She watched longer and saw him repeat almost the exact same maneuver with the exception that this time he used their falling bodies as a shield by directing them into more attackers.

  “You’re not at a show, girl,” Pomen grunted as he shoved his long pipe stem into the eye of an incoming Muridai sending steam and pressure into its brain. It collapsed as Gi-noo used his horns expertly to push the attackers back.

  This was it, there were simply too many and Tia was going to die in a small clearing amidst the frost pines in bum fuck Bjorvic. She screamed her fear and rage and attacked, she started to mimic Leldeif’s performance with relative success. She fought with all she had, doing things with her blade that she didn’t even know she could do, all inspired by desperation. She tried to work her way toward Ledeif, thinking to cover his back, but he had become more fluid than corporeal and was flowing through the ranks of muridai with wanton abandon. She tried to locate Pomen between blows using the trees as cover here and there, but could only find occasional puffs of smoke in random places.

  She fended off two and killed one as she backed around a tree only to be forced away from the trunk and out into the open area of the clearing, suddenly surrounded by six of the ratish looking men. They closed, she was alone and saw her doom. She didn’t cower, she didn’t whimper nor did she scream. She howled; her rage, intense, she roared as she plunged her blade into the chest of the nearest and swung high across the throat of another, taking the throat and part of the jaw. She plunged her long knife into the chest of one on her left, killing it, but leaving her completely exposed spread eagle to two approaching blades.

  She clenched her torso hoping that somehow the sheer strength of her stomach muscles could stop at least one of the blades. She could feel them plunging, the skin parting, the release of abdominal pressure as they were sliced in two. Her bowels slapping on to the ground, almost a relief as her mid-section emptied, the surprise of her own death evident on her face. But it never happened.

  She didn’t close her eyes, not even so much as flinch so her look of surprise was genuine, but it wasn’t the surprise of her death but the surprise of the double-edged blade that plunged through the neck of her closest attacker and into the chest of the one next to him so quickly it seemed like one motion. The blade wrenched free with such violence the head of the one closet to her fell to the ground as the second’s chest blasted out from the force of the blade being wrenched free in an outward slashing motion that Tia almost had to duck away from. Her third adversary was suddenly being pulled backwards and she found herself wondering how Leldeif or Pomen was managing this when suddenly the muridai was lifted from the ground and she saw the giant talon clenched into his shoulder.

  She gasped as a second claw grabbed the being at its collar bone and in one giant twist separated the torso from right collar bone to left hip. She quickly checked her body and saw that no blade had yet touched and wondered at the suggestive strength of her mind. She had truly thought she was dead, skewered by the crooked muridai blades.

  Between the two halves of floating corpse, she saw him, and in that moment… he was beautiful. Horrifying, reviling, and terrible he floated above the scene completely at ease. He was the most beautifully horrifying thing she had ever seen and it was… him.

  “Nigel,” she gasped and he smiled in return

  “It is a pleasure to see you again, Miss Rowe. Let me clean this up for you a bit before I continue on.”

  “By all means, sir, thank you.”

  Nigel let out a scream that was halfway between blackbird and dragon before pouncing on the next group of muridai to come within his range. Tia never faced more than one opponent for the next few seconds and then it was silent, deathly silent.

  “An aerial, Tia run!” Pomen shouted and rushed toward Nigel while whirling a loaded sling over his head.

  “Don’t!” Tia shouted and stepped into Pomen’s path. “That’s my aerial,” she said and looked back over her shoulder at the magnificent, terrifying being.

  “Your aerial, is it?” Nigel said with a sarcastic cock to his head. “An interesting prospect.” He finished holding her gaze for a few moments too long before giving her a wink and blowing her a gentle kiss. He cast a half salute to Leldeif whom he had shared many a cocktail with, then in two giant strokes, he was gone.

  * * *

  “Har Karoome, there is strange activity off to the east.”

  Drick looked to the east, his eyes widening in horror as a beast of legend bounced up and down along the distant tree tops.

  “First squad, double ‘V’! Second squad in support and third squad to the rear. Move out!” Drick said and pointed with his sword toward the trees that still showed the winged beast performing its vile act.

  Minutes later they broke through the trees into a clearing where a human woman, a disfigured elf, and a gnome stood panting. The entire field was littered with muridai corpses in numbers far too great to have been handled by these three alone.

  “Har Karoome, it is good to see you,” Pomen said in recognition.

  “The aerial, I know I saw an aerial attacking you. Where has he gone?” Drick asked, the visage of Spunk next to him taking away only a little of his dignity.

  “Quite the contrary, Drick, he was a friend helping out,” Leldeif said, also familiar with the elf newly arrived.

  “Lindeif?” Drick gasped having finally recognized the scarred elf.

  “Leldeif now, friend. Your lancers look to be in good form,” Leldeif replied.

  “Aye, we have a good group. From where do you hail?”

  “Riverhouse. We came out to enlist the help of the piners,” Pomen jumped in, knowing that Leldeif had to struggle around some phonetic sounds due to his scars, R being a tough one for him.

  “Ah, a task to which I had been assigned,” Drick said trying to hide his anger at once again being pushed away from the main force by the desires of glory by the prince.

  “A waste of time, I’m afraid. They’re gone. Their camps are empty and their stock set to roam,” Pomen said leaving Drick stumped as to what to say.

  Aerials in the trees, long lost royalty suddenly showing up in the middle of the woods accompanied by a gnome ranger and a human, what could it all mean? Drick didn’t know. What he did know was that things would get worse before they got better and he would be right in the thick of things.

  “I guess there is no reason to continue my mission, come…we will get you back with the main group,” Drick said giving Tia an acknowledging nod, but not offering any introductions. The donkey on the other hand, couldn’t take his eyes from the woman. Spunk had always liked women, sadly the human crowd he hung around never seemed to attract many.

  53

  Lancers

  A donkey? Tia stood there smiling at the beast that was all decked out in some kind of battle garb. Her family owned several donkeys as well as burrows on the other side of the Swirl. They were used not only for hauling massive amounts of product to and from the market, but all within the facility working gears and pulleys for all of heavy lifting as well as in the pastures to protect their stock from predators. She didn’t realize that she had missed them.

  She walked over to the beast and slowed when the lead elf put out a hand.

  “Be careful, he is not like other horses and can give you a good bite.”

  “I know they are nothing like horses,” Tia said and continued her advance. She ducked when the teeth came up and slipped right up under his neck. The pack beast tried to rise up and use his hooves, but she had his halter and was gently rubbing his neck while making cooing sounds into his ear. Spunk visibly relaxed and even gave the woman a sniff. Tia locked eyes with him and smiled as she reached up and rubbed behind his ear.

  Spunk was not used to this kind of treatment, most were very standoffish when it came to him and his large blocks of muscle and huge jaw. This person, however, conveyed a calm familiarity with him that he warmed to her. She reached down and rubbed his chest and up around the other side of his neck.

  “I think you should ride with us, Pomen. All entrances to the House are blocked and we move to set up a major offensive to try and open up one of the northern accesses,” Drick said.

  “Well you’re certainly not going to do that with lancers, there is nowhere for your horses to maneuver in the forests,” Pomen said matter-of-factly.

  “We are well aware of that, ranger, we have fought amongst the trees before. It is once we get inside that our lances will be of value,” Drick said.

  “Ah, well then I think I know just the entrance you will want to assail,” Pomen said. “there might even be some room for lance work.”

  “I thought you might, I’ll bring some horses up for your two unmounted companions,” Drick said.

  “No need, I’ll just ride him,” Tia said and indicated the donkey with a thumb.

  “Spunk?” The elf raised his eyes in surprise. “Rumor has it that Spunk won’t tolerate riders.”

  “Nonsense, he is of the noblest breeds of equine, you just have to let him know you are friend and not rival,” Tia said before lightly hopping up on the donkey’s back. Spunk didn’t even flinch and soon Tia was lying back on his neck like he was a reclining chair.

  “Very well then, lead the way, Ranger Pomen. First rank, pull up the rear, second on me and third take up center column. Move out.”

  The band of just over thirty headed down the winding trails of the Bjorvic forests well aware that any corner could bring adversaries. The Har Karoome wanted to go and talk to Lindeif, who now claimed the name Leldeif, having disavowed his heritage. Sadly, he got the impression that the scar faced elf had no desires toward dialog. His features, were set, focused and intent, though he did manage a little conversation with the human girl named Tia.

  “You are aware that Nigel saved our asses back there aren’t you?” Leldeif said to the young girl who nodded before he continued. “I have to admit that from what I saw, you gave a very good accounting of yourself, much better than I had expected. It wouldn’t have been enough, but no one can fault you for that. There were just too many.”

  “I think that is a compliment, Leldeif, so thank you, it still wasn’t enough though. I was prepared to meet my maker when the aerial appeared from nowhere and saved my backside.”

  “Don’t let that bother you, he saved mine too, and Pomen’s. How we ever defeated his race three hundred years ago, I will never know. He had his sword sure, and he used it well but those talons… My, my that was a sight to behold. He didn’t blow me a kiss though,” Leldeif jibed. “I have never seen anything fight like that before…and here I thought he was just a lush.”

  “I would hope not,” Tia said with a blush and then continued, “That surprised me almost as much as his arrival to begin with. I have seen him drink a lot of booze, but can’t for the life of me remember him being drunk.”

  “Same, did you see his eyes at the time?” Leldeif pressed the young human.

  “Couldn’t help but see his eyes, they smoldered with…I guess I really don’t know what, but they were like super-heated embers on a brazier.”

  “You don’t know what? Really? You really are quite young then, aren’t you?” Leldeif said, not a question but more a statement of fact.

  “Don’t be ridiculous, he is an aerial for its sake,” Tia said, wondering at what the elf was implying.

  “Aye, that he is,” Leldeif said and then paused as if he wanted to say more. “Have you ever heard of the breeds?”

  “I have heard them mentioned, but I don’t really know what they are, why?”

  “No reason, my wife was human. It is part of what led to my current standing in life.”

  “Really? I didn’t know. Now that she is gone you probably have many regrets,” Tia said not knowing where this conversation was leading.

  “I have thousands upon thousands of regrets, girl, yet not one single one about her. A man truly doesn’t have a say as to where his heart will stray,” he said before he winked and trotted out of range to be lost in his own thoughts.

  She didn’t know quite what to make of that statement. In some people’s mind it would be a good excuse to step out on their spouse and have clandestine meetings with other men or women, but she didn’t believe that was how he intended it. Leldeif was talking about real love, the love that overwhelms and blinds. Like what her father had with her mother, a love so strong he never even bothered to look for someone else after her death. Tia let her hips roll with the motion of Spunk’s walking, occasionally patting his back or rubbing behind his ears. Her mind transfixed with the mental image of the terrifying creature that was Nigel. He was truly the most beautiful creature she had ever seen, while at the same time, horrifying and dangerous.

  * * *

  “Uncle?” a shocked elf astride a beautiful charger said as Leldeif approached from the tree line. They had come into a clearing where over three hundred had gathered as if awaiting Drick’s return.

  “Juin, it is good to see you or should I now call you Linjuin now?”

  “No, it is still simply Juin, or Karoome since I lead this force.”

  “I was curious about that, have they changed the rule of Karoomi?”

  “No, why do you ask?” Juin asked of Leldeif who had also once been a Karoome.

  “It appears as if the Har Karoome and the Karoome are taking opposite roles as to how I was taught.”

  “Ah, yes. I have decided to take a more active role with the lancers and leave the side trips to my subordinate,” Juin said feeling justified in his decision.

  “Ah, I see. Side trips are what you deem them as and not the intelligence gathering that they were initiated to be.”

  “This is my force an—”

  “Shut your mouth, whelp,” Leldeif snapped, his disappointment more than evident. “Policy was not ingrained into us to allow some punk to alter it on a whim.”

  “You are out of line, Uncle,” Juin said more than shocked by his outburst. Leldeif leaned in closely so that only the two of them could hear.

  “All I have to do is stake my claim, Juin and the whole of the elven kingdom would be thrown into upheaval. Don’t make me do so in order to get a pup like you to obey the rules of policy.” He drew back and looked at the young elf. He was not angry nor did he dislike Juin, but they were not close and neither knew how the other would react.

  Juin stared back at him blankly and Leldeif decided to take the risk.

  “Fix it,” he growled before turning his mount to trot away with an angry young elf glaring at his retreating back. Leldeif knew that he didn’t have an official right to speak to the leader of the force in this manner. He was his elder, yet more than that, he was his uncle who had a reputation for being more than a little unorthodox. If Leldeif intended to drag him from his horse and beat him down in front of his men, he would do it. Without a doubt his men would jump into the fray, but with Leldeif’s legendary skills they would be simply throwing themselves at his blade and now was not a time for infighting.

  They rode through the day and into the evening before settling upon a bluff overlooking the entrance that Pomen had declared as their best chance of entry. Below them lay a field roughly a mile wide and twice that long and as flat as anyone could have ever hoped for. However, the entire field was filled with various forms of foul folk from trolls to muridai and even what looked to be a giant on the far end.

  “This is perfect for the lance,” Juin said as he scanned the scene below. “We could hit them from several points at once if we wanted, but I think we should hit them with a wedge, dead center, break their party into two factions and push them out to the sides. We have about eight hours until dawn, let’s rest up and hit them in the morning,” Juin said and stood up as if to leave. He had actually even taken his first steps before he realized that he was the only one leaving.

  “Is that all you see boy?” Leldeif scowled wondering what the lad had been doing during all of his classroom time.

  “I think what we see down there is pretty obvious,” Juin replied.

  “You have to look beyond the obvious, my prince,” Pomen said having seen much more than just a mass of foul folk needing to be killed. He started to lay it out for the Karoome when Leldeif’s hand on his arm stopped him. He nodded toward Drick before he spoke.

  “Tell me, Har Karoome, what do you see?”

  Drick scanned the area below for several long moments before replying.

  “I see…an army that is getting ready to move, more than likely at day break. The way they are positioning themselves I would say that they plan on entering into Riverhouse.”

  “A tunnel full of foul beasts would not aid our entry,” Pomen said feeling out the young elf.

  “No, it wouldn’t, in fact it could stop us altogether if you want my honest opinion, and we’re not going to find a better entry for horse and lance than what is before us.”

  “So what are you saying? Just a mad dash for the entry and hope some of us make it?” Juin asked skeptically.

  “No, because none of us would make it. They would simply pile a bunch of trolls as well as that giant right in the entry to act as a cork and then slaughter us across the entire field.”

  “I doubt they could slaughter us entirely,” Juin protested, knowing that the elves with him were supreme fighting machines, the best of the best he would say.

  “There are almost two thousand foul folk down there, my prince, they would slaughter us, I almost guarantee.”

  “Never mind him, Har Karoome, you have a plan…I can see it in your eyes,” Leldeif said with his remaining eye boring into the young elf.