‘Once we’ve assembled up top, our plan is to stay hidden as we come at them from the rear. We’ll pass the mines. Then, while the shapeshifters are distracted fighting the main force, we single out their king. You’ve all seen him. He’s bigger by far than any of them. They’re like animals. Wolves. When the alpha male is dead, they’ll lose their cohesion. We have one goal only. To destroy the eldran king. Any questions?’

Gorlax met the eyes of each man in turn, before giving a sharp nod.

‘For Tanus and the queen,’ he growled.

‘For Tanus and the queen!’

Gorlax was the first to walk to the base of the cliff, his men fanning out around him as he began his ascent.

Arrows filled the air, arcing before the sharp iron heads dragged them down. A multitude of shafts descended on the stone wall. Death rained on the eldren, who stood grimly, staring up at the sky.

But then mist clouded the entire length of the embankment. Winged creatures flew out to the left and right. When the arrows plummeted down, they sank harmlessly into the dirt or bounced off the wall.

Furies and dragons wheeled like birds, swooping down from above. Descending on the front ranks, they took dozens of men by surprise, enclosing arms, clawed forelimbs, or wide jaws around screaming soldiers and flying up again, before dropping the soldiers on their comrades. As the archers nocked new arrows and retrained their aim, the winged creatures descended again, but this time they landed in a thin line in front of the embankment. Thoughts flashed from one to another, coordinated by Eiric. Together they changed shape once more. Now a row of roaring ogres and bellowing giants stood to face the charging host.

With shattering force, the two groups collided.

Twice the height of any soldier, the ogres swatted spears aside and plucked up armored men to throw them sailing back the way they’d come. Head and shoulders taller than the ogres, the giants swept hoplites away in groups of three and four. The blows were strong enough to break limbs and knock men unconscious. The fear the eldren inspired caused more than one human to turn around and flee.

One golden-eyed giant, bigger than any other, fended off a spear, but the soldier was determined and dodged to the side, trying to bring the point up under his chin.

Eiric weaved his head to evade the next blow and reached forward to grab his opponent by the leg. Straightening, he leaned back and threw the man into two more of his fellows, sending the group into a flailing heap. An arrow stung his flank, but he brushed it away, glancing down at the small triangular wound it left behind.