Wherever I Am

Chapter 29 - Part 1

It was at the earliest, but we were prepared. Hopefully, Orvin wouldn't expect this. The girls and some older men-at-arms were in the center as archers, along with the horses.

Ishen wanted to take 'stick close to me' very literally. I had to explain that immediately to my right wasn't a good place to be when I drew my rapier and that we needed spacing. He went to Nathan's left while Lucian was distantly to my right. Birdie stood behind Nathan, spear in hand. For now, both Nathan and I had our bows out.

We had roughly thirty men-at-arms and four cavaliers, counting Sir Ishen, plus the four of us who should be in college somewhere. Our two mentors were leading the defense on either flank. Ishen wasn't sure how many we were facing, but it turned out to be more than our forty-ish. They attacked both flanks, and we answered with bow fire, dropping several before the main attack came at our front.

I know at least some of my arrows hit before they hit the front line, but there were so many. Still, these all seemed to be what Ishen called the Ilyen, smaller and more primitive. Their spear skills weren't up to the men-at-arms who could mass their attacks against the Ilyen's attacks.

Ellie screamed. A group of hybrids charged the archers. Ellie drew her sword as I released an arrow catching the one nearest her in his shoulder. She slashed across his eyes, and he fell, knocked down by the one behind him. A soldier stepped between her and Sinense, spear now in his hand, catching that second one in the chest with a thrust while Ellie went lower with her blade.

Sinense fell, then the Sobeck sprouted an arrow from Sorina's bow as another soldier protected her. Elspeth held a spear at the ready, but it didn't look like she knew how to use it.

I released again, missing my target but hitting the one behind him in the ribs. Sounds closed in from the front. Too close. My bow dropped as I drew my blades. The sheer mass of them had pushed our vanguard to us.

Ishen screamed as he charged into the fray with a spear, his saber still undrawn. Nathan loosed a last arrow before pulling his own rapier.

A large hybrid came from my right, Lucian stepping between him and me. Orvin? He matched Ishen's description of a dark red beaded vest and pants.

A powerful thrust at Lucian forced my valet back a step and then a second. A rock rolled under my cavalier's foot. He stumbled...fell. I stepped up.

He smiled as he stabbed. I caught it close to my hilt. The power behind the blow kept me back, unable to step past it, though Lucian scrambled to his feet. At least that worked.

Even with us double-teaming him, we couldn't get through. He almost latched my basket hilt like the other one did back in that first battle. I wore my glove armor now, but I still couldn't afford that.

He sliced Lucian's left shoulder, then back to me...just fleshy, but any wound was bad. I hoped Nathan and Ishen had my back. I couldn't focus on anything else. Another thrust at me...a feint, then the spear tip into my basket hilt. I let it go and spun, back exposed briefly, but I got away with it. My dagger sunk into his left shoulder as my long blade clattered. Not where I wanted, but he was quick, and it was a hit.

Lucian's blade swung high, cutting deep above Orvin's cheek. My body blocked any attacks on Lucian. I needed to keep it that way.

I grabbed out for Orvin's right hand but had the spear instead.

Good enough.

I stabbed but missed, Lucian's sword hitting me, then Orvin, and the spear was mine.

Orvin ran, only his back to us, blood streaming down his left side. Too far away to hit and too many of the others for us to chase. I snatched up my long blade, slashing up into the groin of what had to be a young male Ilyen. A dagger into his eye meant he'd never grow any older.

It shortly became a slaughter of these Ilyen. It was like fresh conscripts fighting seasoned gladiators. The men could handle this.

I turned to the girls to see Ellie fall, a spear thrust to her head. Sinense swung wildly with her saber, Sorina thrusting with a spear she got somewhere. The soldier next to Ellie stabbed her assailant in the chest, and another caught him in the arm.

I charged, knocking the first down, stabbing the second in the throat.

A face punch with my hilt, then a face slash to the one behind him. Nathan was beside me, then he wasn't. Did he trip?

I jumped back, an axe catching only my vest. Sinense launched herself at that one, her blade puncturing his thigh. I thrust into his chest, then stabbed the slashed face in his wrist. Another fought Sinense until I shoved my blade through his open mouth.

Blam, blam. Blam, blam, blam. Blam. Blam. Blam.

Gunfire?

Who had the pistol?

Cornelia's direction and more shots echoed, then after a pause, several more.

Ellie tried to get up, fell back.

No Sobecks right here...Lucian, Ishen, and a few men guarded our backs. I knelt by Ellie, her hood off, looking up at me. The side of her head was bloody, whatever faded blue hair there hidden by the dark red. Blood stained the rock.

"Snagged my hood," she gasped. "I'm dizzy. I can't even sit."

"Just lie there," I said. "I've got you."

Nathan lay on his back, blades up, gasping worse than Ellie. He seemed unfocused, jumping at every movement.

Another gunshot. Nathan looked that way, and Sorina kneeled next to him. There was blood in her hair, down her neck, soaking into her dress. She seemed...normal. He relaxed as he realized she was there.

Sinense checked the soldier next to her but looked up. "How is she?"

"I'll be okay," Ellie said. "It hurts right now...a lot."

I pulled out gauze and pressed it against her head. She winced and squeezed her eyes shut.

"Sorry."

"Bad hair day," she muttered without opening up her eyes.

"Oh yeah," I replied

"If you make me laugh, I'll barf all over you."

"Then don't say anything. Just lie quiet."

She went to nod, then flinched and held still. I kept pressure there, then looked over at Nathan.

"Axe guy...he got me," he said. "In the back...other side this time. Again...never saw it. You took him down. You okay?"

"Bruises," I said, shrugging. I could feel them, especially my hand, but the invisible glove kept it from removing a finger or two, so I couldn't complain.

Reginar limped to us from the left, along with some of the men from there, while Cornelia walked over with a couple of soldiers from the north side.

"Sorry for the anachronistic weaponry," she said, "but we were being overrun, and I'd rather be a live rulebreaker."

"If I'd had that option," Ellie said quietly, "I'd be able to sit up."

I rubbed her side gently until she flinched.

"Something hit me there, too, but nothing broken. I'll live."