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Show implied. He got up once and peered out of a crack in the cumbersome door, then slipped through it and along the path to the end cottage where he could look across the field. Masses of armored warriors were pressing against the cliffs and Brandon assumed that Commendium folk were trapped in front of them. The cottages were by then deserted of MedTechs-even those in the equipment shed had rushed out to battle, grabbing bows and quivers with the rest-and all were by then skirmishing with some of the flanking Provincials, trying to draw them away from the group trapped under the eaves of the cliff. They were drawing these warriors, Brandon noticed with some horror, toward the cottages. The man withdrew hastily and ran back to the equipment shed. Once in, he pulled the heavy scrupwood door across the entrance and dropped the thick bar down into place. Then his knees gave way and he sunk down on the saddles again, wringing his hands and squinting through the flareglobe light at the two kneeling beside Dr'Anya and at Nell, her system down by then and herself standing immobile at Dr'Anya's head. What were they to do? Brandon thought in misery. Good Saint Isaac, help us all! Outside, the rosy Twins were on their way down toward the mountain peaks, and the Commendium folk had grown weary of dodging blows. By this time, the forces able to stand upright were more nearly equal, but it was apparent that the Commendium fighters were not risking murder to save themselves. And although the archers had managed again and again to release the pressure on their fellows by drawing warriors away and felling them one by one, the group pressed against the cliffs were falling, too, 293 |