A bolt of energy left the wand, tearing a coin-sized hole in the revenant's neck. Ella chanted some more and a second circle of white fire left the wand to strike its forehead. The warrior fell down, twitching once before lying still and unmoving.
Ella looked around her at the battle. A ball of fire flew through the air, sizzling with red energy before it struck a revenant warrior. The draug burst into flames, and Ella's eyes traced the fireball back to its origin to see Shani standing nearby, the palms of her hands centred over another growing bud of fire as she prepared to launch another.
Ella continued to chant, keeping the magic of the wand alive, even as she knew it would drain rapidly. Two revenants ran at Shani, one bursting into flames, the other crumpling to the ground as Ella's bolt of light created a fist-sized hole in its chest.
Ella realised that all of the Hazarans around them were dead. The two women brought their horses close together as the swordsmen and axemen closed in. Ella and Shani faced in opposite directions, balls of fire and bolts of light flying again and again from their hands.
"This way!" a man's voice called.
Ella looked over, just as a fiery sword tore through three draugar. She heard the song of a bladesinger join her own chanting as Bartolo slashed towards them. Seeing that he was on foot, Ella incongruously wondered if he preferred it to horseback.
"Come on!" Bartolo cried.
Ella whirled Afiri and she and Shani spurred into action. Fireballs tore through the air and bolts from Ella's wand took the revenants down one after the other. Yet they kept coming, their inevitable destruction from the two women meaning nothing to those who were already dead.
Shani took Bartolo's wrist and with the incredible agility of a bladesinger he swung up behind her on the horse, reaching past her waist to take hold of the reins.
Ahead Ella could see that the Hazarans had finally broken free of the enfolding formation of the revenants and were slashing their way through the axemen and swordsmen, heading in the direction from which they'd come. Ella and Shani's horses joined them, and as the desert warriors galloped as fast as possible away from this enemy, the revenants continued to chase on foot until they finally gave up pursuit.
~
"IT IS AS the rumours stated," Jehral said, shaking his head.
"Wait," Ella said, rounding on the prince. "Are you telling me you knew something like that was out there?"
"They were rumours," Prince Ilathor said. "Nothing more."
They were in the prince's command tent, raised high on a hill with a complete view of the land below. The Hazarans had spent a day recovering and building fortifications — even now they were still checking their positions, digging pits, and erecting barricades — and then the second day Prince Ilathor had called this hasty gathering.
"Yet you still attacked without first scouting the land, assessing their strength, forming a battle plan…" Ella said, her eyes blazing.
"Women," Prince Ilathor snapped, "are not normally allowed at these discussions. Hold your tongue, Ella, or speak with civility."
Ella opened her mouth to retort, but caught Shani shaking her head.
"Revenants," Bartolo said, shaking his head. "Who could have known?"
Ella was still angry, part of her wondering if it was a reaction to the fear. She'd almost died. Prince Ilathor had lost a third of his army. A third!
"And you know what the scouts say now," Jehral said. "There is another army, also flying the grey banner, behind this one. It's at least five thousand strong."
Everyone in the tent was silent as they digested the information.
Jehral looked at Prince Ilathor. "Tell her," he said.
"What?" Ella demanded.
"A messenger came last night," the prince said. "Ella, Halaran has been liberated. Ralanast is once again a free city, and the allied army of Alturans and Halrana have occupied the Ring Forts."
"That's wonderful news," Ella said. "Did you hear about my brother?"
"There's a new commander. That's all I know."
Ella put her hand to her mouth.
"Ella," Jehral said. "There could be many reasons for someone else to lead them."
"There is more," the prince said. "This news is not good, I am afraid." He sighed. "The army of green and brown has suffered a great defeat. I wish we had received this message just one day earlier, for our own great disaster could have been averted. On the Azure Plains, the Alturans and Halrana, like us, faced those who carry the grey banner. They are called the Akari — perhaps that name has meaning for you. The allied army was pushed back after suffering heavy losses."
Ella felt Shani squeeze her shoulder. Anger and frustration coursed through her in equal parts. Overriding it all was worry for her people, and for her brother.
"Ella," the prince said, "this is magic I cannot comprehend. What can you tell us?"