The heavy cart moved forward as the three giant lizards pulled it across the sand. The wind was blowing in the wrong direction, and the sails were furrowed. The dwarves sat, and some stood, watching the sand as the cart went up and down another dune. The war wagons tried not to cross the dunes for most of the trip and used the lower troughs. It slowed the movement of the whole army.

The sun was greying the sky when the first orcs were seen. The dwarven riders road back closer to the formation. Several scouts circled, watching for the enemy, when one shouted, "Orcs!".

This information rippled through the ten companies of dwarves as they closed formation on either side of the wagons. In the distance, the shadow of a prominent flat-topped rocky peak poked up through the brightening horizon. It was just a few miles away now.

Tad was able to see more as the dark grey turned into the lighter sky of early dawn. Dwarves were busy fastening the spears they were holding into holes in the metal floor of the wagon. Soon all the wagons looked like long spiky hedgehogs with spear tips pointing out in a half-sphere shape. Tad didn't understand why the dwarves were doing this. The warriors stood along the sides of the wagon box, holding war hammers and shields taken from the sides.

Lamruil's bow was on his back, and the elf was holding one of the ropes dangling from the mast for support as the war wagons started to maneuver over smaller dunes changing direction.

The elf pointed, "I see a line of orc cavalry riding towards us from the dig site. "

Tad could not see that far in the gloom, but he did see the dwarven riders and wagons moving into a new formation.

The wagons were coming together in the middle of the army, with the dwarven riders behind and to the sides.

Tad could hear the whoops and calls of the orc cavalry coming over a sizeable twenty-foot dune far in front of their wagon. He noted that his wagon was on the left edge of the war formation. The wagon drivers were slapping the reins leading to the collars of around necks of the lizards pulling. The war wagons lurched forward, gaining speed.

The two enemy cavalry lines were half a mile apart on a relatively flat part of sand when another line of orc cavalry came over the dune beyond. This line had large flat bottomed sleds being pulled by several of the orc mounts. Tad could see them now, and they looked like a giant scaly rat.

The grey-green orc riders were dressed in leather with bits of copper plating or chainmail attached. The line of riders in front of the sleds wheeled left and right in a ragged formation opening the space for the twenty-one orc sleds as they came racing down the slip face of the dune, gaining speed. The creatures pulling the orc sleds were chittering as orcs behind them poked them with long spears to drive them forward faster.

A horn blew from the middle of the dwarven wagons, and the riders behind shifted to the sides, forming echeloned diagonal lines fanning out to the rear of the wagons they paced.

When the orc sleds were a few hundred yards out, drums could be heard. Tad saw the middle sled was twice the size of the others around it, and it had several more giant rat creatures pulling it. The orc riders who had split left and right now wheeled and drove directly at the sides of the dwarven wagon line.

Three more notes blew from the horn, and the dwarven echelons on the left and right straightened against the direction of the incoming charge of orcs, and they gave a shout, and their lizards jumped forward at twice the speed of the orc raiders. Long Irons spears were lowered as the orcs lines started to charge in wild abandon at the dwarves, many with long spears of their own, others with wicked-looking saw-toothed curved blades.

Tad could see some of the orcs carried flags or banners. Something unexpected happened just as the faster lizard cavalry reached the orc lines. Many rat creatures jumped straight up or forward, trying to land on the lizard-riding dwarven cavalry. The lines collided in shouts of pain, squeals of animals, and the clash of metal.

Tad had to stop watching as the twenty orc sleds were almost upon the wagons. They, in turn, didn't all crash into each other. Many turned at the last moment angling and tried to slide between each other as thick lines were thrown with hooks. Boarding? He should have asked about this, he realized. Some of the sleds and wagons collided, and the beasts pulling the wagons fought as some others were crushed outright.

Tad's wagon was grappled on both sides as the three nearest orc sleds avoided the direct collision and the dwarf driver steered hard to the left. Out of the dwarven line. The wagon's mission was to keep driving to the mountain.

The dwarfs on one side succeeded and threw off the hooks from two of the sleds, leaving one attached. There was a lurch as the remaining ropes grew taunt and pulled the sled right up to the back of the wagon. Tad could see the orc grapples were wrapped around a large round barrel in the sled. That must be how they pulled up so fast, he thought.

The rats pulling the sled were tumbling as the heavyweight of the war wagon pulled it along.

The dwarves around Tad and Nico pushed them aside as they ran to where the grapples held. Several dwarves were swinging before the first orcs landed in the wagon. The sled's edge wall was very close to the same height as the wagon's.

"We need to free those lines, or they will slow us down and overwhelm us. " shouted one of the dwarves going for the thick bronze-colored grappling hooks. Several more orcs jumped from the sled. There were many more orcs ready to jump than the wagon carried dwarves.

Tad and Nico looked at each other as an arrow flew past into the face of an orc. Only moments passed as the dwarf was repeatedly hammering on the bronze hooks one after the other, bending or breaking them to release the wagon. The war wagon had slowed down as it dragged against the sled.

Tad cast a few small fire spells, then shifted to only healing and blocking any of the orcs that landed near. Nico and Lamruil gave him cover. Nico hadn't fully transformed this time, but his long claws ended on fingers that had grown stubby. The wagon was large, and the press of bodies made fighting awkward for the two men.

The dwarves were in the thick of it. The first two groups of orc boarders were taken care of quickly. Tad had healed several injuries of the dwarves that he could reach. There was one trapped on the floor yet, and Tad was looking for a way to get to the fellow when the last grapple broke free under strain, and the wagon lurched forward, throwing everyone to the floor. Better armor had saved most of these dwarves.

Tad stood and saw the line of destruction. Orc bodies littered the desert behind them. Parts of the sled had broken off. Tad managed to get to the last dwarf who was heavily injured from a slash across his eyes and face. He cast minor heal a couple of times, and the bleeding stopped. Some of the skin rejoined, but the unconscious dwarf was blinded. Perhaps permanently, but he would make it back to the Hold if nothing else injured him, thought Tad.

Tad looked back at the carnage behind the wagon as it rode on towards the mountain plateau. The dwarven wagons were all engaged. Only one was still moving. The hedgehog spikes above the wagons had rat-like creatures impaled upon them from the lighter cavalry leaping onto the dwarves.

The dwarves in the distance were still wheeling in formations charging upon groups of orcs. They never stopped moving if they could while the orcs tried desperately to land on or immobilize the lizards, which were then overwhelmed by the superior numbers of the orcs. Tad saw two dwarven wagons had rammed the large sled in the middle of the battle where the drums had been giving orders to the orcs.

Another dwarven horn called across the desert, several blasts.

The driver called back, "Lad's that horn means we have the orc leader in that sled. We will be dropping banner group 1 here, group 2 will stay, and we will charge that line from behind. We will take that sled and their leader. " shouted the dwarven driver.

The dwarves looked at each other. Then they went back to watching for more orcs.

Tad's wagon moved to a wide path with mounds of sand, stone, and rubble on each side. Tad's wagon and ten riders continue forward toward the dig site.

Lamruil shouts from upfront, again hanging onto the mast, "I see many orcs around the dig site on foot and many trying to go up the path."

"Can you see our wagons? " asked Tad.

"The tent top I can see but nothing below it," said Lamruil.

Up or down to the artifact?

Loudly into Tad's mind came the voice of Kettle, "Tad, you're here! You will not believe what I discovered!. "

"Kettle, what is going on? Are the orcs getting inside? " responded a relieved Tad. Kettle's range seems to have improved, "we are still several minutes from the dig site. We are coming to drive them out and secure the artifact."

"A void creature keeps trying to get under the entrance, but I open it and close it fast several times, and the creature stops for a while. The orcs are trying to hoist the artifact out of the pit. " projected Kettle.

"Your safe then? Are you sure? " asked Tad.

"Yes, I am. You have to hear about what I found. This artifact pre-dates the Maelstrom. It was in it. I've been trying to sort out the writing and images. I've managed to figure out some of the lesser emergency and support systems so far. You would be amazed at how complex the detailed writing and image storage is. The characters have six, twelve, and twenty-four layers depending on what it covers. Each layer has a complete word or concept, and depending on how they are fit together, the meaning can be almost anything. " projected Kettle, who was sounding more excited with every word.

"That's great. We have to talk about it later, though. I am going to have to clear these orcs out here. Your telling me there is at least one void creature trying to get in. I'm going to tell Beothorn and our party to head up the path to secure the wagons and the others. Keep that thing out of there, Kettle. They have been killing dwarves, and they are somehow linked to these orcs. " projected Tad.

"Oh, you haven't heard the best part, Tad. I can see your system history. Do you know what that means? " asked Kettle.

"Uhh… Kettle, I don't understand what your saying. What are you talking about?" asked Tad.

Has his friend gone mad while he remained touching that artifact?

Kettle came back with an even more excited projection, "The Universe Tad, I can see the system! Well, I can't see all the system, just the parts your authorized to see, which isn't much really, but I can also see my part… which is weird because it starts with an Error dated to the time you cast that bonding spell… but I can see everything since then."

"What are you talking about? Kettle, I have to get off this wagon in a moment. I'll not be able to talk –" the wagon lurched to the side as it ran over one of several orc rat riders blocking its path. Above, Tad saw one get impaled on the spears. Bits of blood and fur rained down as the orc slid out of his saddle and was immediately demolished by twenty angry dwarves.

"Tad, Tad, you have to hit as many orcs and cast as many spells as you can," said an excited Kettle.

"What are you talking about? I'm busy here, Kettle, " said Tad trying not to be covered in rat blood. The other orc riders were wheeling around to give the wagon chase, and several dwarven riders were moving to engage.

Beothorn was in the back of the wagon, now looking at the oncoming riders. The wagon was almost to the base of the mountain. Tad had his empathy out as far as he could manage, and he felt a void creature come into range. It felt horribly wrong, and he pulled his soulmancy senses back not to be overwhelmed.

How could these orcs be teaming with that? It is the end of them if they follow it. Even they must see that there is no siding with void creatures. They are the end of existence.

"Tad, just make sure you hit and cast as much as you can, hit them. Oh, also heal more. This is going to be reliable data I can use to figure how this system works. " said Kettle.

"Can you move your entire body into the cabinet I saw you spread across? " asked Tad thinking about all the thin hairs of Kettle that were spread into that strange artifact and his small body still leaning on the outside.

"No Tad, I'd have to sever my connection to important parts of me I need to move," replied Tad.

"Fine, just keep that void creature out of there. I will come down there once we secure the others and carnival wagons," said Tad.

Tad moved to the back of the still moving wagon. He cast a minor flame strike several times till his energia felt low. The orc riders had scattered after two of them caught fire, and the dwarven riders followed. Tad took his staff in both hands, waiting for his energia to return.

There was a sudden lurching of the wagon as it came to an abrupt halt tilted forward. The war party inside was thrown against the front wall, benches, and mast as the wagon stopped moving.

***

Tad projected a shield on the side of the impact with the mast. He bounced off it with a humph and landed in the pile of armored dwarves in the front of the wagon. Tad looked around as he pushed off the dwarves who were struggling to extract themselves.

Lamruil shouted something from above Tad where he was standing on the now slanted mast. "Tad, we have company. "

A giant rat mount landed in the spear spikes still attached to the wagon. An orc with an arrow through its neck fell out of the saddle onto the deck of the wagon and started to slide into the mass of dwarves who were now starting to stand and extract from the pile.

"Sixteen," shouted Lamruil.

"Sixteen what?" asked Tad loudly as he started using the attached spears as handholds to get to the back of the wagon.

"Arrows left, " said Lamruil holding his bow while firing another arrow at an orc Tad had yet to catch sight of from the heavily tilted wagon.

"Beothorn? Nico, find my father we are going to need help here," said Tad to his friend, who was also now hanging from the still wrapped mast's cloth-yard.

Tad looked back at the dwarves. Some were sliding and climbing their way up using the benches and spear hafts in the floor as handholds making their way towards the back part.

"Get out there, Tad, you need to hold that edge, " yelled Lamruil shooting another arrow.

Tad wasn't in armor, but his balance was never in question. He was out of the wagon in a few seconds, staff in hand. He didn't hesitate as he jumped over the lip while projecting a shield to deflect the spear that flew by his head. Another arrow grew out of the nearest orcs chest. The next few moments, Tad shoved, swung, dodged, cast, and spun as he battled orcs to make room enough for him to breathe. The smell of burnt flesh and dying orcs surrounded him as one arrow after another sprouted in orcs near him as he kept them away from the wagon edge.

Soon dwarves started making it out of the war wagon. They dropped into the orcs using shields and hammers to pound and thrust. Tad had taken several slashes he didn't feel. Galadinidú kept saying, "Stopped bleeding."

The staff said this several times as Tad worked to keep the spear and saber thrusts from disemboweling or taking off his head.

When Nico attacked the orcs from behind, and then Beothorn came barreling over the edge of the wagon into the mix with a downward slice that bisected an orc followed with a sweep of his blade that separated two more, the orcs started to run. Nico chased them in his giant lynx form, growling loudly, but soon gave up and returned.

Beothorn shouted, "Tad, get back in that wagon and heal any that you can. We need to get them out of that hole before more orcs come and shove it the rest of the way. "

Tad looked back at the war wagon now. It was leaning, and the front part was pushed down against the bottom of the giant pit below. Why didn't the driver see this? Some illusion?

Lamruil had moved to the top of the tallest mast above, balancing like some insane acrobat. He shouts, "I see Ararmut. He is leading charges against the orcs, while the large wagons are attacking the sleds, several are damaged, three are broken down and overrun. Two are engaging the big sled in the middle. They are fighting to board."

Tad heard a dwarf's horn in the distance across the dunes as he climbed back into the wagon to see six dwarves laying in a heap or bleeding from wounds. Other less wounded were still trying to climb the ramp of benches and spear shafts to get out. Most in the pile had broken limbs, which Tad couldn't heal with his spell, but he could stop any internal bleeding.

He cast till the dwarves looked less in pain. He was out of energia before he knew it. He still had Galadinidú in hand, but even with that and with so many needing help, he knew he had to be faster next time. How many would need help after this, he thought. He took a deep breath and started to climb back out of the wagon.

Tad got to the back lip of the wagon, "We have four here that will need help getting out of this wagon. "

Beothorn just started pointing at the ablest near him. The dwarves just looked at him, put their hammers and shields down, and began to climb back into the wagon.

Tad raised his voice, looking at his friend, "Nico, can you help with this? I couldn't find the driver! "

Nico looked up in his lynx form and sprung to the back of the wagon. Tad climbed back down to the rocky sand edge of the pit next to Beothorn.

Beothorn started shouting orders, "I want a line of shields here. Half circle. You three get me spears from that wagon. Hold that line. Lamruil, retrieve your arrows. You there, make sure none of those orcs are playing dead. "

Tad was amazed at how many things the dwarf commanded as if it was second nature to him. More commands about supplies and water were given.

"We move out in three hundred heartbeats. Move!" then Beothorn started walking around the inside of the circle of shields inspecting the soldiers.

Nico appeared next to Tad, wearing his clothes again, "Tad, the driver, was crushed with the lizards in the front. I'll not be able to port around for a few minutes. "

Tad nodded. He knew his friend could only do that so many times a day. His people can teleport. It is an ability and not a magic spell. It had its limits.

"That's not good. I think that was the commander of this unit. We have to go up the plateau first. Let me know when you think you can teleport again. "

Nico nodded as he stood there removing flecks of blood that were still under his nails.

The sun was barely up, and Tad was already thirsty. This needed to be done fast. There were supplies under the floor of the wagons, but they wouldn't help if they didn't get time to retrieve them.

"Nico, go back up there and see if you can find us some water we can carry. We are going to need it, " said Tad.

"Sure, I think I saw some earlier," said Nico as he climbed over the lip of the large wagon again.

Had it really been just a couple of days since he left the Bazaar, thought Tad?

***