Lions of Men

Chapter 35

The Nords had caught the Regime by surprise. The events that unfolded the night before had set the army into such disarray that the Fellowship soldiers had turned on one another. By the time they had seen the advance and retrieved their weaponry, the Nords were upon them. The impact was sudden and brutal. Soldiers were trampled underfoot by Nordon chariots, and more struck down by archers.

The tide slowly began to turn in the Regime's favor, however. Working together, Rashnee, Demorayh, Balagharus, Rowen, Rodmere, and Orhak coordinated the reeling army to regain their footing. Within a couple of hours, they had turned their defensive into an offensive attack. The Nords were skilled fighters but were no match for the brutality of the Kabaazites nor the finesse tactics of the Levanites.

"Fight like lions, brothers!" Rashnee bellowed.

"Rage like kings!" Rowen and the Levanites shouted in response.

The Nords attempted to counter by spreading their ranks far apart. They wanted to open up the opposing armies' defenses just as they had done in the Black Era attacks. But this time, the Fellowship didn't fall for their tactics. They answered with counter schemes similar to that of a lion pride when hunting big game such as buffalo or elephants.

When the Nords would try to lead them out in the open, Rashnee commanded Balagharus to sounded the alarm for a retreat. When his men fled back to camp, the Nords gave chase, not realizing they were walking into an ambush. King Demorayh's archers, waiting behind large rocks or thick patches of shrubbery, released hundreds of arrows, killing the cannibals as they advanced. When the Nords retreated, Orhak's Karmarusian spearmen would leap up from the tall grass and kill as many as possible as they escaped.

Rodmere and Rowen would then lead the charge, overtake the fleeing army, not allowing them room to breathe.

When the Nords second attempt to spread the army failed, they retreated to the Lagorah cliffs. Rashnee, drenched in cannibal blood grabbed Rowen by his arm and pulled him close.

"How does vengeance taste my son?" he laughed, spattering Rowen's face with saliva. "Now's your chance! Sound the alarm. We give chase!"

"Eudarius' God is driving you to madness is he not?" Rowen retorted. "We are down to less than half strength, and ye wish to pursue these savages to their homeland?"

Rashnee struck him on his helmet. "Today thou shalt drink the blood of thy adversaries! You shall destroy them all and tread upon their flesh. Now go! We continue as planned!"

"You have no idea what awaits us on the other side of those cliffs. I do!"

"Do as I command!" Rashnee yelled.

Rowen got on his horse and beckoned to his captain.

"Sound the horns and pursue! We'll cut them down in the cliffs!"

***

It wasn't until Rakurih got to within feet of the battle that she realized the lunacy of her plan. Her noble convictions of loyalty towards her brother no longer shielded her from the reality of danger she was about to face.

Still, she couldn't turn away from her course. She had come too far to turn back now. She had convinced herself that she was protecting the future of her family if she could save Rowen.

As Rakurih bore down on the raging army, everything seemed to slow down. Her pulse raced, her teeth were bare, and her muscles tightened to brace for impact. She charged full speed at the front line of the Nordon Cannibals. Images of Tesyonah swirled in her mind.

"God, please protect her," she whispered. "Please protect her."

***

With vengeance for Syrah and Gambian fresh on his mind, Rowen was in hunting mode. The Prince of Levanorah seemed unstoppable, chasing down and killing every Nord that crossed his path. His men spurred him on, chanting his name, and jockeying for position to fight next to him as he carried them to the glory promised by the gods. The entire Fellowship Army seemed to take notice and centered their coordinated attack around him.

"They're trying to lose us in the range!" Rowen shouted as he pursued them into the Lagorah Cliffs. "Do not let them escape your sight!" He grabbed one of his soldier's spears as he passed on horseback and heaved it forty yards. The spear struck a fleeing cannibal right through the throat. The men erupted again and chanted his name anew.

Then suddenly, Rodmere, who had stayed with him every step, and was a few dozen paces ahead of him raised a hand, and he and about fifty Kabaazites turned their horses around and blocked the entrance. Rowen and the others skidded to an abrupt stop and began yelling at Rodmere and his men to move.

"What is this?" Rowen called out.

The Prince of Kabaaz whispered to his fellow Kabaazites, and they moved aside allowing others to pass through. When Rowen and his party of about sixty attempted to go around, Rodmere's men raised their spears and blocked him. Rowen jumped off his horse and ran up to Rodmere.

"What think ye to forestall us?"

"Keeping my promise to thy father!" Rodmere replied. "Ye wend forth recklessly, Prince."

"What have ye to do with me, you dimwit? My father was the one who gave the order to give chase!"

"He didn't say to be careless. Rashnee hasn't come to himself. For all we know, our men could be walking into an ambush."

"I survived wind storms and flying inferno. I think I'll take my chances." Rowen turned to go back to his horse.

"Which wife spurs you on like this Rowen?" Rodmere called out after him.

"Excuse me," Rowen said, turning around.

"Only two things make a man fight with that kind of passion; love and vengeance. Which passion stirs thee? My sister or the ghost of thy first love?"

Rowen clenched his fist and ran upon his brother-in-law. He leaped at the man's throat and pulled him off his horse.

"How dare you?" Rowen hollered, pounding Rodmere in the face.

The Kabaazite brethren piled on and wrestled Rowen to the ground. Then Levanites joined the fray, and a brawl erupted. War horns blasted and Rashnee, along with Orhak, Balagharus, and Demorayh caught up with them, and their men dismounted to separate Rodmere's and Rowen's party. Rashnee, wroth with anger slapped both Rowen and Rodmere. He swore profusely by the gods that he would slay them both if they didn't return to their horses and join the rest of their men.

But something caught Rowen's attention. He looked past his father at a soldier that was slowly advancing upon them. The soldier's garb was nothing that Rowen recognized. He walked past the men and stood, watching the rider on horseback as he slowly approached. No one else seemed to pay attention but continued arguing with one another.

The stranger pulled his horse to a stop about a hundred paces from Rowen and dismounted. His arms were covered in blood. The wind began whipping about fiercely, and the hood of the cloaked man fell from his face. Rowen could barely make out the appearance from that distance, but if his eyes weren't deceiving him, he would have sworn it to be a woman.

Suddenly shouts and gasps of horror rang out from the men. Rowen turned and saw them pointing up at the sky. Gargantuan rolling purple and black clouds had formed out of nowhere and covered the sun. Suddenly, the entire earth went dark. The only source of light, the moon appeared in the sky and turned blood red.