The Desert Spear

First Warrior,” Coliv said. “It pauses to sniff the air, and has yet to miss a turn. A handful of sand and flame demons dance at its feet, but it pays them no mind.”
    Jardir lifted his veil to spit the dust from his mouth. “Get back on the wall and set Watchers to plot me a path to gather the scattered units as we drive toward the Majah.”
    Coliv punched a fist to his chest and ran to his ladder, scrambling back up the wall. Jardir turned to gather his men and noticed the greenlander attempting to communicate with one of the Pit Warders, waving his hands wildly while the warrior looked at him in confusion.
    “Nie is strong this Waning,” Jardir shouted, drawing everyone ’s attention, “but Everam is stronger! We must trust in Him to see us through to the sun, or all of Ala be consumed with Nie’s black! Show the
alagai
what it means to face warriors of the Desert Spear, and know that Heaven awaits you!”
    He punched his spear into the air, and the
Sharum
did the same, giving a great shout as Jardir led them off into the Maze.

    Throughout the night, Jardir’s men charged into demon hordes, driving them into warded pits and linking with the survivors of scattered units. He had more than a thousand warriors at his back when they joined the Majah, holding the narrow corridor that gave entrance to the sixth level.
    Jardir’s men drove hard into the
alagai
ranks from behind, using their warded shields to force a wedge and push through. The Majah made an opening in their shield wall, and Jardir’s men flowed through as smoothly as if they were drilling in Sharaj.
    “Report,” Jardir told one of the Majah
kai’Sharum.
    “We’re holding, First Warrior,” the captain said, “but we have no way to force the
alagai
into pits.”
    “Then don’t,” Jardir said. “Have the Warders seal off this level. Leave a hundred of your best men to keep watch, and then head to the east seventh to assist the Bajin.”
    “Where will you go?” the
kai’Sharum
asked.
    “To find the giant and send him back to Nie’s abyss,” Jardir said. He took as many men as the Majah could spare and headed for the city gates, praying he was not too late.

    The one-armed rock demon stood before the main gate to the city, pounding against the wards. Great flares of magic lit the night, and the thundering could be heard throughout the city, but the ancient wards held strong against the assault. The demon howled in impotent fury.
    At its feet, warriors charged, stabbing with spears of hard desert steel, but the demon was unaffected by the assault. As Jardir watched, it gave almost a casual swipe of its tail, crushing shields, splintering spears, and sending the brave warriors flying.
    “Everam protect us,” Jardir whispered.
    “The gate seems to be holding, at least,” Shanjat said.
    Jardir grunted. “But will it last until dawn? Dare we take that chance?”
    “What else can we do?” Shanjat asked. “Even the scorpions can’t pierce its hide, and it’s too big to trick into a demon pit. Its head would be above the rim!”
    “Bah, it’s just a big demon!” Hasik said. “With enough warriors we can bring it down and bind its arms.”
    “Arm,” Shanjat corrected. “We would lose many warriors that way, and there’s no guarantee it will work. I’ve never seen an
alagai
so strong. I fear it is Alagai Ka himself, come with the Waning.”
    “Nonsense,” Jardir said, watching the demon as his lieutenants argued.
By Everam, I will find a way to kill you,
he swore silently.
    He was about to order a charge, hoping that sheer numbers could bring the creature low, when one of his Pit Warders came running up to him.
    “Your pardon, First Warrior, the
chin
has a plan,” the man said. Jardir turned to see the greenlander again in animated conversation with his Warders, miming his intentions frantically.
    “What is it?” Jardir asked.
    “Surely you cannot still mean to trust him,” Hasik said.
    “Do you have a plan that doesn’t involve throwing lives away charging that abyss-spawned abomination?” Jardir asked. When Hasik did not reply, he turned back to the Warder. “What is his plan?”
    “The
chin
knows something of warding,” the Warder said.
    “He would,” Hasik muttered. “Hiding behind wards is all the
chin
know how to do.”
    “Be silent,” Jardir snapped.
    The Warder ignored the exchange. “The greenlander has wardstones that should trap the creature, if we can lure him to a dead end and then