A second ago, his sister was standing nearby. But as soon as he averted his eyes, she and her entire squad rushed to the edge of the wall and without hesitation jumped through the battlement out.

The blood froze in the veins, and the body moved to the edge itself. The rest of those present at the site have already run up to the parapet, with horror looking out.

Kirk tried to restrain his captain, but Paris forcefully pushed his lieutenant away. With shivering fingers, he clutched at the curb and looked out.

But before his eyes appeared not the picture that he had expected. A sigh of relief made him sway. All dozen Stone Warriors were alive.

Having landed at the base of the wall, they, as if nothing had happened, exchanged a couple of phrases and scattered along the line of attack, placing themselves at a distance of a dozen steps from each other.

"What the h.e.l.l are they thinking of?" - Paris snapped, finally not being able to stand it.

"Apparently, they are preparing for battle." - said Kirk in disbelief of his own words.

From the side of the hill, the enemy army was slowly advancing, and the lonely grey figures froze at the foot of the wall like statues with weapons at the ready.

The warriors on the walls, in silence with bated breath, watched peering into the darkness as the first rows caught sight of an unexpected enemy. They mingled noticeably but propped up by those behind them rushed to the attack.

Apparently, Captain Berg did not lose his coolness. Since the first row did not have time to get to the wall. Hundreds of arrows filled the air with a whistle, thinning the first few rows of attackers. Paris, realizing his helplessness rushed to the stairs, Kirk hurried after him.

The new soldiers from his hundreds did not disappoint. Reaching the north wall, the young captain saw the backs of his warriors. All three dozen lined up, as it was more than once trained.

Three each with crossbows and two each with bows at the loopholes. One was shooting, one was charging a weapon for a shift, one was giving new arrows or darts. The appearance of the captain on the wall brought a moment of confusion.

Looks with surprise caught his pale face distorted in rage and pain. The captain flew up to the first crossbowman and grabbed a loaded weapon, shoot the nearest enemy to his sister right in the face.

"Move, d.a.m.n you. Don"t let any b.a.s.t.a.r.ds get to them." - Paris yelled in anger.

The soldiers looked at each other in surprise. Many saw how a group of crazy people had left the wall and now stood down there waiting for the enemy. Their act puzzled but at the same time made many cheer up.

The prospect of meeting in battle with the legendary Stone Beasts scared almost all newcomers. But just like that, looking at a dozen dumb but brave warriors, ready to meet with an entire army face to face made the young soldiers rejoice.

But the expression of their captain full of anger and fear still was odd. Always severe and collected captain now was shooting like a mad man.

"Kirk, you were in the bastion, saw and heard everything. Run along the wall tell everyone that these b.a.s.t.a.r.ds are mummers, not a Stone Warriors. And the real Stone Beasts are on our side. Let no freak come close to my sister."

The first news caused a wave of a delighted whisper. But the second one made everyone shut up and throw questioning stares from the captain to Kirk. Lieutenant only nodded curtly and rushed to carry out the order.

The trio of soldiers, who took their positions at the loophole next to Paris, was also confused, but there was no time for chit-chats, so they hurry up to regroup and start shooting.

Many heard the story of the captain.

Those who knew him before, often told how kind and merry, this guy was. A real soul of the company back then. Now it was hard to believe in it.

Those who met him afterward, knew the captain as an unyielding leader, severe and demanding both to himself and to others.

More than once his colleagues found him practicing deep into the night or asleep over the tactical books in the reading room. Many cursed the fate that led them to this fortress along with an exile unite. But the hard work of the intelligence and courage of Captain Marsters made many to believe in themselves.

Only now the warriors could not recognize their captain.

Meanwhile, despite the efforts of the archers on the battlements, the attackers finally reached the wall. Ten gray figures seemed to come to life. Not breathing, Paris watched as a barely perceptible figure of Cali at the foot of the northern wall rushed at the first attackers. In the reflections of the torches, shone two silver ribbons in the hands of a girl. Only in a second Paris recognized that it was actually two long blades when the first two enemies fell to the ground with gushing wounds across their chest and faces.

Her every movement was filled with elegance and accurate calculation. Cali seemed to be rocking the b.l.o.o.d.y dance of death while the enemies around fell chopped to pieces.

Konrad, standing a little way to the side, secured an unknown mechanism with a sword to his stump. His second hand was wrapped with a thick chain with hooks at the end. As soon as the first attacker approached, Konrad began to rotate his sword with mad speed. The mechanism turned out to be similar to a hinge and allowed the Stone Beast to turn his sword in either direction at a frantic pace while jamming the mechanism at will in any position, block and then continuing to move again.

By Cali"s right hand, the slender figure of Niels was barely detected from the walls. A wave of attackers covered him over just for a moment. Then, as if from a raging whirlwind, the attackers scattered to the sides. The boy stood bending to the ground, squeezing in both hands a long thin blade in the center of the suddenly vacant s.p.a.ce. As soon as the mercenaries tried to attack the kid again, his silhouette seemed to have become blurred, turning into a deadly steel tornado.

The attention of onlookers was distracted by a sharp flash at the main gate. The tall Stone Beast there slowly, as if showing off, throw back his cloak. The next second long curved sabers jumped in his hands. Just as unhurriedly, he twirled them around him, but as soon as the first men dressed in a grey cloak approached to the distance of the strike, Chris abruptly struck both blades against each other and the sabers blazed with a bright flame.

The attackers recoiled, but it was too late, the blades of fire burst into action, turning all the enemies around into living torches.

Between Chris and Niels stood Anita, easily wielding the giant ax. This Northern woman was not a tiny girl, but still, this big weapon was almost twice her size.

Mark was having fun on the right from Chris, closer to the east wall. His punches with a crunch were breaking through the light armor of the Arians, smashing it along with the bones. Both of his fists were the size of a human head, and it was wrapped in spiky gauntlets made of dark metal in no way inferior to any hammer in its lethality.

Lance, Karo, Borgis, and Farukh fought a little further at the base of the eastern wall. Paris could not see them, but judging by the echoing screaming from the other side. Unruly fighters from exiled hundred supported unexpected defenders with all their might.

Paris noticed how his subordinates began to talk in a subdued way.

"Look at this one right below us. This one is a pure monster, I would not want to meet him one-on-one. Yes, he"s like a living meat grinder, chopping them up like cabbage." - He heard from the left a few admiring exclamations.

"And this little man with twin swords," - the voice on the right echoed. - "Oh, yea! He does not even give them a chance to step closer!"

"This is not a short man!" - Paris snapped with rage, - "This is a child of twelve years old, who instead of playing with his peers with the little knives, protects our cowardly a.s.ses here on the wall."

The faces of the warriors around them instantly became severe. A dumb question froze in their eyes.

The captain"s phrase made the soldiers look down once more, finally realizing the situation. Down there, albeit with incredible skill, were fighting only ten people: three women, a child, an armless cripple, a fireman who was burned all over and blind on one eye, a guy who looked like a peasant and three non-humans. And they were here, under the protection of high walls, cheering them like on a dog fight.

The captain"s comrades suddenly felt very clearly the same rage and powerlessness as their officer.