Windbreak

by Derek Alan Siddoway

  The woman shifted into a stance Eva recognized as preparation for working rune magic. She barked out a couple of words and balls of fire burst to life, crackling in her hands. Eva reached for her sword and Ivan assumed a similar pose, the ground beneath them rippling like water boiling on a kettle. Sensing danger, the gryphons screeched from across the meadow, but luckily waited to be summoned.

  “Enough!” Eva placed herself between the two Scrawls and held up her hands. Tahl came to her side at once, although how he thought he could protect her from rune magic with a blade, she didn’t know. “I am Evelyn Vakarin, Queen of Rhylance, niece to the late King Adelar. I cannot give you this Wonder, but name your price and if it is fair and within my power, I will grant it.”

  The woman smirked and clamped her hands shut, snuffing out the balls of fire. “My, things have indeed changed in the outside world since the season darkened with winter.”

  “If you will not trade with us, we will be on our way,” Eva said, tired of the woman’s hostility.

  “I never —”

  A gryphon’s scream split the sky to the west causing them all to spin around in alarm. Eva spotted Chel and Sigrid winging toward them on Sven, followed close behind by Wynn and Soot astride Lucia. Moments later, Seppo burst from the tree line on the opposite side of the pond, running at full stride.

  “What is going on?” The Scrawl woman hissed, stepping back and summoning another ball of fire into her hand. Even Rhys looked alarmed and began muttering under his breath, hands twisting as he worked his own kenning.

  “They are with us!” Eva said, hoping to avoid another conflict. “They mean you no harm, I promise!”

  Sigrid landed between the humans and the other gryphons and ran toward them, not waiting for the others.

  “It was a trap!” she shouted. “There are more Juarag and Smelterborn coming from the east — they’re only a few miles away!”

  Chapter Sixteen

  Behind them, the Scrawl woman cursed and pointed a finger at one of the rune markings on Sigrid’s forehead. “What have you and this Bersi brought upon us?”

  Sigrid’s eyes narrowed and her nostrils flared. Eva recognized the look on her friend’s face and blocked Sigrid’s view of the Scrawl woman before they were fighting Scrawls in addition to Juarag and Smelterborn.

  “How many are there?” Eva asked, forcing Sigrid to meet her eyes. She glanced at the Scrawl woman, half-expecting her head to be torched by a fireball.

  “Too many,” Sigrid said. “While you were gone, I thought I’d scout out ahead — Soot couldn’t remember which river it was we needed to follow — that’s when I saw them. At least a dozen Smelterborn — and I’m guessing these ones are fresh from Palantis — plus a score of Juarag, all on sabercats.”

  “Begone from here, fight your battles elsewhere!” the Scrawl woman shouted raising both hands, which glowed with rising flames. “My clan wants no part of this!”

  “The ones we knew about are heading this way too,” Sigrid said, lowering her voice so only Eva could hear her. “No way they’ll pass by this bunch — the pickings are too easy. If this witch doesn’t want us here then I say we leave. We can evade both parties if we swing farther south, but we have to leave now.”

  Eva looked at the Scrawl’s camp on the edge of the meadow. The rest of the clan watching the proceedings seemed to include only a dozen men and women in their prime. The majority consisted of old ones and young children. A brief image of sabercats and Smelterborn tearing through the camp made up Eva’s mind.

  “We brought them here,” she said. “ Even if we’re not welcome, I’m not going to leave these people to be slaughtered because of us.”

  “Forget them,” Sigrid hissed fighting to keep her voice down. “We’re the ones that will be slaughtered!”

  Eva shook her head. “I can’t.”

  “Then go and get yourself killed for these ungrateful savages, but I won’t!” Sigrid balled her hands into fists and stalked off toward Sven. She made it all the way to the gray gryphon’s side before letting out a roar and hurtling her favorite ax into the soft ground.

  “Tempest take you, Eva,” she said, followed by a string of more severe profanities. “You’re going to be the death of me.”

  “The Bersi is right,” the Scrawl woman said and spat again at their feet. “We do not need your help!”

  “They will kill you all,” Eva said. “Together, we can defeat them. Apart, we may both die.”

  The woman sneered and spun around to return to her camp but the man Rhys grabbed her shoulder. They spoke in hushed, angry tones too quiet to overhear for several moments. At last, the woman turned to the gryphon riders, still scowling.

  “I do not like it, but Rhys is correct,” she said, forcing each word out like it was poison. “We are together in this, like it or not.”

  Ivan extended a hand. “Your word?”

  Eva knew no matter how much the Scrawl woman despised them, if she agreed, then she could be trusted. She remembered Ivan telling her once that each clan had a word, sacred to them. If Eva had asked for such a thing, the woman would have probably struck her down at once.

  The woman’s eyes widened in shock at Ivan’s request. “You dare —”

  Before she could say anything more, Rhys grasped Ivan’s hand and muttered something in his ear. Ivan repeated something back — his own word, Eva guessed — and the two nodded.

  “Bound by word,” Rhys said.

  “Bound in voice,” Ivan replied.

  Eva had taken the man for a simpleton, one of the rune-addled whose mind had been twisted by the magic, but he seemed anything but now.

  “We have a safe place to send those who cannot fight,” the man said. “Ferike will ready the warriors.”

  The woman, Ferike, looked less than pleased that the man had shared her name with them but ran off nonetheless to prepare her people.

  “Is there better ground we can meet them on?” Soot asked, gazing around. The meadow wasn’t bad — but it left them exposed on all sides. At least they could see them coming — the thought of facing the Juarag and Smelterborn in the trees, where the gryphons would be all but useless between the close trunks and boughs filled Eva with dread.

  “Not that we have time to find,” Tahl said. “We’ll have to make do with what we have here.”

  The Scrawl camp dissolved in the space of a few minutes. The young and old melted away into the trees and the defenders selected a position with their backs to the pond. Although it left without a path of retreat, the water also protected their backs the best they could hope for in the given surroundings.

  A short time later, Ferike and Rhys returned, with just over a dozen rune workers ranging from teens to older adults following them. They approached Eva’s group with caution, especially the gryphons and Seppo. The friendly golem, on the other hand, seemed keen to meet the Scrawls.

  “Delightful!” he exclaimed. “It’s always a pleasure to work with someone who knows their way around the runes, even if you people are a bit… rudimentary compared to the Palantines. When the fighting begins, just remember I’m on your side!”

  He finished with a short, metallic laugh that sounded a bit nervous. Eva couldn’t help but notice how the golem’s personality continued to grow the closer they got to Palantis.

  “We’ll put you lot behind us,” Soot told the Scrawls, gesturing to the edge of the water where a string of last year’s cattails stalks stood dry and lifeless. “Hopefully we can hold them off while you do your work.”

  Ferike nodded and the rest of the Scrawls walked past them, careful to keep from touching any of the riders or meeting their eyes.

  “I’m not sure we’re all on the same side,” Tahl muttered to Eva once they’d passed.

  Eva didn’t know what to say — the familiar sickness that always plagued her before a battle had crept up. She flexed her torso to keep her rolling stomach from sickening further and thought back briefly to all the fights she’d been in. No
ne, not the Hippiriot on the plains, the Smelterborn on the plateau or the great battle at the Talon had begun with worse odds than this one. She’d been on patrols that had driven off Juarag raiders and had witnessed the brute strength and ferocity of the sabercats. Without question, the beasts were physical equivalents to gryphons.

  They’d chosen not to fly during the battle to better protect the Scrawls and to make the gryphons less of a target for the Juarag’s bows and throwing spears. Eva felt very alone and vulnerable on the ground, even with her comrades around her. She shifted her attention to Wynn, who looked even worse on the outside than Eva felt inside. She put on a brave face, catching Wynn’s eye.

  “Just stick with us and you’ll be fine,” Eva said, hoping the quaver didn’t come through in her voice.

  Wynn nodded and gritted her teeth, trying to show her best impression of Sigrid. The older, dark-haired woman seemed even more incensed with the Scrawls behind them. Sigrid locked her jaw and ground her teeth, eyes darting around, eager for the Smelterborn and Juarag to show themselves.

  Eva glanced up but saw no sign of Fury or his comrades returning. The gryphons had gone off together to scout for the approaching enemy while the humans prepared their meager defense. She worried that they weren’t back yet but told herself Fury and the others were smart enough to stay out of harm’s way. On the plus side, the longer they were gone meant the farther away the Juarag and Smelterborn were.

  “When they come, go for the golems first,” Eva said. A few nodded and she felt a little more confident. “The Juarag and their sabercats are powerful, but they die like any other living thing. The Smelterborn, however, can only be brought down with strong rune magic or a strike through their helmet openings.”

  Before Eva could think of further advice or summon any encouraging words a gryphon scream split the air. Looking over the trees, she saw Fury and the other gryphons flying toward them at full speed.

  Eva swallowed hard and tried to summon some steel to her voice. “Get ready!”

  The air around them hummed from energy and elemental power as the Scrawls began their kennings. Soon the sound grew to a buzzing crackle. Eva had never felt so much power concentrated in one place. She glanced to her side at Soot. He stood calm and ready, a massive hammer hung loose in the grip of his good hand — her pillar of strength. Tahl gave her a crooked grin and a wink, spinning his sword in his grip. On Tahl’s other side, Sigrid growled over the chanting of the Scrawls and banged an ax against her shield. Eva twisted her grip on her rune sword.

  And then…

  Nothing.

  The Scrawls’ combined chanting slowly died down to silence. Eva’s hand burned and she loosened her grip on her weapon. The gryphons circled overhead — had they been mistaken?

  Eva and the rest looked around, searching for any sign of movement on the edge of the forest. The trees were far enough away that the Juarag couldn’t fire from the cover of the forest. With their numbers, Eva didn’t see why they would do anything but a brute charge. The Smelterborn couldn’t approach without causing a racket as they crashed through —

  An enraged feline howl split the air. A heartbeat later, a wave of Juarag raiders mounted on sabercats burst from the treeline. Another cacophony of blood curdling screams sounded from the right as another band of raiders charged. The enormous cats pounded across the meadow as fast as galloping horses — a hasty count showed numbers closer to thirty in all.

  Rolling with each bound of the giant felines beneath them, several Juarag drew back their bows, firing at random intervals at the bunched up group of gryphon riders and Scrawls. Some of the Scrawls shouted kennings to the wind and a breeze blew most of the arrows awry. A young Scrawl woman screamed in pain as one arrow found its mark, sinking deep in her leg. She let out a moan and collapsed clutching the wound.

  Eva twisted her grip on her sword once more, unable to do anything but watch while the enemy drew closer. Time seemed to slow as the distance between them and the Juarag shrank. The Smelterborn followed close behind, the scouts and Shadowstalkers running faster than a man at full speed. Eva suddenly felt very small and vulnerable.

  A massed shout burst from behind her and a hot wind nearly knocked Eva to the ground. The Scrawls’ combined kennings of wind and fire struck the sabercats and their riders like a wall, frying several in the charge. The surviving beasts scattered as their riders fought to control the singed, uncontrollable felines. Thick smoke and an awful smell of burnt air and flesh filled the meadow.

  But the Smelterborn passed through the wall of fire without pause. The other group of sabercats to the northwest continued unmolested. Eva braced herself for another kenning. None came. Twisting around, she saw half the Scrawls behind her with their hands on their knees, sucking in air.

  For the moment, it was up to her and her friends.

  Eva raised her sword, signaling the gryphons toward the other pack of sabercats closing in. Screaming their war cries, the gryphons dove toward the Juarag charge. At the same time, Seppo bounded toward them, roaring. Eva gritted her teeth and braced for the collision.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Seppo and the gryphons crashed into the sabercats head-on. Running full speed, Seppo sank his shoulder into the chest of a cat, flipping beast and rider over backward. The gryphons dipped at the last moment, picking four riders out of the saddle with their talons. They rose, holding the flailing men tight in their grasp and only let go when they were at the peak of their second pass. All four men screamed before smacking into the ground where they laid unmoving.

  Eva motioned to the other group of smoking sabercats and scorch-marked Smelterborn. Ferike nodded and took half of the Scrawls with her to press the attack. Letting loose a scream worthy of Sigrid, Eva led the rest in a charge toward the melee of Seppo, gryphons, sabercats and the Smelterborn.

  Seppo fought like a machine of total destruction. As Eva and the rest neared, he punched a war cat on the side of the head. The beast went down in a heap. Without waiting to see if it was still alive, he leaped over the cat and locked arms with a Shadowstalker. Twisting, Seppo bored the Smelterborn to the ground. Another jumped on his back. With one hand, Seppo reached behind him and shed the smaller scout golem like a fly. It flew through the air, crashing into another sabercat.

  Despite the defenders’ vicious counter-attack, five of the Juarag regrouped and sprinted toward the humans from atop their sabercats. The gryphons struck again, this time hitting the raiders with closed, fisted talons scattering the Juarag line. Eva yelled and swung with all her might, burying her sword in the neck of a sabercat that was struggling to its feet. The beast let out a short yelp and jerked then went limp.

  A lanky Juarag woman bowled into Eva’s side and they both went down in a heap. Eva hit the ground hard. Her opponent’s rotten furs reeked of spoiled meat and cat urine. Growling, Eva scrambled to get out from underneath the Juarag, her sword pinned beneath her. She rolled over, one hand fending off the woman's grasping hands, while she reached for the knife at her belt.

  Wedging her knee against the woman’s chest, Eva heaved and they broke apart, both rising with drawn knives. They circled one another for half a moment, Eva’s gaze locked on the Juarag’s hard, dark eyes.

  Eva didn’t hesitate. She lunged and the woman leaped to the side, falling for the trick. The Juarag’s bone knife sliced past Eva’s face. Planting her foot, Eva pivoted and buried her knife deep into the Juarag’s shoulder. The woman screamed in agony and swung wildly, grazing the mail sleeve of Eva’s armor. At the same time, Eva wrenched her knife free and sank it in the raider’s side. But the blow brought Eva too close. Using the last of her strength, the Juarag slashed Eva across the stomach.

  Eva felt the cut and gasped. The Juarag fell to the ground, bleeding from both wounds. In her state of shock, it took a moment for Eva to register the chainmail that had just saved her life. She stared down at the Juarag woman at her feet. Blood bubbled out of the woman’s mouth as she hissed and choked.

>   A hand grabbed her shoulder, breaking Eva from her trance. She twisted around, knife raised and found Soot staring back at her. He’d lost his cap somewhere and had a long scratch down his bald head.

  “You alright, girl?” he shouted.

  Eva nodded and picked up her sword. She felt her breakfast rising and did not look back at the dying woman.

  Seppo raged through Juarag and Smelterborn alike with the rest of them following in his wake. Eva ran after Soot, searching for the rest of her friends. Sigrid and Wynn fought close together, the younger girl giving a good account of herself against a larger Juarag man until Sigrid dispatched her opponent and came to Wynn’s aid. Ivan and the Scrawls focused most of their attention on the Smelterborn, streaks of fire and ice shooting through the middle of the turmoil towards the golems.

  A Shadowstalker sprinted toward Eva and she raised her sword to meet it. Just feet away, the ground boiled and tore open in a chasm, swallowing the Smelterborn whole. Moments later, it smoothed over as if nothing had ever happened. Eva caught sight of Ivan and he waved.

  Searching for Tahl, Eva spotted him only a few yards away. Flanked by Carroc — who held his wing at a funny angle — the pair faced off against a Juarag warrior and his sabercat. Screeching, the cat pounced and Carroc met it, rearing up on his lion’s legs. Long, dagger-like fangs and a wicked beak sought each the other’s throat, their claws and talons scrabbling for advantage.

  Tahl moved like lightning, slamming his shield into the cat rider’s face and cutting deep into the man’s chest with his sword. Carroc and the sabercat writhed atop the soft loam, throwing tufts of grass and mud into the air. A second sabercat launched itself at Tahl’s back.

  Eva screamed a warning, but it was too late. Tahl disappeared beneath the cat.

  As Eva sprinted to Tahl’s aid, a red streak flashed through the air beside her. Fury hit the sabercat full force in the side. Just as the two animals tangled together, Eva grabbed Tahl’s arm, dragging him free of the awful fight.