Kriki's Gift, Chapter XXIX, Reading 22

Wanting to take advantage of their enemies' ignorance to their presence, the captain issued his commands in low whispers and gestures.  They dismounted, spread out along the road, and readied to scale the rock-strewn slope.  They then worked their way up the slope.  Pender set the pace so they stayed together.  The Rangers' attack had been devastatingly effective and the ground was littered with dead and mortally wounded fighters.  All others had left their positions to help the Valkea.  The Guardsmen worked their way around the bodies and continued up the slope to the rocky ledge.

"Surrender or die!" Pender bellowed when he and his men reached striking distance.

It was as if the Valkea's men were linked mentally, for they all seemed to turn as one.  "Kill them," the tallest man screamed madly.

All the Valkea's followers had been filled with impotent rage at their inability to help her.  Their pent up anger flowed forth and they charged into Pender's men with insane recklessness.  They had a certain advantage for they were uphill from the Guardsmen, but they were outmatched in numbers, for the Rangers had decimated their ranks so a scant twenty men remained.

The tall man ran straight for Pender and raised a short sword over his head to rain down a killing blow.  Having no experience in swordsmanship, he didn't realize he was leaving his torso completely exposed - a fact Pender took advantage of by delivering a quick thrust into his midsection.  The tall man responded as if he felt no pain and walked deeper into the blade to get close enough to strike at the captain.  Pender deflected the blow with his shield, extracted his sword, and beheaded him.

All of the Valkea's fighters seemed to be entirely devoid of fear and oblivious to pain as they fought.  The fight was reduced to a brutal business of hacking the Valkea's men to death.  It was a sickening sight but a familiar one to the few men present, such as Lieutenant Cherok, who had fought with the howling mob at the altar the day before.

It was soon over and Pender's men were alone on the slope.  The blazing light still radiated forth so intensely it created it's own shadows.  The men stood with their eyes averted to protect their vision.  They were surprised that the column of light gave off no heat.

"An awesome display of power," Pender remarked.  "Small wonder it's reported the King and Queen collapse after fighting with their crystals."

Cherok nodded his head in agreement.  "Praise the Spirit Their Majesties are capable of such a mighty assault.  I felt the Valkea's anger when she attacked Lady Carra's train.  Let's pray they didn't suffer too much before the Champions began their battle."

"Agreed."  Pender glanced back to the road.  "The decoy wagon took some good hits.  I wonder how many men were lost or wounded."

"Let's hope not many."