Prologue for The Tales of Bogsworth

[Bogswordian]

For the record the actual event the prologue describes is over hundred years before the story and is key to the whole plot. Also the abrupt ending is delibrate and the events which follow are later descibed.

What good is good in a world without evil?
(from Deta Esaseathde drese Thkaslkaraskasldreko
The Defeat of Angar
Saul K Aldssio, the First Age)

Nengakang 1400

The air was thick with ash and dust, the barren arid landscape stood for hundreds of miles either direction of the Nengakang and its small hilly basin. Renowned for its incredibly strong walls and height, Nengakang was the only city in the east actually built for long sieges. Its firm rocky foundation protected it against siege towers or battering rams and its walls were too high for any ladders or grappling hooks.
The city itself consisted of a giant black tower that soared into the sky for what seemed miles, its entire lower surface was literally covered with a dark cream spikes that soared into the air, while on the higher reaches of the tower buildings of all shapes and sizes clung on with only ropes, nails and sometimes wooden planks for stability and ladders for accessibility.
Although the city was mostly built up of wooden shacks, that either hung on the tower or were supported on wooden platforms suspended between the towers structure and support beams, in times of war Nengakang could house the entire Rakaskin population and still have spare room. Another factor that the Rakaskins took great pride in was the fact that Nengakang dominated the skyline from any point in the world; form the lowest point in the Middle Mountains to the most sheltered part of Darkwood Nengakang could be seen.
However as interesting as Rakaskin architecture is that is not the focusing point of this story so I will move on. It was here and now that the Adulis (The dominant race of western Bogsworth) lay siege to Nengakang, after almost four thousand years of bitter warfare against the east the Adulis had finally driven back the Rakaskins to their capital. However the campaign had been bitter as Elandis, the leader of the Adulis had set out from Arcar (The former capital of the Adulis civilization until its destruction in 4065) with precisely one hundred thousand Aduleans, yet now he had no more than six thousand.
His campaign to reach Rak Shar had been difficult no question about that, after fighting back the armies of the Dark Lord and crossing the Great Eastern Sea with only a handful of ships at his command, he had led his men against a garrison ten times his own force and succeeded at Rak Tholl and now he was at the gates of Nengakang itself. His camp was pitched approximately one league away from the city gates and neither he nor his men feared any kind of attack as the walls surrounding the gate had been blasted so unevenly that no archers could possibly stand upon them. A further twenty six metres away from the camp stood the ring of catapults which surrounding the city walls and provided constant attacks day in and night in an attempt to divert forces away from the main breach they had created not seven days ago.
The Catapults roared yet again as they delivered their latest barrage against the weakened walls of Nengakang. Tall and mighty the walls had taken blow after blow from the constant bombardment that the Adulis had unleashed. The once white walls were dented and blackened around the scars the catapults had left, while the tops of the walls and the battlements lay broken and uneven in both height and strength. Before waning could be given, a large and cracked section of the northern wall groaned with a shattering rumble as it collapsed downwards from under the feet of several archers. As it fell large the large limestone blocks making up the core foundations rolled unevenly upon the armies of the Adulis, completely crushing the second wave of attackers in a momentous strike.
Musty and ash ridden, the battlefield was sore to the eyes and worse still to the lungs, soldiers collapsed and fell due to the lack of air while others found themselves blasted by waves of magic from either the sorcerers on the walls or from their own wizards positioned at the rear of the army. It was a bleak siege, the surrounding lands were muddy and dusty, the air remained thin in every direction and the horrific sight of Nengakang loomed over all. The morals of both sides were low, the Adulis were outnumbered and their attacks amounted to nothing more than water crashing upon rock. While the Rakaskin grew ever impatient as the walls seemed more and more likely to fall at any moment and any hope of reinforcements grew incredibly thin.
For thirteen days and nights the battle had raged onwards, ever since the armies of the Adulis had stormed the sea port of Rak Tholl and later enclosed around the city of Nengakang, Angar’s fear had grown. Even he knew that the city’s walls were bound to fall eventually and then it was over, the Adulis were professional soldiers while his men were homeless vagabonds and peasants inspired to fight by nothing but rants and false promises.
However faith was dwindling within the ranks of the Adulis, as the three times they had attempted to take the breach in the northern wall, had been thwarted by the his untimely arrival.
With Rakaskin reinforcements only a week’s march from Nengakang, the Adulis had grown more daring in their attack, gathering his captains and knights into the command tent he began plotting his next attack. The command tent was made a dark red canvas trimmed with golden edges, it situated in the centre of the camp amidst all the noise and shouts from the battlefield.
“We need to reorganize our troops Elandis, we cannot strike with our formations so chaotic”, Dran declared pounding the wooden table in front of him with a iron fury.
“Dran we’ve tried that already, and second we don’t have the time. Reinforcements are a day away from reaching Nengakang, by this time tomorrow we’ll be sitting with our heads up on poles If we try to reorganize now”, another noble roared back in mocking tone.
“Quiet, I can’t hear myself think with all this noise. Now what we need is a full on strike with all units. We concentrate all our catapults fire here on the main breach in an attempt to widen it, all the while we lead our entire army into the middle of the breach here to engage enemy forces”, Elandis replied quietly as he pointed at the markings on the map in front of them.
“It will never work sire, the catapults have just as good a chance to hit us as the wall”, Dran objected with a pained expression. Turning Elandis stared into the depths of Drans glare, within seconds the room had fell silent again and Bran had disengaged eye contact.
“Well that’s a chance I’m willing to take, if we’re lucky we might hit their men and hopefully Angar himself”, Elandis replied with broad grin upon his face. Yet the looks his nobles gave him told him that they themselves were afraid, not afraid to die but afraid to lead the attack. After all, every attack the Adulis had launched against the breach had only resulted in a massacre leaving only corpses in its wake.
“I wont do it, I wont lead myself or my men to death”, Dran replied coldly.
“Yes you will, if we all charge the Burning Dunes and cast ourselves into that breach, god willing I’ll drag you in myself”
“But the men’s lives, everything is at stake”, Dran spluttered desperately.
“The men knew their fate when they volunteered to come with me, the stones are everything you know this. You know just as well as I what will happen if Angar is allowed to use their power for personal gain”, Elandis continued ignoring Drans interruptions.
“But my lord, how will the stone be returned to the west if we all die here?” Dran interrupted once more, as he grew paler and fell silent once more at the sound of Elandis, “I have scouts positioned around the dunes and in the Black Mountains, when the city falls they will collect the stone and meet with the survivors”
“But who will lead them out of here?”
“I have left orders that the scouts will separate and return back to Arcar by different routes in order to split any pursuing forces evenly”
Looking pale and unable to argue any more Dran began waving his arms around in the air cursing any who would listen, “If we charge we will die! That’s a fact, you know I know it, and what of the stone? What happens when we fail to retrieve it and the west falls to Rak Shar? “
“We leave in an hour, gather your men and your wits, for you will need them. As for you Count Dran stay here and protest and ill tie your feet to my saddle and drag you into battle anyway or you can gather your men yourself and preserve your honour, your choice”
That instant the tent fell silent, and one by one the counts and nobles left with Elandis’ offer standing in their minds. The hour passed quickly as the sounds of horns blowing through the scarce wind echoed throughout the camp. Swords and bows were seen everywhere. The sounds of clicking armour as knights buckled on their breastplates and gauntlets filled the air, while a stench of fear clung around the young pages and squires who were ill equipped to deal with war yet ended up waded up and down in their gear.
Within the hour every able man, women and child capable of bearing arms stood in formation at the front of the camp. Already the breach that they were preparing to assault stood well guarded, in it stood several lines of poorly equipped pikemen, backed by several formations of swordsmen. It was death to try, death to fight them.
Yet amidst his thoughts and doubts he charged, as did his men, they charged as the catapults fired and the walls crumbled. They charged into the darkness and they shaped history forever.