The Thieves of Otar

Reinforcements

Fear gripped Zia's heart like a vice. How had the Skilaens managed to scale the slippery canyon wall unnoticed? And how many had outflanked them, exactly?

"Quickly!" Jay's voice rang above the clashing of swords and clanging of weapons. "Complete the last phase of the plan. Find your partner and finish the plan! Aim at our rear!"

Zia was just about to turn back to find Ed to make a quick and desperate attempt at completing her plan when her attention was caught by a very large man heading straight for her, carrying a large spear. Zia stood ready to meet the man in her battle-ready stance: bent knees, sword in the middle of her body, her feet ready to run, swing, or block, whichever came first.

She quickly found out which would be first. The man jabbed at her with his spear, aiming for her stomach, using its length to his advantage. Zia swung her sword just in the nick of time to keep it from impaling her. It was a close call, but the worst it did was make a small, unnoticeable tear in her tunic. 

The man swung the spear like a sword and Zia stopped it with her real sword.

The man had an interesting fighting style with his spear. He wielded it more like one might a sword or a mace. He spun it around his head like a baton and his fighting seemed more like dancing than fighting. And while he was very graceful, he wasn't very powerful. When the next swing came whooshing towards her head, Zia held up her sword. The wood of the man's spear caught on Zia's sword, and she gave a big tug. The spear was ripped from the man's grasp, and Zia used his confusion to throw the spear off her sword and bring the sword down in a cut across the man's thigh, causing him to cry out in pain. Zia then kicked him in the chest and the man tumbled backward.

Sure that her opponent was down, Zia run as fast as she could from the battle to where the rest of her company was gathered, facing the enemy in what had previously been their rear. They had taken care of most of the men from the direction of the Skilaen camp, but there were still approximately one hundred twenty men. They were slowed down by the piles of dead and wounded men, which would buy them a little time, but not much.

Now it was time to worry about the men in their flank.

As she looked for Ed, there seemed to be less people in her group than before she thought, and Zia desperately hoped that she was just imagining it.

She found Ed, who was holding another bottle of spirits and their bundle of clothes. "Are you ready?" Ed asked.

Zia nodded and took the bottle of spirits that he offered to her. She unstopped the cap and poured it over the fardel of cloth. Zia took a quick glance around their circle, seeing that the other groups were doing the same.

Once it was soaked, Ed held the bundle in his hands, ready to throw at the enemy while Zia stood with the flint and steel, ready to light it as soon as Ed gave her the word. Zia stared hard at the approaching men. There were about fifty of them by Zia's count, but it was difficult to see, as the only source of light came from the torches that the men held. 

Zia glared at the soldiers in disgust. All she was trying to do was keep the Skilaen army from killing thousands of innocent people. Was that too much to ask? Apparently it was.

"On my signal," Jay's voice shouted out of the darkness, bringing her out of her thoughts. "One... Two..."

That's when something caught Zia's eye. Something in the enemy lines flapping in the wind. Something silver glinted in the light of their torches. Zia looked more closely. Her eyes widened, and she couldn't help the gasp that came out of her.

"Thr-"

"STOP!"

The sound that escaped her lips sounded like it belonged to a large wild animal more than a small eighteen-year-old girl. It bounced off the Pass walls, sounding like a band of lions roaring to each other. The sound was so surprising, it made the one-hundred twenty-some men approaching behind them halt, looking for the source of the loud noise.