The Fall of Dorkhun by D. A. Adams Read Free Book Online Page A

moving to the front door with the baby on her left shoulder and the oldest clutching her right hand.
    “Daddy, come with us,” the oldest said, trying to pull away.
    Leinjar stared at his sons, wishing with all his heart that he could go with them to the shelter and play their nightly games, riding them on his shoulders and letting them jump on his belly.
    “Daddy has to keep us safe,” Lorshia said to the toddler.
    “I love you, son. Daddy’ll be there soon.”
    “Be careful,” Lorshia said to him.
    “They’ll regret coming to this gate. Now, please, get going.”
    She made a game of having the oldest open the front door, and a heartbeat later, the three of them were gone. As he adjusted his chest plate, Leinjar glared at the closed door and fought against the scream building in his stomach. He grabbed his halberd from its rack in the hallway and hustled after them. Instead of turning right towards the shelter, he turned left towards the barracks.
    The streets were full of dwarves, an odd sight for this time of night, and the sounds of chaos were overwhelming: mother’s calling children; babies crying; elderly singing old battle songs; soldiers shouting orders. Leinjar blocked out the din and focused on pushing through the crowd to reach his station. As he made his way, some dwarves begged him for protection, others wished him luck, while others asked to join the fight. He ignored them all, going through his objectives in his mind.
    The captain had gone to a military meeting in the capital and wouldn’t return for at least another week, so Leinjar was the highest ranking soldier on duty. As such, he had to lead these dwarves, most of whom had never fought in a serious battle, and keep them centered on their duty. First, he had to make a quick roll call, followed by a status report from the sentry who sounded the alarm. Then, he needed to station the archers and check their equipment. After the archers, he had to align the infantry and also check their weapons. Finally, he had to keep them at the gate for as long as possible regardless of the force they faced. They had been rehearsing for three days, but from past battles, he knew that sometimes when metal clashed, nerves undid even the best of training. He had to stay focused.
    At the barracks, soldiers moved in every direction, grabbing weapons, adjusting armor, fetching water, and settling into formation. He barked for them to get ready for roll call, his voice booming over the cacophony, and in a matter of seconds, their motions resembled order. He moved to his stand at the front and grabbed his duty roster from the shelf. He boomed again for them to line up, and the stragglers rushed into position. Quickly, he called off the names, and all fifty-three were accounted for. Then, with the group assembled, he called the sentry to report. The young dwarf approached the stand.
    “They’re at the base of the hill, not more than half a mile,” the sentry said, leaning close, his eyes wild with fear.
    “How many?”
    “A thousand,” the sentry whispered. “Maybe more.”
    Leinjar looked at the dwarf, wondering about the validity of his estimate. A force that large hadn’t pushed this far north in a hundred years. After reading the sentry’s face, he realized that, if anything, the young Tredjard was underestimating the number.
    “I need two runners,” Leinjar called to the unit. “The two fastest, now!”
    Two dwarves rushed to his stand and saluted.
    “You, go to the shelter and tell everyone there to flee to Torjhien. Tell them not to delay, and escort them yourself. No loafing.”
    “Yes, sir.”
    “My family is there so move your backside. Go!”
    The dwarf saluted and sprinted away in the direction of the shelter, and Leinjar watched him leave before turning to the other.
    “You, go to Stoljehn. Tell them to send every unit to this gate. Tell them we’ll hold as long as we can.”
    The dwarf also saluted and sprinted away. The remaining soldiers