The Warrior's Assault

by Kristen Banet

  “Stop staring at your wife!” Zayden snarled, moving around him to kill a soldier. Mat laughed and struck one coming up behind his friend.

  “You can’t tell me she isn’t beautiful!” Mat elbowed his friend as they met side-by-side, looking in opposite directions. Zayden flicked a wing in front of his face, trying to hit him.

  “I’m not saying she isn’t beautiful. I’m saying admire her later.” They were surrounded. They had been surrounded since it started. For every one they cut down, two more showed up. He figured the first rush were the ones inside the fortress. The second rush and the replacements were those who had been sleeping or outside of the fortress walls in the city. There were so many of them. Probably over a thousand soldiers were now only focused on killing the Andinna.

  The entire Company knew the odds of surviving when they came into this, but that didn’t stop them from trying. It was also one of the reasons they chose to bring everything to the courtyard. A hundred Andinna filled the space fairly well, and many soldiers were getting cut down even trying to come out and push them out.

  A roar made him pause.

  “That’s Rain,” he whispered to himself. Zayden just snarled as he drove his sword into another soldier.

  “Alchan leaves him on the boat, and he still finds trouble. My son. He used to be a good kid.”

  “If he’s up and flying, that means the ship is in danger.” Mat growled and kicked back a soldier hard enough he was certain he broke bones. The soldier fell into one of his comrades, and they both tumbled down. Mat jumped forward, taking the chance to shove his sword down, through the top one and into the next. Zayden followed him, holding off an attack as Mat yanked his sword back out of the dead body.

  “Yeah, I know that’s what that fucking means. Too bad there’s nothing we can do about it!” Zayden swung hard and cut off the head of the next soldier who dared to come into his range.

  They continued to fight. Mat worried about Rain. He worried about Bryn as well, who was supposed to lead the freed Andinna back to the ship.

  He didn’t have much time to worry as a different cry filled the air.

  He looked up in confusion to see several dark shapes in the air, and they weren’t Rain or Andinna.

  “Zayden,” he said quickly, looking back down to fight off another soldier. “Look up for a second.”

  “What?” That sounded like complete confusion. “What the fucking Skies is up there?”

  “I don’t know, but it sounded like gryphons.” Matesh blocked another sword, pushing back the Elvasi, using his tail to knock the opponent off balance and send him to the ground.

  Two more cries filled the air, and when Mat looked up, the shapes were getting larger and definitely what he thought they were.

  One swooped down into the courtyard, landing on an Andinna and killing the young male instantly.

  “By the fucking Skies,” he gasped.

  The Elvasi cavalry was now riding gryphons.

  He wasn’t the only one who noticed.

  “Get under something!” Luykas roared. “Get out of their way!”

  Two more landed, roaring. Mat grabbed his friend and kicked away an Elvasi. He needed to find a window or door. They couldn’t be outside with gryphons running around as war mounts. Fighting one gryphon was hard enough. A dozen? There was no way. Not in their position.

  And it seemed like there were more than a dozen in the sky above them, even as some landed, not caring if they took out their own. Mat shoved a soldier back before grabbing Zayden and pulling him along. Right before he could find a way in, one of the riders jumped on the catwalk, and the gryphon screeched in fury. He jumped back as it swiped at him. The Elvasi on its back held a long spear, stabbing forward. Mat was knocked back as Zayden forced him to move before it went through his chest, the spear hitting Zayden in the shoulder.

  With a roar, Mat swung his sword down, breaking the spear and pulling Zayden back before the gryphon could take a bite.

  Before the gryphon could strike at him again, he jumped to its side. The Elvasi pulled a sword, as he tried to angle the gryphon like someone would a horse, pulling on reins to direct it. Mat jumped, sinking his sword into the chest of the rider and sending them both to the other side of the gryphon.

  The gryphon, suddenly without a rider, seemed shocked. It bristled, it’s feathers and fur puffing up, and jumped back into the air, its wings kicking up dust and pushing him back.

  “Kill the riders!” Mat screamed.

  Before he could say anymore, a sword cut over his ribs, an arm wrapped around him from the back as an Elvasi jumped onto him. He elbowed the one on his back and backed up to slam the fool into a wall. It hurt his wings too, but he would still be able to get airborne, and that was all that mattered. He grabbed the wrist of the one who was able to land a hit and stopped his next swing. Mat threw his head forward, slamming their foreheads together. He twisted his neck as he pulled away, allowing his unbroken horn to gore the jaw of his opponent.

  It was considered inappropriate to use their horns that way.

  He didn’t much care at that moment.

  “Luykas, we need to leave!” he roared. “We have to pull out!”

  His commander looked up for just a moment from across the courtyard and shook his head. Mat suddenly realized they were in a damn suicide mission. This was going to get them all killed. Alchan and Bryn still weren’t passing through with the females. They had no idea what was going on, and with four gryphon riders in the middle of the courtyard, things were looking desperate now.

  A hand landed on his shoulder. He jumped, turning to see Zayden, his shoulder bleeding profusely.

  “Z…” Mat couldn’t think for a moment.

  “I’ll be fine,” his friend growled. “Stop staring at your wife. From up here, we can jump down on the riders, hopefully, kill a few.”

  “Good plan.” Mat looked back over the railing. Four gryphons. Only two of them. “Kian! Pick one and jump!”

  Kian looked over from his fight and down. With a nod, he kicked back the soldier he was fighting and climbed onto the railing. Mat watched him jump down, roaring in fury, his blade sinking into the Elvasi without ceremony. Mat was on the railing as the gryphon began to buck, screeching in fury at the extra load of the Andinna. Mat didn’t follow after that, aiming for his own target and taking the leap.

  He didn’t get a clean kill like Kian. The rider had been watching for an attack from above. He pulled his gryphon to move, and Mat nearly missed, landing awkwardly. He was able to drive his sword home in the end and was flung off the angry beast. Zayden was thrown as well, rolling across the flagstone. Mat ran for his friend and guarded him as he stood, killing a soldier who tried to take a cheap shot.

  The last rider jumped back into the air. Mat took a second to look up and see the horde of riders above them. If the Andinna tried to take to the skies, they would meet a fight. It was supposed to be the one place where they were safe, but that wasn’t the case anymore. How long had the Elvasi been training gryphons? The Company was going to have long talks about this after all was said and done.

  If we’re still alive.

  The terrible roar of Rainev filled the night again, causing some of the gryphons to lose their cool, flying erratically in the air above them. Mat was knocked from his staring when someone shoved him. He looked down to see her. Mave was glaring at him.

  “You’re getting distracted.”

  “I’m trying to figure out how we’re supposed to leave this place with them hovering over us,” he retorted. “Plus, right here is the safest place in the courtyard. We’ve still got the doors blocked into choke points and have essentially cleared the upper level.”

  She grinned after that, pulling him in for a long, bloody kiss. It was easy to forget how they got covered in blood as they fought, but when their mouths met, he could taste it, filling his mouth as he drank her in as well.

  It was the worst place for the display of affection, but he would never tell
her no.

  It lasted longer than it should have, but it was over faster than he wanted. When she pulled away, she ran a hand across his cheek. He leaned into it, savoring the moment for as long as he could.

  “We’ll get out. Don’t worry. We’re not going to die here.” He believed her. He would always believe in her, just as long as he got to stay with her. “Luykas? Any plans?”

  “Eventually, they’re going to run out of soldiers to throw at us trying to get into the courtyard, but we were planning on flying out. The gryphons are a new problem. We could always punch a path into one of the halls and find exits that way, but it doesn’t stop the gryphons from picking us off as we try to get back to the ship.” He shook his head. “We have two options. Fight them all and probably take serious losses or outrun them.”

  “And we’re still waiting on the other group,” Matesh pointed out. “And we definitely have injuries. Zayden got a spear to the shoulder. I don’t even know where he’s disappeared to.” Mat took that chance to look for his friend. Zayden wasn’t hard to find, providing assistance to one of the defensive groups, holding a set of double doors closed. He was bleeding, but he was using his good shoulder to help keep the door closed. His face was growing pale, but Mat knew better than to ask his friend to stop and find a place to patch up.

  “Yeah, I see him. Shit,” Luykas mumbled, looking in the same direction. “Where the fuck is my brother? They should have been back up here by now.”

  “And we’ve got Rain trying to keep the ship safe. This has gone to hell.”

  He looked at his female. Mave didn’t seem concerned. She looked around, using the secure center of the courtyard to see everything. There were now Andinna filling the catwalk above, keeping more soldiers from breeching up there.

  “We punch a hole through the gryphons. Get Rain’s attention. He’ll have a good fight against them.”

  “Wyverns do sometimes hunt gryphons if they feel the predator is too much of a burden on their territory…” Mat nodded slowly. “But it’s really the only option.”

  “It would also mean giving up the boat,” Luykas said, shaking his head. “We can’t do that unless it’s the last option. We wait and try not to die. We have the numbers to keep this secure. They’ve got us locked in, but they can’t bring enough gryphons down here to handle all of us and probably don’t want the losses. We have a moment to breathe.”

  “So, we keep hoping our other group gets back, and we all make it out together.” Mat reached out to Mave again, taking her hand. “Then let’s stay alive for them.”

  “Exactly,” she murmured, flipping and spinning her unsheathed sword in her free hand.

  32

  Alchan

  Alchan ran through the cramped halls, Brynec in front of him and Senri guiding the way behind them. The rest of the party was scattered behind them. They didn’t run into much trouble as they navigated the halls, and he knew he had those in the courtyard to thank for that. He could hear the screaming commotion and felt drawn to it, but he had pressing matters to deal with. Senri said there were more slaves in the fortress, and he was resolved to free every Andinna from this place—he had no other option. He couldn’t rescue only those he had lost. He had to take all of them back. Shadra didn’t get to keep his people anymore. She didn’t get to slowly enslave every last one of them.

  No longer would he stand for it.

  “How much further?” he asked loudly.

  “Not much! How do you think everyone else is doing?”

  They hadn’t been running for very long; getting out of the dungeon had been easy. The rest of the slaves were probably hiding from the fighting in their own quarters. He hoped he hadn’t brought them any trouble yet, not while he couldn’t protect them.

  “They’re the best warriors of our people, Senri. I’m sure they’re fine.” He didn’t want to say it, but he knew she was asking about Kian. He was avoiding mentioning the male and the shit around him at the moment. That could be dealt with once they left the fortress. Once they were on the ship and out of the harbor, things would be addressed.

  We’re not getting on that ship, though. I’m not an idiot. Rain will defend it as best he can, but we’re going to lose it.

  He had a lot of respect for his young wyvern-shifting nemari, but he knew how to be reasonable. That was why he made a backup plan before the mission—Northbound. Only a week of hard travel to the Dragon Spine and relative safety. They could hide in the mountains and figure out their next move.

  “Turn left here!” Senri called out.

  Brynec made the turn and Alchan followed. Behind them, the footsteps of their group trailed. He made Nevyn and Varon stay at the end of their group, protecting the back end. Alchan had faith they wouldn’t let him down. No Elvasi was going to get through them to their vulnerable charges.

  Alchan stopped at a door at the end of the hall. When it wouldn’t budge, he decided he wasn’t going to wait for Brynec to pick the lock.

  “Move!” he ordered. The small rogue jumped out of his way, and Alchan kicked the handle and lock, breaking the wood. He kicked a second time, sending the door flying open.

  Inside looked like a barracks, dark and cramped, with beds stacked on top of each other.

  “I’m Alchan Andini,” he called out as he stepped inside. “I’m here to take you home.”

  “Andini?” An Andinna stepped out of the darkness in the back of the room. An old female by the look of her, the black Andinna hair beginning to grey. He couldn’t identify the shape of her horns or anything else. They had been removed much like a bull’s, leaving only flat nubs for the base. Her wings were bound, frail, and undernourished. “Like Queen Tyanna Andini?”

  “She was my grandmother. She’s gone now, and so are her daughters and granddaughters,” he said softly. He held out a hand. “Come. It’s time for you to come home with me.”

  “Then you’re the king,” the old female suddenly realized. “Your Majesty!” she went to bow, and he stopped her.

  “No time for that. We have to leave. Come out, everyone! It’s time for you to leave this place!” He didn’t have time for pleasantries. They had to leave before the Elvasi realized someone was freeing their captives. If the attention left the courtyard, they would never make it out alive.

  A dozen Andinna walked from the back of the dark room, hiding in the darkness, not sure who was coming for them.

  “The commotion? There’s an attack going on…” The old female stared up at him, realization dawning. Some part of Alchan recognized her, but slavery took such a toll on her that he wasn’t sure from where. “You’re…rescuing us.”

  “Of course,” he murmured. “Of course I am.”

  He wished he wasn’t. Not because he hated rescues but because he was full of shame. He should have saved them centuries ago. This female was obviously a long-term recipient of Lord Junius’ care.

  He’d been fooling himself. It was a thought that bothered him. As Senri took the old female from him, he stood and considered what was wrong with him. Since the attack on his village, he’d been angry and focused. He hadn’t taken it out on his men, but on himself in private. He convinced himself he was doing the right thing for his people by protecting those who were free and not getting more killed in slavery by trying to fight the Empire.

  He had been so positive he was doing the right thing. He couldn’t be a hero.

  Then Shadra stepped over the line they had drawn since the end of the War. The mountains of Olost were safe, and she robbed them of that. He could see it in the way his warriors behaved. He saw it in the way his people acted as he tried to send them to new villages to find new homes. They would never feel safe in Olost again. The last refuge they had was taken from them, and it wasn’t going to stop there.

  She’s going to keep coming until we’re gone. She’s going to keep coming until the Company has nothing to fight for, and she can take us, defeated. The attack on Olost was only the first move.

  He had to stop it.
He had to even the odds and match the numbers. She wasn’t going to stop, so neither could he. He had to free as many as possible, as often as possible. It was their only hope for survival.

  There were nearly twenty Andinna slaves.

  “How long has he had you?” Alchan asked as he looked them over before getting the group to keep moving.

  “Since the end of the War for me,” the old female whispered.

  “Only a few of us can fly if that’s what you’re asking,” a young male spoke up. “I’ve only been here for fifty years. I can still get in the air, I bet.”

  “How many of you can’t?” he inquired gently.

  Half of them raised their hands—all old, all frail.

  “We’ll figure it out when we get back to the rest,” Brynec whispered in his ear. Nevyn nodded in agreement.

  Alchan could only hope they had a chance to figure it out. He nodded quickly.

  “Brynec, lead us back to the courtyard. We have to join the fight.”

  33

  Rainev

  Rainev spun as another bolt flew by him. It was never-ending. He was trying to stop the Elvasi warships from attacking the ship, which wasn’t difficult when they were aiming at him. The ballista the Elvasi used was a slow-to-aim, inaccurate piece of equipment. It was powerful, but he didn’t find it difficult to keep weaving through the air, watching the bolts fly past him. He pulled their attention away from the ship, trying to keep them focused on him. The only problem he faced was getting close to them and destroying their ships in return.

  They’ll hit me with ease if I try to get too close—I become too big of a target.

  He’d been able to get one ship out of half a dozen or more—just one. It had been the first, the closest. Since then, the warships were making him keep his distance by constantly barraging him.