patrols.
The problem was that the Knights of Solamnia from Palanthas knew that
Soth and his knights would be attempting to return to Dargaard Keep and would therefore be on the lookout for them. In addition, there might be knights sent northward from Vingaard Keep to search the plains. They considered splitting up in order to divide the forces pursuing them. But inasmuch as they were all outlaws now, splitting up might only mean that there would be a greater chance some of them might be caught attempting to return to Dargaard Keep. And besides that, they were a loyal band. If they succeeded or failed, they would do so together. Dargaard Keep would be the only place where they would be truly safe, so it made the most sense that they all try to get there as quickly as possible.
To that end, they decided to strip themselves of their armor and leave it behind. Giving their mounts lighter loads to carry would allow them to run faster and farther than those of their adversaries. Also, if they were caught by their pursuers there would likely be so many of them that no amount of armor would be enough to protect them from harm.
So, their plan was a simple one. They would hide out in the mountains while they rested and gathered food and supplies for the mad dash across the plains.
In the meantime, they would head north toward the end of the mountain range-a point aptly named Destiny's Hand.
After two nights in the mountains, the knights and their mounts were suitably rested and prepared for the ride back to Dargaard Keep. Early on the third morning, long before the sun came up over the horizon to light their way, Soth and his knights headed east, riding down from the mountains as swiftly as they could. They quickened their pace to a full gallop as they rode out onto the naked plain.
Their horses couldn't continue the pace indefinitely, but they hoped they would be able to put enough distance between themselves and the knights in the High Clerist's Tower to see them safely to Dargaard Keep.
The sun wouldn't be rising for several hours.
Soth hoped it would be enough time.
Bram Springdale, a young Sword knight who less than three months ago had been a squire, was the first to see the plume of dust rising up off the plain.
Springdale had been stationed in the upper battlement of the High
Clerist's Tower since dawn but hadn't spotted anything suspicious. As he continued his precise scan of the horizon-a quarter turn every few minutes-he noticed something out of the corner of his eye: a sort of haze rising up from the ground many, many miles to the northeast, roughly halfway between the High Clerist's Tower and the town of Bright
Hart.
He squinted and concentrated on the leading edge of the dust storm.
Whoever was creating it was in an awful hurry, and heading almost due east away from the mountains.
He tried to count the black dots of the horses and made out five, perhaps six individual dots-Soth and his knights.
Springdale picked up the large steel bell by his side, stepped to the edge of the battlement and swung the bell over his head.
The bell clanged loudly.
Moments later there was much commotion below.
'Soth and his men,' shouted Springdale to the knights gathered at the base of the tower. 'Northeast of here, midway to Bright Hart, riding hard.'
The chase was on.
Within minutes of Springdale's sounding of the alarm, twelve knights left the High Clerist's Tower. A few minutes later another six were away, these riding in a wider arc in the hopes of intersecting with
Soth's men in the middle of the plain.
The first group of knights rode at a full gallop for as long as they could, but dressed in full armor, they soon had to slow their pace in order to let their horses catch their breath. By midafternoon, they still hadn't been able to clearly see the plume of dust on the horizon and were forced to make camp on the banks of one of the many tributaries running into the Vingaard River.
The horses were grateful for the respite.
The knights were not.
'Wake your sleepy heads,' said Soth, giving the feet of his knights a gentle push with the toe of his boot.
It was still the middle of the night and the darkness was total. To the southwest a faint glow could be seen where the lights of Palanthas reflected against the clouds. Due east was Dargaard Keep, but they were too far away to see any sign of it-perhaps in another day or two.
The knights grumbled and moaned, but Soth ignored their complaints. It was far more important that they continue moving. When they reached
Dargaard Keep there would be more than enough time to rest.
After they munched on nuts and berries from their packs, the knights set out on foot with their horses in tow.
It was still too dark to travel any faster and a constant gallop would run the horses into the ground.
When the sun rose they would mount up.
But for now any extra distance they could put between themselves could prove crucial in the end.
'A rider!' came the call from above. 'No, a group of riders, approaching the keep.'
The knights sitting idly in the great hall of Dargaard Keep seemed to come alive at the news.
Darin Valcic was the first one to hurry up the tower to have a look for himself. 'Where?' he asked when he joined the lookout stationed on the uppermost level of the keep.
Arnol Kraas, a squire, pointed east to a bit of haze rising up off the plain. 'There!'
Valcic's eyes weren't as sharp as Kraas's but he could still make out the telltale cloud of dust. 'How many riders do you think there are?'
'Five or six,' said the squire.
Other knights began to arrive, each scanning the horizon.
'It's them,' said Valcic.
'It's who?' asked Kraas.
'Lord Soth and our fellow knights, of course. Prepare a proper reception and a feast for their arrival.' Valcic turned away.
'What's that?' asked one of the knights.
'What?' Valcic asked, turning back around.
'There's another plume of dust further away on the plain,' said the knight, pointing.
Valcic squinted and concentrated on the direction the other knight had pointed. It was difficult to make out because the dust had blended into the sky and had looked like nothing more than a rain cloud. But now that it was pointed out to him, Valcic realized it was another group of riders.
A much larger group.
Soth was being chased.
'Never mind the reception for Lord Soth,' said Valcic.
'Ready the horses, bring out the armor.' A pause. 'And prepare for battle.'
Usually such a call was answered by a loud and enthusiastic cheer.
This time, however, there was only silence.
'We're gaining on them!' cried Garrett Fenton.
It was true. Despite the fact that Soth's knights held the advantages of fewer riders, faster horses and
