Perditions Tale, Chapter 14: "Assault on Alba"
 

While the others were either training or getting a good night's sleep, Cesia was busy packing rations and everything they would need for their escape to Aviona. They had to pack light so they could move quickly. Unfortunately, all of the warriors were staying in Alba, so the escape party was only woman and small children. If they got attacked, then it would be all over for them.

The women and children were already starting to file out of the back gates of the city, it was a fairly large group, since the city was rather large to begin with.

Cesia met with Lynx, Dawn, and anyone else that had come to see them off. Cesia looked at the faces of the people who were staying behind to fight. "This isn't right. Why should I be running away when the rest of you stay here?"

(OOC: alright, here's the deal. I won't be around a lot today, with new years and all, so it will be very sparratic with everything going on in this chapter. (sorry about not being around much... but it can't really be helped) So if we end up getting attacked while I'm gone, just keep from god moding and destroying the entire army on your own, okay?)

OOC: I would think some of Alba's guards would come along for protection against bandits or something (Cid getting behind Alba is very unlikely...) And the fact that Alba is supposed to fall I think helps them to not god mod and beat Cid themselves...

ooc: That's assuming Cid is even at this battle.

Gin stood on the walls and looked at the bridge only ten miles way in the night. a flash caught his attention and the sound of thunder followed by several more sounds of thunder. Smoke was rising from the gaurd tower of the bridge illuminated by the red glow of fire.

"Now thou art come unto a feast of death.
The gates of mercy shall be all shut up,
and the flesh'd soldier, rough and hard of heart,
In liberty of bloody hand shall range
With conscience wide as hell.
And in this seat of peace tumultuous wars
Shall kin with kin and kind with kind confound;
Disorder, horror, fear and mutiny
Shall here inhabit, and this land be call'd
The field of Golgotha and dead men's skulls.
Hear me more plainly.
I have in equal balance justly weigh'd
What wrongs our arms may do, what wrongs we suffer,
And find our griefs heavier than our offences."

OOC: I don't think we're supposed to be under attack yet...

ooc: well we aren't under attack yet. The bridge is.

"If your staying we need to bolster the defences quickly. If your leaving now is the time."

"Why? What's Cid doing, attacking the bridge with his new weapons? That would be smart, probably destroy the bridge. That just means more time for us."

"He's erradicating the gaurd tower." Gin yelled down to lynx. "The Alban gaurds are retreating." He said noting movement on the road between the capital and the bridge. "I want the main gates buttressed as soon as those men are through."

"Hopefully the guards were smart and burned the bridge as they ran..." Lynx said as he got on his horse, getting ready to leave.

Vace had shown up too see the three off. "Good luck on your journey, and get back soon, we can only keep Cid's army back so long out of fear of our presence on the battlefield. May your road be smooth, your enemies few, and your horses swift." Vace said, then, not one for long goodbyes, he started walking back to the castle to train and get ready for the coming battle.

Ark was walking on the walls.

The soldiers were atent and ready. "These enemies are coming to secure a throne stolen through deceit. You are the scapegoat. They want everything you cherish to die, in order to glorify a king who has taken a throne he does not have any right to. Are you going to keel over and die?"

The men chorused all at once. "NO!"

"Are you going to falter and let them take this place?"

"NO!"

"If they want Alba for a lie, we're gonna' give them one HELL OF A TIME TAKING IT!"

The men started cheering. Ark smirked.

"The enemy is coming. Make your final checks, make your peace. We are stalling so all your loved ones can escape." There was a bustling as all the soldiers checked their gear.

Ark made sure he was set, then nodded to the commander. "You can take it from here." Ark's retinue of Temple guard, soldiers of the church sent by his dad, closed around him.

"They're coming for Alba. Let them come, and let's send them crying back to their mothers."