The Faithful and the Fallen discussion

Boom! Chapter ten steps the pace up!

Kastell and Maquin are still escorting the merchant train to Halstat. Aguila drops back in the line as the train makes slow progress along the edge of the feared Forn Forrest. Home to the remnant of the Hunen giant clan and creatures that would gladly make meals of even them. Aguila asks the two warriors if they had given any thought to what they would do after they arrived at Halstat.

Kastell and Maquin consider it, both of them happy not to return to Mikil in any real hurry. Maquin offers a life in the Dal Gadrai as an alternative. The Dal Gadrai was a valley cut by a river through Forn Forest, on the eastern borders of their homeland. A group of warriors, all volunteers - as none was ever sent there - patrolled the river, but also to act as a bulwark against any forest-dwellers tempted to wander into Isiltir. Only those that had killed one of the Hunen were allowed to join the Gadrai, as their troop came to be called.

'They all rode in silence for a while,' into mists until Kastell could barely see his companions and the silence was such that the only thing he could hear was the jangle of his own horse's harness. Kastell gets a bad feeling. Suddenly there is a hissing sound all about them and, with a thunk and a blur of motion, Aguila disappeared from his saddle. Kastell and Maquin find him with a spear shaft as thick as Kastell's wrist jutting from his chest.

The Hunen giant's are attacking and bloody ruin ensues. Kastell sees a giant charging for him, he takes it first to be male but realises it is female. Maquin has noticed this and hurls a spear at the charging giant. It lands but only in the shoulder, increasing the giant's rage. Maquin then rides at the giant and during the fight manages to get unhorsed.

Kastell hefts his spear but then thinks better of it. He charges the giant, rears his horse and hooves connect full in the giant's face. He then stabs down with his spear. Maquin makes certain the giant is dead. The two warriors the beat a hasty retreat, looking for higher ground. They eventually gain some high ground and try to make out what is happening in the battle. Kastell has a moment of anger wanting to protect his charge until Maquin points out that everyone is dead.

Then they notice something staggering, from the wreckage of the train one of the giant's pulls the Starstone axe. Allegedly stolen from Romar.

Maquin suggests making a quiet retreat as if they are seen the giants will be relentless in their pursuit. Able to run for days on end.

There plan quickly goes wrong and they are seen. Maquin then takes the lead, explaining that they must keep a pace that will keep them ahead but not so fast that they blow the horses.

They ride all that day and through the night. With no rest and constant motion you can imagine how tired they must be. They take a brief pause to drink when Kastell notices the giants close by. They force their mounts into a gallop, heedless of their horses endurance until Maquin's mount injures its leg and collapses.

Maquin tells Kastell to ride while he buys him time to escape. Maquin urges to Kastell to flee and for a second it looks as if he will. In the end he can't leave his shieldman alone, dismounts and stands beside Maquin intent to take at least one of the many giants heading their way across the bridge of swords.

Certain that they will die fighting this enemy that outnumbers them, they ready themselves for the fight.

Thundering hooves can be heard, getting closer and closer. Horses crest a ridge and at their front, rides Romar.

Really enjoyed this chapter. The thrill of the chase and the Riders of Rohan style cavalry arrival at the end. Good stuff.

Despite my love for the series it has been a long while since I reread Malice. I remember this being one of the 'Ey up' moments :-)

Oh aye it certainly does that.

Definitely an upping in the pace over the last few chapters. This really gives you a sense of the dangers within the world and how quickly a situation can go from "normal" to "grave".

Really getting into this now, the ratcheting up of the tension has got my attention!

I'm behind on the read along, just read this chapter and loves it! very fast paced heart thumping action :) things are heating up now