After a great deal of debate, Darrick's plan was put in place, though the former general had advised Rebraal to present it to the elves as his own. The Al-Arynaar scouts had been within thirty feet of the forward enemy positions and reported seventy swordsmen spread across the outlet to the estuary, backed by fifteen archers and what were assumed to be six mages. The elves were also confident that more strangers were positioned in deeper cover, less than Darrick had assumed but a threat nevertheless. The strangers were positioned much as expected, with good immediate fields of fire or open spaces to strike into, but Darrick had no intention of facing them on their own terms.
With the arrival of the TaiGethen imminent, Darrick had advised that to be sure of seeing and then stopping any of the runners, they should not spread their line too thin in an attempt to cover the impossible. So the Al-Arynaar and Raven were gathered in four groups – their boat groups – in an arc around the open area of the swamp looking both in and out.
The Raven and Rebraal were out on the left flank, as close as they dared to the enemy but in a position where none could circle them unseen. Al-Arynaar elves took up a similar position opposite them on the east bank with the other two groups closer to the Shorth, one on either bank. Darrick considered that the two flanking groups would be able to cut off runners from anywhere, while the central groups could take down any that came too close but, more importantly, would engage the reserve in the event of them being drawn out.
Tucked into position with nothing to do but wait, Hirad crouched at the end of The Raven line slightly apart from the rest to give him a view of the edge of the cliffs where they soared into the darkening sky and the ground between their position and the enemy line. Looking right, he could just about see Darrick, eyes everywhere, assessing whether he'd set everyone right and searching his mind for anything he'd missed. He was relying on the speed of response and the skill of the TaiGethen, and his lack of knowledge of them clearly worried him.
Behind Hirad, Thraun was looking back into the forest, his keen eyes as good as any elf's, his ears tuned to the sounds around him, listening for any approach. The barbarian smiled. With his sword in his hand and The Raven poised around him, Hirad felt good.
He felt a prick in the side of his neck, sharp and deliberate. He moved his head, his eyes straining round. The blade of a dagger entered his vision. He raised a hand and began to turn his body slowly. His eyes moved up the hilt of the dagger, along the dark-garbed arm and up into a face painted in deep greens and browns. The elf behind the paint stared back with undisguised hatred, his whispered words conveying his intent though Hirad understood none of them.
He should have been scared, he knew, but instead he was impressed at the stealth that had brought the elf so close without any of them knowing. To cry out would probably be to die. He and half The Raven. The TaiGethen, and he assumed this was one, worked in threes, so Rebraal had said.
But they were not invincible. Hirad smiled.
'I don't know what you're saying, my friend, but one thing you should know is that no Raven is ever alone.'
Thraun's sword rested against the elf's neck in turn. He stiffened and hissed, his eyes narrowing but never moving from Hirad. Sudden commotion from two sides and harsh whispered words stopped the situation developing any further. Two more elves came in from Hirad's right as he sat, Rebraal and The Unknown from the left. Hirad pushed the blade of the dagger away.
'Sheath it unless you intend to use it.'
The elf didn't understand him either but he and Rebraal spoke quickly and urgently, the elf still with his gaze locked on Hirad.
'These your famous TaiGethen, are they?' asked Hirad.
'Not now,' warned The Unknown.
Ilkar had joined them and got Thraun to move his blade. At last the painted elf looked away and up at Rebraal. He snorted contemptuously and bent back towards Hirad, whispering something meaningful before moving silently away, taking his two colleagues with him.
'Clever,' said Thraun.
'You're lucky you're not dead,' said Ilkar.
'So's he,' said Hirad. 'Who is he?'
'That's Auum, leader of the TaiGethen. You don't want to know what he was saying to you.'
Hirad shrugged. 'No, I don't. What I do want to know is, where are the runners?'
Ilkar put the question to Rebraal.
'They've caught and killed another two groups of warriors further into the forest. That's eleven men down altogether. There are others apparently on both banks but they haven't a bead on any of them. This side, Auum says the strangers are travelling under magical obscurement of some kind. On the other, there's someone he apparently respects for his forest skill but wants to skin for killing a ClawBound pair. Their guess is that both sets of men are close. More TaiGethen are crossing the river now. We shouldn't have to wait too long.'
But they did. All the rest of that day and on into the night. It was a very uncomfortable vigil. They had no relief, they had no time to eat anything other than dried meat and they had to ignore the inevitable host of insects as best they could. In the heat, humidity and rain it was a test of stamina and endurance. The TaiGethen and ClawBound were combing the forest but had so far found nothing.
Leaving Thraun, Ren, Aeb and Rebraal watching in all directions as the light faded to nothing, The Raven talked.
'It'll happen under cover of darkness,' said Darrick.
'No reason why,' said Ilkar. 'They'll know elves see just as well now as in daylight.'
Darrick tapped his head. 'The reasons are all up here. Remember, they're scared and tired. They want every advantage, real or perceived. '
'Think they're in contact with this lot ahead?' asked Hirad.
'Impossible to say,' said Darrick.
'I doubt it,' said Denser. 'Communion's a spell their mages can't afford. It's draining at the best of times. And thinking about how we were all beginning to feel just coping with the insect bites…' He shrugged.
'He's right,' said Ilkar. 'And don't forget, we've got one group apparently under some kind of moving illusion that's good enough to confuse elves and panthers. That's going to be one impressive spell.'
'Why don't they just come straight in?' asked Erienne. 'I mean, if that spell is so good, why are they worrying? Just wander up to the line and be safe.'
'Good point, but I suspect it's the terrain,' said Darrick. 'Splashing through that swamp will be like ringing warning bells, hidden by illusion or not.'
'Right,' said The Unknown. 'Here's what I suggest now.'
But he didn't have time to impart his idea because, a hundred yards to their right, the swamp exploded into life. Footsteps rushed headlong through water, plumes of spray scattering in all directions. There was the deeper splash of thigh-deep water and, from the lines ahead, the odd voice raised in encouragement.
'Raven!' roared Hirad. 'Raven with me!'
Hirad led The Raven out of cover, heading for their holding position on the left flank.
'HardShield up,' said Ilkar.
'SpellShield active,' said Erienne.
'Keep watching that left flank,' warned The Unknown.
'On it,' said Darrick.
'Denser, we need that illusion pierced,' said Hirad.
'Way ahead of you,' said the Xeteskian.
The Raven plunged into the swamp shallows, keeping their arc line as best they could in the heavy vegetation at its edge. Behind the hidden runners, the Al-Arynaar and TaiGethen were coming. The moon broke through the clouds, giving the swamp and forest an eerie luminescence; a multiple wailing pierced the air and Hirad saw the glint of metal in the sky. A panther roared, its voice taken up by a dozen more.
Denser came to a sudden stop, uttered a command word and shoved his arms out sharply. His ForceCone hammered away into the night, slapping into the roiling area of swamp where the runners had to be. Suddenly, men were visible, sprawling in the water, dragging themselves back to their feet. It hadn't been an illusion. Some sort of multiple target CloakedWalk. But now it was gone and that was all the TaiGethen needed. With extraordinary speed, three of them cut through the swamp almost as if they were skating across the surface of the water. Blades glittered in the moonlight.