Natalia saw Athgar go down, disappearing beneath the hooves of the enemy as the knights surged up the hill, with little left to stop them. She ordered the Orcs forward, and the Stone Crushers rushed ahead, heedless of the danger that awaited them.
Without warning, a horse reared up in front of her, and she dove out of the way. Moments later, a shard of stone shattered against the rider, knocking him from the saddle. Orcs swarmed him, hacking away with their axes.
She felt anger building as she thought of Athgar lying dead on the battlefield. Focusing on the closest group of riders, she began concentrating on drawing out her power despite the pain. Her stomach went cold. A tight knot made breathing difficult, but she held on, gritting her teeth even as the words of power spilled from her lips. Streaks of ice flew from her hands, a massive volley that turned the air cold. They clattered against armour and stabbed into horses, cutting them down as they struggled against the hill.
Still, she kept up the spell, with more and more ice flying through the air, the impact rattling as it struck helmets, shields, and breastplates. Her vision began to blur, and she collapsed, gasping for air, her stomach no longer cold, but burning with a fierce, fiery agony.
Voruhn appeared beside her, working her magic to stem the pain. Natalia thought her stomach was about to explode, so intense was the feeling, and then the magic began to flow from the Orc, seeping into Natalia and giving her strength. She staggered to her feet.
"What happened?" asked Voruhn.
"I don't know. It felt as though my stomach was on fire." She wanted to say more, but at that precise moment, the enemy was gathering for another charge. Natalia sought out the duke, easily identifiable beneath the banner that bore his coat of arms. From her vantage point, it was a tricky shot, but she knew it was now or never. She took a breath, summoning all that remained of her reserves.
The blast of ice that emanated from her hands was not so much a group of shards as it was a giant, single spike. It raced across the distance like a thunderbolt of the Saints, crashing into the duke and punching clean through his breastplate. For a moment, Natalia thought she had missed, but then the man swayed, leaning to the right until he finally toppled to the ground amid the carnage.
Natalia watched, knowing she had pushed herself beyond her limits. She felt moisture pooling in the corner of her eye and wiped it, only to notice it was blood. Feeling light-headed, she staggered back, desperate to remain on her feet.
Kargen rushed for the cover of the trees. The warbows were still doing their damage, driving the enemy archers back, but he knew they would soon return. Even as he gasped for breath, the temple footmen set about clearing the woods. These were heavily armoured warriors; they would not be so easily defeated.
He looked across to where Shaluhk was tending to the wounded, her magic in almost continuous use. "It is time," he said.
She finished her spell, watching as the flesh mended. The Orc warrior rose, testing his leg, then ran back to the front lines.
"Are you sure?" she asked. "The enemy still has not committed their Temple Knights."
Kargen stared off into the distance where the Temple Knights remained formed up behind the duke's forces, more than five hundred strong. He would have liked to wait, but the situation in the centre of the line was deteriorating rapidly. "We have little choice," he said. "It is now or never."
Shaluhk knelt, digging deep into her repertoire of spells. Words began to tumble from her lips as the magic enveloped her. Moments later, she saw the ghostly form of Laruhk before her. "It is time," she said. "You must act now before it is too late."
Laruhk nodded, then looked at someone out of Shaluhk's sight. She broke the spell, returning her gaze to the battle unfolding before her eyes.
Laruhk turned to Rugg. "Are you sure this will work?"
"The magic of the earth is not just about working stone," the shaman replied. "Now come, all is as I have foretold. It is time for us to begin." He urged his mount forward, the great beast responding instantly.
Laruhk held his spear tightly, his legs wrapped around the beast's ribs. The line of mounted Orcs began moving as one, crossing the ground quickly, hooves thundering as they went.
The Orc riders broke from the woods in time to see the Cunar footmen getting ready to advance. The enemy had formed up, presenting a solid wall of steel, but it made little difference to Laruhk's Orcs. He led his band straight into the enemy, the tuskers ripping through armour and tearing flesh as if they were paper.
Laruhk fought to keep his seat. They were riding bareback, holding on by little more than the tuft of hair that ran down the creatures' backs. Stabbing out with his right hand, his spear took a man in the shoulder as his mount roared past, bowling over five more before Laruhk could even draw a breath. He caught a glimpse of Durgash, firing off a bow and wondered how his comrade was able to maintain his balance on such a wild beast.
There were nearly two dozen tuskers, each ridden by an Orc. It had been Rugg's idea to utilize them as cavalry, and Laruhk had quickly agreed. It only took the magic of the master of earth to communicate with them, and the fearsome beasts had readily agreed. Now they tore through the enemy without so much as a blink.
A few brave men tried to make a stand, but the thick hide of the tuskers proved immune to their weapons. They
