The Deepcombers

Chapter Forty

"Big mistake hair-kins," Saeya dropped the reins and climbed to stand atop the driver's bench. Lon was impressed with her courage. He watched her loosen her shirt sleeves and wait for the enemy. Her initiative snapped the others to their senses without warnings or commands. Melcart jumped clear of the wagon and dug his boots in the ground. Valari dropped from her horse to take a fighting stance beside him.

Jarl was likely quite mystified as to how these young ladies and the brat stood with no weapons, and no fear, but the veteran soldier knew what he had to do. His mission was to protect Saeya and as long as she was safe on the coach, he'd guard all approaches with sword and shield. With that in mind the veteran dropped to the ground and squatted in a riposte position. He stationed himself between the dogs and the wagon and raised-up his shiny new blade spring-loaded and ready to strike. He may have had some idea what was about to happen as he'd seen the two females in action before, but he couldn't know for certain.

Lon had no role to play whatsoever. Six saber-welding savages advanced in the morning sunlight and the sea drover was scared. He felt real fear as the enemy galloped closer. He had no defense for this; he wore no armor and carried no blades. He didn't have any Varget signs primed either, not really. Not for this. His sleep glyph and air-push and the narma blocker would be useless here. Alone in the back of the carriage his first instinct was to drop and roll under the wagon bed and hide between the wheels.

Next came a lesson in tactics; Saeya, Melcart and Valari each called out their targets and aimed their wrists at the first wave of raiders.

"I got my left," Saeya said. "The closest one."

"Middle," Melcart said.

The meant Valari had the rider on her right. Her target was the slowest attacker but the most agile. Lon watched the bandit attempt a flanking maneuver rather than a more straightforward assault. The soft-spoken girl did not bother to call out her mark, but he could see how she tracked her prey just forty paces away.

"Geibor," Saeya said from the drivers' bench. Her word snapped and Lon saw a small loaf of bright blue flame sail forth from her outstretched fingers.

"Geibor," Melcart's surge sounded louder and sped away even faster toward the center rider. Both intonations moved the smilk in Lon's body and he heard how the bolts fried the damp morning air as they sped away. Jarl was wide eyed and mystified at how these teenage feigors fought.

Saeya's aim was true and her sapphire coloured shaft lifted the raider clear off his animal. The body burned bright in the air and left a smoke trail as it tumbled into the green wheat. The dogs barked and pulled to get forward and run and bite the bandit and taste its blood.

Melcart's bolt hit the center wildkin and took his helmeted head from his shoulders. The headless corpse slumped forward, and blood drenched the goat which stumbled-on until it came to the canines. The lead husky pounced and the nimble goat bounced left and the wildkin cadaver fell off its back like a tasty snack for sled dogs. The five carnivores pulled the cart forward again and the lurch knocked Saeya from the bench and bumped Lon off the bed.

Jarl dropped his defensive stance and tried to hold the dogs. The sea drover tumbled and landed in the soft ground beside Valari's boots. He pulled himself up just in time to see her display.

"Geibor," Valari's bolt was magnificent. It flew straight and tight and was intensely blue. Her spike went right through the fur ball who thought he could outflank the wagon. It punctured his heart and made a red vapour cloud all around where his corpse hit the ground.

Jarl strained to hold the cart but was dragged away; the animals were uncontrollable now there was no weight in the wagon.

"On my right." Valari shouted. She targeted the next rider who followed in the same path as the previous foe.