Rise and Fall by Eliot Schrefer

Author:Eliot Schrefer
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Published: 2014-05-14T16:00:00+00:00

CONOR STARED FROM HIS HIDING PLACE IN THE SAW grass as the Conquerors tried to force their way through the ostrich canyon. Irtike had buried her head in the thick yellow blades, unwilling to watch the bloodbath. But Conor, Rollan, Tarik — and Lumeo and Snake Eyes — were watching closely.

The raiders they’d seen before must have been a less organized advance force. This army was marching in unison, cavalry trotting in front and infantry nested behind, followed closely by archers. In the rear were camels lugging supplies, tended by captured Niloans, their heads bowed in misery. The Conquerors’ dark leathers squeaked and creaked as they approached the pass. The ostriches had bravely lined up at the southern end, just like before, but their force looked pathetic compared to the hundreds of Conquerors surging along.

“Zerif,” Tarik said, pointing at the tall Conqueror heading up the infantry. Conor squinted and saw that, indeed, it was the handsome man with the close-cropped beard, the one who had stolen Meilin and Abeke away. “They’re sending one of their most important leaders,” Tarik said. “Clearly the Golden Lion is crucial to their plans.”

“There’s no way that line of ostriches can hold against them,” Conor said. “All we can do is hope that Briggan and Essix have already managed to get the talisman before the Conquerors reach the oasis.”

Rollan peered miserably at him. Conor felt his brow dotting with nervous sweat.

“That’s what I was trying to tell you,” Rollan said. “I don’t think Briggan and Essix are going to get the Golden Lion. They were in serious trouble when you pulled me away. I need to go back into Essix’s mind.”

“Trouble?” Conor said, his stomach going tight. “What trouble?”

Tarik frowned. “We’ll have to risk sending you back. Go on, Rollan. We’ll figure out what to do here.”

Immediately, Rollan closed his eyes. Conor watched as his body went limp, and his eyes began to move rapidly beneath the lids. The boy made little gasps. They’d have to wait for him to return with something concrete to report. For good or for bad.

In the meantime, Conor turned his attention back to the Conquerors in the pass.

The first horsemen reached the line of ostriches. Like the last group of Conquerors, they marched forward resolutely, and like the last group of Conquerors, they were felled as soon as they reached the birds. The ostriches’ powerful feet smashed in their helmets with amazing accuracy. The riders hit the canyon wall and didn’t get back up. Their horses scattered, some forward through the ostriches and others back into the infantry’s ranks.

It was no accident, Conor decided, that Zerif was leading a deeper line — he was more than willing to let his soldiers take the first hit. When the first group crumpled and the ostriches were preparing to attack again, Zerif shouted a command.

The lines of soldiers stopped, the archers readied their bows, and they released a volley.

The ostriches whirled in confusion, then began to fall. It was all over in seconds: The surviving ostriches scattered, and the Conquerors poured through the pass.

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