Chapter Seven

(Siteer 8)

Midmorning and scouts come down to report a small column of horsemen accompanying a litter approaching from the east. There is a hot debate as to whom they might be, and it is decided to ride upon them, sleep first and ask questions later.

The approaching riders halt and as they are about to parley, are slept, most falling from the saddle, and only Kuljazar poking his head from the litter to rebuke the impetuous assaulting party prevents a spectacular misunderstanding..

His timely arrival prompts a scouting mission, to attempt to capture some of the bandit scouts.

Kuljazar and Hamar ride forth, and surprise a pair of bandits at close range. They exhort each other to cast sleep upon the fleeing bandits, only to discover neither of them know the spell! Fortunately, Kuljazar is able to charm one of the bandits, and Hamar slays the other with a magebolt.

After some swift talking, they ride back with Valikar, the charmed bandit, to the Illmanar’an, (Mudanat’un, as they discover it was formerly known)

Valikar proves a font of information, and with his happy connivance, a plan is hatched to ambush a bandit mustering point, and unleash firey destruction.

The plan mostly succeeds, with only some minor alteration in the face of the enemy, and a fireball is conjured to great effect, the enemy routed, and a significant victory won.

In the chaos of pursuit, Benin proves his martial skill with the lance, though Hamar proves doubtful, not having borne direct witness…

On return to Ilmanar’an a feast is held in celebration.

In the small hours of the night however a cry goes up from the walls. The half dead are walking! Hamar rallies archers to the walls, but sadly they seem to have but little effect.

Troops are mustered to the gate, and the gates are opened to allow the Janissary to go forth and massacre the Zombies.

Unfortunately, as the troops shoulder the gates to push them shut a vast tide of crawling horrors and grave insects washes underneath the gates and over the men. They flee in panic and the zombies march solidly into the open gap.

Hamar, Benin, Nazeem and Methomet leap into the gap, and face the soulless horde, as Kuljazar gathers fire to cast from the walls,

A desperate fight ensues, with Hamar standing the breach till the end, with able assistance in rotation from the other Magi and Raschid

Finally, the Janissary is ordered to close the gates from without, and the last remaining walking corpses are slain..

• Chapter Eight

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