Part 63 (1/2)
The griffin approached the Minotaur King and lowered his beak next to Horace's ear.
After a fair series of moments, the Minotaur King turned and shouted at his scouts. ”Spread word throughout the army! The skeletons are traitors! Wait for my orders to attack! We will-”
Soresym interrupted, ”The skeletons cannot perish. A plan is necessary before the order is given.”
Meanwhile, Sam shouted, ”General, sound the horn and pull the troops back! Night is coming! We'll regroup and attack as a single unit in the morning! The barbarians will most likely follow our lead! We'll attack at first light! Signal the griffins and the hippogriffs to land and rest amongst us!”
”Yes, Sire!”
Once Sam's orders had been carried out, Michael approached. ”The barbarians are regrouping and making camp. They won't attack in the dark. We have an opportunity to use this to our advantage.”
”How?” Sam inquired. ”It'll be pitch black. What advantage are you referring to?”
”I have spoken with Goss. He's the brother of Soresym, and he's a respected leader amongst griffins. I've asked him to meet with us.”
”Okay, okay. But how will this give us an advantage?”
Goss landed. ”Because, King of Brandor, my kind can see through the darkness. Also, the fastest of our kind will arrive in a matter of moments with your queen. I can't imagine why you would've left her in Brandor.”
Sam's face tightened. ”I left her because she's pregnant! I don't want her here, d.a.m.n it! Whose bright idea was this? I swear, it better not be yours, Michael!”
”No, Sire. Blame the queen.”
”What do you mean? I don't want the future of our kingdom on this battlefield.”
Goss settled next to the king and folded his wings. ”If you fail to obtain victory, there will be no future for Brandor. Your queen is strong. Soresym has informed me of her sorcery.”
”How could Soresym know the full extent of her power? He's never witnessed it.”
The griffin reached out, and with a single flip of one of his talons, he thumped Sam's breastplate. After watching the king fall off his horse, he responded. ”Calm yourself. Let us agree that Soresym has been informed. 'How,' matters not. Your queen will be helpful in this battle. Besides, she was already on her way to join you. She was just south of Angels Village when we found her. Your queen had already ignored your order to stay behind. You should thank Soresym. He was the one who convinced your queen to wait until we had the opportunity to fly her in unharmed.”
Sam picked himself up from the ground. ”How could she possibly-”
A screech from above filled the air. Sam watched as a griffin settled down a short distance away. He covered the distance between them to help Shalee from its back. ”I asked you to stay home. We can't risk our baby like this.”
”For heaven's sake, Sam, take a pill. I missed you, too.” Shalee put her hands on her hips. ”Don't you think that I know I'm pregnant? I've gone bonkers while I was sitting in Brandor.”
Sam sighed. ”Okay, okay. You know I'm happy to see you. I just don't want you to get hurt.”
”Me? Get hurt? What about you? Who do you think you're kidding? From what I've heard, you could've died. Without the griffins, I wouldn't have a husband. Don't you be telling me about danger! You walked into a trap ... a trap that George set, I might add. You're lucky Soresym decided to make sure you had help.”
”But-”
”But nothing. I'm here, and I don't care what you say. I'm not leaving. So, you might as well let me use my magic. That's why I teleported to Angels Village to hitch a ride. I can't keep crying over Helga and BJ anymore. I need to be here.”
”I'm the king, Shalee. I ordered you to stay home.” Sam turned and looked at Michael. ”Get her out of here. I won't let her risk the baby's life.”
Shalee's right brow lifted as she grabbed Sam's shoulder and forced him to face her. The sorceress leaned in and whispered in his ear. ”If you think I'm leaving, you're crazy. Who do you think you are, telling me what to do? I have half a mind to teleport your sorry a.s.s home and return without you. You just try and play the king card on me, stud. I'll give you what for. I'm here to help whether you like it or not.”
The queen's whisper softened. ”Sam, please ... I need you to believe in me right now. I can't go home. I can use my magic to fight from a distance.”
Sam pulled Shalee close and hugged her tight. ”Just promise me you'll teleport someplace safe if you get into trouble. I couldn't bear the thought of losing you, too. I've lost too much already.”
”You have my word.” Shalee followed the promise with a kiss.
”Sire,” Michael interrupted, clearing his throat. ”We need to plan.”
Goss interjected, ”Yes. Though this is a tender moment, we should be planning. Have your army gather large pieces of lava stone. We'll fly through the night and drop them. I'll take your queen on my back and head north. She can rain down her magic from above. This should keep Senchae's army from resting through the night and give Brandor the advantage in the morning.”
”Sire, this is a good plan,” Michael confirmed as he dismounted. ”The queen will be safe while on the griffin's back. She'll be hidden within the darkness. Her magic will end many, and she'll never need to set foot on the ground. If we're lucky, the barbarians will retreat by morning.”
Sam thought a moment. ”General, you fly with the queen. If you feel she's in danger, I want you to fly to safety. She carries the future of Brandor in her womb. I won't risk her life.”
”Yes, Sire!”
Shalee kissed Sam again. ”Thank you.”
As the griffin ascended into the night, Shalee lifted Precious above her head. Her voice was strong as she commanded meteors of fire to rain from the sky. The tents scattered throughout the barbarian camp exploded as the griffins and hippogriffs released the lava rock.
Panic filled the camp as the men of the north scattered for their lives. Bodies fell lifeless, burned, and crushed.
Senchae looked toward the darkness. Realizing the hopelessness of the situation, he shouted for his general. ”Order the army to attack Brandor's camp. We need to merge the armies so the griffins will be ineffective. Set the trees on fire to light the battlefield.”
High above, Goss observed the barbarians' movements. He turned his eagle head to look over his shoulder to inform the queen.
Shalee teleported. When she reappeared, she was standing next to Sam. ”The barbarians are headed this way. They didn't retreat like we thought they would. They'll be here soon. You need to prepare.”
Sam shouted to his legion leaders. ”Prepare the army! We attack now!”
”Yes, Sire!”
Shalee called the legion leaders to her. After touching their shoulders, she explained, ”Have each of your men touch you. Once they do, their eyes will be able to see in the darkness. This should give you the advantage.”
”Yes, My Queen.”
As the legion leaders ran off, Sam placed his hand on Shalee's shoulder. ”That's a nifty trick.”
Shalee smiled. ”I know, I'm a bit of a freak, huh?” The queen vanished.
It was just before the height of midnight when the cry was given. ”Charge!” the legion leaders shouted as they ordered the army into battle.
From the king's hip, Kael screamed with glee, his sharp edges begging for action. When the king did not unsheathe the blade, Kael quieted once he realized that Sam would not be entering the fight.
The king turned and ascended a large mound of lava stone to keep watch.
Shalee had hitched a ride on Goss' back, sending her fireb.a.l.l.s into the advancing barbarians. More than 300 bodies were torn apart before Senchae's army collided with Brandor's.
Swords, maces, war hammers, s.h.i.+elds, and bodies plowed into one another as blood saturated the earth. The griffins, along with the hippogriffs, once again descended upon the rear of the barbarian horde, smas.h.i.+ng them like grapes. But soon the fight became too tight, and the winged warriors had to pull back.
Not long after, Goss landed next to Sam. ”We can no longer a.s.sist. The rest is up to your army. My kind is too large to fight in close. This form of combat would hurt your men as much as the barbarians. We will take to the skies and keep watch. If an opportunity presents itself, we will seize it.”