The rattle of gravel, the thump of larger chunks, and gusts of smoky, dusty heat. Bottle opened his eyes. Sebar husks, hairy and leathery, crowded his vision, his nose filling with the pungent overripe scent of sebar pulp. The fruit's juice was considered a delicacy – the reek was nauseating – he knew he'd never be able to drink the stuff again.
A groan from the rubbish somewhere to his left. 'Cuttle? That you?'
'The numb feeling's gone. Amazing what a shot of terror can do to a body.'
'You sure the leg's still there?'
'Reasonably.'
'You counted down to eight!'
'What?'
'You said eight! Then – boom!'
'Had to keep your hopes up, didn't I? Where in Hood's pit are we, anyway?'
Bottle began clawing his way free, amazed that he seemed uninjured – not even a scratch. 'Among the living, sapper.' His first view of the scene on the killing ground made no sense. Too much light – it had been dark, hadn't it? Then he saw soldiers amidst the rubble, some writhing in pain, others picking themselves up, covered in dust, coughing in the foul air.
The breach on Y'Ghatan's south wall ran a full third of its length, fifty paces in from the southwest bastion to well beyond the centre gate fortifications. Buildings had collapsed, whilst those that remained upright, flanking the raging flames of the gap, were themselves burning, although it seemed that most of that had come from the innumerable burners among the sapper-kits left behind. The fires danced on cracked stone as if seeking somewhere to go before the fuel vanished.
The light cast by the aftermath of the detonation was dimming, shrouded by descending dust. Cuttle appeared at his side, plucking scraps of rotted fruit from his armour. 'We can head into that gap soon – gods, when I track down Crump-'
'Get in line, Cuttle. Hey, I see Strings… and the squad…'
Horns sounded, soldiers scrambling to form up. Darkness was closing in once more, as the last of the fires dwindled in the breach. The rain of dust seemed unending as Fist Keneb moved to the rally position, his officers drawing round him and bellowing orders. He saw Tene Baralta and Captain Lostara Yil at the head of a narrow column that had already begun moving.
The sappers had messed up. That much was clear. And some of them had not made it back. Damned fools, and they weren't even under fire.
He saw the fires guttering out in the gap, although webs of flame clung stubbornly to the still-upright buildings to either side. '
First, second and third squads,' Keneb said to Captain Faradan Sort. '
The heavies lead the way into the breach.'
'The marines are already through, Fist.'
'I know, Captain, but I want backup close behind them if things get hairy. Get them moving.'
'Aye, Fist.'
Keneb glanced back to the higher ground on the other side of the road and saw a row of figures watching. The Adjunct, T'amber, Nil and Nether. Fist Blistig and Warleader Gall. Fist Temul was likely out with his horse-warriors, ranging round the city on the other sides.
There was always a chance Leoman would leave his followers to their grisly fate and attempt to escape on his own. Such things were not unknown.
'Sergeant Cord!'
The soldier strolled up. Keneb noted the sigil of the Ashok Regiment on the man's battered leather armour, but elected to ignore it. For now. 'Lead the mediums in, seventh through twelfth squads.'
'Aye, Fist, we're dogging the heavies' heels.'
'Good. This will be street and alley fighting, Sergeant, assuming the bastards don't surrender outright.'
'I'd be surprised if they did that, Fist.'
'Me too. Get going, Sergeant.'
Finally, some motion among the troops of his company. The waiting was over. The Fourteenth was heading into battle. Hood look away from us this night. Just look away.
Bottle and Cuttle rejoined their squad. Sergeant Strings carried his lobber crossbow, a cusser quarrel slotted and locked.
'There's a way through the flames,' Strings said, wiping sweat from his eyes, then spitting. 'Koryk and Tarr up front. Cuttle to the rear and keep a sharper in your hand. Behind the front two, me and Smiles.
You're a step behind us, Bottle.'
'You want more illusions, Sergeant?'
'No, I want your other stuff. Ride the rats and pigeons and bats and spiders and whatever in Hood's name else is in there. I need eyes you can look through into places we can't see.'
'Expecting a trap?' Bottle asked.