Feathered Dragon - Douglas Niles [135]
The dragon reared back, a hissing cloud of flame and smoke erupting from its widespread jaws. The sizzling inferno surrounded the god of war. but Zaltec ignored it. Again he lunged at Qotal, and this time the dragon pounced away.
The gods waged their war, uncaring for the living things around them, be they trees or animals or humans. The destruction of their combat crushed miles of forest and spread earthquakes and chasms that threatened to consume all of Payit.
Darien sensed her opportunity She crept up the last few steps of the pyramid and cautiously peered onto the crest. There, as she expected, all eyes were directed away from her, toward the battle between the gods.
Black hishna surged in Darien as the moment of her triumph lay before her. There was the wife, sitting up weakly staring in awe at the war god. She held a bundle to her breast, and Darien’s smile tightened savagely.
Very slowly the drider climbed onto the platform atop the pyramid. The talonmagic within her caused all of her energy to focus on the target of pluma before her.
Then she attacked.
“ How many did we lose?” Cordell spoke to Grimes atop the rampart, where he could keep a careful eye on the beasts arrayed around the fort.
“Thirty horses-only twenty riders, though” The cavalry captain sighed in weariness and despair.
“You saved a hundred times that many” the captain-general told him. “Without you to screen us, we never would have made it back to the fort.”
Grimes smiled faintly. “Still, don’t know what good that does us,” he said, with a gesture to the horde gathered beyond.
“ More than you might guess. It buys us time. Time to rest Time for Rodolfo to get here with the ships. Time for Erixitl to work a miracle. Time, and whatever that time can do for us.” Cordell clapped the horseman on the shoulder. “Now, you get some rest. There’ll be plenty of work later on I’m sure.”
The captain of horse nodded gratefully and turned to leave the rampart. As he did so, his eyes swept across the la-goon and the ocean to the north and east. Immediately he stiffened.
“What?” Cordell, seeing his reaction, spun to look out to sea.
The white sails were barely visible on the horizon but coming swiftly. At first indistinct, they quickly became identifiable-the fleet! The carracks he had sent to the Sea of Azul were returning! In a few moments, they could count them-all twenty-five vessels.
“Rodolfo!” Cordell shouted, and the cry resounded and echoed through the fort. The carracks swiftly pulled closer and all of Helmsport shouted.
As the ships drew near, they could see their Kultakan allies lining the decks, as well as a few of the legionnaires who had remained behind in the desert-in all, more than five” thousand fresh troops, eager to throw their strength into the battle.
“There you are. What happened? The baby!” The voce pulled Hal’s attention away from Poshtli in surprise. He looked into the equally surprised face of Jhatli as the youth ascended the last steps to the top of the pyramid. For a moment, the epic struggle between the gods was forgotten at his joy in seeing his companion.
“You’re alive!” cried the swordsman. He seized his young companion and looked into his face. Jhatli’s eyes were bright and curious. Hal saw, with a cautious look at his chest, that no wound showed there, even as a scar.
“The magic of pluma,” said Erix, softly so as not to disturb her child. The baby suckled noisily, content with his world now that he was being held by his mother and fed.
Halloran turned back to Poshtli, clapping his companion on both shoulders. “And to see you again, my friend, is a wish I would not have dared make.”
“1 have been… fortunate,” Poshtli said dryly.
“But what- Look out!” Jhatli’s eyes widened as he looked past Halloran.
Colon turned with sudden quickness, surprising Halloran into looking away from the spectacle before him. And in that instant, he saw Darien, hissing and spitting and racing toward his wife and child.
But even before the swordsman could react, the priest of Qotal seized the cloak-the brilliant plumage