Contents
Chapter 40
Overview
Goblins collapse Goltay’s eastern walls and seize key bridges, splitting Ispanth’s army. Nouva’s corvid lanza fights through crossbow lines and ghalls to retake the Bridge of Promises, enabling trapped soldiers to cross. Poleaxe knights secure the span as the lanza withdraws with casualties. Galva encounters Hanz, confirming the king’s death and hinting the queen may live.
Summary
Galva is posted west of the Arve as goblins surge from the Vault of Mysteries, collapse Goltay’s eastern walls, and seize bridges, trapping much of the Ispanthian army. Royal archers and chainsmen carve a corridor through panicked civilians from Highseat to the Bridge of Promises amid brutal crowd clearing and fires.
A quarut-general orders Nouva’s corvid lanza to retake the Bridge of Promises to free trapped soldiers. Advancing through smoke and corpses under heavy goblin crossbow fire, Galva nearly panics but steels herself. The corvids screamstrike the front ranks, disrupting reloads and scattering many goblins, letting the lanza push onto the bridge.
On the span, the lanza meets armored ghalls. After initial losses, Gannet shows the killing tactic: leaping to stove in pot helms or pierce the neck gap. Dead ghalls clog the bridge; drug-fueled strain fells more, and the remaining ghalls and goblins break. Olicat is struck by a poisoned quarrel and collapses as the enemy tries to regroup.
Ispanthian poleaxe knights arrive and secure the crossing while fighters from the east link up. Nouva orders a withdrawal; Inocenta helps carry Olicat while her bird Boxer follows. During the return, Galva discovers Hanz, King Luvain’s fool, disguised as a goblin. He refuses escort, confirms the king is dead, and suggests the queen may still live, offering Galva a spark of hope before they part.
Who Appears
- GalvaNarrator; fights through panic to help retake the Bridge of Promises; encounters Hanz.
- Nouva (Lanzamachur Monçera)Corvid lanza commander; holds formation, leads assault, then orders withdrawal.
- DalgathaGalva’s corvid; helps kill ghalls by striking helm and neck gaps.
- Quarut-generalDelivers orders sending the corvid lanza to retake the Bridge of Promises.
- OlicatCorvid dam who smiles after victory, then collapses from a poisoned goblin quarrel.
- InocentaLanza member; helps carry Olicat during the withdrawal.
- GannetNouva’s corvid; demonstrates the tactic that kills ghalls by crushing helms.
- BoxerOlicat’s distressed corvid; refuses to leave her side.
- The PragmatistStrategist who prioritizes reopening the bridge; sends poleaxe knights to hold it.
- HanzKing Luvain’s fool; disguised as a goblin; confirms the king’s death, queen uncertain.