Kevik isn’t able to function, your sling is the only missile weapon we have!”
Nodding, Riyan relinquished Kevik into Chad’s care and removed the sling from his pack. Just as he was picking three suitable stones off the ground, the flanking group from the left reappeared from around a copse of trees at their rear. They’d been flanked! Racing at breakneck speed, they charged.
With stone in the sling’s cup, Riyan whirled it over his head and released. The stone flew true and struck the lead horse in the chest, knocking it to the ground. As it fell, it entangled two others, bringing them down as well.
Riyan quickly put another stone to sling and launched it at the first of the remaining two. This time, the stone grazed the side of the lead horse causing it to stumble, but it didn’t go down.
“Yeah!” cried Chyfe as he drew his sword to meet the oncoming riders. With reins in one hand and sword in the other, he kicked his horse and charged.
Bart threw his dart and struck the lead rider in the shoulder just as Chad yelled, “Arrows!”
Another flight had just finished topping its arc in the air above and was headed straight for them. Bart saw one coming for him and narrowly dodged in time to avoid it.
“Come on Kevik!” Riyan urged the magic user. He loosed another stone in a rush and the missile flew wide.
“I got nothing left,” Kevik said as he tried to hold onto consciousness.
“Can you stand?” Riyan asked. When Kevik nodded, he swung back into the saddle and drew his sword. To Chad he hollered, “Watch him!” then raced to join Chyfe.
Only one rider was left of the five that had flanked them. The one struck by Bart’s dart had already fallen from his horse, the dart’s poison having incapacitated him. When the remaining rider realized he was alone, he turned and fled.
“No you don’t!” screamed Chyfe. Flying across the ground, he closed the distance fast with the fleeing rider. Before the rider had a chance to get back up to speed, Chyfe was upon him.
Caught up in the thrill of battle, Chyfe yelled inarticulately as he attacked with his sword. The rider tried to avoid the blow but was caught in the shoulder. Such was the force of Chyfe’s blow that it severed the man’s arm from his body. Shrieking in pain, the man was unable to stay ahorse and fell.
Chyfe took hold of the reins and brought the charging, riderless horse under control. “Easy boy,” he said as he reduced speed.
Riyan, having seen Chyfe take out the rider, turned his attention to the leader and his men. Still ten altogether, and with three bearing bows, they had the superior force. But so far, the leader had been content to remain at a distance and rain arrows down upon them. Riyan knew however, that if the leader were to learn of Kevik’s inability to perform magic, he would charge.
“Arrows!” Chad yelled, alerting the others to another incoming flight. With only three to avoid, it was easy to move out of their way. They were more of an annoyance than any real threat, unless Bart and the others grew careless.
Riyan came to where Chad stood with Kevik. “Is he alright?” he asked his life long friend.
Chad shook his head. “He’s worn out,” he explained.
Kevik glanced to Riyan and said apologetically, “Sorry.”
Giving a reassuring grin and pat on the back to the magic user, Riyan said, “You’ve done more than I would have thought possible. You are a great magic user.”
Returning his smile, Kevik nodded.
Chyfe joined the group with the additional horse. The horse of the rider felled by Bart’s dart had run off much to Chyfe’s annoyance. They could have used that horse!
Bart was back where Riyan’s stone had ultimately caused three horses to fall. One of the men had been mobile, but now lay dead with a dart puncturing his leg. The other two riders were also out of commission. One had a broken leg while the other had been crushed beneath the weight of a horse. Bart had used his knife to silence the man with the broken leg.
After collecting his darts and cleaning them off, he returned to the others. Glancing down the road where the leader still sat, he said, “Wonder what he plans to do?”
“Good question,” replied Chyfe. “Even with the extra horse, we’d still be unable to outrun them.”
“Why aren’t they attacking?” asked Soth.
Bart gestured to Kevik. “As long as they believe we have a combat ready magic user, they aren’t likely to risk a confrontation.” Glancing to Chad, he added, “No matter what, don’t let him collapse.”
“Don’t worry,” replied Kevik, “I don’t think I will.”
Another flight of arrows was launched then the bowmen quit. “You know,” Chad said after that last flight of arrows hit the ground, “they could be waiting for reinforcements to arrive.”
“From where?” asked Soth.
Chad shrugged. “Who knows? But it’s a possibility.”
“Yes,” agreed Bart, “it is.” After another glance to the leader and his men, Bart said, “Mount up.”
“But we can’t outrun them,” argued Soth.
“True,” replied Bart as he turned toward Soth. “But the longer we can hold off a confrontation, the more likely we’ll have Kevik’s aid when it happens.” Then he pointed off toward where the five riders were still enveloped by the yellow cloud. “Once that wears off, they may try something. Hopefully they won’t follow as long as their comrades are incapacitated.”
“I wouldn’t count on that,” argued Riyan.
“Either way, staying here won’t improve our situation,” Bart said. Taking hold of the saddle’s pommel, he swung himself up. “Riyan, you take Kevik again. Chad, you and Soth double up.”
He glanced back at the leader, and it didn’t look as if he was planning to follow. When Bart got underway, the leader remained where he was. His men edged forward, but the leader didn’t move. When the road finally curved around a hill and the leader fell out of sight, Bart wondered just what his game was going to be? Assuredly he wouldn’t simply allow them to get away?
Moving fast, they put as much distance between them and the leader’s force as they could. After a half hour’s travel, Bart had Chyfe ride to the top of a tall nearby hill to see what may be developing behind them.
On his return, he said, “Couldn’t see them.”
“Maybe they’re not following,” suggested Soth hopefully.
“I wouldn’t bet on that,” argued Bart. “He may be seeing to his men first. But rest assured, he’ll be coming.”
As they rode, each kept glancing over their shoulder, fully expecting to see pursuit developing. But so far, they were alone on the rutted path. Some time during the mid afternoon, Seth reappeared.
“Found some horses,” he said. Glancing to the others, his gaze finally came to rest on the additional mount. “Something happen?” he asked.
“You could say that,” his brother said.
Bart waved away the question. “We may have upwards to a dozen men following and could be attacked at any time,” he explained. “Where did you find the horses?”
Gesturing to where the path wound through the hills behind him, he said, “There’s a small community not more than a couple miles down the road. Just three farmsteads within visual distance of each other. One had a corral with two horses. I’m sure there could be more at the other farmsteads.”
“Two are all we need,” said Bart.
“How do you plan to get them?” asked Riyan. “It’s broad daylight.”
“Simple,” he replied. “We go and take them.”
“But that’s stealing!” objected Soth.
“So it is,” agreed Bart. “But it’s that or take the chance we might be overtaken and die. With Kevik out of commission, they have us woefully outnumbered.”
Soth didn’t like being a horse thief, but he understood Bart’s point.
Riyan rode up beside Soth and said, “We still have some coins. Perhaps we could try to buy them first.”
“Yes,” agreed Soth. “Let’s do that.”
Bart rolled his eyes, an indication of his annoyance that wasn’t lost on Riyan. “Come on,” he said. “The quicker we get there, the better” Then to Seth he said, “You take the lead.”
