The gigantic Al'mud chieftain was the biggest man Arai had ever seen, and easily the most ferocious-looking; if there was anyone he would have preferred not to engage in battle, it was this man. He was lightly armored, in lion skins and boiled leather, but his shaggy shield was so enormous, and his reach so great, that armor was probably unnecessary for him -- simply getting close to the man, while he was swinging that huge broadsword, would present a challenge for even the most skilled warrior.

  One of the Steelmen, an archer standing upon a parapet some distance away, fired an arrow at the giant. He blocked it, almost casually, with his shield. The archer fired again, and again he caught it, the impact of the arrow-strike seeming to have no effect on him. He charged forward, whirling his sword around and screaming death in the Al'mud language.

  Most of the Velonese retreated from him, but the big soldier, who had come to Arai's aid just a moment ago, decided to try his luck against the Al'mud leader. He wasn't as big as Rollaug, but he was big, and the mace he carried was so large that Arai himself probably would have had trouble lifting it. He jumped in front of Rollaug, blocking his path, and swung the oversized mace at the man.

  To Arai's shock, Rollaug didn't even attempt to block the mace with his shield. Instead, with inhuman speed, he somehow slipped around the soldier, avoiding the mace-swing entirely, and slammed his shield into the man's face. Staggered, he stumbled back, and Rollaug -- again, almost casually, as if this life-or-death fight was nothing more than a sparring session -- sliced him in half with his sword.

  None of the other Velonese dared to challenge the giant after that, but the Steelmen, hardened to battle, did their best, firing more arrows, and one man tried to drive him off the edge of the battlements with a long spear. He stopped the arrows with his shield and broke the spear with his sword.

  More of the Al'mud were making it to the top now, following their leader into the battle. Arai, realizing that the giant had to be stopped, and the ladders behind him thrown down, tightened his grip on his sword and started making his way to the man. Bastion, suddenly at his side, joined him, his own blade raised high. "Looks like we don't have much of a choice," he growled.

  And together, the two of them attacked, one coming in from the right and other from the left. Despite his size, Rollaug was incredibly, almost supernaturally fast; he easily shrugged aside Arai's Shark's Tooth with his shield and had no trouble avoiding Bastion's slashing attacks. Arai couldn't believe the man's speed -- how could someone so big move so quickly?

  The giant's sword came crashing down; leaping out of the way, Arai avoided it by inches, then tried counterattacking, slashing at the back of the man's leg. Unbelievably, Rollaug somehow saw it coming, stepped to his right, and used his elbow to strike Arai in the face. He reeled back, and would have died at that moment if not for Bastion, who stopped Rollaug's counterattack by cutting into his right arm. The cut wasn't deep -- in fact it may not have even penetrated his leather armor -- but it distracted him for just a moment, allowing Arai to recover his senses and avoid another backhand swing of the shield. He backpedaled, looking for another opening...

  But Rollaug, by now, had turned his full attention to Bastion. The young mercenary had gotten inside his guard, but had missed one swing and had had another blocked, and now Rollaug counterattacked, using his shield to push him back and then bringing his sword down with colossal force. Bastion lifted his own sword to parry the blow, but he did not have the strength to deflect it; Rollaug's broadsword smashed it away, and continued on, cleaving his arm off. And then, once again using that incredible speed, he used the flat of the blade to simply knock him aside, and he went tumbling off the battlements.

  Outraged, Arai screamed and started to charge the man, but one of the Steelmen -- the archer who had been lobbing arrows at Rollaug all along -- seized him by the shoulder. "It's too late," he said. "And there's too many. Back to the Bard's Tower!"

  Arai stopped and looked around, and realized that he, and the archer, were practically surrounded; the Velonese had already retreated to the inner tower and the remaining Steelmen were fighting a running battle back to it. Meanwhile part of the fort was still on fire; smoke from the Black Maelstrom filled the air.

  The archer was right. They couldn't win this, here and now, and another attempt on Rollaug would probably lead to his death. They had done all they could; now it was time to retreat.

  Gritting his teeth in frustration, and with Bastion's final moments still whirling through his mind, he followed the archer down the steps leading off the battlements and headed for the Bard's Tower.

  * * *

  In the end, the Bard's Tower fell as well, and the next day the Steelmen were forced to give up Fort Drakness. With Fort Drakness lost, there was no longer any need to garrison Hammer's Castle, to the east, so the Steelmen and their allies -- which included a dwindling number of Velonese soldiers, guards, and watchmen -- regrouped at the Graile, the smaller castle which was situated on the road to Hammersvik. It had been built upon the jagged, rocky rises leading up to the city; the surrounding hills were high, steep, and nearly impassable, which meant the Graile almost had to be overcome before any attempt could be made on the city. Unfortunately, the castle was little more than a few walls and a gate, and Arai doubted it would hold for long. The Al'mud had already taken Fort Drakness, after all, the strongest fort and largest castle in Velon. It seemed impossible that they should be held for long at the Graile.

  The situation was desperate. The remaining Steelmen -- those who had managed to escape Fort Drakness -- huddled together, speaking in whispers, wondering if they were about to die. Grizz, leaving command of the Graile to Kel, had gone into the city with Vaix and Feri, to organize a last-ditch resistance and, if possible, to evacuate those citizens who wished to leave.

  The Al'mud, meanwhile, now massed outside the Graile, had begun their ominous chanting.

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  There was still some hope -- over the last few days, while the battles raged, Lillandra had finished dismantling almost all of the spells protecting the Nightfall. Unfortunately some of those spells, including the Tainted Air, would take time to dissipate, even after the calculations themselves had been unraveled.

  "All we can do now is wait," she muttered, joining Arai at the ramparts.

  "How much longer?" he asked.

  "Two hours? Maybe more."

  Arai looked out at the Al'mud army, which was spread out over the long, snow-covered valley between Fort Drakness and Hammersvik. They didn't have two hours -- the Al'mud were almost certain to begin their assault on the Graile within the next few minutes, and he doubted the little castle would hold for long, especially if Allugog saw fit to call up the Black Maelstrom again. And after taking the Graile, the unmanned walls of Hammersvik would be Rollaug's only remaining obstacle. If the city fell to the Al'mud, it could expect to face the same fate as Harbor Town -- fire, death, and destruction.

  Looking down, Arai saw that Rollaug had just stepped forward, emerging from the ranks to issue the usual challenges. It wouldn't be long now.

  Arai, remembering Bastion, clenched a fist when he saw the man. Lillandra, however, gave the Al'mud warrior a thoughtful frown. "That's interesting," she murmured.

  "What?"

  "This man, Rollaug. The way the magia moves around him..."

  "He's a sorcerer?"

  "No. He's like Sir Estil, using raw magia to increase his speed and stamina somehow."

  Arai wasn't surprised; the Al'mud's speed was remarkable, especially considering his size.

  "A worthy foe," Sir Estil commented solemnly, coming up to join them. He had dressed himself in his immaculate blue armor; his sword hung from his belt, and his shield was strapped to his back. His blue eyes were icy. He was clearly ready for battle.

  It took a moment for Arai to realize what the old knight intended. "Wait...you're not thinking of accepting his challenge?"

  "I am indeed," he said, his eyes fixed on Rollaug. But then he turned to face Arai. "With your permission, of course."

  Arai shook his head. "No. This man is a monster. He'll kill you."

  "I am Sir Estil Endsgrief," he said evenly, "and I swear to you, by the Perfect Knight, the Perfect Lady, and your own western gods, that I will not lose this fight."

  "Sir Estil--"

  "You need time," he interrupted. "Time to find the Dragon's Bit, time to summon these monsters and drive the Al'mud out of this region. I can give you that time. I can drag this battle out for as long as necessary. You've seen me fight, Arai. I don't tire easily."

  "He's twice your size," Lillandra pointed out. She was clearly worried for him. "And less than half your age."

  "I've fought bigger. And younger."

  Lillandra turned to Arai, desperate. "There has to be some other way."

  Arai took a deep breath. Once again, he looked down at Rollaug, who was working himself up into a fighting furor, practically frothing at the mouth as he waved his gigantic sword around...and then he looked at Sir Estil, stately, proud, sure of himself and of his own skills. The knight was right; they needed more time. He hated to send the man out to fight this giant, but if it could gain them a few hours, even a few minutes...

  "Are you doing this for me?" Arai asked him at last. "Because of the vow you swore to me? Or are you doing it for yourself?"

  "Perhaps a little of both," he said, sounding just a little amused. "It's been a long time since I've fought anyone I might consider an equal. As for the oath I swore..." He shook his head. "Long before I met you -- long before you were even born, in fact -- I swore another oath, to the Perfect Knight. I swore that I would use my sword to defend the helpless, and to uphold the principles of chivalry wherever I went. This I intend to do here. These dark lands need chivalry. These people need the best example of it I can give them."

  Arai considered that. He nodded slowly. "Very well."

  "You're not actually letting him do this, are you?" Lillandra said, grabbing Arai by the arm.

  "He's Sir Estil Endsgrief," he said quietly. "He won't lose this fight."

  Sir Estil bowed to both of them, then turned, and from the ramparts, shouted out in the guttural Al'mud language, "I accept your challenge!"

  His loud, clear voice carried over the battlefield; even Rollaug stopped for a moment to listen. Sir Estil unsheathed his sword and pointed it at the man. "And now will you see the courage of a Gallean knight!"

  Rollaug stopped and stared at Sir Estil, his painted face slowly breaking out into a grin. "Old man!" he shouted. "Come down and fight then, so that I might see this courage for myself!"

  Sir Estil obliged him; he came down from the ramparts, and after spending a minute or two arguing with the guards, the Graile's gate was opened for him, and he strode out, alone, to face the Al'mud army and their huge and seemingly unbeatable champion.

  Arai and Lillandra, still on the ramparts, watched it all unfold, their hearts hammering in their chests. Sir Estil approached the man, totally fearless, then readied his shield, raised his sword, and fell into a fighting stance, waiting for Rollaug to attack.

  Some words were exchanged, but Arai couldn't quite hear them from this distance. The conversation, whatever it had entailed, ended with Rollaug throwing back his head and laughing heartily. Then he, too, readied himself, lifting his enormous shield and shouting out a war cry.

  Rollaug attacked first, racing forward, closing the gap between them in an instant and swinging his sword down like an axe. Sir Estil nimbly avoided it, turning on his heel and retaliating with horizontal sword-slash that Rollaug only barely managed to deflect with his shield. Evidently surprised by Sir Estil's speed, he blinked in confusion, then attacked again, but again Sir Estil managed to slip past him, and this time his counterattack took a chunk out of the big man's wooden shield. Roaring, Rollaug tried to strike Sir Estil with the shield, but the knight ducked, came in low, and slashed upwards with his sword, cutting into the leather armor over Rollaug's chest and surprising him so much that he stumbled back. Sir Estil's sword probably hadn't cut very deep -- he had only caught him with the tip -- but it had obviously got his attention.

  The Al'mud army, which had been whooping and hollering up to this point, suddenly went quiet. They had probably never seen their leader staggered before.

  Rollaug quickly recovered, however. He said something else to Sir Estil -- perhaps offering him a compliment -- and resumed his attack. Sir Estil, evidently wary of the big man's strength, did not attempt to parry his blows, but merely slipped around them, time and again, occasionally counterattacking with a quick stab or strike. Rollaug, who had almost certainly never fought anyone like Sir Estil, was equally wary now; he was no longer rushing in wildly. He watched, and waited, looking for advantages. He eventually found one; he managed to predict which way Sir Estil would turn after sidestepping one of his blows, and struck him in the center of his armored chest with the pommel of his broadsword. There must have been a great deal of force behind it, because Sir Estil staggered back as though he had been kicked by a mule, and he only narrowly avoided the giant's follow-up attack. But he soon returned to prancing and poking, dancing around the bigger man.

  Sir Estil, Arai suddenly realized, was right -- with his endless stamina, he could drag this battle out a very long time. He turned to Lillandra. "We should return to the Nightfall. He's giving us an opportunity here; we don't want to waste it."

  "You're right," she said grimly. She gave the battle one final, parting look; Arai noticed that her eyes were glistening with tears. Then she followed Arai back to the Nightfall.