Seeing an opportunity, a blow flashed in from the left. The Unknown, in no position to block it, waved his dagger in the way but saw the attack pushed aside by Aeb. The huge Protector thundered his axe through neck-high, catching the man just above the shoulder blade and carving all the way through to his spine. He was thrown into the enemy line. Not pausing, Aeb dragged The Unknown back, the line reformed.
Hirad, chopping down on a half-hearted blow, breathed a sigh of relief, dragged his opponent to him with his free hand, headbutted him on the top of his nose, thrust the stunned man away and ripped his blade through his groin. The Dordovan fell screaming.
Squaring up, Hirad sought his next target and then the doors from the orchard exploded behind him.
Darrick saw the mages flying above the orchard, moving fast and away out of sight. Turning back to his defence, he could hear Dordovans advancing through the rubble behind the doors to the first wing.
To his right, a spell exploded against the second wing's doors, shattering them, the Protectors who had been standing aside, now turned into the action, blades chopping down and the sounds of dying men echoing into the corridor.
There was a thud in front of him and urgent voices sounding behind the doors.
'Clear,' he warned. The trio of Protectors flattened themselves against the walls. 'Let's get in there fast and we might get the mages.'
Slight nods indicated they both heard and agreed.
Without further warning, the doors rattled and burst in on their hinges, slapping back against the walls. Darrick turned his head away as dust and splinters sprayed out and the ForceCone spent itself against the orchard wall.
'Now!' he yelled, leading the charge into the corridor, the Protectors carrying swords only in the close quarters of the passage, flanking him.
Darrick laughed at the surprise on the faces of the mages and warriors he faced. He crashed his blade through the stomach of the mage immediately in front of him before he had a chance to move, Protectors on either side, the third just behind.
With awesome speed, they moved ahead, cutting and slashing into the Dordovans, chopping down mage and warrior alike, blood smearing the walls and the cries of the dying filling the corridor. Darrick came forward again but the enemy broke and ran, Protectors making to chase them.
'Stop!' ordered Darrick. 'Fall back.'
They ran back to the relative safety of the main corridor. Darrick glanced over his shoulder, figures were moving.
'Down!' he yelled.
They hit the ground on either side of die door, and rolled. A heartbeat later, FlameOrbs roared into the corridor splashing over the walls and thundering through the empty window frames, fires licking at exposed wood.
Darrick got to his feet and found the Protectors already standing, watching him.
'Patience,' he said.
That was something the Protectors had in abundance.
Ren scoured the sky, bow relaxed but arrow nocked and ready. Shapes had rushed across, too fast for her or her people to follow. They were looking for trouble no doubt, angling to land inside the
house while their forces occupied both Raven and Protector alike. She could hear the sounds of fighting from the front door and behind her, dull thuds signified attacks from the wings.
A whistle from her left and she looked. The Guild elf pointed up and right. Ren followed the finger. Eight mages, descending fast. The warning went round the orchard. Bows were bent, waiting.
Ren breathed deep and regular, watching her target as it moved, swirling in the air. The sky was lightening but clouds were gathering and the wind was getting up quickly, gusts whipping at the drifts of leaves in the orchard and fanning the flames to the right near the doors to the entrance hall.
Down they came. Wait, wait. Ren tensed the bow string that little bit more. Away. Her arrow sped into the sky, thudding into the neck of the mage who fell soundlessly from the sky. Right behind it, three more arrows sang through the orchard, two more mages fell. That left five still descending.
Ren nocked another arrow and glanced left. More shapes coming. More mages. A dozen.
'Fire at will, fire fast,' she called. 'Left and incoming.'
She let go another arrow which caught a mage on his arm. His wings flickered, steadied then disappeared and he screamed a long 'no' as he plunged to the earth, his body slapping on to the collapsed roof of the west wing.
More arrows flew into the air, two missing their targets that Ren could see but now half a dozen mages were down, wings dispersed and advancing quickly, spells being prepared as they came.
Ren could feel panic spread through the Guild elves. She fired again, taking another mage in the eye.
'Keep firing, keep firing,' she urged.
But the mages weren't looking to attack them. They were moving towards the doors to her right. FlameOrbs sailed out and the doors exploded inwards. More came, and then more, and the orchard was filled with fire.
Chapter 39
'Ward!' yelled Hirad as glass and timber showered their backs.
In front of them, the Dordovans came again. More and more light filled the orchard and screams echoed up into the air.
'Ilkar!' shouted The Unknown, battering his sword into the face of a Dordovan, the enemy swaying back, the blade catching the point of his jaw and splitting the bone. 'Drop the shield, check the rear.'
'No and yes,' said Ilkar.
Hirad evaded a weak attempt and buried his sword in the chest of his enemy. More spells detonated behind him.
'Unknown!' he said, blocking a thrust easily. 'Second perimeter.'
'Not yet. Keep going. We can still hold them here.'
And they could. The Protectors spread fear through the attacking Dordovans, their mages couldn't get any spells away through the press without sacrificing their own men and, with dead and wounded being hauled away, the floor was slick with their blood.
'Talk to me, Ilkar,' said The Unknown, punching out with his dagger hand. Beside him, Aeb took the sword arm clean off a Dordovan but suffered a cut to his right arm as he did.
'The Guild elves are broken, mages in occupation. I have the door.'
'Keep it tight Raven,' urged The Unknown. 'Let's go again!'
Hirad roared and struck out again, ignoring his protesting muscles.
Lyanna was very unhappy. She'd tried to sit at the table and draw shapes and play with her doll but the sounds from all around her were horrible. She'd seen the old ladies lying in their beds and making noises like they were hurt as bangs and crashes made the cups wobble on the table and the floor under her chair rattle.
She knew it was all down to magic. She could sense it but didn't understand how it was all made and when she tried to get inside the minds of the old ladies the rushing of the wind pushed her away and made her head ache. She cried quietly, hoping that one of the strange men would come and see how she was, but they just stood where they were and watched up at the windows or the open doors into the ballroom and the dining room.
The magic noises had stopped now but the old ladies had all become still. They were still breathing but their faces didn't look right. They were wet and very white. Lyanna got off her chair and walked across to them.
'Ephy?' she said, crouching by the frail elf. 'Are you all right, Ephy?'
Ephemere's eyes flickered open and she tried to smile. Her hand came up and Lyanna could see it trembling as it patted her cheek.
'We are so tired, Lyanna,' said Ephemere. 'Is it all right if I sleep for a while?'
'But Mummy said if I was scared I could be with you,' said Lyanna.
'In a little while,' said Ephemere and her hand fell away. She spoke again, her voice fading. 'In a little while.'