Berowden Pass

          Broken spears, shattered arrows, and dead men.  Berowden Pass seemed nothing but those three things.  Of the elite troop known as the Stormbringers only twenty men survived. Twenty men out of five hundred.  They were legendary as a Calvary unit.  All armed with spear or bow, they traveled fast and were matchless. Matchless in an even battle.  Berowden Pass was far from even odds.  The battle had raged now for four hours.  The brave Stormbringers nearly crushed. 
          Larek wheeled his horse around, doing so caused his shirt to pull free from the cut on his right shoulder.  Larek winced slightly as the blood started flowing again.  Shield strapped to his back, sword still at his side.  Larek fought with horse and spear.  Not five hours ago he had been headed home, well inside the borders of his homeland.  The army that now came against him was from Grimwell.  Its soldiers named Grimes for their homeland, however it could also be said of their appearance as well.  Larek had been riding with his two guards, Raz and Bariean.  Both more than guards, they were his friends.  The three had been laughing about old times when the first arrows had started falling.  Screams of agony from horse and man alike raced from wall to wall echoing throughout the pass. 
          The arrows came from the left side of the pass, high in the rocks.  The fifty closest Stormbringers dismounted and charged up the rocky incline, shields raised swords drawn.  Larek watched from the front lines, while the flanks of his army were being torn apart by the archers.  He watched his men, his fellow soldiers climb.  Thirty feet out the Grimes started picking their targets.  All order was abandoned as they fired into the oncoming fifty men.  The stormbringers advanced.  Five arrows found their targets, time slowed for Larek as he watched as his men advance and fall under the arrows of the Grimwell army.  Each step closer to the archers resulted in a fallen soldier.  Larek cursed and griped his spear with whitened knuckles.  Less then five yards out the last of the Stormbringers fell to his knees two arrows protruding from his chest.  Blood slowly dripped from his lips as another arrow sunk threw leather chest plate sending him falling back, down past his dead and dieing brothers.  Down upon the ground he had given his life to take.
          Larek was aware of the mass of Grimwell infantry advancing on the lines of the now fifty less Stormbringers.  His men had charged that hill knowing it would be their death.  But they had done it gladly that they might be able to stop the archers, saving the rest.  If only it had worked.  Larek faced the oncoming Grimes.  A sea of swords and axes.  No inspiring speech came to mind, no call to charge, their was no time for strategy, no room to maneuver, no way out.  He spurred his horse to a gallop and lowered his spear.  He rode ahead of his men, fire in his eyes, and a determination to send the entire Grimwell army to hell.  A wordless scream was his only command to his men.  A command that was passed from one to another, each man following Larek to almost certain death.  The arrows had started again, getting in the last few volleys before the two armies clashed.
          Four hours later the rain of arrows had long since stopped now that Grimes and Stormbringers mixed so thickly that picking targets became impossible for the Grimwell archers.  Larek pulled his spear from the chest of yet another grime.  Looking up he saw Raz and Bariean side by side riding threw the carnage to get to him.  The initial charge had almost broke the Grimwell army.  Larek had almost led a charge straight threw them all.  However almost was not completely.  The Stormbringers were stopped and now they had fought and died for four hours.  The Grimes were scattered threw out the pass,  while the Stormbringers had been broken into five major groups.  Larek now led the only surviving men at his side.  They had retreated to the side of the pass and now had their backs to the Berowden mountains.  Larek, Raz, Bariean, and almost twenty others.  The Grimwell Army had suffered horrible casualties, the five hundred Stormbringers had in four hours rode down almost two thousand Grimes.  Their backs to the rock they now made their last stand.  The Grimes shifted and gathered from their separate battlefields to now face the last remaining remnant of the Stormbringers.  Larek dismounted his horse, for what they were about to face their would be no charge, nor would their be any retreat.  The few of the twenty that still had mounts followed Larek’s example.  Larek spun his spear and sunk its tip into the dry earth.  Unstring his shield then drawing his sword Larek prepared to sell his life dearly.  By Now the Grimes had formed up and the Stormbringers were surrounded, rocks behind them and Grimes on all other sides.  They did no attack.  One grime rode to the front of their lines and yelled out to Larek.
        “So this is how a legend dies?”
        Larek turned to Raz making some sign with his hands that the grime speaker did not understand. The rider called again, “It doesn’t have to be this way, throw down your weapons and you and your men shall live.”
          The Grimwell herald watched in amazement as Larek bowed arms spread.  The herald was so shocked he failed to notice the grin on Larek’s face.  Or that Raz stood directly behind him bow drawn.  Larek had opened a clear shot for Raz and the sound of  a bow string snapping tight was the last thing the herald heard.
          The Grimes did no take kindly to Raz shooting their herald, they did not wait for another arrow to be fired before they rushed the small remnant of brave fighters.  The Grimes broke on the Stormbringer shields.  Larek knocked a grime off his feet with his shield, cutting down another with a uppercut with the tip of his sword.  An Ax glanced off his shield sending a small rain of sparks into the air. Spinning Larek sent his sword into the chest of one more.  To His left and right spears met flesh, Ax’s struck shields.  Swords bit into armor.  And Chaos reigned.
          Raz was dancing back and forth, using a thinner sword he valued speed and agility to strength.  His blond hair was almost died black with drying blood, mud, and sweat.  A weaving slash sent two men to their eternal fate.  With a jumping aerial slash Raz made sure they would not be making the trip alone. To his right Bariean fought with a much different style, short sword in one hand, hatchet in the other.  All aggression, no dancing, no backing up, only advancing.  Giving no ground, only taking.  On all sides the Stormbringers fought.  One fell to an ax blade sinking into his back.  Another fell after taking three men with naught but a broken sword.  The Grimes did not take one life of the twenty that did not cost them dearly.  Swinging his sword left and his shield right Larek took down another two.  A third was to eager to attack and fell a gapping hole in his throat. 
          A gap formed in the Stormbringers line and Grimes broke threw.  Bariean was quick to run to the hole shouldering two grimes to the ground he ducked to avoid an ax blow and retaliated with a hatchet strike.  His blade bit deep and the Grimes death twitch was the last movement he was to ever make.  Bariean fought like a lion, sword and hatchet were his claws and his roar was as vicious.  As he tore threw Grime after Grime he saw Raz on his back Grime above him bringing his sword up for a final blow.  A blow that never came.  Raz stood and retrieved his sword pulling Bariean’s hatchet from his attackers skull.  Nodding his thanks Raz went back to work, sending Grimes to their death.  It was not ten minutes until all that remained of the Stormbringers were Larek and his two friends.  With a  mighty blow Larek dropped two men. His swing opened up his right side and a Grime sword bit deep into his ribcage.  Larek pulled back stabbing his killer.  Larek fell back against the rock wall that stood silent and immobile.  His blood running down its face starting a small pool at the base.  Larek looked around to see Bariean on his knees a spear protruding from his shoulder and another from his right leg.  With his life bleeding from him Bariean still fought, taking two more men before a sword sunk into his chest.  Larek watched as his friend fell, eyes glazing over. 
          Raz was the only Stormbringer still fighting. Completely surrounded all Larek could see was his only living friend now battling an entire army.  Raz rolled between two men, as he rose his sword cut threw the ones leg, the other fell with only a parry and a thrust threw the heart.  Raz searched for Larek when their eyes final met, all hope and hint of brightness faded from Raz’s eyes.  Larek brought two fingers to his brow in a salute to Raz just like they used to do when they were just recruits in the infantry.  Raz took down a handful of men getting to Larek.  Two more groups went down as Raz defended the spot where his fearless leader lay dieing.  Larek reached our and took Raz by the shoulder.  His friend turned to face him.
          “Raz, go.  I’m already dead I’m just being to stubborn to admit it.”
          “I’m not letting the rest of you die without me.”
          “Leave now! Go home to your wife. Tell Neara my story, tell her how I feel, tell her what I never could.”
          Raz froze, he knew what Larek was talking about.  Neara meant the world to Larek.  But he had never had the time to tell her.  He was planning to tell her in two days.  Raz’s best friend had just given him his dieing wish, Raz couldn’t let him down.  He put his hand on Larek’s shoulder and nodded.  Raz started climbing the rocks behind Larek.  Because of his fast fighting style he was as agile on the rocks as he was on the ground.  Larek knew his friend only needed a few min to climb before he was out of reach of the Grimes.  Knowing this Larek decided to take a few more Grimes with him before he finally accepted his fate.  Pulling himself up caused more than a wince as he raised his sword.  He was to weak to swing with any power so he had to rely totally on skill to fight.  Feigning and rolling his blade took down two while Raz climbed.  Another fell to a sideways stab.  Larek smiled mustering all his strength he yelled at the oncoming Grimwell footmen.
          “Is that all you got?!”
          Four more fell before a second blade cut into Larek.  His stubborn streak wore out.  Raz was to high and moving up the mountainside to fast for the grimes to have a chance of catching him. 
          Five years later Raz sat around the fire with his wife and child.  Young Larek was playing with his wooden sword while his father told him of the hero that was his namesake.