The sound created by the buzzing lips of the players shot out from the horn and through the diaphragms and channels created by the leather-and-wood structure, amplifying the call and giving it a uniquely organic timbre. The Bedrock blew two rapid blasts followed by an extended note that took the rest of their stored air. The sustained note started out high, but quickly slid down into the lowest pitch possible for the horns, settling into a close and ominous harmony. When the Bedrock ran out of air, they let their horns drop to their sides before bowing to Jularra, and jogged off to join their fellow Bedrock.
Sounds of readiness broke out from the valley below.
“Prepare for quick march!”
“One minute!”
“Ready arms!”
Thirty seconds from the beginning of the attack. Jularra smiled as the distant exclamations shifted to rallying war cries.
The remaining sounds from the valley were drowned out. The Ridgerazers had begun their ritual.
Eighty Ridgerazers—forty on each side of the valley’s northern end—stood shoulder to shoulder, tightly compacted. Each individual stood with their hands touching at the palm, their fingers pointing out towards the center of the valley. As the final command was given to march, a massive oval of energy began forming between the two groups of Ridgerazers.
Jularra peered down into the heart of the valley. The regular infantry, Bedrock, and Spire were on the move.
Quick march for one hundred paces first.
Then jog one hundred paces
Then sprint.
Jularra silently repeated the plan, trusting that her forces were doing the same. It had to be a perfectly coordinated effort. The Ridgerazers could not maintain the portal indefinitely.
The oval of energy between the two groups of Ridgerazers grew. The summoned energy poured like fog, spreading into a thin film that stretched across the valley. To the unpracticed eye, the wall of energy would have appeared impenetrable. But this was no hindrance. It was an energy pass—a summoned mechanism to allow great distances to be condensed exponentially and traveled rapidly. For every energy pass entry point, there was a group of Ridgerazers required to conjure and sustain it. And for every exit, there must also be a corresponding group. Jularra smiled. She wished Vylas was there to see the energy passes come to life, since he had trained them to create them. Jularra wished her mother could see it as well.
Fatigue accumulated quickly upon those who conjured an energy pass, and time was of the essence. Use of energy passes was rarely heard of; the casting would often render the involved Ridgerazers completely exhausted for weeks, and the magic required would usually be better spent on more practical matters like assisting doctors, helping artisans, or caring for the land. But in the name of war, and in the name of the element of surprise, the passes were effective—and powerful—tools.
The energy pass reached its fullest extent and spanned the width of the valley’s western end. Within seconds of the pass being completely in place, a separate, smaller group of Ridgerazers ran through. Mere seconds after they entered the pass, the first rank of Spire and regular army archers sprinted into the portal.
Far north in Torguria, corresponding exit points were conjured by groups of Ridgerazers that had traveled secretly ahead, days before. As the energy pass was completed, Jularra was able to peer through into Torguria, and watch as yet another group of Ridgerazers sprinted out for the edge of the cliff overlooking Brinnock’s outer walls. Before they reached the edge, these additional Ridgerazers called upon their energies in mid-sprint to strike and mold the cliff’s edge into a rapidly-formed set of stairs. Jularra watched the cliff rattle and rumble as it transformed. Blocks of rock cracked and broke, sliding down, across, and over each other. Within one minute of the appearance of the energy pass exit points, the rock face was now an easily navigable staircase down the cliff and over Brinnock’s walls.
Their first task complete, the Ridgerazers passed back through to their respective counties, clearing the way for the energy pass to begin belching out waves of sprinting combatants.
***
From the queen’s valley in Burrek, and from energy passes in each of her lord’s counties, streams of Acorilan’s warriors spilled out onto the plateau to rush down the cliff steps. Hundreds of them tore through the outlying fields with no sign of awareness from the Torgurians.
The Spire led the sprint to the outer reaches of Drelio—just outside Brinnock’s walls—soon joined by Robain’s cavalry. Before they rode past and into the village, the archers stopped and nocked arrows. The nearest commander rushed his order so as not to threaten their advancing cavalry.
“Loose! Loose!”
The last arrow of the volley landed seconds before the cavalry galloped in to engage the unorderly band of militia waiting just inside the village.
As Jularra and Korden approached Drelio, the horns of Brinnock erupted from the walls and across the village. This was the first alarm Jularra’s forces had heard. The Acorilinians peeked between buildings, or over distant village roofs as the main portcullis ratcheted down. The massive oak doors slammed behind it.
“Ready!” a Spire captain shouted.
The swift lines of Spire unsheathed their short swords and bellowed at the top of their lungs as they flowed through the town, immediately funneling down side streets and into smaller alleys and corridors. The cavalry was already separated, but began to drive any resistance towards the Spire. The heavily armored warriors on horseback made quick work of any who were unlucky enough to find themselves fighting on their own.
The Spire filled in the remainder of the village’s paths and chased down any confused or otherwise ineffective militia. Within a few minutes, any sign of resistance in the village had been eliminated. The archers advanced as the moderately-armored ground forces made their way through the fields. Those already in Drelio watched the most heavily armored of the Acorilinian forces emerge from the energy pass. The clear sky set the sun upon their armor and reflected ominous knives
