The people of Carcenus were used to hosting soldiers in their vicinity. Over the last decade or so the local economy had come to depend on the funds that we contributed to the welfare of the inhabitants. Or, more accurately, the funds we contributed to the services of the lonely wives and unmarried daughters.

I had my share, like the rest of my colleagues. It was part of the joy of being alive. On a soldier's pay you could enjoy only so much joy, however.

I must confess that, after the lack of active duty, all this led to some complacency on our part. So when the raiders attacked we were taken more than a little by surprise.

They appeared on the hills and on the beaches, clambering through the shallows like fish-men, covered in seaweed and bearing great axes of bronze. From the hills behind the village came more of them, wrapped in hides and skins, and bearing other weapons - swords of iron and shields made of wood and stretched hides. And their leader drove up the beach in a chariot, led by four rearing horses, champing and foaming as the driver's whip cracked about their ears.

As I mentioned earlier, we were completely surprised. Many of us had been in the village sampling a few jugs of the local wine when the attack occurred. Our sentries were useless. The enemy's scouts had slit their throats and their cries of alarm were now only to be heard in hell.

Campon and I were alerted by the cries from the village. Rising quickly we followed the sound and saw three of the raiders dragging one of the villagers out from a hut. One had hold of her hair, viciously twisting it and kicking her when she resisted. The other two were brandishing pitch torches, which they cast into the now empty hut, setting the dry timber alight almost immediately.

I turned to Campon. He had already read my intent. Drawing our swords we ran to the hut nearest to the raiders, watching them to see if our progress was seen. No sign of recognition came from them - they were too engrossed in their work.

Coming swiftly around the hut we fell on the two nearest raiders. Campon severed the jugular of the first. He died badly, gurgling, making erratic whistling noises as the blood sprayed from his throat. I took mine in the gut, twisting the blade sharply as I withdrew it. He dropped soundlessly to his knees, before pitching face-first to the dirt.

The last raider simply grinned and drew a hand axe from his belt. As we watched he sank it into the head of the woman lying at his feet, splitting her skull wide and instantly ending her life. Wrenching it free he bellowed and charged for us. I tried to intercept him but Campon was quicker. He stepped into the path of the raider and cut him across the torso. The raider stopped suddenly -- I thought for a moment he was going to axe Campon from the flank, but he simply turned and continued to turn, twisting slowly to the ground as the disembowelling blow released his entrails into the dust.

I lowered my sword to the ground and watched him die. The pain on the raider's face was evident throughout the ordeal. Neither Campon nor I raised our weapon to end his life quickly. He didn't deserve it.

A noise, wheels and the clattering of hooves on the packed earth street attracted our attention. We both turned to see a chariot careening at break-neck speed toward us. Campon dived back toward one of the huts, narrowly missing cracking his skull on the narrow doorframe. I stood mesmerized by the sight of this machine as it bore quickly down on me. Snapping out of my trance just as it was upon me, I dived forward, narrowly escaping death under the hooves of the horses pulling the vehicle. Rolling under the chariot, I grabbed the trailing tailpiece and pulled myself into the chariot, sword raised to fend off the blow of the raider chieftain.

His axe came down hard on my weapon arm, sliding from my vambrace, and for a moment I was stunned, nearly falling backward off the chariot to the ground. Then I recovered my balance and launched a furious pattern of blows at him. The chieftain countered with the haft of his axe then, in frustration, threw himself at me. I dodged aside allowing him a quick exit to the ground below us, then threw myself after him, rolling into an upright position.

Almost too slow… The raider was already standing and bellowed a war cry as he leaped to the fray. Again, my sword wielded a furious defensive pattern, parrying his axe with difficulty. Then I saw an opening and plunged the blade into his chest, the point protruding out the other side of his hairy torso.

He spat blood at me, then coughed loudly. I heard the death-rattle form in his throat and watched as dark heart's blood trickled down his chin and over his armor. Then his lifeless body slumped to the ground. Planting my foot on his corpse I withdrew my sword and cleaned it on his cloak. In the distance I could see the chariot, the driver whipping the horses, turn sharply and head back to the beach.

Word would soon spread as to the demise of their leader. Now there was naught to do but count the cost of the battle.