to you brother!”
Bart watched Seth leave then turned to Chyfe. Indicating the last rise they had crossed, he said, “Go and keep an eye out for pursuit. It’s only a matter of time before they come.”
“Very well,” replied Chyfe and was soon on his way to the rise.
Bart and Soth came to where Riyan and Chad were working to revive Kevik. “Any luck?” Bart asked.
Riyan had Kevik’s healing gem out and was holding it against Kevik’s forehead. The gem remained quiescent. “It’s not working,” he said.
“It may be that he isn’t injured,” suggested Soth. “It could be he’s simply exhausted. We’ve been through a lot with little rest.”
Bart observed their ineffective measures and sighed. Finally, he removed his water bottle, opened it, and upended it above Kevik’s face. No sooner had the water hit the tip of Kevik’s nose, than the magic user’s eyes flew open and he begun sputtering and flailing his arms about. “That should do it,” he said as he restoppered his water bottle.
“Wh…what?” Kevik asked, glancing to the others.
“How do you feel?” Riyan asked with concern in his voice.
“Thirsty,” he said.
Handing the magic user his now half filled water bottle, Bart said, “We were worried about you.”
Kevik took the bottle and drained its contents. When he was done he glanced around at their surroundings. “How did we get here?” he asked.
Riyan summed up what had happened after he passed out on the steps. “…and so, we are about five miles from the stockade with only four horses between us. Seth’s gone ahead to scout for more and we expect pursuit to develop any time.”
Kevik returned the empty bottle to Bart. “Thanks,” he said.
“Any time,” Bart replied.
On the rise behind them, Chyfe still stood watch which was a good sign. How long Seth would be gone was anyone’s guess. Bart just hoped he would have the good sense to stay near the road so they could find him.
“Can you ride?” Chad asked Kevik.
Kevik nodded. “Yes,” he replied. As he started to get up, Chad handed him his staff. With its support, he was able to stand.
Riyan went to his horse and mounted. Then with Chad lending his help, Kevik was able to make it up onto the horse in front of Riyan. “Sleep if you need to,” Riyan told him as he wrapped an arm around his chest. “You’ll not fall,” he replied.
Bart hollered for Chyfe’s return and swung up behind him when he arrived. Chad and Soth rode together on the last horse. “I hope your brother finds more horses,” Chad commented to Soth.
“So do I,” came the reply.
Once everyone was mounted, they again headed west along the wagon wheel rutted dirt path. As before, they maintained a fast pace that covered miles quickly.
When an hour passed and Seth still hadn’t returned, they grew worried. But Soth put them at ease. “If his job was to find horses, he wouldn’t return until he had,” he explained. “Besides, he has the other ring. If you’re worried, contact him.”
Bart glanced to Kevik. “What do you think?” he asked.
Kevik shrugged. “Do it at the wrong time and it may distract Seth at a bad moment, possibly fatally,” he said. “It would be best to continue on as we have until he contacts us.”
“Fatally?” asked Riyan.
“Yes,” answered Kevik. “Imagine you’re in the midst of a sword battle, then all of a sudden you were unable to concentrate. What’s going to happen?”
“I’d get killed,” he replied.
“Exactly,” confirmed Kevik. “That’s why I take the ring off if there’s a chance I’ll be disturbed at an inopportune moment, such as performing magic.”
An hour later, riders appeared on the road behind them.
“We’ve got trouble,” Chyfe announced as two dozen riders thundered toward them.
Bart immediately kicked the sides of his horse and broke into a gallop.
“We’ll never out run them,” stated Chad as he raced alongside. Riding double as they were, their horses could not maintain this speed for long.
“Can you do anything?” Riyan asked Kevik. That’s when he realized the magic user had fallen asleep. Shaking him, Riyan hollered, “Wake up!”
“Huh?” mumbled Kevik as he awoke.
“Riders coming fast,” Riyan explained. “Can you do anything?”
“I think so,” he said. “Stop the horse.”
“But,” argued Riyan.
“I can’t concentrate on a galloping horse,” Kevik explained. “At least not in the condition I’m in.” Though still in a fatigued fog, he felt he could manage to cast a spell or two.
Riyan brought the horse to a halt and turned so Kevik could face the oncoming horsemen. The others brought their horses to a halt and came to stand behind Riyan and Kevik.
Slipping from the horse, Kevik leaned upon his staff as he made ready.
“They’re slowing down,” Chyfe stated.
Indeed, the riders slowed when they realized their prey was no longer fleeing. Riding in the fore was the armored man from the stockade whom they believed to be the leader. As Kevik began speaking arcane words, two groups of five split off from the main force. Moving to the right and left, the leader was dividing his forces so Kevik’s magic wouldn’t affect all of them simultaneously.
When Kevik finished speaking, a yellowish cloud appeared in the road between them and the main group containing the armored leader. He then took up his staff and cast his wind spell, blowing the sleep inducing cloud toward the leader’s group. As the cloud rolled furiously forward, he and his men turned and fled. Four weren’t quick enough and were enveloped. A horses’ brief cry was heard as the riders and their steeds succumbed to the vaporous cloud and crashed to the ground.
“Need to take out more than that,” observed Bart. He had a single dart in hand. It was one of five still in his possession. His other hand gripped the knife found beneath the Ruins of Algoth. Dismounting, he let Chyfe have the horse for he’d be better in a fight without it.
More words of magic issued forth as Kevik targeted the group flanking their right. Having moved at a narrower angle to their position than the group to the left, they were now the closest. When he spoke the last word, another vaporous cloud appeared dead center among the riders. Being among the vapors, they succumbed quickly.
“Was that better?” commented Kevik with a glance to Bart.
“Oh yeah,” he replied with a nod.
The remaining flanking group had disappeared behind a hill to their left while the one with the leader had come to a stop. Three of the leader’s men dismounted from their horses and began stringing bows. The leader and six others remained mounted.
“Kevik,” Chad warned.
Glancing to the bowmen, Kevik said, “I see them.” Then his vision began to blur and his balance grew precarious. Staggering, he held onto his staff as his legs threatened to give out.
Riyan was the first to notice. Dismounting quickly, he moved to his side and snaked an arm around his back for support. “Are you okay?” he asked.
Kevik only shook his head. While he took slow, deep breaths to relax and hopefully bring himself back to serviceable condition, the bowmen put string to bow and fired.
“Arrows!” Soth cried and everyone looked skyward at the oncoming missiles.
“Watch it,” warned Bart. Then as the arrows came to land, they easily dodged out of their way. No sooner had the first three hit the ground, than a second volley was on its way. Again, they looked to the sky to make sure the deadly projectiles would not find an easy mark.
Chad swung down from his horse and came to Riyan’s side. “Use your sling,” he said to his friend. “As long as
