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Over their heads, arrows and slugs continue to fly into the riders moving around the barrier to attack with deadly accuracy. Jiron reaches a rider who’s dazed from his fall and quickly strikes out with a knife, taking him through the throat.

As the dead man falls, he moves on to the next who is already up and in position. Next to him he hears another rider fall from the death blow Illan dealt him as he engages the rider.

The rider strikes out with his sword as Jiron approaches. Sidestepping, he allows the blade to pass next to him. Lashing out with one knife, he catches the rider along one side, leaving a six inch trail of blood across his swordarm.

Jumping back, the rider looks at Jiron in anger. With a cry, he takes his sword in both hands and hacks down with all his might. As the blade descends toward Jiron, he dodges to the side and strikes the descending blade with a knife. At the same time, he lashes out with a foot and knocks the rider off balance. Before the man has a chance to regain his balance, he thrusts with his other knife and slips it through a gap in the armor beneath the ribcage, sinking the blade to the hilt.

With a cry of pain, the rider staggers a couple of steps before dropping to his knees as blood flows from his side. His sword falls from his hand as he topples over and hits the ground where he lies still.

Retrieving his dagger from the fallen man, Jiron looks to find Illan having already dispatched his two.

Horns sound behind the attacking riders announcing the arrival of Ceadric and his bunch. With the odds so much against them, the enemy riders break off the attack and flee.

Hedry’s archers fire at the fleeing riders while riding at a full gallop. Some of their arrows find their marks, but the majority go wide. He divides his men in half, sending each half after the two groups of fleeing riders.

“Wagons secured,” Ceadric reports as he nears.

“Any survivors?” James asks.

“Most of the drivers and about a dozen soldiers,” he replies.

James glances to Illan and nods. “Good,” he says.

To Ceadric, Illan says, “Keep them at the wagons. We’ll wish to interrogate them.”

“Yes, sir,” Ceadric says as he salutes and turns around to head back to the captured wagons.

“Went pretty well,” comments Jiron.

“Yeah it did,” agrees James. “Let’s move to the caravan and see about the prisoners. We need to get out of here before too much longer.”

Illan nods as he says, “I agree.”

As everyone gets under way, James glances to Brother Willim and then nods to the thorn barrier. “Is that going to last awhile?” he asks.

“Maybe,” he replies. “It’s real so it could thrive here if it’s the will of Asran. Though I doubt it, too dry.”

Working their way around the thorn hedge, James, Illan and the rest make their way across the recent field of battle to where a score of Ceadric’s riders guard those who survived their assault. When they arrive, Illan directs Ceadric to have his men gather what supplies they require before destroying the wagons.

Ceadric gives him a ‘Yes, sir,’ then orders two of his junior officers to take care of it.

“Take what rest you can,” Illan announces to the others. “We leave in under an hour.”

While the group from The Ranch dismounts and begins distributing rations among themselves for a quick meal Illan, Ceadric, Jiron and James go to where the prisoners are being held.

The men being guarded are a sad, dejected looking lot. A dozen civilian drivers plus over a score of soldiers sit in a group off to one side. “Sergeant!” Illan barks upon approaching.

One of the soldiers guarding the prisoners steps forward and asks, “Yes, sir?”

“Release the drivers,” he tells him. “Get them out of here and moving on the road north.”

“Yes, sir!” the sergeant replies with a salute and with the help of two other Raiders soon has the drivers free of their bonds and heading down the road. When they don’t move along fast enough, some of the Raiders decide to hurry them a bit with the broad side of their swords.

Illan turns to the remaining soldiers