Shared Mercy Book 5 of the Guardians Saga

Ch. 1.2 Heroes Fall

The civilian retreat accomplished, Cale and Rile flew back with Alex. They met briefly before Rile suggested that Alex bring all the Clan Heads to this plateau. They could strategize in safety here, the battle spread out below them.

Soon, Gaza, Tegu, Tycho, and Argo were gathered with Gabe, Rile and Cale. Alex even brought the table with all the planning maps on it as well as each Clan Heads' main runners. Argo warmly squeezed her forearm in thanks, as did Tycho.

"My troops are exhausted. I need them to fall back for a rest." Gaza said and Tegu nodded, indicating his were as well.

"Why don't you pull them back to Little Egg Mountain? It's easily defensible and it will reassure civilians taking refuge there," Gabe said.

"Good one, son. A military genius wastes nothing and no one." Gaza clapped Gabe on the shoulder in a way that annoyed Alex.

Alex rolled her eyes and clenched her hands.

Don't slap Gaza. Don't slap Gaza. Don't slap Gaza.

"My troops can flank the northeast side." Tycho pointed to the map.

"Mine will be on the southeast." Argo traced a line.

"Why don't we form a pincer with the two lines of troops and then crush the monsters when Argo's and Tycho's troops meet? These monsters are mindless, only attacking what's in their path. They'll never see the trap we've laid for them." Gabe moved the carved wooden troop pieces to form it. "Alex, you cover Gaza's and Tegu's troops' retreat to Little Egg."

While the other Clan Heads studied the map, Gabe moved aside and said in a low voice to Cale and Rile, "The psychology of Alex protecting the retreating troops is priceless. We have more than a physical battle on his hands. There is still Sorey and his ilk to face."

Cale and Rile moved to the table and started asking questions while Gabe tugged Alex's hand.

"Be showy," Gabe whispered to Alex. "Lots of light and flash." Then he addressed the Clan Heads, "Who would like Alex to return them to their generals? She can do an aerial recon for you at the same time."

"Excellent." Argo rubbed his hands, smiling in anticipation.

"Yes, but I will send my runner as well." Tycho motioned with two claws and his runner jumped off the plateau.

Alex screamed and dove after him, only to see that the runner had spread his wings and then dug his claws into the face of the cliff. He tilted his head and looked at her in question as she flew past.

"Cliff jumping!" Rile yelled over the side to Alex. "We discussed this!"

"No we didn't! You just wanted to hear me scream like a little girl," Alex replied and flew back up and landed beside him. She craned her neck to watch the runner as he combined falling with his wings extended and clawing the cliff wall. "That is amazing."

"He's the best," Tycho said with pride and when the other Clan Heads nodded, his chest puffed out a bit.

"I wish to remain here where I can see the entire battlefield," Tegu said, hands clasped. "But I prefer sending my own runner." He made the exact same motion and Alex clapped her hands over her mouth when his runner jumped off the cliff, too.

"I shall stay here and watch your military genius, son. You take my, our, orders to the generals," Gaza said to Gabe.

Alex held out her hands and Argo took one and Tycho the other.

Gabe said, "Please take Argo first, since Tycho sent his runner."

She took off and then wheeled over the battle plain. Both Clan Heads' wings deployed with flight, Argo smiling broadly and a ghost of a grin on Tycho's face. When Argo pointed down, she swooped down to his troops. She left him with the promise to pick him back up in half an hour to rejoin Gaza and Tycho was left with the same instructions. Alex flew back and stood next to Gabe as he instructed Gaza's and Tegu's generals.

More psychology.

As she flew Gabe back to pick up Argo and Tycho, he surprised her with a question.

"Would you mind if I taught the generals and Clan Heads our hand signals? It would give us a strategic advantage if they could be taken aloft for recons when they wanted, but I don't want you feeling like a messenger instead of a Guardian."

"Teach those who won't treat me like a 'useful creature'," Alex said, for she still bore Gaza a bit of a grudge. "And I will be happy to answer their hand signals."

Argo was keen to the idea and Alex further warmed to him. He decided to stay with his troops now that he could count on Alex retrieving him when he wanted. Alex flew Tycho back to the plateau. He worked out the logistics with Gabe first, but was no less grateful than Argo. Tegu said nothing. Gaza applauded Gabe's idea as brilliant, but said nothing to Alex. She wondered if he saw her as a threat to his plans to unite his daughter Kini to Gabe.

I am.

The troops moved to Gabe's plan and his first mistake was revealed. Alex covered the rear of Gaza and Tegu's retreating troops, without Cale or Rile, whom Gabe had assigned to reinforce the lines against the monsters.

As the pincer tightened around the monsters, they acted as never before. Instead of fighting whatever was in their path, they poured out the escape route: the point toward Alex. Around her, the black toad monsters swarmed over the rocks. They were as much a hazard as the monsters she fought. The toads were ravenous, snapping at her feet and arms.

Alex gripped her sword in two hands and tried to make her flying slice but instead was overwhelmed. The creatures attacked en masse, another surprise, dragging her down into a sea of claws scrabbling on her slipstream, some finding the vulnerable spot and cutting off her slipstream for good.

She saw the creatures swell in size, their warty skin black, their bodies like bloated midsections of toads. Their heads were things of the myth, lumpy and oily, each with a wide mouthful of large teeth and without eyes. Their arms flexed and stretched, a gland filling their primitive hands with a black substance. Their feet were pitiful things, stubby and stumpy as lizard feet, but the creatures carried them with military precision. They moved as one, a thousand toad arms attacking with a collective force. Her armor was no match for all those talons.

Gaza's and Tegu's troops continued their retreat, none on lookout for their rear guard. Argo saw what happened and sent not only runners to fetch Cale and Rile, but also his advance guard to help. They had made a dent in the mass when Cale and Rile came rushing up, Guardian swords gleaming with absorbed energy from the sheer number of monsters dispatched.

When they reached Alex, a black creature that could only be described as feeding off Alex's mark, raised a bloody muzzle, filled with its victim's pain and anguish, an expression of death by being eaten. Instinctively, the toad's front paws close around Alex's head.

Cale's and Rile's swords punched through the monster. Rile's sword blossomed as it struck, painting monstrous red blossoms everywhere on the monster's oily black body. The blood-curdling stench of the black toad monster arose from the earth in waves, its odor of rot and decay until it collapsed on itself. They both made to pick up Alex's limp form, but Rile deferred. Cale was faster and had training in the healing arts. They ran back to Little Egg together, as Rile covered their retreat, leaving Argo's and Tycho's troops to take care of the rest of the monsters.

***

Dedicated to faithful reader

MinaHall

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