Stoneweaver

Stoneweaver - Chapter 30

The island seemed more forbidding as the city approached it, the still hidden land off to the right making many uneasy, Danath among them. But so many of the men looked to him and the other Stoneweavers that he couldn't let it show.

Greck had dispatched a couple of ships with men apparently loaded on, to give the impression of invading the dock, and they waited until the city was a couple of minutes away from where they wanted it to be before launching. The signal came far too quickly for Danath's liking, but, since it was his plan, he couldn't really object.

Looking at Farnal and Roak, he found not entirely prepared. Roak had had trouble adjusting to the flying, so they may have to keep an eye on him in the air. With an exchange of nods, they turned towards the island, and Danath led them into the air.

He hadn't fully gotten used to the feeling of flying himself, and often suffered a falling sensation, which he had to push through. Glancing back he saw Farnal adapting quite well, or at least managing to maintain an even flight. Roak, on the other hand, swayed from side to side, and the look of panic on his face could be due to the number of glances he shot beneath him. Danath had avoided looking down.

Slowing to pull next to Roak, he drew the larger man's gaze. "You gonna be okay?"

He gave a firm shake of the head, that didn't seem matched by his eyes.

"Take the left tower, then get to the ground. Make yourself a target there, and I'll try and deal with any trouble in the air."

They separated, and his focus fixed on the right hand tower, the one nearest the docks. The guard there had spotted him, and fired a wooden shaft at him as he neared, which he barely avoided. How had he managed to send it so far? He began loading another, so Danath pushed his speed, closing before he could, and barging the man across the top of the tower, although he didn't go over the edge.

Danath didn't land well from the impact, which sent him rolling against the battlements, and he had to scramble to his feet before the guard. He just managed, but the guard had his sword out first, and it was a sword, unlike the foot long blade Danath used for duelling.

The man seemed to have injured his right shoulder, and the left hand which wielded the sword appeared unused to it.

Knocking the first slash wide with his air encrusted arm, Danath had his blade out, but his first thrust missed as he found himself still regaining his equilibrium. He stood still, as though dizzy, and the guard tried a direct thrust. Danath easily stepped aside, letting the blow glance off the air, his own blade slipping easily under the guard's armour.

Letting the body drop, he scanned his surroundings.

Roak appeared to have dealt with the guard in his tower, and seemed to be preparing to fly to the ground. To the other side, he could see guards retreating from the docks towards the buildings off to the right. And above them a few figure flew towards him.

He suppressed a curse. Having to face enemies more familiar with flying had been a distinct possibility, but one he'd hoped to avoid. At least in numbers. He could fly to the ground and wait, but it seemed likely one would fly past to stop Farnal.

Glancing back he saw Farnal had made a start on the bridge, having taken it out around ten feet, with a couple of animated blocks moving out of the groove he'd begun within the wall. He'd need at least another five minutes to finish though, free from interference.

Steeling himself against the coming fight, he pulled out an armonite and placed it on the guard's metal armour. "Aunthor." The metal moved with his thoughts. There wouldn't be enough of it to offer him decent protection, but it might offer him more than his small blade. He separated the metal, which made controlling it more difficult, making a shield and a longer sword, not as long as the one the guard had, but a bit longer than he was used to.