Across the stream the black-skinned Pahthians sharpened their spears. There was little fear among them. The ivory-skins facing them were few in number. They would be swept away like antelope before a veldt blaze. Gorben waited until the sun cleared the peaks, then gave the order to attack. The Panthians surged to their feet, a swelling roar of hatred rising from their throats, a wall of sound that hurtled up into the pass, washing over the defenders.
‘Listen to that!’ bellowed Druss. ‘That’s not strength you hear. That’s the sound of terror!’
Five thousand warriors raced towards the pass, their feet drumming a savage beat on the rocky slopes, echoing high into the peaks.
Druss hawked and spat. Then he began to laugh, a rich, full sound that brought a few chuckles from the men around him.
‘Gods, I’ve missed this,’ he shouted. ‘Come on, you cowsons!’ he yelled at the Panthians. ‘Move yourselves!’
Delnar, at the centre of the second line, smiled and drew his sword.
With the enemy a bare hundred paces distant, the men of the third line looked to Archytas. He raised his arm. The men dropped their shields and stooped, rising with barbed javelins. Each man had five of them at his feet.
The Panthians were almost upon them.
‘Now!’ yelled Archytas.
Arms flew forward and two hundred shafts of death hurtled into the black mass.
‘Again!’ bellowed Archytas.
The front ranks of the advancing horde disappeared screaming, to be trampled by the men behind them. The charge faltered as the tribesmen tripped and fell over fallen comrades. The mountain walls, narrowing like an hour-glass, slowed the attack still further.
Then the lines clashed.
A spear lunged for Druss. Blocking it with his axe blades, he dragged a back-hand cut that sheared through the wicker shield and the flesh beyond. The man grunted as Snaga clove through his ribcage. Druss tore the weapon clear, parried another thrust and hammered his axe into his opponent’s face. Beside him Certak blocked a spear with his shield, expertly sliding his gladius into a gleaming black chest. A spear sliced his upper thigh, but there was no pain. He counter-thrust, and his attacker fell across the growing pile of corpses in front of the line.
The Panthians now found themselves leaping upon the bodies of their comrades in their desperation to breach the line. The floor of the pass became slippery with blood, but the Drenai held.
A tall warrior threw aside his wicker shield and hurdled the wall of dead, spear raised. He hurtled towards Druss. Snaga buried itself in his chest, but the weight of the man bore Druss back, tearing his axe from his hands. A second man leapt at him. Druss turned aside the thrusting spear with his mail-covered gauntlets, and smashed a cruel punch to the man’s jaw. As the warrior crumpled Druss grabbed him by the throat and groin and hoisted the body above his head, hurling him back over the corpse wall into the faces of the advancing warriors. Twisting, he wrenched his axe clear of the first man’s body.
‘Come on, my lads,’ he bellowed. ‘Time to send them home!’
Leaping up on the corpses, he cut left and right, opening up a space in the Panthian ranks. Diagoras couldn’t believe his eyes. He swore. Then leapt to join him.
The Drenai advanced, clambering over the Panthian dead, their swords red, their eyes grim.
At the centre the tribesmen struggled first to overcome the madman with the axe, then to get back from him, as other Drenai warriors joined him.
Fear flashed through their ranks like a plague.
Within minutes they were streaming back across the valley floor.
Druss led the warriors back into position. His jerkin was stained with blood, and his beard spotted with crimson. Opening his shirt, he removed a towel and wiped his sweating face. Doffing his helm of black and silver, he scratched his head.
‘Well, lads,’ he called out, his deep voice echoing in the crags, ‘how does it feel to have earned your pay?’
‘They’re coming again!’ someone shouted.
Druss’ voice cut through the rising fear. ‘Of course they are,’ he bellowed. ‘They don’t know when they’re beaten. Front rank fall back, second rank stand to. Let’s spread the glory!’