Now were the fetters struck from the last of the red men, and
thirteen strong we met each new charge of the soldiers of Salensus
Oll. Scarce one of us but bled from a score of wounds, yet none
had fallen.
From without we saw hundreds of guardsmen pouring into the courtyard,
and along the lower corridor from which I had found my way to the
armory we could hear the clank of metal and the shouting of men.
In a moment we should be attacked from two sides, and with all
our prowess we could not hope to withstand the unequal odds which
would thus divide our attention and our small numbers.
"To the upper chambers!" cried Tardos Mors, and a moment later we
fell back toward the runway that led to the floors above.
Here another bloody battle was waged with the force of yellow men
who charged into the armory as we fell back from the doorway. Here
we lost our first man, a noble fellow whom we could ill spare; but
at length all had backed into the runway except myself, who remained
to hold back the Okarians until the others were safe above.
In the mouth of the narrow spiral but a single warrior could attack
me at a time, so that I had little difficulty in holding them all
back for the brief moment that was necessary. Then, backing slowly
before them, I commenced the ascent of the spiral.
All the long way to the tower's top the guardsmen pressed me closely.
When one went down before my sword another scrambled over the dead
man to take his place; and thus, taking an awful toll with each
few feet gained, I came to the spacious glass-walled watchtower of
Kadabra.
Pages:
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185