David Gemmell – Rigante 4 – Stormrider

‘Get down!’ shouted Kaelin.

The man grinned and walked over to where the two Rigante lay. Then he crouched down. The enemy have pulled back,’ he said. ‘Our scouts report they are moving south-west. The woods are empty. No snipers. No infantry. No cannon.’

‘Where is Beck?’

‘The general sent me to find you. He is at the church. Faith, sir, but it’s a miracle, is it not?’

Kaelin did not answer. Moving swiftly he dashed across the open ground and made his way to the church. Beck stepped out into the morning sunlight just as he approached. A troop of Eldacre cavalry were riding up towards the wooded slope beyond.

‘Is this some strategy of theirs to cut us off?’ asked Kaelin.

‘It can’t be,’ said Beck. ‘They’ve surrendered good ground and pulled out. By heading south-west they’ve also freed the eastern supply lines. None of it makes military sense.’

‘What do we do?’

‘Hold our lines until we get orders from Eldacre. The Source just smiled upon us, Kaelin Ring. I don’t know why, and I don’t care. Perhaps the Moidart is a religious man.’

‘If he is it’s not a religion I’d choose to follow.’

On the second day following the surprise withdrawal of the southern armies the Moidart summoned his generals back to Eldacre for a strategy meeting. Scouts had reported the enemy armies were converging on a point some forty miles south of the town and regrouping. The force was estimated to be close to forty-five thousand strong, considerably less than even the Moidart had dared hope.

Even so, the defenders were still heavily outnumbered.

The meeting was held in the Moidart’s east-facing apartments. The sun was shining brightly in a clear blue sky, its light streaming through the high arched windows. Around the table sat Garan Beck, Gaise Macon, Kaelin Ring, Ganley Konin and Ordis Mantilan. Bael Jace and Bendegit Law were scouting to the south.

Ganley Konin was the first to speak. A slim, well spoken man, he had been a cleric in Varingas for twenty years, and had only become a soldier upon the outbreak of the civil war, purchasing his commission in a cavalry unit. He had proved to have a fine eye for ground and had been promoted steadily to the rank of colonel. An argument with the doomed Lord Person had seen him transferred north into the army of the Finance. ‘It seems to me, sirs, that we have a respite. No more than that. There is no indication that the enemy intends to withdraw south. It is my view he will advance in full force upon the town.’

‘I agree,’ said Garan Beck. ‘What I don’t understand is why. His plan was working. We could not have held out for more than a few weeks.’

‘I believe I have the answer to that,’ said the Moidart. ‘Our seer, Powdermill, reports that there is no longer any indication of Redeemer spirit activity. He thought at first that the Orb of Kranos had been overused, and was in need of replenishment. That, however, is not the case. The Orb is no longer with the Redeemers. In short, Winter Kay is without any special powers now. He has panicked, and drawn his army around him like a wall.’

‘Then now is the time to strike him,’ said Kaelin Ring.

‘Given a few thousand more men I would agree with you, lad,’ said Garan Beck. ‘The truth is we simply do not have the manpower to launch an attack as swiftly as it would be required. As far as I can tell we have around eleven thousand men fit enough to fight, and another two thousand recruits who don’t know one end of a musket from the other. Given another week we might add more, and train those we have. I don’t believe we will have another week.’

Ordis Mantilan spoke next. A commander of musketeers for twenty years, he was a short, stout man, with a shock of tightly curled greying hair. ‘I’d like to know two things,’ he said. ‘First, how did Lord Winterbourne lose the Orb of Kranos, and, more important, where is it? If it is as powerful as has been claimed we could surely use it ourselves.’