Bas frowned back in his body. In his mind that floated near the werebeast, he decided to act. His body responded from where he still rode his horse being towed by Ziera. Right arm pointed and his fist closed over an imaginary bow. The left arm drew back an imaginary string pulling the shaft of an arrow.

  "Arrow," his mouth mumbled surprising those nearest he and Stormy. The shaft of a wind formed arrow sped from the company. The whistling of wind had nearly the same hiss of a real arrow and brought heads up, eyes searching the fog not realizing the source was from within their own number.

  His mind saw none of it, but simply willed the arrow to the beast. His mind couldn't summon such magic from where it floated on the ether, but his body still could help even from afar.

  The chest of the hairy beast nearly fountained blood from the impact. Its spine trailed crimson from a second hole that was formed from the air arrow passing straight through.

  His mouth settled into a grim smile. Towing Tenaline along, the two began to hunt. Following a loose circle from the enemy's main body, Bas soon found the next victim and then the next. He continued his circle and sometimes his search was aided by another surge of the strange magic from the enemy's main body. Ten more were added by the time they had circled the enemy and arrived at the first body.

  Determined to throw the enemy off as much as possible, Sebastian returned to the main body of the enemy force. He could feel Tenaline's protests, but his will was stronger than hers. Finding the army once again, he found the source of the magic as it once again speared out in search of the enemy's agents.

  Shouts could be heard shortly afterward. He could feel the magical power nearby. Not daring to bring their consciousnesses to a place that a wizard might discover, Bas moved outwards into the western edge of the mass. Raising his arms once more, he began to arc shaft after wind shaft into the enemy creatures. It wasn't a torrent of arrows, of course, since it required great concentration and time to cross the miles, but it succeeded in creating more chaos.

  Believing the company had sent a few archers or mages into the nearby woods, the enemy sent nearly half its force charging towards the west sure that the Southwallers were there. Bas hit the remaining forces on the north next, but the enemy sent only a few squads in search of snipers. The first force hit the woods and found nothing but a few rabbits and birds startled by the sudden entrance into the small forest.

  Knowing not to push his luck any farther, Bas sent one last arrow into the center of the camp picking off what appeared to be a leader of some rank. The orcs and goblins appeared lost as they found their leader dead in their midst. Bas left with the sense that they could still elude this army as well and returned to his body to report.

  Once back, he had to contend with an angry apprentice staring at him from her horse. "Don't do that to me again. Ever!," she ordered.

  "I would've let you go, Tenaline, but we don't know if anymore of those wizards are around that caught the others in its cloud. I'm the only one that's ever seen the dark cloud and I was worried that you wouldn't see it either if you were attacked. Pardon me. I meant only to make sure that you were safe."

  The woman blinked in surprise. After a moment, Tenaline replied, "Apology accepted, Falcon Sebastian."

  He nodded his appreciation and was about to look for Falcondi Jasmer, when the apprentice caught hold of his sleeve and asked, "How did you do that anyway?"

  "What? You mean pulling you with me? I just did what you did to get us started."

  "No, the strange shafts that hit the beasts. I could sense the air magic, but I sensed that they came from here," she stated looking mystified.

  "Oh that," he answered with a shrug. "I sent arrows rather than lances from my body and guided the shafts to the target with my mind."

  Tenaline's jaw dropped. "But that's

  impossible," she stated incredulously.

  "Not impossible, just not ever done before that you knew." The mizard looked for Jasmer and nearly fell from his saddle when he realized that the falcondi was just behind him.

  "Using new magic again, mizard?," the man asked with a chuckle. "You were gone a long time. We weren't sure what to think with all those arrows being launched who knew where. What did you find, falcon? More importantly what did you do?"

  "We found the three armies. The trailing ones have slowed with the fog. The western one is still following the trail we left, but they shouldn't be able to catch us at our current pace. The third army was still moving for us though slowly. It had sent out werebeasts to sniff us out. I picked off every scout that we could find with the arrows and then I hit the main army from the west making them believe that we had at least a few snipers in the woods nearby. Then I hit the north and drew off a few more squads, but I believe that they were beginning to figure out that it was a ruse. One last arrow took out some form of leader in their center which seemed to throw them off that much more.

  "With all the chaos, I think that we'll be able to safely pass around their position without anymore trouble."

  Jasmer shook his head. "A simple scouting mission and you start up a whole new way to wage war. Gods, Sebastian, what have we unleashed in you?"

  The falcon said nothing and kept his face stone. He knew that it was a compliment, but he had been taught to not pat one's self on the back. It was best left to silence.

  Jasmer turned to Rathmor and Falcondi Reide, his second in command. "All right, you heard him. We keep on as planned." The falcondi looked at Bas once again and stated, "You'll have to scout again in half an hour. Much longer than that and we could find ourselves knee deep in the enemy even with your diversion."

  Bas saluted and replied with a crisp, "Yes, sir!"

  Jasmer moved away to talk with the other leaders of each group and to encourage the troops. Sebastian was left to his own thoughts, but Ziera wouldn't give him that chance as she asked about what he had done in more detail. The mizard grabbed some of his dwindling travel food supplies and talked as he ate.

  The fog held into the evening. By then, the company had successfully passed around to the south of the enemy. Bas had to pick off two more sets of scouts that afternoon, but he didn't risk the main body again. The power of the dark wizard there was too menacing to risk himself or Tenaline with anymore attacks. Killing the scouts would

  accomplish all that would be needed to avoid the army, though the temptation to hurt the enemy in its own camp still tempted him to risk his luck.

  The guards of their gatehouse were surprised to see their return when they finally arrived just after dusk. Unfortunately, the company could not rest easy with their accomplishment.

  Jasmer led his three squad leaders and Irthwin up the stairs inside the wall tower. Even in the darkness, the first moon glowed bright enough to reveal a column of smoke rising up from the walls of Windmeer.

  "What happened, lieutenant?," the falcondi demanded of the man in charge of the tower.

  "We don't know exactly, sir. All we know is that somehow a large force of the enemy sprouted inside of Windmeer herself. Fighting was one sided at first and it was feared that we was gonna lose her completely, Duke Gelan managed to gather up a force inside the eastern half that was able to stall them. They say Lord Bryon pulled together another group to hold the outer walls. The enemy's trapped inside, we think."

  "You think, but, of course, you don't know for sure since we have no idea how they got there in the first place," Jasmer replied never taking his eyes from the far off castle. "Lieutenant, I have wounded with me. Would you be so kind as to keep them here, while I lead the rest of the company to reinforce Duke Gelan?"

  "Of course, falcondi, of course. You didn't even have to ask," the lieutenant assured him. "You give `em what for and tell `em I sent ya. I would've done it myself if someone didn't have to stay and hold the wall," the soldier said grimly.

  The falcondi clasped hands with the lieutenant and nodded. "You may need to fight here soon. Three armies are in the field nearby. We bloodied their noses a bit, but they still number nearly two thousand."

  The lieutenant winced at that, but nodded determinedly. "We'll hold your back, sir, but you may want to check in on us when you can. I'll send word along the wall in the meantime."

  "You do that, lieutenant," Jasmer stated and began to move back towards the stairs.

  The others followed quickly.

  Taking two squads of soldiers along with every available mage including another half dozen from the tower itself, Jasmer requested Irthwin take along his fire wizards and the healers. The first were the strongest fighters in a melee and the second could be needed by those they sought to help. Fala and Rius insisted they be included and Jasmer acquiesced. Gedrey said the same, but his magic was better suited to guard the tower than storm the castle. Earth magic tended to do a lot of damage inside of buildings and Windmeer wasn't an enemy castle they wished to breach. Left frowning at their backs, Gedrey remained behind once again.

  As they rode hard for the castle, Bas glanced over at Yara where she held on tightly. The healer still wasn't a great rider, but she was getting more comfortable with time. The girl noticed his look and smiled. Tension could be seen to mar the gesture, but his heart lightened a bit none the less.

  Turning his gaze back to the stone walls steadily getting closer, the mizard began to summon the stone will he would need to fight once more. Chapter 39-Battle for Windmeer

  Darkness held the world around them as they found the southern gates of Windmeer. Night vision was passed around by mages and wizards alike as they rode so that even the soldiers could see like it was day. The smoke rising in a steady column was easy to make out with such vision and its sight only served to speed their flight.

  It was with some raising of spirits that the remaining company discovered the gates held by Lord Bryon and his soldiers. Mages were there in smaller numbers as apparently most had been left inside to help hold their ground in the eastern half of the castle.

  "Lord Bryon!," Jasmer greeted as the company pulled up before the half opened gate.

  "Falcondi Jasmer? Thank the gods you're still alive," the lord came forward to greet the falcon with a shake of the hand. "How did you come to be here in time to help us out?"

  The falcondi dismounted and shook his head. "That's too long a story, my lord, and best left for after we reclaim what is ours. Suffice it to say that north of the wall is a force designed to break the tower if this little uprising can help it from this side, but I'll not stand for that."

  "Nor I, falcondi," the lord assured. "Let me catch you up then. A force suddenly appeared inside our walls and probably up from the dungeons. How they got there we don't know, but they were inside our walls almost before we could raise the alarm. Duke Gelan was able to bring up enough resistance to hold most of the floors of the east wing. Ravens Liom and Stallis were instrumental in holding those with the newly trained mages. I thank you for that," the lord nodded towards Sebastian who tried not to let a blush break through his stone veneer.

  "Parts of the west hold including the gate room. We don't think that they can escape without dropping from a higher floor, but I was assigned to garrison the gates just in case. Perhaps with your addition we can get another push going and try to reclaim this fortress by daybreak. I know that I for one would like to be able to get some sleep and preferably in my own bed if possible."

  "I'm sure that we all second that, my lord," Jasmer assured him. "Where would you like to place us?"

  The lord looked thoughtful for a moment. Bas got the feeling that there was nothing to decide, but the lord wanted to make it look good for the men. "If you could reinforce the western gatehouse and maybe even reclaim the lower floors with your mages and wizards, I would be grateful, falcondi."

  The man nodded. "As you command, my lord. Company to me. We go to retake the west castle."

  A little cheer went up, though Bas thought it sounded rather half-hearted. The men and women were tired. With little rest in the last few days, another battle was not going to be their first choice of what to do, but the enemy had stolen what was won by their ancestors and they would not release it easily. Their sanctuary was lost and needed to be reclaimed if they wished to rest.

  Sebastian led his little band at the back of the others. Yara walked nearby and let her hand brush his. Their eyes locked for a only a second. Worry was etched in the woman's eyes. She would not be fighting the enemy, but a battle mage was raised to make war. Bas's life would be in danger and her worry wouldn't subside even if he had any words to try.

  The gatehouse opened from within at their arrival. The men inside looked rough. Some had full armor. Some none. Most had the light beards of those that had yet to shave. Others had full beards or mustaches and many of those were dirtied with blood. Scratches and cuts abounded. These men had seen some hard fighting.

  Jasmer shook hands with a captain who seemed to be in charge. A handful of mages and a fire wizard looked wearily at the reinforcements. Even the thought of relief wasn't enough to energize the worn looking men and women.

  "What's their position, captain?," Jasmer asked cutting to the chase.

  The man shook his head. "Don't know about all of them, but a large pack of the critters are holed up in the hall two rooms away. We have a small group inside the next minor hall and a lot of dead from both sides."

  "A regular battlefield in there, huh?"

  The man nodded. "The size of the hall limits their big creatures and we're about even in a fight with orcs and goblins. Been a tough night though."

  Jasmer placed a hand on the man's shoulder. Bas felt a little ripple of magic as the falcondi said, "We'll see what we can do, lieutenant. Why don't you and your men take a little breather while we go have a look?"

  The man stood straighter looking energized. It was a subtle spell that Bas had never seen though he had heard of such among true wizards. Jasmer had been holding out on him, he thought, but that was a matter to discuss later.

  The company moved from the gate room to the inner hall. The room was about twenty feet square and slick with blood. Inside they found ten more Southwallers. Five were mages and five soldiers. They spied the falcondi and all snapped to attention.

  "At ease, people. When's the last time you had to fight the enemy, Lasser?," he asked of a male falcon Bas had never met before.

  "Almost twenty minutes I'd say, sir."

  Jasmer nodded and began to cross the floor. The ground was treacherous. Bodies were strewn on the floor though most had been pulled to the side. Blood made the footing slippery in some places, sticky in others.

  At the far doors, Jasmer stepped to the side and spelled his shield and sword. The other mages followed suit and most of the wizards as well. Bas spied Magnus looking at him and he nodded. The apprentice turned away lifting his nose slightly. The mizard didn't even bother to shake his head this time.

  Two soldiers came forward with hooked pikes gathered from the gatehouse to pull open the doors from a discreet distance. They yanked them apart and jumped back. No menace followed, however, and Jasmer had a pair of falcons from Reide's squad enter ahead of the company. A low whistle called them from the scouts. The position was safe as yet.

  The company filtered in behind them. Bas entered the large hall. It was easily twice the size of the last. Doors led off of each of the four walls including the one that they had entered. Jasmer pointed for Rathmor and Reide to lead each of their squads to one door. The falcondi led Bas and his troop himself. The soldiers and wizards held the center of the floor as the three doors were tested one at a time.

  Rathmor's squad opened the left first. Nothing. The man shook his head as he positioned his squad in the doorway to watch for the enemy. Jasmer had Lerin and Karos pull open their door and again there was nothing to fear. Bas moved to the doorway with the others to watch down a short hallway. Two doors were closed to them. The mizard brought his attention to the third door even as he tried to keep half an eye on the empty hallway.

  The third door opened. A roar followed as a mass of the dark horde crashed into the mages. Men and women were thrown aside as two great hulking trolls charged into the room. Chaos erupted as the soldiers and wizards moved to back up the surprised mages.

  A strange noise came to Bas's ears. The roar of battle joined nearly masked the sound. The mizard moved back inside trying to figure the origin of the strange noise. It sounded like stone being sawed, though that seemed unlikely. As he moved towards the center of the room, the stone flooring began to fall in on itself.

  A trio of armored beasts with long claws, each as long as a dagger, came up through the flooring tiles. Armored viles. The creatures were legendary for their tough hides and claws that could tear through armor like tissue. "Breach!," he screamed and rushed the hole. Letting the sword vanish, Bas spelled the air lance into being.

  Chaos took over. Bas noted Deyla and Yara ducking back into the previous hall as half the soldiers turned to face the new threat behind them. The mages had recovered, but a swarm of orcs occupied Reide's forces as they followed the larger trolls.

  Half of Rathmor's squad rushed to help against the viles. As they did, the hall behind them suddenly filled as doors were opened and more orcs and the smaller goblins rushed the mages still looking for trouble there. Behind him, Bas's squad suddenly found its hallway filling with a swarm of creatures as well.

  The mizard could no longer keep track of the others as he fought to protect himself in the face of an enemy more powerful than any he had ever faced before. He caught the death of a soldier as one of the creatures swiped at his chest. Neither sword nor shield could stop those claws from tearing through the flesh above his breast plate. The metal plate itself tore as two of the claws caught the metal. The man's head was nearly torn from his body. No scream was uttered as the body fell back lifeless and in pieces.

  "Strike!," he snarled and drove the air lance into the beast's chest before him. The creature lashed out with its claws. The spear failed to damage the monster. A second swipe of the opposite appendage tried to crumple his shield. The magical barrier held even as the mage was driven to his knees. "Strike!," he cried frantically and drove the lance into the vile's throat.

 

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