Chapter 12: Two Lights of Defiance

Bouncing between the nakfyggrs was a blue light so faint that it seemed it would be snuffed out at any moment. It swung in round looping motions, each time it hit it would rebound into hitting another strike. There was not one motion of gathering strength, each movement would not end in a hit, but spring from hit to hit, it was clear the pace of the light was growing faster and faster.

The blue glow revealed flashes of silver metal and russet hair and a tattered yellow half-cloak. He did not dance among the snow cloaked spirits, he was a dire pendulum! Back and forth, back and forth.

Wauldigg though partly taken by the magic of the loop, his mind beguiled was not short on battle strength!

Jadah Dauftima was not a woman who would give no aid or succour to her rescuer. As soon as she was sure that it was indeed Wauldigg and his hammer, she began to agitate the lion’s mane ring of fire around her. It wasn’t that she had no confidence in Wauldigg, she was sure that eventually he’d smash all the spirits, but how could she be so heartless as to not give a helping hand.

“Master Wauldigg, lend me your back!” she cried.

The persistent glow of Wauldigg’s hammer did not cease, but his voice boomed out.

“I thought it was you Miss Jadah, how could I deny you the sanctuary of my back!”

There was a dong as if some mighty bell had rung out and Wauldigg flew out from the swarming nakfyggrs scattering them in his wake, their beaks crying out. Bounding strike after strike he made his way to Jadah, there was another sounding of a bell and the nakfyggrs flew like snowflakes in a gale. Wauldigg’s back was to Jadah’s flame.

Wasting no time, Jadah leapt, the lion-mane flame roaring behind her. As soon as Wauldigg felt her grip onto him, he was back to the ‘gentle’ ministrations he was giving the spirits.

“Haha! Shall we break free of these disturbed spirits miss Jadah?” Wauldigg cried.

“I’ve a better idea, now that we are a pair”

It must be understood, that one of the more deadly formations in Kigan is that of fighter on front, mage on back. The theory of it is that the fighter is freer to rampage as he wills, while the mage protects the fighter’s back. Of course it requires a mage small and light enough to not be a burden to the fighter, and the mage needs to be able to cast spells rapidly. Of course the formation can have a slow casting mage(which is what most are), in that case, the fighter just has to protect their back as usual. Some nations of Kigan would even strap mages to the back of their footsoldiers, though this practice is more common in the drownlands of Heirm.

Jadah’s white eyes flashed and her head shook, sending a cascade of golden motes from her hatbush across the lionsong flame, and with a roar what was a cloak became a pelt, the whole pelt of a lion made in flame, flowing over Jadah and Wauldigg’s back.

“COME SON OF STONE, TAKE THE RAGESONG OF FIRE, LIGHT OF DEFIANCE, SMITE THOSE CONSUMED BY DESIRE!” Jadah intoned.