Prince of the Icemark Read Online Free PDF Page A

fires in disciplined units that were managing to keep the flames under control.
    Basilea Artemis raised her arm as the next wave ofVampires swept through the skies, ready to attack. She was beginning to recognise the screeches that were obviously battle orders, and as the cry rang out to begin the dive on the city, she chopped her hand down sharply.
    Immediately a wave of arrows leapt through the air and tore into the Vampires, their wooden shafts destroying the Undead existence of the monsters. Dozens fell like crumpled rags to crash into the ground, where their bodies broke apart.
    A bat that was bigger than the others wheeled across the sky, screeching out orders. The Basilea seized a bow and quickly shot an arrow. It struck home deep in the creature’s breast, and with a cry of agony it tumbled to the earth.
    “That’s one less commander to lead the attack,” she said with fierce satisfaction.
    A second wave of Vampire squadrons began to muster, circling above the city beyond range of the Hypolitan arrows. For several long minutes they quartered the skies, and then at last a great screech went up, rending the air with its power.
    “Here they come,” Basilea Artemis shouted to her people. “Stand ready!” This would be the crisis of the battle; either the Undead would be driven off or the city would finally fall.
    Rank after rank of the giant bats swooped down screaming on the city, their hideous voices raging over the night air.
    “Hold steady,” the Basilea ordered. “Wait until you can see their beautiful smiles.”
    A small ripple of nervous laughter answered as the Hypolitan warriors raised their bows and drew them ready to shoot.
    On and on came the dark ranks of the Vampires, the wind rattling through the leather of their wings and their voices echoing and re-echoing back from the city walls. Still theBasilea waited. “Hold your fire . . . Hold your fire . . . SHOOT!!!”
    Arrows erupted into the air in a deadly explosion and ripped into the giant bats. Hundreds fell screeching in pain, but still they came. The Hypolitan archers shot again and again, bringing down more and more, but there were just too many and soon the Vampire warriors had reached the walls.
    Now the Undead fighters transformed into their human shapes, stepping out of flight into the form of black-armoured soldiers, each armed with a viciously serrated sword and moving with the loathsome elegance of fey dancers.
    “The Hypolitan will repel invaders,” Artemis shouted, setting aside her bow and drawing a two-headed axe as she did so. All of her warriors followed her example, the women hefting similar axes to her own, while the men drew thick-bladed broadswords.
    The Basilea let out a huge war cry and led the charge that drove into the ranks of the Vampire soldiers. The struggle wavered backwards and forwards along the walls. The walk-ways were thick with blood as warriors on both sides were brought down in the deadly melee. Neither could gain the advantage until Basilea Artemis finally swung her axe around her head and struck at the lead Vampire. The blade drove deep into the body of the Undead officer, slicing through the junction of shoulder and neck and down through the chest, where it finally broke open the ribs to reveal the creature’s dead heart. Now Artemis leapt forward, a sharpened stake of wood in her hand, and she drove it deep into the putrid flesh of the Vampire’s heart.
    A great shriek of agony and terror rose into the moonlit air and immediately the Undead warriors began to fall back.Their battle-leader had been killed and there were no others of a high enough rank left alive to give orders.
    Soon the sky was black with the silhouettes of giant bats as the Vampires shape-shifted and began to fly away. Several were brought down by arrows as the Hypolitan made them pay as heavy a price as possible for attacking their city. But the attack was over and the city was safe . . . for now.
    The Vampire King and Queen watched