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The lightning struck. Ten thousand boulders from the barren countryside leapt
into the air and poured down on the Eastern Fortress. The lightning struck
again, lashing the satellite guarding the approach and the curtain walls
connecting it with the main fortress. The defenders launched flights of
arrows, none of which reached their marks. The pillar of light remained
rooted. The doors of heaven remained open, pouring out the fury of a dozen
storms.
A section of wall collapsed, some stones bounding away down the slope,
plowing furrows through the enemy ranks.
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The Invincibles sent up a mighty war cry and surged forward. They scrambled
up the mounds of rubble, pelted by missiles from the battlements. The going
was slow. The rubble was piled high and was treacherous underfoot.
The Wahlig formed a force inside the break, and called for Hawkwind, who was
more familiar with this sort of fighting.
The Disciple and most of el Nadim s army began moving across the slope,
toward the fortress s western face.
The Invincibles attained the summit of the rubble and rushed down into a
storm of arrows and javelins. They crashed into the Wahlig s men. Yousif s
sketchy line dissolved. A melee ensued. The Disciple s troops continued to
pour in, regular soldiers following the more dedicated Invincibles. One band
turned to assault the gate.
The Disciple summoned the fury of heaven again. Lightning hammered the
taller, stubborner western wall of el Aswad.
The northmen were stationed on the main fortress s north wall, near its
juncture with the west wall, away from the fighting. Haroun joined them.  Damn
them, he said.  They were smart. They made it impossible for Father to
sortie.
Neither Bragi nor Haaken responded. They were completely involved in
themselves, expecting Sanguinet s order to fall in and move into the fighting.
They jumped each time lightning struck, though the Disciple s point of attack
was well away.
No order came.
A wide section of western rampart gave way.
In the outlying sub-fortress Hawkwind launched a counterattack. He
overwhelmed the enemy there, rushed into the main fortress, attacked the enemy
entering through the west wall. The fighting there was among buildings and
sheds, with little room for maneuver. It was confused and savage.
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Hawkwind cordoned the breeched area, then pushed forward, slowly compressing
the invaders. The last were evicted before sunset. The day s combat produced
roughly equal losses for each side.
The defenders began clearing rubble and erecting a secondary barrier behind
the gap in the west wall. The sub-fortress they decided to abandon.
The hour was late but Bragi was still at his post. There were no reliefs.
Haaken was napping. So it went all around the wall. Every other man sleeping.
The night was still but for the sounds of construction work.
Haroun strolled out of the night. He said,  Tomorrow they ll be rested and
we ll be exhausted. My father thinks tomorrow may be the end.
Bragi grunted. El Nadim was thinking. Just wear the defense down. Morale was
at a low ebb anyway, with the Wahlig s men convinced that the struggle was
hopeless.
 We need help, Haroun said.  But help isn t going to come. The tribal
leaders are deserting us.
Again Bragi grunted.
 They will join el Nadim. The desert will fill with men eager for the plunder
of el Aswad. Something has to be done.
 Your father is doing what he can.
 Not everything. I have talents he won t use. He s afraid I d get hurt. I
could turn it around if he d let me.
 How?
 I came to thank you. For what you did out there.
 No thanks needed. Anyway, you already did.
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 There s a debt now. My family always pays its debts.
Bragi didn t argue. He had a low opinion of human gratitude, though. Look at
his father and the Thane. No two men ever owed one another more.
Haroun ambled off, seemingly distracted. The whole encounter was puzzling.
Bragi decided Haroun needed a keeper.
Haroun was back within the hour. He carried a rope and small black bag.  What
are you up to? Bragi demanded when Haroun tied the rope to a merlon.
 Going to give the Disciple some of his own back.
 Who told you to? I didn t get any orders about you going out.
 I told me. Haroun pitched the rope into the darkness.  I ll be back before
anybody misses me.
 The hell. I can t let you . . . 
Haroun was gone.
Bragi leaned forward.  You don t know what you re doing. Look at you. You
don t even know how to rappel.
Haaken woke up.  What re you making all that racket for? he grumbled.  They
coming?
 No. It s that Haroun. He just went over the wall.
 Call the sergeant of the guard. Don t stand there squawking like an old
hen.
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 Then he d get in trouble.
 So? What s it to you?
 I like him.
 He s deserting, ain t he?
 No. He s going after El Murid.
Haaken levered himself upright, stared down into the darkness. Haroun had
disappeared.  Damned fool if you ask me.
 I m going after him.
 What? You re crazy. They could hang you for leaving your post. He s dumb
enough to go down there, leave him go. No skin off our noses.
Bragi debated. He liked what he had seen of Haroun. But the youth had a
romantic streak that would get him killed.  He s alone out there, Haaken. I m
going. He arranged his weapons so he could descend without them getting in
his way.
Haaken sighed, began arranging his own weapons.
 What re you doing?
 I m going to let you go by yourself? My own brother?
Bragi argued. Haaken snarled back. The debate became so heated their
squadmates came to investigate. And in moments the whole squad was talking
about accompanying Bragi.
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