The Unexpected Heir: A Tale of Alus (50 page)

Chapter 27- Bonded

Crouching down behind the carriage, Xerese thought that the wood structure was much too flimsy in the face of a wizard's magic. She had seen what it could do in the Winter's Edge tournament where there were limits and other wizards to protect the innocents who could be killed by their spells. Now the girl had nothing that could prevent the destruction from reaching her except for the coach and Toman who stood over her despite the danger.

The other passengers did their best to flee from the danger as spells began to fly. Crouched behind the carriage, Xerese missed as the fight became a wizard and her bondsman against two paired duos and a score of soldiers.

Nico caught and deflected the burst of fire sent from Atan as the woman wizard's barrier fell. Though he seemed like a mere swordsman, the magic surrounding his sword formed a shield thanks to the precision of his movements.

The other two bondsmen chose two different ways to counter Nico. One charged him. His sword seemed to leap into his hand and the magic given him by Atan charged it turning it white. He leaned over the saddle holding on with one hand while the weapon slashed at his opponent on the ground.

Nico countered lashing out with his sword. The cut took out the legs of the horse with solid force. The crack of the solid leg bones of the closest leg told of the power of his strike, yet the metal of the sword remained ten feet from the animal as he attacked.

The swordsman was thrown, but seemed content to sacrifice his horse. Without a care for the animal, the man rolled as he hit the ground dodging the animal as it tumbled end over end. His weapon slashed at Nico, but was easily countered.

Clangs of metal as the two met blade to blade rang out as more magic began to rage drowning out the swordsmen's battle.

Xerese looked beneath the floor of the carriage seeing the legs of the men as the two fought. The older brother lay in the dirt caught in the power of Atan's deflected spell. Much of the magic had been hurled away from the wood of the coach, but the wizard hunter had attacked without mercy. Flames still burned the dead man while more magic raged.

The other three passengers had all ducked beneath the carriage as well.  Flames licked the clothing of the man from the front seat, but she didn't think that he was injured.

"Toman, can you protect them?" Xerese asked in a near shout in the violent air.

"I'm not a wizard or battle mage, my lady. This sword can't deflect magic.

"I will remain here to protect you. That is my duty. They are on their own."

"What if I command you to help them?" the girl asked feeling that he would survive if he fought. She didn't know why she thought that and probably shouldn't risk his life, but her instincts said that it was the right thing to do.

"Xerie..." Toman started looking uncertain.

"I am as safe here as I can be. Help Nico protect her. They shouldn't be forced to fight for Sordrian if they don't want to and shouldn't be punished either."

Taking a deep breath, Toman peeked around the edge of the wooden barrier.

The second magical swordsman and three soldiers rushed towards Oywen. Only a wizard, the girl was forced to retreat as she tried to cast more magic to save her and her brother.

Nico couldn't pull back to save her. His attention was stuck on the magical swordsman countering his attacks. In close combat, the two men moved at unusually quick speeds and appeared quite even.

Looking at the fight, Toman wasn't sure that he could hold off the other men if the magical swordsmen were all that supernaturally good.

"Go!" Xerese ordered sensing his reluctance. It wasn't their fight. They were just trying to get home, but the girl felt that they must try.

The guardsman slid around the side of the carriage watching Oywen's magic cast fire at the second swordsman and those following him. His weapon deflected the flames towards the other magical fighters breaking up their fight as they dodged out of the way.

As Toman moved to put himself between the wizard and her attackers, he felt her hand touch him. Oywen spoke something as she did and the guard felt a strange power flow through him. His weapon began to glow orange like Nico's blade. The guardsman's speed increased with the magic sent into him and, like the bondsman, he felt like he could match those coming towards him.

Their movements seemed to slow and Toman met the magical swordsman on even ground. His dagger was pulled from the sheath by his left hand and it glowed like the sword. The longer blades met, but the guard only meant to distract him while he turned keeping the metal against his foe's weapon.

One of the soldiers fell back as the dagger cut his forearm along its length. The man dropped his sword as he reached for the wound with his opposite hand.

Surprise showed in the magical swordsman's eyes and Toman could see it easily as time felt like it slowed. A quick clash of swords ended with his opponent having to give ground. Duel wielding the dagger scored another hit, but this time on the bondsman's forearm. The end of the short blade sunk in, but not too far. His opponent was both skilled and quick. Blood streamed from the new wound forming a bridge of red before it fell in a rain of drops.

The soldiers backing the man found themselves facing the hulking guard with the bondsman giving way. His movements were quick. In a fight against greater numbers, he couldn't allow himself too much mercy. They would give him none now that he had joined their enemy.

Three soldiers were wounded in a mere blink, but Toman could see every slash and stab of his two weapons easily. Their swords were merely three foot lines he needed to avoid and his blade did so accurately.

Two of the men were still dropping to the dirt as the magical swordsman leapt back through the wounded men to try again. He obviously thought the giant should have been easy to kill. If his wizard was feeding him this power as well, certainly he could see Toman's attacks the same way.

More thunder erupted throwing the horses and men back. The two wizards still sitting on their horses were shielded by the other woman, but she couldn't help the hapless soldiers. Even as he fought, Toman knew that nearly half of the hunter unit had been killed or wounded.

"You should surrender," he informed his opponent with a smile of confidence.

"You're good. I'll give you that, but I have been trained for this all my life," the man retorted trying to break his defenses. He had pulled a dagger out to fight now also, but Toman could tell that duel wielding was awkward for the bondsman.

"If you don't pull back, I'll have to kill you," Toman warned him again.

Even as they spoke, their blades were a flurry between them. Toman's dagger scored two more scratches. One was on the right leg and the second tagged the sword arm once more, but as a slash along the forearm.

Each cut made the bondsman wince. Toman could have cut him with each brief closing of his eye lids, he thought. With time slowed like this, the guard felt nearly invincible.

"Last chance to surrender," the guard stated in respect for his opponent. He was good, but Toman knew that at the moment he was better.

"You're too cocky. I can read your moves now," the swordsman retorted, but the guardsman shook his head in the briefest of motions.

They closed as his opponent probably hoped moving inside of the bigger man's reach would offer him a better attack. Toman's dagger surprised the swordsman deflecting the bigger weapon and he countered in a quick twist cutting down across the man's left arm. Severing it at the elbow, the arm and dagger fell towards the ground in slow motion.

His opponent screamed in pain. His eyes widened but they missed Toman's movements as pain darkened his eyes a moment.

Toman's dagger knocked the swordsman's weapon aside opening up his lunge with the sword. Magical armor slowed the blade slightly, but the magic extended to him by Oywen was more than enough added to the big man's strength to drive the point of the blade into the man's upper stomach. It angled upward into his chest. A lung was pierced, but the attack wasn't aimed for the heart.

It was still enough, that as Toman kicked the swordsman back to free his weapon, his opponent fell to the ground gurgling as blood rushed into the pierced lung.

Clear of the skilled magical swordsman, the guard scanned the field of battle. Horsemen could be seen fleeing towards the east, though they were few in number now. The wizards still fought each other, but even outnumbering her, Oywen appeared to be winning.

He watched as the woman on the horse screamed at the sight of her bondsman dying in the dirt. It was if, the woman felt his pain as much as her grief. Her resistance withered and Oywen found her fight remained with just Atan.

Toman found Nico pushing the other swordsman back also. Both had scored several cuts, but Nico's sword had gone deeper and his slashes were longer. The magical swordsman looked pale and was going to lose. Toman could see the signs and knew the man's confidence had been broken.

Rushing forward towards the other wizards threw off Atan. His spell aimed towards the girl struck the carriage causing it to sway. Luckily, it had been a thrusting wind designed to knock Oywen back to create an opening.

His dagger left his hand surprising the man. Atan's spells were too slow to counter a thrown knife and his words left in a gasp as the blade pierced his chest. It was not an immediate killing blow. Toman's aim had been a little off and the weapon scored between the ribs of the right breast.

Atan fell backward off of his horse and the animal bucked adding to the distance to the ground. It deserted its rider and ran to the north nearly bowling over the last swordsman. The animal gave Nico his opening and his sword pierced the man through the heart, unlike many of Toman's attacks.

The other wizard dismounted and walked past him with tears in her eyes. She knelt beside her swordsman holding him as his breathing became even more ragged. When his heart stopped, his last gasp could be heard in the sudden silence.

Toman turned to look at the carriage. Despite all the magic raging around it, the wooden coach remained intact. The horses had pulled forward and to the left, but it was like the magic had rooted them in place. Barely moving out of its starting place, he was able steady the animals with a pat and soothing tone as the guardsman slowly walked past them.

Walking past the brunette wizard where she shook with sobs, Toman looked at Oywen with questioning eyes.

"What was that?" he asked.

Understanding what the man meant, the wizard replied, "I formed a temporary bond with you. It is hard to do for long with more than one swordsman though my brother and I have the true bond, but it gave you the ability of a bondsman long enough for you to win."

Her smile faltered with her strength and the girl sunk to the ground onto her knees. Nico hurried to his sister's side.

"I am alright, but if you could bring me some food and drink please," she requested gently.

Nodding, her brother moved towards the carriage looking worn down from the fight. Toman could feel the release of her power. The spell had been maintained by the wizard long enough to win, but he guessed that sharing her power was draining in addition to the spells she had cast fighting two wizards.

"What will you do now?" he asked her turning away a moment to look at what remained of the pursuit unit. Maybe he could scavenge the swords once more; but if Daria was as bad, or worse, than Marta they might be unable to unload too many of the weapons.

"The same as we had planned before," the blonde haired wizard replied giving up on her kneeling position as she switched to crossing her legs. Her skirt was spread to cover her legs, but Oywen leaned back to brace her hands on the ground to ease the pressure on her back. "We never figured that we could actually go to Daria. The brothers have said that they were summoned to Daria by Sordrian himself. I don't know what they heard, but it sounds like the city is under the brotherhood's control at least as much as Marta."

"They forced you to join this new army?"

She nodded, but such was the angle that Toman could only see her hair now. Moving her neck, he could hear a crack as tension popped making her sigh. "The militia and other soldiers followed the brothers and citizens in pulling down any official unwilling to say that he was following Sordrian. They seem to want to create a nation with Sordrian as their leader. At least they say the god guides them and told them to rid the city of King Tylus. Anyone loyal to the king and Tseult got thrown into the city prison or killed.

"Wizards and their bondsmen were treated no differently. They grabbed us from the governor's home before anyone knew what was happening. There were only eight wizards and six bondsmen in Marta. Two wizards were imprisoned. Their bondsmen were killed for not agreeing to follow Sordrian and the brotherhood. The people are all flocking around the brothers like sheep, since they have done a lot of good. Temples were burned by some Tseulty soldiers they said and a few brothers were killed, so they turned against the king completely."

Toman frowned. All the temples were being burned, though not to the point that there weren't brothers to lead them after the attacks. Added to the soldiers that they had taken the swords from between Delem and Adeer, things were looking rather fishy. There were too many coincidences, if that's what they could be called. Every town seemed to have the same troubles at once and the ships with the red flags had appeared apparently following the brotherhood as well.