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Most of theThey rushed across the ground on four legs, while the two lengthy foreli scythe blades The reason for the change becae scythe-claws flash up, then down, at the end of the vord's unnaturally long liionares of the Crown Legion, and plunged doith inhuionare's hel hied the legionare's body forth fro the legionares on either side of the dead man Other vord rushed toward the disruption in the lines, and more men died as the creatures stabbed doith their blades, or hooked a legionare's shield with thee of the line

The vord had developed new tactics along with their new forms, it would seem

But then, so had Aquitaine

Within seconds of the vord assault, a pair of reattheir power from the earth beneath the chitin and slaying vord with every swing Within seconds, they had killed or driven back the vord nearby, after which they returned to their original positions As they did, a centurion, bellowing until his face was purple, kicked his men into a semblance of order and re-for heavy weaponry She was shocked at howpositions in the third or fourth rank of each Legion, ready to step forward and steady any weak points in the shield line Standard tactical doctrine insisted that the power represented by Knights Terra should be concentrated in one place, hah any foe

Then she realized - in the current situation, standard tactical doctrine had been superseded by the desperation of the Realm's defenders Standard doctrine was based upon the assuht would be in short supply, for the excellent reason that they nearly alere But here, now, the Citizens standing to battle outnunitude They could afford to place the nor positions in the line There would be plenty of furypower left over

Thethe wounded and dead back froories First came the most severely wounded, ould need the attentions of a healing tub htly wounded - a visit to a healing tub and a comparatively minor effort from a watercrafter would put them back into the lines in an hour

And then came everyone else Men with their bellies ripped open could not hope to return to the fight, but neither were they in danger of expiring from their injury within the day Men with shattered ribs, their wind too short to perony, their faces twisted with pain They orse off than those who had lost lies and tourniquets A roundback and forth Scarlet tears strearuesoht morbidly, were better off than all of them: They could feel no pain

"Countess!" Miles called

Auards had opened a way between the in the newly created aisle, beckoning her, and Amara hurried to join him

Miles walked her over to where Aquitaine sat on his horse beside a dozen of his furycrafting peers - High Lord Antillus, High Lord Phrygia and his son, High Lord and Lady Placida, High Lord Cereus, and a collection of Lords who, through talent or discipline, had established themselves as some of the most formidable furycrafters in the Realm