The mercenaries at the rear of the crowd shoved the crossbowmen forward before the charge began. They needed to soften their target first.
The bolts came one after another. Col tracked each shot as it arrived.
The first struck the timber frame of the gate, throwing off sparks before dropping harmlessly into the dirt.
The second hit the stone beside the passage entrance and skipped away.
The third passed clean through and struck the valley road beyond the gate. Even through the noise of the fight, he heard it bounce and tumble.
The fourth found a target.
It struck a soldier on the left side of the passage across the calf. The bolt punched through muscle and buried itself deep enough to matter. Blood splashed down his boot immediately. The soldier stumbled back behind the timber, dragging the wounded leg and leaving a smear of red on the stone.
One man removed from the line.
More arrows missed, then the crossbowmen bent over their weapons and started reloading.
