Season 3: Episode 2 – The First Breach

This series contains mature themes and is intended for adult listeners.

POV: Bryn Tal

> Begin Porta Cor imprint.<

I remember the moments before the breach clearly.

When we left Graywood, Myr’s group remained behind in the foothills of the mountains, waiting for the west gate to blow to make their move. I watched them disappear into the terrain, knowing I would not see them again until it was done.

Before the main army moved into position, Gaffdyn took her army north across the Distawach River and into the Teithian forest just north of the city. They would also begin once the west gate was blown. I kept track of where each force was meant to be, committing it to memory as if that alone could hold the plan together.

Kylah moved with a strength and swiftness that ignored everything she had been through in the last few days. Maybe it was adrenaline, but it didn’t seem possible. She took her group to her tunnel entrance, not far from us. I remember thinking she looked more ready for battle than any of us.

Dahlfia slipped one of her extra knives into my sleeves and kissed me, lightly, before turning to rejoin her group. Her tunnel entrance was in the woods outside the northwest corner of the city.

We connected via a group Porta Cor transmission to remain in contact throughout the battle. Every councilor, commander, Oswalt, and his administrative team – all of us linked in the same space.

“Everyone ready?” I asked.

“Confirmed,” came from Gaffdyn.

“In place,” said Kylah.

“Ready,” Dahlfia answered.

“Affirmative,” Myr responded.

Oswalt stood beside me, overseeing his staff, already tracking every voice.

I steadied myself for a moment in silence after committing all their voices to my memory.

Then I motioned to the blasting team near me, “Go!” I ordered.

Moments later, the West gate exploded into wooden shards and collapsed.

I stumbled a little from the tremor of the ground.

Kylah’s transmission came across, “What the hell is Thantos putting in that stuff?”

I heard yelling from the other side of the wall as our forces moved in to engage. Everyone knew we were there now.

The sound of steel clashing drowned out voices as weapons finally met.

After several moments, our forces pushed their way in between the inner and outer walls.

Our elevated archers were aiming at the towers on the inner and outer walls, which were protecting the ground troops.

The arrows whooshed over my head like an unnatural wind.

“We’ve breached the inner wall,” one of our commanders said.

Suddenly, I heard Myr yell, “Go!”

Another blast shook the ground as the south gate was blasted open. I held on to the administrative table this time.

“We are in position between the inner and outer walls of the South Gate.” Myr relayed.

Gaffdyn’s voice added, “North Gate is open! We’re moving in!”

I felt the anxiety build in my fingers, and I realized I was clenching my fists tightly.

“We’re deep in Tunnel 1 now. I don’t see anything yet.” Kylah said.

I opened my hands to try to relax them as Dahlfia’s calm transmission came over.

“Tunnel 2 entered, but something’s not right in it. We’re moving forward but on alert.”

My attention was grabbed right away by Oswalt, who said, “Our commander at the West Gate reports they are beyond the inner wall, but there is massive opposition there. They are holding the line.”

“Send our next line in behind them,” I ordered.

He turned to relay my order. I was going to ask Dahlfia for clarification on what she sensed when another transmission came over—this time from Myr.

“We breached the inner walls and are in the community proper. A smaller force is rushing us. We’re moving in to engage!”

Followed by Gaffdyn, “The North passage is clear. We’re now moving between the Combat Arena and the Performance Hall. No sign of anyone.” She stopped talking and then added, “At all.”

Could they really believe we wouldn’t take the north gate too?

“Tunnel two is compromised. Burn marks on the walls….” I heard Dahlfia again.

“Tunnel one – we’re having to wait to surface. There are a bunch of fighters here in Market Square, where the tunnel opens. They’re standing on the tunnel opening. Not guarding it, just waiting,” Kylah added.

I realized they were waiting to move. But move to where?

“Oswalt, how is that second line progressing into the West gate?” I asked him, thinking of how to get the Market Square fighters to move.

He looked at the notes, “The commander of the second line reports they are just now reaching the inner walls and about to meet up with the first line of ours.”

“Good. Have the front-line commander start using magic against the enemy lines. Start with the Croenddu and fire.”

“No, they’re not torch marks. Too clean.” Dahlfia’s voice popped in as I finished my order to Oswalt.

“We’ve defeated the first wave and are now making our way to the lower courtyard of the South Gate. Another wave is approaching us from the library.” Myr updated. “Engage!”

“Still blocked here,” came Kylah’s now-frustrated voice.

Oswalt told me, “The commanders inside the West Gate need more fire and are asking for another group of Croenddu mages to move to the front line. They are not making progress there, only holding and barely.”

“Yes,” I told him. “But not all of them. Hold some back. Instead, send in some Croen Llwyd with them to amplify the fires.”

Another transmission arrived from Gaffdyn, “We are turning slightly west off Gogledd Street now, coming around the front side of the Performance Hall. Everything is clear.”

“Ah, it looks like the fuckers are finally getting ready to move,” Kylah reported. “Once they clear out of here, we will emerge.”

My head started to hurt from the constant flow of information.

Gaffdyn was back, and her tone shifted from calm to tense, “What was that?”

There was a break in her transmission, and then she was back, “There’s movement at the smithy. Stand ready.” Her command to her troops came through the transmission.

“Wait,” Gaffdyn said again. “They’re coming from the Combat Arena behind us, too. Formation!” She yelled.

“We’re out of Tunnel 2. They moved north to the arena. We’re going to engage. Wait…” Kylah’s voice rang through the transmission commands and shouts from Gaffdyn to her troops, then she was cut off for a minute. “We’re engaging them.”

“This isn’t Thantos stuff.” I perceived tension in Dahlfia’s voice for the first time, and my palms got sweaty as my heart raced.

I ordered Oswalt, “Get those two front-line commanders to push north to try to give Gaffdyn some relief up there. They should be able to cut through the Medic back lot.”

He fumbled with his glasses and began to relay my orders with an overwhelmed expression.

“Who is Kylah engaging?” I demanded, since I couldn’t tell what she said after that.

Oswalt stammered, “I don’t…. know. I lost it.”

My temper would be of no use here, so I didn’t respond to it. “The two lines north yet?” I asked him.

“They can’t move.”

“Pouring out now from the Performance Hall. Two groups of them.” Gaffdyn’s labored breathing dotted between her words. “Cannot hold the line much longer. My General down.”

Dahlfia’s voice cut through Gaffdyn’s now, “Hold.”

Kylah came back through, “Ran across Mallaidh’s elite guard. Fuckers are tough. Some” Her transmission was cut off after a few grunts of battle, “down.”

Gaffdyn came back over, “Down to my last four dozen or so. Fully overwhelmed from all directions.”

“The only way you’re touching my knife is when it slits you open fucker.” These words of Kylah’s were followed immediately by a splattering sound and a grunt.

Myr came back over. “A larger force is rushing to engage us. Hynfyd in command.” Followed by the sound of labored breathing as if running.

“Send in the third wave through the west gate and have them push north,” I ordered to Oswalt, my voice cracking during the command.

“Movement there,” Dahlfia warned. “Hold steady.”

The transmission sounded garbled and strange. Then I heard, “Bryn, this is…” and Dahlfia’s voice was gone.

Instead, I heard a soft, “I’m always with you.”

My heart stopped.

Not like this.

“Dahlfia?”

Nothing.

I tried again, “Dahlfia?”

Still nothing.

> End Porta Cor imprint.<