The Twilight herald

Head down and riding low in the saddle, Isak watched the cobbles Hash past as Toramin's hooves crashed down beneath him. The huge horse charged at breakneck speed, the emerald dragons on its flanks slashing and snapping at the air as he began to outstrip his men. The street was a straight run to the south side of Six Temples, where the ground was more open. It was the quickest way for them to get to the Autumn's Arch.

On the right were orderly lines of torches burning around pickets still under construction, and a tall ba

Up ahead he saw sudden movement in the darkness that abruptly resolved into Jeil and Tiniq on horseback, riding hard towards him, keeping clear of the rough curve of shrines ringing Six Temples. Both rangers were waving frantically.

Isak swore and wrenched on the reins to pull Toramin up, turning him towards the temples. The way was blocked on the other side; either the Farlan tried to circle around, or they stopped here to fight. Neither option sounded good. He knew many streets were blocked by collapsing buildings, but the closer he got to the Devoted soldiers, the more of them he saw.

Lahk had told him General Gort was leading them, the same man who had so reverently handed Isak his two Crystal Skulls and pledged his allegiance. They were safe enough; any sane man had to be a wel¬come ally in Scree, and hopefully there were more around, enough to ward off even a swollen mob of lunatics.

Toramin resisted as Isak tried to slow him down. They were pounding towards the rubble-lined cha

Something Carel had told him once suddenly came to Isak: Soldiers are there to obey orders. Half the time they don't know who they're obey¬ing, so when any rich bastard on a horse shouts, you jump to it. In battle you'll find yourself too scared to argue.

'They're coming,' Isak bellowed, standing up in his stirrups, holding Eolis up high for the men to see, 'get to your positions!'

His words had the desired effect. Those who understood Farlan quickly relayed the words to their fellows and the lines became a riot

of sergeants and corporals, all bellowing at once as the work parties ran for their weapons.

Isak lowered his sword and slowed to a canter as he reached the furthest picket. The soldiers watched him suspiciously, but none attacked. He looked around quickly; there were groups of soldiers scattered around the Temple Plaza. They must have decided it was too large to fully defend, so they were choosing their ground instead. There was no guiding intelligence behind the mobs, so when the attack came, it would be in the places of the Devoted's choosing.

'Where's your commander?' Isak snapped at the first Farlan-looking soldier he saw. The man's eyes widened and he turned and shouted lor his lieutenant, who was already hurrying up.

'General Gort is over there, Lord Isak.' The lieutenant pointed towards the Temple of Nartis, where the Devoted's slender ba

Isak started off towards the general as Suzerain Saroc forced his way to Isak's side.

'My Lord, is this quite safe?' Saroc asked quietly.

'I've met Gort before; we can trust him,' Isak said, not looking at the suzerain but past him to where Count Vesna was. 'Vesna, get the men ready to fight.'

'Your Grace,' Saroc insisted, 'we might still be able to punch through to the north and work our way round.'

'Would you bet your life on it?' Isak shook his head. 'I wouldn't. Given the choice between an uncertain run through city streets and a defended position, I've got to take this one. Look at them-' He waved his arm towards the squads of infantry standing ready at the outer ring of shrines and the lancers waiting patiently in the centre of the Temple Plaza. 'There's the best part of a legion here, plus us. And when the mobs went after us, they probably gave Tori his best chance of breaking out with whatever troops he has left.'

'My Lord, we ca

'That's not what I'm doing,' Isak said sharply. His eyes flashed a warning. 'Take care how far you question my decisions. Young I might he, but Lord of the Farlan I certainly am. I've had enough of ru

I e dug his spurs into Toramin's flanks and the huge beast jumped forward ahead of the suzerain. Saroc didn't bother to try and make up the ground. The conversation had been ended. Behind them Count Vesna was already shouting out orders, to the Farlan and Devoted alike. The Temple Plaza was some three hundred yards across. Many of the shrines that ringed the six massive temples in the centre were large enough to provide a physical obstacle; others weren't, standing like the broken crenellations of a buried castle wall.

General Gort had put his men to good use. They had salvaged any-thing they could carry or drag from the surrounding ruins. Shattered carts and wagons, scorched roof timbers and even rubble from every non-consecrated structure on the plaza had been used to plug the gaps In the wall. It was certainly too long to defend entirely, but this meant they could pick which fronts to right on. The heavy infantry would act as mobile barricades where required. With a few ranks behind and shields locked together, they would be able to resist a poorly armed attacker, despite being vastly outnumbered. The smaller shrines were clustered together, and much of the work had been to patch the holes to create long walls that the crazed mobs would just go around, meet¬ing armed soldiers at either end.

'Lord Isak,' called General Gort as soon at the distance permitted, 'I'm glad to see you again so soon.'

He hurried over to meet the Farlan lord, his command staff close on his heels. Isak recognised only one of them from his encounter in Llehden, the Chetse general rather predictably carrying an enormous curved axe, but they all followed General Gort's lead and bowed low to the white-eye.

'Let's forget the pleasantries, shall we?' Isak said curtly, even as he slid from his saddle and went to greet the general with palms up¬turned all the same. 'You're about to be attacked on two sides – more than a legion of the screaming bastards were chasing us this way and, according to my scouts, there are more round the other side of the plaza.'

Isak turned to the soldiers behind him as he spoke and saw the two rangers had caught him up. Tiniq offered Isak a quick bow. Both wore only hauberks and skullcaps, but their bows were held ready as usual. Compared to the heavy scales, reinforced oval shields and long spears of the Devoted infantry, they looked under-prepared for the battle ahead.

'My Lord, we couldn't see any safe way through the streets beyond,' Tiniq said. 'A few hundred followed us back here.' He pointed to the eastern edge of the plaza; there were only two real points of access along that stretch and in the faint torch light they could see the lines of infantry strung across the gaps. A company of lancers was already heading over to support them.

Isak nodded. 'Tiniq, can any of you make it alone back to our army lines?' He was thinking of the u

The ranger shrugged. 'Perhaps; Shinir's got the best chance, I'd guess.'

'Ask her if she's confident of getting there. I don't want to throw your lives away if there's no chance, not if 1 might manage to contact them myself.' I lis hand went instinctively to the Crystal Skull on his chest. He'd never yet been able to speak into anyone's mind using it, but Carel always said desperation was the best tutor.