At the top of the boulder wall, General Helliana commanded, "Ready the oil!"
The siege towers were massive, and the Orcs couldn't destroy them with magic, as every spell was countered by the Hobgoblin mages.
Besides, the siege towers were protected by a magical barrier that would take too long for their own sorcerers to dispel. By then, the towers would already be at the walls, and the Hobgoblin army would surge over their defenses. Your journey continues at m v|l-e'-novelhall.net
The Orcs hauled barrels of oil, rolling them to the edge and tipping them over, dousing the siege towers below. The wood soaked up the oil, making the structures highly flammable.
"If magic won't work, we'll use other means," Helliana muttered to herself, determination steeling her gaze. She nocked a fire arrow, drawing it back until the string sang with tension.
With a sharp inhale, she ignited the arrow and took aim. The flaming arrow cut through the air, arcing gracefully before striking the oil-soaked wood. Instantly, the siege towers erupted in flames, blazing brightly against the dawn.
The Hobgoblins inside screamed as the inferno consumed them, the fire spreading rapidly through the oil-drenched structures. The once-formidable siege towers became towering pyres, their magical barriers useless against the relentless, all-consuming flames.
Helliana watched with grim satisfaction as the siege towers burned, knowing that this small victory was just the beginning of the brutal struggle to defend the Iron Maw.
King Kraggul was unfazed and he merely watched the battle continued. He was determined to conquer the Barren Wasteland, and he didn't care how he achieved it.
The battering rams and catapults never ceased their relentless assault. While the Orcs managed to thin the ranks of the Hobgoblin troops, the enemy seemed endless.
"We're only cutting down the fodders," General Grommash growled, his eyes narrowing on the distant figures. "The real threat lies ahead." He pointed towards King Kraggul and his elite generals with their troops, their menacing forms just beyond the reach of their ranged attacks.
General Helliana didn't comment, and ordered, "Focus on the incoming boulders from the catapults! The walls must hold for as long as possible!"
She knew that if this continued, the walls and gates would eventually be breached. Despite the anti-magic spells protecting their defenses, they were powerless against the sheer brute force of the siege machines.
King Kraggul understood this too, which was why he had brought non-magical machinery to assault the Iron Maw.
King Kraggul didn't care about the foot soldiers; they were expendable. His true strength lay in his four generals and sixty thousand elite troops. Forty thousand foot Hobgoblins were nothing to him. They could die trying to breach the walls or burn in hell for all he cared.
"The weak have no place in my army except as cannon fodder," King Kraggul muttered.
Dawn turned to dusk, and the Gate of the Iron Maw withstood its first day of attack. The Hobgoblin army suffered many casualties, while the Orcs endured only minimal damage. Yet, the Orcs did not grow complacent; they continued to defend the walls tirelessly, day and night, without a moment's rest.
They were outnumbered and had fewer forces, so they had to man every expanse of the wall to ensure no Hobgoblin breached their defenses. Those who couldn't keep up and slept at their posts were met with flying arrows and magic. Retreating to camp for rest was impossible due to the constant barrage of catapults breaking the stone walls.
It was a brutal cycle, night and day.
While the Orcs were worn down by the relentless siege, the Hobgoblin elite troops, including the King and his generals, took much-needed rest.
Finally, on the fifth day, the Orcs stationed on the wall began to collapse from exhaustion. Many of their warriors lost focus and couldn't think clearly, lacking the energy to defend.
The Warchief and the generals noticed this grim turn.
"So this was their plan all along," Warchief Kargoth muttered, his face set in a hard line. "They let us believe they were struggling to breach our walls, but in truth, they've been wearing us down, day by day. No wonder it felt off. They could have broken through on the second day if they wanted, but they dragged it out. I should have seen this coming, realized this was their aim from the start."
"Father, you couldn't have known. They sacrificed more than thirty thousand of their troops to try to breach the walls just for play? Who in their right mind would do that?"
"It's that mad Hobgoblin king, Kraggul, that's who," Kargoth spat. "Yet he, with his generals and over sixty thousand of his elite troops are still unscathed, and in prime condition, while ours are pushed to their limits. They knew a direct assault against us would cost them dearly.
Kraggul aims to conquer the entire wasteland, but even after us, the Sand Elves, Goliaths, and Gnomes still stand in his way — not to mention that ferocious race at the top. He's wearing us down to make his victory inevitable. I truly underestimated him."
Kargoth's jaw tightened, his eyes reflecting the weight of his realization. The cunning of Kraggul's strategy was now clear, and it fueled a burning resolve within the Warchief to turn the tide of the conflict.
General Helliana's face turned grim. "Don't tell me . . ."
Warchief Kargoth nodded. "They will strike today. Order the generals to their positions, now!"