Chapter Seven

Sweat and blood glistened on Mufaun’s face as he stared down the stone monster crouched a mere ten feet from him. The bodies of his men lay strewn about the ground around him but not one of the stone giants had been taken down. Mufaun’s mind was racing. The leather girded hilts of the short swords he held in each hand were damp with his perspiration.

Steed and Rolen stood at Mufaun’s back, facing off with their own stone nightmares, both looked equally worn, equally distressed.

“We can’t keep this up much longer, Mufaun. They must have a weakness.”

Mufaun could feel the despair in Steed’s voice. He’d known the man for years, served with him his entire conscripted life. Despair was not something ever heard in Steed’s voice.

“My lord, this is not the day we die.”

Rolen’s voice was confident in the face of their imminent deaths, and Mufaun would have turned to face him if his eyes had not been fastened to his enemy, watching a long, curved steel blade push through the giant’s chest from behind.

The giant let out a teeth-rattling roar, bringing most of the human soldiers to their knees. The blade was yanked from the giant’s body and the great stone beast thundered to the ground, dead.

Mufaun stared at the troll standing over the lifeless body of the giant. Ruk Stonetoes had a pride unlike any dark animal Mufaun had ever known, unfortunately for the troll, Mufaun knew he could make this enemy bleed. And with the fallen giant, it seemed his enemy had now become his ally.

Mufaun flung himself at the troll that had brought the stone giant down only to be turned aside half way to his mark. Intercepted by another troll, one with far less pride than the enemy Mufaun had meant to engage, Mufaun found this beast just as fierce as he expected. The short swords he carried were turned aside by the trolls great curved blade with skill and purpose as Mufaun was forced to face off with this foe. Their steel weapons sang as they whipped through the air and met each other in wicked arcs and thrusts, Mufaun was by far the better swordsman, and within seconds of engaging the beast, it lay at his feet, massive amounts of dark green blood gurgling from the slashing wound opening his throat. Ruk Stonetoes was no longer waiting.

Mufaun quickly scanned the battlefield for his target but was unable to find him. Steed strode to his side, taking a second to catch his breath, as Mufaun took in the scene a little more deeply. For the first time, what was left of his battalion seemed to be succeeding where it had been failing miserably.

“How are we fairing?”

“Better, with the giants fighting alongside our men. But when there are no more trolls…”

The thought was cut short as an arrow raced between them, lodging in the flat face of a troll that had been intent on attacking the two soldiers as they planned their final stand.

Rolen was at the other end of the long bow that had brought the rather obese troll to a timely end. He made his way over to the two men, one his Captain, the other his Commander.

“I have news, sir.” This time he addressed his Captain.

Steed looked at the man before him, waiting. “Well, what is it?”

“A small contingent of the trolls has left the battle and disappeared into the forest. I followed for a short distance before returning to battle, but I was unable to determine the reason for their retreat.”

“It wasn’t a retreat.” Mufaun could tell by the look in the scout’s eyes that he had expected to hear nothing less. “They’re after the villagers.”

“How would they know where the villagers have gone?” Rolen tracked another troll as it raced across the battlefield and dropped the beast with an arrow that must have pierced whatever heart the animal had.

“That I cannot say, but the possibilities fill me with a dread I don’t care to see become a reality. Take four men with you and follow the beasts to their destination. Wait there for us to follow. Sound your horn if your situation turns dire. I will come to you at all costs.”

Rolen stood there for a moment, staring at his commander, then asked, “Which four men do I take with me, sir?”

“You already know which men to take with you. Go quickly. Time is against us.”

And without further, Rolen turned and raced back into the fierce battle. Mufaun turned to Captain Steed, “It wasn’t suppose to be this way.”

“I know. But this moment, right now, this is our moment. Rule it, like you have ruled every moment that brought us to this place.”

Mufaun laid his right hand on Steed’s shoulder. “I will not forget the friendship you have given me.”

“A friendship you have earned.”

“A friendship I cherish.”

“To arms.”

“To war.”

“For country.”

“For love.”

“For God.”

“For God.” Mufaun looked to where the battle had moved, a small garden courtyard a short distance from where they stood. The carnage of the battle littered the ground before them. Through an alley, Mufaun saw Rolen leading his small band of soldiers into the woods, to what end he didn’t know. He had not meant for the blood of his men to be left on the ground in this place. He swore to himself, to his God, their sacrificed lives would not be in vain.