He went back inside, moving through the crowd without anyone paying attention. When he had first arrived people had thought him a saviour and looked at him with reverence. Now they understood the truth. That for all of his past accomplishments he was just flesh and blood like everyone else, and he could die just like them.

Balfruss glanced into a few of the rooms on the ground floor as he went past. Stacks of bandages, towels, blankets and crude medical equipment were piled up in every room. The priests were checking that everything was ready or sat praying with their eyes closed. Over the last few weeks he'd not learned a great deal about them but he knew them all to be caring people who sought only to protect and preserve life. They were also human and he suspected several were asking for courage to get them through the next few hours.

At the end of the hall he came face to face with Kai, just coming out of one of the rooms. The plague priest stopped and offered what was probably intended to be a friendly smile. "Hello there," he said. When Balfruss didn't reciprocate he glanced around and lowered his voice. "Something I can do for you, Sorcerer?"

"Can you stop what's about to happen? Can you save their lives?" said Balfruss, gesturing behind him.

Kai's grimace was almost human. "No. It's not permitted. We can't change the course of major events. If I saved everyone here the ripples of that decision would echo for a long time."

Balfruss wondered who had made the rule and who Kai was answerable to, but he didn't ask, afraid of what the answer might reveal.

"Then can you at least protect those in the lower levels? Can you stop any Forsaken getting to them?"

"I can do that," promised Kai. He gestured for Balfruss to follow him and they went down a set of stairs to the next level. All of the rooms along the corridor were deserted.

"Stay there," said Kai, before walking to the far end of the corridor. As he passed each doorway the shadows seemed to thicken, seeping across the floor like fog. The darkness crawled and clumped together until the ground was completely obscured. Next the shadows started to rise into the air with black tendrils and spread out, becoming denser by the second. By the time Kai reached the far end of the corridor Balfruss could barely see him. He blinked a few times and the fog became a wall of complete darkness.

Somewhere in the void a pair of red eyes appeared, glowing with an alien light. The two eyes became four, then eight, then more. A hundred eyes blinked in unison and he heard the rustling of something large brushing against the stone walls.

If any Forsaken made it this far they would soon regret it when they came face to face with what lurked in the dark. Backing away slowly, Balfruss retraced his steps and breathed a sigh of relief when he was back in the courtyard.

Despite their best efforts to appear brave, Balfruss could see that most people were afraid of what awaited them. The Forsaken were not just people from another country that sought to conquer and enslave them. They were something else entirely, alien and unnatural. Something that wanted to invade their minds and take over their bodies. The Forsaken would consume them and then continue using their bodies after death.

The thought of that, alone, was difficult for them to cope with. Balfruss thought it best they remain ignorant of what was lurking in the dark below.

Tammy finished organising the last squad and after double-checking that they knew what to do, sat down to rest and gather her thoughts. Kovac was standing with another group of local people, all of them determined to fight despite only one of them having ever held a weapon. They were all pale and scared. Everyone had been given hot food earlier in the day, but one good meal wasn't enough to build their strength. They were out of time. They just had to try and hope for the best.

Once Kovac had finished demonstrating a series of weapon moves to his squad he came across to sit down beside her. Neither of them had spoken about what had happened and while she didn't regret it, Tammy wasn't sure if she should say something. Kovac was equally taciturn and had treated her no differently than before, which she appreciated.

"Do you think anyone will survive?" he whispered, being careful that his voice didn't carry very far.

"It depends. All we can do is try."

Tammy suspected that the Forsaken had greater numbers than them, but when someone was turned it didn't make them into a warrior. They were more savage and driven, but the people in the winery had nowhere else to go and they knew what would happen if they were overrun. She also knew how hard people fought when they were defending their home and families.

All she knew for certain was that it would be brutal and bloody.

"Any regrets?" asked Kovac.

"A few, but not recent ones. What about you?" she asked.

"No, just old scores I wish I'd settled. I might not get the chance now."

A cry went up on the wall and all eyes turned towards a woman pointing and shouting. Her words were lost in the clamour that followed but Tammy didn't need to hear what she'd said.

She already knew. They all knew. The Forsaken were coming.

CHAPTER 42.

In the gloomy light provided by the two torches above the gate, Tammy stared down at the horde of Forsaken filling the street. Many were deep in the shadows but those at the front were not what she had been expecting.

Below the old church of the Maker she'd seen Forsaken whose skin was turning purple, but otherwise they'd looked human. Roake's words came back to her about the Embrace being temporary while the parasite grew to maturity. Every single person on the street had been remade into something alien and grotesque.

Their skin was the colour of a ripe plum marbled with veins of red and dark blue. Bony protrusions grew out of either side of a hairless dimpled skull that stretched backwards more than before. White eyes glared up at her from under a heavy bone ridge, and a wide jaw was filled with pointed teeth and a split black tongue. The darkness hid the worst details, as well as making it difficult for her to judge how many were out there.

Each of the Forsaken carried a bladed weapon, swords, axes and an array of pole-arms. They were not here to take prisoners and create more soldiers for their army. This was the first wave of an invasion that would destroy Voechenka and then spread to the rest of Shael like a plague.

The defenders on the wall blanched at the sight, several crying out in terror. A few started to pray, their courage wavering.

"It's time," said Tammy, nudging Balfruss.

The Sorcerer took a deep breath and closed his eyes to help him concentrate. Normally this would have been easy, but now it required a huge effort on his part. Tammy hoped he could manage it because right now they needed something to inspire the defenders and remind them that the Forsaken were mortal.

She began to worry, as nothing happened apart from sweat trickling down the sides of Balfruss's face. Then, with a loud detonation, the streets burst into light and the Forsaken howled in pain and surprise. They had used fear of what lurked in the darkness as another weapon that Tammy wanted to take away from them.

A series of barrels filled with distilled wine had been stashed in buildings around the winery during the day. With a little help from Balfruss they erupted, spitting blue and yellow flames into the air. The creatures recoiled and many covered their eyes or turned their faces away as if they were sensitive to the light. A ring of orange flames encircled the winery on all sides, illuminating everywhere.

Now it was time to show everyone that the Forsaken were mortal.

"Light them up!" shouted Tammy, and all along the wall people lit arrowheads that had been wrapped in wool and dipped in alcohol. "Fire!"

Two dozen arrows sailed through the air before slamming into the Forsaken, who screamed in pain and thrashed about, colliding with their neighbours. Those who were hit bled and died and they did not get back up again. It was important for everyone on the wall to know that despite the physical changes the Forsaken could still be killed.

"Fire at will!" Tammy bellowed, and all along the wall bow strings twanged as the creatures gathered for a charge. More fell with flaming arrows in their chests, some of them catching fire.

In the middle of the street several of the enemy appeared, holding a long battering ram. Tammy started to shout a warning, but Zannah and several others had already spotted the danger and had tossed flaming bottles at those carrying the ram. Four hit their targets, which were immediately engulfed in flames. Animal-like screams soared into the night as the creatures dropped the ram and lurched off into the dark. The ram lay forgotten in the street but it wasn't over yet. Several Forsaken carrying ladders ran towards them, and from the sounds of battle around her she knew other walls besides their own were under attack. This was only the beginning.

Prince studied the Forsaken as they ran towards the rear wall of the winery. They were unusual to look at, but no more peculiar than the Morrin who had horns or the Vorga who came from the ocean. Whatever their origin they could bleed and die like any other mortal. Their peculiar screams of pain from outside the front gate had proven that. Now he just needed to show the local people here. They needed to see it with their own eyes.

"Take out a few," he said, nudging Teela. "And laugh while you do it."

Teela raised an eyebrow but nodded as she drew back her bow and picked out a target. She'd come to trust him and was obviously interested in him, which he used to his advantage from time to time. She whooped in delight as one of her arrows went through an eye, punching one of the Forsaken off its feet. Teela took out another two targets, laughing all the while. The people of Shael took heart and their initial fear began to fade.

The Forsaken's unusual features were a blessing. On previous nights the people beside him had fought friends and relatives who had been taken and changed. Now none of them looked familiar. They were no longer people, but had become creatures. They were all made from the same mould and there was little to distinguish them.

One thing he noticed was that they were more organised than before and were almost moving in unison. A quick scan around showed him no obvious leaders who might be directing them, but there had to be someone.

As they came closer with their ladders, Prince drew his sword, but his eyes were still studying the enemy. Finally he spotted what he was looking for. Just beyond the fires he could see two figures watching the battle. He suspected they were directing this part of the attack.

"Teeva, do you see them?" he asked, knowing her eyesight was better than his. She squinted and tilted her head to one side in a manner he thought quite endearing, not that he'd tell her. She might take it as an expression of interest, which would make her sister jealous.

The ladders rattled against the wall and people beside him began lighting bottles and hurling them down at the Forsaken. Others fired their bows, and at this range it was impossible to miss. All around him was a whirlwind of activity but he remained perfectly still and calm.

"Two figures. One short, one tall," said Teeva.

"Can you hit them from here?" he asked, unsure if her bow would reach that distance. She squinted again, checked the wind against her finger and nodded.

Not far away in the street, flaming figures were running around like headless chickens, knocking ladders aside, but he ignored them.

"We need to take them both out at once."

"Then you'll need me for that," said Teela from his other side, resting a hand lightly on his arm.

He smiled at her. "I will need you both."

"Who are they?" asked Teeva, rolling her shoulders. She casually kicked a creature in the face as it reached the top of a ladder. On his other side Teela stabbed a Forsaken in the throat three times and threw it from the wall. Prince held his sword ready but didn't use it, even though the battle was raging around him.

"I think they're Generals, or whatever the equivalent is for them."

"Keep the Forsaken off my back," said Teela, moving to stand beside her sister.

"I bet you miss," said Teeva, nudging her sister's elbow.

"Do that again and I'll throw you off the wall," snarled Teela, but there was no heat to her words.

As a grinning creature climbed over the wall in front of him Prince was finally forced into action. With a weary sigh he assumed Climbing Ivy stance and from there made three elegant cuts. The Forsaken slid apart into pieces and he nimbly stepped aside to avoid the blood.

The sisters drew their bows and leaned backwards, making small adjustments until they were finally satisfied. Their two arrows flew high into the air, disappearing into the night sky. Prince was forced to kill two more Forsaken that wandered too close before he saw the arrows come down.

Just beyond the fire he heard two distant squawks of pain and both figures stumbled and then fell. One landed in the fire and its clothing burst into flames.

Almost immediately something went out of the creatures attacking them. They hesitated, looked at one another in confusion and their coordination fell apart. Several were cut down by people on the wall, who clubbed and hacked away at them. Prince gestured for the twins to go along the wall in one direction as he went in the other, clearing it of the enemy with short efficient strokes. The people around him began to cheer as the Forsaken fell before his onslaught, but his mind remained elsewhere, watching the rest of the fight and trying to calculate what they would try next.

When their section was clear he gestured for the defenders to start tipping away the ladders. They threw themselves into the task with glee, perhaps thinking the fight was over.

He knew they had a short reprieve at best. He needed to know if other parts of the wall were being directed in the same fashion.

Moments later the Forsaken gathered their wits and started to attack again. Almost immediately, Prince could see it was different from before. They were less organised and attacked as a mob again rather than as precise groups. This second weak attack was easily repelled and the remaining creatures withdrew in an almost sullen silence.

The others needed to know.

"I'll be back," he said to the twins, sheathing his sword and heading for the stairs.

Zannah watched as the tall mercenary moved from one section of the wall to the next. He spoke with several people each time and she picked out a few words in the din but little else. A moment later she was distracted by a trio of Forsaken that made it to the top of the wall.

A couple of local people battered the threesome with their swords, using them as if they were clubs. Their blows were ill-timed and did little more than dent armour and inflict superficial wounds. Nevertheless it kept the enemy distracted, allowing her to come up behind and hamstring two of them. They stumbled to their knees and slid off the wall into the winery courtyard, where those waiting in reserve made short work of them. Before the third Forsaken could attack, Zannah rammed her sword under its chin and up into its brain. It shook for a few seconds like a headless chicken and then died. She didn't know if cutting off their heads was necessary any more. They would worry about that later.

So far the Forsaken had been pushed back every time they managed to get a foothold on the wall, and the breach had been closed. But the people of Shael were not used to fighting and their stamina was already flagging. Unless something was done soon, they would be overrun.

She saw Prince coming up the steps but didn't turn towards him until he spoke.

"Someone is directing them. Giving them focus," said the mercenary. "There!" he said, pointing over the wall. Zannah followed his outstretched arm and saw a pair of figures standing at the rear of those attacking. "We took them out on our part of the wall and their coordination fell apart."

"I think I can hit one of them," said Alyssa. "I'll pick a few others, to make sure."

Normally six archers would be overkill for two targets but Zannah knew the odds were not good, given that they had so little experience. She and Prince kept the Forsaken away from the archers while they readied themselves and fired. Two arrows landed short, a third went long, but thankfully three hit the targets. The taller figure was hit in the torso and the shorter in the head and neck. As soon as the arrows reached their mark a wave of confusion passed through the creatures in front of her. They stumbled and stared around in shock.

"Press the advantage. Clear the wall," shouted Zannah, shoving people into action, lashing out with her sword, stabbing and slicing anything in her path. Other mercenaries saw the change in the enemy and urged their squads to take the initiative.

Slowly the tide began to turn and by the time the Forsaken had recovered their wits, it was too late. A ragged cheer went up around the base as the whole wall was suddenly clear of the enemy.

Wasting no time, Zannah urged that the injured be taken away and called up reserves waiting in the courtyard. They were fresh and eager to get into the fight. The Forsaken had been pushed back but it wasn't over yet.

CHAPTER 43.

Rudderless and without their war leaders, the Forsaken united behind Fennetaris. He stood among them, an outcast from his own people and from the living, marshalling them like soldiers in his army.

Once, long ago, he had been a decent officer, but his cruel and vicious streak had been his undoing. Brought up on charges several times he would eventually have been hung if they'd not been ordered home. The fact he had stayed behind showed that he'd not belonged among his own people, even back then.

Now, the Forsaken were relying on his old skills and survival instinct to help them win against a stubborn enemy. His eyes met Zannah's across the battlefield and Fennetaris grinned, showing his intent without saying a word. There would be no falling back this time, no reprieve and no mercy. He intended to kill them all. Every man, woman and child.

There was a brief lull and then the creatures started to spread out around the base on all sides. A silent signal was given and in unison they charged at the winery, howling and screaming with inhuman voices, their white eyes reflecting the light from the fires.

Balfruss cursed and kicked out at the creature in front of him. He missed its knee but caught it on the thigh, making it stumble back hissing in pain. As it started to raise its sword he brought his axe down with both hands, swinging from the hips. The blade bit deep into the Forsaken's skull, cracking it open like an egg and spraying grey brains everywhere. He shoved it aside and buried his axe in the back of another, right between the shoulder blades. The two men it had been harrying stabbed the Forsaken and then hurled it aside, grinning with savage glee. Their moment of triumph quickly faded as two more creatures replaced the first.

Soon after, Balfruss saw one of the men die, falling from the wall with a dagger in his belly. He was too far away to help and snarled in frustration at the creature in front of him.

With plenty of room to swing, Balfruss spread his feet wide to keep his balance, and sliced at the enemy. His first swing cut a Forsaken across the chest, his second took the arm from another and his third nearly decapitated yet another. Advancing slowly and with grim determination he drove the enemy back, offering them no chances to get close.

Elsewhere the defenders were not faring as well. He saw countless people cut down as they feebly attacked, their energy and bravery gone, replaced only with weariness and desperation. The mercenaries were doing their best to keep them in some kind of formation, but weren't having much success. Lack of skill and discipline, as well as inferior numbers, was starting to tell, as the people of Shael were gradually being driven back.

Whenever the Forsaken got a foothold on the wall people raced to fill it, led by Tammy, Zannah or one of the mercenaries. Their skill and courage saved many lives but they were not without their limits. He didn't know how long they had been fighting but everyone was starting to show signs of fatigue except for Zannah. She was as fast and ruthless as when the Forsaken had first appeared, which he guessed meant she was borrowing years from her future. The Morrin could not expect to fight a war by herself and win.

Every time Balfruss had tried using his magic a nauseous feeling swept through him, followed by a cold sweat and a desperate urge to leave the city. Wielding any power from the Source was infinitely more difficult than before and holding on to it for long had proven agonising. Lighting the barrels earlier should have been easy, but it had almost rendered him unconscious.

All magic, both the subtle and the overt that had earned him the titles of Battlemage and Sorcerer, was beyond his reach. For now he was just another warrior. Someone other than him would have to be the deciding factor in this battle.

Whatever the catalyst might be, it had to happen soon or else they would be overrun and have to fall back to the main building. Then it would be a slow retreat until they were cornered in the deep caves. At that point it would be over very quickly.

Balfruss prayed to Elwei for a miracle but his wish was not answered. At least not in a way he would ever have wanted.

Zannah knew they were losing. She watched in dismay as people she'd fought to protect for months started dying around her. The Forsaken were too strong, too fast and more determined in their purpose than they were. This time the invaders were not looking to capture anyone and were intent only on murder. No blunt weapons were used. No prisoners taken and no mercy was shown.