"Men and women," he said, "people of Altura and Halaran, I'm afraid the night is far from over. This area crawls with the enemy, and your friends and families are anxious to have you safely home. At the speed we will travel, Ralanast is a half day's journey from here, which means walking through the night. I know it will be difficult, and I'm sorry to ask more of you when you have already been through so much, but there will be light at the end, for with the dawn, the people of Ralanast will show those who would believe otherwise, that they are free. Your people will welcome you with open arms, and even the Alturans among you will soon be among more of your countrymen, just as I will, for a great army lies outside the walls of Ralanast, an army of Alturans and Halrana, and we intend to welcome this army with the new day. Now, please, gather yourselves. We have water and we have some food. It will be a long night."
As Rogan's men gathered the prisoners, Amelia came forward. "Rogan?" she said.
"What is it?"
"We always knew this might be the case. Many of the prisoners are unfit for travel. I need twenty of your men."
Rogan closed his eyes. He could hear the steel in Amelia's voice, and knew it wasn't worth the attempt to argue. He sighed, opening his eyes again. "You'll have twenty-five men," he said, "but it's all I can spare. Lord of the Sky, I wish I could give you more."
"It'll be fine," she soothed. "They just need to help us hold here until tomorrow. I'll do what I can for these people's injuries and illnesses. Some of them have been very poorly treated."
"If anything happens to you…"
"It won't," Amelia said.
"I'll come back for you," Rogan said. "As soon as I can, I promise."
"And I would say that I will fear for you…" Amelia shook her head. "But after seeing you fight tonight…"
Rogan saw Amber come forward, a tall Halrana woman at her side. "This is Lina. She'd also like to stay to take care of the others."
Amelia nodded.
"And you, Amber, are you able to make the journey?" Rogan asked.
Amber looked up at him with a disturbing amount of steel in her eyes. "You remind me of someone," she said. "He always thought I was just a little girl. Don't make the same mistake."
"I won't." Rogan grinned.
He looked around him, at the burning mounds of rubble and the pits in the earth where orbs had exploded. Corpses were scattered at all ends of the prison camp, most wearing black, he was pleased to see. His men had gathered the freed prisoners in a column. They were ready.
"Move out!" Rogan called.
40
THE uprising of Ralanast commenced at dawn.
Prince Tiesto had scattered his men throughout the city, so that a multitude of armed companies each at least fifty strong ran through the eighteen avenues and twenty-six streets that made up the city's central zone. The uprising began in earnest when the rising sun touched the easternmost spire of the Terra Cathedral and the Halrana patriots began to shout the mantra that would signal the start of the battle for liberation and call their people to arms.
"Brown for the earth! Green for life! The birth of a new day!"
Some of the patriots were met by curious citizens, woken by the commotion. All questions were answered: "Meet at the Terra Cathedral! Freedom for Ralanast! Freedom for Halaran!"
Others were met by the swords of the Black Army's soldiers. The clash of steel broke the morning stillness, blood drenched the dusty streets, and as the call-to-arms rang through the Black Army's barracks and the sound of marching boots was heard in the streets, some of the Halrana chose to stay at home.
Prince Tiesto, with Marcus at his side, led his men towards the eastern gate and his rendezvous with Marshal Rogan.
He had never fought in a battle before, and even though part of him was terrified, he also felt the thrill of the uprising course through his veins. With five hundred men at his back — most either boys or old men — Tiesto waved his shining sword over his head and shouted encouragement. The boys' faces were flushed with excitement and even Marcus grinned like a fool.
They passed unchallenged through the cargo district, heading for the eastern gate in a direct line, and Tiesto felt his heart near-bursting when he saw the twin towers of the gate only a few blocks ahead.
The Tingaran legionnaires met them in the broad avenue leading to the gate.
Rogan had tried, but nothing could have prepared Tiesto for the chaos of their first engagement. Both Tiesto and Marcus had been trained in swordsmanship, but Marcus had been a palace guard, and only on border patrols before that. Tiesto had never before had a man try to kill him.
It was worse than he had imagined.
For some reason, when he saw that his numbers were greater, Tiesto expected the legionnaires to surrender, or for some kind of discussion to take place.
Instead, the men of the imperial legion tore into his ranks like a whirlwind, blood spraying through the air as their swords slashed and thrust into Tiesto's men. Ranks of enemy pikemen marched forward in disciplined formation, the front of their column bristling with lowered weapons.
Tiesto remembered Rogan's advice for dealing with pikemen. He turned to Marcus. "Hit them from the side!"
Marcus vanished, taking a squad with him, and Tiesto found himself battling both the column of relentless pikemen and the flashing blades of the legionnaires.
"To me!" Prince Tiesto called, throwing himself into the fray as he launched himself at the legionnaires. He hoped that the pikemen would have difficulty continuing their advance if his men were tangled with the legionnaires.