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Me, myself and Andrewcooper
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Andrew was looking through the maps of the area, he was preparing himself for the next stage of the war. Suddenly a messenger hastily entered the tent.
"My Lord." said the messenger "I have news from Alan concerning the negotiations with the Wulfrick family."
Andrew reacted instantly to this, "Then let's hear it."
The Messenger readied himself "The Wulfrick family has turned down our offer and have joined The De Reimers in their war effort."
"Damn." said Andrew as he struck the table with his fist. The force sending a cup rolling off the table. Andrew realised that the alliance had lost a possible powerful ally. He then quickly responded "Very well then, send one of our emissaries to the Kingdom of Akki and offer an alliance to House Neptune. House Manshrew is willing to give them any land that we conquer in the war."
"Of course my Lord, I'll get to it straight away." said the Messenger as he exited the tent.

A few minutes later Lord Humber and the Lanistark twins entered the tent.
"Andrew." said Humber "You summoned us?"
"Yes I did" replied Andrew. "I want to talk to you all about our next plan of attack." 
"What do you propose?" said Serala.
"We take Clarm." replied Andrew.
Both Humber and the twins were shocked to hear this. 
"Are you sure about this Andrew. We only just won the previous battle to try and storm a city would be madness." said Humber in a worrying tone.
"My friends I know it sounds crazy but I know that together we can take the city. We need to fortify our forces if we stay out here might as well taunt our enemies to send their rain of fire onto us. With the city we would have supplies and shelter for our soldiers. It would also help with morale amongst the soldiers. Also it would give us a strong base to hold out in if the DeReimers decide to attack us."
Humber and the twins looked at each other still unwary of Andrew's decision but Humber gave a slight smile and said "Well it's not the craziest idea that you've concocted but House Humber stands with you till the very end."
Serala and Maror whispered amongst each other but then Serala turned to Andrew and said "Me and my brother at first didn't know what to think about you. But the way you held yourself and how you treat your men in the previous battle showed me that if anyone was to stand against the DeReimers it would be you and so House Lanistark still stand with you!" 
"Thank you my friends." said Andrew who was happy to hear that his allies stood with him even with these odds.
"So how do you plan to take the city." said Humber.
"We will attack the city on two fronts. we will use siege towers to attack the walls and then use a battering ram to try and storm the city through the gates. We'll use the ransom money to gather the equipment needed for this. This will be a combined assault for the three of us if we want to take the city we have to be willing to sacrifice some of our men and I know that's hard to take but if we don't end this war soon then more people will die. I want a future that my children can grow up in, a world of peace rather than one that is ravaged by war."
"Very well, we'll start preparations for the assault" said Humber.
Humber and the twins left the tent. Leaving Andrew to his solitude.

The following few days the forces of the Manshrew alliance was setting up camps, portable walls and ladders for the siege. In the back a number of siege towers were being built as well as at least one battering ram. A few engineers and soldiers fell when they dared to close to the battlements to the Telmarian bowmen as they misjudged their enemies skill and range, but it did not deter the siege force.

Claus was disappointed, Grandin had only spared roughly half the bowmen of what Claus had asked for, a measly fifty or so archers. Luckily he himself had a greater number of crossbowmen, whom were also better suited for siege warfare than bows, albeit moreso from the outside.
He gazed upon the enemy camp from the gate, he liked to be in the midst of it all, to feel the same things his men felt. And it wasn't just a show-off that he cared for his men, something which he actually did. But it was a strangely soothing and exhilarating feeling at the same time.

A trumpet blow followed by a procession with white flags suddenly emerged. So they thought to parley ey? Claus thought.
He let the order spread, do not shoot, then he made sure he'd meet the messenger in person.
To his displeasure, Andrew was not in the procession, the diplomat spoke.
-"I am here on behalf of Lord Andrew Manshrew of Uzgob, leader of the Manshrew alliance. I have been tasked to offer your forces the option to surrender. Do you accept?" The diplomat was a serious type, no doubt. Claus answered.
-"Sadly i don't really do the surrender thing, at least not when i think i can win. So i'll have to decline. Also, i assume that dear Andrew won't surrender and go back home either?" Claus smirked at the end, the diplomat clearly annoyed that this brute spoke of his lord in such a comely manner.
-"You know that such a proposition on your side is considered an insult to lord Mansrew? And of course, NO is the answer." A hint of irritation in the diplomats voice.
-"Well then i guess the negotiations are finished, say g'day to Andy from me!" Claus said grinning, now just messing with the man for the sake of it. Followed shortly by simply leaving after a gesticulated tip of the hat.
The diplomat held his temper like the professional he was and returned his procession to his own camp to give lord Andrew the news.

In the meantime Claus met up with Roogel, Katrina and a few of the other lieutenants of the Steel fist.
-"So, any more tricks you've spotted them doing?" Claus asked the group. Followed with the lumbering voice of Roogel.
-"We have spotted the construction of another siege tower, we have not yet spotted any sappers or any visible indications of a digging camp, but we'll keep looking."
-"Excellent." Claus exclaimed, followed by.
-"Just make sure to be ready the moment sappers are spotted, so we can commence a counter dig." Claus words were followed by a few nods and yes sirs.
-"Looking at their equipment, it seems they are going for a storming. I myself is honestly surprised they didn't go for ladders seeing the DeReimer forces are soon to start sniffing them up the arse, but i also get that Andrew likes to have a good shot at taking the city in one single assault."
A few nods and comments came from his lieutenants in agreement.
-"Well then, i suppose this meeting is done for now, to your posts!" Claus finished off, the others hurrying off to different locations.

The Steel fist was back to over two thousand men, something he was pleased with. The entire battle claiming surprisingly few of his men. Had he suffered as badly as the Telmarian militia he might have been forced to disband the company, a massive blow to his ego and respect.
Luckily, he didn't have to and he looked the the professional troopers in his command stationed perfectly as to repel a siege, crossbowmen at the walls, supported by infantrymen. A reserve force ready in the city and with a retreat plan were they all forced to disengage and go into the keep itself, where they could hold far longer than holding the entire city.
But Claus wanted to hold the city, for it meant he'd have access to its resources, should he forced into the keep, there was a limit to how much food he could stockpile in there, but he'd already stockpiled as much as was reasonable.

As a few days past, it came to be the 9th day of the siege. The time Claus had hoped would not happen happened, Claus hoped that Andrew would just tire and walk off, leaving his forces alone.
But no, the siege towers began to rumble into positions, the ladders were hefted and the ram was brought forth.

It mattered not, a wall held by the Steel fist would never fall, regardless of the aggressor. That was the thought process going through Claus mind.
He had given the speeches already, it mattered little anyway, the fist was as motivated as it could be.
He didn't really know why they were so dedicated, perhaps it was because that they were lowlives scum and assholes, given a second shot at life within an ordered army unit, perhaps it was because they were making history? Their every action forming the history of Formaroth?
Or perhaps it was the money?
Whom was he fooling, it was the money. The massive grand pile of money that Patrik was gonna pay them. Claus laughed slightly, he almost thought his men were honorable there for a second.
-"What's so funny Steel head?" One of the troopers asked, to Claus happy surprise it was the same one as from spending the night in the royal dungeon in Nyhem.
-"I believed for a second we worked for something grander than money." Grinning broadly Claus answered.
-"Well, boss, i'd say we do it for the parties." The trooper smugly remarked, Claus licked his teeth without opening his mouth and then with a smirk answered.
-"You got me there, money means nothing without parties, drinks and WOMEN!!" Claus shouted the last part, and the troopers responded with a cheer. From somewhere a female voice cheered.
-"For me, wooo!!" Followed with a few snickers and chuckles, even Claus couldn't avoid joining in.
-"You never cease to amaze me how much filthy swine we are! Now let's send Andy packing so we can get to more important business!!!" Claus boomed out, followed by his troopers pumping their right fists towards the foe and going "Who ha!" Thrice in tandem.
With that Claus raised his war horn and blew as strongly and long as he could muster.
He didn't think it would mean much, but if at least one enemy remembered the sound of the horn of the steel head, just one enemy faltered for a moment in hesitation, it would be worth it.
And Claus was also a sucker for pretentious acts.

In moments Ashala boomed out.
-"All right, weapons ready! Give em hail!"
The order set into motion the almost mechanical motion of rolling fire so drilled into the crossbowmen of the fist that Claus at times thought they could do it while sleeping.
Arbalest bolts were flung with great accuracy, in volleys carefully planned so that half the men fired as the other reloaded, making an almost constant barrage of missiles strike the target instead of more seldom bursts. The men at the ram were being subjected to a murderous amount of fire and its movement was halted. With a crack, a tower mounted ballista released its payload followed by a few others. Launching poorly balanced iron rods into the bases of the siege towers, trying to spread out the damage as much as possible.
Something old Doroka Hawk had taught him back in the days, the rods are used against machines. Spreading out the damage. It was effective as well.
One rod smashing into the troops pushing one of the towers with enough force to topple everyone pushing at that side, dismembering bodies and sending a few arms flailing into the air. Their screams could even be heard up on the battlements.
Another rod smashed dead into a support beam of a tower, giving it a massive jolt which broke one of its wheels. Men began to quickly shield workers so they could repair the damage.
In the meantime, Telmarian archers worked as snipers trying to hamper the work of the enemy. One putting an arrow in the neck of a Manshrew soldier whom were giving orders. Clasping his throat, he fell and disappeared in the sea of soldiers moving in from behind. The men keeping behind shields at a long distance, but which they had miscalculated, within the range of the elite bowmen.

Soon, the Manshrew archers were within range and began their volley barrages, albeit not very effective, a few of the massive amount of arrows hit home. Often bouncing harmlessly of an armour or getting stuck in the shield on the back of a trooper winding his crossbow.
Still, a few took out the men of the fist. But it did not deter their motivation.
A horn in the besieging force was silenced mid-blow by a precise arrow, albeit putting out a murdering volley, the attackers obviously had numbers on their side.
As the ram was almost at the gate, a drum-roll was sounded by the attackers and with a momentous roar hundreds of soldiers charged the wall with storm-ladders, leaving spaces for where the siege towers would be.

It was here the battle would turn more grim, buckets of boiled water and sand was emptied as soldiers were climbing the ladders, others were ignored until a number of attackers were almost up, and with a heave of a few fists-men, the ladder was pushed back so far it either toppled over the opposite direction or fell sideways with men still clinging on.
Crashes, screams, sickening crunches and stabs flowed into each other forming the cacophony of war.
Claus moved to the gatehouse, from it a sickening stench was felt as a massive pot was heated to a boil. He had almost heaved the first time he'd smelled the like.
The contents of the latrines from the last few days, brought to a boil. A present for the foe.
Inside holes in the ground Claus could see the ram brought to the gate. Claus was delighted, albeit not visually since he'd joined his men in tying cloth around his lower face to try and keep some of the stench out.
But also that his enemy had not spotted his trap.
-"Drop the portcullis!" Claus boomed out, one of his troopers stood up, ran to the gate controls and kicked a latch which sent the chain roll to unleash at a deafening rate with an equally deafening sound.
The men at the gate had barely any time to react when the hoisted portcullis fell down with tremendous force, crushing and impaling those unfortunate ones whom were under its path, trapping the ram in the gate room.
From above the last thing those within heard was Claus booming out.
-"Pour!!!" Men poured the boiling feces down the holes unto the poor sods trapped beneath. The screams would add to Claus's future nightmares.
Not able to stand the stench, while also needing to be in another place, Claus left the gatehouse. The crackle of ballistas launching regular shots into the enemy ranks echoing above.
Luckily for Andrew, he had another, albeit unroofed ram to bring down the portcullis with, which was now being brought up

Despite the seemingly supernatural efforts of the defenders, the siege towers came into place, the first close to where Claus was positioned.
Their steady advance thanks to their commanders determinations.
Ashala had already formed four man groups to keep those now getting over the ladders at bay. Two pavises forming mini shield walls with two halberdiers supporting from behind. Ruthlessly cutting down those climbing the ladders before they were able to gain a foothold.
However, with the siege tower moments from dropping the drawbridge onto the battlements Claus sounded a horn call.
With skillful movement, most of the four man groups managed to reposition into a bigger group, forming a deadly shieldwall where the siege tower was to unleash its cargo while also forming up so that Manshrew forces couldn't just run at them from behind. Shieldwalls blocking their path.
With a creak and a thud, the drawbridge fell. In the distance Claus could hear Roogels bugle. After the thud though, the sound was exchanged for the battlecry of the charging Manshrew soldiers whom finally had managed to get atop the wall.
To their displeasure, Steel fist maces and halberd worked overtime, initially halting the charge altogether.

Claus saw his chance, he grabbed his sword in a halfswording stance and with a roar ran through his line, smashing into the Manshrew's, knocking them back. With what could be mistaken for maddened hacking and smashing, Claus skillfully forced the attackers momentarily back.
-"STEP!!!" Claus roared, and with a simultaneous shout the line behind him stepped forth unto the drawbridge and put up the line there.
A soldier ran at Claus whom managed to stab the parrying hook into his stomach while also getting the crossguard between his legs, giving enough leverage to lift the man using his momentum against him and fling him off the side of the drawbridge with a roar.
Panting, Claus stepped back into his line, which neatly let him through so he could rest a while in safety before beginning to use his sword as a spear.
There was no denying it, his trick did much in delaying the inevitable, but the push from the enemy forced the line backwards. Step by step, metre by metre.

After nearly an hour of battle, the battle line which Claus and his men held had been pushed back along the wall almost to the walls reinforced door leading to the keep. The Manshrew forces fighting in the streets as the castle defenders retreat towards the keep, step by slow step.

Claus gazed upon the now proper opposing battle-line upon the wall, sure it was rather tight up there but now the enemy had more numbers than him and could make use of it. This was bad.
His mind had slipped, a Manshrew trooper got in a good hit with his sword on Claus's helm, he fell down and was dazed, tired and helpless. The world seemed to move in slow motion.
The reinforced door was only a few yards behind him and from inside he heard how some of his men called for him, but he could barely move.
It was then he heard the terrible roar, not from a frenzied man, but a crazed woman. Still as terrifying, he saw a Steel fist lieutenant with long auburn hair charging in with another trooper at her side, it was around here he realized that it was Ashala.
He could do nothing but stretch his arm towards her and wish her to stop as she charged into the enemy formation with such force that the men in the front rank fell over. But it was to no avail for her scream ended abruptly mid-charge as a blade sent blood flying from her neck in a wide arc above the enemy formation, temporarily making Claus imagine what the rainbows in the realm of Hystix looked like.
She dropped her corseque and violently grabbed a pair Manshrew troopers while she toppled over the battlements with her foes. One moment she was there, the next... gone.
Claus felt he was being dragged away from the enemy, his troopers saving him from being swarmed by enemies, Ashala having sacrificed herself to save him. Or whatever other motivation she could have had.

As the door was closed, the loud bang of the Manshrew forces reaching it brought Claus back to the real world. The speed of the world was back to normal as he managed to stand up with some help.
After some thought he realized he was now actually inside the keep of Clarm. After asking around he figured out that the city had not held, now however the keep remained.
Which is where the true might of this fortification stands.

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