By the time Francesca caught up with Benton and Sitto, Thudd was gone. "Where's Thudd?" she asked. Her disappointment was evident in her voice.
"Oh give it a rest, will you, Franny!" said Sitto. He and Benton were crouched in a small depression behind a pile of boulders at the edge of the forest. As Francesca ran up, Benton dragged her down and out of sight.
As the three Virgos looked out from their hiding place across the field back toward the cliff and the Borial city of Noran, their hearts sank. The field between their position and the bottom of the cliff was black with Horde Warriors. Their big ears flopped in the air and their blades flashed in the bright sunshine. Strange, inhuman battle cries issued from ten thousand inhuman mouths. High above the massing Horde, poking above the city's ancient battlements were the heads of the Virgo and Borial defenders. They seemed hopelessly outnumbered.
Benton sank down and leaned his back against the boulder. He pondered the situation silently to himself as Sitto and Francesca looked on in exasperation. Finally, Sitto couldn't stand it any longer. He said, "WELL? What does that brilliant Kelvan brain make of our situation?"
Benton looked up and raised his eyebrows in surprise at Sitto's question. He said, "As I see it, we don't stand any chance at all in this situation."
"Oh no!" gasped Francesca.
"I could've told you that," grunted Sitto.
"Therefore," continued Benton undeterred, "we have to change the situation."
"How?"
Benton looked at his partner. "I have no idea, Sitto."
"Oh."
"Obviously we need to rejoin the rest of our forces, but there's a thousand Horde in the way, and all we have are these crossbows."
Francesca perked up. "So we need better weapons!"
"Yes."
"Leave that to me," she said with an evil look in her eye.
"I'll come with you," said Sitto.
"No way. You make too much noise."
Benton would have asked her what she was talking about, but she snapped one of his crossbows from his wrist and was gone in a flash, disappearing into the forest like a wisp of smoke.
Benton and Sitto looked at each other.
Francesca crept through the woods as quietly as she could. Her soft boots didn't make much noise, and her outfit was dark enough that it tended to blend into the shrubbery. She was on the lookout for a small Horde scouting patrol, and it didn't take her long to find one.
There were three of them. They were on foot, and they seemed to be taking a rest break. Each was armed with a large steel version of the Borial idej. They had their backs to her so she was able to approach to within twenty paces. Apparently, the Horde wasn't expecting their enemy to be behind their lines, or else they would have kept stricter watch.
The ground was littered with tree trunks and boulders, and Francesca used these for cover as she crept ever nearer to the Horde. A plan of attack was forming in her mind. She was sure she could take out two of them without any fuss at all, but the third would be a problem.
By now she was crouching behind the same big boulder that the nearest Horde was leaning on. She took a big breath and moved into action. She popped up quietly and quickly behind the Horde. Her daggers flashed brightly in the speckled sunlight, and came back dripping red. The Horde slumped to the ground without ever knowing what hit him.
Francesca leaned forward across the boulder and steadied the arm the crossbow was strapped to. She pointed at the second Horde and squeezed off the shot. The Horde's clawed hands scrambled for its throat as it too fell to the ground dead, never even having seen its attacker. As it fell, its weapons clanked loudly against the surrounding rocks.
Francesca cringed! The third Horde was alerted by the ruckus and spotted her behind the boulder. That's exactly what she had been afraid of. Now, how could she dispatch the last enemy before he raised the alarm alerting the whole Horde army?
She dashed around her boulder and snatched up the first Horde's idej. It was heavy. She swung it slowly around until its tip was pointing at the advancing Horde. The Horde snarled and drew back its lips showing rows of razor sharp teeth in its snout. It spat, "Morrcha brractai poo!"
Francesca didn't need a translator. The Horde swung its idej in a propeller motion before it and tore Francesca's idej from her grip with such force it felt like every bone in her wrists and hands was shattered. The Horde followed up its first maneuver with a vicious iron-gloved backhand that sent Francesca flying through the air to land near the second dead Horde.
Francesca was dazed and disoriented from the blow. Her jaw ached like nothing had ever ached before and her head was spinning, but she was able to make out the hulking shape of the third Horde advancing for the kill.
The Horde stopped just short of her and raised its burly arms skyward in triumph. This was Francesca's only chance. Quick as lightening, a dagger flashed in the space between Francesca's hip and the Horde's forehead. The Horde's victory bellow caught in its throat. There was an expression of disbelief on its face as it toppled backwards with a mighty crash.
Francesca could only lie in the dirt and gasp lungfulls of air for a few minutes. She couldn't believe she was still alive! As she slowly struggled back to her feet, her head pounded, but she knew she would live. She quickly retrieved her dagger, gathered up the three Horde idej and began her stealthy trip back to the waiting Benton and Sitto.
"We should go look for her. It's been over an hour!" said Sitto.
Benton said, "You're right. Let's go."
A woman's voice startled both men. "Forget it. I'm back. You think you strong men can come help me with these things? They weigh a ton!" puffed Francesca as she lugged her prize toward their hiding place.
"Francesca! You're back! Here, let me help you with those," said Benton as he took Francesca's burden from her arms. He tossed one idej to Sitto, and lay the other two on the ground. Then he noticed Francesca's swollen face.
"What happened to you? I was worried."
"It's nothing. You were? How sweet!" said Francesca.
Benton was instantly uncomfortable again. "Well... I mean... We were worried about you," he stammered.
Sitto interjected, "Franny, leave Benny alone. We still have to get out of here."
Benton picked up the two idej and together the three of them returned to their vantage point behind the boulders. Benton said, "Since you've been gone Francesca, there have been new developments." He pointed.
The Horde had erected impossibly tall siege engines and were busy beginning their assault on Noran. "From what we can tell, the Borials and Virgos are not simply going to defend the city from within the walls. They appear to be preparing a counter assault against the Horde down on the battlefield."
"Why would they do that, I wonder?" said Sitto.
"Well, there must be a reason. And we have to help them," said Benton. "The Horde is not expecting an attack from their rear. We could do considerable damage to their war machines before... uh..." He looked at Francesca.
"Before we get killed," she finished for him. After a moment of quiet, she said, "Give me your sword, Sitto. These Horde things are too heavy for me." Sitto obliged her.
Benton looked at his friends. They all smiled at each other. "Let's do it."