could strike, an arrow suddenly appeared in his chest, the arrowhead sticking out of his front, his sword tumbling from suddenly limp hands. As the man fell, Dominic saw Sergeant Stonebuilder leading a group of twenty soldiers up the steps from a nearby entrance. Several of the soldiers, armed with short bows, had climbed nearby steps and were sending arrows into the crowd of enemies.
Stonebuilder’s men charged into the enemies’ rear, wreaking havoc. Dominic urged his forces forward as he cut into the suddenly panicked enemies. The demons, seeing their advantage dissipating, called out to their followers and retreated through the gap between Stonebuilder and Dominic. The clerics continued to strike at the demons, but once the demons cleared the soldiers, they turned and ran, their followers close behind. They slipped out of the arena through the same openings that they had entered.
Stonebuilder sent half his force to harry the few remaining enemies still fighting in the arena, and then joined Dominic with the rest to make their way back to the queen’s box. Dominic saw that the queen was unharmed. The clerics looked tired as they healed the surviving soldiers. Halana came over to him, but he held up his hand before she could lay hands on him. “Save your strength for those who need it, cleric,” he told her. “None of my injuries are serious enough to worry about.”
“Nonsense, Lord Dominic,” she replied. “I have strength enough to heal you.”
“I said no,” Dominic growled. “I am done with healing.”
Her face took on a stubborn expression, as if she was going to force her healing on him, but Taric appeared at her side. He placed a gentle hand on her arm. “Let me deal with Dominic, Halana,” he told her softly. “See to the other wounded.”
She gave Dominic another frosty look, but nodded and walked away.
“Are you sure I cannot entreat you to accept healing, Dominic?” Taric asked cautiously. “We do not know if the fighting is done.”
“If you wish to help, you can sew up the deeper of my wounds,” Dominic told him. “But that can wait until I have spoken with the queen.” When Taric nodded, Dominic climbed up to the queen’s box. Stonebuilder was already there, giving his report to Farrious and the queen.
“When I heard the horn sound the distress call, I gathered my platoon and headed to the arena, knowing that Her Majesty was here,” he said. He shook his head slowly in disbelief. “On our way here, we encountered a large group of soldiers wearing the emblem of the Oceansong family. Not knowing what was happening, I called on them to join us. They came over, but before we could react, attacked us. We fought a pitched battle in the street and eventually overcame them, but I had lost nearly half the platoon. Having just killed my own countrymen in the capital, I feared for the queen’s safety and ran the remnants of my platoon here. Thanks to the One that we arrived in time.”
“You have my thanks, Sergeant Stonebuilder,” the queen told him. “When we have secured the city and put an end to this plot, I will speak with you about a suitable reward for your bravery and loyalty.”
“That you are pleased is reward enough for me, My Queen,” Stonebuilder replied with a bow.
“How is the rest of the city?” Farrious asked.
“I heard the sounds of fighting in many places, Commander.” He glanced at Anatan. “I also saw smoke rising near the Temple, Sister. I’m sorry, but I do not know what has happened there.”
“It will be as the One wills,” she replied, though Dominic saw the worry in her eyes.
“What now?” Moshanna asked, standing nearby with his arm around Sharin. “Based on what Sergeant Stonebuilder just said, we do not have enough soldiers to attempt to return the queen to the palace.”
“I will take a couple of men and seek out loyal soldiers to reinforce us here,” Farrious said as
Stonebuilder’s men charged into the enemies’ rear, wreaking havoc. Dominic urged his forces forward as he cut into the suddenly panicked enemies. The demons, seeing their advantage dissipating, called out to their followers and retreated through the gap between Stonebuilder and Dominic. The clerics continued to strike at the demons, but once the demons cleared the soldiers, they turned and ran, their followers close behind. They slipped out of the arena through the same openings that they had entered.
Stonebuilder sent half his force to harry the few remaining enemies still fighting in the arena, and then joined Dominic with the rest to make their way back to the queen’s box. Dominic saw that the queen was unharmed. The clerics looked tired as they healed the surviving soldiers. Halana came over to him, but he held up his hand before she could lay hands on him. “Save your strength for those who need it, cleric,” he told her. “None of my injuries are serious enough to worry about.”
“Nonsense, Lord Dominic,” she replied. “I have strength enough to heal you.”
“I said no,” Dominic growled. “I am done with healing.”
Her face took on a stubborn expression, as if she was going to force her healing on him, but Taric appeared at her side. He placed a gentle hand on her arm. “Let me deal with Dominic, Halana,” he told her softly. “See to the other wounded.”
She gave Dominic another frosty look, but nodded and walked away.
“Are you sure I cannot entreat you to accept healing, Dominic?” Taric asked cautiously. “We do not know if the fighting is done.”
“If you wish to help, you can sew up the deeper of my wounds,” Dominic told him. “But that can wait until I have spoken with the queen.” When Taric nodded, Dominic climbed up to the queen’s box. Stonebuilder was already there, giving his report to Farrious and the queen.
“When I heard the horn sound the distress call, I gathered my platoon and headed to the arena, knowing that Her Majesty was here,” he said. He shook his head slowly in disbelief. “On our way here, we encountered a large group of soldiers wearing the emblem of the Oceansong family. Not knowing what was happening, I called on them to join us. They came over, but before we could react, attacked us. We fought a pitched battle in the street and eventually overcame them, but I had lost nearly half the platoon. Having just killed my own countrymen in the capital, I feared for the queen’s safety and ran the remnants of my platoon here. Thanks to the One that we arrived in time.”
“You have my thanks, Sergeant Stonebuilder,” the queen told him. “When we have secured the city and put an end to this plot, I will speak with you about a suitable reward for your bravery and loyalty.”
“That you are pleased is reward enough for me, My Queen,” Stonebuilder replied with a bow.
“How is the rest of the city?” Farrious asked.
“I heard the sounds of fighting in many places, Commander.” He glanced at Anatan. “I also saw smoke rising near the Temple, Sister. I’m sorry, but I do not know what has happened there.”
“It will be as the One wills,” she replied, though Dominic saw the worry in her eyes.
“What now?” Moshanna asked, standing nearby with his arm around Sharin. “Based on what Sergeant Stonebuilder just said, we do not have enough soldiers to attempt to return the queen to the palace.”
“I will take a couple of men and seek out loyal soldiers to reinforce us here,” Farrious said as
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