<HTML>    One thing that Rickkter rarely found was an opponent who could match his speed. Kankoran used magical enchantments to help speed the body's reactions. And frankly, if he didn't have those right now, he probably would have been killed.    Both to his advantage and determent was the double sword he was wielding. By virtue of its length and design, he was able to reasonably keep both feline women at bay; by the fact that it was not his Runic katana, he was unable to quickly shatter their weapons and finish them off.    Dodging a thrust to his midsection, he attempted to drive one of his weapon's blade's into the face of one attacker. However, this allowed the other to get a thrust in with her blade, opening a gash along the side of his armor. Hissing and snarling loudly, he turned on the other attacker, managing to catch her legs and lower body with several slashes of his weapon's blades.    Now if only he could get them to slow down long enough to cast a spell! ***    Misha danced backward as the axe flashed past his stomach, so close that it's sharp edge ripped through the white cloth covering his armor. He spun Whisper in a tight arc and it's shaft of blackened wood stopped another axe aimed at his neck. Then with the flip of the wrist he changed the angle of the weapon and felt it's blades cut into flesh and bone. The creature leaped backwards clutching at the blood seeping from it's stomach.    Misha had little time to notice such things. He parried another attack from the first with the blade of his axe, deflecting the blow down and away from him. Out of the corner of his left eye he saw something flash towards him. Without thinking he turned his head to see an axe swinging towards him moments before it's blade sliced into his face. There was a searing pain in his head and he went blind.   With his right hand he clutched at his face, praying that his fingers would find his eyes still there. Misha swung Whisper in wide arcs around him desperately trying to keep his attackers at bay. He felt something like a hammer blow against the axe and then a sharp pain from his left hand and felt the axe fly out of reach.    He wiped the blood from his face and saw the next blows coming just before they hit. Twisting he avoided the blades at the last moment. Misha awkwardly fumbled for his sword with his right hand, which suddenly seemed as numb as the bloody wreck that had been his left. Some tiny part of his mind recognized the clumsy movements as the first sign of shock, caused by too much blood loss.    Blood ran down into his eyes stinging and blinding him momentarily. Misha shook his head to clear his vision. The monsters he was fighting dropped their weapons and with teeth bared and claws extended for the kill. One of them made a prodigious leap right at the fox knocking him to the ground. Misha landed hard on his back with the creature kneeling on his chest. It's heavy body pinning him to the ground like the weight of the world. It's powerful legs pinning the fox's arms to the ground as well. *********    Edmund was no stranger to combat. Long years of campaigning all over the Midlands had hardened him and taught him. He refused to panic.    "Form a square," he ordered.    Without another word his troops reacted with the speed and certainty of long hours of training. The knights and men at arms who were behind Edmund stepped to either side leaving the center open. They turned to face whichever side of the road they were on. The pikemen ran forward through this open end until they stood behind the line of knights. Their long metal tipped weapons were leveled, sticking far beyond the line of knights. Behind them came the archers at a run taking their place behind the pikemen, making a formation like a hollow square with one end open. The soldiers at the dangling ends stepped sideways closing the box.    What had a moment before been a column of soldiers stretched out in line and vulnerable was now a tight square. Each side bristling with pikes in all directions. Any attacker wanting to attack had to get past the ten-foot long pikes before they could come to blows with the knights. All the while they would be showered with arrows from the archers safely protected at the center. Edmund stood shoulder to shoulder with his knights at the front.    A cloud of arrows rose from the square and showered down on the leading Lutins killing dozens instantly. But the swarm didn't even pause.    The first Lutins to reach the men were impaled on the sharpened points of the pikes. Pikemen jabbed and poked trying to keep their green skinned attackers at a distance. But they couldn't stop them all. Those that were nimble or lucky enough to avoid the pikes were cut down by the heavily armored knights and men at arms.  And still arrows rained down form the center. Each volley dropping a dozen Lutins. The Lutins flowed around the knot of men like an ocean wave washing around breakers and the men were completely surrounded.    The fighting raged savagely as the Lutins kept attacking pushed forward by the press of those behind only to die by pike and sword. Screams, shouting and the clash of combat filled the air along with shrieks of the wounded and dying.    "FORWARD!" Edmund thundered above the din as he pointed up the road. He had made a promise to Misha and he had no intention of breaking it.    Without breaking formation the square moved slowly up the road. The soldiers on the sides of the box had to step sideways as those at the rear had to walk backwards. Still the square kept its shape waving not the slightest in spite of the bloody fighting. For long minutes the fighting raged as the tight knot of men slowly inched it's way up the road as sea of Lutins swarmed around them.    The assault suddenly eased. The Lutins drawing back several paces like a wave, that having crested flowed back into the sea. But like waves the respite was brief. There was a blare of trumpets and the Lutins surged forward again crashing against the square. The fighting seemed to last an eternity before the Lutins fell back for a second time. The break lasted mere moments before they attacked again and again and again. Edmund lost count of how many times that living wave washed against them. All forward movement stopped. Notions of living up to promises forgotten. All thoughts were merely for survival.    The fighting was as savage and intense as the religious warrior had ever seen. No matter how many Lutins died more charged forward stepping over the still twitching bodies of their comrades. They threw themselves onto the pikes driving them down with the weight of their dying bodies. Swords, axes, maces, daggers, even rocks and clubs were wielded with wild and savage abandon. As if life itself didn't matter, only fighting and dying.    Then as suddenly as it had started, it ended. The attackers surrounding them just seemed to melt away, but this time they didn't return. The men watched as the Lutins faded back into the woods they had come from. Soon they were surrounded only by the dead and dying.    They had won. *********    Cursing in several languages Rickkter lashed out with a powerful kick and sent the feline flying. But no sooner was the first creature gone then the second one rushed at him. He dodged and twisted easily avoiding the creatures blows. A moment later the first one rushed back into the fight and the raccoon's weapon spun and slashed blocking storm of blows. Forcing her weapon down, he tried to drive a blade from his into her face, finishing her once and for all. This time he came close, opening up a long gash from her muzzle back across her head. She fell back, yowling and clutching her head.    For once, the other cat wasn't almost on top of him. The momentary breather this allowed gave Rick the chance to look around at the rest of the battle, much to his horror. While only a quick glance, it was enough to tell him that he was about the only one really holding his own. Worst of all was Misha.    Yelling out one inarticulate curse, Rickkter managed to cast a single spell in Misha's direction. Fortunately, it was enough. The glowing, roaring ball of magic hit the wolverine thing in the shoulder sending it flying into the darkness.    But, saving the life of his friend had left Rickkter open. The cat woman he had kicked out of the way came flying at him, screeching and hissing as she leaped up at him. Good luck allowed him to get his sword up in time to block her blow, bad luck caused him to stumble from the attack, going down in a heap with her on top. She continued to hiss and claw at Rickkter, trying to work her free paw in between his armor.    Rick gave her a quick head butt, hearing a satisfying crunch from her nose. "Yeah, well screw you, too!!" he yelled up at her before blowing her head clear off her shoulders with another quick spell.    He had just rolled the body off him and got to his feet when another feline screech bought his head up. Hissing as the second cat's flaming blade passed less than an inch from his face, Rickkter quickly countered, pinning the blade against the ground before reversing his own sword and slashing the cat woman across the neck. Clutching her own neck, blood blooming between her fingers, she staggered and went down.    Panting, Rickkter made a quick survey of the battle ground. "Okay… now the gloves are off." ****</HTML>