“The white one is their sorceress. Lord Lun-yu says the other commands the dead.”

The woman suddenly glowed a brilliant blue. A blue egg formed between her outstretched hands. It tumbled toward the earth. It was a yard thick when it ploughed into the roof of a barracks.

That roof caught fire, though it was made of clay tile.

More eggs fell. Soon there were a dozen witchfires burning. How long would their witchery keep them going?

That didn’t matter. The woman could drop more.

She threw a score into the northern camp, where they did more damage.

His Tervola had to stop her. He rushed to the map room… The place was a shambles. Fighting continued in one corner, where a pair of skullfaces exchanged minor sorceries with Tasi-feng’s underlings.

“What happened?” Shih-ka’i demanded. “Never mind. I can see. Get some men in to clean up before these bodies reanimate.”

Tasi-feng said, “Lord, some of our dead weren’t properly disposed. They’re roaming the fortress. The men can’t tell friend from foe.”

“You can, can’t you?”

“Yes, Lord.”

“We all can.” Shih-ka’i clipped a quick series of orders. “Let’s get out there. We’re useless here now, anyway. Give the witch all the attention you can. Throw up a shaft barrage. That southern attack looks like a feint.”

Two hours passed. They left Shih-ka’i perplexed. The witch had been driven from the sky, yet the situation had worsened. A stream of blue balls sailed out of the desert, into the north camp. The camp’s defenses had been breached in a dozen places. The dreaded melee threatened.

At least the flyers and skullfaces had been beaten away from the fortress.

Shih-ka’i assembled his officers. “We’re going to lose the north camp,” he told them. “They’re reanimating too many of their men, and we haven’t provided an adequate defense against the woman’s witchery. Let’s review their dispositions.”

Shih-ka’i was convinced the enemy was concentrating on the one camp, betting the defense would collapse suddenly, giving him an opportunity to recoup his losses. He would then aim the tireless dead at the south camp, then the fortress.

“We’ll give them a surprise,” Shih-ka’i said. “Tell Lord Shih-mihn he has to hold till dawn.”

In the bloody, smoky dawn troops from the south camp cut through the screen surrounding them and attacked the enemy army. The Tervola harried the witch from one hiding place to another. The dead fought stubbornly. Not till noon was the north camp finally relieved. Shih-ka’i immediately ordered the troops outside to withdraw to the Tusghus River.

“We surprised them this time,” he said. “We won’t again.” Then, “The fortress can stand alone.” He surveyed the cables and nets being rigged over areas where flyers might land.

“Suppose they pursue, Lord?” Tasi-feng asked.

“I wish they would. I’d bring up Northern Army and play hammer and anvil.”

The Deliverer disappointed Shih-ka’i. For three days he attacked the fortress, scoring only local successes. Stubborn Shih-ka’i always overcame. Undying pyres burned in the drillyards, day and night.