The attackers fall like grain to the scythe as Miko strides into them, totally oblivious to the many minor cuts he’s receiving. The line of soldiers that were pushing the defenders further into the city, buckles as Miko cuts a swath through them.
James tears his eyes away from Miko and back to the mage. The prickling sensation spikes again and another bolt of force flies toward him. Ready for it this time, he’s able to deflect its trajectory and it passes by harmlessly.
He throws two stones in quick succession but they bounce harmlessly off the invisible barrier. Though the mage was untouched by the missiles, he does have the minor satisfaction of seeing them striking soldiers next to him.
The attacker’s push into the city is at a standstill with Miko there. No one can stop him and the defenders are rallying around him. More archers are arriving from their positions on other parts of the wall and their arrows are having a devastating effect.
Lord Pytherian can be seen there amidst the line of defenders as he encourages them on to propel the invaders back. His sword is almost as deadly as Miko’s to anyone who comes close.
James sends his senses out to the barrier around the mage, trying to understand it and find a weak point that can be exploited. Suddenly, he finds it and realizes he should’ve thought of it before.
He redirects his senses, searching for what he needs. When he finds it, he lets loose an enormous surge of power. The one place the mage’s barrier does not cover is the soles of his feet.
Suddenly, an old root from a bygone tree breaks through the ground under his feet. The force of it hitting the mage’s foot sends him reeling, the unexpectedness of it breaks his concentration. When the prickling sensation stops completely, he knows the barrier is down.
He cocks back his arm and with another great surge of power, sends a slug speeding toward the staggering mage. The mage tries to erect another barrier but is too late. Striking his upper chest, the slug blasts through and he topples backward into the river.
A cry rises from the defenders when they see him fall, and Lord Pytherian shouts above the din, “Now! Beat them back!” With unbridled ferocity, the defenders wade into the attackers.
James, fatigued and staggering a little, looks over the battling fighters. Miko stands near the gate, momentarily still as the attackers keep their distance. They’ve learned that to come near him is to die. His sword periodically moves in a blur as it strikes a bolt out of the air as it flies toward him.
“Come on!” James cries to the others. “Now’s our chance to get him out of there!”
Running toward the fighting, James steers around pockets of fighting as he tries to get close to Miko.
Jorry, Uther and the others form a ring around him, taking out any attacker who gets close. Jiron, with knife in one hand, runs next to James. “Will he leave the battle?” he asks.
“I hope so,” replies James. “If he gets out of the gate, we’ll never get him back!”
“James!” he hears Lord Pytherian shout. He looks back and sees him pointing out of the gate. Turning his attention to the gate, he sees a large group of Parvatis coming across the bridge. If they get in it might turn the tide against the defenders.
“Jiron!” he exclaims. “Stop them!”
“How?” he replies. “I’ve only got one arm!”
“You’re the Shynti, remember?” he explains.
Jiron suddenly understands what he’s talking about. Reaching into his tunic, he pulls out the necklace with the three stones. “Right!” he says. To Jorry and Uther, he says, “You guys come with me, the rest of you stay with James.”
Jiron makes for the gates with Jorry and Uther who deal with any attacker foolish enough to come close.
James hurries over to Miko where two attackers have engaged him. James is startled when he realizes he’s grown another couple inches and has developed muscle mass on his arms and chest. Battling is causing this!
Miko cuts the head off one and comes back with a slice that takes off the swordarm of the other. Before he has time to realize what’s happened to him, Miko strikes out twice more, taking off a leg and putting his sword through the man’s chest.
As the man hits the ground, he hears James and the others coming up behind him. He turns quickly and holds his sword at the ready.
“Miko!” James hollers to him, looking him eye to eye. It might be just his imagination, but it almost looks as if there’s a red flicker within his pupils.
Enemy soldiers attack James’ group while they’re standing there staring at each other but Illan and the rest move to engage them, keeping them back while he deals with Miko.
“Miko!” he cries one more time. Miko’s eyes blink and his sword lowers a fraction. “It’s James! Time to go!”
His sword drops lower as he says in a barely audible whisper, “James?”
Nodding his head, he says more softly, “That’s right, it’s me.”
A confused look comes over his face as he gazes at the dead stacked around him. When his gaze finally comes back to James, a tear begins to well in his eye and a frightened look comes over him.
Dropping the sword, he moves to James who puts his arm around his shoulder and leads him away from the battle. Illan and the others fall back with him until they’re once more behind the lines.
James suddenly remembers Jiron and looks to the gate. He sees him standing there in front of the Parvatis holding the necklace out to them. Jorry and Uther are watching his back as their leader pauses and examines the necklace. James can see him nodding his head.
“Milord!” he hears someone holler from the gatehouse. “It’s fixed!”
“Understood!” Lord Pytherian shouts in reply. “Fight ‘em back boys! Let’s get this gate closed.”
While Jiron and the Parvatis are standing before the gate talking, they’re blocking the way for the enemy soldiers behind them who are trying to get through to continue the attack. As the last of the attackers fall within the city and the defenders begin to close the gates, Jiron says something to Jorry and Uther who move back within the city. Jiron goes with the Parvatis away from the gates, back toward the bridge.
The gates finally shut with a bang and the locks again fall into place. But Jiron is still on the other side!
“Stay here!” he tells Miko. When he gets a nod in reply, he runs over to Lord Pytherian.
“Milord!” he cries out to him.
Turning to see who it is, Lord Pytherian gives him a smile and says, “We did it! With you and your friend there, we got it closed!”
“But Jiron is on the other side!” he cries out.
The smile disappears from his face and a concerned look replaces it. “I know,” he says. “I don’t know how he did it, but stopping them most likely saved us all.”
“We’ve got to get him back,” demands James.
Shaking his head, Lord Pytherian replies, “The only way is to open the gate and we can’t do that while that army is camped out there.” He turns to an aide and says, “We got a man out there with the Parvatis, make sure the archers on the walls don’t hit him.”
“Yes, milord,” the man says before running toward the stairs leading up to the walls.
Turning his attention back to James, he says, “That’s all we can do now.”
From the wall over the gate, a man cries out, “Milord! They’re pulling back!”
“Where?” he hollers up to them.
“Back to where they were before,” the man replies.
“Let me know if anything changes,” he orders.
The man salutes him and goes back to watching the enemy.
James gestures for Fifer to come over. “You saw Jiron with the Parvatis?” he asks.
“Yeah,” Fifer replies.
Pointing to the wall over the gate he says, “See if you can get up there and find out where he’s being taken.” Turning to Lord Pytherian, he says, “With your leave milord?”
When he nods, giving his permission, Fifer runs to the access stairs to the wall.
“We still have a little problem with this Councilman Rillian,” mentions James.
“I realize that,” Lord Pytherian says. “But it’s doubtful anything will be brought against you and your friends
