Rematch part 2
This is the conclusion of the story Rematch.
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Once they were outside and away from the wizards and knights, Dana whispered, “How does King Brent know who you are?”
“Prince Mastram visited Kaleoth as a child and made quite the impression by talking with King Brent for hours about the ancient sorcerer lords,” Jayden whispered back. It was strange the way he spoke of his life as a prince as if it was another person. “If King Brent’s spies know as much about me as he claims, then they doubtless drew sketches of me. The old man recognized me from those, and bless his heart told no one.”
Maya stopped walking. “You’re leaving.”
Jayden stopped and took her hands. “If I ignore this battle, another one far worse is sure to come before long.”
“I mean after this you’re leaving Kaleoth and not coming back. You’re not taking me with you, are you?”
“It wouldn’t be safe. I’ll leave sufficient funds to cover your needs for a year, and I’ve met a few people in River Twin I can ask to offer further aid. It’s not what you deserve, but it’s what I can give.”
Maya looked at her feet. “It’s okay. It was silly thinking anything was going to happen. Princes don’t marry foundlings.”
“Don’t you dare talk about yourself like that.” Jayden’s voice was firm, and Maya looked up at the commanding tone. “You lost your home because of me, and paintings you created that deserved to hang in the halls of noblemen and kings. Even after I’d done you harm you risked your life to save mine. I owe you a heavy debt, and I pay what I owe. Maya, ask of me what you will, one request equal to a man’s life, and if it is within my power to grant it to you then you shall have it.”
Dana slapped a hand over her face. The man just didn’t know how to act around girls, especially impressionable ones.
Maya hesitated. “You mean it?”
“I keep my promises.”
Maya paused again, gazing into his eyes, then frowned. “You know what I’d ask for, but you wouldn’t be happy here.” She waved her hand across the river. “After destroying these bridges you’d want to be over there, because people need you. You’d keep your word, but you’d be miserable for the rest of your life because that’s your homeland and those are your people, and you feel responsible for them.”
Jayden said nothing in reply. He stood in front of her, his eyes locked on hers, waiting for her to make her wish as if he were a genie.
“You want me to charge you for saving your life, but you don’t charge for saving other’s lives. Dana told me how you helped so many people, sometimes getting rewarded, sometimes not. I want this to be a no reward situation. I, I can’t live the kind of life you do. I’d come with you if I could, but I’m a painter, not a fighter. So, no reward, no gift or promise you’ll keep even if you don’t like it. Do one thing for me.”
“Anything.”
“When we’re at peace again, come back to me and we’ll talk. If I get what I want, I want you to want it, too, and that can’t happen when you think you have to do it.” She hesitated and asked, “Is that too much?”
Jayden kissed her on the forehead. “It’s proof you are a kinder soul than I.”
* * * * *
The following night it snowed as promised, not a serious storm but enough to reduce visibility. Jayden and Dana waited outside town, and were soon joined by the wizards Klim and Malvel. Special agent Ulem made the mistake of showing up as well, and Jayden gave the fool a hostile stare.
“Where is the prince?” Jayden asked.
“Gone,” Ulem said. “It was a mistake for him to come in the first place. He’s safe where he’s at and doing important work.”
“You’re ready?” Klim asked. The wizard had a soft voice and looked calm.
“He’s not,” Ulem said. “This mission is risky enough without you bringing the girl.”
“I helped bring down the bridge over Racehorse River, and I chopped four fingers off Wall Wolf,” Dana countered. “I can take care of myself.”
Ulem ignored her and spoke to Jayden. “I heard you settled accounts with the other girl. Pay her, and be quick about it.”
“What does he mean by pay me?” Dana asked Jayden.
“He means,” Jayden began, and punched the man below the belt again. Ulem cried out in pain as he fell into the snow, and the wizards winced. “That he’s a classless bore. Every kingdom has men like him, crude and belittling to those around him, as common as roaches and just as hard to remove. He means he’s sorry for his behavior, and is going to give greater thought to his words and deeds from this day on.”
“I kind of think that’s not what he meant,” Dana said.
Jayden scowled at the fallen man. “It is if he expects to walk away from this meeting.”
Malvel stepped between Jayden and his victim. “We’re on a time limit. If you’re taking the girl with us, fine, but there’s no room for delays.”
Klim cast a spell, forming a large, flat cloud that hovered inches above the ground. He stepped onto it as if it was a solid object, and to Dana’s amazement the cloud bore his weight without effort. Klim waved his staff at the others. “Let us begin, and may higher powers guide and protect us on our mission.”
Malvel and Jayden climbed onto the cloud without complaint. Jayden helped Dana up when she hesitated. The cloud felt spongy under her feet, like it was made of wet cotton, but it supported her. She grabbed onto Jayden’s arm as the cloud floated into the sky until it merged with the storm clouds overhead. Dana shivered in the cold. She could feel the magic cloud moving, but could see only inches ahead. Wind tugged at her, and she worried that a strong enough gust might push her off.
“Sorry Ulem was such a bother,” Klim said as he guided the cloud. “He has many fine features, bravery, prowess in battle, but he’s best kept outside of polite company, even more than you are.”
“I don’t insult women regardless of their birth, and neither should he,” Jayden said. “How long until we reach our target?”
Klim’s voice called out from the darkness, “Thirty minutes. If I travel faster we might make a disturbance in the clouds that enemy soldiers could see.”
“They’d notice it in a snowstorm?” Dana asked.
“They know Kaleoth has wizards,” Klim responded. “Unless their general is a fool they will have men with keen eyesight watching the clouds, especially in bad weather.”
“Do you always let your servant ask questions,” Malvel asked.
“Dana is my friend, and yes,” Jayden replied tersely.
“It wasn’t a complaint,” Malvel said. “My teacher told me an inquisitive mind is to be encouraged. Pity so few men feel the same.” Malvel hummed a strange tune before asking, “Does she have a sister?”
Dana was disoriented by the darkness, wind and cold, and she answered before considering the question. “Three. Why do you want to…oh, wait, hold on a second.”
“Don’t you have enough women mad at you?” Klim asked.
“Mission first, dating opportunities second, and none with my friend’s sisters,” Jayden told the wizards.
The cloud halted in the dark and cold. Klim called out, “I cast a spell granting me sight within clouds before we left. We’re over the bridges and nearly five hundred feet above them. I’m going to increase the snowfall for five minutes. That should cover out descent, but to be certain I’m going to drop us as fast. Hold tight, and no screaming.”
Klim chanted and the clouds dumped snow as if it was a blizzard. Seconds later the magic cloud dropped like a stone. Dana held tight to Jayden and clenched her eyes shut as she stifled a panicked scream. The magic cloud slowed so fast it forced Dana to her knees, and then landed before boiling away to nothing. Dana opened her eyes and found herself once more on the streets of Edgeland. They were near the inn that had been abandoned during their first visit but now brightly lit and packed to capacity with soldiers.
Jayden took Dana by the hand and led her into the alleys. Klim and Malvel followed before Klim pointed them to a courtyard in the distance. Dana saw large tents filling the courtyard, and soldiers patrolled regardless of the cold and thick snow.
“I don’t want to attack the guards if we can avoid it,” Jayden said. “They will be missed even if we defeat them silently.”
“No doubt,” Malvel said. “Klim can create a strong wind and fog to hide us while we get into the tents. If we’re lucky no one is inside them.”
Klim cast another spell, and the wind grew to gale strength. Soldiers turned away and covered their faces against the sudden wind. It was a momentary distraction that let Dana, Jayden and the two wizards to run over and crawl under the edges of the largest tent. It was dark inside until Malvel whispered a spell that produced a tiny light.
“Wow,” Dana said. The bridges didn’t disappoint. Each one was fifty feet long, half a base with large wood wheels and the other half could be lowered like a drawbridge to cover the gaps in the bridge. Construction wasn’t finished, with missing wheels on one bridge and only half the drawbridge section done, but they looked sturdy. The bridges were armored with iron plates and then wrapped in fresh ox hides.
Klim ran his fingers over an iron plate on the second bridge. “This could be an issue. Jayden, can handle this this?”
Jayden cast a spell and formed his black whip. “With difficulty. Once I’ve cut through a section it’s going to make too much noise when it falls to the street. I need the bridges supported.”
“Easily done,” Klim said. He cast a spell and sprayed blue-white ice from the tip of his staff. He aimed the icy spray under the bridges until there was a layer of ice reaching from the cobblestone courtyard up to the bridge.
With the bridge supported, Jayden swung his whip at the completed bridge. The whip stretched until it wrapped entirely around the massive bridge. It hissed like an angry snake as it began to slow process of cutting through the bridge.
“Dana, Malvel, keep watch in case the guards come,” Jayden said.
“I could cut the bridges with my sword,” Dana offered. “If it can hurt an iron golem, it should do the job.”
“It crippled Wall Wolf, but not quietly, and I recall a shower of sparks when you struck the golem. If we are discovered I’ll need you to step in and do as much damage as you can, but that is a last resort.”
Malvel stood by the tent flaps with his staff and Dana drew her sword. She’d had training with it, but she wondered if it would be enough for a fight. The last time she’d drawn it in battle was against Wall Wolf, a victory by the thinnest of margins.
Jayden continued cutting through the first bridge, his whip eating through iron, wood and animal hides. The bridge was so thick and the iron plates so hard that he made slow progress. Guards walked by the tent twice. Dana and Malvel readied themselves for a fight, but the guards continued on without looking inside. How long would their luck last?
Once the guards had passed the tent for the second time, Dana took the opportunity to look around. It was hard to see much with Malvel’s dim light. Dana barely made out woodworking tools on benches, extra iron plates wrapped in ox hides, and what looked like piles of dirt and curled bits of paper. She sifted some of the strange pile through her fingers and held it up to Malvel.
“Wood shavings and sawdust. I think it’s left behind from building the bridges. If we have to leave before finishing the job, we could spread it around and you can set it on fire. I bet it would burn pretty fast.”
Malvel picked up a pinch of sawdust. “The question is whether it would burn long enough to do serious damage. About these sisters of yours…”
“They’re not your type. Jayden, how’s it coming?”
“I should be done with the first section in five minutes. Barring interruptions, I’d like to cut each bridge into more than two pieces. At a minimum, we’re going to need hours.”
Dana tensed when she heard voices in the distance rose up, their tone angry. She heard the voices again, not coming closer but not stopping, either. More troubling, she didn’t understand the language. “What is that?”
“Dwarven,” Jayden said over the hissing of his whip. “I heard the words ‘idiot’ and ‘overtime’, but the rest was too quiet.”
“Why would anyone be speaking in dwarven in a human kingdom?” Dana asked. Guards walked by again, and she fell silent until they left. “Kyver Rendmal hired human mercenaries for his army. Could he have hired dwarfs, too?”
“A definite possibility,” Jayden told her. “I’m almost through.”
Dana looked to Klim. “I need cover. Can you make the snowstorm get worse for a little while?”
Klim cast a spell, causing the tip of his staff to turn pale blue. “You have three minutes of blizzard conditions.”
“Be careful,” Jayden cautioned her.
Dana left the tent and headed in the direction of the angry voices. The snow was so thick it was impossible to see far, but she could follow the sound of arguments in the dour language of the dwarfs. She reached another tent, this one far smaller than the one concealing the bridges. Dana bent down and lifted the edge of the tent to look underneath.
There was Wall Wolf.
The iron golem was on its back with five dwarfs standing around it. Wall Wolf’s right hand was still missing its fingers, but by the look of it not for long. The dwarfs wore brown robes and had the severed fingers on a wood table. They were studying the hand she’d cut them off of. The armor on the right arm was gone up to the elbow, revealing a bewildering array of pipes and cables. Strange runes were cast on the palm of the right hand and the forearm. Dwarfs waved wands and scepters over the runes. The symbols glowed in response.
One dwarf yelled at another and held up one of the damaged fingers. The second dwarf yelled back and pointed at the rune on the palm. They made wild gestures, waving their arms and stomping their feet when they spoke.
One of the dwarfs saw Dana. She winced under the dwarf’s harsh gaze. The dwarf shifted from his own language to human and said, “This isn’t women’s work. Leave.”
For a second Dana didn’t know what to say. Why weren’t the dwarfs attacking her? Then it hit her like a brick: they didn’t know she worked for Jayden. Most people didn’t since she didn’t appear on Jayden’s wanted posters and their steadily growing price on his head. The dwarfs thought she was a peasant girl, maybe a servant.
“Sorry, sir.” Dana ran to the other tent and hurried inside. Once she was back among friends, she said, “Wall Wolf is in the other tent. I saw dwarfs working on him. I think they’re wizards trying to put his fingers back on.”
“That’s not surprising,” Jayden said. He finished cutting through the first bridge, and the two pieces settled on the ice supports Klim had made. “Wall Wolf was built by Golem Works, one of the largest dwarf corporations. The king and queen must have hired them to repair the golem before they send it into battle again. It also explains who destroyed Prince Onus’ crystal ball. Dwarf wizards are experts at building magic items and would have no difficulty destroying one, even at a distance.”
“Can we kill it while it’s lying down?” she begged.
“Bloodthirsty little girl, aren’t you,” Malvel said approvingly.
“It would fight back if attacked,” Jayden replied. His magic whip vanished now that it was through the bridge, and he recast the spell to create another. “You’ll forgive me, but after our last encounter I’ve no desire to renew our acquaintance.”
Dana frowned. “General Kyver the Jerk could send Wall Wolf across the riverbed to attack River Twin even without the bridges to bring in troops.”
“The risk is too great,” Jayden replied. “We’re in a city filled with soldiers and mercenaries. If we fight Wall Wolf those men could come after us.”
Malvel extinguished his magic light and stepped away from the tent flap. “Guards are coming.”
“You’re going to get us whipped and branded,” a man’s voice called out.
“Staying out in the cold any longer could cost us our toes,” another man replied. “If the high and mighty general won’t give us braziers with hot coals, or at least a campfire, then we do what we must to keep from getting frostbite.”
Two soldiers in chain armor opened the tent flaps. The first one had enough time to say, “See, these guys had the same idea. Wait a min—”
Malvel struck the first soldier across the face as Klim blasted the man with a stream of icicles. Jayden created his magic hand and slapped the other soldier to the ground. For just a moment Dana thought they’d done it, but the second man screamed when Jayden struck him again with the hand. Men called out in the distance, and the air filled with whistles and bells.
“I do believe it’s time to leave,” Malvel said.
“Not yet,” Jayden ordered. “Klim, hold them off. Dana, Malvel, do as much damage to the bridges as you can.”
Klim sprayed the ground around the tent with magic ice, forming a slippery layer inches thick. Malvel cast a spell that made his hands glow cherry red. He pressed them against the second bridge and began to melt through the iron plates and burn the wood. Dana drew her sword and swung it at the nearest bridge. She hit an iron plate and had to close her eyes against the shower of sparks the sword made as it cut deep.
“Alarm! Alarm!” a man cried out in the distance. “We’ve got men down by the tents!”
The deepening layer on snow on the ground made it hard to hear the crowd of men coming. Dana had no trouble hearing those men scream and curse as they slipped and fell on the ground Klim had iced over. She saw a man slide by the tent flaps and crash into a building, followed by two more men.
Jayden wrapped his whip around the second bridge. The whip melted through iron plates, but at such a slow rate that he’d never destroy it in time. He looked at Klim and said, “Do we have minutes or seconds?”
Klim formed a wall of ice eight feet tall around the tent. “If we’re only fighting men then we have minutes. If Wall Wolf attacks then even seconds is too much to promise.”
Dana hacked at the bridge, cutting deep grooves through iron and wood. Normally she’d be thrilled at how much damage she was doing, but the bridge was so huge she’d need an hour to destroy it. Malvel’s and Jayden’s attacks sped up the process, but not enough. She glanced at Jayden and asked, “This would be a good time for your fire spell.”
“It takes too long to cast, and we’re so close to the bridge that we’d be caught in the blast.” Jayden’s whip cut through an iron plate that fell to the floor. He looked at her and shouted, “Watch your feet!”
“What?” Dana looked down and screamed. The sprays of sparks her sword made hitting the bridge had ignited sawdust around her. She ran from the growing flames and went to another part of the bridge.
Boom. The snow on the ground did little to conceal the sound of Wall Wolf walking toward them. Dana heard ice crack as Wall Wolf stepped onto the icy sheet around the tent. There was a horrible crunch when the golem broke through the ice wall, sending sharp chunks of ice through the tent that tore it open.
Wall Wolf loomed over them with Kyver Rendmal a step behind it, and behind them a host of soldiers. The golem’s right arm was missing all its fingers and much of its armor. This made it weaker than the first time she’d faced it, but not by much if it had burst through the ice wall so easily.
“You,” Kyver spat. The general still wore his armor, but had exchanged his purple cape for furs. He pointed the control rod for the golem at Jayden. “I’d hoped you would’ve had the decency to die like the mangy dog you are, but here you are again, attacking your own homeland once more. Worse, you make common cause with its enemies, treason by any standard.”
Jayden pulled his whip off the damaged bridge, and his magic hand pointed at Kyver. “You mistake me for someone who has any respect for your opinions. I hope you’re enjoying your stay in Edgeland. It promises to be a long one.”
Kyver’s eyes shifted to the left, where one of his bridges was cut in half and the other had suffered serious damage. “You think you can hold back the full fury of the king’s wrath with this? Fool! It would be easier to drink the ocean dry than to stop this army! Wall Wolf, hear me and obey! Kill Sorcerer Lord Jayden and his allies! Stain the snow red!”
“You remain charming company as always,” Jayden quipped as Wall Wolf stomped toward him. Kyver and his men didn’t follow it, a smart move when the battle between the golem and wizards could spill over onto them. Jayden fell back against one of the bridges and looked to Klim. “This would be an excellent time to leave.”
Klim raised his staff. “I need time to create a magic cloud. Slow the golem down.”
Stopping the sun from rising would have been an easier request. Jayden swung his magic whip and struck Wall Wolf across the face. Malvel hit the golem in the chest with a jet of white-hot fire. Both attacks did nothing. Klim was still casting his spell when Wall Wolf tried to trample the man. Klim gave up on his spell and ran for his life, dodging the golem’s heavy feet by inches.
“Aim for its right arm!” Jayden yelled. He swung his whip and struck the golem’s palm, while Malvel blasted it with more fire. Dana ducked below their attacks and swung her sword at Wall Wolf’s arm. Sparks flew when her blade cut deeply into the unarmored right arm.
If Wall Wolf could feel pain the golem hid it well, pushing onwards without hesitation and nearly stepping on Jayden. He ran along the edge of the damage bridge, dodging a punch that broke through the street near Jayden’s heels.
“Stop! Stop!” The dwarf wizards pushed their way through the crowd of soldiers until they reached Kyver. A dwarf pulled on Kyver’s arm and shouted, “We didn’t finish the repairs!”
Kyver pulled free from the dwarf. “Away from me!”
The dwarf didn’t give up. “With the armor compromised every blow they strike is doing serious damage. You’re pushing up the time and cost of repairing the golem. Send in your men instead.”
Gouts of flame washed over Wall Wolf, followed by a shower of razor sharp icicles and a stinging blow from a black whip. Soldiers saw the golem take hits that would kill even a man in armor, and they flinched when a giant clawed hand punched Wall Wolf in the head.
“Yes, send them in, Kyver,” Jayden taunted. “Maybe burying us in bodies will make up for your poor generalship.”
Wall Wolf pressed on regardless of the damage it was taking. It swung at Jayden, missing again but by a smaller margin. More fire struck it and the damaged arm turned red hot, but instead of retreating it dug its left hand into the street and pulled up a handful of cobblestones. It threw them at Jayden, the mass of stones spreading out as they flew so it was impossible to dodge them all. Three rocks hit Jayden in the chest and stomach, and he staggered from the blows.
“Give me the control rod!” the dwarf shouted. He tried to grab it, but Kyver shoved the dwarf to the ground. “Wall Wolf isn’t under warranty! Think about the bill!”
Wall Wolf grabbed part of the destroyed bridge, and with one hand the golem lifted it over its head before throwing it at Jayden. The golem missed as Jayden leapt to the side, but the heavy timbers and iron plates of the bridge dug a deep furrow into the street. Wall Wolf tried to stomp on Jayden and barely missed.
The golem pulled its left arm back for a punch when Dana ran it and stabbed its right arm. Malvel had blasted it with flame so often that the inner workings of its arm were red hot and softened. Dana’s sword sunk deep into the metal arm, showering her with sparks. Jayden created his black sword and ran in alongside her before he drove his sword in next to hers. Both of them pulled their swords up, hacking off the arm at the elbow. The severed limb fell to the ground with a thud. The runes cast in the limb flashed and sparked before they burst.
The dwarfs looked away in horror. Their leader said, “Insurance isn’t going to cover that.”
Kyver screamed like a child throwing a trantrum. Then his eyes fell on Dana. “You again! Wall Wolf, hear me and obey! Your armor will hold against their attacks. The girl is the only one with a weapon that can hurt you. Kill her first!”
Wall Wolf’s armored head turned to stare at her. It was missing most of an arm, but Kyver was right, the rest of its body was impervious to their attacks. Even Dana’s sword could only do superficial damage. The reverse wasn’t true, and Wall Wolf battered aside a section of the destroyed bridge as it went after her.
“Klim, we need that magic cloud now!” Jayden shouted. He ran along Wall Wolf and hacked at its heels. His magic sword bounced off no matter how many times he hit it. Malvel made his hands turn blazing hot and grabbed Wall Wolf around the left leg. His blazing hands heated the golem’s thick armor but nothing more before the golem kicked him off.
Dana ran from the golem and kept only steps ahead. Running wasn’t going to be an option forever when soldiers surrounded them. If she ran into them they’d cut her down with spears and swords. If she needed a reminder of what would happen if Wall Wolf hit her, she got it when the golem trampled and crushed the piece of the wooden bridge it had thrown at Jayden.
Which, oddly enough, gave her an idea.
“Let it come after me!” she shouted to the others as she headed for the second bridge. She, Jayden and Malvel had damaged this one, but not seriously enough to put it out of commission. Dana ran to the bridge and scurried under it.
Wall Wolf caught up with her and raised its left arm high into the air before swinging it straight down. Dana screamed when the huge fist came through the bridge a foot away from her. She crawled along the bridge as Wall Wolf punched one hole after another through it trying to get her.
“Wait, stop!” Kyver yelled. “I said kill the girl, not destroy the bridge!”
“Order it to come back to us while we both still have something left to salvage!” a dwarf begged Kyver.
“Wall Wolf, hear me and obey! Return to my side!”
Wall Wolf had its remaining arm raised for an attack, but at its master’s orders it halted and turned away from Dana. It raised a foot to take a step away from her, and that’s when all three wizards attacked. Klim encased the golem’s head in a block of ice four feet thick. Jayden used his giant magic hand to grab the golem’s heel and pull, toppling it over. The ice block shattered when the golem hit the ground. Malvel blasted the golem in the head with magic flames, and the metal made a pinging sound as it changed from extreme cold to intense heat.
Dana was still on her knees underneath what was left of the second bridge when the golem landed beside her, its armored head so close she could touch it. Wall Wolf’s head looked like a knight’s helmet, complete with visor and eye slits, and as she looked inside those narrow openings she saw runes cast in the metal within. Wall Wolf had similar runes on the arm they’d cut off it. Dana didn’t understand magic, but it looked like those runes were important to it somehow, a weakness concealed under armor thick enough to protect them.
Wall Wolf was struggling to get up with its one arm when Dana got out from beneath the bridge and ran straight at it. For a second its head was level with her, and she stabbed her sword through the visor and into the rune.
Wall Wolf rose to its feet and thrashed about wildly. Dana held onto her sword and was pulled up with it. She struggled to hold on as the golem staggered about and swung its left arm in the air. It seemed to go into seizures, shaking uncontrollably as the rune inside its head sparked and burst. There were more explosions inside its body, some strong enough to blast off pieces of armor and reveal more runes sparking and bursting. Dana screamed when Wall Wolf went stiff and fell over backwards. She lost her grip and fell next to it, nearly hitting the unforgiving ground before Jayden caught her.
“That seemed like such a good idea in my head,” she gasped.
Jayden set her on her feet and pulled her sword out of Wall Wolf. The golem laid silent, smoke rising from it. He returned her sword and said, “I can’t imagine how it could have gone better.”
There was a stunned silence from the soldiers surrounding them. Men backed up. A few even dropped their weapons. Kyver stared at Wall Wolf, too shocked to scream threats or insults.
One of the dwarf’s pointed at Dana’s sword. “That’s Thume Breakbones’ workmanship. I’d recognize it anywhere.” His face twisted in rage, the dwarf screamed, “I’ll kill him!”
“Klim, we haven’t got long before they regain their courage and attack,” Jayden said. “We need to leave.”
“Done and done.” Klim created a magic cloud under their feet and carried Dana, Jayden, Malvel and himself away.
“Archers!” Kyver screamed. “Get me my archers!”
The order came too late. Dana saw men scurrying below as the cloud went ever higher into the sky. A few men managed to notch arrows to their bows, but darkness and snowfall ruined any chance they had to see their targets, much less hit them.
“That is an impressive weapon,” Klim said as he guided the cloud. “Wherever did you find it?”
“That’s a long story,” Dana said. She studied her sword for a moment before sheathing it. The weapon had lived up to the promises Thume had made months before. Wall Wolf, guardian of the royal family for generations, a terror no one had even scratched, lay dead. Well, as dead as a golem could be. Maybe her sword did deserve a name.
***********
Once they were outside and away from the wizards and knights, Dana whispered, “How does King Brent know who you are?”
“Prince Mastram visited Kaleoth as a child and made quite the impression by talking with King Brent for hours about the ancient sorcerer lords,” Jayden whispered back. It was strange the way he spoke of his life as a prince as if it was another person. “If King Brent’s spies know as much about me as he claims, then they doubtless drew sketches of me. The old man recognized me from those, and bless his heart told no one.”
Maya stopped walking. “You’re leaving.”
Jayden stopped and took her hands. “If I ignore this battle, another one far worse is sure to come before long.”
“I mean after this you’re leaving Kaleoth and not coming back. You’re not taking me with you, are you?”
“It wouldn’t be safe. I’ll leave sufficient funds to cover your needs for a year, and I’ve met a few people in River Twin I can ask to offer further aid. It’s not what you deserve, but it’s what I can give.”
Maya looked at her feet. “It’s okay. It was silly thinking anything was going to happen. Princes don’t marry foundlings.”
“Don’t you dare talk about yourself like that.” Jayden’s voice was firm, and Maya looked up at the commanding tone. “You lost your home because of me, and paintings you created that deserved to hang in the halls of noblemen and kings. Even after I’d done you harm you risked your life to save mine. I owe you a heavy debt, and I pay what I owe. Maya, ask of me what you will, one request equal to a man’s life, and if it is within my power to grant it to you then you shall have it.”
Dana slapped a hand over her face. The man just didn’t know how to act around girls, especially impressionable ones.
Maya hesitated. “You mean it?”
“I keep my promises.”
Maya paused again, gazing into his eyes, then frowned. “You know what I’d ask for, but you wouldn’t be happy here.” She waved her hand across the river. “After destroying these bridges you’d want to be over there, because people need you. You’d keep your word, but you’d be miserable for the rest of your life because that’s your homeland and those are your people, and you feel responsible for them.”
Jayden said nothing in reply. He stood in front of her, his eyes locked on hers, waiting for her to make her wish as if he were a genie.
“You want me to charge you for saving your life, but you don’t charge for saving other’s lives. Dana told me how you helped so many people, sometimes getting rewarded, sometimes not. I want this to be a no reward situation. I, I can’t live the kind of life you do. I’d come with you if I could, but I’m a painter, not a fighter. So, no reward, no gift or promise you’ll keep even if you don’t like it. Do one thing for me.”
“Anything.”
“When we’re at peace again, come back to me and we’ll talk. If I get what I want, I want you to want it, too, and that can’t happen when you think you have to do it.” She hesitated and asked, “Is that too much?”
Jayden kissed her on the forehead. “It’s proof you are a kinder soul than I.”
* * * * *
The following night it snowed as promised, not a serious storm but enough to reduce visibility. Jayden and Dana waited outside town, and were soon joined by the wizards Klim and Malvel. Special agent Ulem made the mistake of showing up as well, and Jayden gave the fool a hostile stare.
“Where is the prince?” Jayden asked.
“Gone,” Ulem said. “It was a mistake for him to come in the first place. He’s safe where he’s at and doing important work.”
“You’re ready?” Klim asked. The wizard had a soft voice and looked calm.
“He’s not,” Ulem said. “This mission is risky enough without you bringing the girl.”
“I helped bring down the bridge over Racehorse River, and I chopped four fingers off Wall Wolf,” Dana countered. “I can take care of myself.”
Ulem ignored her and spoke to Jayden. “I heard you settled accounts with the other girl. Pay her, and be quick about it.”
“What does he mean by pay me?” Dana asked Jayden.
“He means,” Jayden began, and punched the man below the belt again. Ulem cried out in pain as he fell into the snow, and the wizards winced. “That he’s a classless bore. Every kingdom has men like him, crude and belittling to those around him, as common as roaches and just as hard to remove. He means he’s sorry for his behavior, and is going to give greater thought to his words and deeds from this day on.”
“I kind of think that’s not what he meant,” Dana said.
Jayden scowled at the fallen man. “It is if he expects to walk away from this meeting.”
Malvel stepped between Jayden and his victim. “We’re on a time limit. If you’re taking the girl with us, fine, but there’s no room for delays.”
Klim cast a spell, forming a large, flat cloud that hovered inches above the ground. He stepped onto it as if it was a solid object, and to Dana’s amazement the cloud bore his weight without effort. Klim waved his staff at the others. “Let us begin, and may higher powers guide and protect us on our mission.”
Malvel and Jayden climbed onto the cloud without complaint. Jayden helped Dana up when she hesitated. The cloud felt spongy under her feet, like it was made of wet cotton, but it supported her. She grabbed onto Jayden’s arm as the cloud floated into the sky until it merged with the storm clouds overhead. Dana shivered in the cold. She could feel the magic cloud moving, but could see only inches ahead. Wind tugged at her, and she worried that a strong enough gust might push her off.
“Sorry Ulem was such a bother,” Klim said as he guided the cloud. “He has many fine features, bravery, prowess in battle, but he’s best kept outside of polite company, even more than you are.”
“I don’t insult women regardless of their birth, and neither should he,” Jayden said. “How long until we reach our target?”
Klim’s voice called out from the darkness, “Thirty minutes. If I travel faster we might make a disturbance in the clouds that enemy soldiers could see.”
“They’d notice it in a snowstorm?” Dana asked.
“They know Kaleoth has wizards,” Klim responded. “Unless their general is a fool they will have men with keen eyesight watching the clouds, especially in bad weather.”
“Do you always let your servant ask questions,” Malvel asked.
“Dana is my friend, and yes,” Jayden replied tersely.
“It wasn’t a complaint,” Malvel said. “My teacher told me an inquisitive mind is to be encouraged. Pity so few men feel the same.” Malvel hummed a strange tune before asking, “Does she have a sister?”
Dana was disoriented by the darkness, wind and cold, and she answered before considering the question. “Three. Why do you want to…oh, wait, hold on a second.”
“Don’t you have enough women mad at you?” Klim asked.
“Mission first, dating opportunities second, and none with my friend’s sisters,” Jayden told the wizards.
The cloud halted in the dark and cold. Klim called out, “I cast a spell granting me sight within clouds before we left. We’re over the bridges and nearly five hundred feet above them. I’m going to increase the snowfall for five minutes. That should cover out descent, but to be certain I’m going to drop us as fast. Hold tight, and no screaming.”
Klim chanted and the clouds dumped snow as if it was a blizzard. Seconds later the magic cloud dropped like a stone. Dana held tight to Jayden and clenched her eyes shut as she stifled a panicked scream. The magic cloud slowed so fast it forced Dana to her knees, and then landed before boiling away to nothing. Dana opened her eyes and found herself once more on the streets of Edgeland. They were near the inn that had been abandoned during their first visit but now brightly lit and packed to capacity with soldiers.
Jayden took Dana by the hand and led her into the alleys. Klim and Malvel followed before Klim pointed them to a courtyard in the distance. Dana saw large tents filling the courtyard, and soldiers patrolled regardless of the cold and thick snow.
“I don’t want to attack the guards if we can avoid it,” Jayden said. “They will be missed even if we defeat them silently.”
“No doubt,” Malvel said. “Klim can create a strong wind and fog to hide us while we get into the tents. If we’re lucky no one is inside them.”
Klim cast another spell, and the wind grew to gale strength. Soldiers turned away and covered their faces against the sudden wind. It was a momentary distraction that let Dana, Jayden and the two wizards to run over and crawl under the edges of the largest tent. It was dark inside until Malvel whispered a spell that produced a tiny light.
“Wow,” Dana said. The bridges didn’t disappoint. Each one was fifty feet long, half a base with large wood wheels and the other half could be lowered like a drawbridge to cover the gaps in the bridge. Construction wasn’t finished, with missing wheels on one bridge and only half the drawbridge section done, but they looked sturdy. The bridges were armored with iron plates and then wrapped in fresh ox hides.
Klim ran his fingers over an iron plate on the second bridge. “This could be an issue. Jayden, can handle this this?”
Jayden cast a spell and formed his black whip. “With difficulty. Once I’ve cut through a section it’s going to make too much noise when it falls to the street. I need the bridges supported.”
“Easily done,” Klim said. He cast a spell and sprayed blue-white ice from the tip of his staff. He aimed the icy spray under the bridges until there was a layer of ice reaching from the cobblestone courtyard up to the bridge.
With the bridge supported, Jayden swung his whip at the completed bridge. The whip stretched until it wrapped entirely around the massive bridge. It hissed like an angry snake as it began to slow process of cutting through the bridge.
“Dana, Malvel, keep watch in case the guards come,” Jayden said.
“I could cut the bridges with my sword,” Dana offered. “If it can hurt an iron golem, it should do the job.”
“It crippled Wall Wolf, but not quietly, and I recall a shower of sparks when you struck the golem. If we are discovered I’ll need you to step in and do as much damage as you can, but that is a last resort.”
Malvel stood by the tent flaps with his staff and Dana drew her sword. She’d had training with it, but she wondered if it would be enough for a fight. The last time she’d drawn it in battle was against Wall Wolf, a victory by the thinnest of margins.
Jayden continued cutting through the first bridge, his whip eating through iron, wood and animal hides. The bridge was so thick and the iron plates so hard that he made slow progress. Guards walked by the tent twice. Dana and Malvel readied themselves for a fight, but the guards continued on without looking inside. How long would their luck last?
Once the guards had passed the tent for the second time, Dana took the opportunity to look around. It was hard to see much with Malvel’s dim light. Dana barely made out woodworking tools on benches, extra iron plates wrapped in ox hides, and what looked like piles of dirt and curled bits of paper. She sifted some of the strange pile through her fingers and held it up to Malvel.
“Wood shavings and sawdust. I think it’s left behind from building the bridges. If we have to leave before finishing the job, we could spread it around and you can set it on fire. I bet it would burn pretty fast.”
Malvel picked up a pinch of sawdust. “The question is whether it would burn long enough to do serious damage. About these sisters of yours…”
“They’re not your type. Jayden, how’s it coming?”
“I should be done with the first section in five minutes. Barring interruptions, I’d like to cut each bridge into more than two pieces. At a minimum, we’re going to need hours.”
Dana tensed when she heard voices in the distance rose up, their tone angry. She heard the voices again, not coming closer but not stopping, either. More troubling, she didn’t understand the language. “What is that?”
“Dwarven,” Jayden said over the hissing of his whip. “I heard the words ‘idiot’ and ‘overtime’, but the rest was too quiet.”
“Why would anyone be speaking in dwarven in a human kingdom?” Dana asked. Guards walked by again, and she fell silent until they left. “Kyver Rendmal hired human mercenaries for his army. Could he have hired dwarfs, too?”
“A definite possibility,” Jayden told her. “I’m almost through.”
Dana looked to Klim. “I need cover. Can you make the snowstorm get worse for a little while?”
Klim cast a spell, causing the tip of his staff to turn pale blue. “You have three minutes of blizzard conditions.”
“Be careful,” Jayden cautioned her.
Dana left the tent and headed in the direction of the angry voices. The snow was so thick it was impossible to see far, but she could follow the sound of arguments in the dour language of the dwarfs. She reached another tent, this one far smaller than the one concealing the bridges. Dana bent down and lifted the edge of the tent to look underneath.
There was Wall Wolf.
The iron golem was on its back with five dwarfs standing around it. Wall Wolf’s right hand was still missing its fingers, but by the look of it not for long. The dwarfs wore brown robes and had the severed fingers on a wood table. They were studying the hand she’d cut them off of. The armor on the right arm was gone up to the elbow, revealing a bewildering array of pipes and cables. Strange runes were cast on the palm of the right hand and the forearm. Dwarfs waved wands and scepters over the runes. The symbols glowed in response.
One dwarf yelled at another and held up one of the damaged fingers. The second dwarf yelled back and pointed at the rune on the palm. They made wild gestures, waving their arms and stomping their feet when they spoke.
One of the dwarfs saw Dana. She winced under the dwarf’s harsh gaze. The dwarf shifted from his own language to human and said, “This isn’t women’s work. Leave.”
For a second Dana didn’t know what to say. Why weren’t the dwarfs attacking her? Then it hit her like a brick: they didn’t know she worked for Jayden. Most people didn’t since she didn’t appear on Jayden’s wanted posters and their steadily growing price on his head. The dwarfs thought she was a peasant girl, maybe a servant.
“Sorry, sir.” Dana ran to the other tent and hurried inside. Once she was back among friends, she said, “Wall Wolf is in the other tent. I saw dwarfs working on him. I think they’re wizards trying to put his fingers back on.”
“That’s not surprising,” Jayden said. He finished cutting through the first bridge, and the two pieces settled on the ice supports Klim had made. “Wall Wolf was built by Golem Works, one of the largest dwarf corporations. The king and queen must have hired them to repair the golem before they send it into battle again. It also explains who destroyed Prince Onus’ crystal ball. Dwarf wizards are experts at building magic items and would have no difficulty destroying one, even at a distance.”
“Can we kill it while it’s lying down?” she begged.
“Bloodthirsty little girl, aren’t you,” Malvel said approvingly.
“It would fight back if attacked,” Jayden replied. His magic whip vanished now that it was through the bridge, and he recast the spell to create another. “You’ll forgive me, but after our last encounter I’ve no desire to renew our acquaintance.”
Dana frowned. “General Kyver the Jerk could send Wall Wolf across the riverbed to attack River Twin even without the bridges to bring in troops.”
“The risk is too great,” Jayden replied. “We’re in a city filled with soldiers and mercenaries. If we fight Wall Wolf those men could come after us.”
Malvel extinguished his magic light and stepped away from the tent flap. “Guards are coming.”
“You’re going to get us whipped and branded,” a man’s voice called out.
“Staying out in the cold any longer could cost us our toes,” another man replied. “If the high and mighty general won’t give us braziers with hot coals, or at least a campfire, then we do what we must to keep from getting frostbite.”
Two soldiers in chain armor opened the tent flaps. The first one had enough time to say, “See, these guys had the same idea. Wait a min—”
Malvel struck the first soldier across the face as Klim blasted the man with a stream of icicles. Jayden created his magic hand and slapped the other soldier to the ground. For just a moment Dana thought they’d done it, but the second man screamed when Jayden struck him again with the hand. Men called out in the distance, and the air filled with whistles and bells.
“I do believe it’s time to leave,” Malvel said.
“Not yet,” Jayden ordered. “Klim, hold them off. Dana, Malvel, do as much damage to the bridges as you can.”
Klim sprayed the ground around the tent with magic ice, forming a slippery layer inches thick. Malvel cast a spell that made his hands glow cherry red. He pressed them against the second bridge and began to melt through the iron plates and burn the wood. Dana drew her sword and swung it at the nearest bridge. She hit an iron plate and had to close her eyes against the shower of sparks the sword made as it cut deep.
“Alarm! Alarm!” a man cried out in the distance. “We’ve got men down by the tents!”
The deepening layer on snow on the ground made it hard to hear the crowd of men coming. Dana had no trouble hearing those men scream and curse as they slipped and fell on the ground Klim had iced over. She saw a man slide by the tent flaps and crash into a building, followed by two more men.
Jayden wrapped his whip around the second bridge. The whip melted through iron plates, but at such a slow rate that he’d never destroy it in time. He looked at Klim and said, “Do we have minutes or seconds?”
Klim formed a wall of ice eight feet tall around the tent. “If we’re only fighting men then we have minutes. If Wall Wolf attacks then even seconds is too much to promise.”
Dana hacked at the bridge, cutting deep grooves through iron and wood. Normally she’d be thrilled at how much damage she was doing, but the bridge was so huge she’d need an hour to destroy it. Malvel’s and Jayden’s attacks sped up the process, but not enough. She glanced at Jayden and asked, “This would be a good time for your fire spell.”
“It takes too long to cast, and we’re so close to the bridge that we’d be caught in the blast.” Jayden’s whip cut through an iron plate that fell to the floor. He looked at her and shouted, “Watch your feet!”
“What?” Dana looked down and screamed. The sprays of sparks her sword made hitting the bridge had ignited sawdust around her. She ran from the growing flames and went to another part of the bridge.
Boom. The snow on the ground did little to conceal the sound of Wall Wolf walking toward them. Dana heard ice crack as Wall Wolf stepped onto the icy sheet around the tent. There was a horrible crunch when the golem broke through the ice wall, sending sharp chunks of ice through the tent that tore it open.
Wall Wolf loomed over them with Kyver Rendmal a step behind it, and behind them a host of soldiers. The golem’s right arm was missing all its fingers and much of its armor. This made it weaker than the first time she’d faced it, but not by much if it had burst through the ice wall so easily.
“You,” Kyver spat. The general still wore his armor, but had exchanged his purple cape for furs. He pointed the control rod for the golem at Jayden. “I’d hoped you would’ve had the decency to die like the mangy dog you are, but here you are again, attacking your own homeland once more. Worse, you make common cause with its enemies, treason by any standard.”
Jayden pulled his whip off the damaged bridge, and his magic hand pointed at Kyver. “You mistake me for someone who has any respect for your opinions. I hope you’re enjoying your stay in Edgeland. It promises to be a long one.”
Kyver’s eyes shifted to the left, where one of his bridges was cut in half and the other had suffered serious damage. “You think you can hold back the full fury of the king’s wrath with this? Fool! It would be easier to drink the ocean dry than to stop this army! Wall Wolf, hear me and obey! Kill Sorcerer Lord Jayden and his allies! Stain the snow red!”
“You remain charming company as always,” Jayden quipped as Wall Wolf stomped toward him. Kyver and his men didn’t follow it, a smart move when the battle between the golem and wizards could spill over onto them. Jayden fell back against one of the bridges and looked to Klim. “This would be an excellent time to leave.”
Klim raised his staff. “I need time to create a magic cloud. Slow the golem down.”
Stopping the sun from rising would have been an easier request. Jayden swung his magic whip and struck Wall Wolf across the face. Malvel hit the golem in the chest with a jet of white-hot fire. Both attacks did nothing. Klim was still casting his spell when Wall Wolf tried to trample the man. Klim gave up on his spell and ran for his life, dodging the golem’s heavy feet by inches.
“Aim for its right arm!” Jayden yelled. He swung his whip and struck the golem’s palm, while Malvel blasted it with more fire. Dana ducked below their attacks and swung her sword at Wall Wolf’s arm. Sparks flew when her blade cut deeply into the unarmored right arm.
If Wall Wolf could feel pain the golem hid it well, pushing onwards without hesitation and nearly stepping on Jayden. He ran along the edge of the damage bridge, dodging a punch that broke through the street near Jayden’s heels.
“Stop! Stop!” The dwarf wizards pushed their way through the crowd of soldiers until they reached Kyver. A dwarf pulled on Kyver’s arm and shouted, “We didn’t finish the repairs!”
Kyver pulled free from the dwarf. “Away from me!”
The dwarf didn’t give up. “With the armor compromised every blow they strike is doing serious damage. You’re pushing up the time and cost of repairing the golem. Send in your men instead.”
Gouts of flame washed over Wall Wolf, followed by a shower of razor sharp icicles and a stinging blow from a black whip. Soldiers saw the golem take hits that would kill even a man in armor, and they flinched when a giant clawed hand punched Wall Wolf in the head.
“Yes, send them in, Kyver,” Jayden taunted. “Maybe burying us in bodies will make up for your poor generalship.”
Wall Wolf pressed on regardless of the damage it was taking. It swung at Jayden, missing again but by a smaller margin. More fire struck it and the damaged arm turned red hot, but instead of retreating it dug its left hand into the street and pulled up a handful of cobblestones. It threw them at Jayden, the mass of stones spreading out as they flew so it was impossible to dodge them all. Three rocks hit Jayden in the chest and stomach, and he staggered from the blows.
“Give me the control rod!” the dwarf shouted. He tried to grab it, but Kyver shoved the dwarf to the ground. “Wall Wolf isn’t under warranty! Think about the bill!”
Wall Wolf grabbed part of the destroyed bridge, and with one hand the golem lifted it over its head before throwing it at Jayden. The golem missed as Jayden leapt to the side, but the heavy timbers and iron plates of the bridge dug a deep furrow into the street. Wall Wolf tried to stomp on Jayden and barely missed.
The golem pulled its left arm back for a punch when Dana ran it and stabbed its right arm. Malvel had blasted it with flame so often that the inner workings of its arm were red hot and softened. Dana’s sword sunk deep into the metal arm, showering her with sparks. Jayden created his black sword and ran in alongside her before he drove his sword in next to hers. Both of them pulled their swords up, hacking off the arm at the elbow. The severed limb fell to the ground with a thud. The runes cast in the limb flashed and sparked before they burst.
The dwarfs looked away in horror. Their leader said, “Insurance isn’t going to cover that.”
Kyver screamed like a child throwing a trantrum. Then his eyes fell on Dana. “You again! Wall Wolf, hear me and obey! Your armor will hold against their attacks. The girl is the only one with a weapon that can hurt you. Kill her first!”
Wall Wolf’s armored head turned to stare at her. It was missing most of an arm, but Kyver was right, the rest of its body was impervious to their attacks. Even Dana’s sword could only do superficial damage. The reverse wasn’t true, and Wall Wolf battered aside a section of the destroyed bridge as it went after her.
“Klim, we need that magic cloud now!” Jayden shouted. He ran along Wall Wolf and hacked at its heels. His magic sword bounced off no matter how many times he hit it. Malvel made his hands turn blazing hot and grabbed Wall Wolf around the left leg. His blazing hands heated the golem’s thick armor but nothing more before the golem kicked him off.
Dana ran from the golem and kept only steps ahead. Running wasn’t going to be an option forever when soldiers surrounded them. If she ran into them they’d cut her down with spears and swords. If she needed a reminder of what would happen if Wall Wolf hit her, she got it when the golem trampled and crushed the piece of the wooden bridge it had thrown at Jayden.
Which, oddly enough, gave her an idea.
“Let it come after me!” she shouted to the others as she headed for the second bridge. She, Jayden and Malvel had damaged this one, but not seriously enough to put it out of commission. Dana ran to the bridge and scurried under it.
Wall Wolf caught up with her and raised its left arm high into the air before swinging it straight down. Dana screamed when the huge fist came through the bridge a foot away from her. She crawled along the bridge as Wall Wolf punched one hole after another through it trying to get her.
“Wait, stop!” Kyver yelled. “I said kill the girl, not destroy the bridge!”
“Order it to come back to us while we both still have something left to salvage!” a dwarf begged Kyver.
“Wall Wolf, hear me and obey! Return to my side!”
Wall Wolf had its remaining arm raised for an attack, but at its master’s orders it halted and turned away from Dana. It raised a foot to take a step away from her, and that’s when all three wizards attacked. Klim encased the golem’s head in a block of ice four feet thick. Jayden used his giant magic hand to grab the golem’s heel and pull, toppling it over. The ice block shattered when the golem hit the ground. Malvel blasted the golem in the head with magic flames, and the metal made a pinging sound as it changed from extreme cold to intense heat.
Dana was still on her knees underneath what was left of the second bridge when the golem landed beside her, its armored head so close she could touch it. Wall Wolf’s head looked like a knight’s helmet, complete with visor and eye slits, and as she looked inside those narrow openings she saw runes cast in the metal within. Wall Wolf had similar runes on the arm they’d cut off it. Dana didn’t understand magic, but it looked like those runes were important to it somehow, a weakness concealed under armor thick enough to protect them.
Wall Wolf was struggling to get up with its one arm when Dana got out from beneath the bridge and ran straight at it. For a second its head was level with her, and she stabbed her sword through the visor and into the rune.
Wall Wolf rose to its feet and thrashed about wildly. Dana held onto her sword and was pulled up with it. She struggled to hold on as the golem staggered about and swung its left arm in the air. It seemed to go into seizures, shaking uncontrollably as the rune inside its head sparked and burst. There were more explosions inside its body, some strong enough to blast off pieces of armor and reveal more runes sparking and bursting. Dana screamed when Wall Wolf went stiff and fell over backwards. She lost her grip and fell next to it, nearly hitting the unforgiving ground before Jayden caught her.
“That seemed like such a good idea in my head,” she gasped.
Jayden set her on her feet and pulled her sword out of Wall Wolf. The golem laid silent, smoke rising from it. He returned her sword and said, “I can’t imagine how it could have gone better.”
There was a stunned silence from the soldiers surrounding them. Men backed up. A few even dropped their weapons. Kyver stared at Wall Wolf, too shocked to scream threats or insults.
One of the dwarf’s pointed at Dana’s sword. “That’s Thume Breakbones’ workmanship. I’d recognize it anywhere.” His face twisted in rage, the dwarf screamed, “I’ll kill him!”
“Klim, we haven’t got long before they regain their courage and attack,” Jayden said. “We need to leave.”
“Done and done.” Klim created a magic cloud under their feet and carried Dana, Jayden, Malvel and himself away.
“Archers!” Kyver screamed. “Get me my archers!”
The order came too late. Dana saw men scurrying below as the cloud went ever higher into the sky. A few men managed to notch arrows to their bows, but darkness and snowfall ruined any chance they had to see their targets, much less hit them.
“That is an impressive weapon,” Klim said as he guided the cloud. “Wherever did you find it?”
“That’s a long story,” Dana said. She studied her sword for a moment before sheathing it. The weapon had lived up to the promises Thume had made months before. Wall Wolf, guardian of the royal family for generations, a terror no one had even scratched, lay dead. Well, as dead as a golem could be. Maybe her sword did deserve a name.
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