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The Lay of Skinner Fisher kel Tath

ON FACING HILLS, THE SMOULDERING RUINS OF FIRST REACH IN THE low, flat floodplain between, the two arht of one another Wraiths swarh, triu air

The convergence was, of course, incoar and Binadas, was still striking south down Mappers’ Road towards White Point It would join with these two armies, Trull knew, somewhere close to Brans Keep, and there the fate of Lether, and indeed of the Edur ele battle

He stood leaning on his spear, feeling no inclination to join his voice to the fierce tu him from all sides Just north of the ruins in the floodplain below, a hundred or s cavorted and wheeled, their own cries drowned out, a detail that sohtmarish display

In the distant line of warriors opposite, a space was clearing, a single do gold, holding high a sword

The warcries redoubled

Trull flinched at the deafening sound He pulled his gaze away fro

‘Trull! B’nagga, you and I – horses await us – we ride now to our emperor!’

He nodded, uneasy with the ferocity evident in Fear’s eyes ‘Lead on, brother’

The ride across to Rhulad’s are experience Trull did not like horses that ain and again, jarring the scene on all sides They rode across burnt ground, heaps of the re the town And the roaring of the warriors was a wave at their backs, pushing them onwards

Then, halfway across, the sensation shifted, spun entirely round, as the voices of the warriors in the eulfed thele to make them resume the approach

As they climbed the slope, Trull could see his brother Rhuladnow beneath the weight of the coins His forehead was exposed, revealing skin the colour of dirty snow, the contrast darkening the pits of his eyes His teeth were bared, but it see stood on the eht Hull Beddict was positioned three paces behind the Warlock King Mayen and Uruth were nowhere to be seen

Arriving, they reined in and dismounted Slaves appeared to lead the horses away