Jaanda stared into the manas eyes, as though he were trying to sift the truth out. aTwo warriors, two rangers a a healer a and a paladin.a The dark elf turned back to Cyrus. aI had to pull that out of his memories; he didnat know what they were by name, but heas seen what they can do.a aShould be simple if we can get the healer first,a Terian said, lingering behind Martaina. aHe goes down and the paladin is vulnerable. Wiping out the rest of their army will be as easy as making a new recruit cry if we can sift out those two bastards first.a aI donat think we should discount the effectiveness of their trap,a Odellan said. aThey can pincer us, surrounding our forces as we emerge from the woods, making our numbers count for nearly nothing.a He looked to Cyrus. aI believe youare somewhat familiar with the technique.a aIave always called it a choke point,a Cyrus said. aLike when we employed it on the bridge in Termina, youare grabbing your enemy around the throat and slowing the flow of blooda"their troops, in this casea"until they falter.a aAnd falter we may,a Odellan said, aunless we can break through their ambush.a aCould be tough in the rain,a Longwell conceded. aPoor maneuverability, the numbers against us, our visibility cut to nothing and weare fighting on unfamiliar terrain. Perhaps we should wait until morning.a aI think not,a Cyrus said, a grin on his face. aBy then, theyall be up and waiting for us.a Jaanda raised an eyebrow at him. aPerhaps you didnat hear me when I told you what I learned from this scoutas minda"they are already waiting for us, and the minute we appear from the forest, theyall spring on us from three sides.a aI heard you,a Cyrus said. aWhich is why theyall be totally caught by surprise when our army marches into their rear flank at dawn.a There was silence save for the rain, which showed no sign of tapering, large droplets of water hammering down in the puddles all around them. aAll right, General,a Terian said, sarcasm dripping over Cyrusas title, ahow do you propose to maneuver 2,000 dragoons, 5,000 footmen, 1,000 of our soldiers and fifty of our horsed veterans in a long, wide arc through the muddy woods so that we can flank them? Oh, and do it all in the next a what, four hours? Five? Before dawn.a Cyrus didnat answer them, even though every last one of them was watching him. He only smiled.

Chapter 18.

The sunas first rays had scarcely begun to show over the horizon and Cyrus was still riding. He could feel the fatigue edging on him. A river lay to his left, burbling against its bank, snaking out of sight. Less than a mile ahead was a bridge: large, made of stones stacked one on top of the other, grouted together to hold against all manner of traffic that would cross it. The river was not particularly wide or particularly deep but enough so to make traversing it wickedly difficult, even if the water hadnat been as high as it was.

aIt is called the Fennterin River,a Longwell said, his voice a low whisper. aThe bridge ahead is called Harrowas Crossing. The Fennterin overruns its banks every spring, likely in a few weeks as the water seeps down from the highlands when the rains come. They built the bridge to aid travelers going to the northern towns, to help keep the trade routes open to Vernadam and southern Galbadien in times of flood.a Cyrus stared at the bridge in the distance and saw figures over the small ridge of stones that railed either side of it. aYouare sure that the walls are only a few feet high?a aAbsolutely,a Longwell said. aIave been on it countless times; itas low enough that an upset horse could easily jump over.a aGood.a Cyrus peered ahead. aMartaina, what does it look like to you?a The elf was to his left, and her eyes were trained on the bridge. aMen on horseback, some others dismounted, with bows.a She turned to him and smiled. aI think that scout Jaanda pulled the information out of had the right of it; it looks as though theyave placed their entire cavalry and all their bowmen on the bridge to protect their retreat.a aLeaving a nice wide swath of open fields between them and their exit route,a Terian said, his destrier carrying him along with them. aImagine their surprise when they see an army at their backs and their retreat cut off.a aLetas keep it low,a Cyrus said, dropping his voice. aWe still need the element of surprise.a He heard the soft release of an arrow to his left and turned to see Martaina, bow in hand. She shrugged and he followed her sightline to see a body up the incline of the riverbank, rolling down, lifeless, an arrow protruding from the face. aGood shot.a The riverbank sloped at a steep angle, obscuring their view of the fields and the flat ground above them. They had taken a long, circuitous route that Martaina had found for them through the woods, traversing rocky paths and uneven ground, taking care to eliminate the enemyas scouts and even one small line of pickets when they reached the edge of the forest. They had crossed from the woodas edge to the incline down by the river several miles west of where the Sylorean army waited in ambush. It had taken all night. But it will be worth it, if we can pull this off.

Every twig snap seemed to carry with it extra danger, and the long nightas journey had taken its toll. Cyrus looked around at the ragtag officers on horseback: Terianas dark eyes darted back and forth, keeping careful watch for anything around them. Curatio looked relatively intact, but Cyrus caught a glimpse of the healer rubbing his face, as though he were trying to brush off the desire to sleep. Past him was the wizard, Mendicant, the goblinas green scales and facial ridges barely visible in the dawnas early light.

The bridge drew ever closer, and Cyrus beckoned for others to join him at the fore; Nyad, Ryin, Mendicant, and Jaanda came forward, along with a few other spellcasters. The voices on the raised bridge were hushed, but occasional laughter came from the horsed cavalry.

Cyrus held up his hand, bringing them all to a stop a hundred feet from the bridge, partially obscured. aRemember,a he whispered so that the spellcasters could hear him. aI want chaos. Fire. Lightning is acceptable, but only if it produces a hell of a thunderclap. Chaos is the word of the day, ladies, gentlemen, and goblin, so letas spread the word to the Sylorean army.a Nods greeted him as the spellcasters turned their attention to the bridge. aLetas give aem a sunrise theyall remember,a Cyrus whispered.

aTheir last?a Terian shrugged when Cyrus turned to look at him questioningly. aWell, it is.a aJaanda,a Cyrus said, aare you ready to do your part?a aI am ever ready to do my part,a the enchanter said, aand, if needs be, the part of ten thousand others as well.a aNeeds be,a Cyrus said. aGet to it.a Cyrus waited, counting the seconds as they passed, the cool air coming off the river slipping through the joints of his armor, chilling him. He ran his hand over his helm, straightening it. Damned hair, he thought, shifting it back under his helm. At least the beard will be gone soon. He felt a stir of something within and smiled.

The first blast of flame exploded on the bridge only a moment later, a blast ten feet wide and ten feet tall, at the railing opposite them. Screams tore through the early morning silence, breaking it as another burst of fire landed on the bridge a moment later and shouts overcame the pre-dawn calm, dissolving it into the chaos Cyrus had sought. Three men tumbled over the side of the bridge in the first few seconds, along with their horses.

Cyrus heard a soft moan from Martaina. When he looked over at her, she wore a frown. aCouldnat we have found a way to rout them without hurting the horses?a aSorry,a Cyrus said with a shake of the head. aIave got no love of harming animals, but we need to throw their rearguard into utter disarray.a Another dozen or more horses vaulted off the side of the bridge, flames covering their riders, wreathing the end of the bridge in a way that reminded Cyrus of another bridge, only months earlier, and a wizard who had sacrificed years from her life to bring twice as much fire as his whole corps of spellcasters were delivering nowa"and not nearly so sustained as what Chirenya had created.

Cyrus could feel the heat, as though a furnace door had opened in front of him. He could see bodies tumbling off as the men and horses sought to escape the fiery doom that awaited any who remained on the bridge. They fell, dropping off the side onto the rocks in the shallows below. Most remained unmoving, but a few still moaned or cried out. Cyrus saw one man trapped under a whinnying horse that could not stand, though it kept trying, and he cringed. aMartaina,a he said. aFor the godsa sakes, give them some mercy.a He heard the arrows begin to fly only a moment later, and he turned away from the destruction he had ordered as the last of the inferno faded away. The bridge was silent, but the ground and water below was a mass of moaning and whinnying, the survivors of the jump crying out for relief that would not comea"at least not in the way they intended it.

aIad say youad suffer in Mortusas oil pits for that bit of cruelty,a Martaina said as she loosed another arrow, abut I think we both know that at this point, thatas not likely true.a aThere were some folks suffering there, thatas certain,a Cyrus said, recalling the phantoms that had been loosed when Mortus died; souls crying out, screaming in pain for vengeance; they sounded much like the suffering souls under the bridge. aNo time for recriminations now. Jaanda?a Cyrus looked to the enchanter. aAre we set?a aSet,a Jaanda said. aExcellent choice of words. They look like a matching set, in fact.a He waved his hand toward figures that were lined up in even rows behind them, stretching over the riverbanks and onto the river, horsemen with the helms of Galbadienas dragoons, walking on water as though it were the greenest grass. aLet us hope that our enemies donat look too closely at their conformity and see through the illusion of it all.a aTheyave never seen an enchanter at work,a Cyrus said. aAnd by the time they figure it out, hopefully itall be too late.a He drew his sword, Praelior, and urged Windrider up the bank. aLetas get out in front of this charging army of specters and get these Syloreans turned around.a His horse stormed up the embankment as Cyrus held his sword aloft. He heard the others follow him in the morning gloom and saw the illusory dragoon army close behind as they crested the top of the ridge.

A flat, grassy plain stretched before him, running all the way to the edge of the Forest of Waigh. Cyrus saw the road that led from the bridge back to the forest, the one they had been following with the army until they caught the scout. Set up on either side of the road at the forestas edge were ranks of soldiers, footmen with pikes, polearms, and swords. Standard bearers waited at either end, each of which was divided into six armies, each with four or five ranks lined up one behind another. They were arranged in a half circle around the entrance to the woods, although now many of them had turned, heads looking toward the bridge to try and make sense of the flaming chaos.

When Cyrus crested the edge of the embankment he judged the distance to the nearest army at only a few hundred yards. He let Windrider carry him onward as he watched the armies before him panic, men turning, stunned at the appearance of a charging army on the rear flank. The Sylorean officers screamed at their men to turn in formation but Cyrus watched them hesitate before beginning to organize. Too slow.

Detached from the body of any of the six legions, dead in the center of the road back to the forest was another cluster, smaller, this one only a few men. Cyrus squinted, and saw that one of them appeared to be much shorter than the others, and had a long beard, one that reached nearly to his waist. The dwarf carried a hammer almost as tall as he was, holding it diagonally across his body with both hands. The small group of fighters was only about six strong, Cyrus noted. He pointed his sword at them and noticed Windrider had already altered his heading to charge the mercenaries. aClever horse,a he said faintly. aSo, so clever.a The others changed course behind him, and Cyrus felt the wind rushing through his hair, blowing it out the bottom of his helm. His mouth was wide with a feral grin; he was going into battle, riding into danger from the fore, his forces behind him. The dwarf ahead of him was already running out to meet him, along with the others in his party, while the rest of the Sylorean army was still executing its turn and trying to shift their formations to deal with the threat at their flank. Cyrus saw horses beginning to stream out of the woods behind the backs of the Syloreans. The real Galbadien Dragoons were forming up to hit the unsuspecting Syloreans from behind while Cyrus distracted them.

aWatch out for the paladinas attack!a Cyrus shouted as they closed the distance to the mercenaries. He locked his eyes to the dwarf, watched him extend his hand, felt Windrider tense beneath him.

A blast of ice sent the dwarf staggering, his hand flying into the air as he loosed a massive burst of force that went sailing over Cyrusas head, barely brushing his helm but sending it flying. Cyrus could see the two mercenary warriors, armored at the fore, and the two rangers, their bows drawn and arrows ready to loose. Each of them was downed in the next moment; one caught an arrow in the face from Martaina, who smiled grimly as she drew another arrow. The other was blasted by a bolt of lightning that originated from Ryin Ayend, who sent the man spiraling through the air as though thrown.

aSpellcasters!a Cyrus yelled, alet loose on the armies! Keep them off us while we finish the mercenaries!a He watched another arrow sail forth, this one from Aisling, and it came to rest in the thigh of the mercenary healer, who let out a cry and fell to the ground.

Flames sparked up in a line along either side of their charge, isolating Cyrus and the Sanctuary forces from the Syloreans on either side; the lines blazed back toward the woods but stopped behind the mercenaries, sending the grass into conflagration as it looped around the four surviving mercenaries, cutting them off from Sylorean reinforcement.

Another arrow caught the healer in the face as he cast a spell, sitting on his haunches, his legs in front of him. His hand dropped, limp, into his lap, and he fell backward, dead, forcing Cyrus to smile. The dwarf had been knocked over by the ice spell, but was back on his feet now, hunched over, the two heavily armored warriors flanking him to either side. aGet the paladin!a Cyrus shouted as the dwarfas hand rose again, this time without warning. Cyrus was only ten feet away nowa"

The air around the paladinas hand rippled as his spell burst forth from his mailed hand. With the aid of Praelioras mystic enhancement to his speed and reflexes, time seemed to slow as the air folded around the force of the spell, the world distorting as the enchantment sped toward Cyrus. Windrider had already cut hard to the right before the blast landed, and the horse managed to dodge under the effects. Cyrus felt himself hit by the widening radius of power as the wave bloomed outward, like a wall had been picked up and slammed into him. He flew sideways off the horse, dragging his legs behind him as he flipped in midair, before coming to rest on his shoulder.

The impact knocked the air out of him, but he maintained his grip on his sword. He looked back and saw the paladinas attack wreaking havoc behind him; half of Cyrusas small force had been hit, and a trail of upturned earth ten feet wide marked the place where the paladinas incantation had wrought its effects. Those who hadnat been hit had dodged outside of the cone of destruction, trying to get their horses back under control. Cyrus saw Curatio among them, as well as Terian. aCome on!a Cyrus shouted and slung himself to his feet. aTerian, get over here!a Cyrus turned and found the dwarf already upon him, hammer raised above his head. Cyrus brought Praelior up, turning aside the dwarfas first attack by landing a glancing blow on the head of the big, stone hammer that sent it reeling off to the side. The dwarf was fast, however, and used the momentum of the attack to pirouette, coming around with a spinning assault that Cyrus dodged, but only barely.

Cyrus brought Praelior around and landed the blade on the hammeras long handle; it was almost as long as the dwarf was tall, and when he hit the wood with his blade, it chipped only slightly. His hammer is mystical. Praelior would cut through regular wood as easily as passing through flesh.

aYouare faster than most dwarves Iave met,a Cyrus said, feeling the hammer strike a glancing blow off his breastplate as he landed one home upon the dwarfas shoulder, leaving a thin line in the steel that drew the mercenaryas attention.

aOh, yah?a The dwarf smiled, his long, brown mustache and beard shaking. The beard was braided at the bottom, and his bushy hair was ponytailed in the back. He wore weathered armor, steel with a dirty sort of look, and his eyes carried little spots of brown in the middle of large white eyeballs. aThen Iall tell you that you move faster than most humans Iave met.a aSo long as weare forming this fine mutual admiration society,a Cyrus said, meeting the hammeras head with Praelior again, blocking the dwarfas attempt to crush his skull, but at the cost of sending a jarring pain through both of Cyrusas arms, aIall tell you that your hammer is quite impressive, even for a mystical weapon. Most of them Iave met canat stand up to my sword.a aBig strapping fellow like you, dressed all in black? Iam surprised your foes donat all run away from you screaming in terror.a The dwarf pivoted around and landed a blow under Cyrusas exposed armpit as he was stepping into a swing of his blade. Cyrus felt the armor hold but ram, hard, into his ribs. They cracked and felt the searing agony run through his side, gritting his teeth, trying to keep the pain from overwhelming him. The dwarf pressed forward, lifting his hammer over his head for a killing blow, but Cyrus used Praelior to deflect the strike, whirling away from the paladin.

aI believe youare mocking me, sir,a Cyrus said, tasting blood in his mouth. A quick glance around the battlefield found the Syloreans in panic; theyad turned and engaged Jaandaas army thinking it was real and had discovered too late it was not. The Galbadien dragoons were visible behind the dwarf, some already cutting through the Sylorean forces, their upper bodies visible over the heads of the writhing and panicked Sylorean army as the dragoons cut their way through on a charge. Shouts drowned out everything, screams of the defeated and the battle cries of those still standing and fighting. The only difference was in pitch, not volume.

aI believe youare right,a the dwarf said without irony. aBut itas nothing personal, even though you did just kill my comrades.a He brought the hammer down furiously again and Cyrus felt the impact as he blocked it with his sword.

Being on the defensive is not a good strategy for this fight, Cyrus thought. I need a healing spell. aThe Syloreans are faltering.a Cyrus sidestepped another vertical attack from the dwarf. aWithout you and your friends to save them, the Galbadien army will break them.a Cyrus lunged forward as the dwarf was turning to swing his hammer around again. Cyrusas attack ran right along the seam of the dwarfas waist, and he felt it hit chainmail; the dwarf halted his attack and tried to back off, toddling backward on his short legs. aWhere do you think youare going?a aAway.a The dwarf swung his hammer with one hand and Cyrus was forced to step back. The dwarf raised his other hand and white light coursed down his side, a small healing spell. The dwarf smirked at him. aJust for a second though, lad. I wouldnat want to step out on you before Iave killed you, after all.a aNot much chance of that.a Cyrus came at him again, ignoring the pain in his ribs, embracing the agony, letting it enrage him.

aWhy?a The dwarf smiled, that irritating smile. aDo you think your friendsall be saving you? Because I donat.a aOh, yeah?a Cyrus brought his blade down and it clanged against the head of the hammer, and he raised it and brought it down again, this time cutting centimeters into the handle. aWhyas that?a aBecause aa the dwarf said, bringing his hammer up and hitting Cyrus in the nose with the handle, aa Curatio there is far too busy trying to rally your spellcasters to keep the Sylorean army from turning around and stampeding through you lot on their retreat.a Cyrus staggered back, stunned by both the blow to his face and dimly aware that the dwarf had called Curatio by name. He glanced back, a quick turn of the head and saw that it was true; the healer was with the spellcasters, flames were rippling in careful lines across the plains, turning back the tide of screaming Syloreans as the Galbadien dragoons continued to cut through their ranks. Cyrus turned back to the dwarf and over the little manas shoulder he saw the Sanctuary army, the bulk of it, burrowing into the footmen in the center of the melee while the dragoons drove through the flanks of the Sylorean army.

aSo youare from Sanctuary, eh?a The dwarf leered at him, little half-smile wicked upon his face. aYouare a long way from the Plains of Perdamun, lad.a He balanced the hammer in his hand, bouncing it with one hand and letting the handle slap his palm in the other as he advanced toward Cyrus slowly. aA long damned way you came just to try and kill me and mine.a aI killed yours,a Cyrus said, trying to shake off the disorientation. Blood flowed freely from his nose down his lips and every word he spoke let more of it run into his mouth, the hard, metallic taste of it drowning out all else. aNow all thatas left is to kill you.a The dwarf chuckled, his small frame gyrating slightly from the laugh. aEasier said than followed through with.a He extended the hammer with one hand and pointed it at Cyrus. aBut if you want to give it a try, now seems the opportune moment.a Cyrus clutched Praelior in both hands, holding it defensively. aIave been known to do dumb things,a he said, staring the dwarf down, abut attacking a strong adversary to no purpose while Iam injured isnat one of them.a aLet me give you reason, then.a The dwarf held up his palm and Cyrus nearly flinched as another blast of force hit him before he could dodge.

The spell made contact with his shoulder as it passed and jerked him around in a half-circle before leaving him to come to rest on the ground. He felt the numbness in his arm from the blast, and clenched his other fist to find he had, in fact, held onto his sword. He rolled to the side as the hammer landed in the mud where he had lain, splattering his armor from the force of impact. The hammer came down again as Cyrus rolled to a knee, this blow missing him by only inches.

Cyrus saw Terian, a half-dozen paces away, the flames from the spellcasters behind him, a wall of fire keeping the army of Syloreas from retreating. The dark knight stared at him, blade in hand. Smoke was everywhere, black clouds that drifted lazily around him. aTerian,a Cyrus said. aHelp me!a Terian did not move, and Cyrus cocked his head at the dark elf, who stood still, watching. Cyrus started to call out to him again but the hammer hit him in the face, a short, fast stab that landed on Cyrusas already-wounded nose and caused a flash in his eyes. He blinked and realized he was on the ground and the dwarf was over him, brandishing the hammer.

aFriends, eh?a The dwarf said, shaking his head. aGuildmates, yah? Someday, lad, maybe if you grow wise, youall realize that you really canat rely on anyone but yourself.a The dwarf chuckled. aaCourse, thatad mean living long enough to learn from your mistakes.a He hefted the hammer on his shoulder. aBest of luck with that.a The dwarf raised the hammer above his head and brought it down on Cyrus, a full-force swing from on high. Cyrus watched it come down, the arc slow and graceful, and wondered what it would feel like when ita"

Chapter 19.

Vara Four Months Later There was a thundering sound, somewhere far above Vara, and one of the people across the foyer let out a shriek that overpowered the moans of the last few unhealed wounded. aThose damnable catapults,a she said, meaning it. The smell of smoke drifted in from outside, so thick she could taste it. The weight of her armor felt heavy on her shoulders, and it was seldom ever a bother.

aWhat has happened here?a Ryin Ayend stared around the foyer, the stone that had burst the window only moments earlier was still sitting in the Great Hall, in the midst of splintered tables.

aWe are under siege,a Alaric answered him, crossing the distance between them and placing a hand on Ryinas shoulder. aI am most pleased to see you, my brother, but unfortunately the news you bear will have to wait, unless you have anything life-threatening to tell us?a aNot exactly,a Ryin said. aBut I was sent back to let you knowa"a Another thunderous roar filled the room as the entirety of Sanctuary quaked to the foundations. There was a momentas respite from the fury and then the earth shook again so violently Vara was only just able to keep her footing. Others were not so lucky and landed on the floor in a heap.

aIf I am not mistaken, we have just lost the southwest tower to a bombardment,a Alaric said, much more calmly than Vara felt.

aLucky shot,a Vaste said, pulling himself to his feet. aThereas no way that was intentional, not with a catapult. Those things are hideously inaccurate.a aYou donat have to be that accurate when youare firing a ton of stone.a A voice whipped through the room and Vara saw Erith Frostmoor, a dark elven healer, cut down the stairs and take in the foyer in one glance. aI was on the battlementsa"we did lose the southwest tower, and it was a lucky shot, but the boulders theyare firing at us are bigger than any Iave seen heaved from a catapult before. Two lucky hits and the tower came down, along with whoever was in it at the time.a aApplicant quarters,a Vaste said. aGods, thatall be messy.a aHealers,a Alaric said, looking to Erith and Vaste, aget to the wreckage of the tower and begin pulling the dead and wounded out. Any able-bodied warriors should join you. Rangers, Iall need with me,a he said, voice tight, aalong with anyone who can cast a spell. I believe it is time to give the dark elven host a taste of our fury.a aTaste of our fury?a Vaste said with a frown. aThat sounds awfully cheesy, Alaric. Why donat you give them a taste of our bread and stew while youare at it?a aBecause at this point our bread and stew are in a puddle on the floor of the Great Hall,a Larana whispered, so low only Vara heard her.

aSpellcasters,a Alaric said, awith me. All others, to your duties.a Alaric was on the run, out the door and descending the great stone stairs that led to the grounds of Sanctuary. Green grasses of summer had grown in thick, and the sun was shining overhead as Vara ran across the grounds, a few steps behind her Guildmaster. It was a wide lawn, a massive open space in the land surrounded by Sanctuaryas curtain wall, big enough that it protected the enormous stables, a garden out back, a cemetery, an archery range, and other outbuildings that were not part of Sanctuaryas main structure.

The curtain wall was tall enough for them to repel a siege from, at least with archers and spellcasters and swords enough to fight off ladder-climbing invaders and siege towers. But not as tall as I would have made it, she thought. For this I would have preferred walls that stretched halfway to the sky, as can be found in Pharesia. Or a moat around the whole thing would be a wonderful defense, rather than simply letting them roll their damnable siege engines up to the wall and have at it. aWhat is our plan, Alaric?a she asked, wondering if she would catch the old knightas attention.

aTheir army is of little threat to us at present,a Alaric said. aBut their catapults and siege towers present a slight problem. So we will deal with them.a aA aslight problema?a She looked at him in astonishment, but he did not turn back to acknowledge her, merely kept running toward the wall. A stream of others following his orders trailed closely behind and the smell of fire and smoke was strong the closer they got to the wall. aAlaric, they just sent the bloody southwest tower crashing to the ground! They launched a boulder into our foyer. If that is only a slight problem, then I fear the day that we face your definition of a major one.a aYes,a Alaric said, aI fear that day as well.a They reached the wall, slipping into the interior of the heavy stone structure by means of a tower door. The wall was miles long and had passages with rooms and accommodations inside the towers that were placed at intervals along the length of it. Its thickness, with a solid mass of stone at the front, was able to stop most projectiles, but toward the interior facing, it made way for a corridor that spanned between the towers. Alaric started up a spiral staircase inside the tower, striding out into the bright daylight when he reached the top. Throughout, Vara followed on his heels, as close as she could keep up to the Guildmaster, who moved faster than his venerable appearance would have indicated he could. But then, she had long ago learned she should not underestimate Alaric.

When she stepped out into the sunlight on top of the wall, the roar reached her ears again, filling them with the sounds of thousands of voices. It was a cacophony of anger and fury coming from the army outside the walls, their battle lines formed in neat rows that Vara could see from where she stood far above them. They filled the plains around Sanctuary, more numerous than she could count, an army arrayed around them for one purpose alonea"to break down the walls, sack Sanctuary, and parade the survivors along a celebratory death march back to Saekaj Sovar for the pleasure of their Sovereign. Iall be certain to be good and dead if Sanctuary falls, she thought with a shudder. Surviving would bring with it unpleasantries Iad just as soon not deal with.

The wall was lined with bowmen, rangers who had strung their weapons and were loosing a tide of arrows down into the army below every few seconds while using the battlements for cover from the counter barrage of arrows. A shout made its way over the cry of the army below, and Thad, the castellan of Sanctuary, giving the orders to the defenders of the wall, cried out over the carnage, aAim for the towers! Kill the dark elves pushing them!a Vara came to the edge of the battlement and glanced out. Wooden towers built to the height of the curtain wall were sliding over the uneven ground, born along by the efforts of soldiers below. She looked left, toward the gate, and saw a battering ram working at the front as boiling oil was poured down upon it. A hundred catapults and trebuchets stood further back, behind the first ranks of the army, launching all manner of abuse into the air in addition to a rain of arrows that was being sent at the Sanctuary defenders. Vara ducked behind a rampart as an arrow missed her face by a matter of inches. aI do so love the weather weare having today,a she said. aPleasant enough temperature for summer, not overwhelmingly hot, not a cloud in the sky, unless you count the clouds of arrowsa"and I do.a Alaric remained standing, tall, above the battlements, and an arrow flew past him, followed by another. Before Vara could cry out, one shot through his head, passing through him as neatly as if it had gone through another stretch of empty air. The Ghost did not even seem to notice it, though Vara felt the cry of warning and alarm die on her lips. aWeather aside, I hope we have a healer upon these battlements for those who are not quite as ephemeral as myself.a aEphemeral?a Vara stared at his receding back. aYou just had an arrow fly through your head as though it werenat there.a aWhich?a Alaric asked, halting to look back at her. aThe arrow or my head? Because Iave heard the latter mentioned to me before once or twicea"in insult, usually.a aBugger it,a Vara said and charged to the next tooth in the wall, now only a few feet from where Alaric stood next to Thad, who was taking advantage of the cover offered by the crenellations. When a swarm of arrows landed around her, soaring through the gaps, she took to hands and knees, crawling the last few feet, shoving the bowmen out of the way as she passed.

aLass,a Alaric said as she crawled up to crouch behind the crenellation beside Thad, ait would seem youave found a somewhat undignified way of hiding from the arrows.a aNot all of us have insubstantial heads,a she said in irritation. aAnd I donat want my quite substantial brains splattered all over the wall whilst I have no idea where the nearest healer may be.a aRight here,a came a dull, accented voice from behind Thad. Vara leaned out, briefly, to see Andren, the scruffy elven healer, his back against a fortification, a flask in his hand as he calmly took a drink. A strong smell of booze reached her nostrils. Andrenas long, dark hair was tangled even moreso than usual. His beard was thick and seemed to have grown thicker in the last months, as though he were unconcerned about keeping it groomed at all. The bushy beard and long, tangled hair coupled with his white, frayed and dirtied healeras robe, gave him the look of one of the vagrants found in human citiesa"and not at all like an elf should look.

aA sober healer,a she said. aIad like one competent enough to perform a spell.a aOh, so thatas how it is,a Andren said mildly, sticking his fingers out and waving them in the general direction of a human a half dozen paces away who was screaming with an arrow sticking out of his palm. aIam quite competent.a aI said competent and sober.a aMeh,a Andren said with some indifference. aIall pass on that last one; highly overrated, especially when youare being bombarded with arrows, projectiles, and some fairly wounding insults, in the case of you.a aThad,a Alaric said, cutting off any response Vara might have made, ait would appear theyave begun the assault on our gate.a Thad smiled weakly. The younger warrior was human and clad in crimson armor, the steel bearing chipped paint that revealed the metal beneath. He had always reminded Vara of a younger, less adept and perhaps less handsome version of Cyrus. And for that, especially now, I hate him. aI guess you could say that. They started moving toward us with intent about fifteen minutes ago. Before that, they seemed quite comfortable to maintain their distance and keep us blockaded.a aTheyave clearly changed to a war footing,a Vara said, watching one of the siege towers drawing close to the edge of the ramparts, aand Iad be fascinated to discuss how exactly that happened, but Iad rather do it after weave put these bastards to rest and repelled them.a aIndeed,a Alaric said, and gestured behind himself. Vara turned to see a line of spellcastersa"druids, wizards and a few enchanters making their way across the wall, taking positions of their own next to the bowmen at the ramparts. Larana was among them and truthfully the only one among them whose name Vara knew; all the rest were new people who had been recruited in the last few years. New people that I have to get to know and remember the names of. Is there any more annoying bane anywhere in my existence? The thought of the black-armored warrior flashed through her mind. Oh yes. Well, in the scale of things, heas still rather new, I suppose.

aLet us dispense with this bombardment, shall we?a Alaric stood in the gap between the crenellations as Vara exchanged a look with Thad. aWhen I signal, spellcasters, unleash hell upon those towers.a aWhatas the signal?a Thad asked then flushed under his helm as Vara sent him a searing look.

aI think this will do,a Alaric said and extended his hand in the direction of the tower, which was creeping toward the wall only fifteen feet or so away from deploying its bridge to allow the troops within to storm the Sanctuary battlements.

Vara let out a scream of pure fury and stood in the gap next to Alaric. Bombard my home from afar, will you? Send your mindless foot soldiers to knock down our wall and drag us out? I shall show you, oh Sovereign, you bastard of bastards, you terrible and daft ruler of mine enemies. She threw out her hand and began to cast a spell of her own, just as Alaricas went off, an incantation leaving his palm that shook the ramparts and blasted the stray strands of hair out of Varaas face as it flew.

She watched the wave of force fly, distorting the air in a line following from Alaricas palm to the siege tower, where it impacted a third of the way up the structure. The impact was immediate and obvious; the wooden tower splintered, chips exploding outward and showering the army below with splinters as a fearsome groan of breaking logs preceded the awful listing of the whole structure, which began to tilt forward. Cries from behind the rectangular creationas wooden facade told her that the occupants of the thing knew what was coming and were perhaps powerless to stop it.

The whole contraption came crashing to the ground, the upper two-thirds tilting down, falling upon the army stacked up beneath it. Vara saw a wave of movement as the soldiers beneath it tried to flee, but it seemed unlikely that any of them made it through the panicked crowd; the crash of the tower splattered a hundred or more men beneath its shadow and pulped countless more who had been inside it.

With Alaricas blast, a wave of spells leapt forward from the Sanctuary battlementsa"fireballs and bolts of lightning seemed the most popular choices. Vara saw the pale flash of a few charms fly from the enchanter ranks and watched as they took possession of the biggest and strongest warriors below them in the field, turning them against their own allies, the swords and daggers of the Sovereignas own turning against their fellows. Vara saw Larana loose a particularly large blast of fire at a catapult that was several hundred feet back from the wall and it hit with the same force as Alaricas burst, if not more; an explosion seemed to follow, launching the operators of the contraption away in flames and turning the whole thing into a pyre that blazed thirty feet high.

Varaas own spell hit a bevy of soldiers below the wall, pushing them to the ground. She looked over to see Alaric had moved farther down the wall. His hand pointed at another tower as it burst, showering the army below with fragments of wooden refuse as it tilted and cracked, falling apart onto the dark elves in its shadow. She saw her Guildmaster begin his run down the wall, heading toward his next target, another siege tower.

aHas this been going on the entire time weave been gone?a Vara looked up to see Ryin Ayend, who had asked the question. He slid in beside her, behind the crenellation, as he loosed a fireball at a distant trebuchet, setting fire to the launch mechanism and sending its crew scurrying away. aYou havenat been under siege the whole time, have you?a he asked.

aNo,a she said and fired another stunning blast at a thick cluster of archers, sending five of them to the ground, unconscious. aThis army only showed up in the last few days, malingering at the edge of the horizon, interdicting travelers that came our way.a She pointed at a tent in the distance. aTheyave been interrupting the flow of our applicants, however, and we were debating what to do about it.a aItas an army,a Ryin said, shooting another fireball at the same trebuchet he had disabled a moment earlier. The flames from his burst began to lick at the contraption, and it caught fire after a momentas hesitation, causing the druid to smile. aThey donat tend to spring forth out of nowhere, especially when the dark elves are already at war with the Human Confederation and the Elven Kingdom. What happened?a aWhat indeed?a Vara muttered, so low she doubted he would have heard her. aThe army comes from Aloakna, on the coast. The dark elves sacked the town a fortnight ago with a host of fifty thousand.a aWhat?a Ryinas eyes grew large; the humanas face was almost innocent, awestruck. aAloakna is a neutral city! Why would they destroy it? They were a major trading partner to the dark elves.a aAnd the elves, and the humans,a Vara said. aThey didnat have much of a standing army, relying on being neutral to protect them. By the accounts we heard, whatever mercenaries and guards they had on hand put up a spirited defense, but to little avail. The city was sacked inside of a week of siege, and the dark elves showed little mercy to the occupants, killing and raping in mass number, conscripting some of the surviving dark elven men into their army.a She felt her expression harden. aThen they came here.a aBut why here?a Ryin asked. aThey have armies stalled in their advances against the elves in Termina and the humans in Reikonos still?a He waited for her to nod assent. aWhy waste time on us now?a A crashing sound interrupted her answer; in the distance, a catapult exploded as a result of Laranaas attack and another siege tower crashed to pieces down the wall. Below them, the dark elven army was in chaos as their own soldiers randomly turned against them, guided by Sanctuaryas enchanters. Vara watched as a hulking dark elf in heavy armor swung a mace through the heads of three of his comrades, splintering them, before he was brought down by a swarming attack of swords by several of his fellows.

aI daresay the Sovereign didnat think he was wasting time,a Vara said with a slight smile. aAfter all, when you send a host of fifty thousand to attack something so small as Sanctuary, you likely think that your target will disappear from the map without difficulty.a aBut he knows we have the power of magic,a Ryin scoffed. aHeas not stupid, is he?a A bolt of lightning arced down from one of Sanctuaryas wizards into the crowd below, crackling as it jumped from the metal armor of a whole platoon of men-at-arms, causing them all to fall, if not dead then at least unconscious. aI doubt it,a Vara said. aHeas been making some exceedingly shrewd moves thus far in the war, and theyave been incredibly audacious ones at times, but we keep hoping heall overreach.a She let a grim smile come across her features. aPerhaps he finally has.a She let the smile fade. aAnd you lot? Youave been gone six months, longer than you had any right to be without letting us know anything. What the blazes happened to you?a Ryinas expression turned pained, and for a moment they were both distracted by the explosion of another catapult in the distance. The armies at the foot of the wall were beginning to recede now, slowly pulling back, the lines breaking as the more fearful among them started to retreat. aTheyare leaving,a Ryin said, watching, almost spellbound, as fire and lightning chased them away, a flurry of arrows felling whole lines of dark elves as they retreated in no formation at all while a few of their brethren remained behind, standing near the wall, motionless, still under the control of the Sanctuary enchanters.

aTheyall be back,a Alaric said, appearing behind them from within a fog, coalescing into his shape of armor and man, the expression on his face grim and unsatisfied. aNow that the Sovereign has an eye fixed on Sanctuary, heall send more, make no mistake. Theyall withdraw to a safe distance, interdict our new applicants, and bottle us up until their next hammerblow falls.a aWhere are the rest of your number?a Vara asked, turning back to Ryin. aWith them, we could make an attack, drive the enemy back. They could increase our ranks by a third again, and all blooded veterans now, yes?a aYes,a Ryin said, atheyave certainly seen battle. But a they sent me to tell you what happened.a aDid you not go to aid Longwellas father?a Vara jumped in before Alaric could ask a question.

aWe did,a Ryin said, aand we succeeded in defeating his enemiesa"well, of a sort, anywaya"a aBy all the gods, get on with it man,a Vara said, drawing a look of severe irritation from Ryin. aWhat happened? Did you beat the army that was invading them or not?a aWe did,a Ryin said with a sort of haunted quiet. He looked out over the wreckage of the battlefield and Varaas gaze followed his over the ramparts. There were bodies, countless, armored, cloth-clad, and filling the ground for several hundred yards away from the wall. aWe fought a battle at a place called Harrowas Crossing, and we crushed the armies that were at the throats of Longwellas people.a aVery good,a Vara said brusquely, aand yet I see no army here, save for you, so I must ask againa"what a happened?a aPerhaps if you remained silent and let him explain,a Alaric said, drawing Varaas searing irritation to her Guildmaster in the form of a glare.

I want to know where he is. Vara scowled. The manas been gone for months, and when he finally sends a messenger, we get the bloody slowest of druids, a man who canat seem to form a non-contrarian thought to save his unblessed soul. aFine,a she said. aIam waiting, though. You beat them at this place a this a Harrowas Crossing? Defeated their enemies? Sent them scattering in utmost defeat?a aWe did,a Ryin said, and the smell of the fires began to waft in off the battlefield, causing Vara to cough quite unexpectedly. aIt was masterful. Cyrus came up with a brilliant strategy to defeat the superior odds that were waiting for us in ambush.a The druid smiled, and Vara wanted to slap him, to grasp him by the shoulders and shake him until the words she wanted to hear finally came outa"That heas alive and well. That theyall be teleporting in later tonight, or perhaps tomorrow, hardened, veteran, ready to help us get about the business of throwing back this siege.

aBut there was a problem after that,a Ryin said, interrupting her thoughts. aThey wonat be back for quite a while.a Vara felt the sudden pain, felt it where she least wanted to, and knew it affected her the way she didnat care for it to, could tell in the sag of her face that she was exposing undesired emotion. I wonat ask about him. I wonat. Iall wait, and heall tell us, tell us all, and I wonat have to ask. Because, after all, the general is with his troops, he couldnat leave without them, of course, he wouldnat a She tried to straighten her expression, tried to change it, but she was sure it ended up as a cringe.

Ryin went on, apparently oblivious to everything she knew was written over every inch of her face. aWe ran into a well aa He hesitated. aWe ran into a bit of a snag.a aA snag?a Alaric spoke in the nick of time, halting the inevitable and fast approaching scream that Vara felt building, the pressure ready to cause her to explode. aPerhaps you could be more specific, brother.a Ryinas head bowed slightly. aAll right. Well. The thing is, we beat the Kingdom of Syloreas in the battle. But there was another problem after that.a aOh for the godsa sakes, man!a Vara blurted out, drawing every eye on the battlements around them and causing Ryin to take a step back. aWill you stop bloody stalling and get right the hell on with it? Is he all right? Did Cyrus die?a aYes,a Ryin said. aHe died at Harrowas Crossing, but heas been resurrected from that.a Vara felt some of the tightness in her chest subside, only to be replaced by a deeper, more painful sensation only a moment later as Ryin went on. aBut to answer your other question aa Ayendas face drew tight again, seemingly unready to part with the information, as though it pained him to do so. aa He is most certainly not all right.a

Chapter 20.

Cyrus 4 Months Earlier aGet up,a Cyrus heard the sound of joy in the voice as he stirred back to life. aWeave won.a He blinked his eyes, and there was a thin sheen of smoke and haze before them. Acrid burning smells filled his nostrils, and he choked on the sharp, sour taste of blood in his mouth. Nausea overcame him and he leaned over, vomiting up everything he had ever eaten, the acid and bile leaving him gagging, lying on one shoulder, face half-buried in the mud and vomit.

aItas not quite that easy to shake off,a Cyrus heard but couldnat turn to look. The nausea returned and he tried to throw up again, but only spittle and base liquid came out, and he rested his cheek again in the mud. aComing back to life isnat as easy as walking across a village street; itas death, and thereas a price to be paid in vitality and body when you come back this way. It is not a cheap price, either.a Cyrus recognized Curatioas voice as the one speaking; he was lost as to who the other might be.

aWeave won a great victory here.a The other speaker was talking again. The voice was damnably familiar, and Cyrus struggled to roll to his back so he could look up. aAll thanks to you lot. Excellent strategy, and you did it perfectly, held them in place for us to hit them.a Cyrusas vision cleared, and he recognized Count Ranson standing above him, smiling for the first time since theyad met. aHe should be up and celebrating with us; weave routed the Sylorean army and sent them running north in disarray, their mercenaries gone.a aGive me a minute,a Cyrus said, his voice hoarse.

aTake your time,a Curatio said. aThat was no gentle blow you took; Partus crushed your head before he went running off.a aPartus?a Cyrus asked. aThat dwarf, that was his name, wasnat it?a Cyrus waited until Curatio nodded, a short, sharp jerk of his head. aWhy does that name sound so familiar?a The healer pursed his lips, his expression guarded. aBecause he was the Guildmaster of the Daring once upon a time. He took their most experienced members and fled to Goliath around the time you joined us.a aPartus,a Cyrus said. aIave heard Erith curse his name.a aAs well she should,a Terianas voice came from above him, and the dark elfas face appeared in view next to Ranson. aHeas a strong paladin; maybe the most powerful Iave ever met, save for Alaric.a aI could have used your help back there,a Cyrus rasped, looking at the dark knight. aI called out to you.a aSorry about that,a Terian said. aI was about to be overrun by the Sylorean army, so I was watching my back because I knew the flames were about to die. Sure enough, they did.a He ran a hand through his long, stringy black hair. aWhen I looked up again, head already killed you and escaped.a aDammit.a Cyrus tried to sit up and felt all his stomach muscles involuntarily contract, causing him to heave again. When he finished, he wiped his mouth on his gauntlet, feeling the mud from his hand stick to his face. aHe got away?a aHe did,a Curatio said. aWe were badly disorganized after his first spell, the one that knocked half of us out of the fight. I managed to get our spellcasters in place to contain the armies, but there was no one left to stop him. He bounded off like a rabbit after he killed you, slipped over the bridge in the chaos.a aDid any of the Sylorean army get away?a Cyrus took Ranson and Curatioas proffered hands and let them pull him to his feet.

aPerhaps a quarter of them,a Ranson said with the same smile. aIave got my army in pursuit, and messengers have already come back to tell me weave dispatched a good many of them. Theyave no horses, no provisions, and we managed to kill their generals.a The count folded his arms in front of him. aI expect fewer than one man in ten who entered this battle on their side will ever see his homeland again.a aI suppose thatas some sort of worthy accomplishment,a Cyrus said without any enthusiasm. aKingdom defended, mission accomplished.a He felt the heart go out of his joy. aNow we can go home, I suppose.a aI wouldnat be so quick to leave,a Curatio said. aPartus is still out there and he can be one devilish nuisance if he were to rejoin the Syloreans.a The healer looked to the Count. aDo they still have a functioning army up in the north?a The count shrugged. aAye, they do. Iall grant you, I still fear that half-man, but without an army at his back he stands much less chance of causing us ulcers.a aDammit,a Cyrus said. aLetas get a tracking party together. Does he have a horse?a aI didnat see him take one,a Terian said with a shrug. aDoesnat mean he didnat get one later, but I think he went over the bridge on foot.a aHe wonat have made it far on those stubby legs,a Cyrus said. aWe can run him down on horseback.a He looked around. aWhereas Windrider?a The horse appeared out of a cluster of mares a few feet away with a whinny, prompting Cyrus to smile. aNever far, thatas for certain.a aIall go with you,a Terian said, sliding his blade out of his scabbard. aShould be easier to bring down a white knight if youave got a black knight alongside you.a aAll right,a Cyrus said with a nod. aNext time when I call for help, youall be there, though, right?a Terian rolled his eyes. aNo. Iam going to let you die, purposefully and horribly, just like this time. What do you think?a Cyrus stared at him blankly. aWell a okay, then. Whereas Longwell?a aOver here,a came a weak voice, and Cyrus turned to see the dragoon sitting with his head between his legs a few feet away, also covered in mud. Longwellas head came up, also caked in mud, and he looked pale as a cloud. aCount me among those hit by that bastardas spell; I went flying and my horse landed on top of me with all the force of a tree falling on a mushroom.a He put his hand over his mouth. aUgh. Shouldnat have mentioned food.a aAnd Martaina?a Cyrus asked. aWeall need a tracker.a A hand went up a few feet away from Longwell, and Cyrus barely recognized the elven woman; her garb was normally predisposed to blending in with the dirt and greenery of nature, but now it was caked in mud, along with her face and hair. aDid a horse land on you, too?a aNot a horse,a Martaina said. aIam pretty sure it was an elephant. At least thatas what it felt like when it hit me, after a nice, long, lazy end-over-end flight through the air.a She shook her head and looked at Curatio pityingly. aDid you resurrect my horse?a aI did,a Curatio said, abut youall likely not want to be riding her for a bit. Keep in mind she probably feels as bad or worse than you do.a aIall go with you,a Martaina said, abut I donat know how well Iall be able to track at the moment. Itas delicate, sensitive work, filled with subtlety and nuance.a She hung her head. aRight now I feel like I just want to fill a bucket with everything Iave ever eaten in my thousands of years of life.a She retched. aWhich would take quite a bit of force, and I feel it coming on.a aIall go with you,a came a soft voice from behind Cyrus. He turned to see a shapely leg, clad in smooth leather, make its way in front of him. He raised his head to see Aisling, her arms folded across her belly, as though she were trying to push up her small breasts. aIam a fair tracker; not as good as Martaina at her best, but good enough to sift out some dwarf from a running army of men.a aYou sure?a Cyrus asked as he hoisted himself up into the saddle. aI donat want there to be any tensiona"a aWhat tension?a she asked with a forced smile.

aI recommend you wait a little longer,a Curatio said, looking up at Cyrus on horseback. aSome of you are going to be feeling poorly for a while yet.a aI can feel poorly sitting here on the ground doing nothing,a Cyrus said, aor on a horse, tracking down the miniaturized bastard who killed me. I pick the latter, if only because it dispels that ugly sensation that sitting on oneas backside brings when thereas unpleasant work to be done.a It took a few more minutes to get a hunting party saddled and ready to ride. Cyrus looked around the battlefield, beheld the smoke and carnage. The dragoons had hit the Sylorean lines hard. With their retreat cut off by the spellcastersa fire magic, the horsed riders had cut the unhorsed and lightly armored infantry to pieces. Even the men-at-war, wearing armor considerably heavier than Cyrusas (and much more constrictive, judging by its somewhat primitive design) had been struck down by the dragoons, who had used their lances to knock over the poorly balanced warriors and finished the job later or let the mud do it for them.

The hunting party rode out across the bridge, Cyrus noting how badly muddied the grasslands had become. Horse hooves had ripped the soil, leaving dark marks where greenery had been only hours before. The smell of upturned earth had a rich, deep aroma that reminded Cyrus of the gardens at Sanctuary. The sky held a grey tinge, clouds masking the sun from shining down. It seemed appropriate to Cyrus that the sun shouldnat shine down brightly, that the sky shouldnat be blue; after all, thousands of men had died only an hour earlier. Nature could not find much cause for glory and celebration in that.

aSo this is it?a It was Terian who spoke, jarring Cyrus out of his daze. He turned to see the dark elf keeping pace next to him. Martaina and Aisling rode in front, the former still looking as green as her usual clothing and the latter keeping a close watch on the muddy ground ahead of them. aWe go home after this?a aI suppose,a Cyrus said. aSo long as we get this dwarf, then the Kingdom is saved. And weare back to whiling away the days in the Plains of Perdamun, trying to find new targets to hit and places to explore for our own edification and whatever treasures we can pillory.a He shrugged. aOr I suppose we could get involved in the war again, though I doubt thereas much edification or gold to be had from walking that road.a aI doubt weall avoid it,a Terian said. aThe Sovereign is doubtless upset with us, to make no mention of the fact that you killed countless of his soldiers while defending Termina. It seems likely that my people will seek revenge if they know who inflicted those losses upon them.a aI didnat invade their territory looking for a fight,a Cyrus said. aThe elves didnat even invade their lands. The dark elves decided to start a war of conquest against their neighbors, and I happened to be standing in the way. You canat tell me you wouldnat have been on that bridge with me, trying to keep your people from raping and pillaging the town.a Terian looked at him, hard, a strange burning in his eyes, and when he spoke, his voice was broken. aNo. I canat say I wouldnat have been with you. After all, we are a friends. Comrades at arms.a aAnd you wouldnat have done it yourself, even if I hadnat been there?a Cyrus didnat look at the dark elf. aYou wouldnat have tried to protect those people yourself, just because it was the right thing to do?a aI aa Terian choked down whatever he was about to say, and Cyrus turned to look at the dark knight, who was strangely animated; his mouth opened and it looked as though he were trying to speak, but nothing came forth at first. When it did, it was low, hoarse, and barely understandable. Cyrus had to concentrate to hear him, tuning out the sound of hoof beats, of laughter from Ryin somewhere behind him, of someone else heaving from atop their horse. aDark knights arenat quite as fond of hopeless causes or helping the defenseless as you are. I donat a I mean, they were elves, and my people are enemies of the elvesa"a aYou work with elves every day,a Cyrus cut him off. aYouave saved their lives. Youave fought for them. Youare a member of Sanctuary, Terian. If you wanted solely to enrich yourself, the big three would gladly take you on. Hells, man, you could even make a fortune plundering in the dark elven army, like some others do.a Cyrus noted Terianas face become stricken, but he went on. aBut youare here with us. You could be anywhere, but youare with us. Not where you could become the wealthiest, not where you could seek the most power, but here in Sanctuary. Can you tell me why youad voluntarily come back if not to ahelp the defenselessa and fight for ahopeless causesa?a The dark knightas mouth opened and closed again several times, but no discernible noise came out that Cyrus heard. Terianas eyes blinked repeatedly, and he finally stopped trying, closing his mouth, turning to look straight ahead. After a long silence he finally said. aThatas really an excellent question.a Cyrus waited for him to elaborate and when he did not, the warrior shrugged and continued riding. The dwarfas trail carried them over plains, lightly rolling hills that began to trend further and further downward, until they finally came to the edge of a swamp.

aGods, it smells like troll town in there,a Terian said, holding his nose.

aThatas not very nice,a Nyad scolded him. Her red cloak was stained with mud, and her usually relaxed expression was gone, replaced by one that was quite cross.

aNot nice but accurate,a the dark knight said. aHave you ever been to Gren? No? Then shut up.a aCurb your tongue, dark knight,a Ryin said darkly. aThereas no cause for rudeness.a aThereas no use in your bedchamber wench being offended for the whole troll race and snapping at me either, but she did.a Terian pulled back on the reins of his horse, turning it around to face the druid. aKeep your bitch on her leash; even Vaste wouldnat have taken umbrage at such a simple observation.a aAll of youa"shut up.a Aislingas voice cut through the argument, silencing all three officers at once. Cyrus raised an eyebrow as the dark elf dismounted her horse and crouched by the edge of the water. The swampas edge was murky water, brown and shallow, a pool the size of the Sanctuary foyer, broken by small hummocks of trees and land that broke out of the mire. She stood and looked up to Martaina. aHow long would you say?a aFifteen minutes at most,a the ranger answered. aProbably more like ten. The water looks shallow enough that I may be able to keep up with his footprints.a She straightened in her saddle. aDoubt the rest of you will be able to see them, though.a aI donat need to see them so long as you can,a Cyrus said. aLetas keep going.a Their progress was slowed as Martaina stared into the muck. They went along at a slower pace, the elf squinting into the water, pausing every few minutes, trying to decipher the dwarfas path. aHeas leaving heavy impressions in the mud beneath the surface. Heas not running anymore, but heas still a jogging, I would say. Walking fast. Heas also limping a little now, maybe from an injury or a cramp.a aThatas amazing,a Terian said, holding his horse back at a distance with the others while Martaina and Aisling tried to decipher the trail. aCan you tell what he had for breakfast this morning, too?a aIf we follow him long enough, weall find some evidence of that,a Martaina said, not breaking away from her staring contest with the water. aThis way.a The water dried up ahead, and a set of tracks led them forward, cypress trees sticking out of the sodden ground around them. aIt would appear weare experiencing a drought,a Longwell said from behind Cyrus. aThis swamp is usually considerably farther underwater, near impassable on horseback.a aToo bad for us,a Mendicant said. aIf the water were any higher, it might have stopped him from passing this way.a aYeah, you short folk donat tend to like to get wet, do you?a Terian asked.

aIt doesnat take much for us to get in over our heads,a the goblin replied. aRather like this fellow.a The ground got higher for a spell, and the brush around them got thicker as bushes sprang out of the wet ground, the undergrowth and trees slowing their progress. In some cases they were forced to go around; in most, Cyrus felt at least a few low-hanging boughs and branches clatter on his armor and felt a momentas pity for those not wearing any.

aI hear him,a Martaina said a few moments later, a small smile turning up the corners of her mouth. aHeas not far ahead now, and I donat think he knows weare here. Heas slogging along, maybe a thousand feet ahead.a She angled her horse slightly to the left. aThis way.a She pulled her bow out and notched an arrow.

They rode across a small patch of level ground, and when they crested a small hill, Martaina froze, holding up her hand to halt them. She listened intently as the rest of them remained quiet. aDo you hear that?a she asked, a look of intense concentration upon her face.

aI do,a Curatio said. aSomething in the underbrush ahead, in addition to our dwarven friend.a aWhat, heas got company?a Terian asked. aOr is there an animal nearby?a Martaina continued to listen, and cocked her head, befuddlement showing through the mud and dirt on her face. aThat doesnat sound like any animal Iave ever heard.a Curatio shook his head. aNor I. But heas not far, we should be able to overtake him now.a aLetas not be too hasty,a Cyrus said. aIad prefer to bring him down before he can throw out one of those spells that sends men and horses flying like kites in the wind. Rangers, ready your bows. Nyad, Mendicant,a he turned to acknowledge the two of them, aI want you to cast a cessation spell on him, shut down his ability to cast spells. Jaanda,a he turned to the enchanter, amesmerize or charm him if you can. Letas not take any chances on this. Itas the last task we have before us, then we can go back to Vernadam to aa he cleared his throat, aa celebrate.a Mild snickers filled the air from those around him, which Cyrus ignored. aGood for you, sweetie,a Nyad said. aI think itas a very healthy thing youare doing with Cattrine, and you can ignore these naysayers. Theyare just jealous because theyare all going to back to lonely beds.a Jaanda shot her a withering look. aWell, some of them are, anyway.a Cyrus turned back to the path and caught Aisling staring at him. She looked away and spurred her horse forward. He followed along with the rest over a hummock that rose to a small hill. When he reached the top, he started to jerk back on Windrideras reins; Martaina and Aisling had both stopped abruptly, trying to avoid sliding down the slope. aWhat?a Cyrus asked. aThe slopeas not that bad.a aWhat is that?a Martaina asked, pointing ahead. The ground before them dropped down to another patch of flat ground. Cyrusas eyes were drawn to motion ahead, where something was struggling, and another figure was on top of it, wrestling in the high grass.

aLooks like our dwarf got tangled up with the local wildlife,a Cyrus said, urging Windrider ahead. The horse obeyed his gentle command and galloped down the hill.

As they drew closer to the battle, Cyrus caught glimpses of Partus struggling, flashes of the dwarfas face, panicked, as something rode his back and dragged him down again and again. The thing was bizarrely shaped, like a man crossed with a four-legged beast; its skin was pale, wet, and slick. Clawed hands grasped at Partus, seizing him, jerking him back down to the ground behind the high grass, and a face appeared, something Cyrus caught only a glimpse of before it was gone.

He jerked on Windrideras reins about twenty feet from the disturbance and the horse reared back, coming to a fast stop within a few steps. Cyrus dismounted and ran; as he drew closer, the thrashing between dwarf and the creature was more pronounced.

aHelp me!a Partus screamed. He was lifted aloft, and the creatureas face was on his neck, buried, blood streaming down the white flesh. aHELP!a Cyrus lunged forward the last few feet. His sword was in his hand, and he took care not to hit the dwarf as the writhing mass twisted on the ground. Cyrus brought his sword down on one of the creatureas forelegs and Praelior bit deep into the ghost-white flesh, severing it. The creature halted, unbalanced, Partus still clutched in its mouth, the dwarf screaming, the beastas face hidden by the dwarfas body. It dropped Partus slightly, exposing the upper part of its face; white-grey skin thinly layered over a hairless, dome-like head, roughly human-shaped, but peering above the dwarfas figure were two eyes, black all the way to the edges, and protruding from the skull as though the creature had been choked.

aWhat the hell is that?a Cyrus heard Terian dismount behind him. Two arrows hit home in the creatureas backside, the only part of its body that Partus wasnat shielding with his.

aGET IT OFF ME!a Partus shouted as it dangled him in its teeth, the dwarf hanging from its mouth.

Cyrus strode forward, feinting toward the creature as more arrows landed in its posterior. He took a swipe at it and it retreated. Cyrus took two more steps forward and lunged at the monster, trying to bury his sword in it. He missed the flank and fell, Praelior coming down with him. He hit his knees, catching himself with his palms, and he watched as the creature dropped Partus immediately and used its remaining three limbs to leap at him.

The teeth caught him on the armor, clamping firmly down upon his breastplate and backplate. He saw the creatureas mouth, a wide, gaping void, countless teeth, the lips bending outward almost like a beak. Cyrus rolled, sending it writhing through the grass. He kept his grip on his sword, which he brought around in a wide arc and used to lop off the beastas hind leg. It struggled, biting down on him. His armor did not flex at its bite, the steel failing to yield to savage teeth even as the creature jerked its head back and forth on him. The weight of it pushed Cyrus to the ground, and he pulled it down with him.

Cyrus could feel the weight of the thing atop him as he pushed against it on the soft, muddy ground. His left arm was wrapped around the neck of the creature and his right was clutching Praelior. He pushed his blade up, into the stout body of the thing, felt the give as he pushed it through the skin. He felt the monster buck and squirm as it fought his hold, the desperate thrashing growing more maniacal.

After a few seconds, Cyrus felt an impact, and then the body went limp. He rolled it off and sat up, tossing the body aside, the putrid smell of rot in his nose. His hand came up and brushed his hair out of his eyes.

aYou all right?a Martaina was at his side, her bow in her hand.

aIam fine,a Cyrus said. He looked to his left to see Longwell, spear in hand, the pointy end still buried in the creatureas fat neck. It lay next to him, pressed to the ground. aWhat the hell was that?a aIave never seen anything like it,a Longwell said, wriggling the tip of his weapon in the creatureas neck. aAs far as I know itas not native to these parts.a It was upright, its skull and eyes staring blindly up at them. The eyes were still black but unmoving now, and lifeless as well. Cyrus leaned over and stared into them, and something prickled in the back of his mind. aThis thing is aa he shuddered. aThereas something very disturbing about this creature.a He blinked. And familiar, he thought. Something very familiar about it. aAnyone ever seen anything like this before?a aNot that I can recall,a Curatio said, on his horse a few feet away. aBut it seems a I donat know, thereas something I canat quite put my finger on, but it seems like something Iave run across at some point before.a aI was thinking the same thing,a Longwell said, peering at it. aBut I didnat want to say it, because I know damned well Iave never fought one of them.a He poked at it again, causing the body to wriggle with the motion. aI wonder if there are more?a aIt was a nasty bastard,a Cyrus said, standing. aBut pretty weak overall. If it hadnat gotten me off my feet, I donat think it would have been a huge challenge.a He stooped and picked up his helm. aSpeaking of challenges aa He turned his head and saw Partus a few feet away, Terian standing next to him with a sword across the dwarfas neck. aThere you are, my half-sized, bearded nemesis.a aHere I am,a Partus said, his eyes still staring at the creature. aNot planning on going much of anywhere, either. I donat care what you say, that thing damned near got me, and if thereas any more, Iam not looking to face them alone, though I might have made a better show of it if your wizards hadnat cessated my damned spells. Anyhow,a the dwarf said, hands up, aI suppose Iall be coming with you.a He looked up at Terian. aUnless youare planning on being done with it right here and taking my head off.a aSo very tempting,a Terian said, and let the blade drift into Partusas neck.

aI think not,a Cyrus said. aWeare not executioners.a aWell, then,a Partus began to stand, and Terian kicked the dwarfas legs out from under him, causing him to fall. He lay on his back, staring up. aOh, so thatas how it is, eh? Are you quite finished?a aI could stand to do it a few more times,a Terian said.

aIall just bet you could, you blue-skinned sadist. Not a great surprise to me that a dark knight feels the need to poke at me when Iam unarmed and surrendering; itas not as though youad stand a chance when I have my weapon in my hand,a Partus said.