In the year 452 of the Third Eon, some 11 years after the capture of the Prince Galal, a Nalshbori host led by the fallen Star known as Mawish marched out of the great encampment at Gashund-i-Yalir and laid siege to the River Forts, which were then under the command of Sir Ralus, once governor of the Northern Province and now commander of the Legions of the Cheyth. The two forts on the eastern side of the river--Hural Yalir in the North and Galal-i-Yalir in the South, the latter being Sir Ralus's own headquarters--were besieged, but the Nalshbori were unable to take the two forts owing to the constant stream of supplies and reinforcements which came by boat and ferry from Cheykor and the two forts on the Western side of the river: Leil Yalir in the North, and Neil Yalir in the South. As the former commanded the passages of the river upstream of the Hiksuyara Kjarakam (the Isle of Pines), as long as it stood it would be impossible for the Nalshbori to win the passages of the river.
It was during this critical moment that the captain of Leil Yalir, one Landras by name, was--owing to a cunning ruse of the servants of Mawish--convinced that a local landholder was fomenting a rebellion, and meant to take advantage of the present difficulties to seize the town of Cheykor. Leaving only a few score men to garrison the fort, Captain Landras took the majority of his cohort and marched against the landholder. While he was away, a small force of some 300 Nalshbori crossed the river in low boats and took the fort by surprise. Captain Landras was preparing to encircle the homestead of the landholder when he heard rumor of the fall of Leil Yalir and rushed back, but by that time the Nalshbori were already firmly entrenched, with more reinforcements arriving soon.
Captain Landras at once attempted to retake the fort, but found his own defenses turned against him. Leil Yalir was difficult to take in siege, for it was only approachable on two sides, the other two commanding a view of the river. In particular, one tower running out from the wall at a secondary angle to flank the approach to the gate--known as the "Tower of the Star" owing to its five-pointed foundation--allowed the Nalshbori to keep up such a missile fire as to prevent Captain Landras's legionnaires from bringing their ram to bear upon the gate. Three times they tried to storm the gates, and three times they were repulsed with heavy losses. At last, when all seemed lost, Klorpeim--a legionnaire from the Royal Wood, who had suffered terribly under the torments of the Nalshbori until he was rescued a year earlier--seized a scaling ladder and, rallying a small squad of the scattered and confused legionnaires, rushed the Tower of the Star. Only a single archer, one Amsotha by name, provided supporting fire from the ground, until he fell pierced with arrows. Of the nine legionnaires who attempted to scale the tower, only Klorpeim and one other reached the top of the ladder. Then Klorpeim did a great deed of arms, the like of which has seldom been seen in these latter days, for he overthrew the archers of the tower until only four remained, though he was at last pulled down and slain by the rune-scored knives of the Nalshbori.
Enheartened by his example, the Amborian cohort stormed the Tower of the Star, and thence retook the walls and the gate of Leil Yalir. There was another hour of intense fighting, but in the end not a single Nalshbori was left alive within the fortress walls. Afterwards, this deed of arms was set in a country ballad which has since become popular among the Cheybori.
The Ballad of Klorpeim
The Nalshbori came to Leil Yalir
While the North wind coldly blew.
They surprised the tower's garrison
And all they found, they slew.
And the fires blazed on the Riverbank
While the ashes fell like snow--
For war had come to the Northern Lands
As it came once long ago.
Captain Landras hastened back
When he heard of Leil Yalir;
They felled a tree of linden-wood
And Landras breathed a prayer:
Evil would the tidings be
If they could not retake
The fortress by the Riverbank--
So Landras stormed the gate.
Once, then, twice, then once again
They brought the ram to bear.
And once, and twice, and once again
They fled from Leil Yalir--
For they withered under dart and stone
From the Tower of the Star
Where a score of archers harried them
With fell and poisoned darts.
"We must seize that tower there,
Or all our hope is lost.
And if we forfeit Leil Yalir
Then all the North will fall."
So Landras cried, but non would heed--
So heavy was their loss.
But there was one of mettle proud
Who heard his captain's call.
Klorpeim of the Sothbori
Was a warrior tall and fell.
He drew his sword and cried aloud:
"Now listen, hear me well!
No more than twenty archers stand
Between our weal or woe!
Now who will follow here I lead
Against our ancient foe?"
Seven warrios heard the call
And stood beside him then.
And Klorpeim seized a ladder long
And, shouting to his men,
He charged the tower, scaled its side,
While the arrows fell like rain;
And one by one the warriors fell,
Shot down behind Klorpeim.
A single archer heard, and stood
To answer Klorpeim's call,
And shot three arrows at the foe,
While Klorpeim scaled the wall.
Amsotha was that archer called,
Three times he shot, then fell.
But Klorpeim gained the battlement
In rent and pierced mail.
Then Klorpeim stood upon the wall--
Beside him one remained
To face a score of Nalshbori
Who drew their iron blades.
Their daggers flashed, but Klorpeim laughed,
And a mighty sword he raised
And slew two archers with one stroke
And the blood ran down like rain.
The blood was slick upon the walls
While all around him raged
The Nalshbori with ancient knives
And runes upon the blades.
But Klorpeim danced his deadly dance
And played his deadly game
And slew the archers on the wall
Till only four remained.
Then Klorpeim took a bloody wound--
A knife-blade pierced his neck.
And Klorpeim's lone companion too
Was struck, and fell down dead.
But not for naught did Klorpeim fall--
For others took his place
And scaled the wall, and took the tow'r,
And Leil Yalir was saved.
So praise the valor of Klorpeim
Who saved the River Forts.
And while the River Towers stand,
So stands the ancient North.
Now the fires blaze on the Riverbanks
While the ashes fall like snow--
For war has come to the Northern lands
As it came once long ago.
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