The wizards landed among the Chamdon, who swarmed around the newcomers. Meglar growled and the Chamdon returned to their state of inaction. Four of the wizards shoved their way through the ranks, but the fifth didn’t get up.
A pair of handlers rushed over and pulled the bloody and dazed man from the ground.
“How dare you!” Meglar shouted.
“You were supposed to come alone,” Farrell said. “There are consequences for ignoring the rules.”
“Be quiet.” Meglar snatched his staff from the carriage. “Don’t speak to your betters, pup.”
Farrell laughed. “Be quiet? That’s all you have? I answer to the Six, not you.”
Meglar tightened his fist around his staff. Farrell activated another spell and the ground erupted in orange flames. The fire lasted only seconds and when it faded, the Chamdon were gone. In their place, ashes covered the plains. The horses and wizards were not injured, but most looked around nervously.
Meglar roared and pointed his staff at the shield between himself and Farrell. A blast of black energy crashed into the barrier. The energy buckled under the strain. A dozen different spells sprang to life around Meglar and his wizards. They struck from all directions.
The attack distracted Meglar and he stopped firing. When Meglar ceased attacking the shield, the offensive barrage from the ground also ended.
“You were told to come alone,” Farrell repeated and raised an eyebrow.
“Who are you to lecture me?” Meglar said. “This fight is between Champions. Where is Kel?”
“If you won’t send away your underlings, I’ll have the Seven enforce Their rules.” He had no idea if the gods would act, but if Neldin didn’t act, the Six should be able to intervene.
“Where is Kel?” Meglar shouted again. “Have that coward show himself and stop hiding behind a child.”
“Worry about yourself.” With every barb, Farrell saw Meglar’s frustration increase. “Kel is where he needs to be. Stop hiding behind your lackeys.”
“When the Champion of the Six shows up alone, I’ll face him. Until then, my wizards remain.”
“You truly are as stupid as everyone says.” Farrell waited until Meglar was about to speak. “No wonder Neldin sought to recruit me to take your place.”
Meglar snorted. “Neldin would never have sought to replace me, let alone with you. You would need to be a member of the house of Vedri—”
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Miceral monitored the battle as Klissmor ran. From this new vantage, he saw the surge by their allies had lost momentum as enemy wizards countered. Whole sections of Meglar’s army moved as one under new directions from handlers. Wilhelm and Marisa had the smallest force. Removing even a small part of Tilerstig’s forces would jeopardized their safety.
“Can the reserves make it in time?” Miceral asked as they approached Leothan’s position.”
“They are already in motion. I want to move Leothan north to—”
“Klissmor,” Takala said. “We have a problem. Saulman has made a deal with Meglar.”
“I thought Zenora ensure his loyalty.”
“The spell only lasted for the Battle of Jarian,” Klissmor said.
“Darius is returning to the command post,” Takala said. “I’m heading there—By the Six!”
“What happened?” Miceral asked.
“Someone changed Saulmon and his army into Chamdon!”
“Go help Wilhelm,” Klissmor said. “We’ll send reinforcements.”
“I’ll be there soon,” Takala said.
Miceral watched as Dagur’s army changed the tide of battle in the north. Wilhelm and Marisa’s army came to a halt as it now faced enemies on two fronts. The impact rippled through the battlefield.
Already the Arlefors stretched their line north to protect their exposed left flank. That slowed their push east, forcing the Bendari to compensate.
“Can we send some of Trellham’s units to assist?” Miceral asked.
“No. Not only would it leave us vulnerable, they wouldn’t get there in time,” Klissmor said. “I’ve told the horned bulls to turn and strike Dagur’s Chamdon from the rear. Loethan’s company will take their place on the northeast edge of our forces.”
Leothan was speaking to a human in Yar-del’s colors when Klissmor found the camp. The man commanded the two companies Miceral assigned to help the mercenaries get settled. North of Leothan’s company, Horgon had stationed ten legions to help hold Haven’s line. Those made more sense, but Klissmor had other ideas.
Everyone looked over as Klissmor pulled up. Leothan appeared surprised to see them, but he smiled. His expression didn’t feel right to Miceral, but he shook off his concerns and dismounted.
“We have a situation,” he said. “Meglar found a way to turn Saulmon of Dagur. He’s moved his army and turned them into Chamdon. I sent troops to reinforce Wilhelm, but I need your company to replace them.”
Leothan nodded. “Dagur’s contingent is small. Even as Chamdon they won’t be hard to deal with.”
“Every second they delay Wilhelm hurts our chances,” Miceral said.
Leothan scanned the area around him and pointed toward the center of camp. “Let me tell my officers. Is there anything else we need to know?”
He began walking and Miceral followed. An older Muchari and a wizard from the support company approached Klissmor.
“Welcome, Prince Klissmor, I am Frankis,” the Muchari said. “May I have a word with you?”
“Go,” Klissmor said to Miceral. “I’ll be along in a moment.”
Miceral nodded and moved away with Leothan. “Queen Pertrice and her cavalry are turning to engage them. That will help, but we need your company to back fill their position as they move west.”
“That’s a sound strategy.” He led them to an open area and stopped walking. A pair of large war hammers, too large for a dwarf, stood on their heads. “I’m glad you came to us for help. My company is eager for the fight.”
“Where are your captains?”
Leothan used his thumb to rotate the ring again. “They’ll be here in a moment.”
“Are you going to wear that into battle?” Miceral pointed to the ring. “It will get in the way if you don’t take it off.”
“This?” Leothan held up his hand and looked at the large band on his finger. “No, I need to keep this on. It’s the only thing that will protect me.”
“Protect you?” Miceral stopped walking. “From what? Magic?”
Leothan glanced at the ring again and put his thumb underneath and his index finger on the signet on top. A crazy smirk twisted his lips. “Something like that.”
“Stop him!” Klissmor shouted and pushed past Miceral.
Leothan squeezed down on the ring and jumped out of Klissmor’s way. “Too late, old friends.”
Klissmor whirled about, but Leothan had his sword out. The mercenaries in his company, although confused, drew their swords. A second later, some of them stiffened and started to shake. Screams and grunts came from all around.
“What in Neblor is going on?” Miceral shouted and drew his swords.
“Leothan betrayed us to Meglar.” Klissmor stared at the traitor, looking for an opening. “The wizard warned me he felt dark magic around Leothan. I read his mind and found his treachery.”
“You thought you could abandon me?” Leothan laughed. He sounded like he’d lost his mind. “Fools. Meglar proved a better friend than my own kind.”
The men and women who shook, started to change. “Meglar’s going to conquer Ardus and then the world. As his ally, I’ll get to choose the land I want to rule.”
The majority of Leothan’s company were unaffected. They inched away from their comrades who were changing. Confused, Leothan glanced around. “That’s not right. They should all be changing!”
“The wizards we sent to support you noticed your troops had no protection against Meglar’s Chamdon spell. They’ve been working to correct that,” Klissmor sa
id. “Your plans have already failed.”
“There are enough for me to kill you two. Meglar will reward me for that alone.” Leothan touched his ring again.
“I’ve called for help,” Klissmor said. “It’s coming but they’re not close.”
“We need to find a defensive position and hold the Chamdon off until our troops arrive.” Miceral found it hard to focus as he scanned the immediate area. Farrell and Jagwin expressed their doubts about Leo, but he’d ignored them. He fought the rage that threatened to cloud his mind. “Stand down, Leo, or I’ll kill you.”
“Once you’re gone, I’ll . . .” The exuberant expression on Leothan’s face vanished. He jerked and his eyes became unfocused. “I’ll . . .” His hand twitched and his skin rippled.
“You won’t be king of anything when you’re a Chamdon, Leo.” Despite his glib words, Miceral didn’t relish fighting a Muchari Chamdon.
“Nooooo!” Leothan’s whole body trembled. “He told me I wouldn’t change!”
“Get him while he’s distracted.” Klissmor charged as he spoke. Leothan retained enough of his sanity to swat him aside. Meglar’s ring cut the unicorn’s side, leaving a bloody trail. Miceral leapt forward, but Leothan jumped back faster than Miceral thought possible. He tried to reach Leothan before he completely changed, but other Chamdon came at him.
“Everyone! Get to the mountain,” Klissmor said. “We’ll make our stand there until the reinforcements arrive.”
Members of the Haven companies who could, rushed toward Klissmor. The Haven wizards were too far away and there were too many Chamdon for them to reach Miceral. Instead they protected the soldiers near them and prepared to fight.
Only a few of Leothan’s company heeded Klissmor’s call. Most were too confused to understand what had happened. Fighting broke out around the camp. The Chamdon were rudderless and attacked anything that moved. Miceral gave thanks to the Six that Meglar hadn’t given Leothan a handler.
The sounds of fighting drifted down from the north, and Miceral saw a company of Muchari rushing to help. He took stock of the warriors around him. Frankis and twenty-five from the Haven companies were joined by ten of Leothan’s mercenaries. The older Muchari helped organized the soldiers in his unit into a defensive position. He and Miceral were the only two Muchari in the group. Thirty-seven swords in total and one unicorn.
Leothan stood in the center of the chaos. He continued to struggle against his change, and he’d resisted longer than Miceral thought possible. When one of the men from his company charged him, he swatted the man aside. The distraction broke his resistance and his body went rigid.
Miceral’s ex-friend’s mouth opened in a silent scream. Links on Leothan’s chain mail popped as his body grew taller and thicker. Pieces of armor on his legs and arms burst their straps and dangled from his body.
The ring pulsed once, and the other Chamdon jerked as if someone pulled a string in their backs. Leothan scanned the area and fixed his gaze on Miceral. He shifted it to the other Muchari and his expression changed. He grabbed one of the oversized war hammers and swung it like a twig.
The Chamdon moved at the same time. Most attacked the being closest to them. The rest ran toward Leothan from all over the camp as if he’d called them. That proved fatal to some of them as they took their focus away from the soldiers they were fighting. Despite their losses, more than fifty of the brutes raced toward Leothan.
In an atypical move for a Chamdon, Leothan didn’t attack immediately. Instead, he kept his attention on Miceral and the other Muchari.
“What’s he doing?” Miceral asked Klissmor. “Can you read his mind?”
“There is nothing left to read. Someone is controlling him.”
Sunlight reflected off Leothan’s gaudy ring. “Or something. The ring is the key. You saw him twist it right before the Chamdon appeared.”
“Even if that is true, they will attack us before we can cut it off him.”
“Tell the wizards to fire on Leothan.”
“I called upon them first for help, but none are powerful wizards. That is why they were assigned to the support company and not the front lines,” Klissmor said. “Protecting the mercenaries from becoming Chamdon took most of their energy.”
“They don’t have enough left for one spell? One weapon? Anything to take out Leothan?”
Klissmor paused, which made Miceral anxious. “Only one is close enough to help, but he is busy protecting those around him. He said if he gets a clear shot he will try.”
“You sound skeptical.”
“He is not a warrior and is fearful to use the last of his energy lest he find himself defenseless.”
Miceral couldn’t argue with that reasoning. Asking him to use it anyway would be like asking Miceral for his swords as the battle began. Leothan snarled, and he and the others moved forward. “Too late now, here they come.”
Everyone who hadn’t changed advanced on the creatures from all sides. The Chamdon might take Miceral and Klissmor with them, but they’d never leave the camp.
“I’ll handle Leothan.” Miceral pointed with his sword. “The rest of you work together. We only need to hold them off for a short time.”
“I will distract Leothan,” Klissmor said. “Do not hold back. He is no longer the friend you knew.”
Miceral didn’t answer. Even with their backs to the mountain, they wouldn’t survive long enough to be rescued. Leothan had sprung his trap too well. He’d drawn them into the center of the camp before he turned his troops into Chamdon.
He pushed that from his mind. Leothan needed to be stopped no matter the cost. Klissmor charged the Chamdon leader with his horn down. Miceral sprinted after him.
Leothan drew his arm back and swung at the charging unicorn’s head. Klissmor danced away at the last moment to avoid the blow. Miceral leapt to take advantage of the opening. He aimed his sword for Leothan’s exposed neck. The giant hammer swept back across the Chamdon’s body, and Miceral had to twist to avoid being crushed. His blade missed its mark and made a small cut on Leothan’s arm.
“By the Six! He’s fast!”
“Stay focused!” Klissmor shouted as he kicked Leothan with his back hooves.
The strike staggered the giant creature but didn’t force him from his feet. Klissmor turned but had to defend himself from another Chamdon. Using the opportunity, Miceral charged again. When Leothan aimed a blow, Miceral jumped as high as he could. He twisted in midair and drove his sword into the brute’s right shoulder.
Leothan roared and spun faster than Miceral expected. The sword snapped before he could let go and he lost his balance when he landed on a rock. Before Miceral could recover, the flat side of Leothan’s hammer struck him in the left arm.
Khron’s dwarf-made armor absorbed much of the blow, but not enough. Several bones broke, and Miceral was thrown toward the other Chamdon. He slammed into one of the mindless creatures, and they both collapsed.
He would have died except the soldier the Chamdon had been fighting used the advantage to kill the creature. Miceral jumped up, and pain raced through his body. His left arm hung useless at his side.
Klissmor charged again and rammed his horn into Leothan’s lower back. The Chamdon roared and flailed his arms. The brace on Leothan’s right arm dangled by one strap. It flopped as he moved, and it caught Klissmor on the left side of his head as he pulled back.
Pushing through the pain, Miceral found his sword and ran to his friend’s aid. Another Chamdon tried to cut him off, but Miceral sliced its head from its shoulders. Klissmor wobbled as he backed away, and Leothan turned to attack. He raised the massive hammer. Miceral gauged the distance to his friend and his heart sank.
The Chamdon stumbled backward before he could deliver the blow. Frankis had grabbed the hammer on the backswing and pulled down. Leothan roared and yanked his arm forward. Frankis let go of the shaft as he flew over the beast’s head. He landed nimbly and helped Klissmor steady himself.
Miceral adjusted
his balance as he closed with Leothan. He ignored the pain that racked his body with every step. Leothan swung again, but Miceral evaded the blow. He kicked as hard as he could at the handle of the mace. The strike bent the shaft and knocked the creature off-balance. Frankis used the opening and stabbed at Leothan’s side. The blade pierced the armor and sank several inches into the creature’s body.
Leothan screamed again and swatted Frankis away. The sword remained embedded in his body, but he didn’t try to remove it. Frankis flew back and crashed into a still-shaken Klissmor. The force knocked them both down. Another Chamdon charged the fallen pair, but a human soldier got in front of his fallen comrades. Frankis recovered quick enough to help dispatch the beast.
With parts of two swords stuck in him and a wound in his back, Leothan had slowed a step. Miceral tried to exploit the weakness, but his injuries hampered him as well. In his peripheral vision he saw Klissmor inch closer.
“Stay back,” Miceral said. “You’re injured.”
“As are you, but you persist.”
Miceral didn’t have time to argue. Leothan raised his weapon, but the bent shaft threw off the balance. When he stumbled backward, Klissmor rushed closer and kicked at Frankis’s sword. He hit the pommel squarely and drove it to the hilt into his foe.
Leothan bellowed his rage and thrashed his arms. The hammer struck Klissmor in the side as he tried to get away. The impact sent Klissmor flying and he landed with a thud. Miceral froze at the sight of his friend beaten and forgot Leothan for moment. The injured Chamdon continued to flail, and the hammer swung around and hit Miceral in the chest.
The force of the blow dented Miceral’s armor and knocked the breath from his lungs. He saw stars as he fell backward. When he recovered enough, he tried to lift his sword, but Leothan slammed his oversized foot on the blade. The metal snapped and Miceral looked up, holding only the stump.
Leothan raised his other foot to crush Miceral’s head. The head of a giant war hammer slammed into Leothan. The momentum of the blow sent Frankis stumbling backward, dragging the weapon with him.
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