Page 248 (2/2)
And here, there’s more
The captain watched the healer settle to his knees beside her, reach out his hands
’Hold it,’ Paran growled ’The last tiift, Captain Got Barghast spirits crowding ain Don’t knohy Someone’s taken a personal interest, ht?’
After a moment, Paran nodded
Mallet laid his hands on the unconscious woman, closed his eyes A dozen heartbeats passed ’Aai,’ he finally whispered ’Layers here Wounded flesh… wounded spirit I shall need to mend both So … will you help me?’
The captain realized the question was not being asked of him, and so hed ’You will sacrifice so many for this woman?’ He paused, eyes still closed, then frowned ’I can’t see these threads you speak of Not her, nor Gruntle, nor the man at my side-’
At your side? Me? Threads? Gods, why don’t you just leave me alone?
’-but I’ll take your word for it Shall we begin?’
Moments passed, the healer motionless above the woman Then she stirred on her pallet, softly uidewires snapping Paran’s head jerked up in surprise To see Gruntle, chest heaving, standing above theasped ’What-’ He staggered back a step, was brought up by Trotts’s fir,’ the Barghast growled, ’as too late’
Approaching, Antsy grinned ’Hello, Capustan The Bridgeburners have arrived’
The sounds of fighting from the north and the east accoed the enemy Picker and the others would later learn of the sudden and bloody pitched battle that occurred at the landings on the coast and on the shore of Catlin River The Barahn and Ahkrata clans had collided with newly arrived regiments of Betaklites and Betrullid cavalry The commander there had elected to counterattack rather than hold poorly prepared defensive positions, and before long the Barghast were the ones digging in, harried on all sides
The Barahn were the first to break Witnessing the ensuing slaughter of their kin had solidified the resolve of the Ahkrata, and they held until midday, when Taur detached the Gilk from the drive into the city and sent the turtle-shell-armoured warriors to their aid A plains clan whetted on interainst mounted enemies, the Gilk locked horns with the Betrullid and became the fulcru the Betaklites and seizing the pontoon bridges and barges The last of the Pannion medium infantry were driven into the river’s shallohere the water turned red Surviving eleed fro the coast to the marshlands -- a fatal error, as their horses foundered in the saltythat would not end until nightfall Septarch Kulpath’s reinforcements had been annihilated
Huered a panicked rout Units of Seerdoht up and driven apart by the tens of thousands of Tenescowri fleeing before the Barghast hook-swords and lances Theflood pushing ard, pouring through the breaches on that side, out onto the plain