ANGEL OF JUSTICE (2014 revised)

Chapter Eight -Ambush

Ambush

Nadox, the war leader of the combined clans of Vallen Tundra, dropped his arm, signalling the release of the first volley of arrows. From the safety of the tree line, he watched the First Guard horsemen turn towards the woods without breaking ranks, shouting their war cry of Talen. With perfect timing, wrist guards were clashed together, invoking chain mail shirts that melded into protective armour. Then two thousand shields of blackened silver were raised, creating a wall that deflected the first wave of clan arrows that fell out of the sky.

No more than twenty arrows pierced through the Guards' wall of shields. Those few that did, sent the horses crashing to the ground, their riders trampled beneath the hooves of their comrades' warhorses. Nadox cursed the lack of casualties and ordered a second and third volley of arrows. Still, hardly any further victims were gained and the war leader's expression soured.

"Where are the damned spearmen?" he yelled. "I want them upfront now! Get the bowmen back behind cover. Their arrows are useless against the First Guard armour."

Even as the war leader spoke, his second in command, La'nar, was passing orders. Green-garbed bowmen raced off, blending into the trees, while a mass of spearmen quickly rushed forward, stopping just within the tree line. Three men to a spear knelt on the ground, their spears looming ready with colourful clan banners fluttering from the shafts. Behind the spearmen, endless groups of warriors erupted out of the depths of the woods, banging swords and axes against shields of toughened hide, the booming sound carrying throughout the woods. Once in position, the six thousand warriors from a dozen different clans of the Vallen Tundra waited with bloodthirsty anticipation.

Feeling the ground shake beneath his feet from the thunder of hooves, La'nar licked his lips nervously. "The Cardinians have reacted quicker than anticipated and our arrows did not claim as many lives as we hoped." With a shiver, he recalled the sight of the First Guard armour cloaking their bodies like shadows. The vision caused a new wave of goosebumps to prickle along his dark skin.

"We' have three-fold the men. As long as they die, I don't care how many more it takes!" the war leader sneered.

"Yes, but their armour is magical..."

"It's only armour; inside they still bleed!"

The impact of the charging First Guard when they hit the wall of spears, was devastating. The massive warhorses, with armour plate strapped across their chests, brushed aside the clan warriors like a flash flood, splintering their spears like twigs. Josh, the Captain of the First Guard Eagles, drove his men mercilessly through the force of dark-skinned clansmen. The soft earth of the ancient woods quickly soaked in the blood of young warriors for the first time in a thousand years, since the Keepers War.

A clansman jumped out at Josh's horse from behind a tree screaming a blood-curdling war cry. Josh saw the glint of iron and pull his body to the right but the force of the clansman's heavy axe carried through slamming into his armour. Josh grunted in pain as the blow almost ripped him out of the saddle. Twisting with the blow, Josh leant over the saddle and swept his sword across the clansmen's throat. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw the dark-skinned warrior fall to his knees, hands desperately trying to stop the flow of blood. Ignoring the burning pain in his side, 

Josh weaved his horse through the forest barely avoiding trees and branches. Seeing gaps opening along his forward ranks where guardsmen had fallen to the overwhelming enemy, he screamed out orders to tighten the lines. To his left, another rider went down, the horse's legs slashed, throwing the rider fell heavily to the ground. With his shoulder dislocated from the impact, the warrior groggily stood up and was instantly swamped. With one arm hanging limp at his side, he raised his weapon and waited for the inevitable attack. He blocked the first and the second attack, but the third clansmen slipped through on his injured side, slamming a blade against his jaw. An axe followed. The force of the blow smashed into his ribs, knocking him to the ground.