As he moved away he realized he was glad to be avoiding the moment the charge ended, as the horses struck the trip wires, their riders hurled into the sharpened spikes dug into the hillside.
Chapter Twenty-Six
For a hundred days and a hundred nights the battle raged in the sky. And great was the slaughter. At last only one of the heroes remained alive, and that was Virkokka. All around him the demons gathered, a forest of spears confronting him. Virkokka killed the demons in their thousands, but still they came. And at the last even he grew bored with the endless fighting, and, plunging his sword into the ground, he called upon the Earth Flame to aid him.
From the Evening Song of the Anajo
When Rael fell Viruk took up the point. Intoxicated by battle fury he was in ecstasy. Niclin rode to his left, the surviving thirty Avatars closing up in formation behind. As he rode, bolts flashing from his zhi-bow, Viruk saw the concentrated mass of bronze fire tubes to his left. Forgetting the mission he angled his mount towards them. The Avatars followed him. ‘The supplies!’ shouted Niclin. ‘We must get to the supplies!’
Viruk ignored him – and in doing so unwittingly turned the charge away from the hidden wires and trenches. Almecs were scattering before them now and Viruk took aim at a barrel resting near the base of the closest fire tube some 60 yards ahead. The zhi-bolt flashed into it. The barrel exploded in a rush of flame and smoke, igniting two others close by. The resulting blast lifted the bronze weapon high into the air. It landed on a second tube, tearing it from its base. The Almecs around the weapons fled as the Avatars bore down upon them. There were more than 50 fire tubes clustered together. Viruk and his riders sent a volley of bolts into the barrels around them.
A series of blasts followed. Smoke and fire belched up towards the skies and a thick grey fog seeped out across the battlefield.
Niclin rode in close to Viruk. ‘The supplies, you fool!’ he shouted. ‘We must destroy the black dust!’ Kicking his horse into a run Viruk swerved towards the hills once more. A company of Almec soldiers ran into position. Their fire-clubs boomed and a dozen Avatars went down.
Viruk urged his tired horse up the hill, Niclin and the sixteen survivors behind him.
Once over the crest he saw the enemy base camp, their supplies covered by sheets of canvas.
Spread out in a half-circle, protecting the camp, were a hundred krals.
Viruk did not hesitate. Spurring his mount he galloped down the hill.
On open ground now the Avatars spread out. Behind them Almec soldiers had run to the crest and were shooting down the slope. Five horses were hit in the first volley, the riders pitched from the saddles. Seven went down in the next. The six remaining riders bore down on the krals.
The huge beasts ran at the Avatars. ‘Flanking run, left and right!’ bellowed Viruk. Niclin dragged his horse to the right. A single Avatar followed him. Three more riders broke to the left. The krals split into two groups to cut them off.
Viruk charged at the gap opening in the centre.
Three krals lumbered back to block the opening. Viruk shot two and leapt his horse at the third. The kral’s talons flashed out, tearing open the gelding’s throat. The horse fell. Viruk rolled clear – and sent a bolt into the face of the kral.
More of the beasts were moving towards him now. Spinning on his heel he began to run for the camp some 300 yards distant.
More than a dozen soldiers moved from hiding places at the camp’s perimeter. Viruk hurled himself to his right as shots rang out. He was not quite fast enough and a lead ball tore into his thigh.
Rolling onto his back he saw the krals were almost upon him. Surging to his feet he shot three of them. Then he heard hoof beats. Swinging to his right he saw Niclin galloping towards him.
Another volley of shots boomed. Niclin was smashed back, his body toppling from the saddle. Viruk ran to intercept the panicked horse, grabbing the pommel of the saddle as the gelding ran by. Viruk vaulted to the saddle and ran the horse at the Almec soldiers. Most were struggling to reload. Two fired their weapons. One shot missed, but the second took Viruk high in the chest.