confrontations. These men knew they were going to die.
Jommy made his way back until he was next to Kaspar. “General, those men are going to let us kill them.”
The former Duke of Olasko nodded. “They have that look,don’t they?” He turned and shouted, “I want prisoners!” Then with an eye on the flaming monstrosity behind them, he quietly added, “Should any of us survive.”
The creature had wandered aimlessly lashing out at anything it could, but now it seemed to have turned its attention to the hillside. Jommy said, “I think it’s seen us.”
“I have no idea if the thing even has eyes,” said Kaspar, “but we’d better get this under control, because it’s definitely coming this way.”
The first half a dozen raiders to reach the defenders threw themselves forward with manic ferocity. Several of Kaspar’s men were wounded, but every attacker was cut down. Jommy waited, but no one approached him directly. He saw there were a dozen corpses on the ground just below where he waited, and farther down the hillside a knot of perhaps two dozen men watched. One of them said something and others nodded, then they broke forward, and now Jommy could hear shouts and cries. He did not recognize the language, but the intent was clear: they meant to kill as many of Kaspar’s men as they could before dying in their turn.
Jommy saw one of the raiders turn, run down the hill, and taunt the creature. How he had managed to do this, Jommy couldn’t imagine, but it mattered little because the man had attracted the monster’s attention. He slowly led the fiendish being up the hill and then waited. Jommy’s eyes widened in astonishment as he saw the raider put down his sword and let the creature crush him as a man would an insect. The man’s scream was short and high-pitched and came to an abrupt halt. His body had exploded into flames a second before the creature’s fiery hand had touched him: even at this distance, those on the hillside could feel the heat.
A second man raced down, halfway between the monster and Kaspar’s position just as the attackers reached the defensive position. But this time instead of a furious assault, the tempo was more that of a probing attack, something Jommy had come to understand was what soldiers did at times when they were trying to gauge the enemy’s strength.
Suddenly he understood. “General!” Jommy shouted.
“Yes?” replied Kaspar as he easily slapped aside a halfhearted thrust from a raider who had got between two soldiers. The General slashed with his blade and the raider fell dead, his throat fountaining crimson.
“They’re bringing that thing up to us! They’re dying in order to bring it here!” Jommy said.
“Idiots,” said Servan, but he looked distinctly nervous.
Jommy was forced to admit their tactic was effective, if you didn’t mind dying to make it work. A third raider had now given himself up to the creature, and the ferocity of the heat was almost unbearable.
As if recognizing the hopelessness of their position, a handful of the enemy feigned attacks and purposely left themselves open for killing blows.
“Prisoners!” shouted Kaspar. “Keep one of them alive!”
Jommy couldn’t stand his ground; everyone started to retreat before the forgelike heat of the monster. At the same time the raiders advanced and Jommy was forced to fight while backing up a steep hillside. The footing was wet and treacherous. Jommy killed one man only to almost die as another man shoved his companion into Jommy’s blade. Only a quick blow over Jommy’s shoulder by another soldier gave him the seconds he needed to pull his blade free.
Jommy almost lost his balance as his heel caught on a rock, and he barely avoided an enemy’s sword thrust. He lashed out wildly, and even though his opponent was willing to die, he pulled back out of reflex. When he sprang again Jommy was ready and the man died silently.
A desperate struggle ensued as men wishing to live tried
Jommy made his way back until he was next to Kaspar. “General, those men are going to let us kill them.”
The former Duke of Olasko nodded. “They have that look,don’t they?” He turned and shouted, “I want prisoners!” Then with an eye on the flaming monstrosity behind them, he quietly added, “Should any of us survive.”
The creature had wandered aimlessly lashing out at anything it could, but now it seemed to have turned its attention to the hillside. Jommy said, “I think it’s seen us.”
“I have no idea if the thing even has eyes,” said Kaspar, “but we’d better get this under control, because it’s definitely coming this way.”
The first half a dozen raiders to reach the defenders threw themselves forward with manic ferocity. Several of Kaspar’s men were wounded, but every attacker was cut down. Jommy waited, but no one approached him directly. He saw there were a dozen corpses on the ground just below where he waited, and farther down the hillside a knot of perhaps two dozen men watched. One of them said something and others nodded, then they broke forward, and now Jommy could hear shouts and cries. He did not recognize the language, but the intent was clear: they meant to kill as many of Kaspar’s men as they could before dying in their turn.
Jommy saw one of the raiders turn, run down the hill, and taunt the creature. How he had managed to do this, Jommy couldn’t imagine, but it mattered little because the man had attracted the monster’s attention. He slowly led the fiendish being up the hill and then waited. Jommy’s eyes widened in astonishment as he saw the raider put down his sword and let the creature crush him as a man would an insect. The man’s scream was short and high-pitched and came to an abrupt halt. His body had exploded into flames a second before the creature’s fiery hand had touched him: even at this distance, those on the hillside could feel the heat.
A second man raced down, halfway between the monster and Kaspar’s position just as the attackers reached the defensive position. But this time instead of a furious assault, the tempo was more that of a probing attack, something Jommy had come to understand was what soldiers did at times when they were trying to gauge the enemy’s strength.
Suddenly he understood. “General!” Jommy shouted.
“Yes?” replied Kaspar as he easily slapped aside a halfhearted thrust from a raider who had got between two soldiers. The General slashed with his blade and the raider fell dead, his throat fountaining crimson.
“They’re bringing that thing up to us! They’re dying in order to bring it here!” Jommy said.
“Idiots,” said Servan, but he looked distinctly nervous.
Jommy was forced to admit their tactic was effective, if you didn’t mind dying to make it work. A third raider had now given himself up to the creature, and the ferocity of the heat was almost unbearable.
As if recognizing the hopelessness of their position, a handful of the enemy feigned attacks and purposely left themselves open for killing blows.
“Prisoners!” shouted Kaspar. “Keep one of them alive!”
Jommy couldn’t stand his ground; everyone started to retreat before the forgelike heat of the monster. At the same time the raiders advanced and Jommy was forced to fight while backing up a steep hillside. The footing was wet and treacherous. Jommy killed one man only to almost die as another man shoved his companion into Jommy’s blade. Only a quick blow over Jommy’s shoulder by another soldier gave him the seconds he needed to pull his blade free.
Jommy almost lost his balance as his heel caught on a rock, and he barely avoided an enemy’s sword thrust. He lashed out wildly, and even though his opponent was willing to die, he pulled back out of reflex. When he sprang again Jommy was ready and the man died silently.
A desperate struggle ensued as men wishing to live tried
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