Shadow Lands (20 page)

Fifteen. Graygual eyes rounded. Jaws fell slack. Badly cared-for steel rose.

Sanders’ horse slammed into the front row of the enemy, trampling ten men before the horse started to wade through. Sanders hacked down, using the height to his advantage.

“Strike the mind-workers, not the Graygual,” the Shadow Lord yelled above the clanking of steel, the
thrum
of bows and the screaming of men. “Take down the Inkna!”

S
hanti heard
the roar as she came down the hill. Like a wave of energy blasting her, she recognized the distinct sounds of a large battle in progress. Her adrenaline spiked, kept at bay for the last couple of hours, and now unleashed.

“We need to store these packs,” she said to Cayan, tension rising in her voice.

Cayan started to jog.

“Cayan!”

“I know, I’m looking for a sheltered place along the way,” he said.

Their
Gift,
fueled with anxiety, and answering the call of their combined distress, rose like a beast from the depths. Surges of power spiraled outwards, whipping around her and flowing through her body. Bliss and pleasure, as well as aching joy, pumped out of nowhere, filling her and heightening her mind. Their power spread, pushed to heights neither were expecting, flowing down the hill and reaching toward the battlefield.

“I feel great,” came Cayan’s startled surprise.

The spicy feeling singed up Shanti’s limbs, bringing the comfort and mix of
Gifts
from her and Cayan. A shot of pure courage rose under it, making her feel invincible. Making her want to take on five armies.

“Careful with this feeling, Cayan,” Shanti warned as they jogged. “It’s the effect of what we did a few days ago. Our
Gift
has changed, but we can’t hide within these feelings. We have to stay cautious.”

“I know, Shanti. I know.”

His voice sounded wary, almost fearful. They were dealing with a lot of power, a deceptive power to his relatively untrained mind. But she could help control his power as she worked with hers. Whatever they had done, it had been the best possible outcome for the amount of power they were dealing with.

“There!” Cayan pointed, but didn’t slow as he veered toward a large tree with an extensive root system, some of which was above ground. He knelt by the trunk and carefully slid his pack into a large hole protected by the roots. He peeled back the top, revealing the awakening cubs. One yawned before nosing the other.

Shanti knelt beside him, the call of battle pulling at her. She slid her pack in beside his, also peeling back the cover. Her little cub gave a tiny roar, and made her smile. “I always seem to attract the ornery bastards.”

“Fitting.” With hurried movements, Cayan took out the bit of meaty gruel they’d made with a varmint kill along the way. It wasn’t milk, but it would keep them alive for now.

If they were able to come back to fetch them.

“Okay.” Shanti stood in a rush of adrenaline. Her heart was beating faster, anxious to get down to that battle. Cayan’s men and the boys would be stuck in the thick of it.

Flashbacks flickered through her head. Her own people rushing toward the enemy, hopeless but determined. Blood and screaming filled her ears; her people defending their home.

“We must go,” she nearly yelled, jogging away from the tree and beckoning Cayan on.

Together they took up a fast jog, the roar growing. Filling their ears. Drowning out their thought.

“We stick together,” Cayan shouted above the sound. “We are stronger together.”

“Don’t weaken yourself by trying to protect me, Cayan,” Shanti said.

“Don’t get into a tight spot.”

All there would be was tight spots, but Shanti didn’t say anything. The battle came in sight.

Her mouth dried up. Her steps faltered for one brief moment.

A sea of black spread out before them, immersed in the speckles of green trees. From the north and west descended a variety of colors crashing through the black. Even from this distance, Shanti could see they out-fought their opponent. But they were few, and the Graygual were many.

A few horses charged away from the mayhem, running scared.

On their side there was only black extending out as far as the sea. They’d still left themselves an “out” for a few to make their escape, or to ferret away their prize.

“They mean to capture me,” Shanti said in a distant voice. Rage welled up, overtaking any fear. “And they’ll die trying.”

“See how they are shifting?” Cayan said, pointing to those at the bottom of the hill. As a whole they were pushing forward, knowing the fighting was coming their way and anxious to meet it. Or afraid and wanting to get it over with. It was hard to tell. “They aren’t watching for us. Most of them aren’t, anyway.”

“We’ll get close before we hit them with power. Remember,” Shanti turned to Cayan and leveled him with a serious stare. “In terms of using the power, this is a long jog, not a short sprint. We have to make our power last—have to use our energy sparingly. We can’t go down and kill all at once, and then pass out from fatigue. That loses battles.”

“I’ll follow your lead with the power,” Cayan answered, just as seriously.

She nodded and turned toward the battle. “Let’s unleash Death upon this day.”

S
anders grunted
as a knife swipe dug into his thigh. The horse reared as an enemy slashed its flank. Sanders slid off the rump, jarring when he landed. He shoved the enemy away and plunged his sword through soft flesh. With his shoulder, he battered two men, creating room, before blocking a sword, getting in a quick lunge, and blocking again. He turned his body and slashed with his knife, opening up a gash. When the Graygual flinched, Sanders finished him off with his sword.

A Shadow woman in red ran by, taking on two with the skill and mastery Sanders had only seen in Shanti and Rohnan, and few of the Captain’s men. Unlike the Captain’s men though, their movements were lithe and agile, seamless and efficient. Like a butcher with a razor-sharp knife, the Shadow sliced through the meat of their opponent in a way that made Sanders envious.

Three more Graygual pushed toward the Shadow. They faltered in their step due to whatever mind-power the Shadow employed, but they kept coming.

Sanders rushed to the defense, slashing through one and punching the other before knocking him down and stabbing him. The Shadow took out her man and had time enough for a quick grunt before she moved on.

Sanders did the same.

F
ear overwhelming
him at every step, blood splattered all over his chest, Marc worked his knife and sword both, trying to cut through the black shirts. He was on the periphery, fighting the dirty, stinky enemy and leaving the clean, crisp ones for someone else. Marc wasn’t good at this, so he figured killing those who were equally inadequate was a smart idea.

He gave a squeak as a sword came swinging at his head. He dodged out of reflex and stabbed upward with his knife. Blade went in body. Marc spun, clipped by a body running by.

Xavier barreled into two Graygual, taking one quickly before feinting and stabbing to get the other. Gracas appeared behind him, only using one knife, and more deadly for it. He moved with precision as he dodged a sword, then stepped in with punches and stabs. The Graygual fell while Gracas moved on to the next, face determined, eyes focused and sharp, movements lethal.

Ruisa jogged towards them, blood splattered across her face and her hair. She blocked a sword with a flash of teeth, roared, twisted, and dove her blade into the man’s face. She turned to the next, angry and vengeful, killing like Sanders might.

Rachie was limping and holding a staff. It whirled in his hands, cracking out, breaking limbs and overcoming with a larger reach. He’d found a new weapon he liked, it seemed.

“Get to work!” Xavier shouted as he flipped a man over his shoulder before turning to stab him in the chest.

“Why are you here?” Marc asked as someone came at him with a terrifying expression. Marc’s breath caught as he dodged a strike, battered the sword farther away, and stuck his blade into the man.

He took a breath as the next came.

“Work together. Fight as a team. Stay alive longer.” Xavier said just as S’am always did.

Marc stepped forward into the reach of the next attacker, taking him by surprise. He jabbed and rent with his blade before stepping back out again. They’d been at this for two hours. Marc’s limbs ached but he had no choice other than to keep going. He didn’t know how much longer he could keep it up.

S
anders pushed
through three Graygual to meet the back of Sonson and two other high-leveled Shadow with mind-power. They worked as one, spinning and dipping like dancers, leaving blood and limbs in their wake.

Sanders ran on, cutting through another Graygual to get to that far hill. But there were too many. They were too dense. Not as good, but as Sanders pushed on they got better, harder to kill. Requiring more energy.

Sanders didn’t have much energy left.

He slashed and struck, growling at the weakness in his limbs to keep going. Begging his body not to give out on him.

A low-level blast came from the south and a crack of lightning illuminated the dark grey sky above. A huge boom shook the ground before another blast echoed out, riding the thunder. Sanders’ middle shook and his legs quivered.

He slowed, not sure what was happening. Two Graygual in front of him had stopped, and turned. Sanders stabbed one in the back, saw that the other didn’t turn despite the scream of the first, and stabbed him too. As they fell, he saw that everyone, including the Shadow, had slowed. Everyone was turning.

Another low-level blast shook Sanders to the core. Vibrated his body and made him want to curl up and die.

“They’ve come!” Sonson yelled. “They’ve come!

“
I
don’t feel
S’am,” Marc yelled with his heart in his throat. “I don’t feel S’am!”

“You won’t feel her,” Leilius said, jogging out of nowhere with dripping knives. “You’ll just see people die.”

Another blast rumbled through Marc’s core as an earth-shaking boom rolled overhead. Lightning cracked, striking a tree in the distance before the rain poured down in a torrent.

Water splashed his face and dripped in his eyes, momentarily confusing him. Another blast of thunder rolled through, but Marc couldn’t tell if it was the Captain or God’s hand above them.

Either of them would be just as destructive.

“
D
irect it there
, Cayan!” Shanti yelled, pointing to the thickest cluster of Graygual. “We are too spread out for Burson to shield.”

Cayan hit the line of stunned Graygual like a falling star. Sword moving so fast it blurred, he cut through the enemy as if they were nothing.

Shanti joined him a moment later, whipping her power out around her, reaching into the middle of the crowd and picking out the Inkna. There weren’t many left, and each was already under attack by the Shadow. Shanti slashed and cut those in front of her, working with Cayan in perfect harmony, feeling their
Gift
move and bend like a living thing around them.

Thunder rolled overhead. Lightning cracked. The energy in the air swirled and pulsed, beating into Shanti and Cayan, infusing their bodies like the lights in the trials. Beating more power into them. Sparking a hotter fire.

Shanti
struck
five minds to the east, watchful and intent. They winked out. She didn’t hear the screams.

A blade came at her head. Cayan lunged forward and dispensed the Graygual before pushing into the fray. “We need to connect with the Shadow! We can’t keep this up on our own,” Cayan called, another blast of his subsonic power rolling out before him.

They hurried forward, tearing down the enemy while the blast of power confused them. The Graygual may have trained with Inkna, but they’d never trained with a power like this. No one had.

Another blast of power rolled forward, pushed higher and harder with an answering roar from the skies above. Another flash of lightning cracked. Shanti’s power surged with the electric energy in the air, crackling with life, looking for prey. She found five more, widened to ten, and
tore
into soft brain matter. Then five more. Ten.

“There are too many. We’re sieged!” Cayan rumbled, slashing through men.

This time Shanti sought out the familiar mind of Sonson, finding him not far away. She licked at his conscious with
need,
hoping he understood the appeal for aid.

Swords swung and fell, steel flashing. Rain pelted her face. She nudged Cayan and worked right, towards Sonson. Trying to unite with friendlies. Trying to slog through the endless sea of black.

“
I
feel her
—them,” Portolmous said through gritted teeth, feeling the strain of his exertion.

“She needs help,” Sonson said in a series of grunts, fighting back a Graygual with five stripes across his breast. “We don’t have much more time, brother. The enemy is getting better.”

Sonson was right. The further they worked into the mass of black, the better the class of soldier they met and the more tired Portolmous and his men became. The Battle Lord of these Grayguals was no novice and he had no concern for preserving his forces.

“Work toward her—them,” Portolmous yelled. “Unleash Yari!”

“You got a read on the Captain?” came the gruff commander’s voice as he ran through like a rabid dog. He jumped at a crowd of men, breaking them up with his body before getting to work on ruthlessly hacking and cutting through them. Despite his brutal style, he was exceptional in a way Portolmous had never witnessed. His energy, viciousness, and relentless forward motion confused the enemy. His grimace shot fear into their hearts and he killed in perfect economy.

“Yes, head right,” Portolmous yelled above the din as he felt Sonson send the mental call to their brothers-in-arms.

A huge roar rent the battlefield, then another.

“What the hell was that?” Sanders growled as he dodged to the side in seeming chaos and took down two more Graygual. His men surged in behind him, helping him cut a path to the hopeful-Chosen.

“Help,” Sonson answered, rallying his team, combining forces with Sanders. “Hurry—the hopeful-Chosen is losing traction!”