Page 29 (1/2)

"Then lower ropes," Jardir ordered "I want every man on the wall now"

They ran the walltops like nie’Sharum; fifty adult warriors in full battle dress Treacherous enough for barefoot and agile boys in nothing but their bidos, it was farspear and shield

But these were Kaji dal’Sharuht as they leapt froht hipped their faces, ready to die likein the lead, felt it more than anyone The Sharum Ka would be furious with him, but Nie take him before he let an entire tribe die out to appease the First Warrior’s pride

A trip that would have takenin the Maze was accomplished in minutes atop the walls, and the Sharach unit quickly caai in the a off all avenues of escape At least half the Sharach were down, and those who remained stood on the defensive, back-to-back and shield-to-shield as demons came at the force of alagai, and the sight enraged Jardir’s Krasian heart He would let no ht

"Take heart, Sharach!" he cried "The Kaji come to your aid!" He was the first to set his hook and throw a rope down into the pocket, rappelling the twenty feet in two quick hops He didn’t even wait for hisa sand demon in the back The wards flared, and the de Sharach circle

Jardir paid the stunned creature no furtheron to the next de it back with a series of precise strikes to the weakest parts of its armor Behind him, he heard the roar of his fifty as they poured down the wall, and knew his back was secure

"Everam watched your stand with pride, brother!" Jardir cried to the Sharach kai’Sharum, whose white veil was red with blood "See to your wounded now! We will finish your glorious start and see that the Sharach fight another day!"

The third deht his spear in its jaws, splintering the wood The impact threw Jardir off balance, and the creature hooked the edge of his shield on its talon It flexed its corded arround hard, dodging aside as the creature cae, but the Sharach kai’Sharu it away froht to the last, my brother!" the kai’Sharu under the warrior’s guard to knock hilanced about His warriors were all engaged, and there was no weapon in reach

I was born to die on alagai talons, he rerowled as he leapt to his feet, intercepting the sand demon in midair as it launched itself at the Sharach kai’Sharuht on instinct, knowing nothing of the brutal art of sharusahk Jardir caught its ar it fifteen feet into the deai fell aith a howl, trapped until the sun rose to burn it from the world forever

Another sand demon came at him, but Jardir punched it hard in the throat and kicked at the backs of its knees, grappling the creature and bearing it to the ground, twisting to avoid its teeth and clahile turning the thrashing alagai’s own force against it

The de his skin, and his muscles screamed as they were stretched to their limits, but inch by inch, Jardir twisted farther behind the demon until he reached the desired hold and rose to his feet He was taller than the creature, and with his arms locked under its pits and behind its head, he easily lifted it off the ground It kicked and shrieked, but Jardir whipped it about, keeping its hind legs far from his body as he stumbled toward the demon pit

With a shout, he threw the second deratified to see that his warriors had already driven ai into it as well The pit floor was a seethe of scale and talon, the wards cut into the walls sparking angrily as they tried to climb out

"I atch as the sun takes you all!" Jardir shouted

He turned back to the battle, flush with victory and ready to fight on, but only a fearriors still fought, and they had their alagai well in hand