Part Six

The three dashed down the stairs to the hall below, Hideoshi to the fore, Nevsky in the rear, while Galen was in the middle. Out the hall through the arched door, to the grey, somber street they continued. Now down the street, now a turn, and another turn, following the contortions of the narrow, crooked streets.
It seemed that they had lost their bearings, when a shriek that rent the air pierced their ears, and before them loomed the dark grey thunderbird. His black eyes glowed as he spread afar his wings, covering the streets below in shadow. Hideoshi and Galen drew their swords, breathing heavily, grasping their swords tightly.
Suddenly, they rushed forward, rushing to keep thoughts of fear and turning back far from them, rushing to save their comrades and the Valashians from this monster. Up to the Thunderbird they rushed, and stabbed it, grey blood trickling out from its breast.
The Thunderbird, now aware of Hideoshi and Galen, screamed, shooting forth flashes of lighting as a deep rumble of thunder boomed from his chest. Up into the sky he flew, then he streaked down, crashing more houses. Hideoshi and Galen dashed towards him and struck again.
"Look out!" Shouted Nevsky suddenly.
Just then, a black beak snatched up Galen by the collar.
Hideoshi wheeled round. Before his eyes Galen writhed, dangling by his collar from the hook-like beak of the beast. Suddenly, the Thunderbird released Galen in a shriek of ire, before turning round on his attacker from behind.
Gasping at what he saw, Hideoshi exclaimed, "It's Nevsky!"
Wan and gaunt, Nevsky stood before the Thunderbird. Though trembling, his brown eyes shone as he clutched his ice-cold sword. For a while nothing stirred, save a breeze that ruffled Nevsky's light brown hair. Then the Thunderbird pounced, like a hawk upon a mouse. Nevsky darted to the side, yet the bird still pounced after him.
The Thunderbird flew upwards, preparing to dive upon Nevsky.Quickly, Hideoshi looked round for help, but the besiegers and the defenders of Valash had fled, while Galen lay face downwards, unconscious in the snow. He tensed, gripping the wall of one of the ruined houses.
"I've got to do it," Hideoshi muttered.
Down like lightning dived the Thunderbird, screeching. Out raced Hideoshi, who snatched up an abandoned crossbow. Rapidly he cranked the handle, took aim, then fired. The arrow whistled, shooting up into the grey sky of cold, snowy winter.
The arrow struck the Thunderbird, who reeled back in shock, before falling in a spiralling decent. One shriek it gave, which was abruptly cut off in its highest notes. But summoning the reserves of his waning might, the Thunderbird shot forth a powerful bolt of lightning, striking Hideoshi in his chest.
"Run!" Shouted Galen and Nevsky.
But Hideoshi, stunned and numb, could not flee before the Thunderbird's body fell upon him, before its claws pierced his thigh. Blood ebbed out upon the snow. Nevsky and Galen rushed to Hideoshi's side and knelt beside him. Fumbling, Galen searched his side pouch for bandages, while Nevsky attempted to apply pressure with his chilled hands.
"Are you okay?" Asked Galen. Hideoshi merely groaned.
Suddenly, the street around then filled with soldiers cheering, while horns blared, "Reinforcements have come, along with Emperor Dietrich and the Southern Fairies!"
"What!" Shouted Galen and Nevsky, while even Hideoshi became more alert.
A train of soldiers, clad in wool white as the snow upon the ground, processed into the city of Valash through the breach in the walls. The train split in half, and a fairy clad in white fur strode through their midst, with two other fairies before him, who bore turquoise coloured standards.
"It's Emperor Dietrich!" Whispered the awed soldiers in hushed tones.
From the other end of the train the human generals rushed towards Emperor Dietrich, and knelt with bowed heads before rising up again. But the fairies did not rush. Instead, they walked with calm tread, raised their standards skyward, held out the standards straight before them, and bowed slowly before Emperor Dietrich began speaking.
"I present these soldiers to you, for we have decided that it is time to fight evil instead of cowering from it for fear of suffering," he said.
"And these two with me," he continued, "are Lord Kir Kostya and Lord Anomijah Miron."
The soldiers then began to disperse, while Nevsky gasped.
"Anomijah! That name was on the rune stone we saw!" He cried.
Another voice cried,"Hideoshi! Oh, no!"
A young man, one of the soldiers, rushed forward with this cry on his lips. Great was his resemblance to Hideoshi, but his hair was brown, and his eyes a green less keen.