At last Talaos, his Madmen and his Wolves had the burnt and blackened field to themselves. But only for a moment. Hundreds, then thousands of his horsemen and howling hillmen poured all around them and into the back of the main body of the enemy. All around was carnage. Enemy soldiers lay dead or surrendered nearby, but farther away, battle on a massive scale still raged.
Talaos roared a primal, vengeful, triumphant challenge to the world.
His Madmen and Wolves roared and howled to the sky.
Then it caught up with him again. Talaos staggered in sudden exhaustion and reeled backwards. Larogwan and Vulkas caught him and helped him stand on unsteady feet. He gave a grim nod of thanks, then looked at his men all around. The lightning grew fainter in their eyes now, but it still flickered in the depths.
He smiled with pride and drew himself up, standing tall amidst his brothers in arms. "Now men, we've got more work to do. Out by the sea, Tescani and Drevan are fighting for their lives. We'll not let them stand alone."
Nods and grim looks passed around.
A cheerful, easy voice interjected, "First, you'll need some horses."
Talaos turned to see Adriko, in battered gear and splashed with blood, but otherwise looking as if he'd just gotten done with a relaxing ride through the countryside. He had officers and messengers around him, and a long string of horses. Some were their own, while others were clearly scavenged or captured. Vulkas's huge horse was among them, as was Honor.
"Talaos, I keep having to bring you your horse," smiled Adriko. "I know you are warlord, dictator, and leader of our army, but you can find a cheaper stable hand than me."
Talaos laughed. "I'll see if I can find you an assistant," he answered, "but now I need to go deal with that army that came ashore." As he spoke, Talaos called Honor to him. The horse came, and he vaulted into the saddle.
Adriko nodded, "Tescani and Drevan look like they are fighting hard down there. I haven't had word from Aro in a while, but I can see we have things in hand on this side."
With that, Adriko gestured to the battle unfolding to their southeast. Kurvan's hillmen had swarmed behind the enemy heavy infantry while Hadrastus was rolling up the end of the line with his shock troops. Talaos's main force on this side, men of Imperi, Teroia, Kyras, and Avrosa, had driven off the enemy skirmishers and forced the enemy main body back from their own trench. They were pressing relentlessly forward, and getting very much the better of the fight with their foes. It was also clear that substantial numbers of men in the enemy army on this side were surrendering rather than fighting on.
In hand indeed, thought Talaos. "Adriko," he said, "detach as many cavalry as you think are needed to help mop up here, but gather the rest and follow me."
Adriko smiled and saluted.
6. Death and Life
Talaos, Adriko, the Madmen, the Wolves, and three thousand light cavalry swept along the open plain. They rode fast as they could, far behind the enemy main body and well out of range of bows or javelins.
Behind them to their right, the southeast, the enemy's right wing was coming apart under assault from three sides. Squads of troops cut off from their fragmenting ranks were either surrendering wholesale, or shouting oaths to the Prophet and fighting to the death.
Directly behind them, due south, was only death where the artillery, archers, and the camp of the Prophet had been. Yet further back, bands of irregulars gathered prisoners and raided the enemy baggage train.
Ahead of them to the northeast, the enemy still held. Retreating siege engineers and archers had made a stand behind the left of their main body, and were even now firing into Kurvan's oncoming hillmen, but without anything like their original numbers or cohesion.
At the allied right wing, farther northeast, the troops from Mileno and the League of Five advanced to join the other heavy infantry in battle with the enemy. The Aledri troops, however, held in a defensive position. Aro had made them pivot and form the corner with a new line running roughly east and west, perpendicular to the main battle. He'd committed his reserve of troops from Mesion Hill to form the main part of that line, and bolstered them with companies of mercenary irregulars and the troops of the League of Padra. He’d also pulled the heavy cavalry on that side back, and joined them with his reserve cavalry. Both were now trotting east behind the infantry ranks toward the far end of the new line.
For their part, the enemy had kept their own body of heavy cavalry in a single large force, but shifted them to threaten Aro's new improvised line. Further northeast, swarms of enemy irregulars now charged toward the isolated troops under Tescani and Drevan. Beyond even them, thousands of the enemy that had come by sea locked in battle with Tescani's men. Others swept around south to surround them.
There was no time to waste. Talaos and Adriko rode on with their relief force, swift across the open plain. Ahead, small bodies of enemy irregulars, mostly hillmen, scattered before the three thousand cavalry riding their way. Talaos resumed his challenges, calling on them to declare against the Prophet and surrender. Some did and went south. A few instead tried to rejoin the larger battle. Others fled west, toward the waiting hills and escape. Here and there, groups of men made oaths or vows to the Prophet, stood their ground, and died.
At last they reached the end of the open area behind the enemy main line. They wheeled right, turning northeast. Directly ahead now were the enemy irregulars attacking Tescani. The enemy heavy cavalry seemed to have noticed their arrival, and began to adjust their formation in response.
Adriko shouted to Talaos as they rode, "If they decide to come visit, fifteen hundred heavy cavalry can deal a lot of pain to three thousand light."
Further off, Tescani's improvised palisade of outward-facing stakes looked a bit like a fortress. A fortress under siege. The army that had arrived by sea, more than six thousand in total, comprised largely heavy infantry and light skirmishers. They were supported by a few troops of light cavalry, and at least five companies of massed archers. With them as well marched a body of three hundred very heavily armed irregulars. Talaos thought them shock troops, like those under Hadrastus.
"We'll need help from Aro's new line, and especially the heavy cavalry," Talaos shouted to Adriko.
The latter nodded, but then replied, "No way we'll get a messenger past all those irregulars."
"I think I have a signal that might work," replied Talaos.
With that he focused his mind. He thought of the things he'd seen today, and what they'd meant, what it was they were fighting against. There ahead was Tescani, who for his own reasons had supported him in his rise to power, and there was Drevan, friend and brother in arms since the pass. Now, Drevan held the line again, surrounded and against overwhelming odds.
Not alone for much longer, if he could help it.
He sheathed his long blade and raised his right arm to the clear blue sky. Then he gathered lightning in his open hand and shot it, crackling bright, high over the heads of all the warring soldiers. That caught the attention of many.
Ahead on the plain fought soldiers of many kinds under numerous officers. He could see one among the enemy he remembered, a mercenary warlord he'd noted as a supporter of the Prophet. Now the enemy bore down on Drevan with swarms of irregular infantry and cavalry.
Talaos lowered his arm, stretched his hand to the distant foe, and called forth his lightning once more. It arced across the plain and struck the warlord in the back. There was a flash of green, and for a moment the enemy seemed to hold under the protection of the Prophet. Then something gave, and lightning sprayed out from the man's armored chest.
That caught the attention of all.
There were drums and trumpets from Aro's command group, to Talaos's right. The general’s improvised second line began to advance north in good order. At their near end, they were joined by the Aledri heavy foot. At the far end of the line, east toward the sea, the allied heavy cavalry wheeled around and toward the enemy.
Adriko shouted orders and sent messengers
galloping to his officers. His light cavalry fanned out into a great, wide line in three divisions of roughly a thousand each. Talaos, his Madmen and his Wolves formed a vanguard in the center. Together they swept the disorganized companies of enemy irregulars before them. Now, at last, the enemy committed their heavy cavalry. Wheeling away from their position facing Aro's line, they swept toward Adriko.
"Ah. That's not very friendly," quipped Adriko, drawing close to ride at Talaos’s side. "They're hoping to either scare us off, or catch us between themselves and the forces coming inland from the fleet, and I'd guess the irregulars will try to close any holes."
Talaos thought about that, and replied, "How much time would you need to escape the trap and get further around to the coast, behind those enemy infantry fighting Tescani?"
"Just a few minutes, I think."
"Then I'll create a distraction," replied Talaos.
"You do have a gift for that," smiled Adriko.
Talaos motioned to the Madmen and Wolves. They sped up and wheeled at an angle to the right, even as Adriko began to turn his force slightly left, toward the northeast. Talaos went galloping straight at the enemy heavy cavalry. They were heavily armored men in breastplates over chain shirts, with greaves, vambraces, pauldrons and thigh armor. Even their horses had some armor. They carried oval shields and wielded lances and long swords. A gilt-armored general led them, and Talaos recognized him as yet another of those he'd noted in support of the Prophet.
And with that, Talaos knew how to start.
He focused his mind and will. He drew upon his power. He extended his right hand and unleashed a lightning bolt straight at the enemy general. Blue-white power cracked into the man, and was answered by a shimmering green glow from his gilt-engraved armor. The general raised a long spear that suddenly flamed with green along the point, and motioned his men to charge straight at Talaos.
Black weariness appeared again within, reminding him his lightning was costly. He'd have to be more careful. Talaos had another idea. He had javelins left. The distance was still great, but so was his reach. He shouted to his men, "Follow me! I'm going to make them angry."
There was another senior officer to the left of the general. Talaos thought likely a tribune. He drew a javelin, poured power into it, and hurled. The javelin struck the man in the throat, arcing lightning, and severed his head from his body.
Then Talaos chose another. An officer to the general's right. He drew and cast, but missed. He tried again. The javelin soared across the plain and struck the man through the shoulder, well above his heart. It might have been a grievous but not fatal blow, except that the lightning then stopped the man's heart, and he toppled in the saddle.
Talaos, the Madmen and the Wolves rode hard across the plain. The enemy was closing to cut them off, though with decreasing order after losing two senior officers in moments.
He drew another javelin and found a target. This time, he chose the cavalryman holding the largest banner near the general. He cast, and his javelin struck the center of the man's chest. The bearer flew backward off his horse, and the banner fell to the earth under trampling hooves.
The enemy general now seemed furious, and many of his men with him. They pursued Talaos, with Adriko’s main force momentarily forgotten. Now though, Talaos himself headed for the very trap intended for Adriko.
He and his men had been gradually shifting back northward again, and now raced almost due east across the plain. To the south, his right, was Aro's advancing line of heavy footmen. Ahead and to the left was Tescani's besieged position; terrible, bloody fighting was taking place there. Behind and to the left, Adriko wheeled around to strike at the flank of Tescani's besiegers. His forces cleared enemy irregulars as they went.
If not for Tescani, Drevan and their men, the invasion force of six thousand would have closed on the allied right flank before Aro could have organized a defense. The enemy might have been able to turn and deal effectively with Talaos’s own flanking assault, and the entire battle might have been lost. But those with Tescani had paid a terrible price.
Talaos thought he could probably escape the pursuing heavy cavalry, but that would leave Tescani and Drevan's men exposed to nearly fifteen hundred fresh and well armed enemies. On the other hand, far ahead, Aro's heavy cavalry were trotting forward along the far end of the infantry line. There were nearly a thousand of them.
That would even things.
Talaos decided to make himself yet more annoying to his pursuers.
"Ride ahead of me, men!" he shouted to the Madmen and Wolves.
They did, and Talaos went from lead in the formation to the tail. Behind him were their fifteen hundred pursuers. He slowed down further. He forced down his pain, focused his mind and readied to pay the price. He extended an open right hand behind him and drew upon his dwindling power. A long arc of lightning shot toward the enemy. A cavalryman fell dead. He swept to the left: more men charred and dead. To the right, and more.
He felt weariness rise and darkness spread. Felt the cost of the power he was wielding.
The enemy closed on him. Arrows and javelins hurtled his way. He cast forth his lightning again, and more foes toppled. Then yet again, as the blackness rose. He pushed it down and away. The enemy seemed to have forgotten all else but killing him. They drew closer.
He shouted to his men ahead, "Men! Bows and Javelins!"
Not all had javelins anymore, but those who did, drew them. Imvan turned in his saddle with bow ready. He fired, and an enemy dropped with an arrow through the eye slit of his closed helm. The others threw javelins. Many struck home, and more enemies fell.
Talaos watched his men in action, and could see they still moved and acting with greater strength and accuracy than they had before he'd gifted them with his power. He recalled what was said about making magic objects, and wondered how much of it applied to living things. He also reminded himself that what he had gifted might well be gone from him forever. So be it.
Honor ran hard. The horse was faster and stronger than most, but had galloped through much of the battle, more than was healthy or than it could sustain.
He had a thought.
Talaos put his hand to the horse's shoulder. He poured power and will into the touch. He gave it as a gift to the brave beast carrying him to safety. There was a flicker of light, of lightning in the horse's eyes, and a crackle of power in its straining muscles. Honor neighed, snorted fiercely as if in challenge to the world, and now seemed to chafe at their slow pace.
Exhaustion. So little left. So much spent, or gone. He swayed in the saddle.
One more thing to do.
He raised his right hand to the sky once again. He focused mind and will, and fired a thin bolt of lightning skyward. Ahead, the friendly heavy cavalry approached. He trusted their commander would see, size up the situation, and make useful choices.
Talaos squeezed his legs and gave his horse a clap on the shoulder. Honor bolted forth, galloping at full sprint, as if fresh at the start of a new day. The enemy fell behind. He slumped forward in the saddle, weary to the core.
Between the siege around Tescani and Aro's advancing line, open space grew narrow, disappearing fast. Talaos's force drew their pursuers into that narrowing gap. Ahead, the allied heavy cavalry suddenly wheeled and charged straight at his pursuers with leveled lances. Behind him, he heard shouts. Too late, the enemy realized they had gone from setting a trap to being caught in one.
Honor sped across the plain and caught up with the fleeing Madmen and Wolves. Half asleep with weariness, Talaos focused his mind and drew back gently on the reins. He took a place among his men. He summoned yet more life and energy from his dwindling reserves within.
"Now men!" he roared. "We ride to help Tescani!"
They sped up, galloping straight toward the oncoming friendly heavy cavalry. There were gaps on either side, like gates between the heavy cavalry and Aro's advancing line on the right, and Tescani's fortress of pikes and stakes on the left. It f
elt like trying to escape a colossal cage made of four parts, and each part was made of hundreds, or thousands, of men. The gaps, the gates to escape, would soon close.
Behind them, the enemy heavy cavalry began to slow. They no longer had room to maneuver properly, and Talaos thought their commander was likely trying to turn them and get out before being pinned on three sides.
Talaos looked back over his shoulder and saw that Adriko had decided to make the enemy's task more difficult. Light horsemen with bows detached from Adriko’s main force, and wheeled to fire into the rear of the enemy heavy cavalry. Talaos's own task now was to ride through the gap on the left and press north to disrupt the end of the invading army's line.
"All speed! To the left!" he shouted.
The friendly cavalry ahead wore closed-faced helms, but Talaos imagined their faces bore surprised expressions. Still, they held their ranks in good order. Talaos and his men raced through the gap as it closed, and out to the coastal plains beyond. The trap closed behind them, with the enemy heavy cavalry caught between their allied counterparts, thousands of advancing heavy infantry, Tescani's palisade of stakes, and Adriko's raining arrows.
Talaos and his men wheeled out, northeast around the palisade. Ahead, enemy spearmen locked in combat with soldiers of Megasi. Both sides looked weary and depleted. The enemy broke and fled before his force. Next was a gap in the enemy line. At the same point inside the palisade, the Megasi troops merged into those of Tescani. Corpses piled in heaps all around, and the line of the stakes was damaged and broken. It was the weakest point in the entire defending perimeter. The enemy clearly saw it, too.
The enemy's body of heavy irregular foot, marching in from the coast, now charged toward the broken and corpse-piled stretch of palisade. They were three hundred heavily armored men with mattocks, two-handed swords, and long axes. Among them were men with weapons flickering with green light.
Talaos knew what had to be done. If Tescani and Drevan could hold just a while longer, Aro's thousands would join Adriko's, and they would drive the enemy into the sea. If they could hold.
The Storm's Own Son (Book 3) Page 8
