The Final Battle

by Stuart Daly

  Fifty voices answered as one in a loud cheer. The Master nodded proudly and pointed his sword at the company of Roon that had separated from the main battle to block them. ‘I’ll lead and carve a path through the giants. Then we’ll head straight for the trapped Andalonians. Maintain a wedge formation, stay close and don’t stop. There aren’t that many of us, but all we need to do is puncture a hole through the Roon lines and keep it open long enough for our men to escape through. If we fail, this war is lost.’

  Determined not to get left behind, Caspan climbed atop Frostbite and rode out to join Scott. ‘Where do you want me?’ he asked.

  ‘Right by my side,’ Scott said, then turned to consider the Roon they were about to charge. There were perhaps a hundred of them, formed up behind a shield wall, their spears pointed at the cavalry. ‘I think one blast of fire should be enough to scatter them. What do you think?’

  Caspan leaned forward in his saddle and patted Frostbite on the neck. ‘It will be our pleasure.’ The drake craned his head around to give Caspan a knowing look that suggested he could understand every word Caspan said.

  ‘Just don’t fly too ahead of the cavalry,’ Scott cautioned. ‘Otherwise the Roon might close the gap, stopping the cavalry from coming through after us.’

  Caspan nodded and drew a deep breath, girding himself for what was to come. Scott commanded the cavalry into a wedge-shaped formation. Then somebody cleared their throat loudly, prompting Caspan and Scott to turn around.

  Sara, Shanty and Oswald were waiting behind them, sitting atop their Wardens. Sara had an arrow set to her bowstring, and Shanty and Oswald gripped swords in their hands. Shanty had also acquired a large metal shield, which stretched from where his left foot rested in a stirrup to the tip of his nose. Caspan marvelled at how he could carry it.

  ‘I hope you weren’t planning on leaving us behind?’ Sara asked.

  Scott smiled proudly. ‘I wouldn’t dare dream of it.’ He cocked an eyebrow questioningly at Shanty. ‘You’ll be able to keep pace?’ The dwarf mumbled something in return, but his voice was muffled by the shield and the distant sounds of combat. Scott smirked as he raised a hand to his ear. ‘I’m sorry, did you say something?’

  The dwarf snorted as he lowered his shield, allowing him to see the Master properly. ‘I said, you don’t need to worry about us. Ferris can run as fast as a galloping horse over short distances. Just make sure you don’t fall behind me.’

  Scott grinned as he waited for his friends to join the company of riders. When they were ready, he raised his sword and thrust it at the enemy. With a mighty cheer and bellowing horns, the reserve cavalry set spurs to mounts and thundered across the field.

  CHAPTER 25

  HIGHLAND ALLIES

  As their drakes streaked away from the ground, Caspan and Master Scott led the charge at the Roon shield wall. The pounding of steel-shod hooves across the earth only a few yards below them was deafening. Caspan felt as if he was at the head of a tremendous avalanche that would smash through any opposition. At the back of his mind, though, was the fact that although the battle had raged for several hours now, no Andalonian cavalry charge had yet been effective in breaking through the enemy’s shield walls. He gritted his teeth and vowed that this was about to change.

  As they neared the enemy some of the giants parted their shields, allowing archers to step into the gaps. Caspan and Scott hunkered down across their Wardens’ backs and directed them to fly lower until the drakes’ feet, tucked up under their bellies, almost brushed across the ground. Bowstrings twanged and arrows zipped through the air. Some ricocheted off the steel-like scales that covered the drakes’ shoulders and the tops of their heads. One even tore through Caspan’s billowing cloak. Gargled cries rose from behind as some of the riders, hit by feathered shafts, toppled from their saddles and disappeared in clouds of dust. But there could be no turning back now, and so the Andalonians charged forward until the shield wall closed again and the giants braced themselves for the impact.

  Thirty yards from the enemy, Caspan commanded Frostbite to deliver his deadly fire-storm. Frostbite reared back his head, his nostrils flaring as he sucked in air, filling his lungs. Then he thrust his head forward, targeting the middle section of the enemy line. A stream of brilliant blue fire shot from the drake’s nostrils, engulfing the Roon.

  A hurled axe came out of nowhere. Caspan saw it as a blur of movement in the corner of his eye and yanked instinctively on Frostbite’s reins, cutting short the drake’s fire attack as they tried to steer clear of the weapon. But it was too late. The axe ripped through the soft membrane of Frostbite’s left wing. Before Caspan knew what was happening, he was hanging on for dear life around Frostbite’s neck as they crashed into the ground. They tumbled along the earth in a mess of twisting limbs and wings until they ploughed into the enemy.

  Fire raged all around them. Bodies and shields flew through the air. Caspan was thrown clear and rolled across the singed and burning ground for what seemed like an eternity before he finally stopped. He lay on his chest, spitting dirt and blinking clarity into his spinning vision, vaguely aware that the ominous sound of thundering hooves was getting closer and closer.

  He pushed himself up onto his elbows and looked back towards the shield wall. His blood turned to ice. Through the dissipating cloud of blue fire the cavalry emerged, charging straight towards him, their steel-shod hooves chomping into the earth like the jaws of a great beast. He scrambled frantically to his feet and dived to the side, narrowly avoiding the riders who galloped past him. He rolled across the ground until he was clear of their trampling hooves, then lay there, gasping for air. He waited until the last of the horsemen rode by, then, as the dust settled around him, he clambered to his feet and searched desperately for Frostbite.

  To his relief, Frostbite had also rolled clear of the enemy and managed to avoid the cavalry. The drake was lying on the opposite side of the trail of churned earth made by the horsemen. But Caspan’s heart sank when he saw the injuries Frostbite had sustained. The drake was licking his left wing, which hung limp by his side. A hole over a foot long had been torn through the leathery membrane. Frostbite would never fly with such an injury. The collision into the enemy had also ripped scales out of the Warden’s brilliant blue coat, leaving patches of soft, pink flesh. Whereas Caspan’s cloak was singed from when he had rolled through the fireball, Frostbite fortunately appeared to be immune to his own fire.

  Caspan called out as he staggered towards Frostbite, who looked up and tried to rise. The drake placed his rear right leg tentatively on the ground, but was incapable of bearing his weight on it. Only now did Caspan realise that there was a large patch of exposed flesh, raw and grazed, on Frostbite’s right thigh. Moaning in pain, the drake nursed his injured leg against his chest and lay down on his side.

  Close to tears, Caspan hurried over to Frostbite and wrapped his arms around his neck. ‘Oh, buddy, aren’t you in a fine mess. Don’t worry – I’ll get you safely out of here. Everything will be fine.’

  The drake looked deep into Caspan’s eyes and, whimpering, licked the boy’s cheek.

  A battle cry from behind forced Caspan to spin around to discover that the Roon had re-formed their shield wall. They were advancing slowly towards him and Frostbite, peering warily over the rims of their shields, no doubt wary of the drake’s lethal fire attack.

  Abandoned by the cavalry who had charged ahead as planned, Caspan stared in horror at the approaching horde. Flight was foremost on his mind, but he knew they’d never be able to escape in time. Frostbite could barely stand let alone walk or fly. Grimly accepting what needed to be done, he turned to give his Warden a final hug and kissed him tenderly on the snout.

  ‘Goodbye, my dear, dear friend,’ he said, tears streaming down his cheeks. ‘I’ll miss you so much.’

  His sword gripped in his hand, his teeth bared, he turned to face the giants. He was about to reach for Frostbite’s soul key, when a familiar voice called from behind.
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  ‘I hope you’re not planning on doing something silly?’

  Caspan turned to find that Sara had reined Cloud Dancer alongside Frostbite. Shanty, Oswald and a dozen horsemen had also withdrawn from the main cavalry charge to join them.

  Never before had Caspan been so happy to see his friends. He stared at them, speechless, wiping the tears from his eyes.

  ‘We’ll escort you back to the main group,’ one of the horsemen said. Caspan recognised him as the soldier with the busted lip.

  ‘Don’t just stand there gawking at us!’ Shanty warned Caspan. ‘Hurry up and get out of here!’

  Sara dexterously reached into her quiver, set an arrow to her bowstring and loosed the shaft at one of the giants. It thudded into the Roon’s shield, just above its iron boss.

  ‘Frostbite’s injured,’ Caspan said. ‘He can’t fly.’

  Shanty ducked as a spear soared past his head. ‘Then dismiss him. And be quick about it!’

  Caspan reached under his tunic for Frostbite’s soul key and froze. It was missing. Panicking, he patted his chest frantically, checking if it had slipped off its chain and fallen down inside his clothing. But he still couldn’t find it.

  ‘It’s gone!’ he cried, looking helplessly at his friends. ‘Frostbite’s soul key is gone!’

  He started to sprint back to where he had rolled across the ground to check there, when Oswald spurred Legend alongside him.

  ‘There’s no time for that, Caspan,’ he warned. ‘We need to get out of here, fast.’ He offered Caspan his hand. ‘Climb up.’

  Caspan swatted the elderly treasure hunter’s hand aside and stared at him defiantly. ‘There’s no way I’m leaving Frostbite behind. Now get Shanty and Sara out of here before it’s too late!’

  He glanced over at Frostbite, who was trying to struggle to his feet, but his rear right leg gave way again. The drake pushed himself up on his front legs and faced the approaching giants. He drew his right wing back threateningly, bared his dagger-like teeth and roared. The Roon stopped dead in their tracks and retreated a few steps, but a muscle-corded warrior with snake tattoos on his arms and chest pushed through the shield wall and barked a command, restoring order. Another command from the burly giant saw the Roon on the flanks of the shield wall move forward, while the centre held steady, evidently in an attempt to encircle the small group of defenders and their Wardens.

  Caspan stared beseechingly at Oswald. ‘Please leave! You can still ride away. Now go!’

  Oswald looked down at him and smiled softly. ‘The Brotherhood never abandons one of its own.’ A spear thudded into the earth barely a foot from Legend’s front hooves, making the unicorn neigh and stamp backwards. Oswald tugged on the reins, holding the Warden in check. He extended his hand to Caspan again. ‘Climb up. You won’t stand a chance down there.’

  No sooner had Caspan grasped Oswald’s hand and swung up onto the unicorn’s back than a spear sailed out from behind the Roon ranks and sliced across Caspan’s shoulder. Crying out in pain, the treasure hunter dropped his sword. He had the presence of mind to dexterously manoeuvre his foot to hook the sword’s crossguard on the toe of his boot. Caspan reached down to grab it, when he was startled by a bloodcurdling war cry. His sword slipping from his fingers, he looked up to see the Roon lower their shields and charge.

  Sara fired four arrows swiftly, bringing down two Roon and making those behind stumble and pile on top of each other. But her feathered shafts were never going to stop so many giants. They rumbled forward in a landslide of black steel and rippling muscle.

  Caspan feared this was the end, for there was nothing they could do to stop such a large force, when the centre of the Roon line was hit by a cone of magical blue fire. Frostbite turned his head slowly to the right, directing his blazing stream along the entire left flank of the attacking giants. Those lucky to have hunkered down behind their shields waited for the blue cloud to dissipate, then, tossing aside their burning shields, tore towards Frostbite, determined to slay him before he could deliver another devastating jet of fire.

  Sara brought down three of the giants with carefully aimed shots of her bow. Then she joined Caspan, Shanty, Oswald and the horsemen in forming a protective circle around the injured drake.

  ‘Here!’ she yelled, resting her bow across her thighs as she nimbly untied her sword belt from around her waist. She tossed the weapon to Caspan.

  He caught it and drew the blade clear of its scabbard just in time to meet a giant’s double-headed axe. The jar almost knocked Caspan off Legend’s back, but he held on tightly to the saddle blanket’s grip with his free hand and kicked the giant hard in the neck. The Roon staggered back, but another giant rushed forward to grab Caspan by the tunic and tried to drag him off Legend. Squeezing his legs around the unicorn’s waist, Caspan twisted around and hammered the pommel of his sword onto the giant’s leather skull cap. There was a dull thud and the Roon slumped to his knees.

  Giants swarmed around them. Legend reared up on his hind legs and clobbered the giants with his front hooves. No sooner would he land back down on all fours than he’d lash out with his hind legs, delivering bone-crunching kicks. The giants moved back warily, their shields raised, and stabbed with their spears and swords at the unicorn’s exposed flanks. Caspan and Oswald parried aside the enemy thrusts, but Caspan knew it would only be a matter of time before a sword or spear-point snaked past their defences.

  Caspan glanced over to the right. Shanty, Ferris and five horsemen charged into a group of giants. The faun lowered his horns as he smashed into the Roon. In spite of being only half their size, the faun’s powerful headbutt splintered their wooden shields and sent three of the enemy sprawling on the ground. Two of the horsemen were cut down, and the dwarf and faun quickly retreated with the remaining riders to join Frostbite, who kept the enemy at bay with bursts of fire and swipes of his tail.

  Sara and Cloud Dancer, meanwhile, took to the sky. Fortunately, the Roon archers appeared to have exhausted all of their arrows, for they had drawn their swords and joined the other giants in the melee. But many were armed with spears, which they threw with deadly accuracy. Already five of the horsemen had toppled from their saddles, clutching spear hafts. Sara kept Cloud Dancer hovering high above Frostbite, well out of spear-range. She loosed shaft after shaft down at the Roon, picking them off as they lowered their shields to attack her friends and the cavalry.

  Sweat trickling down his forehead, Caspan saw the burly commander with the snake tattoos push through the press and prepare to attack Legend. The giant wielded a massive broadsword in a two-handed grip, its black blade engraved with runes and strange symbols. He heaved it back behind his shoulder, and, when Legend wheeled around to lash out with his rear legs at two attacking Roon, rushed forward. His great sword sliced through the air as it carved down towards the unicorn’s neck.

  Caspan cried out in warning. He leaned past Oswald and thrust with his sword, deflecting the giant’s blade and sending it thudding into the earth. The Roon roared with rage, yanked his sword free and hoisted it back for another swing.

  Caspan’s right hand was numb from the vibration of the first blow. Gripping the leather-bound haft of his sword with both hands, he leaned out to the right, moving clear of Oswald, and tried to parry aside the next attack.

  Legend reared suddenly to avoid a spear-thrust. Caspan was caught off balance and toppled backwards over the unicorn’s rump. He hit the ground flat on his stomach. The wind exploded from his chest and pin-pricks of dazzling silver besieged his vision. Every part of his aching body begged for rest, to just lay still and give in, but he knew that his only chance of staying alive lay in climbing back atop Legend. Leaning on his sword, he pushed himself dazedly to his feet.

  The giants rushed in for the kill.

  Caspan staggered back until he bumped into Legend’s flank. Harnessing what strength he had left, he raised his sword high above his head, determined to get in one final blow at the giants. He singled out his target: t
he tattooed commander.

  From high above somebody screamed Caspan’s name and an arrow thudded into the Roon’s chest. But it had no effect on the giant, who snarled savagely as he drew back his great sword and thrust it at Caspan’s torso. Caspan gritted his teeth and brought his own sword down in a gleaming arc.

  Time froze.

  Then something large and blue swept between the combatants with a gush of wind that buffeted Caspan’s cloak and swirled dirt in the air. It hit the Roon commander with incredible force, knocking him off his feet and sending him crashing into his fellow giants, bailing them over like skittles. Exhausted, Caspan lowered his sword and rubbed the dirt and sweat from his eyes. He gazed skyward, his heart filling with hope as he watched Master Scott turn Shimmer around for another attack.

  Shimmer beat his wings powerfully, tucked them close to his sides and shot downwards. The giants who’d been knocked over by the drake’s first attack clambered back to their feet and raised their shields above their heads, but they offered scant protection against the drake. Shimmer’s raking claws left a trail of splintered wood, and dead and injured Roon in his wake. Those giants lucky to have dived to the side hurled their spears at the Warden, but Shimmer was moving so fast that none came close to hitting him.

  Scott and Shimmer climbed high into the air and banked around again. The Roon commander ripped off his tattered mail coif and roared at the giants, ordering them into a defensive formation. Those with shields hurried to the front and locked their iron rims together; those at the rear held their spears and axes at the ready, poised to throw. And that’s when they were hit from behind.

  Caspan spun around, wondering what had happened. Through the misty panes of exhaustion he saw something that left him gaping, wondering if it was a trick played by his imagination.