Night Calls the Raven (Book 2 of The Master of the Tane) (59 page)

Jace flashed a warning look while Ranse’s countenance fell slightly. “I’m afraid I am here by my own accord. As you might well know, my father has not been…well, let’s just say that his concerns have been turned elsewhere for the moment. I am here because I recognize its import where others may have failed to see it so clearly.”

Thane just nodded, understanding the subtle nuances and hints that Ranse was giving without right out claiming that his father was a fool and a coward. He suddenly felt a growing measure of respect for the prince for coming to risk his own life for the safety of his people.

“As you might well understand,” the prince continued, “it would not be in the best interest of anyone to know that I am here, though. As the youngest of my father’s line, I hold little authority more than the respect demanded to the royal family. And it would be best if the soldiers were none the wiser since their duties would then shift from protecting the wall and our people to protecting me.” He suddenly got a twinkle in his eye. “As for my own protection, I have developed some skill with the sword and Jace keeps a sharp eye, albeit at times too sharp, on my royal skull. So please, if I might beg some discretion on your part?”

“Of course,” Dor said, while Thane bowed his head slightly. “A royal can fight and die just as well or as badly as the common folk.”

Ranse smiled warmly. “Well spoken, Master Dor. Now, if you will excuse the captain and me, we need to discuss the defenses while I’m sure the both of you could use some well earned rest.”

*     *     *

Thane and Dor did what they could to help remove the dead. The enemy bodies were cast over the wall to feed the fires still burning there while the soldiers were carried out to the plains where a military funeral pyre had been erected. Generally, their bodies would have been carried back to Haykon where they would have been returned to their families for burial, but in such a time of war it was customary for the HuMans to burn the dead together.

Exhausted from the fight and the clean-up, Thane and Dor dropped to the floor at the far side of the barracks and quickly went to sleep. The care and security of the wall was now in the hands of the reinforcements allowing the remainder of the soldiers to rest and prepare for their return to the main army at Haykon. All were feeling more confident now that support would continue to come in at twelve hour intervals. The most dangerous time had passed, and though it cost them most of their men, a feeling of hope and confidence prevailed amongst the soldiers that they might indefinitely hold the wall after all.

Waking around noon, Thane’s first order of business was to make a report back at Haykon, which he did in quick fashion. Jack wanted to know the battle’s every detail, obviously perturbed by not having been there, but he cut him off not wanting to take the time to rehash all that had occurred. For the moment, all that was important was that the wall held and that the reinforcements continue to flow west. Returning to his body, he thought of Jne and was about to return to the plains to search her out but Dor was there with a warm bowl of stew that fulfilled a more immediate need. So, he rested his back against the barrack’s wall instead and devoured his meal.

After eating, they went to the stables to check on the horses. The wall had remained quiet as the fires still burned, cleaning away the filth that blotted its western side. The reinforcements had taken up their positions and their supplies had been restocked in preparation for the next wave that would surely come. Chtey greeted him outside the stable doors with a whinny and
a nuzzle. Though not allowing the handlers to get close to him, he trotted over quickly when he saw his friend approach.

Thane laughed. “It is good to see you as well my friend. I hope you are well fed and rested. The fight at the wall goes well but no one knows when we may need your speed at a moment.” Chtey bounced his head up and down in reply soliciting another laugh from Thane.

Turning back to Dor, he froze, the words he was to speak caught in his throat and the smile quickly fading from his lips. Dor stood not ten feet away staring agape at the mountain pass, his face an ashen mask. “Dor, what…” but his breath caught as he was suddenly engulfed with gripping fear. Shouts of terror echoed out from the wall as a wave of panic seemed to crash down on the defender’s camp.

“The dragon!”

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

Dor and Thane rushed through the first gate just as a giant shadow passed over them. Looking up while cowering back they just caught sight of the underbelly of a massive lizard like creature darting past them in the air. Thane recognized the gray colored scales as the same dragon that had chased him through the valley near Raven’s Eye Peak. A loud screech turned their blood to ice as they battled to regain control of their limbs against the sheer terror that emanated from the creature. Thane had dreaded this day, knowing against hope that Zadok would unleash this weapon should his other minions fail. There was no defense against such a powerful monster as was the dragon.

Grabbing Dor’s arm he dragged him along, rushing through the second gate as the leviathan banked and came in for another pass. “Get your men down!” Thane shouted as they broke through. “Get them down!” The men on the wall, cowered by the dragon fear, stood as if frozen in place. Thane searched for Ranse or Dainz along the wall but could not spot either.

The dragon dove, overtaking the first and then second gate. Thane and Dor dropped to the ground as it glided past then let out an awful sound as it opened its mouth and released a missile blast of air into the wall. It struck with such tremendous force that a large section of parapet exploded taking down at least twenty-five of the soldiers closest to the blast. Rock shards flew everywhere as a large chunk of the top wall fell away.

The men were thrown into a sudden frenzy of activity as they left their posts, anxious to reach the stairs and quit the wall. Over the chaos, Thane could hear the enemy’s drums starting up again.

“What is it?”

Thane turned to see Ranse, Dainz and Jace standing by the catapult as if they’d just been conversing there. “We have to get the men out!” he yelled over the screams of the soldiers still on the wall. “It’s the dragon I spoke of. There is no way to battle against it. The wall is compromised. We need to get the men away!”

Another loud screech made them all drop as the dragon returned firing another ball of solid air into the wall in almost the same place as before. A fissure opened up in the rock with the second pass, sending a large piece of the wall hurling through the air toward Thane and the others, scattering them as it smashed into the iron gate flinging it open with enough force to crush it against the mountain wall.

Captain Dainz needed no more convincing. Yelling to his men he ordered a retreat as the dragon came in again. But this time it did not blow its air of destruction against the wall. Slowing its flight, it dropped onto the wall, filling most of it with its bulk and crushing those caught beneath it. Valiantly, the men that remained shot their arrows in vain as they bounced without effect from the hard scales covering the dragon’s body. Rearing back, Thane and the others watched in horror as it took in a great breath preparing to release its deadly air at the men. With a deafening shriek, it discharged its powerful gust hitting the soldiers directly with such force that their bodies disintegrated as the air took out a large chunk of the mountainside beyond.

Dainz stared in horror at the complete decimation of his troops in only a matter of moments. Grabbing his arm, Ranse pulled him away, calling to the remaining few soldiers who had been fortunate enough to pull catapult duty. “Away!” he yelled. “To the horses!” The small group needed no more encouragement as they turned and rushed past the ruined gate racing for the other and the passes mouth. Filing through the last barrier, Thane and Dor turned, as the others continued on for the stables, and pushed the gate closed releasing its locking mechanism to give them some time to get away before the dark horde poured out of the pass.

Dor turned for the stables, but Thane stopped, moving instead toward the barracks. “You get your horse,” he called to Dor, “I’m going to make sure no one is left behind.” Dor just nodded as he raced to catch the others who were already quickly saddling their horses.

Thane surged through the barracks door calling out to any inside. He breathed a sigh of relief to find it empty. The wounded had gotten away earlier, though he wondered what their fate would be should the dragon move out onto the plains and give them chase. None of them would survive such an attack, he knew.

Turning for the door he stopped. A large shadow passed along the ground just outside. If he ran for it now, he was certain to be seen. He paused, watching through the partially opened door, hoping to see the shadow pass again headed toward the mountain. He waited. Nothing happened. Then he heard it. The dragon screeched issuing forth another blast of air. Thane dove out the door just as the barracks exploded sending shattered pieces of wood flying in all directions. Not waiting to be impaled by falling debris, he shot to his feet and darted toward the stables as the dragon banked left away from the mountain and circled lazily around preparing to attack again.

Thane caught sight of the others as they erupted from the stable doors whipping their horses, urging them to greater speed in their haste to escape certain death. He didn’t need to search for Chtey; his horse was already racing toward him seeming to understand the peril of the moment. Thane jumped on his back as he galloped by and then shot out with incredible speed toward the others. He cringed at the sound of the dragon behind them as it annihilated the stables destroying the structure and slaughtering the remaining horses inside. Looking over his shoulder, he watched in horror as it banked to the right and then straighten heading right for them. They were out in the open with nowhere to go. He yelled a warning as the dragon passed over but watched impotently as it suddenly dropped from the sky ripping two men right from their mounts and carrying them off in its wicked talons. The men screamed and struggled but to no avail, as they were bourne heavenward. Reaching great heights, the dragon paused for a brief moment, hovering almost completely still before releasing its grip on the men. Still screaming in terror, they fell. The dragon then tucked its wings and shot down as if racing them to reach the ground. In mere seconds it caught up to one of the men and, opening its gaping mouth, pulled him out of the air with its sharp teeth and devoured him as the other smashed into the ground.

The tiny group raced onward, no hope left for survival, but pressing on anyway as the dragon fear gripped at their hearts threatening to squeeze the life from thm. Again, the dragon banked for another pass and all wondered if they would be the next to be taken. Thane’s heart beat wildly. He couldn’t let this continue. He had the power to stop it, but he was still hesitant. There had to be another way.
All you have to do is ask
. Gelfin’s ever present words echoed through his mind. But what could he ask for against such a creature? What did he have that would stop such a foe without killing him in the process? He didn’t have time to ponder the issue as the dragon began its descent coming around behind them, readying for another pass. He had to do something. He had to act now.

A sudden thought lighted his mind. He didn’t have to kill it, just stop it. Calling for the wind he twisted it into a swirling vortex high above his head giving it as much force as he could with no time left to do it. The dragon dropped from the sky mere feet from Chtey’s flanks and stretched out its neck as if it meant to rip him from his horse. With a scream and a prayer Thane released the whirlwind, almost falling from Chtey’s back as he did so.

He watched as the dragon collided with the winds, its forward progress suddenly stopped, as it was turned over and up suddenly twisting around and then tumbling back. He heard its scream of anger and felt the tremor on the ground as it crashed into the plains sending up a shower of mud and grass. Seeing it flailing about, for a brief moment he wondered if he hadn’t injured it but was disappointed when it finally righted itself and issued forth a defiant scream. Flapping its massive wings, it pressed slowly away from the ground. Thane started calling for more wind but quickly released it as he saw the dragon turning away to fly back toward the retreating Mogolth Mountains.