Tracer was the last to leave. She extended her hand to Amir. “Grab on. We can ride double.”
Despite the situation, an image of the horse staggering beneath his weight in a vain attempt to get away from the orcs made Amir laugh like a crazed giant. Instead of taking Tracer’s hand, he slapped her horse on the rear. Without a saddle to support her, she nearly fell off but was able to grab hold of the horse’s mane in time. As Tracer galloped away, Amir followed, running as fast as he could. He sensed more than saw the high priestess’s walls of flame to the east, south, and west dying down.
The spell’s magic is almost depleted. If the way north isn’t clear, we’re doomed.
Amir glanced over his shoulder at the hundreds of orcs, goblins, ogres, and trolls screaming their frustration at the dwindling barriers of fire. He sensed their shamans casting spells at the flames. Their spells burst into cones of snow and ice. The walls of flame began sputtering. Amir didn’t have to bet told it was only a matter of seconds before the orcs would be able to renew their charge.
By the time he reached the north end of camp, a single file of elves was already galloping at breakneck speed up a rocky trail leading to the valley’s head. He thanked the Creator for giving the high priestess and the two mages the forethought to cast night-vision spells on the party’s mounts before they’d gone to bed.
Glancing at the human, Amir saw him clinging to his horse with his arms wrapped tightly around her neck. He noticed the human still clutched his sword in his hand. Struggling to keep up, Amir found himself falling farther behind. He was running as fast as he could, but it wasn’t nearly as fast as the frightened horses. He heard shouts closing behind him.
The flames must be gone, he thought. He glanced up the path at the fleeing elves. They still had a long way to go to reach the head of the valley. They’ll never make it. The orcs are mountain creatures. They can run where the elves’ horses cannot. They are gaining on us by the second.
With an image of his beloved Glory in his mind, Amir picked a point where the path narrowed and turned to face the charging orcs and goblins. They were a mere hundred paces behind. Two ogres wearing plate mail led the way. Bracing his feet, Amir raised his hammer and waited for their arrival. I must buy the elves some time even if it means my death. Without Glory, my life means nothing anyway.
A flurry of crossbow bolts from the lead goblins came flying toward Amir along with a trio of spells cast by their lead shamans. As the crossbow bolts and spells drew close, Amir sensed magic form to his front and turn into a shimmering barrier of blue light. The spells of the goblin shamans burst into balls of flame against the shimmering barrier. The flames burned the crossbow bolts to a crisp. Neither the flames nor the quarrels penetrated the barrier.
Amir heard the galloping of hoofs behind him but didn’t bother turning around. He didn’t have the time. As the flames from the goblins’ spells died away, so too did the shimmering barrier of magic. The two armored ogres came charging forward with a hundred plus orcs and goblins close behind.
I recognized Mia’s frequency in the barrier, Amir thought. She must be the one galloping behind me. I must stop the two ogres, or they’ll be on her before she can cast another spell.
The two ogres spread apart, attacking from two directions. Knowing he could face only one, Amir chose the largest of the two and turned to the right. He swung his hammer, hitting the ogre’s shield. The shield was magic, but so was Glory’s hammer. The shield held, but the ogre was knocked back a step. Amir expected to feel the second ogre’s sword piercing his back. Instead of the feel of the creature’s blade, he heard the sound of metal on metal. He sensed more than saw someone in close hand-to-hand combat with the second ogre.
With enough troubles of his own, Amir ignored the fight behind him and concentrated on the ogre to his front. The first ogre had recovered enough to thrust a large sword toward Amir’s face. Dodging to his left, Amir slammed the head of his hammer into the armored knee of his opponent. Like the ogre’s shield, the knee’s plate armor was magic, but its spell was not strong enough to withstand Glory’s hammer. The steel plate covering the ogre’s knee crushed inward. The repulsive creature gave out a high-pitched roar but remained on his feet and took a wild swing at Amir’s head with his sword.
Raising his shield, Amir deflected the ogre’s blade off to one side. At the same time, he stepped close and slammed the head of his hammer into the ogre’s armored chin. The creature’s head flew back as the straps of his helmet broke off and the helmet went flying through the air. Without giving his opponent time to recover, Amir swung his hammer directly at the now bare forehead of the big creature. The ogre fell back. Blood and brain matter dripped from Glory’s hammer.
Spinning to face the second ogre, Amir was just in time to see the human clinging to the back of the ogre’s neck and thrusting the blade of his short sword through the groove in the visor of the ogre’s helmet. With nary a scream, the ogre fell forward as the human jumped free.
Amir caught a glimpse of Mia on her horse with her staff held high. The blue gem at the staff’s tip blazed bright blue as a ball of magic shot out in the direction of the charging orcs and goblins. Another barrier of blue magic formed across the narrow path.
“Hurry,” shouted Mia. “Their shamans will have my shield down in seconds. We must join the others.”
Remembering Glory’s oft recited admonition to never leave a teammate, Amir turned to look for the human. He needn’t have bothered. The man was already up and running for his horse. The mare bolted and took off galloping up the valley before the human could reach her. Mia reached down from her mount with her left hand in the direction of the human.
“Hurry!” shouted Mia. “You’ll never make it without a horse.”
Although the human didn’t understand the elf’s words, he apparently had no trouble discerning her intentions. Grabbing her outstretched hand, the man half-jumped and half got pulled into the saddle behind her. As soon as he was secure, Mia looked at Amir.
“Go,” Amir said. “I can run almost as fast as your horse on this part of the path. I will meet you at the top. The others need you.”
Nodding her head, Mia kicked her mount in the side. The stallion reared before taking off in a gallop up the mountain path.
Amir followed behind, running for all he was worth. He sensed the spells of the shamans behind him battering against the high priestess’s barrier. Then it was gone. Bloodthirsty yells from scores of orcs and goblins spurred Amir to run even faster. Within minutes he was at the top of the path with the lead orcs only paces behind.
The path opened up onto a large plain extending to the left, right, and front. Amir made out the main body of elves three hundred paces ahead, gathered in a tight bunch with two monks riding along what appeared to be a high drop off to the front-left and front-right. Glancing to his extreme left, Amir nearly stumbled at what he saw as he ran toward the main body of elves. Formations of orcs, goblins, and ogres at least two thousand in number were arrayed across the plain, blocking escape from that direction. A similar number of the enemy blocked the right side of the plain.
“Hurry!” shouted Mia.
Amir hurried. When he got to the elves, Mia was holding a hasty conference with Lord Derander, Master Freestrod, and Commander Astradis near the sheer drop-off to the river.
“It is a good forty-paces straight down to the river,” said Astradis.
“Any chance we can jump?” asked Lord Derander.
“Not without levitation spells,” said Astradis. “The river is too shallow. It appears to only be knee to waist deep. It would be the same as jumping onto solid ground. Can the three of you mass levitate all of us down?”
Master Freestrod glanced over his shoulder at the orc and goblin formations. The shamans to the left and right side of the plain were casting spells at the defensive shield Mia had cast around the elves. The old mage looked back at Astradis. “No. We cannot. Almost all of our magic is going into the high priestess�
��s shield. We might be able to levitate a half dozen down without their horses, but that is about all.”
Lord Derander looked at the high priestess. “Mia, take the Kreorian guards. We will levitate you down and hold off the orcs as long as we can. They must not get the Lady’s staff.”
The silver in Mia’s eyes began rotating. “I am the High Priestess of the Lady of the Tree. I will not leave as long as one of my soldiers remain. Commander Astradis, there must be another way down.”
The Kreorian guard commander shook his head. “Nay, High Priestess. My monks have traversed the edge of the drop off for a hundred paces in either direction. There is no path down, and as I said, the river is shallow below. Anyone trying to jump would be committing suicide. We are trapped.”
An especially violent explosion against the elves’ magic shield drowned out any reply. While waiting for the noise to subside, Amir noticed the high priestess glance to her left and frown. Amir looked left along with Master Freestod, Lord Derander, and Commander Astradis.
“What is that fool human doing?” asked Lord Derander.
Amir was as perplexed as the elf lord. The human was mounted on his horse and had apparently stuck two lances into the ground two paces apart at the very lip of the drop off to the river below. He was pointing at the lances while shouting gibberish like a crazed man at Sergeant Thornbriar. When the sergeant didn’t respond, the human turned to the high priestess and shouted more of his gibberish.
Lord Derander snorted. “I think he is telling us to throw down our weapons. I knew he was a coward.”
Amir remembered the bloody bodies strewn around the human a few minutes earlier. “He’s no coward.”
“No?” said Derander. “Then why is he running away?”
When Amir looked back, the human was riding toward the lead elements of the orcs that were just coming out of the head of the valley.
“See,” said Lord Derander. “He is running back to his friends.” He raised his staff. “I am going to stop him.”
Amir sensed the mage draw Power from his reserve as he moved his fingers in an intricate pattern. Before he could mouth the first words of his incantation, the high priestess reached over and grabbed hold of Lord Derander’s hand.
“No,” said Mia. “Let him go. He is a human. This is not his fight. I do not blame him for trying to escape.”
Amir watched the human gallop thirty paces before stopping his mount. The man spun his horse in a tight circle as if trying to confuse her. When he was facing back toward the drop off to the river, the human yelled and kicked the mare hard in the sides. She reared and took off running at a full gallop straight at the spot where the human had stuck the two lances into the ground.
Minsk started to move his horse into a blocking position. Tracer stopped him. It was just as well. Between the kicks of the human, the screaming of the orcs, and the blasts of the shamans’ magic against the elves’ defensive shield, the horse was running in a blind panic. She seemed to care less where she was going as long as it was away from the noise. Closer and closer the horse and rider drew to the drop off and the two lances.
“He’s going to jump,” Amir said as the realization hit him.
“He is a fool,” said Commander Astradis. “It is too shallow, I tell you. He will be killed along with his horse.”
The human and horse didn’t falter. Straight between the two upright lances they went. The horse whinnied in panic as her hoofs found only air. Down the horse and human went. Amir heard the screams of the frightened horse for a couple of seconds, then they stopped.
Tracer and Minsk rode up to the edge of the drop off and looked down.
“They made it,” shouted Tracer. “They survived the jump.”
Amir ran to the edge of the cliff along with several of the elves. The horse and human were wading through knee-deep water to the far bank.
“How?” Lord Derander said. “They should have broken their necks on the rocks.”
Commander Astradis shook his head. “No. There must be a pool where they landed in the river.” He glanced at the two upright lances. “Maybe—”
“There is no maybe about it,” said Mia. “Rick has shown us a way.” She waved her free arm at the massed orcs and goblins. “Only death awaits us here. Some of us might live if we attempt the jump.”
“It is a fool’s gambit,” said Lord Derander.
“Then call me a fool,” said Commander Astradis. “I think it is worth a chance.” He pointed at the formations of orcs. Balls of magic from their spells were hitting all along the elves’ defensive shields. The shields began flickering. “We have only a short time, High Priestess. My advice is to either make the jump or lower the shield and let us charge while you still have some Power for offensive spells. The decision is yours.”
Mia didn’t take any time to think. “Sergeant Thornbriar!” she shouted. “Follow the human. Do as he did. We will cover you. Once your lancers are down, we will join you. Have your archers cover us as best they can from below.”
Sergeant Thornbriar shouted orders to his troops. They milled about a little, but none seemed anxious to be the first to urge their mount over the cliff. Amir didn’t blame them. It was a long way down, and the churning, rock-strewn water did little to alleviate his concern.
“Kreorians, follow me,” shouted Commander Astradis. He spurred his mount to a point thirty meters from the two lances and faced the drop off. The four monks in his command formed around him. As a group, they charged forward, spacing out single file as they drew close to the upright lances. One by one they passed over the lip of the drop.
Looking below, Amir saw the horses and elves hit the water one after the other. They disappeared for a second before their heads reappeared. The rushing water tried to sweep them downstream, but the horses’ hooves found firm ground in the rapidly shallowing water as they fought their way to shore.
One monk was knocked from his mount and hit his head on a rock. He began floating downstream. The human ran to the edge of the rushing river and cast out a long vine he’d apparently found the time to cut. When the monk’s groping hands caught hold of the vine, the human began towing him to shore. Two of the other monks jumped off their mounts and helped him pull. Within seconds, the half-drowned monk was safely ashore.
The human looked up at the elves peering over the side of the cliff. “Tracer!” he shouted along with a bunch of gibberish. He waved his arm as if beckoning his teammates to join him.
Tracer glanced at her team before turning her horse toward the orcs and galloping out to the point the monks had used as their starting point. Minsk, Skylark, and Grapeon joined her. With a nod of her head in Amir’s direction, Tracer urged her mount forward. Her teammates followed in single file as the monks had done. They passed between the two upright lances and went over the edge of the cliff.
Three massive blasts drew Amir’s attention away from the water. The elves’ defensive shields were starting to flicker in and out, growing dimmer with each flicker. A lone figure with dark skin and white hair stood in front of a score of shamans. Amir sensed the shamans feeding Power into their leader.
“Is that a dark elf?” asked Master Freestrod. “I have never known them to be in league with orcs before.”
In league or not, Amir sensed the dark elf combining his Power with that of the shamans and pouring it all into a bright red ball of magic forming between his hands.
“Our shields will never hold against that,” shouted Master Freestrod.
“Then we will lower our shields and use the last of our Power to attack,” said Mia. “Sergeant Thornbriar, get your troops over now. Anyone still up here in twenty seconds is going to be dead.”
Without waiting to see what the sergeant did, Mia turned her mount to face the orcs and the dark elf.
Master Freestrod took up a position on her left as Lord Derander moved to her right.
“When I lower the shield, give them everything you have,” said Mia.
The two mag
es nodded and drew what remained of the Power in their reserves.
The high priestess took a moment to glance at Amir. “You need to get over the side.”
Amir shook his head. “I cannot jump as far out as the horses. I doubt I could reach the hole in the river bottom. Even if I could, I cannot swim. My muscle mass is too dense.”
“Then remain with us,” said Mia. “I will save enough Power to cast a levitation spell on you before we go over the side.”
Amir nodded and removed his shield from his back, raising it in preparation for the lowering of the elves’ wall of magic. He sensed the two mages cut off their flow of Power to the high priestess as she ended the defensive shield. As soon as the shield was down, the two elf mages and the high priestess shouted words Amir heard but quickly forgot. Three balls of magic shot out from their outstretched hands. One flew to the left, one went straight ahead, and the last went to the right. The spells caught the orcs by surprise. The dark elf barely got a defensive spell of his own up before the high priestess’s spell exploded in a blast of lightning that decimated half of the orc shamans that had been feeding the dark elf Power.
“Now!” shouted Mia. “Go while we have the chance.”
Spurring her horse forward, Mia led the way to the point thirty meters from the upright lances. None of Sergeant Thornbriar’s lancers remained on the plain.
Amir sensed magic reach out from the high priestess and surround him. The spell lifted him into the air and toward the upright lances. He barely noticed the high priestess and the two mages charging toward the cliff face because he was too busy flailing his legs and arms in the air. Over the cliff he went, falling at a speed slower than normal but still faster than was comfortable. The sight of the approaching water made his natural fear of drowning come to the fore. Down he went. One horse and rider passed him by, then another and another. The last was the high priestess. When she hit the water, the magic around him disappeared and the speed of his fall increased. He hit the water hard. His legs found deep water, but he wasn’t nearly as far over the water as had been the mages and high priestess. As his head went below the water’s surface, it hit something hard.
Wizard Gigantic (Intergalactic Wizard Scout Chronicles Book 9) Page 20
