Again he opened his mouth to sing, but the colonel backhanded him in the mouth with the pommel of his sword. Darkmount tried to sidestep the next blow, but the cramped width of the corridor restricted his mobility. As he attempted to draw breath, the colonel once again slipped past his defences and struck him in the gut, winding him.
‘Back! Fall back!’ gasped the bishop, gesturing at Charlie and Nibbler to give him space to manoeuvre.
The three of them staggered backwards into the Autumn Winds Courtyard. The colonel and Stoman warrior sprang forward, pursuing and harassing Darkmount and doing their utmost to prevent the bishop from opening his mouth or drawing a full breath. As large and as ferocious as the Stoman bishop was, without his stonesinging to give him the edge he was losing this fight against the two experienced and formidable swordsmen.
Nibbler, realizing that this was potentially more a game of wits than skill, slipped past Edge Darkmount and snapped at the colonel. Gusting out a small jet of flame, he forced the two warriors to scrabble backwards. The Winged One grinned in victory as he heard the bishop’s voice breaking into song behind him, the wave of light reassuring him that his mighty ally was now ready to fight.
‘Well, well,’ chuckled Nibbler, shooting a cocky look at the colonel. ‘Looks like we’ve got a big, bad Stonesinger on our side! Whatcha going to do now?’
The large doors lining the courtyard burst open, spilling bloodthirsty soldiers and snarling Shades into the square.
‘Well, well,’ said the colonel with deadpan humour and an eyebrow raised to perfection. ‘Looks like I’ve got a big bad army on my side. The question is, I think, what are you going to do, my winged friend?’
6
A Clash of Arms
Shocked and caught off guard, Charlie stared at the charging soldiers.
Puffs of dirt kicked up around their shins. Sunlight glinted off their swords and spears. Shades snarled and screeched as they coiled and bristled between the soldiers’ legs. The sound of boots trampling on the flagstones thundered in her ears. But rising above it all were the steady, chanted notes of Darkmount’s singing.
Statues and chunks of rock spun across the courtyard, slamming into the Stoman troops as Darkmount ripped free whatever was close to hand to use as makeshift missiles. As the ranks drew closer, Nibbler opened his mouth to spit crackling jets of flame that turned spear shafts and bows to ash, ignited clothing and scorched the eyebrows off more than a few unfortunate warriors.
Shielded between Nibbler and Darkmount, Charlie hesitated, well aware that her Will had deserted her. She felt useless. Without the power of the Keepers she was just a normal girl. Uncertain, and pretty sure that her K’Changa wouldn’t cut it against armoured Stomen, she reached down and picked up a clump of rock, a fragment from one of Darkmount’s crude missiles. Maybe she could knock out a Stoman or Shade if she got close enough, or lucky enough. Maybe.
She licked her lips and realized just how dry her throat had become. Looking up she saw that the spears and swords were drawing nearer, and she wondered what it would feel like to have one of those strike her. Would it hurt? Would it be quick? She felt nauseous. Butterflies swept around her stomach and she had to fight the urge to vomit.
‘YOU FAITHLESS CURS!’ roared Darkmount in a voice that eclipsed the courtyard. ‘HAVE YOU ALREADY FORGOTTEN THE POWER OF THE TRUE FAITH?!’
Scowling, the bishop sucked in a deep lungful of air and increased the power of his song. The flames billowing from his arms erupted into vivid shades of green as his feet and legs shone with power. Marching forward, he lifted one foot high and stamped down heavily.
The square shook as the flagstones round his feet shattered, statues fell from their plinths and the courtyard erupted. Pressure waves swept outward, knocking over the few remaining sculptures and bowling the troops and Shades off their feet.
Lifting his other foot Darkmount stamped again.
And again.
The courtyard rippled and rocked like a pond disrupted by a thrown brick. Nothing stood still. The statues, screaming Shades and fallen warriors were flung repeatedly off their feet as wave after wave of rock rippled across the square. Charlie and Nibbler, sheltered from the epicentre by Darkmount’s bulk, stood and stared, their mouths gaping in disbelief.
Finally, the courtyard fell silent. Several Shades shook themselves upright and one or two Stomen staggered to their feet, eyes dazed and