Steel Wolves of Craedia (Realm of Arkon, Book 3) by G. Akella Page B

Satrap Gorm's army and in his father's half-legion before his death. Didn't I tell you about the troops advancing from the direction of Suonu..."
    "Do you think Farot has been attacked?"
    "I'm sure of it," Gvert sighed. "And I feel we'll need to keep moving toward Xantarra."
    When our caravan was within fifty yards of the fort, one of the guards at the gates tossed his spear from one hand to the other, pointed in our direction and yelled:
    "Hey, that's that dar on his piglet! Tilly, run along to the commander and report! Move your buns, girl, haven't you ever seen a wild boar?"
    The second guard ended up being a young woman, freckled and pug-nosed. After gawking at Gloom for a good fifteen seconds, the girl finally responded to her partner's cry, spun around and slipped into the fort.
    "I could get used to guards like that," said Reece with a lascivious smirk, riding out from behind me. Seeing my incredulous look, he quickly added, "I'm talking about the one who disappeared!"
    The remaining guard squeezed through the wagons rolling out of the gates, blew his nose right on the ground, fixed the helm that was sliding over his eyes, and bawled at us:
    "Who the hell are you?"              
    "Weren't you the one yelling just now about 'that dar on his piglet?'" I gave him a hard stare, my head slightly cocked. "Or did you forget?"
    "You're in trouble, pal," Reece said with deep sorrow in his voice as the demon considered his response. "That's not your typical boar, you know, and he doesn't take kindly to being compared to common pigs. Would you like it if someone called you a broad? Didn't think so," the mage feigned a heavy sigh. "And considering the fact that this extraordinary boar was a gift from the goddess of vengeance herself, our dar will be forced to exact righteous vengeance upon you for your careless words."
    Sensing that the conversation was about him, Gloom snorted loudly, shook his massive head from left to right, and took a few steps toward the guard, who was already backing away.
    "I didn't mean anything bad by it!" the young demon mumbled, his voice hoarse. "I have the utmost respect for you, dar. We hear all kinds of stories about you and your boar..."
    "Tell me what's happened here?" I decided to put an end to the farce.
    "We're in dire straights, dar. A throng of undead came 'round three days back and really gave us a thrashing!" The young demon frowned, forgetting all about the boar. "There's barely fifty of us left, plus these refugees," he gestured at the wagons rolling slowly westward. "The fort is filled with survivors from nearby villages. Our scouts just returned, reporting that a host of five hundred is coming this way, with four terrible monsters in their midst."
    "Where from?"
    "From the direction of Suonu, damn that wretched place," the guard spat. "We're all dead men here. Dar Elnar has decided to hold back the bastards, otherwise all these refugees are done for. The road to Xantarra is clear, but the city is over a hundred miles away. That's at least three days' travel with kids, and the monsters don't know the meaning of fatigue. We ain't got a prayer if we meet them out in the open—we won't last a minute..."
    "Aren't there any legionnaires in Xantarra?"
    "There's no time. The undead will be here in a day—that's just long enough for them to receive our letter..."
    All the pieces were falling into place. I wasn't especially surprised that the kid had recognized me. Magic mail was still in effect in the princedom, and, being the subject of Satrap Gorm, Gvert must have reported to him on the developments in the village and its surroundings. And I didn't mind not having to explain anymore who I was and where the heck I came from. Next, just as the genre would have it, Elnar would show up and solemnly hand me the quest to defend the settlement from the advancing half-legion. How? Well, that's your problem, Krian. Not that I had much of a choice anyway—I needed at least fifty fighters