In their preparations the river had been scouted and the path mapped in detail. The great stone blocks of the old bridge were impossibly far apart, too far to bridge, and entirely under the water in most cases.

Would they be too far apart for the colossus's great stride?

Another rain of orbs from a dirigible took out two more boats, and Miro knew the situation was becoming desperate.

The colossus stepped out into the river, onto the first block they had mapped out. The gigantic form wobbled, and then the second leg came forward and the body swung, until the foot came down somewhere under the water and held.

Miro realised he wasn't breathing and tried to control the racing of his heart and get some air into his lungs.

The colossus took one more step, and then Miro saw a figure in green climbing up the construct, moving quickly from hand to hand as it reached the huge shoulder.

"That's a bladesinger," Beorn said.

The warrior's armoursilk suddenly blazed and the shining zenblade made Miro squint even from his position. The bladesinger leapt up and forward, the zenblade arcing through the air, and his fiery sword smashed into the side of a dirigible, cutting a wide gouge through the airship, before the bladesinger fell down and into the water.

The dirigible spun out of control and turned into another airship close by, before both spiralled down to come crashing into the water. A moment later Miro saw a Halrana soldier help the bladesinger into one of the boats.

The great bulk of the colossus again moved forward, and then the animator struck.

A massive hand swung through the air, swatting down a dirigible like it was a tiresome bug. Another swing and one more dirigible went down. The gigantic construct's footing was precarious, and Miro saw it wobble more than once, but Luca Angelo held, and in a moment the sky was cleared of the enemy.

"It worked!" Beorn turned, grinning at Miro.

The first of the landing craft reached the opposite bank. The soldiers jumped out and lifted their boat out of the water, turning it on its side. Orbs rained down on them, deflected by the bottom of the boat, but they waited. Soon a dozen more craft had emptied their loads of soldiers; in moments more than twenty side-on boats formed a protective barrier at the water's edge.

The allied swordsmen and pikemen disembarked from the remaining boats, joining their fellows rather than turning the boats up, leaving their landing craft to return to the Alturan side and fetch the second wave.

The bridgehead had been formed.

The second stage of the plan now went into effect. Miro's sub-commanders deployed the archers.