With a deafening roar the Giants topped the hills on either
side of the enemy and poured down into them, reinforced by many
of The Children of Spirit.
20 The effect on the Trns was immediate and devastating. They
panicked! They broke into small pockets, and some of them turned
and fled for their camp. About half way to it their leader
managed somewhat of a rally, but the Giants and The Children of
Spirit broke over them like an angry wave.
21 It was here that Bold Fox fell. He had just sent one enemy to
his god, when he did not see another one coming in from the left
until it was almost too late. He tried to ward off the blow with
his club, but missed. His opponent's club came smashing down on
his hand, sending his own weapon flying. Bold Fox tried to bring
his shield around, but his enemy blocked it with his own, and
brought his club hard against the side of Bold Fox's head! That
was the last thing he remembered for some time.
22 The rest of The Children of Spirit poured on after the enemy.
So close were they on their heels, that the enemy did not have
time to pull the bridges over the earthworks and The Children of
Spirit poured into the camp.
23 Soon, what was left of the Trns were encircled and trapped.
One of the Warlocks halted his people and called for the enemy's
surrender. "What good would it do to surrender," asked
the wounded leader,"if you are only going to kill us like
you did our helpless brethren?"
24 "As a Warlock of Spirit," the other answered,
"and a worshiper of The Lords Holy, I guarantee your lives.
If you will lay down your arms, you will be ransomed back to your
kin."
25 The enemy leader came forward carried by two of his men. He
dropped his weapon at the Warlock's feet. "You will excuse
me for not kneeling," he begged. The Warlock picked up the
weapon, and motioned his men to take the prisoners.
26 "May we," asked the Tr leader, "gather our dead
and dying?" The Children of Spirit took them out to do so,
and began to gather their own wounded and dead.
27 While all this was happening Bold Fox recovered his senses. As
he went to gain his feet, pain shot through his left hand. He
looked down at it, cursed, tore a rag from a dead enemy nearby,
and wrapped the wound. As he looked up, something caught his
eye...the familiar helmet of a Giant lying under a pile of enemy
dead. As fast as his wobbly legs would carry him, he rushed over.
With his good arm he threw the bodies this way and that, undid
his friend's helmet, and threw it aside, rolled him over, and saw
the broken tip of a lance sticking from his stomach.
28 Bold Fox cleaned a space behind him, sat down, and pulled the
Giant's head onto his lap. It was then he was aware of someone
standing over him. He looked up to see a young Healer whose white
robes were stained with blood. Without a word, the Healer sat
down his kit and knelt beside the fallen Giant.
29 After a moment he stood up and shook his head. "It's
driven clean through," he sighed, "I can feel the tip
coming out his back. There's nothing that can be done. It's a
wonder he's alive at all!" He took a vial of liquid from his
kit, and very carefully made the Giant drink it. "That will
help the pain," he said, "though I doubt he will even
awaken. Let me see your hand."
30 "It's alright," argued Bold Fox, "nothing
serious. Just leave me here. Go tend those that need you."
31 The Healer had no time to argue. He took a small cloth pouch
from his kit and handed it to Bold Fox. "Put this under your
tongue," he ordered. "That hand's numb right now, but
when it wears off, you'll need that."
32 Bold Fox obeyed. The Healer was gone but a few minutes when
Strong Wall began to stir. After a moment he opened his eyes.
"Well," he said, "didn't know you liked being a
pillow!"
33 "Be quiet," Bold Fox snapped, "rest."
34 "Good friend," the other answered, "in a short
time I will truly rest with my Loved Ones. How did it go?"
35 Bold Fox looked off into the distance. "I think we
won," he answered, "I see some of the enemy coming back
this way under guard."
36 "Good," said Strong Wall. He caught sight of the
bandage on Bold Fox's hand. "Bad?" he asked.
37 "Bad enough," replied Bold Fox.
38 The Giant began to shiver. "That's funny," he said,
"I'm not cold! My friend, you have to promise me," he
continued, "you must go to my city, get my mate. Take her to
your home. See to my children. It has already been arranged that
you would be their guardian, and you must take me home. I must
not be buried in this foreign land. You must promise you will
take me to The Mountain Of Fire, and throw me into the burning
pit, where all my Ancestors have gone before me. Will you promise
me this, that you will do these things?"
39 "As you have asked," Bold Fox promised, "I will
do. Your kin are my kin, your blood is my blood. Whatever they
need, that I will provide."
40 "Thank you," Strong Wall whispered. "Look, my
friend!" he continued, "My Uncle comes to take me to
That Next World! He is young and strong again. And my Father is
with him. They are friends again. They come! They come!"
41 The Giant laid back his head, his eyes and mouth still open.
It was many minutes before Bold Fox could bring himself to gently
close the mouth and eyes. Again he became aware of somebody
standing over him, and looked up to see two fighting men standing
there. There were many now, moving around the battlefield,
removing the dead and the wounded.
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