In the meantime, the galdak wielder had continued sending down lightning and fireballs into the midst of the troops. Blaize surveyed the lines and checked on the hidden groups of archers working their way towards the front. Convinced everything was in place, he raised his hand in the air and filled the night with a loud battle cry. His horse leaped forward and began charging towards the front line.
The Kalian soldiers moved to the side to allow the three columns of cavalry to thunder through. Just before the horsemen reached the galdak horde, three groups of archers who had worked their way towards the front of the fighting fitted their bows and sent a volley of arrows ahead of the charging cavalry. The arrows effectively thinned out the galdaks directly in front of the three groups of horsemen.
Blaize whipped out his two massive blades as his horse burst across the front line and drove into the midst of the galdak horde. Most of the galdaks leapt to get out of the way of his horse. Those that didn’t were trampled or brought down by one of Blaize’s swords.
Soon, three long columns of horsemen, riding five abreast, were plunging deep into the galdak horde. All three columns were heading directly for the galdak wielder even if it didn’t appear so. Blaize had ordered them to take zig zagging courses to make it harder for the wielder to strike them. The wielder had been easy to identify even though he was positioned so far back in the sea of red warriors. The frequent fireballs leaving his hands made it simple to pinpoint his location.
Blaize banked hard to the side as the air crackled. A lightning bolt slammed down just behind him and to the side. It seemed the wielder had caught sight of them. Several more lightning bolts crashed down towards the other two groups of horsemen. Blaize urged his mount to continue forward at a rapid pace but found himself obliged to slow down as the way ahead continued to grow more and more clogged with galdaks. The creatures had overcome their initial surprise at the charge and were beginning to offer more resistance to the horsemen.
He soon found himself barely making any forward progress at all. He had gotten close enough to see the old, gnarled wielder, but it was obvious it would be incredibly difficult to get any closer. Instead of focusing on moving forward, he began swinging his blades fiercely all around him in an effort to clear some space. However, his attempts to clear the area failed. Each time he cut down a galdak, another would step forward to take its place.
He recognized with disappointment that in all directions there seemed to be a never ending tide of red warriors. The cavalry’s charge had succeeded in bringing the horsemen deep into their enemy’s ranks, but they had been stopped short of reaching their ultimate goal. To either side he could see the horsemen fighting valiantly for their lives as thousands of galdaks swarmed around them.
At least the galdak wielder’s attention had been diverted. He was now sending small fireballs towards the individual horsemen that were closest to him. Blaize hoped the reprieve was giving the main body of soldiers the opportunity to solidify their lines of defense and prevent any more galdaks from gaining access to Kavar.
The horsemen were fighting valiantly, but it was clear they would all end up dead if they didn’t return to the main body of troops soon. Blaize cut down several more galdak warriors before rearing his horse in the air and shouting the command to fall back. The horsemen nearest him took up the cry as well. Having given the signal, Blaize turned his horse around and began cutting his way back towards the city. The remaining cavalry followed suit, and soon the three groups of horsemen were moving at a steady pace towards the city. Each group was considerably smaller than it had been, but it appeared that the majority of those remaining would be able to reach safety.
The area around Blaize suddenly lit up as a flaming ball of heat slammed into his back. The force of the blast threw him from his horse, and he crashed to the ground in a mess of fire and pain. He quickly rolled back and forth to extinguish the flames. He then leapt to his feet with his blades flashing. Each swing of the blade shot pain across his back, but the pain was the least of his worries at the moment.
He was completely surrounded by enemies. There was not only the handful currently attacking him but thousands more in all directions. His muscles were bruised, his back had been scorched, and he was tired. Nonetheless, he was still alive, and while he lived, his enemies would continue to fear him and fall before him.
Blaize mechanically cut down every galdak that approached him. His body was soon covered in sweat from the exertion, but he didn’t slow down. His blades continued to whirl through the air and cut the flesh that got too near him. Galdaks began to pile up at his feet. He suffered several nicks, but for the most part, none of the monsters’ blades got close to him. He began to feel winded and had to acknowledge that he couldn’t keep up his defenses forever.
Blaize was an honest and practical man. He understood the odds he was facing. He also understood what the eventual outcome would be. A great warrior always had to be honest with himself, even when he didn’t like the truth. He was going to die. He knew his life would soon come to an end, but he refused to go down easily. Someone else in his position might decide it was time to lie down and die, but he would not. He was exhausted, burnt, bleeding, and surrounded by thousands of enemies, but he was not dead yet.
Deep inside, he accepted the fact that he would not survive the battle. He knew he could not escape death this time, but he would never give up. He would continue fighting until his last breath. He would die as he had lived, with two swords in his hands, fighting to protect the innocent.
The acceptance of his situation sent a surge of conviction and purpose through his body. He began to feel strength that he had thought was already depleted flow through his limbs. He cleared his mind, shut out his pain, and focused on one thing: ridding the world of as many galdaks as he possibly could.
Blaize leapt free of the pile of bodies surrounding him and with his swirling blades, cleared enough room to easily maneuver once again. The galdaks continued to rush him and fall at his feet. His blades seemed to sing as they swirled through the night air in a whirlwind of death. He fought harder and longer than he ever had in his life.
Galdak after galdak fell beneath his blades. None could touch him, but they kept trying. The dead bodies began to pile around him higher and higher. There was soon a tall barrier completely surrounding him. It was high enough that it became an effort for the other galdaks just to reach him. Once they had climbed over the wall of bodies, they wished they hadn’t.
The world became a blur of black and red to Blaize. He no longer knew if the red was the galdaks’ skin or the galdaks’ blood or his own blood. All he knew was that he had to keep swinging his blades. Bodies piled up next to him, and he was forced to climb on top to continue fighting. He began to grow sluggish and was nicked on the head. Blood streamed down his face, making it even harder to distinguish his foes. His ears then failed him, and the sounds of battle disappeared.
In the relative silence, he yelled out and swung with all his might in one last burst of ferocious defiance. He felt, more than saw, several more galdaks fall to his swords. Then a bright light enveloped him. His life was at an end. Blaize collapsed as he felt the consuming heat of fire. He had given all he had and could give no more.
* * * * *
One of the three galdaks noticed the last of the commoners hurrying into the inn and pointed in their direction. The three began to eagerly advance towards the still open door of the inn but paused when five guards stepped out to join the three that were already outside. The three monsters quickly discussed something before one of them let out a howl. They then stood staring with hate at the eight guards. Apparently, the galdaks did not like the odds.
Kalista breathed a sigh of relief. The refugees were all safely in the building, and the guards would easily be able to keep the beasts at bay. The three galdaks grunted and turned their attention to ripping up the nearby tents. She watched anxiously as several of the soldiers began advancing towards the destructive monsters. The g
uards suddenly stopped short with surprise. Kalista followed their gaze and let out a small gasp. Nearly twenty galdaks had just appeared from a different nearby street.
The three galdaks left the tents and excitedly ran towards the newcomers as the guards made their way back to the front of the inn. The odds were now solidly in favor of the galdaks. Kalista looked on as the galdaks quickly conversed among themselves and began advancing towards the inn. The eight guards were holding their position, but it was obvious they would be hard pressed to stop over twenty of the monsters by themselves. If the galdaks got through the guards and into the inn, a massacre would ensue.
Kalista quickly left the window and opened her bedroom door. Two guards snapped to attention while the other was staring out the antechamber window. The room was packed with commoners of all ages. There was a sense of tension, anticipation, and fear in the air. It was apparent she was not the only one who was aware of what was about to take place outside. She motioned for the guard at the window to join her.
“Only one of you needs to stay up here with me,” she said quickly. “The other two should hurry and join your comrades. They will need all the help they can get.”
One of the guards nodded to the other two, and the two hurried out of the room. Kalista then spoke to the remaining guard.
“Do you have any bows and arrows?”
“Yes,” the guard replied. “There are several in our room down the hall.”
“Go and fetch them,” Kalista commanded.
The guard seemed slightly reluctant to leave her alone, but after glancing around the room quickly, he decided she would be fine while he was gone. Kalista turned and addressed those in the crowded room while the guard hurried to retrieve the extra weapons.
“May I have your attention,” Kalista said in a firm voice.
The entire room immediately fell into complete silence. The commoners not only recognized the seriousness of the situation but also recognized the significance of being addressed directly by the Princess of Kalia.
“You are no doubt aware of our situation. There are brave and skilled guards defending this building. They will keep us safe. However, any support that can be provided to them would be greatly appreciated. Are there any among you who have skill with the bow?”
Those in the room nervously looked around until two raised their hands and stepped forward. One was an older man, well passed middle age, and the other was a boy who could not have been more than twelve years old. Kalista looked around for anyone else and realized that the room almost exclusively consisted of the elderly, women, and young children. The two would be better than none.
She motioned for them to come over to her as the guard who had left returned with five bows and several quivers of arrows. The young boy hurried to her with a look of excitement while the older man gravely walked over with a sense of purpose. The guard passed a bow to each of the two and handed them a quiver of arrows.
“You two will take up your position at that window,” Kalista instructed while pointing. “Wait for my signal to begin shooting. Be selective in your shots. We do not know how many galdaks we will need to stop before the night ends. Are you ready?”
The two nodded and moved back through the crowded room to the gaping window. Kalista motioned to the guard and hurried to the window in her bedroom. She quickly grabbed a bow and a quiver of arrows. The guard followed her lead and stepped up next to her at the window with an arrow fitted to his bow.
The galdaks were now only several arm spans away from the guards. The two guards from her room had already joined the others. It was now ten against the twenty-two galdaks. The large creatures had spread out and were attempting to surround the guards. Kalista prepared to loose her arrow but waited. She wanted the monsters close enough that they would not have a chance to regroup when the arrows began slicing into them. Her heart beat loudly in her ears as she aimed at the largest of the galdaks. The large creature took another step forward. It was time.
She whistled sharply and let her arrow fly. Almost instantly, three other arrows followed. She had already strung and loosed another arrow before the first galdak fell to the ground. The guards seized the moment of confusion and jumped forward to meet their attackers. Several more arrows quickly found their targets as the two groups of warriors’ swords began to clash.
Kalista took careful aim and downed another galdak. Three had already fallen to the arrows and several others were forced to fight with wounds. The unexpected aerial attack had also left the monsters confused and disorganized. She continued shooting arrow after arrow, concentrating to make sure that not one missed its intended target.
She was not sure how long the altercation lasted, but she suddenly realized that only the human guards were left standing. She returned the arrow in her hand back to its quiver and assessed the results. There were five guards left standing and a guard who was injured on the ground but still alive and talking. All twenty-two of the galdaks lay dead in front of the inn. She hoped there would not be any more attacks on the inn that night. They had done incredibly well in resisting the attack, but she knew it would be almost impossible for the five guards to hold off another large group of galdaks. She turned to the guard at her shoulder with a smile.
“We did it,” she said with a relieved smile.
The guard looked back at her with a hint of surprise and admiration.
“I would say you did it,” he stated. “You took down a full ten of the galdaks all by yourself.”
Kalista looked back at him with skepticism. She could not have killed that many. The guard recognized her doubt and motioned towards her quiver.
“I’m quite certain you never missed,” he said. “The quiver began with twenty-five arrows.”
She looked at the quiver and counted twelve arrows remaining. She had not realized she had taken so many shots, but the guard was correct. She had not missed any of her targets. A few galdaks had required multiple arrows before they fell, but she had not missed.
Kalista shook her head and set the bow down. She returned to the crowded antechamber with the guard at her side. There was a visible sense of relief displayed on the faces of those in the room. The two commoners who had been shooting from the window were staring at her with large grins on their faces. She smiled back at them. It did feel good to be part of the victorious defense of the rest of the people in the inn.
“Good work,” she said. “You two remain on watch. “We are safe for now but need to remain vigilant.”
“Don’t worry,” the boy shouted back. “If any more of those monsters show up, we’ll teach them the same lesson.”
She smiled at the boy’s response and turned back to her room. The boy’s confidence had been swelled by the victory, but she had no illusions as to what would happen if another large group attacked them. They might be able to thwart one more attack, but that would be all. She stared out her still open window into the darkness and hoped the soldiers and city guards had been able to regain control of the city. If not, the small victory of protecting the inn had only postponed the inevitable deaths of them all.
35
Traven slowed Pennon down and brought him to a stop. Darian and Giselle pulled up their mounts as well. Traven signaled for them to be silent. He listened intently in the quiet night. He could hear it. It was still far distant, but he could hear the clashing of metal and make out the faint cries of battle. They were getting close. He turned and nodded with a smile to his two elven companions. He urged Pennon forward, and the three continued riding hard for Kavar.
It was almost midnight, but at least they would reach the battle long before the night ended. Traven had kept a close eye on the progress of the battle at Kavar over the last few nights. It had become apparent to him that the Kalian Army wouldn’t be able to hold the galdak horde at bay much longer. The ancient galdak wielder was actively participating in the fighting and causing numerous problems for the defenders of the city.
That morning, Traven had made
the decision to leave his elven army behind and ride ahead. He was afraid that if he didn’t reach Kavar that night, the city would fall. The Kalian Army’s numbers had been dwindling while the giant galdak horde never seemed to be weakening. He hoped that by riding hard and arriving a night early, he could prevent Kavar from being overrun. His elven army wouldn’t be far behind and would arrive the next afternoon to join in the cause of the humans.
Traven had suggested that Giselle stay back with the army, but she had pleaded with him to allow her to remain at Darian’s and his side. In the course of the discussion, he had learned that she was actually rather adept at knife throwing and not afraid of a fight. He had ultimately deferred to her wishes and let her come along. Nonetheless, he was determined to keep her safely away from any fighting and would protect her from any harm. He knew Darian would keep her safe as well.
Traven had wanted to send a message to Blaize and Kalista to let them know he would arrive early but didn’t want to do anything that might attract the galdak wielder’s attention. If the ancient wielder didn’t know he was coming, there would be a better chance the wielder would be drained and unprepared to fight him. He hoped his unexpected appearance would give him one more advantage against the powerful wielder.
The tall grass of the plains flew by in a blur as the three riders hastened towards the battle. Traven couldn’t help but feel slightly guilty for all of the destruction that had occurred since he left the army in Candus. If he had been stronger or more skilled, perhaps he could have defeated the galdak wielder and prevented so much destruction and death among the people. Then again, he knew that even if he had defeated the ancient wielder, he could have only done so much against the hundreds of thousands of galdak warriors.
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