Chapter 5

Riulan stared up at the walls as she drew her dagger. All along the walls she heard the sounds of her people dieing as the demons of the army came across the walls. As the last light of the day had vanished so to had the green glow from the tower. It had been followed a few moments later by a cry going up across the wall as the demons vanished as one. There had only been a moment to wonder about that before the army outside had struck at the walls striving to break through. The walls though were only lightly attacked, instead the army concentrated on the main gates and Riulan knew that it was only a matter of time before they gave way. The gates themselves had already cracked along several lines and the few defenders still standing stood back from them, knowing that there was no escape. Riulan stood there as well, a dagger in her hand.

“Well lass, there is no escape today now is there?” said Weldan, one of the last remaining sergeants, from beside her. The older man’s bald skull was covered by a battered metal cap, his lined face creased in bitter acceptance of death. He stood taller than Riulan and she had known him her entire life, as much a father to her as her real father, gone since childhood as a sacrifice to the Sorcerer’s spells. He had been in the guard for the entire 22 years she had been alive, a pillar that had stood unchanged over the years.

Riulan smiled briefly, “No. I wonder what has happened to the Sorcerer. He was doing magic a moment ago, probably fled somehow and left us to die here.”

Whatever reply Weldan may have made was lost as the gates crashed inwards. A howl came from the demons and men as they crashed through the shattered remnants of the gate. But as suddenly as the sound had started a new cry broke through the noise and Riulan turned as the first sound of the cry broke through.

Bounding down the steps of the keep came three warriors, clad in garments finer than anything she had ever seen on anybody except the Sorcerer’s themselves. All three were taller than most men. Their features more angular than any mans, and their hair was light.

The foremost of the three was the tallest and his eyes shone with laughter, echoed in his voice as he called out the cry that she had heard before. In his hand a long blade, at least 4 feet long, seemed to glow with a white light, bathing his light green clothes in its brilliance. His light blond hair was shoulder length, and held out of his eyes by what seemed like a circlet of green string that was woven in and out of his hair. His eyes, sky blue, were young, but determined. He moved with a fluidity and speed that was almost frightening to see.

Another stood to his left. Almost as tall and more beautiful than any man Riulan had ever seen. His silver hair was pulled back and held in place by a silver chain, looped around the end of the warriors braid as though it were ribbon. His pale green eyes held a ferocious fire and he was obviously looking forward to the coming battle. His obvious strength and the weapons he had also spoke to his martial abilities. A beautiful long sword was his side as well but it was his massive white bow that drew her eyes. A full quiver hung at his back and his bow was ready as he strode forth from the doorway. His clothes were even finer than his companions and a golden sun was visible on his shirt, glowing with the reflected light of his friend’s sword. With a growing sense of wonder Riulan realized that the shirt itself was made of fine links, like mail, but so tiny that it could not offer more than the thinnest of protections.

The last of the companions looked at the field with dark brown eyes that were grim. His black hair, cut short, was darker than any hair she had ever seen, almost seeming to soak up the light about it. A bow rested in one hand, but it was the faint glow about him that drew Riulan’s eyes. The aura of power, like and yet unlike that which clothed every sorcerer or apprentice, flickered around the stranger. Riulan noted though a subtle difference, something about it that was softer from that which clad the Sorcerers, and yet that glow was as strong as any she had seen about the Sorcerer Lord Mistrew.

The demons halted for a moment as those Fae warriors appeared before them. Then Riulan heard the demons howl in rage as they ignored the meager defenders in front of them and descended on the three warriors striding to meet them. The first of the warriors leaped ahead of his companions to meet the demons and Riulan gave a cry of horror as she saw first him and then his companions swarmed under by the creatures.

Narn gave out his battle cry as he stepped into the mass of demons, “Nyarhyanda!” And he moved lightly as he evaded their attacks. All around him seethed creatures whose hatred of him was as strong as his hatred of them. He heard their first cries of dismay as they felt the bite of his sword, his blade gleaming white. And as he danced within their midst, it was like snow on a summers day as the demons melted away from around him and his blades touch seemed like fire to them. Many demons touched by it cried out but once before fleeing it’s burning touch or dieing from the wound. Narn sensed Erimbril nearby gathering his power about him even as his arrows reached out to touch any creatures that came near him. As a group of demons rushed at Erimbril his friend whispered a single word. The sharp crack heralded the lightening that Erimbril had called forth. Galdacil’s laughter drifted to Narn though the howls of rage and he caught a glimpse of Galdacil moving in the press of bodies, his bow put aside in favor of the sword. Narn let none of this distract him but parried the blows against him and cut his way through the creatures before him. Suddenly the mob about him melted away as the demons, disheartened by the losses and the burning of those blades, turned and fled back through the shattered gates, leaving the three warriors standing there, winded but unharmed.

“Well, a good start to the day is it not my friend?” Galdacil’s joking tone brought Narn out of his revelry with a start.

Erimbril caught his breath and then looked at the retreating demons, “They will return soon and this time they will be expecting us. I think they were as surprised to see us as these men were. We should see if we can break any of these men out of surprise, and hope they can aid us in this defense.”

Narn nodded once in agreement, looking out over the men who stared at them in wonder. A single woman stood in their midsts and looked at them with eyes wide with surprise but also with a wariness that bothered Narn. He ignored her and walked up towards the men, “Come now. Take up your weapons and stand beside us. They will be back soon!” One older man blinked, recovering from his surprise, and then turned to others and began shouting orders. Quickly the men formed up to the sides of the three Fae. Narn turned to Galdacil and Erimbril, his face dark, “Take up your bows and stay out of the close fighting you two. It’s going to be hot enough fighting as it is. And I’d prefer if you took out as many as you could before they get to us.”

“Just leave us a few.” Galdacil spoke with measured good cheer as he took his bow from his shoulder and nocked an arrow.

Erimbril shook his head and then turned towards the creatures, his own bow in his hand.

“I’ll bet you ten arrows of yours that I drop more than you!” Galdacil directed his bet to Erimbril who smiled briefly and then nodded.

A howl descended upon the shattered gates and again came the howling of demons, driven this time by a lesser Demon Lord and hulking men before them. With a great howl of rage the dark tide descended on the defenders. Erimbril’s hands blurred as he launched arrow after arrow into the throng. Every shaft dropped its target immediately. Galdacil was only slightly slower and his great bow easily penetrated the armored skin of even the demon lord. In a short time the howling mob was leaderless and then it collided with a crash against the defenders hastily raised shields.

Narn quickly lost track of his friends and even those men who had stood beside him as he was swept up into the general melee. All about enemies howled for his blood and he moved without thought cutting through their midst. It quickly became a matter of wild movement as he tried to evade his foes and his eyes narrowed with concentration. Faces rose up before him and then disappeared again as his blade swept through their bodies. The dead soon made it impossible to move about and Narn quickly found himself hard pressed. But even as he felt the press becoming unbearable he called out, “Nyarhyanda!” and laid about him with a fury born of desperation. The sudden assault halted the enemy and then with a cry of fear they broke and ran. The sudden departure of the enemy left Narn standing in a mound of dead foes and he stumbled for a moment as a wave of dizziness swept over him.

“Narn! Old friend! They are running and the army itself is breaking. Quick, out the gates and pursue them.” Galdacil moved past his friend and taking his own advice raced out the gates, firing on the retreating creatures with arrows scavenged from bodies about him. As Erimbril ran afterwards lightening flowed from his hands, striking at the rear ranks. Narn took a step after them and then stumbled as another wave of exhaustion swept over him. Stumbling he made it to the gates and then with a sharp cry he knelt just in the midst of the shattered gates as his sight went dark. He felt a small hand and arm helping him to stand and he heard Erimbril’s voice ring out with power. Narn’s sight cleared briefly and he saw the sudden deluge of lightening come down from the sky to strike at the encamped army and he could just glimpse the sight of the besieging army as it turned and begin running. A soft voice beside him finally caught his attention and he realized with a start that it was the woman he had seen before who was holding him up.

“Stop fighting me you need to lay down. You’re bleeding to death and if you don’t get out of the rain it won’t stop either. Come with me or you are going to die here.”

Narn was a bit bemused at the cross sounding voice and with a last thought before the darkness gathered him in he had the distinct feeling that she was angry with him and that she looked quite beautiful angry.

And then he collapsed.