n'ow they stood' watching, their faces grim as their friend's

Prepared to ridb out. It was the firs.*, open break in the long history of the Knighthood, and tike moment was grievous,

Reconsider, St;lrm; " Load Alfred said as the knigFtt helped him mount his horse. "Lord Derek is right. The dragonarmies

obi trot been trained, natLike the,Y,„~r,ights. There`s everypaob-

y we'll routes them with barely a blow beingstruck' ,I pray that is trice, my lorc],•, Stu. said steadily.

Alfred regarded him sadly. "If et iatrue, Brightblade, Derek

x''"'IIlee You trie-d and executed for this, There'll benoth-ing urlthar can do to stop him:"

"I would willi•LgPyP die that death zI-ey lord; if it would' s'ap what I fear wili hopper,;' Stem repli,E~. .,Damn at, man!" Lord Alfred exploded. "If we are defeated, what will you gain by staying here? You couldn't hold off an army of gully dwarves with your small contingent of menl Suppose the roads do open up? You won't be able to hold the Tower long enough far Palanthas to send reinforcements:'

"At the least we can buy Palanthas time to evacuate her citizens, if-"

Card Derek Crownguard edged his horse between those of his men. Glaring down at Sturm, his eyes glittering from behind the slits in his helm, Lord Derek raised his hand for silence.

"According to the Measure, Sturm Brightblade," Derek began formally, "I hereby charge you with conspiracy and-"

'To the Abyss with the Measure!" Sturm snarled, his patience snagging. "Where has the Measure gotten us? Divided, jealous, crazed! Even our own people prefer to treat with the armies of oar enemies! Tine Measure has failed!"

A deathly hush settled over the knights in the courtyard, brakes only by the restless pawing of a horse or the jingle of armor as here and there a man shifted in his saddle.

"Pray for my death, Sturm Brightblade;" Derek said softly, "ar by the gods I'll slit your throat at your execution myself!" Without another word, he wheeled his horse around and cantered to the head of the column.

"Open t=Ie gates!" he called.

The morning sun climbed above the smoke, rising into the blue sky. The windsb:ew from the north, fluttering the flag flying bravely from the bog of the Tower. Armor flashed. There e was a clatter of swords against shields and the sound of a trumpet call as men rushed to open the thick wooden gates.

Derek raised his sword high in. the air.. Lifting his voice in the knight's sa:ute to the enemy, he galloped forward. The knights' behind him picked up his ringing challenge and rode forth out:;l onto the fields where-long age-Huma had ridden to glorious victor-y. The footmen marched, their footsteps beating a tattoo, upon the stone pavement. For a moment, lord Alfred seemed' about to speak to St-arm and the young krnights who stood, watching. But he on] y shook lvs head and r.oxle away..

The gates swung shut behind him. The heavy iron bar was dropped down to lock them securely. The men in Sturm's command ran to 6e battlements to watch.

Sturm stood silently in the center of the courtyard, his gaunt face expressionless.

The young and handsome commander of the dragonarmies in the Dark Lady's absence was just waking to breakfast and the start of another boring day when a scout galloped into camp.

Commander Bakaris glared at the scout in disgust. The man was riding through camp wildly, his horse scattering cooking pots and goblins. Draconian guards leaped to their feet, shaking their fists and cursing. But the scout ignored them.

"The Highlord!" he called, sliding off his horse in front of the tent. "I must see the Highlord''

"The Highlord's gone;' said the commander's aide.

"I'm in charge;' snapped Bakaris. "What's your business?"

The ranger looked around quickly, not wanting to make a mistake. But there was no sign of the dread Dark Lady or the big blue dragon she rode.

"The Knights have taken the field!"

"What I"' The commander's jaw sagged. "Are you certain?"

"Yes!" The scout was practically incoherent. "Saw them! Hundreds on horseback! Javelins, swords. A thousand foot:'

"She was right!" Bakaris swore softly to himself in admiration. "The fools have made their mistake!"

Calling for his servants, he hurried back to his tent. "Sound the alaam;" he ordered, rattling off instructions. "Have the captains here in five minutes for final orders:' His hands shook in eagerness as he strapped on his armor. "And send the wyvern to Flotsam with word for the Highlord :'

Goblin servants ran off in all directions, and soon blaring horn calls were echoing throughout the camp. The commander cast one last, quirk glance at the map on his table, then left to meet vr'th his officers

"Tao bad," he reflected coolly as he walked away. "The fight will probably be over by the time she gets the news. A pity. She would have wanted to be present at the fall of the High Clerist's Tower. Still;" he reflected, "perhaps tomorrow night we'll sleep in Palaruthas-she and I:"

Chapter I2

Death on the plains. Tasslehofs discovery.

The sun climbed high in the sky, The knights stood upon the battlements of the Tower, staring out across the plains until their eyes ached. All they could; see wan a great tide of black, crawling, figures swarming aver= the fields, .really to engulf tl~e slender spear of gleaming silver that advanr:ed steadily to meet it.

The a-rrnies met. The knights strained to see, but a misty gra veil crept across the land. The air became tainted with a foot smell, like hot iron. The must grew thicker, almost totally obscurihg, the sun.

Now they could see nothing. The Tower seemed afloat on a sea of fag. The heavy mist even deadened sound, for at first they heard the clash of weapons and the cries of the dying, But even that faded, and all was silent.

The day wore on. Laurana, pacing restlessly in her darkening chamber, lit candles that sputtered and flickered in the foul air. The kender sat with her. Looking down from her tower window, Laurana could see Sturm and Flint, standing on the battlements below her, reflected in ghostly torchlight.

A servant brought her the bit of maggoty bread and dried meat that was her ration far the day. It must be only midafternoan, she realized. Then movement down on the battlements caught her attention. She saw a man dressed in mud-splattered leather approach Sturm. A messenger, she thought. Hurriedly, she began to strap on her armor.

"Coming?" she asked Tas, thinking suddenly that the kender had been awfully quiet. "A messenger's arrived from Palanthas!"

"I guess;" Tas said without interest.

Laurana frowned, hoping he wasn't growing weak from lack of food. But Tas shook his head at her concern.

"I'm all right," he mumbled. "Just this stupid gray air:'

Laurana (argot about him as she hurried down the stairs.,

"News?" she asked Sturm, who peered over the walls in a vain effort to see out onto the field of battle. "I saw the messenger-

"~'Jh, yes:" He smiled wearily. "Good news, I suppose. The road to Palarlthas is open. The snow melted enough to get through. I have a rider standing 6y to take a message to Palanth.as in case we are def-" He stopped abruptly, then drew a deep breath. "I want you to be ready to go back to Palanthas with him."

Laurana had been expecting this and her answer was pTepared.. But noun that the time had come for her speech, she could now give it. The bitten air dried her mouth, her tongue seemed swollen, No, that wasn't it, she chided herself. She was frightened. Admit it. She wanted to go back to Palanthas! She wanted to get out of this gripe place where death lurked in the shadows. Clenching her fist, she beat her gloved hand nerz`nusly on the stone, gathering her courage.