off towards the now burning village, clouding the blue sky with dark smog and black billows of smoke spiralling up. Screaming littered the town as Gudbrands soldiers slaughtered the local villagers with no mercy. Desperate cries for help rippled from a building on fire as a charred woman stumbled out, clutching a baby in her arms before collapsing on the ground.

"Pick up that baby. No use it dying here. Best give it to a woman at home." Gudbrand told Floki, who pulled it from its dead mother's arms and nested it in his arms.

"I know a family who will take her in," Floki assured, which Gudbrand nodded to, trusting his 2nd in command. They both reached the generally untouched church, where they were met, which had a barricaded door. From inside, they heard a muffled shout,

"Fhett! djoonnoet mjuurt! uahdeveb nhirmily, sthaakebo jenl honlbei yaho snt!"

Gudbrand sighed whilst Floki looked, waiting for Gudbrands next move.

"Men, break this door down for me!" he commanded. His order was instantly fulfilled as they broke the door off its hinges, sending it toppling backwards, revealing a grand decorated church lined. A frail old priest lay sat amongst the rubble shouting in Wintervale tongue. Gudbrand stalked forward, brandishing his holstered axe on his side, still dripping with blood.

"Fett! djoonnoet mjuurt!" the old priest pleaded to Gudbrand, who stood towering over him.

"And dret mjuurt yaho nu yakho ahrngsweub mehs keouesumnatos" Gudbrand responded, shocking the priest who was dumbfounded at how such a man could speak Wintervale tongue.

"You devil!! You speak my language!" cried the old priest, stunned at Gudbrands ability to communicate.

"I have been looking around for a priest like you. Word was this place housed a lord of the Wintervale church, and I want to see what they are like." Gudbrand explained in Wintervale's tongue.

"W-what do you want from me, you heathen!" stuttered the priest, scared for his life and uncontrollably shaking.

"Well, I want to take you back to my home and ask you some questions," explained Gudbrand calmly before an evil grin rippled across his face, "You do also make a good hostage."

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