Mathie Mackluckie rode on the shoulders of his drolf, as they narrowed in upon the group of nine. He watched as they attempted to get into formation, but Mathie's troop had the element of surprise, and they far outnumbered the group of nine. Queen Lydia had said that he was to take fifteen drolfs and ten alptraums, and enough men to keep them under control. Although he hadn't thought that this was necessary, he had bowed to her wishes. He didn't like defeating his enemies by sheer power.
Mathie watched as he ordered his troops to attack.
* * *
Jason yelled at his counterparts to fall into formation. He tried to organize them into a ring around their horses, and on two of those horses he placed Silas and Emeric. They would have a better vantage point and more room to work with their arrows. He barely finished his preparations when the enemy struck. And they struck hard.
The drolfs flew in from the sky, and the alptraums from the ground. Jason could barely believe how many there were. "Hang fast men! Silas and Emeric, wait till you can see the whites of their eyes, then fire at will." Jason encouraged.
Abraham smiled, remembering that line from history class. "Good one, Jas."
Jason laughed, despite the situation.
The Drolfs dropped down in the middle of the circle of defenders, although they had already lost three of their number, including their riders, having fallen and broken their arms or collarbones. Silas and Emeric abandoned their bows, and vaulting themselves from their perches they rushed into the crowd of assailants. Synchronized with their comrades in the middle, the troop of Alptraums charged the circle. Beset from both center and middle, the defenders were pushed apart as the battle commenced. The company fought in groups of twos and threes, fighting a losing battle. Jason and Abraham stood back to back and fought off the monsters that assaulted them. They unearthed their use and techniques of the sword that they had mastered in Alepp two years ago, and found that they were swifter and stronger since then.
The raging sea broke as if on a cliff face as the Alptraums, Drolfs, and men attempted to break the duet apart. Abraham slashed low, while Jason cleaved space free up high. Jason jumped and twisted in midair as an Alptraum leapt at him, swinging his sword as he landed, he cleft through the soft fur of the stomach.
Jason whirled around as he heard Abraham cry out. Another bear-man crouched over him and prepared to deliver the killing blow. Jason sprang forward, but he knew he couldn't get there in time. Then, out of nowhere, without any weapon at all, Obadiah Odin barreled through and tackled the Alptraum, and started wrestling it. Jason hurried to his aid and helped him dispatch it.
Abraham tried to stand up, but he wobbled. He groaned. "My ankle is sprained, Jas. I don't know if I will be able to get out of here without slowing y'all down."
Jason rushed to his side and had his bestfriend wrap his arm around his shoulders, "Don't worry, Ab. I'll get you out of here."
Obadiah's panting brought them back to the battle raging around them, "What's the plan, Jason? We won't be able to defeat the enemy, there are too many, and our men are too outnumbered and wounded to carry on like this. Saul had his arm dislocated, the two Tronido brothers have suffered concussions, Amos stumbled over a Drolf's body and got attacked by another one of those demons. He has scratches all up and down his back. And we can't forget Abraham's ankle." He pointed out needlessly.
Jason nodded, "We need to try to make it to the forest. Where are the horses?"
"They've scattered-"
But before Obadiah could finish his sentence, Thomas Fresco burst through the battle with all of the horses in tow. Abraham grinned, then winced. "Glad you were wrong this time, Odin. Ouch. I think I might've broken a rib too."
Jason found his horse and blew the horn that hung at the saddle. Five more figures rushed toward the group of four standing by the horses. Jason was relieved to see that they recognized the old Aleppian horn signals.
While the enemy was still trying to figure out the sudden absence of their quarry, the company gathered around Jason and Abraham, "Friends, on the horses as quickly as possible. This is a battle we can't win." Ignoring their mutterings, Jason waited until everyone was mounted. When everyone was ready to ride, Jason continued, "Head to the forest, and if you become separated on the way, meet up at Fort Katafygio. Now, go! Heeyah!" Jason urged his horse to a gallop and the company raced away across the plains with the enemy in pursuit.
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