Speaking arcane words, Kevik caused another yellow fog to appear among those before the gate. Before they even realized what was happening, the guards succumbed and fell to the ground. A few seconds later, another yellow fog appeared among the archers atop the wall. In short order, the defenders at the gate were unconscious.
Kevik pointed over to the gatehouse where a section of the yellow fog still held a presence. “I’ll have to dispel it before you can release the locks,” he explained.
“Then do it,” Chyfe said. “We haven’t much time.”
“But when I do, those affected by the spell will begin to regain consciousness,” he warned. “You’ll have to move fast.”
“Understood,” he said, then turned to Riyan. “You and Chad open the gate as soon as I get it unlocked.”
Riyan nodded.
“Let’s move,” Chyfe said. Riding toward the gatehouse, he scanned the area for any guards, but all he saw were locals staring out from windows and behind doors. Then just before he reached the edge of the spell, the fog disappeared. Once it was gone, he dismounted and ran the rest of the way to the gatehouse.
“Soth!” Seth hollered to his brother as he vaulted from his horse.
Soth turned and saw Seth running toward three guards emerging from a side street. Dismounting, he drew his sword and raced to join his brother. The clash of swords rang out as the twins engaged the three guards. Standing shoulder to shoulder, they held them at bay while the others worked to get the gate open.
Kevik remained in the saddle, staff clutched in his hands. He kept watch on the area, ready to give aid or cast a spell as the situation warranted. Seeing that Seth and Soth were holding their own, he turned his attention to the gatehouse just as Chyfe reached it.
Guards who had previously been laid out by his spell were beginning to come around now that he had dispelled it. Chyfe was forced to take the time to drag one semi-conscious body out from before the gatehouse door before he could open it. Once he had the guard out of the way, he was quickly inside.
Shouts could be heard in the adjoining streets as more guards worked to get by the area of fog in the street that blocked their way.
Clack-Bang!
“I got it!” yelled Chyfe as the wheels turned and the gate’s lock disengaged. Emerging from the gatehouse, he raced back to his horse. Suddenly, he saw bolts of energy leap from Kevik’s outstretched hand straight toward him. Throwing himself to the ground, he narrowly avoided being struck. A gasp and cry behind him drew his attention just as two guards were flung backwards from the missiles’ impact.
A creaking sound could be heard as Riyan and Chad began pulling open the gate. Guards in the area grew ever more aware of what was going on around them as the effects of the spell wore off. When they realized the gate was being opened, they moved to prevent it. But their coordination was still a bit off and the best they could do was a stumbling shamble.
Riyan and Chad pulled with all their might as the gate continued swinging open. From the corner of his eye, Riyan saw one of the guards coming toward him. Kicking out, he connected with the man’s chest and sent him sprawling backwards into the others.
“Seth, Soth!” hollered Kevik. “It’s open!”
Seth glanced back to the gate which almost proved fatal. The guard he was facing thrust at his midsection and almost didn’t see it coming. Twisting in the nick of time, he prevented the sword from skewering him but still received a cut along his side.
He was about to strike again when he was grabbed from behind by one of the recovering guards. Next to him, Soth cried out as others took hold of him.
The guards before them quickly removed the twins’ swords from their hands as those holding them immobilized their arms. “Now…” one guard started to say when a yellow fog materialized at his feet. He only had a moment to be surprised before consciousness left him.
Kevik, with the reins of the twins’ horses in hand, quickly dispelled the fog and rode over to the where Seth and Soth lay unconscious amidst the guards.
“Kevik!” hollered Riyan when he saw him going to the twins’ rescue. Around him, Riyan was laying about with the flat of his sword, striking recovering guards on the head and knocking them unconscious once again.
Ping!
An arrow ricocheted off the cobblestones of the road. Looking up, Riyan saw that the archers were regaining consciousness as well and were taking up their bows once more. If they didn’t get out of there soon, it would all be over. Glancing out the gate, he saw a gaggle of locals staring in startled curiosity at what he and Chad where doing. As it seemed they weren’t planning on interfering, Riyan dismissed them, all the while hoping they wouldn’t take an active part in thwarting their escape.
Turning his back on the onlookers, he and Chad quickly jammed several of the guard’s swords beneath the forward edge of the gate to prevent it from being closed. Once four swords were in place, he glanced over to where Kevik already had one of the twins laid across the back of a horse. Chyfe had just joined him and together they were securing the other.
“Riyan,” urged Chad, “let’s get out of here.” Glancing back to the onlookers, he saw that curiosity was beginning to turn into something else.
“Right with you,” he replied.
The two friends ran back to their horses, on the way striking out at three other guards who had begun recovering. Upon reaching their horses, they vaulted into the saddle. Now that the second twin had been secured to his horse, Kevik and Chyfe quickly mounted. The reins of one twin’s horse were tied to the saddle of the other, and that horse’s reins were clutched in Chyfe’s hand as he led them away.
“Oh no,” groaned Chad.
Riyan turned to his friend and saw him looking back down the street leading into town. The yellow fog had disappeared and a score of horsemen were quickly barreling down upon them. Taking up the pack mules’ reins, he turned his horse toward the now half opened gate.
One guard was working to free the swords that kept the gate open, he had already managed to remove one of them. Others were regaining consciousness once again from when Riyan had struck them in the head.
Kevik saw the oncoming horsemen and quickly cast the yellow fog to block their path. But no sooner had the fog appeared than it vanished. His heart sank as he understood the significance of that. There was another magic user present. “Flee!” he screamed.
The four of them turned, and with the pack mules and the twins in tow, raced for the gate. Riyan’s horse ran into guard after guard, sending them sprawling back to the ground in passing.
Then his heart sank as he saw that the swords wedged beneath the gate had been removed and two guards were working to close it. Kicking his horse into even greater speed, he drew his sword and charged. Seeing a sword wielding horseman racing toward them, the two guards increased their efforts to close the gate.
From behind him he heard Kevik voice arcane words and the gate’s momentum abruptly came to a halt. Goo had materialized at the gate’s base. “Yes!” he cried out. Reaching the two guards, he struck out with his sword and caught one in the shoulder. The second guard drew his sword and was about to engage Riyan when Chad’s horse barreled into him. Right behind him came the others. A clash of swords rang out as Chyfe blocked an attack by another guard in passing. Then they were through.
“Where to?” Riyan hollered then came to a stop. The curious onlookers had turned into a determined mob. Swords were visible as the crowd blocked their escape.
“Distraction!” yelled Kevik as he came to the fore.
The others immediately understood what he meant and drew their swords and started yelling. Kevik let loose with a spray of sparks and several blasts of energy missiles. But other than a cautionary murmur that passed through the mob, they didn’t budge.
Clang!
Riyan looked back and saw Chyfe engaged with a guard. “Do something!” he yelled.