Looks good

"I don't think they are expecting anyone this deep in the city yet." The sharp-eyed scout says, "You were right - by the way - not to stay on the boulevard, there are several barricades set up in **** points and most of the reinforcements are headed to those improvised defenses." What a joke, this fallen city was not going to stop the United Armies with piles of furniture and groups of poorly armed untrained civilians, all that those barricades would accomplish is piss off the soldiers eager to plunder the city. You turn your attention back to Petros as he gives you the directions.

"We need to stick to this street past three more estates and then turn left onto a bigger street that will lead us right to the tower." Unlike the narrow alleys in the first part of the trip, these streets are easy to negotiate. As you lead your men past the three walled estates you wonder if the riches inside these are even more tempting than what you have already. Each mansion has secured their gates and you can see armed men patrolling the walls of some of them. The guards are surprised by your squad's sudden appearance and seem relived that you pay no attention to their estates.

Turning left you see the massive South Tower straight ahead. At forty paces high it is the tallest tower in this quarter of the city. The turrets jutting from the corners provide archers with clear shots all around the base of the tower and you can see boulders stacked on the walls high above the main doors that would crush any man they hit. The tower's heavy iron doors are locked shut.

"This had better work" you tell your men as you pull a heavy brass tube from your bag. "If the doors don't go down, don't hang around, get back to the mansion and hold up there." All around you see the men nodding grimly - attacking the tower with only eight men was insane - which was why this plan might actually work.

Taking off your distinctive shield and helm and handing them to your sergeant, you step into the street and start walking confidently towards the door. You imagine a dozen crossbows trained at your chest as you try to walk calmly. Overhead you hear the 'skraawk' of a drake and you see several Riders circling lower towards the tower. You are unsure if they are trying to draw attention away from you and your men, if they are eager to be the first through the wires when they fall or if it just a coincidence. Hopefully all the attention in the tower will be focused on them as you make your way up the 10 steps leading to the door.

The tube sticks to the center of the door with a 'click' and you recite the five syllables that the mages had you practice over and over again until you could repeat it in your sleep. Moving quickly down the steps and around the corner of the tower you wait for 12 heartbeats. From above you hear yelling as the men guarding the tower slowly start to realize that something is not right.

The blast of fire, smoke and noise shocks you even though you knew what to expect. One of the massive iron doors bounces into sight as the whole tower shudders. Your vision is nearly completely obscured by the thick black smoke that billows out and up from the gap where the doors once stood, and there is a loud ringing in your ears but you can just hear the cries of your men as they charge towards the tower steps.

The smoke makes it hard to breath, but you figure the defenders inside must be suffering even more than you.