“I agree. There is no way we can hold here. We must withdraw,” called out Sennar.
Sennar spun his horse about, and with a side-slash brought down a Thakurian cavalryman who had ridden up swinging his mace, “But to where?”
“Solstice, our original defenses are still in place.”
“We ought to have stayed there…” was the shouted reply.
“I know, however we need to alert the others.” Sennar called back.
Terdec stood briefly in his stirrups, scanning the darkening battlefield.
“If you break away to the right, you might be able to get behind our lines and alert the mages. I’ll take your Legion and hold this section.”
“You’ll need to do it,” shouted out Sennar hoarsely, “There’s another wave of them coming through now!”
*
The second wave of Thakurian cavalry hit the provincial line like a bright and black ocean swell. The line staggered, as the Guard and fyrd this time took the full force of the blow, the shield wall bowing back against the Thakurian onslaught. However the defenses held, as more and more legio pressed forwards from behind, determined that this time the line would not break. With the plainsmen’s arrows singing their deadly music overhead, and the winter darkness rapidly falling on the battle, the line held, and held!
Above the raging conflict more snow clouds gathered, their arrival casting a dark and heavy pall over the field. It seemed that the afternoon’s clear weather had only been a brief lull in winter’s grip, as another line of storms were again seen racing in upon the plains. The coming storms, and evening’s heavy darkness, at last gave the beleaguered provincial army pause, as the attacking Thakur finally and scornfully turned back towards their own lines to regroup. For the exhausted soldiers maintaining the forefront of the shield wall, the distant blowing of Legion horns barely registered on their consciousness. For those closer, the descending night seemed riven by those strident blasts calling the order for an orderly retreat. Slowly the news filtered up to those at the front line, and with a last look at the Thakur now distantly regrouping, the provincial army slowly withdrew to lick its many wounds.
*
With the Legions scattered, and numbed into insensibility after the ferocious attack, only the quick thinking Guard and fyrdsmen had had the wit to respond to the cries of succour from the wounded and dying. Most were still lying where they had fallen, their blood and gore mixed with the mud and dirty snow, their broken bodies an unspoken testament to the disaster that had overwhelmed the provincial army. Moving tiredly along the ranks of wounded and dying, the Healermages attempted to save lives, but for most it was too little too late, and the retreat, the heavy darkness and cold took still more lives. For the mages it was a shocking revelation that the magepower that had been so easily harnessed in the battle, could be so utterly drained that they could not provide relief to the dying men constantly being brought in.
*
“What news now?” breathed Captain Taran as he stumbled wearily alongside his exhausted guardsmen.
“The darkness seems to have stopped their main attack, Sir,” replied a young cavalryman, his Legion armour splattered with dried blood, “Although we’re still receiving fragmentary reports of harassment by units of lightly mounted Thakurian horse archers against our more remote companies.”
“But not the heavy cavalry,” Taran asked.
Another, still younger legio cavalryman stepped forward, “No Sir, they seem to have withdrawn back to their lines. I guess that it became too dangerous with the darkness and the broken ground to risk another push forward now.”
“Thank Andur for that. This night has been the saving of us.”
The legio nodded glumly, “We’ve had a heavy reckoning today, Sir. Where do we tell the others to regroup?”
Taran looked across at the half dozen couriers, and messengers gathered about him, all obviously looking for orders and guidance.
“Where are your commanders, soldiers?” he growled.
“Most are back trying to regroup their Legions, Sir,” volunteered one, “The others were lost.”
“Lost?” Taran looked askance at the young legio.
The cavalryman nodded, and nervously swallowed, “Commander Shelden went down with his Legion. Sir…they’ve found his body. Just before I left, they started looking for Commander Tennar.” He paused, “They don’t expect to find him alive, since his Legion bore the full brunt of the first attack.”
“What of the others?”
“Druec was badly wounded, Sir,” stated another youngster, “I heard that some of the fyrd found him and carried him back to the mages.”
“Captains Soltec, Alune and Brinn all managed to get their companies out mostly intact, being archers they were behind our lines, and pretty well shielded from the worst of it,” replied the first legio. “But I’ve heard rumour that Commander Urskar’s been lost as well, sir. They found his horse down, and with most of its entrails spilling out. The Commander was nowhere to be seen, mind you there are hundreds of bodies still to be sorted though, and it’s darker than death out there.”
Taran scowled at that piece of news; finally he turned to the waiting messengers, “Tell them to give over searching. We can’t afford to wait here. The Goddess only knows when the Thakur are likely to attack again.”
He sighed heavily, “I’ve already spoken to Archmage Maran, and Commanders Sennar and Terdec. We withdraw immediately to our first defensive line near Solstice; the dead will have to be left as they are.”
“And the search for Commanders Urskar and Tennar?”
Taran turned away, “If they’re alive, then they would have called out, and been found. This position has become untenable. Protecting our living is now our highest priority!”
*
The cold darkness of night effectively cloaked the long weary march back eastwards. Although the army’s retreat had been ordered and orderly, the soldiers all numb with grief and shock, stumbled like automatons through the snowdrifts and the brown, tussocky grass, their faces devoid of expression, their minds and eyes reliving the horror of their defeat. There was nothing that could have been done to prevent the slaughter. The massed Thakurian heavy cavalry had burst upon the field like a tidal wave, and like such a disaster, had carried all before them. Even now the plainsmen horse archers were fighting a diffuse rear-guard action, as the Thakur, reluctant to let their enemy slip away into the night, constantly harassed the slowly retreating shield walls.
The night was indeed far advanced when the last of the Thakur finally pulled away, jeering and shouting obscenities at the broken and defeated provincial forces. The legio shut their ears against the taunts, concentrating only on keeping their defenses intact, and dragging their feet back eastwards. An hour or two after dawn the looming bulk of Solstice was finally sighted, and more importantly, the original defenses reached. Glad now that they had elected to keep the walls and fortifications intact, the worst of the wounded were immediately housed in swiftly erected tents, with the Healermages and army herbalists working red-eyed and round-the-clock to stabilise their condition. The elements of the army that had sustained the greatest damage were ordered to take immediate rest, with the fyrd now proving their worth by volunteering to stand defence with the uninjured legio archers. It seemed utterly certain that the Thakur would press home their advantage gained the previous day, so all idle hands were ordered to widen the ditches and pits, and prepare more defensive stakes. As soon as the horses were partially rested, the plainsmen horse archers took their mounts in long sweeps to the north and south of the new line, to stop any minor incursions from those directions. Gathering in the high king’s now vacant tent, the surviving Legion commanders unsuccessfully tried to come to terms with yesterday’s disaster.
“I told you we shouldn’t have moved from here!” shouted Commander Sennar, his right shoulder heavily strapped as it had been dislocated when his horse had been killed beneath him.
“Enough!” gr
owled Captain Taran, his face white with fury, “What’s done is done, and we have to now see our way clear of this.”
“If we have to withstand another attack like yesterday’s, then I don’t know how long we can hold this position,” Terdec coldly stated, his face and hair still matted with dried blood. “The men are trying to improve and widen the defenses, but they are all half-dead with fatigue. I’m afraid that it comes down to the fact that we cannot hold against another major attack, without the mages to reinforce.”
“Then we are lost,” said a quiet voice from the opened door flap of the tent, “For the mages are utterly unable to source the earthpower. Indeed it will be many months before they can cast even the simplest spell.”
All turned around as Archmage Maran slowly walked in.
“Can others be brought from Glaive?” asked Tonas.
Maran looked at the young Sentinal cavalry commander, and shook his head.
“It would take too long to get them here,” replied the Archmage, “We need mages now, besides the ones left on Glaive are the lowest ranked, the very old, and the young novices under their care. None of those groups would be of any use to us,” he sighed. “We have no recourse but to hold this position with our present strength, and hope that King Arantur wins through to Erie and defeats the Warleader.”
“But we’ve heard no word!” blurted out Taran. “It’s been weeks and weeks now since they left, and for all we know they may have perished in the mountains.”
“Arantur and Alissa at least are still alive,” replied the Archmage quietly. “I know that fact as surely as the very existence of the earthpower. Their link with the land through the King’s Sword still flows strongly, and even at this great distance I feel the impression of their life.”
“Then there is still a chance?” asked Sennar.
The Archmage turned to the injured commander and nodded, “There always has been. Our engagement with the enemy here was solely intended to reduce the size of the Warleader’s powerbase, and in that we have been successful. The Thakurian army is much reduced.”
“It will be increasingly difficult for us to hold out here,” grated Cenn, Commander of the Second Haulgard Cavalry. “I mean most of our supplies and gear was abandoned yesterday, because of the necessity of a speedy withdrawal.”
“Supplies and a fresh levy of men can be fetched from the nearby towns,” replied Taran, “Already guardsmen on swift horses have been sent out to implore aid from Eldenton and Gildai. I would expect the first of the carts to be arriving by end of week.”
“I’d give my other shoulder to know where the Thakur got that heavy cavalry of theirs,” muttered Sennar to the others. “I know that the Earthmages gave us all detailed and accurate reports of the Thakurian infantry numbers, but this huge force of cavalry just came out of nowhere.”
“There must be another northern route out the mountains,” replied Maran heavily, “One that is hidden to the reconnaissance flights of the Earthmages.”
“Then it must be found and blocked,” Taran replied crisply. “As soon as the weather clears, I will ask that some of the plainsmen back track the route of that heavy cavalry. They know the plains like the back of their hands, and should be able to locate where that force has come out of the mountains.”
“Do you all realise we’re fighting women!” Terdec stated suddenly.
The others looked about in ill-concealed surprise.
“What women and where?” the others immediately asked.
“The cavalry force,” he replied simply. “When we were going through the corpses looking for Urskar and Tennar, we also had opportunity to look at the dead Thakurian riders.” He grimaced as he tried to explain the morbid business, “We wanted to inspect their armour and weaponry. I mean it was far beyond anything the regular Thakurian infantry were wearing or using.” He paused as if to measure his next words, “All of the heavy cavalry found were fit looking youngsters of about twenty or so summers, added to that, a lot of the dead were in fact women.”
The tent grew deathly quiet.
“Women?” asked the Archmage. “Are you absolutely certain?”
The Commander nodded, “Oh they were female; some even had small hand-held mirrors and makeup pouches hanging from their saddles.”
“Mirrors!”
“Aye, you could have floored me when one of my legio found this pretty young thing, lying in the mud as dead as dust and with a bow in her hand.” He shook his head disbelievingly, “Then we found a dozen more archers like her, and all as young as my daughter back home.”
Archmage Maran was having difficulty coming to terms with this, “I have heard rumours that tell how Thakurian women have no status, that they are treated as possessions only. If those stories are true, then how it is that they are in this elite cavalry force?”
Maran turned to the Legion commander, “Are you sure they were all women?”
Terdec shook his head, “No, only about a third of those we found. The other youngsters were male, and seemed to be armed with the heavier weapons and lances. Aye Archmage, we were fighting women.”
The tent grew quiet again as the commanders digested the uncomfortable fact that their army had been routed by a heavily armed force of women and youngsters. Into that heavy silence was heard an uncertain step outside the tent. Archmage Maran and the commanders turned, to see a young legio guard hovering nearby.
“More news soldier?” asked Sennar, recognising the young man as being one from his own Legion.
The legio saluted, “Aye Sir, there are a group of green robed men and women at the side defenses demanding entry.”
The young legio looked nervously at the high ranking men before him, “Sirs, they all seem to have come out of the forest and with them is a great host of grey wolves.”
Archmage Maran stepped forward, his grim face lightening at the news.
“Did they say who they are?” he demanded.
The legio bowed his head, “My lord, they say they are the Sages, and that they are here to offer us their aid!”
**
Chapter 7—The White Fortress
Warleader Andur knelt alone by a small flickering fire in the bleak emptiness of a great grassy plain. All around him darkness loomed, and tenuous and unknown shadows moved in that darkness—shadows that he was hoping to keep at bay by the brave light and warmth of his small fire. Carefully he placed another twig upon the flames, and the fire surged a little.
Hearing a faint noise, he eased himself to his feet, and carefully brushed the ash from his hands and clothes. Turning at the nearing sounds, he quickly composed himself, bowing his head as a tall bearded young man with blond-braided hair and clear grey eyes stepped out of the darkness.
‘Welcome kinsman,’ Andur greeted the other, ‘I’d hoped you’d be along soon.’
“Warleader,” Aran acknowledged, “I did not know I was expected.”
‘I Called you,’ Andur replied enigmatically.
“Then I am here,” Aran said looking about him, “Wherever here is?”
Andur gazed at the plain and the ever encroaching darkness, ‘Those of us who have died, call this place the ‘In-Between’. Neither is it death nor life, but an in-between place where dreamers walk within nightmares, and unquiet spirits occasionally are held.’
Aran stepped back in some shock, “Held, are you too under this Thakurian’s control?”
Andur shook his head, ‘No, I am not held here for this is not the realm of death. I come here only because I find this place convenient to converse with the living. The proximity of the node at Erie allows me this.’
He paused, ‘In fact your sister was held here for a time. Now that I think about it, Sarana was supposed to have stayed in the In-Between until your death, but she has Gone On now.’
“So she is finally dead,” said Aran at last, wondering why he did not grieve.
‘I did not say that,’ replied Andur, ‘Merely that she has Gone On.’
Aran nodded, “
Yes, I remember she said something about this when she came to me in the forest that time.” He paused, “You said you called me, did you only want to speak of my sister?”
Andur shook his head, ‘There are other matters, more pressing concerns. Yet you have grown much since we last met,’ Andur observed quietly. ‘Your Kingship falls naturally upon you.’
Aran smiled grimly, “I have had some time now to adjust. Also the war and this quest demands great commitment and strength.”
Andur nodded, ‘You plan to go onto Erie tomorrow.’
“Aye…” Aran said, “I’ve been told that the weather will soon improve, and I cannot tarry any longer.”
‘Then all must travel with you,’ Andur abruptly said.
Aran shook his head, “This I cannot do, I am certain there will be fighting. Already I have lost two from the party.”
‘Aye, the old mage, and the young latent Warriormage, both have Gone On.’
Andur looked across at his young kinsman, ‘Still I must urge you to take the others. The future is closed to me, but I sense that there will be less safety there than at Erie.’
Aran frowned, “Given our circumstances I could not conceive of a safer place. Why must I still take the others?”
Andur turned away, ‘I don’t know…but you must.’
Aran inclined his head, “Then I shall rely upon your judgment and counsel.”
He looked up, “Is there anything else I should know?”
Andur paused, and then spoke quietly, ‘This confrontation will be difficult for you, more difficult than I think you realise.’
Aran chuckled sourly, “Tell me something new, Warleader. This whole business has been difficult from the very start…”
His eyebrows winged upwards, “Can you be more specific?”
Andur shook his head, ‘I cannot because I do not know, as I have told you, the future is closed, I only receive vague impressions of what is to come.’
“And it will be difficult,” Aran added sighing.
Warriormage: Book Three of the 'Riothamus' trilogy Page 20