astrous!”ActuallyQueenAishawasatherwitsendanddidnotknowwhattodo.Dorna,whowasstandioher,kwasshewhocausedthiscrisisbyfallingintoMr.Firapanditshouldbeshewhomustshouldertheresponsibility.Theobstinategirlbecamecalmandresolved.Puttingherfingersintohermouth,shewhistledshrillyandLightning,themagicwhitesteed,cametrottingonhiswindedhoofs.DornasnatchedKingDimitri’sswordfromtheclutchesofQueenAishaandjumpedonthebackofthemagichorse.Holdingupthesword,sheaddressedthesoldierssaying,

    “ThisisKingDimitri’smagicsword.TheswordisKingDimitri.Thisdangeroustimeisthetimeforustofighttothedeath.Thosenotafraidtodie,ewithme!”

    “Aye!Aye!!”thesoldiersshouted.Themoralewashighandthesoldiersfaceddeathfearlessly.TheyfollowedDornatothebeachtoshoreupdefenses.Beforeleaving,DornasaidtoWhiteFairy,

    “Pleasegotothehilltopsandaskthewarriorstheretoedowntothebeach.Cyclopshadbrokenthroughourwebofarrowssoitismeaninglessforthemtoremainthereanymore.WehemheretoprotectQueenAishaandMedusawhiletheywithdraw.Iwillcovertheretreat.”WhiteFairygedintoapuffofsmokearaighttothehilltops.

    ThefleetofshipsledbyCyclopshadbreachedthedefensivewebofarrowssetupbyMedusa.Theyhadpassedthemiddleofthekeandweregraduallymakingfortheshore.Standingatthehelmofhisboat,CyclopscouldseethelineofsoldiersformedonthebeafrontofKingDimitri’spaeethim,preparedforbattle.Hesawtheirleaderridingonaspiritedsnowwhitesteed,standingintheforefront.HeughedoutloudandsaidtoVio,

    22

    “InthewholeofKingDimitri’sKingdomMedusaistheonlygeheyhave.Idon’tthinkthereisanotherleader.Lookwhotheyhavesentoutagainstus,ateen-agegirlstillwetbehindtheears!Youjustwatdseemecaptureandenjoyher!Ha-ha-ha...”Thelibidinouscreaturetohisoldtricksagainandwasedwithlust.Butwheookacloserlook,hiscoessdissolveduponseeingKingDimitri’sswordatthefemalegeneral’swaist.Shestoodthereimposingandawe-inspiringandbelligerent.Cyclopshadusedthemagicswordondkspower.Itcouldsshthroughgoldandjadeandcouldoppedbyanyhindranatterhowhardy.

    “Therewillbeahard-foughtbattlewheheshore”hethought.“Iwillhavetobecarefundcautious,keepmylongspearoutofthereachoftheedgeofthatswordahingshouldbealright.Good.Iwillcapturethatyounggirl.”Cyclopswasfulloffidenceofhisownpowers,itgtohaveagoatherandshowoffhisstrengthandskill.

    Cyclops’boatwasrgerthanthoseoftheothersoldiers.ItcouldholdfourpeoplewithtwosailorsrowiforCyclopsandVio.JustthenanarrowflewintotheboatinspiteofCyclopsdefensivemovesandhitonesailorihroat.Hefellintotheke.Cyclopsorderedtheothersailortoquithespeed.

    “Arewewithintheraoshootbackatthem?”askedVio.

    “Yes,weshould”repliedCyclops.

    “Givetheandtoshootthen”andedVio.CyclopsgavethenecessarysignaltoshootandthebarbariansoldierslighteduptheirarrowsandshotatKingDimitri’space.Thesoldiersonthehilltopsalsoraineddownarrowsattheybarbariansoldierswereshotandfellintotheke,butKingDimitri’spacehadalsocaughtfireandstartedtoburhebuildingafmedistractedDorna,whowasgreatlydistraught,butwiththestrongandformidableenemybeforeher,shecouldnotdispatchtroopstoextinguishthefire.Luckilythetroops

astrous!”ActuallyQueenAishawasatherwitsendanddidnotknowwhattodo.Dorna,whowasstandioher,kwasshewhocausedthiscrisisbyfallingintoMr.Firapanditshouldbeshewhomustshouldertheresponsibility.Theobstinategirlbecamecalmandresolved.Puttingherfingersintohermouth,shewhistledshrillyandLightning,themagicwhitesteed,cametrottingonhiswindedhoofs.DornasnatchedKingDimitri’sswordfromtheclutchesofQueenAishaandjumpedonthebackofthemagichorse.Holdingupthesword,sheaddressedthesoldierssaying,

    “ThisisKingDimitri’smagicsword.TheswordisKingDimitri.Thisdangeroustimeisthetimeforustofighttothedeath.Thosenotafraidtodie,ewithme!”

    “Aye!Aye!!”thesoldiersshouted.Themoralewashighandthesoldiersfaceddeathfearlessly.TheyfollowedDornatothebeachtoshoreupdefenses.Beforeleaving,DornasaidtoWhiteFairy,

    “Pleasegotothehilltopsandaskthewarriorstheretoedowntothebeach.Cyclopshadbrokenthroughourwebofarrowssoitismeaninglessforthemtoremainthereanymore.WehemheretoprotectQueenAishaandMedusawhiletheywithdraw.Iwillcovertheretreat.”WhiteFairygedintoapuffofsmokearaighttothehilltops.

    ThefleetofshipsledbyCyclopshadbreachedthedefensivewebofarrowssetupbyMedusa.Theyhadpassedthemiddleofthekeandweregraduallymakingfortheshore.Standingatthehelmofhisboat,CyclopscouldseethelineofsoldiersformedonthebeafrontofKingDimitri’spaeethim,preparedforbattle.Hesawtheirleaderridingonaspiritedsnowwhitesteed,standingintheforefront.HeughedoutloudandsaidtoVio,

    22

    “InthewholeofKingDimitri’sKingdomMedusaistheonlygeheyhave.Idon’tthinkthereisanotherleader.Lookwhotheyhavesentoutagainstus,ateen-agegirlstillwetbehindtheears!Youjustwatdseemecaptureandenjoyher!Ha-ha-ha...”Thelibidinouscreaturetohisoldtricksagainandwasedwithlust.Butwheookacloserlook,hiscoessdissolveduponseeingKingDimitri’sswordatthefemalegeneral’swaist.Shestoodthereimposingandawe-inspiringandbelligerent.Cyclopshadusedthemagicswordondkspower.Itcouldsshthroughgoldandjadeandcouldoppedbyanyhindranatterhowhardy.

    “Therewillbeahard-foughtbattlewheheshore”hethought.“Iwillhavetobecarefundcautious,keepmylongspearoutofthereachoftheedgeofthatswordahingshouldbealright.Good.Iwillcapturethatyounggirl.”Cyclopswasfulloffidenceofhisownpowers,itgtohaveagoatherandshowoffhisstrengthandskill.

    Cyclops’boatwasrgerthanthoseoftheothersoldiers.ItcouldholdfourpeoplewithtwosailorsrowiforCyclopsandVio.JustthenanarrowflewintotheboatinspiteofCyclopsdefensivemovesandhitonesailorihroat.Hefellintotheke.Cyclopsorderedtheothersailortoquithespeed.

    “Arewewithintheraoshootbackatthem?”askedVio.

    “Yes,weshould”repliedCyclops.

    “Givetheandtoshootthen”andedVio.CyclopsgavethenecessarysignaltoshootandthebarbariansoldierslighteduptheirarrowsandshotatKingDimitri’space.Thesoldiersonthehilltopsalsoraineddownarrowsattheybarbariansoldierswereshotandfellintotheke,butKingDimitri’spacehadalsocaughtfireandstartedtoburhebuildingafmedistractedDorna,whowasgreatlydistraught,butwiththestrongandformidableenemybeforeher,shecouldnotdispatchtroopstoextinguishthefire.Luckilythetroops