Golden Sword

Chapter 20

Shimmering baked air rose off of the road surface as it reflected a blazing hot late August sun. Around them in the sweltering forest annual cicadas droned on endlessly, the synchronized mating call of thousands rhythmically swelling and falling over and over again. It was a sound they had all associated with hot, late summer days since childhood. Sweating in silence, she could hear the steady, patient breathing of her fighters as they lay in wait. The fallen trees they had cut this morning blocked both the road and their vision, but the soldiers could hear the steady progress of the Paradisian workmen as they labored to clear the path for the Bishop's army behind them. As the enemy got closer she could feel everyone tensing up, readying their bodies for the next contest. Eric lay on the ground at her side, watching the road north with his hand in hers. It seemed they were never able to touch each other enough after the month long separation they had endured. Anubis was also on the ground near them growling low, nose twitching, smelling the enemy as they got nearer. "They're close now." She whispered to her unit. "Get ready to stand and attack at my order."

Listening intently she could now pick up the warriors screening the slow advance of the workers. They approached the Mercedian's position moving around and over the fallen trees. Flanking them in the trees alongside the road were other soldiers. Her troopers knew what to expect and were prepared. Just before the enemy reached their lines Keika said, "Now." and they all rose as one, arrows strung on bows. Catching their oncoming foes in vulnerable positions, their arrows filled the air. Many of the warriors died immediately, but there were many more of them this time and they were still coming. The distance was close, so they only had time for one more flight of arrows before the enemy was upon them. Swords now in their hands, the Guards and Paladins engaged the onrushing warriors. Her fighters were highly trained and skilled, especially the Paladins and easily handled their charging foes.

Keika observed carefully, fighting by Eric's and Valerie's side at the moment. Ani engaged them as well, but remaining beside her as ordered. She was looking to make sure her opponent was not trying something new or unexpected before she released Ishi. The only thing different the Bishop had done was to heavily beef up his advance guard in numbers. He may be very powerful and scary and all of that, but he had not displayed much imagination during this campaign. Detecting nothing threatening, she went into AP.

Vaulting over the trunk that divided her from her quarry, Ishi landed in the midst of them and began the slaughter. Following her lead, the rest of her unit counterattacked their foes immediately. Within minutes the back of the attack had been broken and the surviving Paradisians turned on their heels and ran. At that same moment they heard an enemy bugle call and knew this meant that they were sending more troops to the front. That is what she waiting to hear. Forcing the enemy army to respond to the road block once again by deploying a unit to the head of their column was exactly why they were here.

As the retreating warriors disappeared into the foliage, Keika called for her soldiers to fall back to the horses, which were behind them around a corner in the road. The road here was clear of blocking trees. Anubis couldn't help with this part of the ambush, so she ordered him back to camp. They mounted and trotted south on the road, looking back until the enemy came around the corner. From their horses, they fired arrows into the advancing enemy, adding to their ever growing causality list. As usual, their opponents were undaunted by the losses and persistently attempted to catch them. Leading them on, her riders continued trotting forward south along the road, shooting behind them at infantry that would never catch them. She had taught all of her troopers how to control their horses with their knees, as she did, when engaged this way. Their horses were superbly trained and knew the drill well. It was an old tactic, used famously against the Romans by an ancient Persian people named the Parthians. It was called the 'Parthian shot' or 'parting shot' by some. She couldn't believe that they continued to try to pursue them despite constantly losing men.