Sevenfold Sword: Warlord by Jonathan Moeller

Author:Jonathan Moeller [Moeller, Jonathan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Azure Flame Media, LLC
Published: 2017-10-30T06:00:00+00:00

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As the sun climbed into the morning sky, Ridmark and Third walked to the eastern end of the camp.

He had seen Calliande do a lot of both remarkable and strange things during the eight years they had been married and the ten years he had known her. She had healed terrible wounds with her magic, commanded packs of beastmen in battle, dueled powerful sorcerers, and even fought Tymandain Shadowbearer himself to a draw.

Ridmark had not, however, ever seen his wife leading a herd of fifty-seven giant lizards.

“They are ugly things, aren’t they?” said Ridmark, watching as the herd approached, the ground shivering a little under the impact of so many massive feet. He glimpsed Calliande riding one of the trisalians, perched about a third of the way up its back behind the bony shield. Sir Jolcus and the Arcanii she had taken with her were scattered atop the other trisalians, their bronze armor glinting in the sun. He guessed that each Arcanius Knight was controlling five or six of the beasts, though he suspected that Calliande was controlling at least a dozen.

“Perhaps that is why all the horses of the men of Owyllain died out,” said Third. “The trisalians trampled them.”

“Aye,” said Ridmark. “But if the Arcanii can control them…would they not make effective beasts of war? Each one of them must weigh five or six tons. Those bony shields on the back of their heads are as thick as my arm, and their hide is like leather armor.”

“Massed together,” said Third, “they would make for a formidable force. Assuming they can be compelled towards battle and do not panic at the sight and smell of blood.” She blinked a few times. “Of course, if they panic, they might trample both our men and King Justin’s.”

“Elephants,” said Ridmark, watching as Calliande and the Arcanii brought the trisalians to a halt.

“An…elephant?” said Third. “I am unfamiliar with the word.”

“They were animals upon Old Earth,” said Ridmark. “I heard about them from my tutors when I was a child. Evidently, the enemies of the Empire of the Romans used them as war beasts from time to time, but they were as dangerous to their own men as they were to the enemy. Maybe that is why the men of Owyllain never tried to use large numbers of trisalians in battle.”

But if it worked…God, those things were huge. And if Calliande was right and all the creatures crashed into Justin’s army at once…

“It seems we are about to find out,” said Third.

Ridmark headed towards the trisalian herd, Third following him. Calliande slid off the back of her trisalian with smooth grace, landing in a crouch as her legs flexed to absorb the impact. The Arcanius Knights followed suit, albeit less gracefully.

“Sir Jolcus!” called Calliande as Ridmark drew near. “I think you can manage them from here. The spells I’ve left ought to hold, and they should obey you. Just remember to focus and influence the animal’s natural instincts rather than trying to override them.

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