He woke with a start, not even remembering dozing off. The warning horn blew again. He reached out with his all around sight and took in the camp springing to life in preparation to meet an attack. He breathed a sigh of relief and pulled on his boots. Yasim was waiting for him at the door to his tent, as expected.
“Report.”
“The force that entered the forest ahead of us is moving into position for a dawn attack from the north,” Yasim said.
“They seem very determined for bandits,” Alexander said. “How confident are the Lancers in the outcome of a battle?”
“Very … though I doubt it will come to that,” Yasim said. “If everyone is smart, the Lancers will not go into the forest and the bandits will not come into the meadow.”
“Stalemate … until I go looking for the Stone.”
“Yes,” Yasim said.
Shouts came from another direction, toward the little valley where Alexander had been ambushed and where the Stone had been hidden. He smiled when he saw Tyr leading a small band of men up to a Lancer guard post.
“He’s certainly persistent,” Alexander said.
“Perhaps too much so,” Yasim said, looking to the Lord Protector for instruction. The look he got back said it all.
“I will return shortly,” Yasim said. Alexander moved to get a better view, two over-armored guards trailing behind him.
As the Royal Assassin approached Tyr, the shadows around him began to coalesce into something more substantial, forming into two small flying creatures that looked almost like dragons, wing and claw and fang. Both darted out, closing the gap between him and Tyr with alarming speed, ripping into Tyr with soundless ferocity, yet falling on empty air. Tyr and Edric both vanished, their projections interrupted by the attack. Failing to draw blood on their first attempt, the two creatures turned to the four men escorting Tyr, tearing into them with such sudden viciousness that Alexander actually felt a little flutter of fear in his stomach. The four men died screaming. Their horses bolted, but not quickly enough to survive the onslaught.
The shadows vanished, and Yasim ordered Lancers to search for Tyr and his men, but before they were ready to leave, a flare of orange fire streaked into the sky from the west side of the big meadow and hundreds of men answered the signal at the top of their lungs.
“It seems that Tyr has assembled a substantial force as well,” Yasim said, returning to Alexander.
“Nightshade to the north and Tyr to the west,” Alexander said.
The Lord Protector stomped up. “I hope you know where you’re going,” he said to Alexander. “We can hold this position for as long as we want, but I can’t guarantee your safety within the forest.”
“It’s close … within an hour’s walk due west,” Alexander said.
“Tyr’s men are dug in that way,” Kagosi said.
“Well … that’s where we have to go,” Alexander said.
The sky was just starting to lighten when Alexander saw Jack moving ever so cautiously through the camp. Alexander turned to conceal his cloak pocket from his guards.
“The Lancers are at a disadvantage in the forest,” Kagosi said.
Jack got closer.
“That’s where the Stone is,” Alexander said with a shrug.
Jack slipped the pouch containing the Sovereign Stone into Alexander’s pocket, then backed away slowly and quietly, fading into the morning shadows.
Alexander felt a little thrill of victory … now for the escape.
“We’re very close, Lord Protector Kagosi,” he said. “Now is not the time to falter.”
“We’ll lose a lot of Lancers,” Kagosi said.
“I believe you’re right,” Alexander said, without a hint of sympathy. He was discovering what a window it was into the minds of his enemies to pretend to be one of them. Trying to see things from their perspective was a challenge, but the insight it offered was invaluable … and frightening.
“By your order, Lord Reishi,” Kagosi said, turning on his heel and stomping away.
As light broke over the treetops, a great battle cry went up from the north.
“Looks like the brigands have decided our course for us,” Yasim said. “Come, you will be safer in the command tent.”
Alexander followed, his eyes to the sky. Yasim led him to a large tent on the highest hill in the meadow, which was only five or six feet higher than the surrounding area.
A volley of arrows rained out of the trees, most bouncing harmlessly off the Lancers’ armor and shields, but a few finding flesh. The Lancers withdrew out of bow range and the bandits fell back into the forest.
Soon the entire camp was up and mounted; some squads lined up on the perimeter while others positioned themselves to respond to any incursion with a charge. Whatever else they were, the Lancers were well-trained heavy cavalry.
One squad unleashed their force lances into the tall grass bordering the tree line, blasting three men who were trying to sneak into the camp. So far, the enemy to the north was just probing. Tyr’s small army let out another battle cry. The jungle went very silent for a few moments, and then nine six-inch-diameter bubbles of liquid fire arched over the trees and splashed randomly into the camp, sowing seeds of panic and confusion.
When they were splashed with fire, several rhone raced off into the river, others fled into the trees. Tyr’s forces attacked into that moment of confusion, racing into camp through the few perimeter guards still standing their post. One of the reaction forces blasted two men so hard they landed forty feet away in a jumble of broken bones. Tyr’s men ignored the perimeter guards, slipping between them, turning the camp into a melee with most of the Lancers doing everything they could to remain mounted and stay in groups. When they could bring their lances to bear, the result was devastating, but that became harder and harder as Tyr’s pirates moved into their midst, cutting at their legs, then dashing away to strike at other targets.
A horn blew, calling for the Lancers to fall back and consolidate forces. Over their heads, Kagosi launched a spinning ball of force shards three feet across. It hit in the middle of Tyr’s advance force and exploded, sending magical blades in every direction, flaying flesh from everyone nearby and leaving a patch of blood and carnage where dozens of men had stood only moments before.
The bandits from the north attacked en masse, using the distraction of Tyr’s probe to gain a few steps toward the guards before loosing their arrows. Two Lancers fell. The rest charged, blasting the row of archers back into the dirt. A second row of archers sprang up from their hiding places inside the tree line and loosed several volleys of arrows in rapid succession at the exposed guards, bringing them all down and wounding their rhone.
Men poured over the ridgeline, charging into the meadow through the gap they’d opened in the Lancers’ line. The van met a force-lance charge that washed them away like smoke on a breeze, but the second wave was on the Lancers before their force lances could fire again, dragging them off their rhone and stabbing them to death.
The Lord Protector faced their front and began casting another spell, lobbing grapefruit-sized orbs of red force, one after the other, into the tree line. Each orb exploded on impact, sending the attacking bandits flying with each hit. It wasn’t long before they withdrew, but not before they’d killed over a dozen Lancers.
“We’re losing men,” the Lord Protector said. “Tell me where the Stone is and I will send a platoon of Lancers to retrieve it.”
“No, I have to go myself,” Alexander said. “It’s the only way.”
“You’ll get us all killed.”
Alexander shrugged indifferently.
Kagosi worked through his emotions, his colors roiling.
“Udane, make ready to move into the forest,” Kagosi snapped.
“Surely, you’re not serious,” Udane said.
“Follow my orders, Commander, or I’ll find someone who will.”
Udane shot Alexander a quick glare before throwing himself into command, shouting o
rders for the nearest Lancers to make ready to ride.
Tyr’s forces had withdrawn into the trees, shouting taunts at the Lancers while consolidating their forces along the trail leading west. The Lancers fell back to a smaller defensive perimeter around the command tent and held their ground.
Alexander smiled to himself when he saw Nero appear on the south side of the meadow. When a Lancer shouted a warning of his presence, the wraithkin vanished, appearing twenty feet closer, disappearing again almost before he’d even materialized, then again, past the protective cordon of Lancers … blink … Alexander drew his sword … blink … Nero was standing among Alexander’s escort atop the little hill, but still a good ten feet away from him.
“Aren’t you early?” Alexander asked. “I thought you’d wait until after I retrieved the Stone.”
“You’re surrounded, Pretender,” Nero said. “The ruse is over. Surrender your weapon.”
“Come and get it.”
“Lord Protector!” Udane shouted, pointing to the northern wood line and the hundreds of brigands charging toward the Lancer perimeter.
Not to be outdone, Tyr’s forces gave a battle cry and charged into the meadow a few moments later. Alexander lunged toward Nero, but the wraithkin vanished, quickly extracting himself from the battlefield and vanishing into the forest to the south.
“Countercharge!” Udane shouted.
Two squads broke off from the defensive perimeter, charging to meet each attack. The strategy was a success against the first line, but the Lancers were vulnerable to arrows once they turned to regroup with the main force, several rhone returning without their riders.
A few moments of relative calm settled on the meadow while both forces closed the distance to the Lancers’ final protective line. Alexander surveyed the battlefield and decided that everyone was fair game. Nightshade’s brigands were thieves come to abduct him for ransom, Tyr was a thug, the Acuna was a crime syndicate, Nero was touched by darkness, and the Lancers served to prop up a government that had turned corruption into an art form.
Literally everyone on the battlefield was his enemy-and a few of them were definitely worth killing.
“Shield!” the Lord Protector shouted. The two chief overseers, quiet, yet ever-present, positioned themselves around the command tent to form a triangle with the Lord Protector. Several seconds of chanting by the three of them created a bubble of force over the entire Lancer contingent.
“Mount up,” the Lord Protector snapped. “Form a column facing east.”
Arrows began to pelt against the shield, causing ripples in the reddish-tinged magical shell.
“Don’t you mean west?” Alexander said.
“This expedition is over,” Kagosi snapped. “We’ll be lucky to survive the day. We have to flee … now!”
Alexander shook his head in disgust, spitting at Kagosi’s feet. “Coward.”
Anger flared in Kagosi’s colors. He stepped in close to Alexander. “Nero was right about one thing, the ruse is over, Pretender. Seize him!”
There was a second of hesitation, a moment while the nearest two Lancers struggled to make sense of the order. Standing face-to-face with the Lord Protector, Alexander brought his blade up along Kagosi’s body, under his arm, slicing his armpit to the bone. The Lord Protector fell back in shock. The shield faltered, flickering for a moment before failing entirely. A barrage of arrows and stones suddenly began pelting them from two sides.
A dismounted Lancer attacked Alexander with his longsword, but the heavily armored man was slow and clumsy, bringing the blade down in a massive stroke. Alexander sidestepped, letting the blade hit the ground before kicking the man over and turning back to the Lord Protector, whose arm was nearly severed at the shoulder and bleeding profusely.
“Please don’t kill me,” he said weakly, struggling to remain on one knee.
“Too late,” Alexander said, finishing him with a quick stab through the left eye socket, then spinning in response to a sense of moments to come, blocking the Royal Assassin’s dagger an instant before it would have plunged into his back. He counterthrust, but his blade turned aside, a flicker of color registering on impact with Yasim’s magical defenses. The Royal Assassin backed away, commanding two nearby Lancers to attack from behind. Alexander took in Yasim’s dagger, dark and dangerous, powerfully enchanted. He took in the two soldiers moving to flank him. And he took in the crush of enemy about to engulf the Lancers from two sides … and he waited.
He waited for his enemy to act, to commit. In that moment, he had power like no other. Chief Overseer Bahar launched a spell into the coming throng, an arc of red-hot lightning hit the nearest bandit in the chest, coring him out in a ball of molten flame, then leaping to the next two closest men, doubling again and then again, killing thirteen people with startling quickness.
The brigands faltered for only a moment, taking force-lance blasts and getting back up, until they were close enough to pull the Lancers from their steeds.
One of the soldiers behind Alexander attacked, thrusting toward his leg, but he slipped sideways just enough for the blade to go wide and plunge into the dirt, then he swept his blade up, taking the soldier’s head, quickly catching the man’s body with his left hand while slipping to the side and pushing the corpse into another soldier coming for him.
“There’s still time to run away, Yasim.”
“If there’s time to run away, then there’s time to kill you,” the Royal Assassin said, leveling his hand at Alexander. Cold, numbing weakness gripped him, bringing him to his knees. He dropped his sword from lack of strength. Yasim smiled, seeming to absorb the strength that Alexander was losing.
Alexander saw it coming well before any of his enemies did, but only because he was looking for it, hoping that it would come soon. He heard a shout, half warning, half fear … then another, followed by several more. Yasim’s spell faltered when he saw it. Alexander’s strength returned quickly and he staggered to his feet.
The wyvern landed lightly with one foot on the ground, carefully gripping Alexander with the other and launching into the sky amid shouts of sudden confusion and anger from the Lancers and the Acuna, followed by a renewed battle frenzy with all sides fighting savagely for survival.
While certainly not comfortable, the ride wasn’t entirely unpleasant, lasting only a few minutes before the wyvern landed gently and set Alexander on the ground in a clearing filled with seven other wyverns, as well as his friends.
“Lord Reishi,” Jataan said.
“Well done,” Alexander said.
Jataan nodded deferentially. Alexander gave him an affectionate pat on the shoulder, then smiled at the Sky Knight.
“I’m Kiera, witch, Sky Knight, and now a member of your elite guard,” she said proudly, after sliding to the ground. She was tall and lanky, thin but wiry, with fiery red hair and sharp features.
“Thank you for the rescue,” Alexander said. “I’m glad you were able to pull it off without taking a hit.”
“You’re welcome,” she said, patting her wyvern’s knee. “I never had any doubt.”
“Outstanding,” Alexander said, turning back to Jataan. “Are we ready?”
“Yes, Lord Reishi.”
Alexander dumped the Sovereign Stone out of the little pouch into his hand. It pulsed with a soft red light. He put it around his neck, then opened the door to his Wizard’s Den, his friends following him inside.
“You’ll be needing this,” Jack said, holding up the dragon-scale shirt.
“Thanks for looking after it for me.” Alexander said, taking it with a smile.
“Truth be told, it probably took better care of me than I did of it.”
“I know what you mean,” Alexander said, taking off his tunic and donning his armor. He started to strap his throwing knife to his belt when Jataan deliberately cleared his throat.
“Mage Gamaliel sends gifts,” he said, presenting a staff in one hand and a dagger in the other.
“Luminessence,
” Jataan said, holding up the staff, “was fashioned from the vitalwood and is imbued with powerful light-focused magic.
“Demonrend,” he said, holding up the dagger, “was fashioned from the steel of a fallen star and enchanted to banish any demon with a single hit. The Guild Mage bids you use them well.”
Alexander took Demonrend, feeling its weight and admiring its perfect balance. It was an ideal blade for a close knife fight, but it was also balanced to be thrown. He strapped it to his belt along the small of his back.
Luminessence felt warm to the touch, seeming to come to life in his hands, beginning to glow a few moments after he grasped it. The more he poured his will into it, the brighter it got, filling the Wizard’s Den with brilliance, then more, yet without ever blinding any of them. Alexander felt a connection to the staff begin to form. He willed the light brighter still, staring straight at it without harm or even discomfort, drinking in the light as if it were nourishment, then willing the light to subside.
“That was impressive,” Jack said.
Jataan nodded, frowning slightly. “I should have been blinded by such light, and yet I could see more clearly than ever.”
Anja and Lita nodded silently.
The staff was stout, just over an inch in diameter, six feet long, shod in four inches of silver on each end. The entire surface was carved with elaborately combined magical symbols. Its colors screamed of power and light. When Alexander willed it to produce dim light, the top shod began to glow softly, then winked out with a thought. It was as if the staff had become an extension of his body, sensing his will and obeying his thoughts as quickly as one’s hand moves by command of one’s mind.
“For the moment, I think I’ll leave Luminessence right here,” Alexander said, leaning it against the doorframe and stepping out into the night.
“Be ready,” he said, facing his friends in the Wizard’s Den. “There’s no telling what will be waiting for you when I open this door.”
“We’ll be ready,” Jataan said.
Alexander nodded. “Is everything else in place?”
“Yes, by morning the forward operating base will be burned to the ground and what remains of the Lancer contingent will take heavy casualties from our militia ambushes.”
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