David Gemmell - Waylander II - In The Realm of the Wolf

The one hundred Knights of Blood ended the com­munion and rode from their hiding-place, fanning out into a fighting line, swords at the ready.

Angel felt the cold touch of fear, his mind leaping back to the day at the cabin when the Brotherhood had first appeared. Dragging on the reins he swung the horse to face the south, and saw the enemy silhouetted against the sky, their black cloaks flowing in the breeze, their swords raised high. Belash saw them at the same time, and shouted to Anshi Chen.

As the spell of fear roiled over them women and children began to wail and run, scattering across the valley. Some threw themselves to the ground, covering their heads with their hands. Others merely stood, frozen in terror. Shia was walking in the centre of the column when the spell struck. With trembling hands she lifted her bow from her shoulder and clumsily notched an arrow to the string.

Angel felt the mute boy's arms tighten around him. Swinging in the saddle he lifted the child, lowering him to the ground beside a hand-drawn cart. The child looked up at him, his eyes wide and fearful. Angel drew his sword and forced a smile. The child pulled his stick from his belt and waved it in the air.

'Good lad!' said Angel.

The thirty Nadir outriders galloped their mounts to where Belash and Anshi Chen were waiting. Angel joined them. "Their spell of fear will not hold once the killing starts!' said Angel. 'Trust me!'

'There are too many of them,' muttered Anshi Chen, his voice trembling.

'There'll be less before long,' snarled Angel. 'Follow me!' Kicking his horse into a gallop he charged at the black line.

The Brotherhood swept forward, and the thunder of hoofbeats echoed in the valley like the drums of doom. Anger swept through Angel. Behind him were women and children and if, as was most likely, the Brotherhood did break through he did not want to be alive to see the slaughter. He did not glance back to see if the Nadir were with him. He did not care. Battle fever was strong upon him.

The black line came closer, and Angel angled his horse towards their centre. Belash came galloping alongside, screaming a Nadir war cry.

Three horsemen closed on Angel. Ducking under one wild cut he slashed his sword into the helm of a second knight. The man was catapulted from the saddle. Belash's horse went down, but the Nadir leapt clear and rolled to his feet. A sword-blade glanced from his shoulder. He leapt and dragged the rider from the saddle, plunging his own blade deep into the man's belly.

The small wedge of Nadir riders was surrounded now, and the wings of the Brotherhood line, some forty men, swept on towards the women and children.

Shia watched them come, fear surging inside her, and drew back on her bowstring. Her first shaft pierced the neck of the leading horse. It fell and rolled, hurling its rider clear, but bringing down two following horses. Other knights swerved to avoid colliding with the fallen. A second shaft sank into the neck of a knight. He swayed in the saddle for a moment, before toppling to the ground.

Shia notched a third arrow – then heard the thunder of hooves from behind her! So close! Spinning she saw a score of riders in silver armour, white cloaks fluttering behind them. They galloped through the refugee line and bore down on the Brotherhood. Shia could not believe what she was seeing. Like silver ghosts they had come from nowhere, and in their wake the spell of fear vanished, like ice under sunlight.

On the far side of the field Angel cut his way clear of the mass and saw the white knights hammer into the Brother­hood. Exultant now he turned again and drove his mount back into the melee. Swords clashed all around him, but he was oblivious to danger. His horse went down and he hit the ground hard, a hoof clipping his temple. Losing his grip on his sword Angel rolled. A blade slashed down at him, but he ducked under it, then hurled his weight at the rider's horse. Off-balance the beast fell, tipping the knight to the earth. Angel scrambled across the fallen horse. The knight was struggling to rise when Angel's boot cracked into his helm. The chinstrap ripped and the helm fell clear. The knight tried in vain to stab his attacker, but Angel's fist smashed into his face, spinning him round. Angel's hands closed on his throat like bands of iron. Dropping his sword the knight grabbed at the fingers. But all strength fled from him.

Angel dropped the corpse and gathered up the knight's sword.

Anshi Chen hacked his blade towards the neck of an attacker, but the man part-blocked the blow, the sword striking the side of the helm and dislodging the visor. As it came clear, hanging from the helm like a broken wing, Anshi recognised the albino face. 'Belash!' he cried. 'It is him, Belash!'

Innicas' sword swept out, the blade plunging into Anshi's belly. Belash, hearing the cry, swung and saw Innicas deliver the death blow. All reason fled from the Nadir, and he let out a terrible scream of hate. A horse reared alongside him. Belash leapt at the rider, dragging him from the saddle. Not stopping to slay the man Belash took hold of the pommel and vaulted to the beast's back. Innicas saw him, felt his rage, and quickly scanned the battle line.

The Brotherhood were broken.

Panic rose in his heart. With a savage kick he pushed his horse into a gallop and rode for the south and the hidden pass. Belash set after him, leaning low over the stallion's neck, cutting down wind resistance. Innicas, in full armour, was the heavier man and his stallion tired as it pounded up the hillside. Innicas glanced back. The Nadir was closing.

The knight's stallion, almost at the point of exhaustion, stumbled upon the shale and half-fell. Innicas jumped clear. Belash bore down upon him. The shoulder of Belash's stallion cannoned into the knight, punching him from his feet. Dragging on the reins Belash leapt lightly to the shale.

'You killed my father,' he said. 'Now you will serve him for eternity.'

Innicas, sword in hand, gazed upon the stocky Nadir. The man had no armour, and carried only a short sabre.

The albino's courage returned. 'You cannot stand against me, vermin!' he sneered. 'I'll cut you into pieces.'

Belash attacked, but Innicas' sword blocked the blow and a murderous riposte saw the black blade bury itself in Belash's side, cleaving under the ribs. With the last of his strength Belash dropped his sword and drew his curved dagger. Innicas wrenched at his blade, trying to drag it clear. Belash reached out, his left hand clawing at Innicas' helm, fingers hooking around the broken visor. Innicas felt himself being drawn into a deadly embrace. 'No!' he shouted. Belash's knife plunged into Innicas' left eye, piercing him to the brain. Both men fell.

Innicas twitched and was still. Belash, with trembling hands, opened the blood-drenched pouch at his side, tipping the fingerbones on to the chest of the dead knight. 'Father,' he whispered, blood bubbling from his lips. 'Father…

In his panic Innicas had misread the battle. Despite being surprised by the arrival of the white knights, the Brother­hood still had the advantage of numbers. Only seven of the Nadir warriors remained now and, despite being joined by the twenty white-cloaked knights, they were outnumbered by more than two to one.

Angel, bleeding from several wounds, could feel the battle was ready to turn against the Brotherhood. Their leader had fled, and the arrival of the white knights had stunned them. But the enemy could yet win, he knew.

Not while I live, he thought.

A sword slashed past his face, the flat of the blade slamming against his chin. He went down and struggled to rise. Hooves pounded on the earth all around him. Rearing up he pushed a booted foot from the stirrups and propelled the rider to the ground. Taking hold of the pommel he tried to mount the horse, but it reared, throwing him to the ground once more.