"Damn! But he is the Disciple's moral and political enforcer, isn't he? Got anything more? Like what route he's taking?"
"No. You're not thinking of trying to stop him?"
"Damned right I am. It's just what we need. Get our old bones loosened up."
"But... "
"This is what we've been waiting for. Don't you see? It's a chance to do something."
"If you're going to do anything you'd better move fast. This messenger only had a couple of days head start. Hali doesn't piddle around when he decides to go somewhere."
"Get the maps. Let's find the fastest roads to Hammad al Nakir. Reskird, go tell our people to get ready. Rations for two weeks, but otherwise we're travelling light."
Haaken spread the maps. Bragi considered them. "I only see three roads that look worth worrying about. We can get to these two ahead of him, but it'll be a footrace."
"Send Haroun's boys to that farthest one. They're used to long, hard rides."
"They might refuse."
"Take a chance. You're supposed to be in charge."
"Who should lead them? Who do you trust?"
"I'd say Metillah Amin."
"All right. Tell him to move out today. We'll start tomorrow."
"It's going to snow tonight."
"Can't help that. I'm going to have Reskird take care of this eastern road. You and me will take the middle one."
"That's a lot of walking. Let me have the east road."
"Nope." Bragi grinned.
All day, along the way, the locals came out to watch. The Guildsmen bowed their heads and slogged on. None of the watchers spoke. Very few smiled. The occasional snowball flew from a youthful hand.
"Haaken, Reskird, we'd better be nice to these folks."
"Aren't exactly friendly, are they?" Kildragon asked. "Guess you could say they're not on our side."
"Guess you could say."
A light snow began falling as they parted with Kildragon and his three hundred men. By noon next day Bragi and his three hundred were fighting a blizzard.
"Just like home," Haaken growled.
"It's a part of home I don't miss," Bragi replied. "I've never seen it this heavy in these parts."
"Nobody else has either. So naturally we've got to be out in the middle of it. We're crazy. You know that?"
"We should be there pretty soon."
"And then what? Sit and freeze our butts off till we find out that this Hali had an attack of smarts and holed up by a fire somewhere?"
"Nice to see you in a good mood, Haaken."
"Good mood?"
"I can always tell. You talk more. And it's all bitchcraft."
They would have missed their road had it not been for the town and a soldier who knew it. "That's Arno yonder, Captain," he said. "Right where we want to be."
"Here's where we make ourselves unpopular," Bragi said. And they did, by forcing the townspeople to quarter them while they waited. Nearly a thousand people lived in Arno, and none of them welcomed the Guildsmen. It was not a good feeling.
Bragi paid what he could, and made his men meet Guild behavior standards. It did little good.
Four days passed. The townspeople grew increasingly resentful. Like common folk everywhere, they just wanted to be left alone.
"Riders coming," a chilled and winded scout reported the fifth afternoon. "Four or five hundred. Look like Invincibles."
Haaken glared at his brother.
"Another fine mess I've gotten us into, eh?" Bragi asked. "Pass the word. And tell the civilians to get into their cellars."
Arno had no walls. What a place to die, Bragi thought as he hurried toward the church. Its belfry commanded a good view of the countryside.
The afternoon sun blazed off fields of snow. He squinted. The Invincibles were hard to see. They blended with the background. They were walking, leading their animals.
He spied one man clad all in black. Curious. Black was not popular with El Murid's followers.
"How am I going to work this?" he wondered aloud. "They're not going to let us pull another Alperin."
A horseman forged ahead. Bragi galloped downstairs. "Haaken! They're sending a guy to scout. Have a couple men make like townspeople. Tell him everything's wonderful."
Haaken waved acknowledgement from the loft of the town inn. A few minutes later two men stepped into the road.
By then Ragnarson was back in the belfry and wondering if he should avoid a fight. He had a hollow sensation. Something was wrong. This one did not feel like a winner.
The north wind picked up. He shivered. This winter was getting bad. People in these parts did not know how to handle the cold and deep snow. Most of his men did not.
He could not picture them surviving a long retreat. Not harried by an enemy and burdened by wounded. "But Hali won't be used to it either," he reminded himself. "It'll be harder on his men."
The fighting would be savage. Refuge from the weather would be the prize. The loser would be out in the cold literally.
He watched as several Invincibles gathered around the returned scout. The man in black joined them, gesturing emphatically.
The meeting broke up. Invincibles readied weapons and spread out for an advance upon the town.
"So much for that idea," Bragi growled. He plunged back downstairs. "They're coming in ready, Haaken," he shouted. He glanced up and down the road, at windows where his men waited with ready bows. "Damned weather. Maybe he'd have gone around."
Back up the tower he went, puffing and snorting. "This has got to stop," he gasped.
The Invincibles reached the first houses. They were careful. Each carried a bow or crossbow. "Maybe I should get out after dark," Bragi muttered.
It began. And it looked bad from the beginning. The Invincibles were cautious, determined and as systematic as their commander. They cleared the buildings one by one.
Hali did not try to obliterate anyone, just to get hold of warm quarters. He did not surround the town. His men did not prevent Bragi's from fleeing a building they could not hold.
A third of Arno belonged to Hali when Haaken clumped into the belfry. "Looks like we lose this one."
"Don't it?"
"We've got a problem."
"Besides looking at a cold night, what?"
"They're using sorcery."
"I haven't seen any... They wouldn't. They're El Murid's men."
"Yeah? Go remind them. The one in black turns up anywhere we're doing okay."
"Hmm. Well. Get the wounded ready. We'll get out after dark."
Haaken thudded back downstairs. Bragi looked into the road. Several Invincibles were in easy range. He let fly. His arrows stalled their advance.
The man in black appeared. Bragi sped a shaft that missed.
The man turned slowly. His gaze climbed the church tower. His left hand rose, one finger pointing. A bluish nimbus surrounded him.
A monster voice bellowed in the belfry. Flat on the floor, Bragi clapped his hands to his ears. It did no good.
The sound went away.
A quarter inch layer of blue haze masked everything in line of sight of the man in black. Sorcery! Bragi thought, Haaken, I'm convinced!
The haze faded. He examined the wood underneath. It had turned an odd grey color. It flaked when he touched it.
He examined his bow. It looked sound. He peeped outside. The wizard faced the inn, his arm extended again.
"You sonofabitch, you asked for it."
His bow creaked at its moment of greatest tension. His arrow did not fly true. It smashed through the man's elbow.