The assault formation charged at a hard canter across the open ground south of the earthwork.
The walls were still distant, but arrows were already falling. The defenders had the advantage of elevation, and they were using it exactly as trained. On flat ground, a rider could often judge an incoming arrow by its path. From above, the arrows came down almost vertically. By the time a man recognized the threat, the shot had usually already reached him.
Nasan rode on Gal's left, staring at the walls.
"Those bastards don't even need to aim from up there. Just loose and let it do the killing."
Gal kept his attention on the fire burning ahead. Dull orange flames showed through the pale dawn while smoke rose from the blackened section of palisade where the projectors had spent the previous day and much of the morning burning through the base posts.
The earthwork itself remained far away, and the assault was still accelerating.
