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him； exalted by health and running and the scent of battle。 As Mhoram passed through the splintered remains of the outer gates； he had already begun to outdistance the Warward。
Beyond the gates； he wheeled Drinny once； gave himself an instant in which to look back up at the lofty Keep。 He saw no warriors in the tower； but he sensed them bristling behind the fortifications and windows。 The bluff stone of the tower； with Revelstone rising behind it like the prow of a great ship； answered his gaze in granite permanence as if it were a prophecy by the old Giants…a cryptic perception that victory and defeat were human terms which had no meaning in the language of mountains。
Then the riders came cantering through the throat of the tower； and Mhoram turned to look at the enemy。 For the first time； he saw samadhi's army from ground level。 It stood blackly in the bleak winterscape around him like a garrote into which he had prematurely thrust his neck。 Briefly； he remembered other battles…Kiril Threndor； Doom's Retreat； Doriendor Corishev…as if they had been child's play； mere shadows cast by the struggle he now faced。 But he pushed them out of his mind； bent his attention toward the movements in the foothills below him。
As the sentry had said； Revelstone's attackers were pelting furiously back toward their encampment。 It was only a few hundred yards distant； and Mhoram could see clearly why samadhi's forces had been recalled。 The Giant…Raver was under assault by a tight wedge of ten… or f if teenscore Waynhim。
Satansfist himself was not their target； though he fought against them personally with feral blasts of green。 The Waynhim struck against the undefended rear of the encampment in order to destroy its food supplies。 They had already incinerated great long troughs of the carrion and gore on which Lord Foul's creatures fed； and while they warded off the scourge of Satansfist's Stone as best they could； they assailed other stores； flash…fired huge aggregations of hacked dead flesh into cinders。
Even if they had faced the Raver alone； they would have had no chance to survive。 With his Giantish strength and his fragment of the Illearth Stone…with the support of the Staff of Law…he could have beaten back ten or fifteen thousand Waynhim。 And he had an army to help him。 Hundreds of ur…viles were nearly within striking distance； thousands of other creatures converged toward the fighting from all directions。 The Waynhim had scant moments of life left。
Yet they fought on； resisted samadhi's emerald ill with surprising success。 Like the ur…viles； they were Demondim…spawn…masters of a dark and potent lore which no Lord had ever touched。 And they had not wasted the seven and forty years since they had gone into hiding。 They had prepared themselves to resist Despite。 Yelping rare words of power； gesturing urgently； they shrugged off the Raver's blasts； and continued to destroy every trough and accumulation of food they could reach。
All this High Lord Mhoram took in almost instantly。 The raw wind hurt his face； made his eyes burn； but he thrust his vision through the blur to see。 And he saw that； because of the Waynhim； he and the Warward had not yet been noticed by Satansfist's army。
〃Warmark；〃 he snapped； 〃we must aid the Waynhim！ Give the mands。〃
Rapidly； Quaan barked his instructions to the mounted warriors and the Hafts of the four unmounted Howard as they came through the tunnel。 At once； a hundred riders positioned themselves on either side of the High Lord。 The remaining two hundred fell into ranks behind him。 Without breaking stride； the unmounted warriors began to run。
Mhoram touched Drinny and started at a slow gallop straight down through the foothills toward the Raver。
Some distant parts of the encampment saw the riders before they had covered a third of the distance。 Hoarse cries of warning sprang up on all sides； ur…viles； Cavewights； Stone…made creatures which had not already been ordered to the Giant…Raver's aid； swept like a ragged tide at the Warward。 But the confusion around the Waynhim prevented Satansfist's immediate forces from hearing the alarm。 The Raver did not turn his head。 Revelstone's counterattack was nearly upon him before he saw his danger。
In the last distance； Warmark Quaan shouted an order； and the riders broke into full gallop。 Mhoram had time for one final look at his situation。 The forces around samadhi were still locked in their concentration on the Waynhim。 The Raver's reinforcements were long moments away。 If Quaan's warriors could hit hard enough； break through toward the Waynhim fast enough； the unmounted Howard might be able to protect their rear long enough for them to strike once at the Raver and withdraw。
That way； some of the warriors might survive to return to the Keep。
Mhoram sent Drinny forward at a pace which put him among the first riders crashing into Satansfist's unready hordes。
They impacted with a shock that shook the High Lord in his seat。 Horses plunged； hacked with their hooves。 Swords were brandished like metal lightning。 Shrieks of surprised pain and rage shivered the air as disorganized ranks of creatures went down under the assault。 Heaving their mounts forward； the warriors cut their way in toward the Raver。
But thousands of creatures milled between them and Satansfist。 Though the hordes were in confusion； the' sheer weight of their numbers slowed the Warward's charge。
Seeing this； Quaan gave new orders。 On his mand； the warriors flanking Mhoram turned outward on either side； cleared a space between them for the riders behind the High Lord。 These Eoman sprinted forward。 When they reached Mhoram； he called up the power of his staff。 Blue fire raged ahead of him like the point of a lance； piercing the wall of enemies as he led the second rush of riders deeper into the turmoil of the Raver's army。
For a moment； he thought they might succeed。 The warriors with him hacked their way swiftly through the enemy。 And ahead of them； Satansfist turned from the Waynhim to meet this new threat。 The Raver howled orders to organize his army； turned his forces against the Warward； surged a few furious strides in that direction。 Mhoram saw the distance shorten。 He wielded his Lords…fire fiercely； striving to reach his foe before the impossible numbers of the enemy broke his momentum。
But then the riders plowed into an obstacle。 A band of Cavewights had had time to obey the Raver's mands； they had lined themselves across the path of the Warward； linked their strong earth…delvers' arms； braced themselves。 When the riders plunged forward； they crashed into the creatures。
The strength of the Cavewights was so great that their line held。 Horses were thrown down。 Riders tumbled to the ground； both before and beyond the wall。 The charge of the Warward was turned against itself as the horses which followed stumbled and trampled among the leaders。
Only Mhoram was not unhorsed。 At the last instant； Drinny gathered himself； leaped； he hurdled the line easily； kicking at the heads of the Cavewights as he passed。
With the riders who had been thrown beyond the wall； Mhoram found himself