But if Broden was a drill sergeant, Tex was the general.

  “Good job everyone!” Tex said, striding among the ranks. “That’s what I like to see.”

  “Lord Tex!” some of them said. “Lord Tex is here!”

  Morale shot up.

  “Eyes front!” Broden bellowed.

  The Skrillings continued their march, coming within probably 100 yards. The front ranks raised their arrows, ready to shoot.

  “Hold,” Broden commanded.

  The Skrillings continued marching closer. Tex couldn’t clearly see their brutish faces, but he could tell they were oblivious to what was about to happen.

  “Let fly!”

  Arrows soared into the air, raining down into the phalanxes of Skrillings. Many landed in the grass, but some pierced Skrilling flesh. Two brutes dropped and writhed in the dust. Others let out shouts of pain.

  The front row of archers immediately ran to the back as the next row came forward, arrows nocked.

  Broden repeated his commands. “Ready … Let fly!”

  With the second rain of arrows, three more Skrillings fell. Two of them got back up and limped onwards, but many others had arrows sticking out of their arms, legs, or torsos.

  They kept repeating the process as rapidly as possible, row after row of archers coming forward and letting their arrows fly.

  More Skrillings fell, and confusion spread through their ranks. But they continued their march forward.

  The archers’ accuracy increased considerably as the Skrillings got closer. The confused screams and shouts became more frantic as more of them dropped to the ground.

  Some even broke rank, running out of the way as the arrows came down.

  But most of the footmen were more afraid of their taskmasters than they were of the arrows. And the leaders were steadfast. One of them even had three arrows sticking into him, but he carried on as if he didn’t even notice.

  He barked out his commands, his savage, gravelly voice resounding across the field. His subordinates scrambled to resume their formation.

  Then the leader raised a ferocious cry, thrusting his spear into the air.

  He broke into a running charge.

  His footmen followed. The other three phalanxes immediately did likewise.

  They ran through the glass, taking arrows in the arms, legs, chest. Two or three of them even took one in the eye.

  But it only made the leaders scream louder, and the footmen who were still standing ran even faster.

  “Get ready to fall back on my order!” Broden cried.

  “Aim for the leaders!” Tex said, taking up a bow and arrow. “Take them out!”

  “You heard Lord Tex!” shouted an authoritative female voice, which Tex would have recognized anywhere as Neesha’s.

  “Okay!” another girl yelled.

  Tex saw that Neesha and Bmimi had both moved forward to the front row of one of the units of archers, and they were taking aim.

  Zila and Utu stood side-by-side in the row behind them, waiting with their arrows nocked.

  The archers let fly their arrows just as Tex shot his own.

  Tex’s target, the largest of the Skrilling leaders, jerked back as a hail of arrows crashed into him.

  He staggered and then tumbled heavily onto the ground as his men ran past him. With everyone shooting at the leaders, the other three quickly met the same fate.

  The Skrilling ranks wavered, but others took over the rallying cry— “Kdar Tol! Kdar Tol!”

  They continued running towards the archers, even though the field behind them was strewn with fallen Skrillings.

  “FALL BACK!” Broaden roared.

  Tex had already instructed him to order everyone to avoid close-range combat. The preferred strategy was to stay on the defensive and whittle down the Skrilling forces from a distance.

  The archers retreated towards Lorelei’s woods.

  Tex watched Neesha, Bmimi, Utu, and Zila run into the trees. Broden stood on the edge of the forest, watching everyone run past.

  “Hurry, hurry, hurry!” he yelled. “Get to the gate! You don’t want to be killed by a Skrilling, do you? Move it!”

  Tex knew Broden would be the last one through the gate.

  Once everyone was off the field, their eyes met. Tex gave Broden a nod and then turned towards the Skrillings.

  Frankly, he was looking forward to having some alone-time with them. It would be good practice.

  Pulling out a tennis ball-sized stone, he pitched it — but right when it left his hand, he pushed it, forcing it to go obscenely fast.

  The stone crashed into the Skrillings, knocking down a couple of them. But he kept the stone in his magical grasp, as if he had a string tied to it. Pulling the stone, he brought it sailing back in his direction.

  At the same time, Tex’s other hand reached into a pouch and pulled out four small throwing knives.

  The stone made its way back towards Tex at skull-crushing speed. Raising his hand, he opened his fingers. The stone slowed down before coming to a soft landing in Tex’s hand.

  He flung the knives with his left hand. Again, he pushed those objects, making them slice through the air at a frightening speed. But he didn’t merely push them forward; he pushed them in such a way that made them spread out.

  The Skrillings’ grunts and screams filled the air as the daggers cut through rib cages and thighs.

  Tex then clenched his fist in the air, jerking it back. Seemingly of their own accord, the daggers wrenched themselves out of the Skrilling’s bodies and soared over the grass towards Tex.

  Some of the Skrillings staggered around in confusion, looking this way and that. They felt they were being attacked by more than one source, perhaps by invisible adversaries.

  But the smarter ones watched Tex in amazement as the daggers flew right towards his face. In the last second, Tex opened his hand. The knives slowed and stopped, hovering in front of him.

  Then he flicked his hand up, and the daggers launched into the air above his head.

  As they fell back down, he caught each one, as expertly as a knife-juggler.

  This sequence of actions required tremendous coordination. It hadn’t come easily. Tex had practiced for tens of hours over the previous days. As much time as he could spare, he devoted to learning his magic.

  Tex repeated the same trick a second time, taking out several more Skrillings. However, this time, the surprise had worn off.

  The Skrillings rallied, thundering over the grass towards him. Probably more than a hundred had fallen since the start of the battle, but there were easily 200 left.

  His rock returned, blood-spattered, to his hand. But the Skrillings were seconds away from reaching him.

  The daggers would have to remain lodged in eye sockets and chests for the time being; Tex wasn’t about to take on 200 Skrillings in close combat.

  Launching himself into the air, he soared high above the Skrillings’ heads. Some of them flung their spears ineffectually.

  Tex made a massive leap over them, aiming to come down behind them. He looked down at them as he passed over their heads. Some followed his flight, turning around to attack him when he landed.

  But most of them made a break for Lorelei’s forest.

  Alighting behind the Skrillings, he threw his stone, at the same time getting a mental hold of his daggers.

  He flicked his hand, and the daggers came spinning back to him. Tex stuck around a little longer, taking down about seven more Skrillings.

  He didn’t want to tarry outside, though, considering most of the Skrillings were running for the gate, so he launched into the air, flying over Lorelei’s woods.

  Passing over the palisade, he saw the Skrillings crowding around the gate, but it was locked up tight. They’d built three very basic towers, each of which could accommodate two archers.

  Tex watched Skrillings scurry back into the forest as the archers shot at them.

  Tex descended into the village and landed among the Aramantha. Everyone erupted with cheers, and the mood of celebration and optimism lasted well into the evening.

  They had good reason to be happy.

  They’d handily repulsed the Skrillings’ first siege, despite being greatly outnumbered.

  And they only suffered one notable injury — a man had a minor heart-attack. The Skrillings, on the other hand, suffered many casualties.

  Despite the mirth, however, Tex soon fell into a thoughtful mood.

  “What’s wrong, Tex,” Emi said, putting her hand on his shoulder. “You look angry.”

  He smiled. “I’m just thinking of what strategy to take next. The same thing probably won’t work twice … at least not as effectively.”

  Zila bent her unibrow into a frown. “Why not? You think Skrilling get smarter?”

  Tex nodded. “Our success was due to three things, two of which were the bows and arrows and the palisade.

  “But the other big factor was surprise. The Skrillings didn’t know we had a revolutionary new weapon. But now they do.”

  ***

  The days that followed were almost disturbingly quiet. Morale remained high among the Aramantha, and most of them ascribed the peacefulness to their spectacular victory.

  Indeed, the Skrillings kept their distance. The scouts found that they’d moved their camps farther away, and they made no further attempts to approach Fimm.

  However, two additional Skrilling groups came and set up camps to the north of Fimm, having traveled through the Outland Pass.

  But that wasn’t the only worry.

  Tex didn’t want to burst peoples’ bubbles. But privately, when discussing matters with Broden, Golin, Steelfarr, and the others, he increasingly voiced his suspicion that the Skrillings’ attack may have been a test.

  “A way to poke us and see what our capabilities are.”

  The others agreed, and they wondered if they hadn’t made a tactical blunder in revealing their new technology.

  “Well, there’s no use troubling ourselves about it now,” Golin said. “What’s done is done.”

  “That’s right,” Tex agreed. “Plus, it’s not the end of the world. The bows and arrows still give us an immense advantage.”

  The days continued to pass quietly. Then, one sunny day, when the world seemed bright and cheerful, a scout came charging through Lorelei’s forest.

  He was so exhausted that he collapsed on the ground as soon as he was inside the gate.

  “Ships!” he said, struggling for air. “A fleet. Must be 20 of them … Perhaps more. They’re coming … for our shores… Make ready!”

  Word rapidly spread through the village, and any jubilation that had remained from the previous victory rapidly died away.

  The sky seemed to get darker, and the wind blew colder.

  Everyone in the village had one thought in their mind, though they didn’t dare say it out loud.

  He’s coming … The Necromancer of Darkoveld … coming here!

  TEX WALKED BRISKLY through the village towards the ocean. Most of the village was rushing out that way as word of the fleet rapidly spread.

  Coming to the top of the slope, they stopped and surveyed the water. The ships were not yet visible.

  Archers were already setting up at the top of the slope, carrying arrows and spears and setting them in place.

  Tex suddenly wished he knew how to make catapults. Damn it, I bet it’s on YouTube.

  Putting that thought aside, Tex turned to Broden. “I’m gonna go check it out. I’ll be back soon.”

  Broden nodded. It went without saying that he would be in charge while Tex was gone.

  Before Tex could take flight, Emi ran to Tex’s side, pawing at his arm. “Take me, Tex.”

  He looked at her in surprise. “This is no time for fun and games.”

  She rolled her eyes. “It’s not fun and games! I want to come so I can see the ships. I …”

  She looked down and shivered. “I will know if The Necromancer is in those ships.”

  “But I already know he’s there. Besides, I can’t bring you; I’m flying.”

  Emi pouted. “So? You can take me. Don’t you remember? Like before.”

  Tex pursed his lips. “Oh, yeah.”

  She blinked her big green eyes at him. “Please? We… We don’t really know how many more moments we’ll have together.”

  He sighed.

  “Alright. I’ll bring you. Hold on tight.”

  Emi beamed. She wrapped her arms around Tex’s neck as he picked her up.

  She let out a scream as they shot into the air, and her nails dug into his neck.

  “Don’t be scared,” Tex said, raising his voice over the wind. “I’ve got you.”

  “I know, Tex,” she yelled. “I’m not scared. I like it.”

  Her eyes danced with delight as the land got further away, and the coastline took shape beneath them.

  They could see the deep blue of the sea, the frothy white waves cresting along the sandy beaches, and the forested bluffs rising farther to the south.

  Then he spotted the fleet in the distance, white sails and oblong vessels shining bright in the sun, contrasting with the dark blue water.

  “There they are!” Emi said.

  Tex soared over the coast towards the bluffs, gradually descending as they got closer to the fleet. The ships were making their way past the highest point of the bluffs, whose chalky white walls were almost blinding in the sunlight.

  Tex flew down towards one of these bluffs, landing softly in a gusty field.

  Emi released her grasp of his neck and walked towards the bluff’s edge. Tex followed. Looking down at the sparkling water, they saw the ships in greater detail.

  They looked like little toy models of Viking ships. Emi pushed her hair back; the wind was tossing it around.

  “I count 18 ships,” she said.

  “Yeah, same. I guess the scout exaggerated a bit.”

  “Well, 18 is enough.”

  That was certainly true. Tex figured each ship held 40 men. That would add up to 720 Skrillings.

  How were they possibly going to win? Never mind Kdar Tol; they didn’t have the numbers to repel an attack from 700-plus Skrillings.

  And these were the ones that wore armor. Presumably that meant they were more disciplined and experienced.

  And, besides, there must have been many more where they came from. Kdar Tol would surely have left a lot of manpower back in Darkoveld; it was unlikely he’d leave his stronghold exposed to an attack.

  Emi stood frozen, holding her hair out of her face, gazing down at the ships. Then she backed away, her face contorted with dread.

  Tex watched Emi for a second and then returned his gaze to the ships. They were sailing right past them.

  A baleful feeling fell over him.

  Emi stirred behind him. “He’s … He’s there.”

  He looked at Emi. “I know.”

  The elf nodded. “I’m not surprised… There’s so much evil energy coming off him… The grass would probably die if he stood here, and nothing would sprout for a hundred years.”

  Tex wasn’t sure if Emi was just being poetic or if she meant it literally, but it certainly seemed believable.

  Tex still felt glad they’d built the wall and created bows and arrows; this provided some comfort.

  Still, the feeling of security evaporated. They were not in a good spot at all.

  Tex took Emi into his arms. “Come on. We’ve got a lot to do.”

  ***

  As they soared over the coastline, heading back to Fimm, they could see the curving horizon and the northern end of the island.

  Tex’s mind fixated on all the things he had to do. All the preparations he must set in motion. And what additional measures they might take.

  Could they build booby traps in the sand? Or obstacles of some kind? Were there any more weapons he could rapidly construct with his crafting magic?

  Emi snuggled her head on Tex’s shoulder, enjoying the moment with Tex.

  Neither of them immediately noticed the alarm and disorder in the village.

  After all, they at least knew exactly where Kdar Tol was. And they were aware of the movements of the Skrillings in the immediate area, so there could be no real surprise attack from them.

  But when Tex descended towards the village, he saw people running around in alarm, and he heard screams.

  He noticed debris scattered across the ground … and then he saw a hut with part of the wall and roof blown out.

  Broden’s hut.

  What the hell was going on?

  Panic and fear hung heavy in the air as they landed on the grass near Broden’s hut.

  “Lord Tex! Lord Tex!”

  Men and women rushed around him, everyone shouting their frenzied account of what had taken place.

  He caught bits and pieces amidst the shouting: a demon had appeared.

  “Tex!”

  Utu pushed through the crowd, followed by Bmimi, Zila, and Grendel. Their faces were white, their eyes puffy.

  “Tex,” Utu said, rushing up and grabbing him. “It took Neesha. It grabbed her and —”

  Emi curled her fingers in her hair. “W-what? What do you mean?”

  Tex grabbed Utu by the shoulders. “Tell me what happened. Where’s Neesha?”

  “It took her … the zombie took her. I —”

  “Zombie?”

  Yarolk shoved his way through the crowd. “Let me through. I know who it was, Lord Tex.”

  “Let him through!” Tex thundered.

  Yarolk came forward. “It was Bankim.”

  Chapter fifty-eight

  “BANKIM?” TEX SAID. “But how could that be? He’s dead!”

  “It was him. He walked right past me, looked me in the eye. It was him, risen from the Underworld.”

  Tex frowned. Bankim. He hadn’t heard that name in what felt like a lifetime. Hadn’t even given a thought to the young hothead, the first Aramantha man he’d ever encountered.

  The memories flashed through Tex’s mind: Bankim on top of Utu, trying to rape her. Tex bashing him with the butt-end of his rifle.

  The duel in which he kicked Bankim’s ass.

  And, finally, Bankim’s frantic screams as he struggled against the insectoid arms that dragged him into the Underworld.