City of Jade by Dennis McKiernan Read Free Book Online Page B

plan is good only until the first arrow is loosed, after which we can only act and react to the needs at the time. In this case, I suspect the plan will be good only until the first spell is cast.” Then he turned to Aylis and said, “Now as the follow-on to dealing with the Mages, tell us of the kind and count of Foul Folk you did see.”
     
     
     
In the last marks before the Neddran dawn, the combined force of Elves and Mages had taken their positions on the shallow slope leading down toward the main gate of the outer wall.
     
     
    And as the ruddy light of the oncoming dull red sun began to broach the dismal overcast, the seven companies drew closer downslope.
     
     
    Seers went into trances, and after but moments reported that all twelve Black Mages were upon the walls and none were elsewhere within. Yet ere the Seers reported such, Bair as well as the Mages could see the glut of on the parapets.
     
     
    “Adon,” asked Bair, “have we enough Mages to combat that much life force?”
     
     
    “It will take everything we have,” replied Cadir.
     
     
    “Lit up like the targets they are,” muttered Alamar, and he looked at the umber-clad sky and said a single word—“ Adfligere ”—and a huge bolt of lightning flashed down to blast among those on the battlements and to strike the midmost Mage among them. Body parts and fragments of stone flew outward, and a wild flare of released shuddered across the sky, and a great clap of thunder hammered throughout the vale to echo over and again among the peaks to the north and the crags to the south.
     
     
    “Heh!” Alamar snorted. “That’s one; eleven to go.”
     
     
    But then lightning jagged out from the dull brown above and toward the assembled army; yet even as death flashed down, a tendril of aethyr twisted up from the killing ground between the outer wall and the fortress to intercept the bolt and lead it to crash into the barren soil, where sallow snow and dirt geysered up in a great spew, most to fall back, some to drift away on the sulphurous air.
     
     
    “Next time, Fedor, deflect it to the ramparts,” shouted Alamar to the nearby Mage. “Kill them by their own castings.”
     
     
    “I barely had time to think,” shouted Fedor in return.
     
     
    Great gouts of flame flew out from the crenels to blast among the assembled army, and Elves and Mages died. As more fire blasted outward, it was met by walls of water conjured up from the snow.
     
     
    “Adon, but they have such great power at their beck,” shouted Cadir, even as he pointed his staff, and where he aimed one of the merlons directly before the Mages exploded, the blast hurling sharp fragments among screaming Foul Folk, but none of the dark Wizards was touched.
     
     
    Lightning flew at both sides to be deflected by aethyric tendrils; the ground heaved below the army; stone exploded along the battlements; floods roared down from the steeps behind, to be deflected by earthen walls ripped up from the terrain; and rocks detonated within the arrayed ranks of the allies.
     
     
    “Spread out!” commanded Arandor, and the army and Mages spread widely to reduce the concentration of Free Folk at any one place.
     
     
    But even as they dispersed, as if the foe had been waiting for such movement, a great drum pounded out a heavy beat and the fortress gates swung wide. Ghûls on Hèlsteeds rode from the bastion and led ranks of Rûpt out—Rûcks and Hlôks all armed and armored for battle. Massive Trolls, ten and twelve feet tall, trod ’mid the oncoming foray, and a pack of black Vulgs ranged to the fore. Yet when the Spawn reached the gates along the outer wall, they could not open them, for Sorcerers among the allies held the portals shut.
     
     
    But then the Ogrus strode forward and smashed the gates wide, and, howling Slûkish battle cries, Foul Folk poured through, Hèlsteeds and Vulgs leading the charge.
     
     
    A darkness bloomed where Bair stood, from which