A Secret Man of Blood

The Battle of the Line Part 2

With explosive force, he pushes like a press-up, throwing Salazar's heavy foot from his back and launching himself into the air, where he flips backwards, catches a dagger hanging at Salazar's side, lands and slashes the great Elf across his cheek. All of this occurs in about a second.

Salazar's head is thrown violently to the side and he uses the momentum to spin, smashing his spear violently into Mazer's chest with stunning force, sending armour debris flying everywhere and launching Mazer backwards, where he lands in a heap. Before Salazar can kill Mazer, Lu cries out and, conjoined by remembrance, the Jiangese volunteers join her, launching themselves at the great Elf in their hundreds, ferocious yells knifed out in advance of their attack.

A flaming and fantastic shower of magic puts Salazar on the defensive, dozens of mages fighting to overcome his resistance as their fellows rush in on the Elf with spears and blades, ready to cut him down or at least split his attention. Salazar smashes the first rank aside like skittles, twirls out of range of all counters, then launches back into the fray with the smooth suppleness of a dancer but the power of a colossus, his mind countering all enemy magic.

Rushing to Mazer's side, Lu sees that most of the heavy armour protecting his chest has been torn away and the Scrovengi is severely wounded. She looks at him, gorged with anxiety as he props himself up slowly, stiffly until he's looking her in the eye.

"You have to go and help the Jiangese," he tells her. "They fight better with your guidance."

"You're hurt," she sniffs, trying to stem the blood from his chest. "I'm not leaving you."

He smiles, then coughs up a dribble of blood, taking her small hand in his powerful grasp. "What a character you are," he smiles, proud as any father. "So small and yet so grand and gallant that I hardly know whether to laugh or to cry. I'm sorry you have to go on alone."

Her eyes welling with tears, Lu knows she has to help fill the Jiangese fighters with courage and resolve, tearing herself away from Mazer slowly, telling him: "I'll be back soon. You're going to be fine."

She charges back to the fight and the Jiangese renew their attack as one inspired and jubilant mob, dying in their dozens at Salazar's hands but never relenting. Their mages press Salazar, emptying all their tricks, and yet still he pushes back against their concentrated magic, killing them one-by-one.

In a flash of red hair, Tal Riose, commander of the Samarian forces in Tyria, launches herself at Salazar and brings her great sword down on his side; he deflects at the last moment and knocks her aside, but this buys the Jiangese time to close in, slashing at him from all sides, their leader Sima Chan at the forefront, her spear dancing fast and bright.

"Now, Pendragon!" Tal Riose says and the Genie, Pendragon, appears from nowhere, opening a great eye of energy behind Salazar. He locks magic with Salazar and they silently struggle as the great Elf fights off physical attacks from hundreds of Jiangese and Tal Riose.

Quick as lightning, Salazar strikes down several opponents and, with a subtle shift, smashes his spear into an opponent's face, which shatters ceramically. Tal Riose smashes him back towards the eye of energy with sweeps from her broad sword, but he slaps her blade aside and his spear crunches into her side like desired thunder, dropping her instantly. She falls helplessly, rolling out of the way as the Jiangese make another charge, Sima Chan springing from their ranks and launching herself at Salazar, spear poised for his face.

Surprised, Salazar lifts his hand and grasps the spear just as it reaches his chest with Sima Chan's full weight behind it, the edge pressing against his armour as he stalls its momentum, holding the Jiangese warrior in mid-air. With snake-like reflexes he reaches out and snaps her neck, then punches the ground, sending all the enemies massed before him to the ground.