“Where did they get themselves to?” said Odellius his breath coming in heavy pants as he and a dozen other knights of Elekargul stopped for a moment in their chase.
“I don’t know,” said Thaddeus. “Once the mayor joined us, who knows why he left the safety of town in the first place, things have been a shambles. That damn fool just charged after them into the darkness. We need to coordinate, but nobody is listening. We’re all on our civilian twelve month and no one wants to take orders from anyone else. We don’t have a command structure.”
“I know Thaddeus, I know. How many men followed the mayor after the creatures?” he said with a shake of his head as his breath slowly returned to a normal pattern.
“At least half of us,” said the hobgoblin brew master as he also shook his head and fingered the sword at his side.
“All right,” said Odellius and put his hand to his massive stomach. “Get everyone who is left gathered and we’ll advance silently. If those lobsters jump into a pot of trouble we’ll hear the fighting and charge up as a reserve force.”
“Yes, sir,” said Thaddeus as clenching his fist and raising it in salute.
A few minutes later forty men stood at the ready with Odellius in the lead. “All right men,” said the rotund warrior. “The mayor went chasing with the rest of the fellows so I’m taking command. I know the First Rider hasn’t authorized any of us to use military force but it is as it is. Does anyone object?”
No one dissented and after a few seconds Odellius nodded his head. “Excellent, we’re going to move forward at a walk, no noise, and keep listening for the sounds of battle up ahead. If you hear anything don’t go charging off into the night. Say something to a neighbor and I’ll issue orders. Understood?”
The men nodded and clenched their fist in the same manner Thaddeus did a moment before. “Now, let’s move out,” ordered Odellius.
They spread out into a skirmisher’s formation and walked silently into the night, their swords in hand, and ears cocked to listen for anything except the crickets and occasional hoot of an owl.
It didn’t take long to hear the strange almost kitchen like sounds of sword play and then a shout from some Elekargulian, “To me, to me! Knights of Elekargul.”
“Hold your position,” said Odellius in a loud voice but not a shout. “We’ll move around and flank them. Hit ‘em in the side. They’re reptile men, they don’t much like battling on land and don’t maneuver well. Watch out for their tails, they can trip you with a sweep. Now, come along and behave like knights, not little girls!” He continued and then began to move to the left in a wide maneuver.
The knights followed him silently into the cool evening and within another minute a new eruption of cries roared out as they attacked the reptile army from the flank.