Chimi tugged her helmet as they reached the black mass of the Reis. She wanted to leave the poor horse behind. Lloyd shook his head. She had one job, to watch, had an arrow nocked and her bow ready to draw.
The land began to sink as they crossed the barrier between their world and the Reisforge Veil. Space shifted, and they found themselves inside a small woods with a clearing ahead. A humanoid Reisnik loomed at the centre. Four human arms, packed and built with too many muscles. Veins of muscles too human. Two drew a longbow, the other two wielded a spear and shield.
"It has no choice but to fight." Gibson bared his teeth in a crude smile, "It is too young."
Lloyd raised his spear, "We're short on time, we engage together."
Chimi tugged her helmet down and took aim.
"Let it begin," one of the women readied for the charge.
Gibson raised his spear, "BY YINOYUL, THERE IS ONLY WAR!" his voice boomed unnaturally, blessed by Ashraielle.
The Blades circled round the fell fae, their charge to the left and right. Chimi took the centre opening to initiate with arrows. The creature blocked them with its crooked bark shield and returned fire. The force of the impacts on her kite shield nearly took her off her horse.
The Blades engaged in sync, all together, salt-laden tips of their spears, clashed, the Reisnik dropped its bow.
"Young and immature," she whispered, nocked an arrow.
The combat was vicious; they tried to swipe and steal weapons from them. Trees around the area began to uproot themselves and caught arrows from Chimi to slow their growth. Only two died on contact.
They were thrown back from the creature's spin. Chimi shot an arrow straight and hit the fiend in the chest. A silent scream, it reeled. Then Blades went in for their attack, spears pierced obsidian bark lined with veins of green, turned white as buboes erupted across the trunk of a torso.
It screamed just above her hearing range, before they retreated and raised their shields. The black tar erupted, splattering them and the ground.
A swarm of hisses shattered her concentration, she gripped the reins and kept herself mounted as the horse galloped toward the blades, slowed to a stop and turned slowly.
The platoons were unable to stop the remaining Leshii and Lesnik. Ice formed at the base of her stomach. She breathed hard as the oxygen in her lungs thinned and tried to crush the fear in her fists. She clenched her teeth. Followed the orderly retreat. She breathed hard under the mounting dread.
"Chimi!" Gibson called, "Bodies of your fallen brothers and sisters lie in the ground back to your ancestors who first came to the land under Yinoyul's guidance, the war singers who collectively were granted the blessing of Ashraielle's voices in unity."
Gibson's scarred face was fierce, "Show no fear, the enemy bears down on us. No son or daughter of Emmerlaine dies in this battle. Ride to war, Daughter of Emmerlaine, ride to battle, child of Emmerlaine. Prove your worth."
"For our brothers and sisters," a woman said.
"For the sons and daughters of Rasu's Rope." Lloyd said.
"Blades of Emmerlaine!" Gibson raised his spear.
"BLADES OF EMMERLAINE!" Chimi joined them.
The light around them mixed with the odours of black tar that emanated from the fist of Lesnik and Leshii. They dragged and shambled toward them. She only had a few arrows left. The salt on their spears had all but run out. Their only hope was for Eleanor to shatter the barrier the veil had spawned for Emmerlaine's main forces to attack.
She wasn't going to die here. She loosed the last of her arrows into a Lesnik's foul green maw and placed the bow in the saddlebag.
Drew her spear and took a minute, what their people called Yinoyul's minute, a few seconds before the horn, where you see your whole life. Her mother's silver hair and warm embrace, her father's hard instruction, his stoic expression and joy only in combat. He had the ideal stature of a man leading a town bound to Yinoyul.
His lessons in mounted combat swing and stab, but the development of more metal resources was the ultimate goal for the reliable creation of lances. But the spear was still a fine weapon. The feel of her weapon, the filth in the air, the wind in her hair.
For blood and honour.
For the Maiden of Stars.
Gibson thumped his shield with his spear, "The windows of Tsarr blow in our favour, Yinoyul stands witness... VICTORY OR DEATH!" They braced.
Chimi guided the horse off to the side and prepared for contact.
Seconds later, roots and crooked branch fingers of the Lesnik and Leshii's came into contact. The Blades had planted their spears behind them and taken broadswords to cut salt into the root; it shrivelled on contact. The Lesnik's forced the Leshii back and broke into combat with the platoon.
Martial prowess copied from humans. Chimi kicked the warhorse into a charge, where she broke the line of Lesnik alone. The chaos and confusion had them reel, and swords made contact with their barkskin trunks, screams filled the air, low as an earth tremor. A sound that unsettled her, but the horse fortunately ignored her emotions and kept on.
"I WILL NOT BE STOOD DOWN!" she screamed as a root came straight for her.
She blocked it with the shield. The kinetic force cracked her shield. Splinters hit the eyeshield, her feet left the stirrups, and she hit the ground hard.
"CHIMI!" Gibson called.
It was too late, the Lesnik's clawed arm came for her. She bared her teeth and hurled the shield at it, rolled to the side. She remembered her father's last training. She wasn't out of breath, just a bit winded. That didn't make sense. She retreated and drew her broadsword.
To beat a man, you must be more skilled in combat. Never use strength.
"Yinoyul, guide my steps. Rasu, grace me with stardust," she whispered as she avoided the first strike and gave it a slash on the arm.
The Lesnik's eyes flashed green, then black. She leapt away from the black tar that bubbled beneath her and slipped.
Hit the ground with her shield first and lobbed the broadsword as hard as she could with the downward force. It struck the creature in the leg. The leg shrivelled off. The Lesnik hit the ground. She bared her bloodstained teeth.