Warrior Of Light [Complete/Editing]

Chapter Nineteen - Part Two

In a deep, booming voice, Torben began speaking the strange tongue he used when performing some form of hannolle. Joenek glanced at the hannorim.

The elder roth stood tall, with arms and face lifted to the grey sky. His eyes were closed and his words came quickly, as if in desperation. With great suddenness, a halo of pale-blue light surrounded the hannorim; still he continued with his loud speaking.

Returning his gaze to the oncoming bandits, Joenek flinched. They were atop the Ferlians. Just as the young roth started to fight for his life, every horse stopped its charging, instead rearing up, whirling about, or bucking. Many of the bandits were thrown from their mounts. At the same moment – as Torben finished his near-chant – a great rumbling came from the earth beneath their feet. While the Ferlians remained unaffected, the raiding elves found themselves incapable of forward movement.

Each time one of the would-be thieves attempted to charge the line of Ferlian elves, they found themselves tripping and sinking into the earth. One had even made such a struggle that he was up to his stomach in the enchanted ground.

While the bandits thrashed about or attempted to flee, Rikku moved forward a few paces. She gave one low whistle, drawing it out until each of the rider-less horses turned to look at her. Once she had their attention, she closed her eyes, holding her arms outward, as though to embrace someone.

With knickers and whinnies, the horses trotted toward the animal-keeper; just over one dozen in all. She turned toward her friends and gave a small grin.

"Well done, Rikku." Torben looked somewhat fatigued but returned her smile. "Now, let us all set off. Once we reach the base of the drop, these horses shall help aid us in quicker passage across the Plains."

Joenek swallowed. He glanced at the others, none of whom seemed to feel any anxiety over riding a horse. The Ferlians began moving to mount up.

"Um...what about them?" Joenek questioned as he looked to the remaining bandits. While a good majority had fled the area, there was still a decent number trapped in the ensorcelled earth.

"Never fear, lad. In ten minutes' time, the hannolle will have lost its effect, and they will be free to scatter where they will."

Everyone sat upon a horse and began moving toward the hazardous path. No one seemed to notice that Joenek had not chosen a horse to ride, or that he now followed behind them on foot. Glancing behind, Joenek watched the remaining equines follow the Ferlians down the craggy trail.

He glanced ahead, past the Ferlian elves, and on to those of Jich's group. The children on the mule and those directly behind had only made it just beyond the halfway mark. A short distance ahead of the mule, the narrow path widened to a grassy slope with large clusters of rock jutting out hither and thither. However, even once they made it to that point everyone would have to remain cautious, as the slope was quite steep.

The scream of a horse, below, soon caught everyone's attention.

Far ahead of the mule that bore the three children – not including Adhraena and Sheem – was the black gelding that Jich rode. The roth had pushed him into a lope, which even Joenek knew to be foolish on the current terrain. And for his folly, Jich had been rewarded with a disaster. The black gelding must have tripped or stumbled and, due to the steep grade, was flung hind-end-over-head.

Joenek cringed as he saw Jich's body become crushed beneath the weight of the horse. As the gelding rolled onto his side and attempted to rise, the elf's limp form slouched to the side. Again, the gelding screamed in agony as he made another attempt at rising.

Moving with as much haste as he dared, Lemnor urged his bay onward. He had ridden just ahead of the mule, though his horse had a far more difficult time of descending than did the sure-footed hybrid; often sliding down the path a meter or so, before catching a decent foothold, again.