#harkovast battle siege trapped

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Chapter 26 Part 4

The Ivos became confused, unsure why the way was blocked. It became clear the retreating Nymus faced no such obstacle, using their wings to leap up high and catch onto small handholds that had been made in the wall for this purpose. Using these, the Nymus warriors were able to quickly scale to the top. The Ivos, lacking wings, had no such advantage and remained stranded. Confused, Shogun hurried along the wall, rushing to reach another gate. Before he saw the second gate, he noticed the crowd gathering in front of it. This group included Nymus, but also many Tsung-Dao who had been fighting on the battlements. Such close-quarters fighting suited the Tsung-Dao well, and their blades and armour were bloodied. The Samurai and Ivos mercenaries were shouting up to Nymus on the battlements, though it was difficult to hear if the Nymus were even responding. Shogun rushed over and grabbed the shoulder of the nearest Samurai.

“What is happening?” he demanded. “Why is the gate closed?” ”I don’t know, sir,” responded the Samurai, with a bow of his head, “maybe sabotage?” ”This isn’t sabotage!” said an angry Ivos warrior. “The Nymus have closed the gates! We are betrayed!”

Shogun looked up in disbelief. The Nymus weren’t looking over at them, or lowering ropes. Suddenly there was a pained cry behind him. Shogun looked around to see Zadakine arrows raining down on the group of warriors he was standing among. Blood thirsty Junlock warriors, their grey fur splattered with blood, were rushing out, forming a semi circle around the group and closing in from three sides. Javelins and arrows flew down from the wall above, but the gates remained closed. The Ivos and Samurai became panicked, banging against the gates to be allowed in, the warriors at the back crushing into the ones near to the gate, creating a press that trapped them in place. The ferocious Junlocks could sense their enemys’ weakness and set about them with unrestrained aggression, hacking with the deadly Falx swords and inflicting terrible wounds. Shogun realised he was in danger of being trapped himself, and even he could not battle an entire army alone. With great effort he climbed up, over the struggling warriors, using their shoulders to stand on. Calling on all his strength, Shogun leapt up from the mass of struggling bodies below him. With his mechanical hand, his fingertips just managed to catch onto one of the handholds in the wall. He hung precariously by his fingertips, but the metal hand was unfeeling and its grip was tremendous. With a snarl, Shogun pulled himself up and then sprang up on the wall, catching onto another handhold. Glancing below him, he saw the stranded warriors being overrun, bodies hacked apart by the Junlock hordes. He turned his gaze upwards and saw a rope lowered toward him by two Nymus soldiers on the wall. The soldiers had been ordered to close the gates, but had been given no instructions regarding not doing anything else to help the stranded men. Unfortunately, this act of compassion toward Shogun would have terrible consequences for the city and all of Vellastrom.