Sons of Ironstorm - Book 3: New Alliance

Unexpected Reunion

It took a handful of turns to reach the spot where Lawrence had sent the young Lord of Tal Janux into the woods and another for the big prince to size up the trees in front of him, which by their sheer density, blocked their way.

As he pondered how they were going to go through the heavy trunks, Lawrence remembered how easily the ancient sword's blade had sliced through the tjor'riin back at the city, almost as if they had no solidity. The sword's edge was so incredibly sharp, it parted flesh and bone like it was passing through air.

Considering that a tree was quite a bit more solid than either bone or flesh, the sword's edge may not so readily pass through it. There was only one way to find out. He smoothly drew the sword and stepped up to the tree. After eyeing it for a moment, Lawrence took a two handed grip on the weapon. Then, sucking in a deep breath, he braced himself and took a hard cut at the corrugated bark sheathing the trunk. Twanging softly at impact, the blade sliced through the handspan thick trunk without even slowing down. Lawrence's breath left him in a rush as he stared up at the tree, which twisted slowly before falling with a crash of branches and bush.

Burn his bones, the sword actually cut right through the tree! Without even slowing down, to boot. What marvelous workmanship indeed had gone into the making of this sword, to give it such strength and ability. It seemed almost a shame to use it for the mundane purpose of cutting down the tree. Unfortunately need outweighed respect and, striding forward, he cut down the next with a single swing of the mysterious blade.

"Take hold of the harness," he instructed Brealthem, who had paced him through the crowd. Once Cadmon's seneschal had hold of the tunda's harness, he returned to the trees and, methodically, began to hew his way through them, cutting a path wide enough for the wagons to pass through.

Only the big man's determination, strength and frequent use of sa'anish healing runes gave him the strength to clear the trees and toss their trunks aside, a task that would've reduced an ordinary man to exhaustion in moments. Still, he was bordering on exhaustion himself by the time he reached the small clearing Will had found to build their camp, a smokeless fire burning cheerfully in the clearing's center.

"Will," he rumbled, sketching another rune to drive the fatigue back one more time over his chest. His friend immediately leapt up from the fire to begin walking towards him.

"Find a place to park these wagons, will you, old friend? I've got well over a hundred people coming through." Then he was striding away to grimly begin enlarging the clearing.

By the time the clearing was of sufficient size to comfortably fit them all, and the wagons were drawn in and parked, it was nearly a full Watch later. Still, Lawrence made his way through the partially unconscious group of refugees to heal with sa'anish runes those who were injured. Then he and Will took the rations Sauralin and Fjendin had given them and carefully distributed those to any who were still awake.

It was as he was handing the oval flat breads the dark elves favored, to a group of battered-looking children and young adults that a slender hand, dirty and crusted in old blood, suddenly shot out from beneath a tattered blanket to catch him by the wrist.

"I knew you somehow survived, Lawrence," a hoarse voice whispered from the shadows out of which the blanket reached. "I felt it in my heart. And I knew it would be you to save us, my prince. I knew you would save me." A hoarse voice but one that was still very recognizable.

"Nerise??" Lawrence stammered in disbelief. Then he was taking a half step back as he found his arms suddenly filled with trembling young womanhood.

"Oh Lawrence!" a dirty, worn and bruised Nerise sobbed brokenly against his shoulder, feeling horribly frail in his arms. "It was ... it was horrible! The killing, and the robbing ... And my father and mother, my brothers ... I left them ... I left them behind."