time as the bags struck and sprayed their contents, the effects were almost immediate. Steam rose from the Quan’s metal armor. The powerful humanoids were immediately in distress.
They danced about wildly in pain. Then pieces of their armor started to fall onto the stones of the bridge. The solution quickly ate away at the metal, heating it up and dissolving it as Yeel watched.
The Ascarans used the chaos to their advantage. They pressed forward, striking the Quan before them with their fenlar. More missiles came in from the towers above and behind. Dead bodies littered the way to the fortress. A few Quan threw the bodies of their brothers over the edge of the bridge, but they’d lost their momentum. Now the Ascarans pressed forward and regained most of the bridge. The unarmored Quan were no match for their fenlar. Some of the huge Quan warriors even jumped over the edge of the bridge.
“Their army is breaking up,” Vot observed. “Tuluk and his pod have destroyed most of the sea invaders.”
“The hormone worked quite well. They look quite enraged, still. In fact, I don’t think I will be going down there for quite some time. I would hate to have survived the attack simply to be sliced open by a giant sea predator.”
“And I see the army of Riken has struck at the leaders in the back. Their knights charged in from the flank. No wonder most of the Quan army is in shambles. The Meridalae have been soundly defeated. I wish I could say we won’t see them again here at Ascara-home.”
“I hope Jymoor isn’t harmed. Though I usually don’t favor the strong silent type, I still admire her. And she’s a good champion for her people. I think she had the moral fiber and work ethic to be of net benefit for her race.”
“The day is ours,” Vot said. “I thank you, Yeel. You’re a good friend. A fine fighter, too. Why, I think you didn’t flinch one time. Your well-aged body came close to harm, there is no doubt. I think I saw at least one Quan raise a javelin toward you.”
“No need to thank me,” Yeel replied. “It is I who should thank you for the opportunity to oppose the Meridalae. In fact, if memory serves, as it almost never does, I may owe you a debt for freeing me from them, many years ago. Believe me when I say that if I did in fact owe you such a debt I would make it one of my highest priorities to repay it. And in a timely manner, too, with interest as it were.”
“Think no more of it. Dismiss it from your mind. Beings as close as us have no need of the concept of debt. We each do what we can when we can. And now I must give thanks to the Rikenese. They trusted us. I must make sure they don’t regret it. It would be very embarrassing if they were now to all die to their barbarian horde.”
“I suggest you be brief. Their kind is loathe to speak or listen at length. Why I have lost count of the times I was interrupted before I could even reach midspeech! They won’t tolerate it, I tell you.”
“I was wondering why you had become so short-tongued. I thought maybe you were falling silent in your adult years. I’ll be as brief as I possibly can,” Vot said. “Perhaps a speech of only ten minutes? What do you think? Should I also use short sentences?”
“Hmm. The shorter the better. And you should consider making it five minutes,” Yeel advised. “Don’t underestimate how much they detest extended listening or speaking. In fact, I wonder just now, which do they hate more? I should ask Jymoor when I see her. Or perhaps conduct an experiment of some kind, as soon as I can devise it.”
***
Three hours later, the attacking army had scattered. Bodies lay on the bridge, sprawled on the beach, and floated in the sea, reminding everyone of the carnage. Vot moved forward from her guard of Ascarans toward the army of Riken. She moved unerringly toward Aruscetar. The ranks opened to allow her to approach. She came closer and addressed him.
“I am Vot. I find myself deeply in your debt.”
A reflected war cry from the previous battle washed over them. The Rikenese looked alarmed.
“Please ignore the echoes; they are normal for this place,” Vot said. “They may linger for hours more to remind us of our