Rune Knight: Book Two of The Empress Saga

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

    They didn't come at him all scattershot like fools. Soldiers of the First Legion were cautious, particularly of arcanists. Paladins and knights were the vanguard, armsmen provided support. While Sergei led the charge, the light cavalry circled around to cut off retreat.

    The men who weren't arcanists moved more swiftly than they should have been able. They were under enchantments. The source for that was likely the hand knight. He must have been the wizard, Paladin Stilas. Ban had never met him before, but his proficiency with mass-enchantment was famous throughout the legion.

    The pair of rune knights were a larger concern to Ban. Their armor sigils would counter Ban's primary advantage, and they could discern his spellcraft and counter. He'd need to be wary of any runes they placed.

    Ban already knew of Devil's swordsmanship first-hand and hadn't had the chance to see how his spellcraft measured up. For the most part, he was an unknown. The greatest threat was Paladin Sergei.

    Witches called upon magic with their voices alone. Even now, Ban could hear Sergei invoking minor spirits with his incantations. His voice was clipped and short, using only single Aeldic words of power. Ban heard the words for "stone", "break", and "rise" amongst the tangle of rapidly spoken spells.

    Sergei's goal became apparent as pillars of rock shook and emerged from the ground. Seven of them ran in a circumference around their battlefield. They were tall, twenty feet, and tipped with jagged points. Ban wondered what their purpose was, but had no time to spare them more than a passing thought.

    Once Kimpo became her true form, there was panic and shouting amongst the soldiers. They cried out in terror as her first blast of dragon fire washed over them. Most of it was repelled by defensive wards, but two armsmen and their mounts were incinerated by the blaze.

    Sergei shouted for some of his men to ready crossbows. He and his knights charged towards her, their lances aiming for her chest.

    Focused on the dragon, Sergei had forgotten Ban.

    His sigils were flared, and etherlight blazed from the lines on his armor like white flames. Ban lowered his shoulder and collided into the side of Sergei's mount. The blow threw the horse from its hooves, and the front rank of Sergei's charge was scattered like bowling pins.

    Ban had to duck and roll away to avoid being trampled by the other horses. He reset on his heels and swung with his full blade. The sword struck hard against the armor of a mounted knight and caved in his chest plate. The man was launched from his saddle.

    Sergei's rune knights were still mounted and rode between the seven stone pillars that had been raised. They stopped at each one in turn and placed sigils upon them. Ban couldn't read them from this distance, but he could see that there was a fifth-tier rune at their center.

    No time to investigate. There was this brief moment of distraction as Sergei's men attempted to regroup for another charge. Ban knelt and scratched his fingertip spikes on the stony ground. He had only seconds, and he managed to invest a single lookout using Drelb as the triggering rune.

    "Karst!" Sergei shouted as he threw himself at Ban. His full blade was raised high for an overhand strike.

    Ban flared his sigils again and caught the blow on the back of his gauntlet. He felt a slight drain on his ether at the impact, his sigils drawing from his stores to keep his armor whole.

    Sergei pushed down with all his might. Enchantments strengthened his body and made him a match for Ban's armor sigils. "—Jaded pinnacle upon the vengeful plains, fangs of the seventh hound cast their light.—"