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It isn’t long before the column of men completely passes by. Soon, the sound of their footsteps begins to fade as they move further away until finally dying out altogether.

Sitting up, Jiron whispers, “That was close.”

“Yeah,” agrees James. “I thought for sure we’d be spotted.”

Off in the distance, the fringe of the enemy camp can be seen a little to their right. They’ve almost made it completely past. Far in the distance, the lights from Kern can be seen. “Not too much further,” announces Aleya.

“The thing I’m worried about, should we make it there,” says James “is the reception we’ll have from Cardri’s forces.”

“What do you mean?” Aleya asks.

Turning to her, he explains, “They don’t know who we are. For all they know, we’re spies or soldiers of the Empire. I don’t know if we’ll find sanctuary there.”

“So you think we should try to avoid them too?” asks Jiron.

“It wouldn’t hurt if we could,” he replies. “But I doubt if we’ll be that fortunate.”

Jiron nods his head as he starts descending the hill. Heading further to the west, they travel another hour as they put even more distance between themselves and the enemy camp. Once they’ve reached a point where the enemy encampment is far to the east, they turn north and begin their push to the Cardri lines.

By this time, the eastern sky has begun to lighten with the coming of the dawn. The hills they’ve been traveling through all evening are beginning to smooth out to grasslands the further north they travel.

“We need to hurry!” James says as the sky continues to lighten.

Jiron nods as he breaks into a quick run. The others follow him and James is soon huffing and puffing in his attempt to keep up.

It isn’t long before they leave the foothills behind altogether. Running along the grasslands, James continues scanning the horizon all around for any movement which might indicate forces on the move. So far they’ve been lucky and haven’t yet been spotted.

When the sun finally crests the horizon to the east, horsemen are seen riding across the horizon ahead of them. “Are they Cardri’s?” asks James when Jiron brings them to a halt.

“Can’t tell from this distance,” Jiron replies.

They crouch down in the grass, hoping against hope for the riders to pass by without seeing them. When suddenly from behind them, a horn blares forth. James turns and looks behind them to see a dozen riders heading in their direction. The blast from the horn has caused the riders between them and Cardri to swing in their direction. Breaking into a fast gallop, the thirty or so horsemen begin heading their way.

“James!” Jiron cries out as he sees them turning to intercept them.

“I know!” he exclaims.

Aleya has her bow out and aimed at the horsemen coming up behind them as they’re the closer force. Standing steady in the face of their charge, she lets fly an arrow which strikes the lead rider, knocking him off his horse. In one fluid motion she takes another arrow out of her quiver, sets it to the bowstring, draws back and releases. Another horseman is knocked off his horse by the impact of her second arrow.

Crumph!

The ground under the onrushing riders explodes upward throwing men and horses into the air. Three riders who were at the rear of the charge race through the flying debris.

Aleya, unfazed by James’ display of magic, again sets arrow to string, draws back and lets fly. The arrow flies and strikes the last of the three riders square in the chest, causing him to fall off backward from his horse. His foot gets tangled in the stirrup as his horse careens off, dragging him along the ground.

Jiron moves forward, his two knives at the ready as the remaining two riders approach.

Her last arrow to string, she aims for the lead horse, rather than the rider. Letting the arrow go, it flies within inches of Jiron on its way and strikes the horse on the left in the forward right flank. The injury causes the horse to stumble to the right and into the other. Both horses fall to the