Knights: Legends of Ollanhar by Robert E. Keller

ignored it and went to help Saranna.
    The Blue Vultures exchanged their crossbows for clubs and
axes and then charged forward, their battle cries echoing through the air.
    Lannon was the first to meet them. He ducked an axe swing
aimed at his neck and then caught the attacker in the head with his fist. The
heavily muscled barbarian was flung from the force of the blow against a
building wall, caving in some boards. He toppled over and lay motionless.
    One of the barbarians hacked at Vorden's armor with a heavy
axe, but the iron axe head broke without leaving a mark on the gold-and-black
breastplate that gleamed in the sunlight. In response, Vorden slammed his
armored forearm against the barbarian's skull, dropping him like a sack of
grain.
    Daledus' axe was yanked from his hands by an attacker, but
he punched a charging savage in the nose--a blow that laid the warrior out cold
in the mud. Roaring laughter, the battle crazed Dwarf then leapt on another
barbarian and head butted him so viciously he cracked the man's skull.
    Aldreya sent deadly fire through the attackers' ranks,
killing and severely wounding several of them. A few of them burned completely
to ash. This display of sorcery--which might have prompted warriors with
rational minds to retreat--only caused the Blue Vultures to attack with greater
fury, however.
    A barbarian managed to get to Prince Vannas--only to perish
when the prince's slender blade pierced his heart. With a cry of triumph,
Vannas yanked the sword free and then cut off the barbarian's head.
    And then Lothrin was there, his Flayer lashing out with
inhuman speed and deadly accuracy in defense of the prince.
    Giving his own weird battle cry, Brakthas leapt on a foe's
back and drew his long dagger across the savage's throat for an easy kill. He
shoved the body away, knocking over another savage.
    While Lannon was distracted, Bekka swung at a foe with her
sword, but she was still too weak to put significant force into the attack. The
barbarian deflected the blade and raised a heavy hammer for the kill. But then
Galandra leapt to her rescue with a gleeful yell, shoving her short spear
through the attacker's heart.
    Three barbarians swung spiked clubs at Lannon in an effort
to overwhelm him. With the force of the Eye, he shoved them back and froze them
for a moment, tearing the weapons from their hands. He raised his sword to do
battle, but the savages turned and fled toward the tavern.
    After that, the others fled to the tavern as well, leaving
only the dead and wounded. They slammed the tavern door shut behind them, and
the street grew silent except for the cries and moans of the injured.
    "Cowards!" Jerret bellowed after them, from where
he lay on the ground. He was lying in a pool of blood, perhaps moments away
from death. "Of all things, a stupid leg wound," he groaned.
"Why so much blood?"
    "Be quiet," Jace muttered. "Save your
strength. Even a leg wound can be deadly, if you know how the human body works.
And the arrow was designed to cause a bitter wound." The sorcerer was
still kneeling beside Jerret, hands on his thigh, trying desperately to stop
the bleeding.
    Moments later, the leader of the Blue Vultures appeared on
a rooftop, crossbow in hand. He was a huge man wearing a spiked, leather vest
that was open in the front. His bare chest was covered in blue tattoos, and on
his head was an extravagant wig that feathered blue feathers instead of hair.
He wore a silver, metallic mask with two small horns protruding from the
forehead.
    He ran his fingers over his chest tattoos and cried out,
"By my blood and my sacred mark, I will avenge my fallen brothers! Divine
Knights of Dremlock, you will plead to your god to end your suffering before
all is said and done! Our dolls will beautify your kingdom, as the earth feeds
on your splintered bones! Our dolls will beautify your kingdom! We pick your
bones clean of all flesh, like the sacred war bird of the Downriver Marsh, and
make your women our