Chapter 5 Part 13

Morteous cursed. Some bow happy archer had panicked when the targets had changed direction. That had been unexpected. He was afraid that they had not hidden themselves well enough to escape the superior eyesight of the elves.

"Isefk, sound the pursuit." Morteous leaped astride his nightmarish mount even as the major signaled his men to mount up.

"I will slow them up with magic. When you catch up, take no prisoners." He looked hard at the soldier. "I want four deaths out there, and I will get them even if I have to get them from my own ranking officers." The look on the major's face indicated that he well knew what price would be paid if he failed on this mission.

Morteous, satisfied that his intentions were well known, urged his mount up into the air. The creature snorted and growled showing its oversized canines, then it spread its bat-like wings and leaped into the sky.

"We've got company," Keeneye said as he glanced over his shoulder.

"Looks like a spell caster." Samson said as he also saw the airborne rider. "No visible weapons."

"Here," Ultrecht tossed Samson a small gemstone. "This will maintain a shield against their arrows." Ultrecht edged his horse away from the group.

"Where do you think you are going," Samson called as the distance between them grew.
"If there is to be any spell slinging done, I will do it myself," the mage yelled back. "And I want to be as far from you as possible so I don't have to protect you."

"Don't worry about him, Samson," Norwind said. "Those soldiers are giving chase."
Samson reigned his horse in to a stop.

"What are you doing," Keeneye yelled as he rode by.

"I am making a stand here and now." In one smooth move Samson slid off his mount and drew Libra from it's scabbard. The sword sensed blood in the air and an imbalance of numbers. It announced its presence with a low buzzing like that of an awakening beehive.

Norwind wheeled his mount around and pulled up beside Samson. "Are you crazy?"

"We can not out ride them with a magic user flying over us lobbing spells at us, and I will not leave Ultrecht to fight alone. If one stays we all stay. Let's take them."

Keeneye pulled up an the other side of Samson and leapt lightly to the ground.
Norwind unstrapped a two meter long pole from his mount and twirled it--testing its weight.

Keeneye took his great bow and bent it. He looped the braided string and set it into the bow’s notch. The thrummed it to soundly; it was secure. The steel strong string made from the phase spider, a creature from his homeworld, rang a low harmonious note to counter the rising buzz of the enchanted sword.

The cloud of dust that dominated the horizon began to reveal riders. "Here we go," someone said.