The brief optimism I had felt earlier from our initial surprise attack had evaporated now in the harsh reality of this wild battle. With overwhelming numbers of winged fighters against us everywhere, and with their ability to fly, the Zarans were hurting us badly because now they were coming down upon my men in groups and from the rear. It was a new strategy that was working for them.
It was beginning to look very grim for my side, and it was not long before there were only about fifty of my fighters still alive. I gathered them all together in one group. I noticed that almost all the lesser swordsmen who had formed up in Coron’s group had been killed. The only consolation to this terrible tragedy was that I knew now that all those who remained alive were because of my bold plan. These th
