To Seduce An Assassin (The Omaja Series Book 2)(97)
Yavi jumped off Sikar, landed on his feet, and drew the greatsword off his back. The three Vyrkune were chewing into his men’s faces and necks, devouring them as if they were platters of meat. As Yavi raised the sword high above his head to kill the nearest one, arrows flew past him to incapacitate the other two. He drove the sword into their hearts as well.
Yavi replaced the sword onto his back and he and Yajna added their muscle to the group of soldiers trying to hold the gate. Jiandra bent over the injured men, attempting to heal them with the Omaja. When Yavi and his soldiers at last were able to hold the gate closed long enough for the guards to lower the bar, he ran to check on the injured.
Jiandra looked up from where she was crouched over two mutilated soldiers, her eyes pained. “I couldn’t heal either of them. It was too late.”
Yavi swore under his breath, then stood and raised his voice to address all the Black Army soldiers in the area. “Alert the generals and rally the rest of the troops. The fort is under attack.”
Nineteen
Black Army assassins and warriors poured into the main courtyard as Yavi addressed his officers over the din of the growling creatures outside the gate. “Block the left gate with the catapult,” he shouted. “We’ll open the right gate just enough to funnel a few in at a time before they find another way in and surround us. If we get overwhelmed with numbers, we can try to shove the right gate closed again.”
His officers nodded. “Aye, Mahaj.”
Yavi drew the greatsword and helped Jiandra onto his back so she could heal him immediately as he got injured. Yajna used his grappling hook to climb up the side of the fort and take a position atop the bell tower with his bow while the soldiers below shoved the catapult against the left gate door. Outside the gate, the Vyrkune had begun hurling themselves against the wooden doors, causing the bar to start to crack.
Yavi crouched, readying his greatsword. “Lift the bar!” he shouted.
As the heavy bar swung upward, it freed the right gate door first. Black Army soldiers shoved their shoulders against it, trying to keep it from swinging all the way open, but the Vyrkune were in a frenzy, their unnatural strength heightened by lust for fresh meat. They forced the right door open and poured into the courtyard, knocking the catapult onto its side and shoving the left door partially open as well.
Black Army soldiers attacked with swords and arrows, incapacitating several of the creatures, but many more poured in right behind them. They overran Yavi’s men, jaws opening wide to chomp off hands, arms, shoulders, faces.
“Lord Zehu!” Jiandra whispered near Yavi’s ear, clinging to his neck.
He attacked, swinging the heavy blade back and forth with all his might, felling a few. His brother’s arrows helped slow down some of the horde, as did those of the Assassin Army archers around the upper battlements, but when a mob of Vyrkune rushed him, Yavi was caught off guard by their sheer numbers. He leapt backwards, unable to flip himself completely out of their reach while holding the greatsword as well as carrying Jiandra on his back. One of the creatures caught his boot in its claws, causing him to stumble a bit. Two Vyrkune sank their teeth into his leg, the force of their jaws enabling them to bite through his leather armor. He cried out as searing hot pain tore through his flesh.
“Let me down!” Jiandra shouted, holding the Omaja aloft. Yavi saw it glowing and complied, setting her down as gently as he could while trying to kick off the beasts and move away from them. Some of them rushed Jiandra, but immediately fell back as they hit against the invisible barrier of protection provided by the Omaja stone.
Another Vyrkune smelled the blood on Yavi’s leg and dove down to bite into the raw flesh. Yavi raised the greatsword and brought its tip straight down into the creature’s back. It convulsed and fell to the side, and Yavi struck a second one, managing to slice off its head. The greatsword felt heavy in his hands as his body went into shock from the bloody bite-wounds.
Jiandra stooped to heal his leg, laying her hand over the torn leather where the creatures had bitten through. Yavi felt soothing strength return, and the burning pain stopped.
Unfortunately, he and Jiandra were now backed into a corner against the fortress’s outer wall and the steps to the bunkhouse. He watched as the horde of Vyrkune continued to pour in, and many more of his Black Army warriors fell beneath their hungry rampage. He raised the sword with a fierce cry and drove into the horde full-force, hacking and slashing. Jiandra followed, staying out of his way but close enough to rush in and heal him if need be. Yavi slew the creatures left and right, his muscles aching from exertion. He ignored the pain and drove on, fueled by rage and determination to overcome the enemy.
Arrows flew over his head, striking many of the creatures as they finished off his Black Army soldiers and headed for Yavi unhindered. Yavi continued to spin and swing the greatsword at those who escaped the arrows, as well as others who were rising up off the ground with arrows lodged in their heads, necks, and chests. He spotted Uman standing near the gate, surveying the scene.
Uman pointed up at the bell tower. “Get the other Zulfikar!” he roared, and some of the horde turned to look. They saw Yajna and rushed for the staircase en masse, running with lightning speed up the steps.
“Yajna!” Jiandra screamed.
Yajna slung his bow onto his back and leapt down to a thatched roof below, rolled to the edge, and flipped off the roof onto the landing of a side staircase. The Vyrkune shifted course, filing back down the stairs and running toward that landing from both sides of the walkway. Yajna saw them coming and leapt again, this time landing in the back of a cart full of burlap bags containing food supplies. By the time he struggled to his feet, the horde had started to come off the stairs and was already heading in his direction.