WOT Adv 147

---- The Wheel Turns ----

The Seanchan soldier put one foot on Megda's head and raised his blade to bring it down on the Aes Sedai's neck.

"Megda Sedai! No!" Fiznak shouted and rushed the Seanchan rider, giving a boarderlander battlecry as he rapidly closed the distance.

Just as the blade came down, Fiznak's blade came up, and with a loud clang that produced sparks, Fiznak's large steel sword parried the cruel looking blade held by the rider. Their blades locked for a moment.

"Oathbreaker!" He snarled angrily. "You would save this wicked Damane! She is no better than a dog! You will pay the price for intervening!" He shoved Fiznak back, unlocking their blades, and then his curved blade moved in a flurry of motion towards the boarderlander. Fiznak knew he was on the defensive. He blocked one, then two, then three attacks. His foot caught on a clump of grass and he stumbled off to the the right. The man's blade slashed across his chest, cutting open a large gash. Fiznak felt the sticky wetness of his own blood. He bit off a cry and tried to blink away the white sheet of pain that threatened to engulf him. No, he shook his head. He was not dead. Not yet. He still lived. He would stay alive! Stay alive to protect Maeslyn. No harm must come to her. Even as he spoke, Fiznak saw her moving towards the rider's flank, drawing a dagger as she moved. What the blazes was she doing?

Maer balanced on the balls of his feet, then with a sudden gliding motion, he lunged forward and shoved the spear deep into the beast's neck. It roared in pain and fury. Maer yanked the spear out with a twist and thick red blood poured from the wound. But instead of weaking the beast, it seemed to enrage it. It reared back on it's hind legs, it's paws clawing the air.

"Get up Maynard!" Maer yelled. "Get up!"

Maynard moved to his hands and knees. The beast roared in fury from their combined attacks and then seeing motion from Maynard it gave a low, gutteral snarl and decided to go for the weaker prey. The monster turned and pawed at the ground slashing again and again at Maynard. Maynard grunted and rolled out of the way. Razor sharp claws dug furrows into the grassy earth. Again it came and again Maynard rolled, but loss of blood and pain had taken its toll on the warder and he moved too slowly this time. The claw slashed into his back pinning him to the ground. Maynard screamed in pain. The beast put its full weight onto the boarderlander crushing him into oblivion. Maynard lay still.

"Maynard!" Maer whispered in disbelief. No, it could not be!

Then the bronze-colored monster turned to face Maer, it's three eyes seemed to glow with a penetrating hatred. It snorted and shook its head and steam jetted from its nostrils. Then it's massive jaws snapped toward Maer, but Maer leapt aside as saliva from its mouth whipped through the air. The man atop the beast brought his bade down but Maer easily parried it with the haft of his spear.

Suddenly two arrows, one after another whistled through the air towards the exposed flank of the animal. The first glanced off its scales. But the second found its mark and burrowed deep into the beast side, toppling both beast and rider. The monster tried to rise, but the barb had penetrated its heart. It heaved, twitched, and finally went still.

The rider lay on his back, stunned, his sword held loosely in his grip.