All around them marched the rest of the bandits, few of whom Jerico knew. They’d lost a third when the horses came crashing in, and would have lost far more if it hadn’t been for Bellok letting out whistle after strange whistle, confusing the mounts and sending them crashing into each other. Jerico’s mace was caked with blood, and he knew the killing was far from over.
“What do we do?” he asked Kaide as they marched. “We cannot hold lines against them. The two of us may kill twenty, thirty before going down, but the rest?”
“I know,” Kaide said, keeping his voice low. “I’d hoped the fire would spread much faster, but it seems the very weather turns against us. But what choice do we have?”
Jerico eyed the forest, knowing potential safety hid within.
“We run,” he said. “Your men lack armor, and our chasers are burdened. If we reach Arthur’s men, we stand a chance.”
“Sounds like the pally wants to be a coward,” said Adam, who had lurked behind them without saying anything to alert them to his presence.
“Who says we should be running?” asked Griff beside him. He grinned despite the wicked cut across his face, which had slashed off a portion of his nose.
“We run to a better location,” Jerico said. Though his whole body ached, he smiled. “And then we fight.”
“There,” Kaide said, pointing to a far portion of the forest. “We’ll make it, so long as Gregane doesn’t throw any soldiers our way to cut us off.”
“He does, we’ll crash right on through,” Jerico said. “And with my shield leading the way. Give the order, Kaide.”
The bandit leader looked to his men, and he mustered one last bit of energy and bravado.
“We run!” he shouted. “Ignore those bastards, and leave their clanking asses in our dust! We go to meet with Arthur. With us at his side, we can hold off soldiers from dawn to dusk, and spill their blood a thousand times more than our own!”
They cheered. Jerico led the way, conditioned to run in his armor for long periods of time. At first the vanguard tensed, thinking them charging, but then they saw the angle was wrong. He heard them cry out, and then the chase was on.
“Run!” Jerico shouted when he could spare the breath. He’d put his shield onto his back, but he pulled it off and stopped, lifting it high so that the stragglers might see its light. “Run, my friends, for the life of all you love, run!”
As its light shone over them, they surged ahead with lifted spirits and refreshed legs. Jerico returned the shield to his back, sparing a glance backward and wishing he hadn’t. The soldiers were less than a hundred yards behind and gaining ground. Kaide’s men had fought to their last breath to survive the initial charge of the knights. Unburdened or not, they were tired, and struggled to keep pace.
Up ahead, the forest seemed so very far away.
“Come,” Jerico said, grabbing one man by the arm and tugging him along. “One foot after another, now move!”
The man staggered, more pulled than running. Jerico caught up to two more, and he saw blood on them. He admired their courage, and was torn on what to do. He grabbed the arm of a second, knowing that the other he did not choose was doomed to death.
“May Ashhur take you,” he said. The man had no anger in his eyes, only fear, and that look haunted Jerico as he rushed along. He saw one man stumble, and he let go of the first and reached down to help the second. Up ahead, Kaide shouted for them to run, but so many were tired and wounded. Jerico could do no more. Begging Ashhur for his understanding, he at last grabbed the arm of another injured man who collapsed, flung him onto his back, and ran. When those around him fell behind, or stumbled, he left them to their fate, to live or die by their own strength. Every time he saw it, though, he felt another stab in his gut.
They were almost to the forest when a squad of men finally noticed their approach. They turned and formed a line, what few shields they had taking up the front. Kaide shifted them further away, and Gregane’s troops hurried to match. Behind them, the vanguard slowed, both to fight the stragglers as well as catch their breath, for as Jerico had hoped, they were more used to riding into battle, and their heavy armor had finally taken its toll.
Not that he felt that much better himself, but despite that, he shoved to the front, where Kaide ran with his dirks drawn.
“Crash through,” Kaide said, not even slowing.
“That or death,” Jerico said, pulling his shield off his back. He held it above his head, letting friend and foe know his approach.
“For Ashhur!” he cried, and it echoed across the gulch, louder than even the fire. The light of his shield flared, and he slammed into the line. Blades clanked off his armor, no one able to score a solid hit because of the light. Jerico twisted and swung, smashing through while knocking over everyone near. Behind him, the rest of the bandits surged, forcing through the gap. Jerico remained, like a wedge holding up a heavy stone. Even Kaide hurried through, but only after slashing open the throats of nearby soldiers to satisfy his bloodlust.
When at last Sebastian’s troops recovered from the brutal assault, Jerico again turned to run. He felt blows striking him, and something sharp slashed against his face, but he endured. Crying out the name of his god, he slammed a man aside with his shield, parried a chop, and then reached open ground. He ran until he found the ditch, and just barely managed to slow himself so he didn’t break his legs in the sudden drop. He more rolled than climbed down, then accepted Adam’s waiting arms pulling him up.
“How many?” Jerico asked, looking back.
“Half,” Kaide said, looking through the trees at where his friends fought and died. Jerico whispered them a prayer, then fell to his knees to recover his breath.
“They’ll charge soon,” Bellok said. He leaned against a tree, and he sounded winded from the run. “I say we get our asses out of here.”
“We don’t run,” Kaide said, glaring at the remaining hundred men at his command. “Not now. Not when victory still remains.”
“Victory,” Jerico muttered, looking toward where Arthur’s men stood in defense far down the ditch. He could only barely see them, but they still looked terribly outnumbered.
“You held off legions of wolf-men with mere villagers,” Kaide said, turning on him. “Don’t you lose hope on me now. Lift that damn shield of yours. Let my men see you still stand!”
Though his side ached, and his legs felt on fire, he stood and held his shield high.
“None pass,” he shouted as loud as his tired lungs could manage. “Not here. Not while my light still shines!”
The men took up the call, and they lifted their own weapons, daring the soldiers to cross the ditch.
Then Gregane’s men let out a cry, and the entire army did just that. At their position, Kaide’s men were horribly outnumbered, but unlike the rest of the battlefield, the ditch before them remained empty. That quickly changed. Jerico kept his shield low and swung, smashing his mace through helmets and chestplates. The ditch was deep enough that it came up to the assaulters’ waists, and they had to abandon all pretense of attacking to climb. The rest of the bandits kicked and shoved, and they beat at hands and arms with their weapons. Body by body they filled the ditch.
“Too many!” Jerico cried as he looked to the sides. Gregane’s men were spreading out, going beyond where they could defend.
“No shit,” Kaide yelled back, whirling beside him. His two blades were coated with blood. Between dodging the chaotic swings, he’d dip low and knife a man’s throat or plunge a dirk through an eye before continuing along. Jerico was far less fancy, but just as efficient. No man gained ground before him. He shoved with his shield, trusted his armor to protect his lower body, and kept his mace moving side to side. The screams of the dying grew. Jerico looked once to his left and saw enemy soldiers climbing up. In less than a minute, they’d be surrounded.
“We can’t hold!” he shouted to Kaide as he slammed his shield to the ground, the light momentarily blinding his attackers. “Give the retreat!”
Kaide gritted his teeth, and his attacks took on a new frenzy. They’d been forced to fall back, unable to hold the ditch any longer. Men climbed free, and they stayed back, defending the rest of their forces. Kaide slashed into them, his blades finding every crease, every gap in the armor. Jerico reminded himself to ask who trained him should they all survive. But despite the fury, there was no way he could turn the tide, not by himself. Already he
