Brian Pratt - Warrior priest of Dmon-Li

James grabs Jiron’s arm, causing him to look at him. “You know what I must do?”

Jiron nods his head and gathers the others around while James prepares to defend them. “Form a circle around James, let nothing get close to him that may disrupt his concentration,” he tells them. Once he sees that they understand, he continues, “We may yet live through this.”

“Arrows!” hollers Fifer as over fifty archers release their deadly arsenal.

“Shields!” Illan hollers and those with shields raise them to protect James. The others hide behind them as best they can. They watch as the arrows arc in the air as they begin to descend toward them. Then suddenly, they bounce off a barrier that surrounds them.

“What happened?” asks Keril.

“James,” replies Jiron. “That’s what happened.”

They still remain behind their shields as the deadly rain continues to fall, harmlessly bouncing off the invisible shield.

The sky begins to darken as clouds move rapidly from all directions to merge together in the sky above. Those guarding James look nervously out at the rapidly changing sky, Illan calls out to them, “Stand fast!”

The front line of riders comes crashing into the barrier that had so successfully stopped the rain of arrows. Horses and men cry out as they strike it hard, bones of some can be heard snapping. One man is actually thrown upward from his horse and lands on the barrier itself. The defenders inside watch as he slowly slides down the outer side to the ground.

Hinney cries out when a dozen translucent orbs suddenly appear among them.

“Don’t worry,” Jiron assures him. “James has lots of tricks.”

The orbs begin floating away from them in various directions. When they reach the barrier, they pass harmlessly through. The riders beating upon the barrier step back as the orbs float harmlessly past them before resuming their attempt to breach the barrier.

“What are those?” Yern asks.

“Something nasty for them,” replies Jiron. “You can be sure of that.”

The riders have stopped the hail of arrows when they realize how ineffective they are. The wounded from when the charge hit the barrier are being taken away and the mood among the riders is beginning to become one of unease.

In the sky above them, the cloud cover is now dark and the wind has begun to blow in earnest. Suddenly, a flash of lightning strikes one of the translucent orbs, blasting over a dozen riders that happen to be near.

ZZZT! Wham!

Another bolt of lightning strikes an orb, and more riders are thrown from the force of the explosion.

“That was bigger than the last one!” Uther exclaims.

“Look!” Jorry says as he points to one of the orbs. “They’re getting bigger!”

Jiron glances to James and sees he’s beginning to pant and sweat is pouring down his face. Shouting loud enough for all the defenders to hear him, he hollers, “Should James lose consciousness, the barrier will fall. Then it will be up to us to finish this.”

“Bring it on!” Jorry hollers from where he stands shoulder to shoulder with Uther.

ZZZT! Wham! ZZZT! Wham! ZZZT! Wham!

Bolts begin striking orbs with more frequency and more riders are thrown only to fall lifeless to the ground.

Once the last orb has been struck, it becomes eerily quiet. The riders outside the barrier pause in what they’re doing as they take notice of the quiet.

“Illan!” Fifer yells as he points to James.

James is tilting to the side and looks like he’s barely able to remain upright. “Help him!” Illan commands and Fifer goes over and helps support him so he won’t fall over. To the others, Illan says, “It won’t be long! Be ready!”

From the clouds above, a swirling mass begins descending toward the riders outside the barrier. “What in god’s name is that?” Uther cries out.

“A tornado!” Jiron replies, remembering the ones James used in their escape from Al-Kur.

The swirling mass of clouds smashes into the ground not far from them, riders and horses caught within it are thrown and broken. It starts moving toward the pass and the chiefs waiting there.

A cry escapes James as the tornado splits in two, the second half moving quickly in the opposite direction toward a large congregation of riders.

The chiefs see the tornado coming toward them and turn as they begin riding fast further up into the pass, trying to outrun the approaching swirling mass of death.

“How is he?” Jiron shouts to Fifer.

“Not good!” he tells him. “His heart’s beating fast and he’s having trouble breathing.”

Jiron comes over and kneels down next to him and says, “James! You’ve done enough!” When it doesn’t look like he’s getting through to him, he shakes him and hollers, “James! You can stop!”

Eyes suddenly pop open and a great cry of pain escapes him. Then he suddenly collapses into unconsciousness.

The barrier collapses and the tornadoes begin to dissipate. “Alright boys!” Illan hollers. “Stay together and protect James and Miko.”

When the wind dies down and the tornadoes are gone, they take in the destruction James has wrought. Hundreds of men and horses lie dead or dying all around them. On the outskirts of the devastation, over twenty horsemen can be seen still on their horses. They’re all that remain of the host which accompanied Abula-Mazki.

A horn from the pass announces the return of the chiefs and their men. They pause there momentarily as the horn blasts again. “Here they come!” Illan says to the others as both the riders in the pass and the ones on the outskirts break into a gallop as they move in to attack.

Two archers remain and they begin firing off arrows but none strike their marks. One manages to hit the ground within a foot of Miko, the other was deflected off Uther’s shield.

“Strike the horses if you can’t get the men!” Illan tells them as they brace for the attack. “Remain together!”

Jiron positions himself over James and Miko while the others form a circle around them. Knife at the ready in his good hand, he stands firm as he watches the riders thunder closer.

The area around where the barrier had been is littered with the dead and provides them some cover. Also, the charging riders have to slow when they reach it to prevent their horses from stumbling.

Illan and the others move to attack while the riders are trying to move through the dead bodies. “For Madoc!” the battle cry can be heard as Uther’s sword takes out the first rider.

Other cries are heard as the battle is joined. Hinney and Keril stand shoulder to shoulder as they manage to hold their own against three riders.

One horseless rider manages to break through the ring of defenders and runs toward where Jiron is waiting. A smile crosses the rider’s face when he sees a man with only one good arm and just wielding a dagger at that.

Striking out at Jiron with his sword, the man so sure of victory, is surprised when Jiron easily deflects it to the side. Suddenly crying out in pain, the man falls to the ground after Jiron breaks his knee with a well placed kick. Trying to block Jiron’s next attack, he swings his sword wildly.

Jiron strikes out with his foot again and connects with the man’s groin. Then with his other foot he kicks the man’s swordarm, causing the sword to go flying. He then moves in with his knife and finishes him.

Standing up, he looks around at the battles going on around him. The defenders are taking a toll, especially Jorry and Uther who have a ring of bodies around them. Fifer has two dead while Illan and Yern have accounted for seven.

Keril suddenly cries out as a sword takes him in the side. Hinney quickly engages the rider as his friend falls to the ground. Other riders come and join the one fighting Hinney, Jiron knows he’s not going to last long.