“Dear Lord,” Melcorka said as the fresh host circled the battle-lines to pounce on the Albans' right flank.
“Not your Lord,” Erik says. “Odin rules here, and Loki.” He stepped forward, with his shield held high, so only his eyes were visible above it, and Legbiter firm in his right hand.
Facing Erik, Melcorka felt a familiar ache in her legs, where Legbiter had scarred her. She crouched lower, instinctively keeping her distance, watching Legbiter in case Erik should sweep towards her thighs. The grey servant stepped back, watching, with no apparent emotion in his face.
“Scared, Melcorka?” Erik jeered. “Have I taught you to feel fear?”
Rather than reply, Melcorka feinted to Erik's left, saw him shift his shield in that direction and changed her attack to his right. He countered swiftly, but Defender took a slice of wood off his shield.
Good. The power of evil in Legbiter does not extend to his shield. Melcorka withdrew, ready for the inevitable counter-attack. That came swiftly as Erik tapped Legbiter on the rim of his shield and swung low, at Melcorka's legs. She parried with a twist of her wrists, felt the shock of contact and tried to disarm Erik with a sudden outwards swing. He held her blow, so for a moment, they were sword to sword, staring into each other's eyes.
Melcorka sensed the dark shadow, as the Cu-saeng glared at her from within Erik, but she also saw the man. Erik was still there, inside the shell of a body the evil had infested. She felt the corruption of the Cu-saeng thrumming in Legbiter, attacking the goodness in Defender. The hilt began to heat up and Melcorka withdrew suddenly, breaking contact.
Erik barked a laugh. “You're losing again, Swordswoman. I'm defeating you once more. Soon you will be lying on the ground, bleeding, broken, dying.”
Melcorka ducked, sliced at Erik's ankles, altered the angle of her attack and took another bite from his shield. The twin ravens seemed to glare their hate at her.
“Can you fight without a shield, Erik?”
From the corner of her eye, Melcorka saw the grey man dip a hand into his bag. Expecting Erik's attack, she parried desperately, feeling the renewed force behind him, knowing that the grey man was fuelling him, somehow. Erik was faster now, his attacks so rapid she could barely see them, let alone counter. Feinting left and right, Melcorka tried to push forward, only for Legbiter to be in her path, the blade dull black, meeting Defender with ease.
“Erik.” Melcorka said. “The evil is within you. You do not wish to be part of this thing.”
“I have Loki's sword,” Erik said, “and soon I shall have Defender as well.”
“That will not happen,” Melcorka gasped as the tip of Legbiter scraped down her arm, opening a small cut. The wound did not trouble her, but the knowledge of the evil now pumping through her veins did. She knew she would grow progressively weaker so she had to defeat Erik quickly.
“You will never get Defender.”
“Why do you think I brought you here?” Although the words came from Erik's mouth, Melcorka knew they were not his. She felt the evil surrounding her as the Cu-saeng spoke through Erik. “I need the power in your sword, Melcorka nic Bearnas. It is the only thing hindering me.”
“You shall not have it,” Melcorka said.
“You cannot stop me now.” The Cu-saeng was in complete control of Erik now, with the evil a black force behind his eyes. “I have taken away your man. I have drawn you to a place where I am nearest the surface of this world.” As the voice sounded, the sand slid over Melcorka's sandals, hindering her movement, slowing her down as Erik attacked.
The voice continued. “My woman has taken away your supporter. My forces are holding yours at bay, and my power is neutralising the good in your sword. Soon I will overcome you, Swordswoman.”
“No!” So Astrid was Erik's tool to take Bradan away. Melcorka felt the darkness spreading from the cut in her arm and dragging at her feet. She knew she was weakening. Gathering her strength, she attacked again, hacking at Erik's shield until he only held fragments of wood around the spiked metal boss.
“I don't need a shield.” Erik dropped what remained and threw himself forward.
Melcorka saw the grey man dip inside his bag once more, and then Legbiter scored the outside of her left thigh, opening up her old wound and injecting fresh poison into her blood.
As she staggered, Melcorka heard the sound of a Norse horn, coming from the west. Holding Defender in front of her, she withdrew a pace to hold off Erik's next attack. The horn sounded again, joined by others, three, four, maybe five.
A glance behind her showed Melcorka that the Alban army was in difficulty. Erik's two Norse forces had closed in, with the Albans in between, while the Cu-saeng's army was now hammering at the Alban rear. Cat warriors slashed at the unprotected backs of the Alban warriors while the grey men were incapacitating any who faced them and the cannibals gnawed the wounded. The battle was going against Mael Coluim, Melcorka knew she was losing her fight with Erik, and now this new Norse force had arrived.
The horns blared again, backed by the barked shouts of the warriors. “Odin! Odin!” Above the men hung the raven banner of Orkney, the old enemy of Alba. As he had threatened, Jarl Thorfinn had come to attack Mael Coluim when he was most vulnerable.
The grey woman appeared beside the grey man, smiling, tossing back her blonde hair that was so like Astrid's that Melcorka knew they were the same person. Astrid had stolen Bradan away, and Melcorka's world was collapsing around
