The Mists of Sorrow_ Book Seven of the Morcyth Saga - Brian S. Pratt [132]
“They’re in trouble!” Aleya shouts and they rush forward. They don’t get more than two steps before Jiron races into the alley at a dead run. A second later a swarm of screaming men emerges behind him.
“Go!” he yells as he sprints toward them.
Now that sneaking out of the city is no longer an option, James lets the magic go…
Crumph! Crumph! Crumph!
…and the ground erupts under the charging men, throwing them into the air.
Then from neighboring streets, the sounds of horns blare forth as they tell the world where he is. Then from both ends of the alley, the soldiers which had arrived earlier that morning begin pouring in. “Back inside!” James yells and turns around.
Before he can get moving, Jiron races past him and bolts into the building they had just exited. “Move!” James yells as he and the others run for the doorway.
Miko is the last to pass through and slams the door shut. Throwing the bar, he puts his shoulder against the door as the soldiers on the other side begin beating against it.
“It’s clear on this side,” Jiron says from the window. “They’ve all rushed to the sound of the horns.”
“What happened to Stig and Shorty?” James asks.
“They were still in the stable when all hell broke loose,” he says. “I think they’re still alive.” Then he nods to the building across the street where the soldier’s horses are being kept. “Shall we?”
Bang! Bang! Bang!
“It’s not going to hold for long,” Miko yells.
James nods to Jiron, “Let’s go.” Then to Miko he yells, “Hold it as long as you can.”
Reilin moves to add his strength to Miko’s and places his shoulder against the door. “Just hurry!” he yells to him.
Bang!
“You stay here and when we have the horses ready, you all come at once,” James tells Brother Willim.
Nodding, he says, “Good luck.”
Aleya comes forward and says, “I’m coming too.”
Jiron pauses as if he’s going to object then nods. “Okay,” he says. Throwing open the door, he runs across the street to the doorway through which the horses are kept. James and Aleya follow.
When the people on the street see them emerge from the building, they begin to holler, scream and flee. Three soldiers appear from out of nowhere and James takes one out with a slug and prepares to launch another. “You two get the horses,” he tells them, “I’ll hold them off.” Letting the second slug fly, he pulls another from his belt. Jiron and Aleya rush in through the door as he sends the third slug flying.
A shimmer appears around him as his shield springs to life. Standing there in the street, the shimmering shield surrounding him, he scans both directions.
Ping!
A crossbow bolt ricochets off the barrier. Turning in the directions the bolt originated from, he sees men beginning to boil out of an alley further down. Not able to make it through the door Miko and Reilin are holding shut, some have decided to make an end run and try to take them from behind.
Ping!
Another bolt strikes the barrier as more crossbowmen join the fray.
Crumph! Crumph! Crumph!
Explosions rip the street as the leading edge of the charging men is thrown into the air. Now from the other direction, more soldiers enter the street. Turning to them he again lets loose with the power.
Crumph! Crumph!
Men are thrown in the air as the ground beneath their feet explodes outwards. Moving to the doorway Jiron and Aleya passed through, he yells, “Hurry up in there!” Glancing inside, he sees two dead soldiers who must have been inside when Jiron entered. The wounds on their body are indicative of those made by a knife.
“Just a few more!” Aleya hollers back as she throws another saddle onto a horse.
Returning his attention to the street and the soldiers approaching from both directions, he moves away from the building and makes his way to the middle of the road. Both forces of men have now slowed to a crawl as they’ve come to realize they face a mage. Going through some