The quiet march to the gate was interrupted when one soldier tripped and raised the attention of one of the fortress's patrols. Immediately Virgo ordered the charge, she hoped they could break through the gate before the cannons were fired at them. The troops drew their weapons and shouted all at once as they began running.
"Daryl!" Virgo shouted from the head of the charge. "Bring that gate down now!"
Daryl ran as fast as he could, and soon broke ahead of the charge. A few arrows flew past him as the patrols became aware of the invasion.
Nearing the gate, he exerted himself even further and jumped several feet into the air. As he rose into the air he reached over his shoulder to grip his massive war hammer, Granidor. He held it high over his head for a long moment as he floated at the apex of his jump, almost appearing to defy gravity.
"Upheaval!!" He shouted as he plummetted back toward the earth. He plunged the head of Granidor deep into the ground, releasing a schockwave in the direction of the fortress gate. The shockwave rushed underground, raising jagged stones and soil in its path. The shockwave passed through the gate and reach halfway across the courtyard before dissipating. The huge sharp rocks that were ejected by the force shredded the heavy wooden gate. Within seconds, the jagged rocks fell back down where they came, leaving only a scar on the earth and the shredded timber from the gate covering the ground.
Daryl stood where he landed, with his hammer buried in the ground for as long as he could to catch his breath. But before he could even fully inhale once, Virgo dashed past him. He shot his half breath back out, pulled his weapon out of the soil and continued the charge.
Virgo was the first one through the gate, she was met by a few confused soldiers. With a loud yell, the first soldier was impaled by her sword, Aria. Before she could make a move on the next victim, several Mynden archers burst through the gate, followed immediately by Daryl.
The confusion on the Doman soldiers quickly faded as they rushed to defend themselves and alert the other tower. After making short work of another few soldiers, Virgo caught a glimpse of someone moving with a torch toward a huge metal urn in the north of the courtyard. She quickly deduced that the urn must be some sort of furnace to use for signaling the other tower.
"Over there!" Virgo shouted at the archer, while pointing at the urn. She noticed her voice coming out somewhat muffled. Aria's effect was already starting.
Meanwhile, Daryl had rushed immediately through the courtyard, plowing through the little resistance with ease. He made his way toward the arched opening of the tower. Before he could make his way in, however, armed soldiers started pouring out of the tower and surrounding him. He just grinned and tightened his grip on Granidor. He charged at the men trying to surround him, deflecting their weapons as he advanced. Taking large arcing swing of his hammer, Daryl smashed through two, three, even four men at a time. Most could not stand against the force of the impact. Some were fotunate enough to suffer broken legs, others happened to be nearby while he took higher swings. Granidor smashed through weapon, shield, and armor as if they were nothing more than a thin sheet of paper.