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Elodi had barely slept. She had risen long before the sun to take a stroll in the cool, pre-dawn air. The flickering fires of the watches placed around Vymarl, assured her all was well… for now. After clearing her head, she went to find Sea Mist. He had stirred at her approach and nuzzled his head against her. Elodi had never known her mother, suddenly lost her father, and more recently, her trusted advisor, Wendel. Sea Mist had been her companion for eight years through both the good and bad times. But in a way, it felt like he had always been there for her to listen to her woes. Reluctantly, she had to leave him and return to her captains as the sky had turned pink. The day ahead would prove most challenging for all… and those to come would be no better. And what awaited them at the pass? Elodi had watched the sun rise while willing it to return to the world beneath and grant her a day’s grace.

Nyomae had greeted her with news of the Amayans and Toryn. Elodi could not suppress the tears of relief on hearing they had emerged from the tunnels. But her joy was tempered by the news of Amyra’s death.

After a meagre breakfast, the company prepared to ride. The people of Vymarl rallied and provided supplies they could barely spare, but Elodi had no option but to accept. If her force failed, Vymarl would not need the provisions to see them through the cold season — they would not survive to see Mid-winter.

Elodi secured her pack and turned to see Nyomae approach. ‘Will you ride with me at the head?’

‘That I will—’ Nyomae staggered forward, shooting out a hand to clutch Sea Mist’s bridle. She steadied herself, looked to Elodi and grasped her arm. ‘Ah! It is as we feared. The fences are breached. The aralaks escape.’

Elodi’s heart sank. She groaned. ‘Then our enemy must command those foul beasts.’

Nyomae closed her eyes and bowed her head. Her eyes flickered behind their lids. She looked up. ‘Alas, that appears to be so. The spiders act as if an army. They have divided their numbers. The larger cluster scurries towards the North Forest of Ormsk. The other—’

‘Heads for the East Watchtower?’

‘As we speak. The aralaks will attack before the day is done.’

Elodi slumped. ‘Not with winged horses could we make it in time.’ Her mind raced as she spoke out loud. ‘We still hold the west side of the pass. There’s been little activity on Noor’s border.’ She pictured Kernlow’s elaborate map hanging in Archonholm’s Great Hall. She clicked her fingers. ‘It’s a risk, but one I can’t avoid.’ She called to one of her captains. ‘Do we have a bird able to reach Eldamouth?’

He nodded. ‘Three are trained for all the main ports in the west, ma’am.’

‘Then select the fastest… and one that can negotiate the thin air over the Kolossos.’ He saluted and hurried off.

Nyomae eyed Elodi. ‘You are calling the forces in the west?’

‘I have no choice. Eldamouth can send their birds throughout Noor. I shall ask for half of their numbers. I cannot leave the good people of Harlyn and Kernlow undefended. But if our forces remain split, we will be defeated at our enemy’s time of choosing. I believe the main thrust will come here in the east. If I can bring sufficient numbers through the pass, perhaps we can defeat the aralaks. Then I might gather a force that will at least cause our enemy to think twice.’

Nyomae gathered the reins of her horse. ‘And what about us? Where do we go?’

Elodi’s jaw tightened. ‘We have a hard ride ahead of us to reach the East Watchtower while it still holds. We will strike the rear of the spiders' ranks. Then if victorious… it will come down to a major confrontation. The release of the aralaks surely heralds the coming of the Ul-dalak’s armies. We must be prepared to meet them and fight for our very existence. But I want that to be at a place of my choosing. And for that, we must get there first.’

‘And would that place be at Roth’s Doom?’

A grim smile crossed Elodi’s lips. ‘The land narrows at that point. We’d have the chasm to our left, and the hills to our right. That is where I wish to confront them. We may have a chance, a slim chance at that, but it’s preferable to engage them at Roth’s Doom than elsewhere in the open. I will need to station a force at Borrund. If they skirt the forest to the east, they could yet come up against our rear.’

Nyomae returned the smile. ‘How fitting we exploit the supposed damage caused by Ormoroth’s great axe. And not forgetting he was injured in the act.’ She laughed. ‘Not that a word of it can possibly be true.’

Elodi secured her pack to Sea Mist. ‘True or not, I hope the irony is not lost on our enemy. And of course, Draegelan won a decisive battle there.’ She looked over her shoulder to the column of knights. ‘But I imagine he led a far greater and better skilled force than I.’

Nyomae mounted. ‘Yet I believe the numbers still favored the enemy on that day. After expelling Ormoroth from Vortimo, Draegelan pursued him. Ormoroth summoned a great army through the pass to waylay him, but a large force of Amayans rode to his aid from the east. Together they routed the enemy, forcing Ormoroth to make his last stand at Talaghir.’

Elodi glanced down to her mother’s sword. ‘Yet now the Amayans number so few. Even if they all rode to our aid it would make little difference.’

Nyomae drew her horse level with Sea Mist. ‘Take heart, Elodi. The legend alone may still cause unease among our enemy.’

The captain returned with a large bird upon his forearm. Elodi took the quill and chose her words carefully. She would summon Aldorman and all his knights, Cubric with half his Archonians, and finally, Ruan and his spearmen. Elodi knew a double line of Broon’s trusty spears would be worth twice that of her other forces. If a position had to be secured, Ruan would be the captain to hold the line. Elodi watched with her heart hammering into her chest as the bird gained height and flew towards the Kolossos.

She leaped onto Sea Mist’s back, drew her sword, and turned to the assembled company. ‘Ride! Our allies are in danger.’ She kicked on. Sea Mist obliged, leading close to four hundred horses; Elodi hoped the aralaks to the north could also feel the ground tremble.