As Dain Barden departed the battlefield he heard someone call his name. Turning, he saw Moragon waving at him.

"Your master's trying to take the relic for himself," Dain Barden said. "I haven't fought your battles for nothing. Don't try to stop me, melding."

"Give me command of your men," Moragon said.

"What?"

"Who will lead them with you gone? Please," the word sounded strange coming from Moragon's mouth, "you made a bargain. You will have the relic, and when we win today your help won't be forgotten."

Barden knew that every moment he waited, the Primate was getting closer to the relic. "Can I trust you to lead them?"

"I have no wish to see these barbarians in the streets of Seranthia," Moragon said. "I would say my motives are stronger than yours."

"You'll lead them well and wisely? On your honour?"

"On my honour," Moragon said.

Dain Barden made a quick decision. "Let it be so. I'll put out the word. Take care of my men, melding. I will be back."

~

MORAGON watched the Dain's departing back; the leader of the Akari took only two revenant bodyguards.

Moragon summoned four of his meldings.

Like himself, each had an arm of metal, and they carried enchanted swords by their sides. Fearless fighters and skilled swordsmen, they were loyal to their High Lord.

"Follow him," Moragon said. "Kill him before he finds the Primate."

"Yes, High Lord," they acknowledged.

Moragon quickly took command of the battlefield. With the Black Army and the draugar all under his control, he could finally fight the battle the way he wanted it to be fought.

"Sound the clarion. I want to pull back behind the Wall. They will dash themselves against the gate, and that's when we'll come out and strike with everything we've got. I want every draug, every avenger, and every legionnaire lined up behind the gate, with nothing held in reserve. They will think we've gone behind the Wall to lick our wounds. We'll crush them with one mighty blow."

57

57

"THERE'S fighting outside the gates of Seranthia," Ella cried. "I need to help my friends!"

"Ella, you know this is more important," Killian said. "If Evrin was trying to keep the Primate from some kind of powerful weapon, now is the time he'll try to use it."

"I know," Ella said, tearing her eyes from the scene below the hill they'd just crested. The prince's men had been met in open battle outside Seranthia, a swarming force of legionnaires and revenants pouring out of the city, rivalling even the numbers of the Hazarans. "We need to get into the city. How will we get in?"

"Not this way," Killian said. He was pensive for a moment. "The harbour. We'll take a small boat and enter from the harbour."

"Where will we find a boat?"

Killian looked at her. "Do you have a better idea?"

He took her by the hand and they started to run.

~