The Sudden Siege

Although Bovar had chosen to lay siege to the city, he wasn't charging in recklessly. His forces were limited, so he had carefully chosen the time to attack: half an hour before the allied forces usually got up. When they saw the Alliance flag raised atop Utgarde's walls, they would surely send reinforcements. That way, Bovar could both seize the city and claim a share of the credit for its capture—a perfect way to achieve two goals at once. With two victories to his name, he had no need to worry about being held accountable later for acting on his own. As the saying went, the victor was king; the victor decided the terms.

Bovar knew exactly what would happen if the operation failed. But the spoils of victory were enough to make him risk everything. That was human nature, and even a man like Bovar couldn't escape it.

In the dark before dawn, a faint strip of pale light appeared along the horizon. Bovar knew the moment had come. He raised his hand and gave a slight wave forward. The clatter of armor immediately sounded behind him as a squad of soldiers hurried past, carrying swords and shouldering siege ladders. Their target was the wall ahead, hidden in darkness like some primordial beast.

The siege ladders had been specially reinforced and lengthened. Once they were set against the battlements, Alliance soldiers began climbing at once. Their iron boots clanged against the ladders—clank, clank, clank. When Bovar saw the lion-banner waving atop the wall, he knew the outcome would be decided in this one push. He stopped the soldiers who were about to climb and went up first himself.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Galenbro had rearranged the defenses atop Utgarde's walls to give Bovar a chance to attack, but that didn't