Chapter 769: Calculating the Costs (Part Two)
"At least your men died clean deaths," Bastian Hanrahan said, breaking the silence and gloom that had settled over the gathering with the talk of the Dunn’s losses. As rude as it felt to intrude on the solemn moment, his father would flay the skin from his side if he didn’t ensure that everyone felt that the Hanrahans had lost more and were facing a greater threat. So, no matter how rude it felt, he pressed forward with the story his father made sure he was ready to tell, even if he stumbled over the details in his haste to get it all out.
"Those strange armored serpent demons captured Sir Carwyn Belvin of Raek Village," Bastian said, pointing at the drawing of the demon that had made its way over to the table where the clergy sat. "And not just Sir Carwyn. They captured all of his men alive. Lord of Light only knows what torture they’ll be subjected to in demon hands," he said dramatically. "Or what unholy rituals they’ll be forced to partake in," he added, with a pointed look at the Inquisitor and Sir Tommin.
"Since when do demons take prisoners?" Owain asked, staring in disbelief at the young Hanrahan lord. It wasn’t just the notion of demons taking prisoners that took him off guard either. Owain had encountered Carwyn Belvin in more than one tournament and he had a good impression of the man’s fighting skills. He wasn’t brilliant by any means but he made very few mistakes and he used his weapons well.
"How many of these serpent demons were there in order to drag down Sir Carwyn?" Owain asked as he stared again at the sketches of the armored serpent demons. "It takes at least three or four claw demons attacking together to strip away a knight’s armor and two or more horned demons with spears to land a killing blow. Are these serpent demons stronger than claw demons? Or weaker?"
"According to the witnesses, they’re much, much stronger than any demon I’ve ever heard of," Bastian said, shuddering as he recalled the pale-faced dread with which the wagon driver had recounted his tale. "Sir Carwyn had already killed a number of the flat tailed demons who ambushed his caravan when one of the serpent demons knocked him from his horse," he explained.
"After that, things became strange," the young Hanrahan lord continued. "One of the serpent demons seemed to issue some kind of challenge. The witness didn’t hear what was said, but one of the flat tailed demons spoke the King’s common tongue well enough to convey meaning to Sir Carwyn because after they spoke, Sir Carwyn fought a duel with the serpent demon... and lost."
"You’re saying that one of these serpent demons is the equal of an armored knight? No, that they’re even more dangerous than an armored knight on horseback?" Baron Leufroy asked, echoing Owain’s shock.
He’d fought claw demons, horned demons, and cat demons in the War of Inches and he was well familiar with the demon’s swarming tactic that Owain had described. He’d lost more than a few good knights to it in the last war before his men learned the discipline of retreating behind the ranks of soldiers with long spears while archers weakened the demons for the next charge.
Glancing at Marquis Bors, he saw a similar, deeply concerned look in the aging Marquis’ eyes. The man might be holding his tongue while his court discussed matters, but he was clearly keenly interested in answers to the questions Valeri was raising. With a small, silent nod between the old soldiers, Valeri pressed on, sparing Bors the indignity of needing to question the young men when he was clearly suffering from the onset of winter.