Fukitso reined his karmah to a halt as he saw the mounted Zaki limned by the light of two torches.  An uneasy chill spread between his shoulders.

"Zaki!" he bellowed, with confidence he did not feel.  "What are you doing there?  Upon a karmah?  Have you a message?"

A mischievous smirk played upon the lips of the other as he slowly drew a parchment scroll from beneath his cloak.  This he opened under the light of the torches and, with a dignified clearing of his throat, he began to read.  (Or pretended to.  For, like most Zaki, he could decipher not a word of Ioni.)

"By the order of his most high Ichiba, and by the power granted me as Niban, I place you, Fukitso, under arrest for treason against Dos-Yamura and against the Ichiba.  Sentenced to hiyake to commence--"

Sadly Zaki-Iwaba, momentary Niban, never completed his first and only assignment as, with a savage roar like the very earth in upheaval, Fukitso tore his katana from its scabbard and, reining his mount, charged upon the startled warrior.  The other barely had time for a pitiful shriek ere Ginago howled and the Silver Jaw impaled his chest to the hilt.  With a furious wrench, Fukitso dragged the crimson blade from his foe, who toppled from his frantic mount and vanished over the wall.  Zaki-Iwaba would never drop his eyes again.

The accompanying Zaki lined along the causeway behind, momentarily too startled to save the Niban, now whipped forth their long, bronze-bladed swords.  In groups of two they advanced upon the raging giant who was still hardput to control his own panicked mount.

He knew that his position was hopeless.  While the Zaki could only attack two at a time, the narrow causeway left no room to maneuver and, in mere moments, any rear escape would be cut off as well as the Zaki on watch answered the calls of his antagonists.  Could he but calm his karmah sufficiently, he might yet ride through to freedom.  But he knew that there was little chance of that, as it was all he could do to keep the beast from plunging them both over the wall.

It was then that aid came from an unexpected quarter.

"Death to the Ichiba!" cried Wakai, flinging his manacled wrists about the neck of the rearmost Zaki.

Immediately the other conspirators took up the cry and leapt upon the startled warriors.  The long blades were useless at such close quarters, and the Zaki were forced to drop their weapons in order to defend themselves.  Several more Zaki farther behind rushed to the aid of their comrades, crushing the conspirators with their very numbers.

Then a party of Zaki appeared at the palace gates shouting wildly in their excitement.  Fukitso cursed venomously and vainly struck his mount with the flat of his blade.

For a brief instant, a path materialized through the brawling mass, and the karmah, hysterical from the bedlam, bolted for freedom.  With great, sweeping strides of its powerful limbs, it thundered through the terrified warriors crushing men beneath its fantastic claws.  A few warriors tried foolishly to halt the juggernaut, only to be tossed doll-like over the wall.  For a moment, a Zaki grasped Fukitso about the leg and clung to his prize like a naga-gur.  The roar of Ginago was the last sound he would ever hear.

And, then, Fukitso was clear and racing down the causeway.  Behind arose frantic shouts, and sharp stones, launched from slings, rained about him.  But these too were soon left behind.

Now they could distinguish the dull rumble of the approaching animal.  Its scaly white hide became visible against the black of the slope.  One Zaki shouted a warning.  But still the thrumming thunder grew.  Slings commenced to whirl.  The Zaki shouted again...

And his shout became a cry of surprise as he flung open the barrier, even as the white behemoth crashed unstoppably past.  The Zaki could only stare open-mouthed.

The karmah had been riderless.