Chapter 34.1

The next day, they continued their way back east to Bealach na Caisteal, using the main road and putting in decent speed. Gone was their intent to come across as tourists, not when their cargo was attracting way too much attention.

Eirwen could tell without asking. The way all of her guides were tense. There were too many giants, and they had all observed from a safe distance. This wasn't the behaviour of someone looking for a good opponent. This was organised. And that meant she had to prepare for war. So right now, with precious cargo, it was only a matter of time before the giants came after them again.

They encountered a dire wolf pack on the road, it having taken down a deer by the roadside. At this point, Red was using multiple techniques to enhance his horse. It already could function as a warhorse, not backing down from the wolves as he steered it closer.

The pack was well-fed, with a glossy coat and a large size, bodies as large as a horse. The wolves looked at Red in suspicion, but he just stood there, intimidating without picking a fight. The pack kept a distance, even after realising just what kind of cargo they were transporting. Once they had gone by, the wolves continued their feast, soon after dragging the body with them into the forest.

A few hours later they held a minimal break, more knights now enhancing their horses to keep going without exhaustion. Fang looked at a rough map of the area, showing how less direct the main road was compared to the path they had taken before. "So if we calculate in two fights and healing time, we still should make it to the fort before dusk. Your rushing is saving us most of a day, and likely multiple fights. Can the riders still handle?"

Eirwen sensed the mana flow of her knights. Honestly, several of them would likely suffer from exhaustion by the time they made it back. She could only hope the Frost Giants wouldn't chase them that far. "We'll manage. I'll leave it to everyone to judge when they're unfit for the frontline."

They continued soon after, both Red and Eirwen mentally instructing people to help improve their techniques. The more that could still fight, the safer they would be.

It was roughly around the tenth bell, with less than an hour left to Bealach na Caisteal, when they finally noticed the ambush they had dreaded. Up ahead, five, no, seven Frost Giants laid in ambush. Three blocking the road, the others hidden nearby, trying to hide their mana. No wolves by their side, though Eirwen wasn't sure if that was a curse or a blessing. At least shields worked against wolves.

There were enough knights observing the threat ahead, so Eirwen shifted her focus to their surroundings. Red had mentioned that Frost Giants oft used scouts, and sure enough, there they were. On their left, significantly outside her passive sensing range, a Frost Giant was hidden. Looking down the hillside, he had a great view of where his compatriots laid in ambush.

On their right, the scout was closer but harder to detect. A solitary Dire Wolf, trying to hide itself from magical perception. Though it was like a newborn compared to Red's sneakiness. Eirwen moved her physical senses, using her right eye to look at it directly. A scrawny but reasonably fed specimen, most likely the runt of its litter. It paled in comparison to the beautiful pack they had seen earlier that day.

Red gave her a mental poke and sent them all an image. Past the giants, there was a group of people. And he doubted they were hiding from just the giants. Great, even more reason to hide their precise techniques. And a threat to remain wary of.

Of their nineteen combatants, six were already too exhausted and had to stay back to protect the carriages and remaining entourage. That left them with one too few to take on the giants in pairs, which already was one person less per giant than she felt comfortable with. There was only one decent solution in her mind.

"Red, Fang, stay on my left. I will face one by myself. If I struggle, Fang can aid me, while Red keeps his opponent tied up. Everyone, we're still hiding who we are, but if anything happens, use everything you have. I refuse to lose anyone to secrets."

Red wanted to disagree, she could tell. But there were things they still wanted to hide, so he had no choice but to obey her orders. They dismounted at a reasonable distance, walking towards the giants in formation. And from this distance, Eirwen could easily sense the way the giants responded to that. They were looking forward to it. Malicious beings indeed, itching for a slaughter.

The three giants ahead threw rocks, an opening salvo meant to distract them. Just as they raised shields to block, the giants from both sides charged at them. Immediately, they countered with charging forward, ensuring they made enough distance that they weren't at risk of being flanked.

Eirwen's opponent swung its blade at her, a poorly cold-forged sword that still had its monstrous strength to back it up. And it was even sharpening its blade, so a shield would normally be cut through even if it didn't shatter from the blow. In reply, Eirwen Carraiged her shield and Verglassed her sword, cutting through the giant's weapon while blocking it from hitting her. That at least reduced the range difference.

She dashed forward and cut straight through its leg, which was almost as wide as her blade's length. It fell down but caught itself with a hand, though that was all the opening Eirwen needed to get past it and cut through its spine. Just a single count later, she managed to follow up with a fatal strike to its neck.

As she observed the rest, she saw it happen. A giant swinging a club at a knight on its left. The kind of surprise attack they had trained for. But the knight stood on unstable ground, and a pebble underneath his foot meant he was losing his balance. As his leg slipped out underneath him, the club mercilessly came for him.

Fastest of all, Eirwen responded without hesitation. A materialised Verglas blade swung at the giant's neck. As its head slid off, the club hit the knight, weaker now that its balance was gone. Even then, she still heard his ribs break. With a curse, the others called upon their hidden techniques to beat the other giants fast. Eirwen could tell. The scouts had seen what she had done. A sealed card that could bear no witnesses.

Red ignored his injured opponent and flew off towards the scouting giant, a shout ordering Fang to follow, then a mental command telling her to hide, which he let Eirwen overhear. Eirwen, meanwhile, ran for the horses with two knights by her side. The scouts were already running, so time was of the essence. While Red flew up the hillside, a fake Fang in his wake, Eirwen set chase after the wolf.

Her senses stayed behind, happy to see the giants were defeated. But the sudden collapse of their frontline had caused more serious injuries, meaning the healers had their work cut out for them. And as she had feared, the people hiding nearby now were on the move. All she could do, was command and hope.

Stand safe.

She wished she could afford to support them. But she needed all her focus for the chase. Red would be fine, but she feared for the group, so she had to hurry. Eirwen and her accompanying knights put all their effort into enhancing their horses, allowing them to rush through the forest as they chased the wolf in an intercept course.

It took them precious counts to get close enough for an opening. Taking hold of a javelin, Eirwen threw it as hard as she could, its Verglassed tip cutting through the air. Before the wolf even realised something was wrong, the weapon already pierced its brain. A trace she would need to leave behind for now as she turned her horse back. Her senses flew ahead of her, hoping to still find her people alive.