Fortress Siege

Admiral Takeda's keen eyes noticed a sparkle on his brother's hand as Shen fastened his sword at his side. He stared at the ring, something so strange in the midst of combat that it caught his attention. Takeda's eyebrows knitted a little. With an undertone of gentle censure and interest, he queried, "What's that on your finger?"

Shen squeezed his palm reflexively as the ring's weight abruptly increased. It was a treasured memento, a remnant of a holy time spent with Lina. But that recollection felt far away and tragically brittle under the stifling shade of the Whisper's impending danger. Shen looked away from his brother's sharp eyes as he struggled to speak. "This... it's me—"

The ethereal screams of the Whisper creatures shattered the sky before he could explain. Their eerie cries echoed throughout the battlefield, as their colossal, dark shapes fell upon the stronghold like prophets of destruction. Takeda's instincts were sharply awake as his head shot toward the sky. Shen gave up on her half-formed answer because the immediate danger made it unimportant. Takeda gave him a glance that was half dismissive and half urgent.
He curtly stated, "We'll discuss it later," before focusing entirely on the impending threat.

They were the Whispers. With deadly talons and jagged wings, these hideous creatures swooped down from the skies with predatory accuracy. A Whisper's claws ripped through a soldier before he could even cry, sending his shattered carcass crashing against the walls of the fortress. Shen quickly pulled his blade, swinging it at a Whisper that was approaching, the steel glinting. Shen's blade sliced through the creature's wing, causing it to plummet to the ground, interrupting its screech.

Takeda moved calculatingly furiously. With his blade flashing in a precise arc, he leaped toward a Whisper and dived for the walls of the stronghold. The creature's descent terminated in a chaotic tumble after the blade cut off its wing in midair. However, two more appeared to replace each Whisper they killed, their shadowy shapes obscuring the sky. Although soldiers rallied and yelled orders, the sheer force of the creatures' attack and their overwhelming numbers forced the fortress's defenses to their breaking point.

A soldier in charge of the ballista screamed in fear from high above on the ramparts of the stronghold. He had been caught in the talons of a Whisper that had swooped in. The beast launched the man into the air and then let him fall to the stone courtyard below. With a painful thud, his corpse hit the ground, and there was a heavy hush that was only broken by the ongoing mayhem. An important setback in the battle for the stronghold was that the ballista was left unmanned.

Grim resolution darkened Takeda's face. With resolute authority, he turned to Shen and gave directions. There has been compromising of the ballista. We must seize it again. He turned to look at Shen and Zara, who were waiting close by. "You two, push these things back and secure that ballista." Then he ordered, "Rally the troops," speaking to a sergeant nearby. Keep them away from the walls and disperse their formation. I'll call their attention to it.

Unawaiting an answer, Takeda leaped up onto the battlements. He pushed himself for a Whisper buzzing overhead, his motions a whirl of power and accuracy. When Takeda's blade struck true and severed one of the creature's wings, it emitted a horrible scream. Grasping the wounded Whisper, Takeda used its writhing body as a shield and slashed at anyone who tried to get near. The admiral's skill in battle was astounding, a tornado of deadly intent that attracted the attention of both allies and adversaries.

Zara and Shen, meantime, ran in the direction of the ballista. With her keen eyes watching the skies for danger, Zara kept her bow ready. The noises of combat surrounded them as they climbed the stone steps: the crash of steel, the soldiers' cries, and the Whispers' bone-chilling moans. Shen looked at Zara over his shoulder. Despite the confusion, he inquired in a firm voice, "Are you ready?"

Zara had a serious face and an unwavering focus. "As prepared as I will ever be," she answered. A Whisper lunged for them, its talons out, without a heartbeat. In a moment, Zara released an arrow that hit the creature's wing. Shen took advantage of the fact that the arrow knocked the Whisper off balance even if it didn't penetrate deeply. He moved forward, slicing through the creature's torso with his sword in a lethal manner.

They continued, their climb characterized by frequent clashes. Zara was the target of another Whisper's swooping descent. With trained agility, she ducked under its attack and shot another arrow, this time grazing its flank. With a precise slash that went straight through the Whisper's throat, Shen completed the task. The creature fell in a heap, spraying blood over the stone steps.

They arrived at the battlements' summit at last. The bodies of fallen troops ringed the ballista as it loomed before them. The sharp odor of Whisper ichor and the metallic smell of blood filled the air. Shen looked around the area, his chest heaving. Its operators were either dead or too seriously wounded to fight, but the weapon was undamaged.

Zara knelt next to one of the dead, her face hardening as she watched the slaughter unfold.
She whispered, nocking another arrow as her eyes shot to the sky, "They didn't stand a chance."

A second Whisper came down, shadowing the ballista with its wings. Zara launched a quick barrage of arrows, each one intended to confuse and divert. Shen positioned the ballista using the gap created by the creature's frustrated growl. He gritted his teeth and leveled the enormous weapon at the approaching Whisper, its mechanics groaning under his weight.

"Remain steady!" With another arrow that struck the creature's wing, Zara yelled. Shen changed his aim, his concentration unflinching in the face of increasing pressure. He squeezed the trigger as the Whisper got closer. With a loud snap, the ballista's spear sped forward, impaling the beast in midair. Before falling to the earth in a dead heap, the Whisper gave one last, deafening wail.

Shen whispered, "I got it," but there was no time to rejoice. There were more Whispers in the air, their blood-red eyes gleaming with evil intent. Zara moved to his side, covering their position with a series of swiftly fired arrows.

"We must maintain this stance," she stated resolutely. With his hands already in motion to refill the ballista, Shen nodded.