Richard Tuttle - Army of the Dead

“Not likely,” frowned Lord Rybak. “There are just too many of them. The mages will kill a few of them, but it will not slow them down. I want you to get a horse and get out of here immediately.”

“I am needed to coordinate our efforts,” objected Rhoda. “I am staying as long as you stay.”

“You are needed to maintain contact with Aakuta,” declared Lord Rybak. “Polema can handle things here. Go now and ride swiftly. Make your way to Khadoratung.”

“You fear the worst is about to befall us,” frowned Rhoda. “All is not lost.”

“The Motangans landing to our north will soon cut off our path of retreat,” sighed Lord Rybak. “If Lord Saycher has as many opponents as we do, his forces will not be able to contain the Motangans. The coastland of Khadora is falling into the enemy’s hands. Mount up and ride out. That is an order.”

Rhoda stared defiantly at Lord Rybak for a moment, but she could tell that he was unrelenting. Eventually she nodded and retreated to find a horse. Polema watched her fellow mage depart. She dropped the air tunnel, having notified everyone of Lord Rybak’s orders.

“You think we are all going to die here today?” she asked the Situ lord.

“A good many men will die here today,” Lord Rybak said softly, “but I will do my best to preserve those that I can. “You will lead the mages in retreat when the time comes. Do not be fearful.”

“I am not afraid to die,” responded Polema. “It’s funny in a way. When I was a slave, you would think that I would have embraced death to flee from bondage, but I was very afraid to die. Now that Emperor Marak has made me a free woman, I should fear death even more because I finally have something to lose, but I do not fear it. I truly believe in Khadora now, and I know that we will prevail against this evil. If the cost of that success is my own life, I will give it freely.”

Lord Rybak smiled thinly at the mage and nodded his head. “Your feelings could have come from my own heart,” he said softly. “While I was never a slave, my life was owned by the lords of Khadora just the same as yours was. Marak changed everything for me. I will not let these invaders take away what we have made in Khadora. We will defeat them, but not here, and not today.”

Screams from the harbor demanded Lord Rybak’s attention, and he gazed at the hundreds of small boats heading for the shore. Thousands of objects flew through the air as the Khadoran mages sent them soaring towards the invaders. Rocks, tools, and even long logs were magically propelled at the small boats. The boats slowed as the projectiles struck the invaders. That is when the Khadoran archers opened fire. Thousands of arrows streamed seaward, while lightning bolts continued to ravage the shore batteries.

“At least the Motangans are going to pay a price to land at Raven’s Point,” Lord Rybak said as he watched his last catapult blown to splinters. “Get me an update from Lord Saycher.”

While Polema wove an air tunnel to the neighboring Morgar estate, Lord Rybak watched the Motangan mages change targets. With the Khadoran catapults destroyed, Vand’s mages sought out the Khadoran mages. Lord Rybak winced as he saw a group of Khadoran mages disintegrated by a flash of lightning.

“Lord Saycher is being overrun,” reported Polema. “He cannot hold them back. He requests permission to retreat.”

Lord Rybak watched another group of mages destroyed. He nodded slowly.

“He may retreat,” Lord Rybak said, “but he is to delay the Motangan advance as long as possible. I think the Motangan strategy is to cut off the defenders of Raven’s Point. He must buy us a little time, but he may retreat when it is hopeless.”

Polema passed the orders to Lord Saycher. Lord Rybak watched another group of mages destroyed, and he bared his teeth in rage.

“Get our mages out of here now,” he snapped at Polema. “We cannot afford to lose them all. We will need them in the forests.”

Lord Rybak turned from Polema and quickly surveyed the battlefield. When he saw Polema out of the corner of his eye, he turned to stare at her.

“I gave you an order,” frowned Lord Rybak. “Why are you still here?”

“Your order is being carried out,” Polema retorted. “You cannot command your forces without my aid. I am staying to help communicate the retreat.”

Lord Rybak opened his mouth to argue, but Polema’s gaze was defiant. He sighed and nodded.

“Very well,” Lord Rybak said. “I want all infantry other than the archers to retreat after the mages. Tell them to hurry. There is not much time left.”

“Done,” Polema reported moments later. “What happens next?”

“The archers will be next to retreat,” explained the Situ lord. “That will happen after the rest of the infantry is gone, or the Motangans threaten to overrun our positions, whichever comes first. Advise them to be ready for a swift retreat. Also notify the cavalry of all orders. They are our last line of defense. Their time for battle is soon upon them.”

* * *

StarWind and Goral stood upon a small rise in the Sakovan heartland. StarWind removed her sheath and handed it to the Sakovan giant. He took the sword and draped its sheath strap over his shoulder. He watched silently as the Sakovan spymaster pulled on a black cloak and adjusted it. She frowned and immediately pulled it off and tossed it to the ground. StarWind picked up the other black cloak and tried it on.

“It is a good thing we got two of their mages,” she commented as she adjusted the cloak. The shoulders in that last one were much too large for me.”

“You should rethink this idea of yours,” Goral cautioned softly. “Just because it worked yesterday is no reason to push your luck to the edge. What knowledge can you possibly hope to gain?”

“That we will not know until I have procured the information,” shrugged StarWind as she smiled tautly at her friend. “I understand your concerns, Goral, but this is what I do. I cannot ask anyone else to infiltrate the enemy camp.”

“You sneak into Omungan cities and discover their secrets,” frowned Goral. “This is not the same. There are hundreds of thousands of these Motangans. Wasn’t yesterday’s penetration enough to dissuade you?”

“I learned nothing yesterday,” frowned StarWind, “except that the mages have no idea what is going on. I have to get closer to the army officers to learn anything interesting.”

“And how will you do that?” Goral shook his head. “The mages know nothing because the army does not trust them, yet you are going to sneak in there dressed as a mage. The whole idea is foolish.”

“Do you have a better idea?” retorted StarWind, perhaps a little too harshly. “They have no women in their army. I cannot impersonate a soldier. This costume is my only chance to spy on them.”

“I would suggest sending a man in your place,” shrugged Goral, “but even that is foolish. I doubt the premer shares much information with anyone.”

“Then it is the premer that I must spy on,” shrugged StarWind. “Stop worrying about it. Take the extra cloak with you. I would not want them to discover it. Hopefully, I will be in and out of there in a few hours. Have my choka ready for me in case I need a swift exit.”

“I will be here,” promised Goral as he sighed with defeat. “May Kaltara watch over you.”

StarWind smiled at Goral and left her position of concealment as she pulled the black hood over her head. She walked towards the huge encampment and saw the sentries look questioningly towards her as she approached. She felt her teeth grating and willed her body to relax. When she got close to the guards, she saw them stiffen and move to intercept her. She had anticipated the move.