"Fellow Adventurers, let us defend Trader's nest!" spoke Tato eloquently... Before Tato had finished speaking, Rollvag raced to his pegasus. "Aloft, Wonder! For today we ride into battle!" Wonder reared on his hind legs, while his rider leapt on his back. Rollvag clamped his legs against Wonder's ribs and waved the Korikai sword dangerously above his head.
The new aviator risked a look back at his companions and then shouted: "Ride! Ride! Across the Arbor Hills to Point Horatio! Ride!"
Rollvag dug his heels into the flank of Wonder, which urged the pegasus into a dizzying ascent. In an instant, rider and mount disappeared from view over the tree line. Rhapsody screeched "Scree, scree, wait for me!," and shot into the sky with a frenzied flapping...
A momentary hush fell over the weary band. Nary a word was spoken, not a sound uttered from motionless lips. Tranquility reigned over the clearing. Elkin muttered: "Eh Claritus Enertus..," which broke the silence and caused the others to look quizzically at the normally unflappable wizard. "That one is clearly energetic..." said Elkin in Arvetan as he gazed at the place where Rollvag and Wonder had vanished. The realization that the others stared at him finally dawned on Elkin. A sly smile inched across Elkin's face as he looked from one to another.
"I suppose," he said grandly, "that we should go after him, before he learns the hard way that one versus twenty is not odds long for this world." Elkin busied himself with bundling up his belongings, then stopped and emitted a rather audible sigh.
"Something troubling you, Elkin?" asked Byc. "I cannot forget Rollvag's distress, guilt and anger at missing the battle with the lizards," Elkin said, pausing to let out another audible sigh.
"Nor, do I think, has Rollvag." Byc glanced around the campsite. "I will say Rollvag has forgotten something -- his gear and equipment. I better gather it."
Wonder, the fastest and most agile of the pegasi, imitated a lightning bolt. The blue mustang flashed across the sky, his rider crouched over his shoulders. Rollvag quickly adjusted to the rhythm of the wings and the gait of the legs. If Rollvag had looked down upon the landscape running past, he may have become dizzy and fallen off of Wonder's back. No such distractions bothered him. He had one purpose: Battle. Long had he lay after the battle of the lizards, replaying the fight over and over again. His mind ached from riding the images of the past. One conclusion and one conclusion only consumed him: he arrived too late to help those who had helped him. What good was the cavalry when Longsilver lay squashed under a lizard; when Byc stood defenseless behind the barricade and only a one in a million bow shot by Tato prevented his demise? What good was stealth when it resulted in the kicking of already dead enemies?
"Never again," Rollvag said softly. "Never again will I ever miss a battle!" thought Rollvag to himself. "I shall always be the first to fight and the last to leave."
Rollvag flew at medium height above the terrain of Horatio. He searched for a straight stretch in the path that ended in a curve. "The path should have steep sloping walls- with boulders and brush along the top of it..." Rollvag thought as he imagined the ideal terrain for the upcoming battle. Suddenly, he found a promising place in the path. "This is almost perfect!" exclaimed Rollvag to no one in particular. Wonder didn't know why Rollvag guided him around the place in a circle, but the pegasus neighed happily anyway. "C'mon, Wonder- let's land and have a look around!" said Rollvag encouragingly. They landed gracefully on the path.
Rollvag jumped off Wonder's back excitedly and started to investigate the terrain. Wonder followed him like a puppy. Rollvag found that the path had smooth, crushed stones, which indicated sure footing. "They're bound to come this way!" muttered Rollvag. The walls had steep slopes, which gradually tapered to a two foot height at the North edge. A sharp, rocky curve lay just beyond the straight stretch. Rollvag's mountaineering experience told him that he could easily hide at the curve in order to launch his surprise weapon: a fire sphere -- hopefully, straight up the alley and into the marching barbarians. Rollvag also noticed a good cover of brush and pine trees on the bluffs above the walls and slopes.
By that time, Rollvag heard the sound of flapping wings. He looked up and beheld a magnificent sight: His companions flew in formation with Tara in the lead! While all the other pegasi slipped and slid from side to side and up and down, Tara guided her pegasus, Daring, with expertise. Rollvag could hear her voicing encouragements to the others: "Don't twist, Tato!" "Easy there, Cher. Let Shadow lead -- he already knows how to fly!" "Don't close your eyes, Byc! Iron Wings won't drop you!"
Elkin's flying looked awkward as well, because he scanned below for Rollvag. After Elkin sighted him, he spoke loudly to the others: "He's below!" Tara saw him next and then gave orders: "Okay now, everyone. Break formation and get into a line, about three lengths apart!" Rollvag watched with astonishment as Tara led each pegasi into a picturesque line against the background of Horatio. Tara led the line into a wide, slowly descending turn and then above the center of the path.
"Do as I do!" commanded Tara above the noise of the rushing breeze. "Now, slow down and break your speed. Ok, land!" The pegasi, who saw Wonder below, landed unhesitatingly because they eagerly wanted to greet the blue mustang. The pegasi folded their wings, snorted loudly, whinnied with delight, and then pranced over to Rollvag and Wonder. The adventurers had successfully completed their first flight together without a single mishap...
When Rollvag had finished explaining his plan to the new aviators, they agreed to its course of action. Then they hid themselves among the rocks for the two tzon wait. Tato, Byc and Kip took the bluff on the Horatio side of the path; while Tara, Kuros and Longsilver took the Spike side. Cher took a position among the thick bows of a pine tree. Elkin hid himself among the rocks at the edge of the steep slope, between the curve and the straight stretch. Rollvag hid at the curve. No one spoke above a whisper. The pegasi moved quietly and ate what grass they could find on the bluffs above their riders, because they could sense the urgency of the adventurers. The pets perched silently in the trees. All knew that failure probably meant destruction of Trader's Nest...
Cher thought to herself: "I am perplexed! We've waited at least three tzon and not seen any sign of them!" Cher decided to search for them on her own. First, she led Shadow up a goat path to a ridge that hid her from view of the battle site. Then she mounted up on Shadow and took off toward the tip of point Spike. Shadow seemed to sense that Cher wanted to stay hidden, so he skimmed the trees and then flew high into the air behind the point. Then Cher turned him around in a wide turn and took a heading parallel to the path and about a kai distant from it.
From the ground, a scout would conclude that she was on her way to Mount Topper. Still, she saw nothing on the trail. "They've gone another way!" she thought to herself hysterically. Then Cher turned again and steered Shadow directly above the path and followed it back toward the others. Looking down and listening intensely, she saw the Pegasi pawing the ground and making a whinnying sound nervously. Shadow began to bob his head. That was when Cher knew that there was something wrong. She looked back and forth hurriedly for any sign of the Barbarians. When she arrived at the straight stretch where the adventurers hid, she saw them: Two squads of barbarians crept out of the brush above the adventurers on both sides of the pass! Worse still, four decoys walked slowly toward Rollvag's curve! The ambushers had been ambushed! It was too late for her to shout a warning...
Shadow reacted just in time. "Screech!" cried the giant osprey as it snapped its deadly talons on the grey pegasus' wing tip. Shadow had swerved abruptly, which caused the osprey to grab only a wing feather! Cher reacted just as quickly: She dove at the osprey's barbarian rider and tackled him. The barbarian aviator popped out of his saddle, and he and Cher plummeted toward the rocky floor below. The barbarian hadn't counted on his victim's flying ability!
Rollvag saw Cher and her adversary tangle in the air, and realized too late the flaw in his plan: The Barbarians had a winged scout observing them from above! Thoughts flashed through Rollvag's mind. "That must have been the wing noise that Tato heard above the North-West Post! Why didn't I think of it! Why! Why!" Rollvag suddenly knew what had happened. The Korikai Sword leapt out of its leather scabbard and crackled with energy. Rollvag ran over the rocks toward the Horatio group. "Oh, NO! Not this time!" he said to himself. "Behind! BEHIND!!!" he screamed at the top of his lungs.
The Barbarians heard him too. They stood up with a shout and launched their deadly arrows at the adventurers on the slopes below their positions! The adventurers ducked down in surprise. However, the first barrage would surely have killed or wounded every one of them, save Rollvag; and then what would he have done? But, dear reader, you have forgotten one thing: the shield stars! As the arrows approached the adventurers, a bright oscillating screen of energy surrounded each one of them. What arrows that did not veer off course, bounced harmlessly off the screens!
The Barbarians acted as if stunned for a moment, because none of them had ever seen anything like this before; but because they were hardened soldiers, they did not hesitate to act. They dropped their bows, drew their swords, and charged down the hill.
The adventurers had time to launch one arrow at their enemies. Tato and Longsilver each downed one of the Drogs, but the others kept coming on. The barbarian war hoots echoed off the mountains, but a new voice shouted louder than these: "Tato! I defend! I defend!!!"
As Cher and the barbarian aviator fell, the barbarian locked his left arm around Cher and drew his shri with the other. Cher grabbed his right wrist and squeezed it with all of her might. The fist opened. The shri fell away from them as they tumbled. The Barbarian also hadn't counted on Cher's immense strength! Cher tried to drop him and then brake with her wings; but it was too late: They both hit the ground very hard and rolled apart...
On the Horatio side, a sphere of fire raced toward the charging line of Barbarians. Most of them dove to the sides, but two did not have time. The sphere exploded among the pines, but then snuffed out rapidly...
On the Spike side of the pass, bolts of energy leapt out at the charging line over there. These barbarians also tried to avoid its sweep, but three did not have time. The remaining barbarians closed...
Both Rollvag and Kuros knew that they should not employ their stones again, for fear of hitting their companions...
Elkin faced the four scouts on the path. He stood still as a mountain with his staff across his chest, but his eyes watched his opponents very carefully. "You will not take me, Drog." he said matter of factly. "Yield now while there is still time..."
Their eyes only gleamed with more hatred at the sound of Elkin's voice. They knew that they were four, while he was only one. They positioned themselves around him. "I would not attack if I were you..." Elkin let his voice taper off as he prepared himself for action...
The barbarian aviator got up slowly and winced in pain. He gingerly grabbed his left leg at the knee. Then he clenched his right fist and hobbled over to where Cher lay. Cher rolled over, stood up hastily and faced him. Her left wing hurt her badly and her right ankle was twisted. The aviator grunted and punched at her. She ducked slightly, staggered to get her balance, and then punched the barbarian in the solar plexus. He fell on his side and gasped for breath...
Tato maneuvered himself into an old fashioned swordsman's position, as the two barbarians that faced him stopped to reconsider their charge. Suddenly, a white figure rushed past Tato. It was an Eyri -- someone he had never seen before! The Eyri fleetingly faked with his staff and then kicked the lead barbarian archer in the head. Down went the Drog! The other archer ignored the Eyri, grabbed his sword hilt with both hands, and brought it high and down in a vicious swing toward Tato's head. Tato merely stepped to the side and turned slightly, as he brought his blade up to counter the Drog steel. There followed a flash as the barbarian blade broke into two pieces...
Byc dropped his bow and prepared to fight bare handed. As his opponent ran in close, Byc grabbed the archer's sword arm. Byc swung it back as the Drog attempted to bowl him over. With a quick flip, the barbarian went sailing upside down and back first -- only to land with a crash on the slope below...
Kip parried his opponent's first thrust with the ornate shrike. Then both grappled. A contest of strength ensued...
Tara took a more forward approach: She stepped up unfaltering, deftly parried the Drog archer's thrust with her staff, and then kicked her opponent in the groin. This Drog crumbled to the ground...
Longsilver, who had a longsword, inserted it through his opponent's lower left ribs. The sword stuck as the barbarian fell backward. Longsilver let go of the sword and drew his kaishri...
Kuros took a deadly chance. He just didn't have time for the shriken. As two barbarians charged him, he crouched with the diamond outstretched in front of him. Then he closed his eyes for an instant and quick-flashed the diamond. This action hurt his hand so badly that he dropped it. One of the Barbarians screamed, fell down to his knees, and put his hands across his eyes; because he was blinded by the flash! The second archer leapt past the first and tackled Kuros. They both fell in a heap...
All four of the Barbarian scouts leapt at Elkin at almost the same time. Elkin merely closed his eyes as they lunged at him. Surprisingly, a bright white ring formed around Elkin. When the Drogs reached it, each became charged with electricity: Their eyes grew large and their mouths opened as they hit the ring and bounced off of it solidly. Bolts of electricity contained them, shook them frighteningly, and bathed then in a glow. Suddenly, the sparks stopped just as fast as they had formed, and the barbarian scouts fell down to the ground in spasmodic fits. Then they lay still...
The aviator barbarian got up to his knees. Cher had enough of him: She hobbled over to him, clasped her hands together into a tight fist, and smashed him in the face with one smooth motion and all of her remaining strength. She yelled "Hi-Yah!!!" as the fist connected. The aviator toppled over backwards; and this time: he did not get up again. Cher sat down and began to cry because she was in so much pain...
Rollvag had arrived in time. He jumped into the fray. As one of the remaining archers started to take a swing at the exposed back of Byc, Rollvag's sword severed the barbarian's spine. This archer screamed in pain and dropped flat dead. Byc hadn't even had time to turn around to see who had saved his life! Rollvag cut across the line...
While Kip and his opponent turned in a circle, Rollvag grabbed this archer by his pony-tail and yanked him fiercely away from Kip. Rollvag stabbed beneath the barbarian's ribs with the Korikai. The Drog grunted and fell into an unconsciousness from which he would not again wake -- at least until this world was over...
The Eyri moved faster than an enraged tiger. One Drog caught the two handed staff in the eye while another died due to a blow behind the head...
Tato stepped up with the point of his sword and forced his opponent to kneel before him. "Move one inch, Barbarian, and you will perish..." spoke the towering swordsman. The Drog saw Tato's massive girth, glowing kai-sword, and deadly intent. He didn't move. Although he didn't understand what Tato had said, he trembled over what he meant. The Horatio side of the pass had held...
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© Copyright 1999 by Abram Paradies.
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