Kaspar pointed. ‘Look over there!’
It was the morning after they had taken command of the Tsurani forces, and General Alenburga and his staff were on top of a hill overlooking a widening of the trail above the River Gagajin. Alenburga looked to where his second-in-command pointed and saw that a new stream of Dasati Deathknights was joining the fray.
Miranda, at Kaspar’s left hand, said, ‘They must have opened another portal within the sphere.’
The Black Mount now occupied a large portion of the north end of the valley, and now rose higher than any of the surrounding hills. It was clearly growing in size as Miranda had predicted the night before after arriving from Midkemia. She and a score of Tsurani Great Ones had attempted every type of mystical assault on the structure of the sphere, to no apparent effect. What Miranda had encountered while escaping the first sphere seemed to have proved to be of no benefit in trying to assault this larger sphere. The Deathpriests had – it seemed – learned to counter human magic.
After a few minutes, Alenburga said, ‘Damn.’
‘What?’ asked Erik.
‘What do you make the rate of casualties to be, von Darkmoor?’ asked the Supreme Commander.
Erik said, ‘Twenty to one.’
‘Closer to thirty to one,’ said Kaspar.
‘The Tsurani are easily the most fearless warriors I have ever seen,’ said the old General from Muboya. ‘I am honoured to have been given command over diem.’ He took a moment and inclined his head in respect to Lord Jeurin of the Anasati, who was barely more than a boy, but ruling lord of one of the most important houses in the Empire. It had been a political decision to place him on the staff, but Kasper had come to recognize that he was a quick study, and had appointed him as a third aide, along with Tad and Zane. The young lord acknowledged his General’s praise of his soldiers.
Alenburga said, ‘But I dislike wasting their lives to no good purpose.’ He turned to Kaspar. ‘Take a position south of the hills, where the river empties into the plains. I want you far enough away that the Dasati must charge you, but close enough that you can cut them off if they try to flank you to the southwest or south-east. These Dasati may not be human, but I know what warriors in armour look like; I haven’t seen any cavalry or siege engines yet, so expect an infantry charge.’ Miranda and the Great Ones had speculated to the General that the Deathpriests had used some enchantment to keep the Deathknights alive long enough to wreak havoc on the Tsurani, but were either reluctant or unable to use that same magic on the Deathknights’ mounts or machines from the Dasati plane. Miranda had tried to explain why the Dasati needed to stay within the sphere to survive, or needed a magic to adapt them to Kelewan’s atmosphere and energy state, but the General waved away the details once he understood the basic concept: once outside the sphere, the Dasati became overwhelmed by the energy of this level of existence and started to die after a few hours.
Kaspar nodded. ‘Unless they come at us mounted on flying rugs, we’ll be ready.’
‘Now, here’s the tricky part. I need you to come up with a battle plan to slow them down. I want them to take three days to cross territory that should only take one. Can you do that?’
Kaspar nodded. ‘I already have an idea.’
‘Good. Get one of these magicians to get you down south and start scouting the terrain.’
After Kaspar did as he was instructed, Alenburga stood silent for a while, watching the conflict below. He measured each confrontation and watched with stunned admiration the heroism of the Tsurani warriors. He spoke just loudly enough for Erik and Miranda to hear him. ‘Had I had ten thousand of these valiant men with me, I would have conquered from the whole of Novindus. What astonishing bravery.’
Erik said, ‘They’ll die to a man to save this world.’
Lowering his voice even more, Alenburga said, ‘They can’t.’
Erik looked at his new commander, a man whom he had quickly come to judge as being perhaps the best strategic thinker he had ever encountered, as worthy of friendship as he was obedience. So as not to be overheard by those nearby, Erik said, ‘Why?’
Turning to look at Miranda, Alenburga asked, ‘As the Black Mount expands, the Dasati create new portals, yes?’
She could only nod.
All the colour drained from Erik’s face. ‘The rate of their attack will only increase…’ he almost whispered.
‘And while I was never the student of mathematics I should have been as a boy, the area of that sphere doubles and redoubles all the time, correct?’ the General asked.
Again, Miranda nodded. ‘It is exponential.’
‘So where there may be four gates by the end of today, in a few days there may be eight, then sixteen in a week, or sixty-four in a month?’