Then this might might be the best place to begin. “Can you tell where it’s coming from?”
“Not exactly, ser, but you see that low spot in the stones, right above that big crack in the long block?”
It takes Lerial a moment to locate the cracked block. “The one with the edge of the old fort above it?”
“Yes, ser. The chaos-bolts seem to come from behind there.”
Lerial concentrates again, nodding as he locates the well of chaos behind the line of stone. He continues to study the rough stone barricade until he locates an area where the stones are lower, seemingly low enough for a mount to clear easily. There is a slight depression behind the stones, but not one that is particularly deep or wide. “We’ll see what we can do. If we do manage to put a stop to the chaos-bolts and break their line, I trust you’ll be able to take advantage of that.”
“Yes, ser.”
“Good.” Lerial turns the gelding and rides back to the head of the Mirror Lancer column, where he again gathers his officers and begins to explain. “What we have to do is breach the Heldyan defenses and remove at least some of the chaos-wizards. That means we’ll be a target, but unless we look like we’re making a serious attack, the wizards won’t reveal themselves. We’ll take the back lanes until we get as close as we can. For the first attack, I’ll lead Eighth Company. Eleventh and Twenty-third Company will stand ready to follow up, or to relieve Eighth Company, as necessary. After that, we’ll see.” If there is an “after that.”
The three nod. Not a one looks particularly pleased.
Lerial can’t blame them. He isn’t pleased himself. “Same as before—Eighth Company in the fore, then Eleventh Company.”
Lerial leads Eighth Company along the narrow lane. His order-senses indicate that, some hundred yards ahead, it will intersect a slightly wider street that in turn angles back to the shore or river road. Where it does, they will have gotten as close as they can to their point of attack without being exposed to chaos-fire. Even so, the low point on the stone barricade is still some fifty yards from where they will leave the side street to cross the shore road and attack. Lerial’s plan is based on a swift attack that will keep the Heldyan wizards from immediately coordinating their response so that he can deal with the wizards separately.
Once they reach the end of the side street nearest their target, Lerial signals a halt, orders a re-formation to a five-man front, and again uses his order-senses to study the Heldyan positions. Nothing has changed—except that the sun is low above the ruined buildings of the river fort. There is a slight haze above the river so that the low light is not blinding, but it is likely to be distracting. On the other hand, if Lerial waits, more shielded flatboats are likely to land at the temporary Heldyan pier … and possibly more wizards.
Lerial concentrates on the nearest chaos-focus, then gestures to Fheldar. “Eighth Company! Forward!”
Clearly, Lerial’s attack takes the Heldyans by surprise, because there is no reaction until the leading lancers are within twenty yards of the stone barricade. Then a few scattered arrows fly in Lerial’s direction, but his personal shields deflect them.
Whhssst!
An arrow of chaos sizzles directly toward the leading five riders, moving so quickly that Lerial, much as he is expecting chaos from somewhere, barely can muster a twin five-line pattern deflection toward the Heldyan armsmen behind the stone barricade. His forced reaction results in an off-center line of deflected fire that only strikes perhaps half of the line, the rest slamming into the stones themselves.
A second chaos-bolt follows swiftly, but is not quite so powerful, and Lerial manages to redirect the fire across the defenders directly before the Mirror Lancers.
The first lancers are within a few yards of the stone barricade when Lerial can sense mounting chaos, not just from the wizard who has twice loosed chaos, but also from the other unshielded wizard. Lerial immediately begins creating a triple ten-line return pattern.
Two chaos-bolts merge and flare toward Lerial, one of the most powerful bolts he’s felt since he has arrived in Afrit, but the thirty lines of patterned order twist the chaos back at the nearer chaos-wizard. A pillar of reddish white geysers skyward, and silver mists flow over Lerial, evidence of the deaths of the wizard’s guards and the wizard.
Lerial is staggered, and unsettled from that reaction, when another chaos-blast, far weaker, arches toward him. Instinctively, he order-parries it and returns it.
A smaller wave of chaos rises.