Demonstorm

'Commander Chandyr, I will say this just once,' began Dystran.

'Save it for someone who will listen,' said Chandyr. He tore the insignia from his chest and arms. 'I resign my commission and fight as a free man. And I encourage any who despair of your weakness to do the same.' Chandyr smiled. 'What of your power now? To cast to stop me you will have to place yourself at risk. I would like to see that, I really would. At least it would show some courage.'

Behind Chandyr, Tessaya nodded, knowing this man had true spirit. Here was a man he could respect and trust to fight next to him. Chandyr turned to him.

'Lord Tessaya, I place myself at your command.'

'As do I,' said Suarav.

'And already you are heroes. Come, let us do that which your leader dare not and try to save us all.' He jabbed a finger at Dystran. 'You have until dawn to schedule your remaining warriors and mages to the defence of this college or I will do it for you. Pheone, Dila'heth, I urge you, work with me.'

He turned and strode from the dome,.his heart swelling with new belief and his brain racing with the possibilities. Should they defeat the demons, he would be the most powerful man on Balaia. He roared a battle cry and charged back into the fray in the dying light of a freezing day, his warriors at his back.

'How long is the journey?' asked Denser.

T don't know,' said Hirad. 'But they are coming. We'll have warning, I'm sure.'

He turned his head to the scene outside the cave. Demons crowded the entrance. Some strains he recognised, some he did not. In the darkening sky, he saw reavers hovering, screeching orders at the lesser demons in front of them. He saw ul-karron beating on the face of the Cone; and there were other, smaller wingless demons, completely hairless and pure white. Their thin fingers leeched into the Cone, trying to disrupt the construct. So far it was holding but there were signs of stress on Eilaan's face.

'How long can he hold on?' asked Thraun.

'Hard to say,' said Erie

The cave was quiet and warm. They were trying to relax. Erie

'We know Denser can cast the same spell. What can you do?' asked Hirad.

'Something similar but I'd be loath to try it. I need my strength, Hirad, and I don't need to experiment with new castings right now.'

'But if we had to call on you?'

'Hirad, do you really have to ask?'

The barbarian smiled. 'No. Just making conversation. All right,

let's try something else. How far does Eilaan reckon the power source is?'

'Close. Probably no more than a short run,' said Denser. 'It's impossible to say after that.'

'What will it be?'

Denser scratched at his beard. 'Gods, Hirad, how the hell do you expect me to know that? All we can tell is that it's a massive mana construct and it is driving mana out of this dimension and obviously into ours. There's still a significant density here but it's interesting that where we landed there was a relative lack. Whatever it is they have done, it is attracting mana into a huge concentration to pump it out.'

'What's interesting about that?'

'Well, that as far as our writings are concerned, what is happening is impossible. That makes whoever is doing this very powerful indeed. And we have to kill it or them. And that's after we get through the hordes waiting outside our front door.'

'Should be fun.'

T very much doubt it,' said Erie

'Now, surely it's your turn to get some rest, Hirad,' said Denser.

'What makes you say that?'

'Because your inane questioning is setting my teeth on edge.'

Hirad thought to retort but when he considered it, was too tired. The hours they'd had behind the ForceCone had allowed Denser and Erie

Hirad lay back on his pack, punching it into an acceptable pillow and trying to ignore the stink. He closed his eyes and was immediately suffused by feelings of warmth and speed.

'No time for rest, my Dragonene. We are come.'

Hirad shot to his feet. 'Game time, everyone. Hope you're feeling good. We're about to get help.'

Chapter 44

'Maces everyone, we aren't going to have spell back-up on the run. Mages, do whatever you can, just don't risk yourselves.'

The Unknown's words were bawled into the tumult from outside the ForceCone Eilaan still held. The Raven were formed up to run. Packs were discarded at the back of the cave, empty waterskins with them. The demons knew they were ready to break out. Their excitement had reached fever pitch and the thudding on the Force-Cone reached new pressure. Eilaan grunted.

'Just a little longer,' said Rebraal, his hand on the young mage's shoulder. 'You'll make a fine Al-Arynaar.'

'They have no idea what's about to happen,' said Hirad. 'No idea at all.'

He could feel the closeness of Sha-Kaan. The great dragon brought with him the largest assembly of his kind ever to fight together. It was going to be some spectacle. They were all homing in on Hirad's position and they all knew what they had to do. The only question remaining to be asked was whetiier they would prove to be enough.

They were just about to get their answer.

'Ready, Raven,' said Hirad. 'Here it comes.'

Hirad felt the jolt through him as Sha-Kaan entered the demon dimension. He heard the bark of die Great Kaan taken up by a thousand throats and the dragons joined the fight for survival. Shadows passed over the darkening landscape. Demon voices stilled then raised in alarm. Flame swept across the mouth of the cave and in a swath forty yards at least down the slope away from them. The demons in its path were simply obliterated, scorched to ash by the extraordinary heat. Never mind their mana protection, nothing withstood dragon breath.

'Yes!' Hirad punched the air. 'Come on Sha-Kaan.'

His mind warmed again. 'We are with you. You have safe exit.'

'Raven! Raven with me!'

Rebraal squeezed Eilaan's shoulder and the mage dispersed the ForceCone. He was dragged to his feet and the run began. Auum and Evu

The noise outside the SoundBell was a shock but not as much as the heat. Dragons had fired the air hotter than inside the cave. Rock was scarred black and smoking, dirt and stone had fused and where any vestiges of plant life had clung, they had been snuffed out in an instant. The ground was hot underfoot.

Of the demons who had been massed outside the cave there was no sign. Nothing at all. Hirad had time to shudder at the power the dragons generated and thanked the gods they were on his side.

Up in the skies the battle had already commenced. The heavens were darkened further by the mass of scale and wing that had appeared in the dimension and the element of surprise was being used to the full. Hundreds of reavers were in the sky with them but were being taken apart by flame and claw, crashing to the dead earth. And on the ground in front of The Raven, the demons were being swept aside as flight after flight screamed overhead, fire gushing from their mouths. Beyond the hills too, and out of sight, they could see the flare of flame brightening the sky. Dragons climbed above the horizon, chasing packs of winged demons, panicked into misguided attempts at escape. They might have been masters on Balaia but everywhere dragons went, they were undisputed lords of the skies.