air, catching both heads and flooring them instantly. Nathaniel blocks a blow and knocks the wind out of one soldier, and then ends it by slamming him in the back.
A couple of soldiers barge out of the door. “They’re going to raise the alarm!” I shout. “Bring them down!”
I charge out the door with one of the archers. I kill one and the archer kills the other, but the soldier throws himself towards the crenellations of the wall in a final attempt to warn somebody. His body falls.
The others come out of the armory. Our numbers have been cut by three, but all of my friends are still here. Jericho has a sword embedded in his shield, and he takes a moment to wrench it out.
“That wasn’t so bad,” I murmur. Then we run back towards the tower.
All goes well. That is, until we reach the top.
The beacon is located on top of the tower on the farthest point on the left wing. It’s positioned such that when lit, it shines through the gap between two of the peaks that surround Terrace. It will take at least a minute to climb.
However, we are not to light the beacon until we know the Keep is ours. To establish that, five of the groups have been appointed to visit the most important places in the Keep. Once they come to the top, we will know the Keep is ours.
The training grounds that were built up here have been destroyed, and instead we find a troll. Khaoth knows how Tygnar got him up here, but here he stands, woken by the warhorn.
“Work your magic, Trollslayer,” Percival says. He says it like a joke, but I know it’s not.
The troll roars and charges us, swinging his club. “Into the tower!” one of the men cries.
“No!” I yell, but too late.
As he flees inside, the troll swings his club and cracks the stone bricks of the tower. Only two swings later, he has smashed a hole into the tower and has crushed the soldier within.
Unable to find his kill, the troll roars and turns back towards us, who are scattering across the roof of the Keep. Randomly he begins swinging his club at whoever happens to be closest, bellowing the whole time. Only one archer lives, but the troll only finds his arrows a nuisance.
Another group comes up through the tower opposite and, seeing the troll, begins to question the wisdom of fighting. Shortly after them another arrives, in the opposite corner.
He advances on me slowly, like he’s enjoying the moment of the kill. “Come here, little man,” he rumbles. His voice is croaky and low. “You die now.”
I dodge one of his blows and hit the inside of his knee with the spike of my hammer. He screeches curses and thrashes about. I only barely evade the first strike, but the second nicks my shoulder and I fly towards the edge.
I sit up, dazed, leaning on the crenellations that overlook the city. I struggle to stand and make it just as the troll zones in on me and opens his mouth to bellow.
Despite my dizziness, I make this the best knife I have ever thrown.
The knife leaves my hand as he begins to charge, holding his club high, his mouth wide open in a horrible roar. There’s a choking noise as the roar stops abruptly and the knife embeds itself in the back of his mouth.
The club flies forward and off the edge as he goes limp with a crash. His momentum carries him forward and I am forced to dive out of the way as his head smashes into the crenellations and he somersaults over the edge to his death.
I wipe blood from my lip as the fifth group comes up on the roof, Genevieve leading them. “What are you standing around for?” she yells to no one in particular. “Light the beacon!” Her broadsword’s edge is splattered with crimson.
Several men run towards the tallest tower and disappear inside.
“I see you’re still alive,” she observes. “If a little beaten up.”
“Troll,” I say.
“Where is it then?” she questions. “If the mighty Trollslayer slew the troll, then where is it?”
“Down there.” I point towards the crevice in the crenellations, looking down upon her.
“Nice try,” she says, but I see a little bit of jealousy in her eyes.
I take a moment to study the battle that is going on at the front gate of the city. It is difficult to see, as it is still night,