city, it was house to house, street to street.
They would take one barricade and be driven out to later take it again.
About one-third of the city had fallen, and Bright Sword wondered how
much longer they could hold out.
103 For a month his people had stubbornly held, then for two days the
enemy disappeared. He made no attacks, then there was one terrible
desperate effort. The following morning when they scouted the enemy's
positions they were gone.
104 The Children of Spirit rushed up the walls and found the siege
towers empty. They sent patrols over the walls to find the enemy's camp
deserted. They had left their ox carts and tents. They had eaten their
oxen and apparently even some of their dead. "I don't know why they are
retreating," ordered Swift Sword, but let’s get after them, and do what
damage we can."
105 They had little luck. They captured only a few wounded enemy, who
their comrades had abandoned. They met Mad Cat coming up from the south
and joined his pursuit. But the enemy was too far ahead of them, and
escaped across the desert. They returned to their own land to celebrate
their victory.
106 But The Hawk was in no mood to celebrate. He ordered The Worm
brought from Southern and set up beneath Tr's own walls. When The Trns
saw it, The Children of Spirit could hear the wailing and crying from
the walls. Within an hour of its appearance, messengers bearing white
flags emerged from the city. "Our King," they pleaded, "begs mercy for
his people. If he will surrender, what terms will he be given?"
107 "No terms," snapped The Hawk. These are my conditions. Ti will be
returned to us, and all the lands running halfway down from its roads
shall become ours. The four cities of Tr; To, Min, and Li, will be all
that will remain of your kingdom. Never again will