Dread. It pricked at her for two heart beats before Leyla flung it away and spun to survey the land around them. The clearing narrowed into a tight passage, flanked by two tall stacks of boulders, at the end of which was the sheer drop.
"Is there a way to climb down?" she asked Michael.
He looked up at her with frightened eyes, "No."
"Alright." Leyla pushed the boys into the passage and stood them as close to the drop as possible. "Stay here and don't move."
"But there are so many..." Michael's voice came out in a scared whisper, the little guy beside him looked like he was about to faint from fear.
Leyla grabbed her last arrow from its quiver and gave Michael a hard look. "While I finish off these idiots, give the little guy some comfort. He doesn't know that Warriors never lose."
Looking a little less pale, Michael nodded.
She was on one knee, her arrow poised, when the first three guards rushed into the clearing. The passages was only wide enough for two of them to get into at once. Leyla shot the first one that entered then took out her sword and cut the other two's achilles tendons before they could take a swing with their daggers.
Pulling the arrow out of the first man's side, she put it back on her bow and faced the new comers. There were more of them this time and the sound of clashing steel joined pained cries and echoed in the passage way. Bodies began to pile up as Leyla fought, two by two. She pulled her arrow out of countless torso's, using the guards shields to block the pick axes that came flying towards her head.
Her muscles cried out in protest as she jumped over a swinging dagger and brought the hilt of her sword down on the back of a bald head. The man went out cold, but there was no time to feel relief.
"Watch out!" Michael's voice rang out behind her. She raised her sword to block two daggers at once, then used her waning strength to pushing the new attackers over the bodies of their friends. They went stumbling back, falling onto two others trying to cram into the passage. Damn it, she wouldn't last much longer, she was going to have to call the Heat but once she did... she had no idea how long the strength would last and if she couldn't finish them off with the added energy, she would be left unable to fight.
Just then, the little boy jumped up and started shouting while pointing at the thin slit of sky above them: "JARA! JARA!" Surprised, the group at the mouth of the passageway followed her finger to the giant birds in the sky.
"IN KACH!" Someone hollered.
The guard who had been fighting Leyla suddenly gave up, his eyes terrified as he turned and stumbled over the bodies of his felled comrades. What in Gaia? Leyla watched, bewildered, as the enormous birds dove at the running swains. It was only then that she saw the men riding the beasts. By Tevvuk's Beard!
"Quick, we need to find cover!" Leyla turned to the boys, but found them watching the sky with smiles on their faces.
"We're saved," Michael spoke in awe.
Leyla looked back at the sky, watching the big beasts grab man after man with massive claws. After picking up their victims, the creatures shrieked and dropped their load over the side of the plateau to the depths of the crags.
"Explain," she looked to Michael, the urgency not leaving her body. What if the beasts came after them next?
"They've come to rescue him," Michael said, nodding to the boy who's hand he still held. "They'll be grateful to you, since you helped him too!"
"Maybe." Leyla looked at the wounded men around them. Some were silent, while others were writhing in pain. Spotting her arrow in a thick leg near the top of the pile, she yanked it out, then pulled at Michael's hand. "Come on."
The boys followed her over the pile of bodies and out of the passage way. They were back in the clearing when one of the beast-like-birds descended in front of them. The boys lifted their hands to protect their faces from the wind made by the giant wings, but Leyla only narrowed her eyes and rested her hand on the hilt of her sword. Four more beasts landed behind the first and soon men, dressed in blood red uniforms descended from their backs. Sunlight glinted off the silver winged helmets of the soldiers who walked towards them, their long slim swords tapping off the sides of their legs.
"Jara!" The little boy ran towards the lead rider. Leyla noticed his uniform had golden birds embroidered on the sleeves unlike the others; a definite sign of a higher rank. The man grabbed the boy to his side, covered him with his red cloak and barked an order: "LAY IN YAKA!"
Leyla drew her sword, grimacing as four riders surrounded her, their weapons drawn.