Asena Blessed, page 37
part #2 of Altaica Series
The soul-rending moans of men and horses had dwindled as they were either tended or dispatched—no wounded enemy was left alive. The silence brought no relief, for first the fog and then the darkness stole any hope of sighting the enemy should they attack again. The stillness of the night became a suffocating blanket relieved only by the dull glow of dawn.
We won’t survive another onslaught. Baldev stood, dark circles under his eyes, and rubbed his face. Why hasn’t he sent all his men in? He pecks at us like a vulture.
‘They’re coming again, my lord. This time it’s his full force.’
Across the plain came Ratilal’s army. Cavalry with long spears led the centre, mounted archers to the side. Rows of infantry came behind, many looking as if they’d just left their farms. They carried an assortment of pole-arms: bills and glaives, some bore heavier bardiche. Their faces reflected fear, resignation and grim determination. In the rear, archers on foot moved into positions; sturdy wicker mantlets were being hauled into place to protect them.
Baldev hung his head.
‘My lord, look!’
Fihr glided silently up the slope from the Falcontine on the north side of camp, out of sight of the enemy. Baldev broke into a grin as Fihr swooped past him.
‘Mount up,’ he said as he watched Fihr leave. ‘Those who can shoot but not ride, stay here and shoot from behind the barricade. The rest, come with me.’
Baldev arrayed his cavalry. ‘We wait until they are committed. Then we move out. Karan is here.’
Ratilal’s horses fidgeted, tossing their heads and dancing forward. Their pace steadily increased and their lines became disorderly; they were just over halfway to Baldev’s camp.
‘Now!’ Baldev ordered.
The Bear warriors surged forward, yet remained in formation. Their centre rows carried long spears matching Ratilal’s array, while the flanking riders were archers. All the Bear warriors bore swords, some carried axes or flails.
The two armies drew closer.
Emerging from the darkness of the conifers to the east rode half Karan’s force. Their line galloped through the bare deciduous trees and formed several wedge formations.
Baldev’s forces collided with Ratilal’s. Riders fell from their mounts, spears in their bellies. Others discarded broken spears and drew their swords. Mounted archers circled, firing at the approaching Boar infantry, wheeling and coming back for more.
Karan’s force hit Ratilal’s lines from the flank. The wedges scattered Ratilal’s infantry. The Boar troops rallied, stabbing their spears at men and horses’ bellies, using glaives to slice at horses’ legs, downing both horse and rider. Others jabbed, lunged and swung with their bills, attempting to haul Karan’s fighters from their horses.
From the forest behind Ratilal’s archers poured the other half of Karan’s warriors. They attacked the bowmen at the rear of Ratilal’s lines. The archers panicked; many moved to the other side of their mantlets, trying to shoot Karan’s oncoming forces from cover, only to be targeted by those of Baldev’s horse archers who had seen the opportunity to attack them. Many Boar archers held firm, bravely firing as the Horse warriors galloped toward them. Men and women tumbled from horses, wounded or dead. Riderless horses continued the charge in panic, arrows sticking from them. Karan’s warriors returned fire at the gallop. Boar archers began to drop; those left panicked and ran only to be mown down by horses, javelins, and hewn by swords.
The battlefield descended into a vicious brawl.
Isaura and Alejo fought alongside Gabriela and Asha. Alejo reared, kicked and bit any enemy he could. His sides were nicked and scratched, but Isaura was unmarked. Isaura’s javelins were gone. She swung her kilij, hacking wildly at any who neared. Her eyes blazed blue.
Asha kicked the face of a Boar soldier who tried to haul her bodily from her horse. Blood spurted from his shattered nose. She sliced her kilij at the base of his neck. He collapsed to his knees, clutching his throat as blood seeped between his fingers.
Pravin fought, trying to keep one eye on Isaura. A Boar fighter lunged at him with a bill. Gabriela hurled a throwing axe, embedding it in his attacker’s back. ‘Pay attention, old man!’ she yelled with a grin.
Karan swung his flail down upon a Boar soldier. Mirza reared back as a glaive sliced across his chest. Karan toppled sideways onto the ground on top of his attacker. Mirza screamed in pain. Karan’s captain swung his axe, smashing it into the upper back of the Boar trooper with the glaive, who died where he stood. Karan, hands gauntleted, grappled with the Boar soldier he landed on. He rammed his palm up into his chin, snapping his head back just as he drove his fingers into the soldier’s eyes. The man howled in pain. Karan leapt to his feet, grabbed his flail and caved his head in.
He ran to Mirza and looked at the wound. ‘You’ll live, but get out of here. Now!’ He slapped him on the rump and Mirza galloped through the melee.
‘You need another mount!’ Karan’s captain said as he reined in his agitated horse.
‘One’s coming,’ Karan said.
Isaura and Alejo pounded up to them. ‘Need a rescue?’ She grinned. ‘You can see a lot more from up here.’
At least a third of Ratilal’s troops had broken and were retreating to the river crossing. Isaura unslung her shield from her back and hung it from the front of her saddle.
Karan swung up behind her. ‘We need to find Ratilal and end this.’
* * *
Vikram’s troops halted in front of the pontoon bridges Ratilal that had lain to cross the Upper Divide. There were no Boar soldiers there. Across the swampy ground and river, the battle raged.
He smiled. Perfect. Vikram moved the column forward over the bridges and they formed into ranks on the other side.
The guards on the two towers waved at them in relief. ‘You’re a sight for sore eyes, Captain!’
Vikram smiled back as he sent two teams of warriors to kill them.
He stepped casually over their bodies as he made his way to the top of one of the towers. Ratilal’s troops were in disarray. Most of the archers were fleeing toward the bridges. Karan and Baldev’s forces were turning the tide of the battle.
‘What do you want us to do, Captain?’ Jabr asked. ‘Do we attack?’
‘I want archers stationed in each tower,’ Vikram said as he unfurled a white banner and hung it from the tower lookout. He gave Jabr another one. ‘Hang this from the other tower. Then stay with the archers there. Shoot any of Ratilal’s soldiers who flee this way. We’ll hold Ratilal’s force on this plain. They’ll be trapped between us and the Bear and Horse. We just wait.’
Vikram returned to his ground forces and mounted his horse.
The fighting across the field was fierce. Vikram hung his head, knowing men he’d trained with in the Boar Clan were dying out there, and men and women he’d known as a child were dying with the Horse and Bear. A knot of loss and loneliness took hold in his gut. I’m so damn tired. I don’t think I know where I really belong anymore.
The remnants of the Boar foot archers were retreating to him, along with groups of infantry.
‘Be ready!’ Vikram called as they rushed toward his waiting troops.
Those fleeing looked with relief at Vikram’s warriors.
‘We’re saved!’
Vikram’s archers in the towers fired upon them. They milled around in confusion as their number were picked off.
‘Back! Go back!’
They turned to see the warriors of Horse and Bear closing in on them.
Vikram stood in his stirrups and bellowed at them. ‘Lay down your arms and you will be spared!’
The Bear and Horse warriors stood at their backs, watchful, listening, ready to slay them should they not heed Vikram.
‘Betrayer!’
‘NO! It is you who have been betrayed! Ratilal murdered Shahjahan to come to power and start this war. The Conclave and all of Faros have heard the evidence against him. He has been found guilty and sentenced to death. This war is over.’
Ratilal’s troops looked at one another. They murmured amongst themselves.
As one, Vikram’s force stepped forward with weapons drawn.
‘I never bloody wanted to be here anyway. I want to go home to my wife and little ’uns,’ one man said, walking forward and tossing down his sword.
Slowly the pile of weapons grew as the troops before Vikram surrendered, but the fighting on the rest of the field went on.
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
‘The archers are retreating!’ Ratilal’s captain yelled.
Ratilal spun, spittle flew from his lips. ‘Gods, damn it, Karan—the bastard!’ He glared at the fleeing archers, tracking their path. ‘But look where they’re running to. Vikram has come. We’ll have the day yet. Go rally them there. Go!’ Ratilal cast his gaze around him. ‘Hoist my banner higher!’ Standing in the stirrups he bellowed, ‘To me! Men, to me!’
Fihr cried out harshly, drawing Asha’s attention to Ratilal’s banner. ‘Bastard!’ she screamed. Asha spurred Honey on and the little mare leapt forward.
‘No, Asha!’ Baldev yelled. Distracted, he watched Asha’s galloping form weave through the carnage—straight to Ratilal. Boar infantry felled one of Baldev’s guard, opening a gap through which the enemy rushed to attack Baldev.
Baldev roared in anger as a spear pierced his leg. His assailant screamed as one of Baldev’s guard hewed him in two. Baldev wrenched the spear from his thigh. Blind with rage and fear for Asha, he wheeled his horse around, cleaving a battle-axe into the shoulder and chest of the nearest Boar.
Karan and Isaura were astride Alejo. Karan’s guard had closed around them and his flag bearer waved his banner high. He saw Baldev cutting a swathe through his attackers.
‘Karan,’ Isaura said. ‘Look, Asha’s going to get herself killed. I can’t let …’
He placed his hand on her shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. ‘I know.’ His gaze encompassed the fleeing archers, the white banners unfurling from the towers, and Ratilal’s rallying troops. ‘Stick with her, Isa, she’s not thinking clearly,’ Karan said. ‘If Asha gets killed, there’ll be no peace. Baldev will wipe out every Boar he finds—the hatred will never end. We need to get there before Ratilal regroups.’
Alejo thundered across the battlefield. Karan and Isaura both swung their swords on either side of Alejo at the enemy as they raced after Asha.
Ratilal looked up to see Asha bearing down upon him in distance. ‘Finally!’ he muttered.
Asha’s little mare, Honey, galloped on and Asha fired as she rode. She was dimly aware of her guard struggling to catch her; the sound of battle became a vague cacophony. Focusing solely on Ratilal, in her need for vengeance, she ignored the fact that he stood within a square of his elite troops. She let loose an arrow at Ratilal. It whizzed past his ear and embedded in the back of one of his men.
‘She’s mine,’ Ratilal said. ‘No matter what happens, she’s mine.’
Boar soldiers braced long sinan in the ground and thrust their points forward; a wall of spears loomed before Asha. Out of arrows, she tossed her bow aside and drew a throwing axe. I just need one to drop and then I’m through. Asha never saw the warrior crouched to the side with a glaive. Honey screamed as the glaive sliced through her belly. The mare nose-dived into the dirt, her entrails spilling onto the ground. Asha was jettisoned from the saddle, somersaulted and landed winded on the dirt.
Rough hands hauled Asha to her feet and dragged her before Ratilal. His guards closed ranks behind her, trapping her. Her guard remained outside, desperately fighting Ratilal’s troops.
She lay face down, half conscious and groaning as she struggled to breathe.
Asha, my Kenati, get up. Get up now! You must fight. Hold on!
Rana? Asha shook her head, drew a shuddering breath, and winced at the stabbing pain in her ribs. Dusty boots moved into her field of vision. Boots? The sounds of the battle came roaring back to her. Ratilal! She looked up as Ratilal’s hand belted her across the face. Asha’s vision blurred and she could taste blood from her split lip.
‘Stinking bitch!’
Fihr screamed in indignation and merged with her. Asha’s eyes changed shape as his strength and love filled her. Fihr sent her an image of Ratilal with his eyes pecked out. She scrambled away from Ratilal, got to her feet, and drew her sword and dagger.
Asha’s eyes widened at the speed of Ratilal’s attack as his sword slashed toward her. She parried, wishing she had a shield. Each move set her ribs afire and his blows jarred her arm. His sword swept toward her middle; she pivoted and lashed out, kicking him in the side of his thigh. Ratilal staggered, his shield dropped a little. Asha’s blade swiped down across his mail-covered shoulder.
Ratilal’s face twisted with hate and he roared in anger. He flexed his shoulder, spat on the ground and swung his shield at Asha, knocking her sword away as it slashed toward him again. His sword flashed, cutting the outside of Asha’s upper arm to the bone. Screaming, she dropped her weapon as blood welled along the cut and her flesh parted. Her breathing laboured, Asha struggled to remain upright, yet she still gripped the dagger in her other hand. Her hand trembled and she swayed. Ratilal laughed as he kicked the dagger from Asha’s hand and she passed out.
‘Too easy,’ he said as he raised his sword, ready to plunge it into her.
Fihr screeched. Ratilal looked up as the eagle dived at him. ‘First you die, you damn buzzard.’
* * *
‘Karan,’ Isaura said. ‘They’ve got Asha!’
‘I know. I saw.’ He looked over his shoulder to see his guard, along with many of his other warriors, were with them and that Baldev was free and charging in their direction.
Ratilal’s ranks were rushing to him and his officers were creating order out of chaos. They were regrouping.
‘We’ve got to hit him before he gets too many around him.’
Karan signalled his commanders and the troops behind him fanned out to attack the Boar from multiple sides to cut off the troops rallying to Ratilal. Only Pravin and his personal guard remained with Karan and Isaura.
‘No matter what happens, Isa, if you get a chance to get in there and save her, do it! Do whatever it takes to win!’
Alejo careened through the melee, with Karan and Isaura hacking at any who approached.
‘Keep going!’ Karan said. As they galloped, he gripped her waist, leaned down and snatched a spear from a corpse.
Isaura watched Ratilal’s blade rise in the air, poised to strike. Fihr’s cry pierced her heart. No, gods no! She and Karan were nearly there.
Fihr dived and Ratilal’s blade flashed up. Fihr screeched and fell from the sky, fluttering wildly.
Karan hurled the spear with all his might, embedding it in one of Ratilal’s guards. The guard toppled sideways. Kilij in one hand, Isaura snarled and channelled her will into breaking through the gap in Ratilal’s guard before it closed. Anger and panic for Asha laced her cry. ‘Ratilal!’
Alejo ploughed through the gap. Karan was knocked from Alejo’s back. He lashed out with sword and fists, attacking the Boar soldiers.
Ratilal spun upon hearing Isaura scream his name. She and Alejo bore down on him. Isaura swung her foot and booted him in the face. He staggered sideways, blood pouring from his shattered nose. He should have gone down!
The sight of Asha, unconscious, her arm slashed, with Fihr sitting defiant on top of her, incensed Isaura. A mass of the sea eagle’s flight feathers lay on the ground nearby, rendering him helpless.
Isaura slid from Alejo armed with shield and kilij. Alejo protect them. He sent her a vision of them killing Ratilal or him attacking Ratilal’s guard from behind, creating chaos and aiding Karan and Baldev. No, if they get in here, Asha could be trampled to death. Alejo moved to stand over Asha and Fihr.
‘Am I meant to quail before you, Asena Blessed? Are you here to deliver my judgement?’ Ratilal spat. ‘Once I’m done with you I’ll finish that bitch there.’
Alejo reared, striking out toward him.
Merged with Alejo, Isaura’s field of vision expanded and she saw the fighting almost all the way around her. Ratilal’s guards held their ground and more of his troops flocked to him; sheer carnage surrounded them. Umniga, Asha, Pio, Jaime and Nimo, their faces blended with everyone she’d lost and been powerless to protect—a small girl on a desperate boat voyage who should never have died; Asha’s parents and those left butchered in her village back home. Inside, The Wild rose with her rage and she harnessed it.
The sounds of the battle around her dimmed as Isaura focused on Ratilal. She canted her head, examining him with a sneer. His aura burned black, whereas she stood at the centre of a blue supernova. Ratilal took a half step back as marks on Isaura’s neck, left by her henna tattoos, glowed blue. Isaura laughed as the sword in his hand shook, whether from rage or fear she didn’t care.
‘Well!’ he yelled. Isaura merely smiled, irritating him further.
Furious, Ratilal lunged at her; with every strike his aura pulsed black and its strength travelled through his blows. Isaura thrust out her shield, deflecting his kilij as her blade swiped toward his neck. Ratilal punched up with his shield, barely stopping her, and pivoted sideways. Isaura pushed forward relentlessly, a ripple of Wild powering her every blow. Her blade snaked over her shield, pointing down and aiming at his face. He deflected it seconds too late and a line of red bloomed on his cheek.
Wary, Ratilal circled Isaura. He licked his lips, his eyes narrowed. Isaura pushed forward, slicing her blade vertically at his head, hoping the sheer force of the blow would push past his defence and cave in his head. Ratilal braced himself, staggering under her blow, but his shield blocked her sword and he carved his kilij through the air and lashed at her knee. Isaura launched herself sideways, the fabric of her pants cut, blood trickling down her leg. Let him think he’s winged me. She scrambled to her feet, dragging her leg. Her eyes widened slightly in fear and her kilij trembled in her hand.
Ratilal grinned cockily. He renewed his attacks with savage glee. Isaura deflected blow after blow, each time slower, and his blade drew closer to striking. Her leg began to buckle.
