[Nogrod]

Just reaching the oaks on the ridge, Sythric realized that he had to pause. For a while he didn’t practically see or hear anything. Had there been an easterling noticing him near enough, he would have been an easy prey. All of his left side was going numb and everything was spinning.

He became aware of the world around him only after the noise of a horse passing him some fifteen yards away came into his consciousness. Brand! What...? It was only then, that he came to see the situation up here. Meghan and Dorran were clinging to each other by the side of a dead easterling, and the chieftain was about to do away with them. And Brand was charging him. Where were everyone else?

He saw Brand swinging his cudgel towards the easterling. He had become aware of the attack just at the last instance, and parried with his scimitar. Brand’s hit went through the defence, but was twarthed by it – and the parrying move unbalanced Brand, sending him off Lady. He saw Meghan rising up and hitting the easterling to his leg. There had to be something in that, as the chieftain howled.

And then Sythric was just overwhelmed by anger. He felt energy pulsing all over his body. This will not do! Young ladies needing to make a desperate defence! You’ll have to stop that monster, whatever it takes! By that he spurred Thydrë towards the easterling, yelling wildly “For Rohan!”, as he went. Calimehtar regained his balance after Meghan's attack, and came to his senses soon enough, seeing Sythric charging him. He seemed immediately conscious, that the situation was not in his favour, as Sythric would have the first blow because of the lance he had pointing towards him. So Calimehtar backed rightwards, finding cover behind two stout oaks nearby, and forcing Sythric to slow down his speed, and lose some of the advantage.

So you know your trade? Well, I know mine too!, Sythric thought to himself and changed his course to meet Calimehtar head on, behind the oaks. Just as he was really slowing down, making the turn left, he spurred Thydrë to full gallop, yanking her a bit more leftwards. Sythric was still coming towards Calimehtar, but now following a trail that would make him pass Calimehtar from the other side of the trees. The easterling seemed confused, and probably got Sythric’s idea, just a moment too late. Before he could back away from behind the trees, Sythric had passed him from the other side, throwing his knife from between the oaks, with his left hand. He didn’t see, where it landed, but judging from the easterling yell, he knew he had hit.

But the throw seemed to be the final thing. The pain on his left side just bursted his brain! Everything went dark. Sythric grasped Thydrë’s neck, just to hold on the saddle. Thydrë slowed down and started carrying him downhill, away from the ridge. But about that Sythric was now totally unaware of. He wasn’t aware of anything anymore. Just pain and darkness. Then came the blissful silence.