His eyes flicked over everything. There was forest to their left but it was a mile away and to their right a long rolling hillside ambled up to a sheer cliff twice as distant as the forest. They rode through a plain of waving grass that barely brushed his feet.
‘See anything, Erys?’ he said.
‘No, Captain,’ said Erys a little wearily. ‘But I am still watching, believe me.’
‘Don’t humour me, boy,’ said Yron. Never mind weary, he felt absolutely exhausted. He’d hardly slept a wink since they’d left Arlen. ‘Just do what I ask. Point and laugh later.’
‘I won’t be doing that,’ said Erys. ‘I’ve seen too much of you to take your hunches lightly.’
‘Good, because I’m still sure.’
But inside he wasn’t sure. Was he simply being paranoid? Dystran had assured him that The Raven were being monitored through the Protector, Aeb, and presented no immediate danger. And he hadn’t seen a single elf. But he couldn’t afford to be complacent. Because in complacency lay death.
The Xeteskian force rode and ran on easily, eating up the distance. Yron reacted to every bird call, every whinny of a horse, the rattle of tack, the chink of metal and the breeze playing over the grass. He shivered constantly, just waiting for the awful keening sound of a jaqrui crescent scything through the air.
Six miles from the lines he ordered the lead Protector to him.
‘We will be nearing the Dordovan supply lines or rear scouts,’ he said. ‘They know what we’re attempting and will be ready. Assume they know our position.’
‘Yes, sir,’ said Esk.
‘I want a clear run. I don’t want a single sword, arrow or spell coming within a hundred yards of me, do you understand?’
‘Yes, sir.’
‘Then I leave the timing to you and your brothers across the lines. Strike as required.’
‘It will be done.’
Immediately, Esk ran off, twenty-five Protectors moving seamlessly to join him. The remainder closed ranks around Yron and Erys, the cavalry forming a wedge ahead, the mages scattered through the foot soldiers and cavalry, half holding their HardShields as they rode, the others with offensive spells part formed for quick casting. It was a drain but it wouldn’t be for much longer.
Yron nodded, watching the Protectors sprint away to assault the rear of the Dordovan lines. It was oddly comforting to see them and he knew without any question that they’d achieve their aim. Still he carried on watching until long after they were completely out of sight. He turned his head to speak to Erys and the plain came alive all around them.
Shadows surged from the grass on both sides and crossed the path in front of them. An instant later, bows hummed and jaqrui howled through the darkening dusk. HardShields flared to deflect the incoming missiles, FlameOrbs arced into the sky, HotRain began to fall.
‘Oh dear Gods,’ muttered Yron, then shouted, ‘I told you, I told you!’
The cavalry charged, riding down the elves ahead, swords thumping into the Al-Arynaar, who had no experience of fighting mounted swordsmen. At the end of the charge, the cavalry turned and split to sweep back along the flanks. The Protectors unsnapped weapons and stormed away to meet their attackers, the foot soldiers trailing in their wake. Yron dragged his sword from its scabbard, kicked his horse to escape the HotRain that poured from the sky and headed for the mêlée.
‘No!’ shouted Erys. ‘No!’
‘What?’ Yron turned and saw Erys leaning out of his saddle, grabbing at his reins to pull him round. FlameOrbs splashed down close by, smearing across helpless foot soldiers.
‘We’ve got to go!’ yelled Erys.
‘I will not run, boy.’
‘Leave the Protectors. We have to get our cargo to Xetesk. Now.’
Yron knew he was right but recoiled from running and leaving others to die. TaiGethen and Al-Arynaar were closing in, hundreds of them streaming across the grass. How had they got here so quickly? More arrows bounced from the HardShield covering Yron. Somewhere nearby a panther roared, its voice picked up by others all around him.
‘ClawBound too,’ he whispered.
What in hell was going on? Surely this was a totally disproportionate response to the theft of a few crumbling parchments? But even as his blood chilled at the numbers suddenly against them, his horse moving nervously, skittish at the sound of the big cat, he could only marvel at how these elves had got so close.
‘Now!’ screamed Erys, as more HotRain appeared above them.
Yron nodded, put his heels to his horse’s flanks, called the research mages and his cavalry guard to him and forged ahead, the sounds of death echoing in his ears.
Auum made a quick analysis as he ran in, blade in his right hand, jaqrui in his left. The spells had served to scatter the foot soldiers and the tight knot of horsemen at the centre of the enemy but now answering spells were coming. Five elves at least were ablaze and dying, their bodies torches to light the gloom, their cries invitations to Shorth to take them.
To his left, well-ordered horsemen had carved through the ambush and were circling round to sweep along their flanks. Ahead, a line of Protectors spread in perfect order to wield the dual weapons they all carried and moved towards them. Behind them, spearmen moved nervously and, at the hub of it all, were the strangers he wanted, unsure and scared.
With Duele left and Evunn right, he sprinted in on a slight arc, other TaiGethen running counter arcs designed to confuse the enemy. Panthers roared and growled. He saw black shapes next to tall bound-elves running in from at least six points, one pair very close to him.
Auum flicked out his jaqrui. It flew straight and fast, wailing in the air. As he ran into the fight, he tracked it. The masked man hadn’t seen it. Auum had mentally noted the kill when the man’s blade came from nowhere to block it away in a shower of sparks. His gaze settled on Auum an instant later.
The TaiGethen joined battle, the enemy spacing allowing them two to a target. Auum flicked in a slash to the stomach which was blocked away, Duele carving towards the mask only to see the flat blade of an axe clatter against his sword, the sheer force knocking him momentarily off balance. Auum leapt, drop-kicking the enemy in the chest with both legs, forcing him to step back, but already the heavy axe was up and ready, the sword crashing down. Auum swayed right, deflecting the heavy blow, then skipped back a pace, narrowly avoiding a blow from the next Protector right. Duele mimicked Auum’s movement, an axe grazing his arm, tearing the leather.
Next to them, Evunn had the help of a ClawBound pair. He ducked a cross-swing from an axe, his blade licking up into his opponent’s body. Simultaneously, the panther leapt, clamping onto the sword arm in mid-swing and bearing it backwards. The Clawbound elf went for the man’s face, hardened nails clawing at the mask’s sides and teeth ripping at the eye slits. The Protector fell back, trying to push the elf away. His defence compromised, Evunn pierced his chest.
Auum checked in again, rolling under a sword thrust and whipping his blade up into the enemy’s thigh as he rose, his head crashing into the point of the man’s chin, snapping his head back. Duele saw his opportunity and roundhoused a kick to the Protector’s head. Auum slashed his throat, turning as the body dropped.
Across the line it was slow going. He saw one of the masked men decapitate an elf in front of him, and with the follow-up with his sword, thrash it through the chest of another. The Protector moved forward, another beside him deflecting a blow he had no right to reach, allowing him to carve his axe into the body of a third Al-Arynaar. There was no sound from them and they worked closely in concert, just like Rebraal had said. They would be overwhelmed but it would take time.
In the centre of the enemy, their key targets kicked at their horses and sprang away. Auum heard shouts and some of the horsemen broke off, turned and followed.