Analyze
"How?" asked Hunaruan.
"I'll go," replied Jonren. "I'll go and get it."
"No!" cried Hunaruan. "They'll kill you."
"No, they won't," said Jonren, pulling a red wig out of his bag.
"Well, go then," said Hunaruan. "Soldiers, take the water out of those carriers."
Jonren motioned to his two friends, who followed him, and they disappeared into the darkness.
Meanwhile, down on the lower levels, Nethstel struggled to stand up. Blood streamed from his head, and he stumbled against the wall. He coughed and slowly walked along the wall, surrounded by darkness. He was moving away from the bridge.
"There's no hope," he thought. "Only the Magnas can save us."
He fell to the ground with his face on the ground and then arose and fell again.
"There's no hope," he thought before losing consciousness.
Jonren and his two friends ran down the steps and opened a small door with a small ramp. Jonren slid down to the bottom, followed closely by his friends.
"Come," said Jonren, pulling out the red wig from his bag and putting it on.
His friends did the same and followed him slowly.
A group of guards surrounded water wagons, discussing the fate of the city while laughing and cheering. Jonren and his friends approached the wagons, and Jonren climbed into one. His two friends began reconnecting the horses to the wagon. A redhead with a surprised look on his face stabbed one of Jonren's men. Full of anger, Jonren threw a flaming ball at the soldiers, killing them. Jonren pulled his wounded friend into the wagon, and the other jumped in. They rode the wagon up the short, bumpy path to the ramp. They got off the wagon and pulled it up as they led the horses. A few soldiers helped carry the water buckets up the stairs, and they poured them into the carriers.
"Put the carriers on the catapults," cried Hunaruan as he ran up the stairs with a bloody sword in hand.
The soldiers obeyed, and they fired the catapults. The carriers broke, spilling water and putting out much of the fire. Water splashed on the city below, and Pumperin opened his eyes, coughing. He arose slowly and began to walk up the stairway, which was now open due to the redheads moving the rocks. Pumperin slowly made his way up the stairs as Hunaruan ran down.
"Pumperin!" he cried. "You're alive! I shall help you."
He grabbed Pumperin's arm and put it around him as they began to walk up the stairs together. Hunaruan looked down at the death and chaos below.
"Where is Nethstel?" he asked. "Have you seen him?"
"Last I saw him, he was fighting Redworn in my place," replied Pumperin.
"You're lucky you're not dead," said Hunaruan. "Redworn might have killed you."
Pumperin collapsed as they reached the top floor he groaned and closed his eyes.
"Where is Benbur?" asked Hunaruan.
"I am here," said Benbur, who had stood up from healing Jonren's friend.
He walked up to Pumperin, sat down, and pulled the arrow out. He mumbled some sad tunes and then healed Pumperin's back, and the wound closed up.
Pumperin arose and looked around.
"I hope I wasn't healed just to die for sure," he said as he looked down the stairway. "Redworn and his men are coming."
Hunaruan looked around at the destruction. Only three rocks remained full of flame, but they could not fire them. Redworn had surrounded them with his men, and the catapults could not fire at such a short range. The remaining soldiers all gathered around the catapults - archers behind, infantry in front. They made a small circle in the small battlements.
"Fire!" cried Hunaruan.
The arrows flew through the air, knocking down many redheads. The redheads charged forward, crying aloud. They crashed into the lines of the Rowbins, and soldiers fell on both sides. Hunaruan charged forward, crying "For Rowbin!"
He cut down a redhead and kept charging. Swords clashed on both sides, arrows flew back and forth, but the Rowbins were falling fast.
Hunaruan ran into the enemy lines, slashing and stabbing. The soldiers followed him, fighting for their lives and their leader's life.
Pumperin ran closely behind Hunaruan, his bow in hand, firing at the redheads. He killed one after the other, and they fell off the walls and down into small fires that were still lit. The fires consumed them, one after another, and the city below began to relight.
Redworn approached their lines and began to slash soldier after soldier down, piercing their armor. His axe was full of blood, and he laughed as he smashed heads and cut legs. Jonren ran forward, a spear in his hand. He threw it at Redworn, who blocked it with his heavy axe. Redworn charged at Jonren, who shot a long stream of fire at Redworn. Redworn, full of fury, swung his axe at Jonren, who jumped back. Jonren sent another long line of flame. Redworn swung his axe, and with such a swift swing, he knocked Jonren's legs off. Jonren fell to the ground, crying out in pain and began to back down. Redworn laughed and struck Jonren on the face with the flat end of his axe, knocking Jonren off the battlements and down into the fire below.
Redworn laughed as he swung his axe, his face burnt and black from the fires of the battle. He cut down more soldiers, his weapon dripping with blood. He picked up rocks and knocked soldiers with them, creating a bloody pile that he placed in a giant carrier. He and his redheaded comrades then threw the carrier down the stairs, crushing any soldiers in its path. Redworn then approached the great catapults.
"Fire the catapults!" he cried. "Kill everyone!"
As he ran down the stairs, a large figure suddenly appeared and knocked Redworn back with a great hammer. The figure approached him and stuck an iron foot in his gut. The soldiers cheered.
"Gribber Steeltoe!" they cried. "He has come to save us!"
Gribber swung his hammer, striking down lines of redheads and smashing their heads with his steel-toed boots. Their morale faltered and they began to retreat down the stairs towards Frumer, who blocked their path. He wrapped them in vines and threw them down.
"We have lost!" the redheads cried. "Run, run!"
But Rendorn Redhead wouldn't give up. "We still outnumber them," he shouted. "Let's kill them all!"
The redheads cheered and charged forward, fighting fiercely.
"Hunaruan!" cried Gribber. "Where are you?"
Hunaruan looked around and ran towards Gribber. "Yes!" he cried.
"Go down and leave the city," said Gribber. "Leave the redheads to me."
"I will not run from battle," said Hunaruan.
"You are not running," said Gribber. "If you remain, you will die when I destroy the city."
"Very well," said Hunaruan. "Soldiers, follow me."
The remaining soldiers followed Hunaruan down the ramp and out to the field. Gribber swung his hammer and destroyed the three catapults one by one, then ran down the stairs and the ramp, out to the open field. They all watched as the last three great rocks flew through the air and knocked down the battlements, causing the city to collapse and crush all the remaining redheads. The ruined city was now nothing but a pile of rocks and burning wood.
"We have won, but at a great cost," said Benbur.
"True," said Hunaruan. "Many men lost their lives fighting for our kingdom."
"Yes," said Gribber. "But now I can return home."
"But we still need you," said Lanceren. "We must retake our city from the goblins."
"It will be my pleasure to smash those scumbags," said Gribber.
"We must return to Lafniap," said Hunaruan. "But where is Nethstel?"
"He fell in battle," said Pumperin. "He's dead."
"What?" cried Hunaruan. "Fallen, how?"
"He has not fallen," said Frumer. "Here he is."
Frumer walked forward carrying Nethstel on his back. He put him down and called for Benbur.
"Benbur," he cried. "Come and heal him."
Benbur walked up and, with his Gumental power, healed him. Nethstel coughed and arose, then he drew his sword.
"Where are the redheads?" he said as he looked around. "Have we won?"
"Yes, we have won," said Hunaruan. "Thanks to Gribber Steeltoe. If it were not for him, we would have lost."
"Hey," said Lanceren. "What about me? I went out there and helped him."
Gribber looked at him and smiled.
"So, you still haven't learned," said Gribber. "After all that time, you still haven't learned."
"I've learned some," said Lanceren. "I've learned that I'm strong, but you're stronger."
"If you're stronger than anything, it might be an ant," said Gribber.
"Okay, we've already gone over this," said Frumer.
"Yeah, where's my brother?" asked Lanceren. "WHERE IS HE?"
"He fell," said Pumperin.
"Oh, you are the ultimate death man. You know everyone who's died, EVEN MY BROTHER," said Lanceren.
"Redworn killed your brother. I would have saved him, but I could not," said Pumperin.
"Who is your brother?" asked Nethstel.
"Jonren. He is my brother," said Lanceren. "He must be in there. I'm going to get him."
"Your brother fell," said Hunaruan. "He fell into the fire. But now is not the time to mourn. Now we must return home."
"Our home has been taken," said Nethstel.
"Yes," said Hunaruan. "But we will retake it. Lanceren, if you wish to search for your brother, go on. But do not remain too long, for we will return to Lafniap."
"I might as well die," said Lanceren as he ran back towards the ruins.
"Come," said Hunaruan to the rest of the group. "This war is not yet over."