Ranger's Apprentice: Alex + The Burning Bridge (Discontinued)

The Fight

Halt cursed and looked around, trying to see Alex. But everyone around him was taller than Alex so it was impossible to see her. Gilan heard Halt cursing and looked back to see Alex gone and cursed. 

Halt looked at Gilan and Gilan shrugged. Halt sighed and rolled his eyes to the heavens. Baron Arald, King Duncan, and Sir David all looked at the two Rangers.

It was Baron Arald who asked the question. "What is it?" he asked. Halt turned to him. 

"Alex ran off to go find Will. She'll go with Will wherever, which means she will go and get herself captured by the Skandians to keep Will safe." Halt said.

"But what about her injuries?" King Duncan asked. 

"She has had worse." Gilan said. 

"And she knows how to put in stitches and so does Will." Halt added.

"Worse?" Sir David asked. 

So Halt told King Duncan and Sir David about all the injuries Alex has gotten. 

Morgarath was wheeling his horse in a wide circle to gain room. Alex knew that he'd swing around soon and charge down on Horace, using the momentum of his charge as much as the force of his sword to try to strike Horace from the saddle. Horace also knew this.

Guiding his horse with his knee, he swung away in the opposite direction, shrugging his buckler around from where it hung on his back and slipping it through the straps. He glanced over his shoulder and saw Morgarath, eighty meters away, spurring his horse's ribs and swung him back to face the black-clad figure.

The two sets of hoof beats overlapped, merged, then overlapped once more as the riders thundered toward each other. Knowing his opponent had the advantage to reach, Horace determined to let him strike the first blow, then attempt a counter strike as they passed. They were nearly on each other now and Morgarath suddenly rose in his stirrups and, from his full height, swung an overhand blow at the boy. Horace, expecting the move, threw up his shield.

The power behind Morgarath's blow was devastating. The sword had Morgarath's immense height, the strength of his arm and the momentum of his galloping horse behind it. Timing it to the perfection, he had channeled all those separate forces and focused them into his sword as it cleaved down. Horace had ever in his life felt such a destructive force. Those watching winced at the ringing clash of sword on shield and they saw Horace sway under the mighty stroke, almost knocked clean from his saddle on the first pass.

"Come on, Horace." Alex yelled, not thinking about the consequences. 

Halt's head snapped the direction he had heard Alex's voice. Gilan had noticed too. Gilan started forward and Halt stopped him. "Leave her for now." Halt said. 

All thought of a counter strike was gone now. It was all he could do to retain his saddle as his horse skittered away, dancing sideways, as Morgarath's mount, trained for battle, lashed out with its rear hooves.

Horace's left arm, his shield arm, was rendered completely numb by the terrible force of the bow. He shrugged it repeatedly as he rode away, moving the arm in small circles to try to regain some feeling. Finally, he felt a dull ache there that seemed to stretch the entire length of his limb. Now he felt real fear. All his training, he realized, all his practice, was nothing compared to Morgarath's years and years of experience. 

He wheeled to face Morgarath and rode in again. On the first pass, they had met shield to shield. This time, he saw his opponent was angling to pass on his right side, his sword arm side, and he realized that the next shattering blow would not land on his shield. He would have to parry with his own sword. His mouth was dry as he galloped forward, trying desperately to remember what Gilan had taught him.