“Yeah, to get reinforcements,” adds Jiron.
They watch as a large contingent of horse and foot begin entering the hills from the north. Numbering over a hundred horse and three times that number of foot, James realizes their plan may have worked too well.
“No more piddlefarting around,” he says as he turns his horse due east. “Let’s get the hell out of here!” The others follow as he rides down off the hill and begins racing through the hills.
They go no more than half a mile when a road appears between them as it makes its way eastward. Coming onto the road, they’re able to increase their speed as they fly toward the mountains.
From behind them, they continue to hear the horns of the two armies calling to one another. Scouts can be seen behind them from time to time as they crest hills in order to better direct the pursuing armies.
Up ahead of them in the road is a cart drawn by two mules, making its way toward them. Without stopping, they swing around it and continue down the road. The driver glances over his shoulder at them as they quickly disappear around the next hill. When he turns back, he’s startled to see the hills beginning to swarm with the Empire’s forces as they close in.
“Maybe this idea wasn’t so smart!” James hollers over to Jiron as they race along the road.
“It worked though,” he replies. “They’re definitely not heading toward Lord Pytherian now.”
Behind them, they can see dozens of riders upon the road in pursuit. To the north, horns can still be heard as they call to those in hills to the west. The cavalry must be pacing them as they keep them bottled up for the foot soldiers.
The hills begin to grow steadily steeper until they finally meld into the mountains. The road now winds its way between two steep sides of the mountain, with no way to go now but forward.
Turning a corner, they come to a junction, either straight ahead along the main road, or they can follow a smaller one that winds steeply up the mountain to their right. Deciding on speed, they continue to follow the road which continues straight ahead.
Ten more minutes pass when suddenly a small village appears ahead of them. They pause momentarily at the edge of the village to determine where to go. The villagers watch them but make no move to approach.
The village is nestled in among the sides of the mountain, the only way to go now is to follow the road as it leaves the village to the south. With the horns behind them getting louder, they kick their tired horses into a gallop as they race through town to the southern road.
From where it exits the village, the road begins to dwindle in size as it begins to curve to the right. Further down, the road, soon narrows into a small path with ruts made from the many wagon wheels that have rolled through here. They’re forced to slow their horses as the footing begins to get uneven with all the ruts and they run the risk of a misstep.
The horns still sound behind them, almost as if they’re trying to drive them forward. Whether they are or not, they no longer have any choice but to go on.
Suddenly, the road ahead of them enters a box canyon with steep sides. At the end of the road is a mine entrance, a dead end.
“Now what?” asks Fifer, dismay in his voice. The others pause as they consider what to do.
From the mine entrance, several men walk out holding picks and shovels, eyeing them suspiciously. They don’t look very friendly as they walk toward them. The one in the lead begins shouting something to James and the others as he brandishes his pickaxe.
On the road behind them, they hear the clatter of horses as the riders who’ve been herding them come into view. “Into the mine!” James hollers as he kicks his horse in motion and rides into the lead miner, knocking him out of the way.
The others follow him as they ride through the rest of the miners who are attempting to stop them by striking out with their picks and shovels. But their attacks are easily deflected by the seasoned fighters and are soon left behind.
Upon reaching the mine entrance, they quickly dismount and are faced with more miners coming out of the mine. Jiron takes the lead and moves to intercept them. One of the miners swings his pick at Jiron who grabs the handle and kicks out with his foot, connecting with the man’s chest. The miner falls backward into his fellows, knocking them off balance.
Fifer joins him and quickly engages a miner with a shovel. Striking with his sword, he lops off the head of the man’s shovel. The miners quickly realize they’re hopelessly outclassed and break away, running down the road away from the mine, toward the approaching riders.
“Move!” cries James as they race into the mine entrance. Upon gaining the safety of the mine, he turns to look back at the riders coming up the road. They’re slowing down and finally stop when they reach the miners. The cavalry officer bends over and asks a question and one of the miners replies, pointing toward them.
The officer barks out an order and the miners move further away from the mine as the riders move closer.
From behind him, he can hear Jiron and Fifer as they scuffle with more miners who were still within the mine. Looking back, he sees the last of three miners fall to the ground as Fifer pulls his sword out from the man’s chest. Giving Miko a nudge, they move further back into the mine until its darkness completely hides them from those outside.
When the riders reach the mine entrance, the officer stares into the mine and shouts something, most likely ordering them to come out.
In reply, a rock flies out of the mine and strikes the lead rider in the chest, exploding out the back. As the officer falls off his horse, total pandemonium erupts among the riders. One of them charges the mine entrance only to fall as another rock flies out and takes him through the chest. The rest of the riders turn their horses and move a hundred feet down the road away from the mine where they huddle together as they talk among themselves.
James glances at the others and says, “They’ll probably wait until that mage shows up before doing anything else.”
“I think so too,” responds Jiron. Then he glances at James and asks, “There’s no way we’re going to make it out of here, is there?”
James shakes his head and says, “Doesn’t look that way.”
“Maybe not,” says Miko.
They all turn to him as he continues, “Back when I was in the mines, I saw shafts that they’d dug up to the surface periodically to allow fresh air in for us. If this mine has those too, then we could maybe use one to get out.”
“Anyone have a candle or torch?” James asks, suddenly remembering a scene from the movie Rambo.
“What do you want that for?” questions Jiron.
When they all shake their head no, he looks around and finds a narrow piece of broken wood about two and half feet long. He goes back and removes a shirt from one of the dead miners and wraps it around the wood. Motioning for everyone to move back away from the entrance, he concentrates and the cloth bursts into flame.
From outside the mine, they hear the talking increase as they see the makeshift torch come to life. Some move forward and James throws another stone out, this time trying not to kill. The stone strikes a man who’s knocked backward and the rest who were moving forward come to a stop.
Seeing that they’re not in any immediate threat of being rushed, James holds the torch steady and watches as the flame is fanned by a breeze moving toward the rear of the mine. Looking to Miko, he says, “You may be right.”
Miko breaks into a smile, relieved to both have helped him and that they might be able to get out.
Holding the torch out in front of him, James moves further back into the mine. They don’t get far before the mine branches to the left or right. He steps down each branch and pauses a moment to watch the flame of the torch. When he’s down the left branch the flame flickers the most.