The general removed his helm and dropped it into an attendant’s waiting hands. His luxurious moustache and neat beard quivered as he scowled northwards. “My goodness, it is cold here. We shall handle this mess and be back in warmer climes before the week is out.”
I laughed at him, which earned myself a glare. “You face an elder magus and two ravak daemons,” I said. “How exactly do you intend on handling that?”
“With discipline and steel,” he replied. “And of course, magic enough to shame your Arcanum.”
I bit my tongue and skimmed his mind, finding it full of pride but dwelling on solid military tactics for the coming conflict.
He appeared to be a pompous bore, but adequate at his role. His Gifted dismounted but hung back, their minds clamped tight as a gnat’s arse as they stared at us with eyes dripping with mistrust. Any overt mental intrusion would be detected, and given the force surrounding us I thought it better not to provoke a violent response.
“We shall form the vanguard of the charge,” the general stated. “You may take the centre with our militia bringing up the rear.”
I looked to Eva, and I didn’t need to see her expression to feel the anger bubbling up inside her. “With all due respect,” she said. “You have no knowledge of the enemy.”
“Be that as it may, we have every confidence. We also have ten thousand men and eight fresh Gifted. This field is ours.”
With the paltry numbers left to us and the state we were in, there was no disputing that.
It was taking some time for the entire Free Towns Alliance army to filter into the wider space where we had set up camp. Their heavy infantry formed up in the snow ahead of us, all dressed in half-plate that was lighter than our wardens’ heavy Setharii battle plate, but also a lot cheaper too – typical Free Towns penny-pinching. They were all armed with long spear, shield and short stabbing swords hanging at their waist.
Our wardens were exhausted, battered and wounded, and mostly running on guts and grudge. They were happy to let these newcomers form the vanguard and take the brunt of the charge. The militia formed up behind us, their captains barking orders about placement.
We four remaining Arcanum magi were quietly hopeful now the numbers were on our side. I glanced at my weary guards. Vaughn had brought his vile pony with him rather than leave it in Kil Noth with their many wounded and hungry mouths to feed. I would have objected but its teeth and hooves looked more vicious than many of our wardens.
The Skallgrim drums beat faster, the rhythm alive, ominous.
I edged closer to Eva as Abrax-Masud came over a rise standing proud atop the back of his great beetle, blue robes flapping in the chill morning wind: dark skin, bald head and an oiled beard, his full lips twisted into haughty disdain as he surveyed our army. Snow danced around him, the air itself agitated.
I frowned. “I can’t sense any attempt to get into our minds.” My Gift was open and watchful. The Free Towns Alliance were calmer than I might have expected, but a few probes revealed nothing other than they didn’t like Setharis much and would much rather be home in front of a warm fire instead of stuck in this dreary frozen valley.
Abrax-Masud was up to something. The air crackled with stray magic. A stiff breeze began to blow and a blizzard formed from nowhere.
Our ranks swelled with reinforcements while the Skallgrim warriors were forced to advance towards us in a thin column. The Free Towns Alliance baggage train arrived, packed with far more water barrels and sacks of grain than they needed, and oddly, the heavy wooden beams of siege engines.
“Something is wrong here,” Eva said.
The Skallgrim ceased their advance. Instead of charging as I’d expected, they pivoted right and began to ascend the hill to our left, heading up towards the ruined temple and the stone circle where I had conversed with the Eldest.
NOW – Abrax-Masud’s mental voice reached every mind. Something twisted inside the brains of the Free Towns Alliance leaders, and the general’s mind unlocked like a box of secrets to reveal plans for our death. That bastard tyrant had hidden his manipulations from me! Their Gifted opened wide and the thoughts stank of Scarrabus-stain.
The Free Towns Alliance heavy infantry did an about-face and levelled spears – not at the Skallgrim, but at us. Behind us lines of militia stood their ground, the anvil ready to receive the hammer blow and us the metal. Their slings began to whirl.
Eva grabbed Secca’s arm hard enough to bruise. “Hide us from their sight.” The air rippled. Eva pointed to her head and I opened a mental link to all of us. Head further up the hill immediately, she thought. It is too late for anything else. Be silent!
A thousand sling stones crunched into the rear of our forces, aimed at the unarmoured Clansfolk and druí, many going down. They were lethal weapons at short range. A stone slammed into Adalwolf’s temple and he fell face first into the snow. Diodorus went down with a shattered jaw, bubbling for help. Coira leapt onto a charging heavy infantryman and her sword found its way through his mouth out the back of his neck. For a brief moment she was a fury of slicing death before a spearhead burst through her breast.
We left our people behind and fled, covered by Secca’s illusion.
I mentally commanded Jovian and Vaughn to run for their lives, if they could. They leapt onto Biter to gallop south through a storm of snow and stones trying to hit a fast moving target. His evil pony trampled two militiamen to death and I had the blind hope that somehow they might make it out. Good luck!
Abrax-Masud and his army reached the ruins atop the hill. The air seemed to tremble. It ripped open to reveal rolling green hills – somewhere not here. Wind began to howl through the doorway. Men and monsters marched through. No wonder he was not attacking us – all his energy was working on opening this portal to elsewhere.
Surrounded on all sides and with the elder tyrant’s strange Escharric magic; despair took hold.
It was a short and inglorious end to our campaign: butchered by our supposed allies. The Free Towns heavy infantry cleared a route to the hilltop for their baggage train. That explained the siege engines. They were never meant for battle at Kil Noth.
Secca’s Gift faltered. I am not sure how long I can hold this.
You must, was Eva’s only answer. “Find those accursed Arcanum sorcerers,” the general shouted to the militia. “A hundred gold to those who take a head!”
What do we do? Bryden thought, pulsing with panic.
We fight, Eva replied. We try and take Abrax-Masud with us.
Walker, keep us hidden from mental probes. Secca, keep your illusion up if it kills you. To the top of the hill!
We picked our way up the icy slope, avoiding the roving goldhungry forces searching in vain for our heads. By the time we made it up the hill every breath came in a wheezing gasp and my tunic was soaked with blood after the stitches in my chest ripped open during the climb. The Free Towns heavy infantry and the supplies were already halfway through the portal.
Abrax-Masud’s mind dredged the battlefield, searching for us. Where are you, ignorant vermin? We were mice, quiet and not worth noticing in all this mayhem… The edge of the portal wavered, his distraction compromising it before Abrax-Masud diverted his full attention back to steadying it. I was glad that for the moment most of his power was directed into keeping that portal open.