And with that he sent a thunderbolt crackling to where Rokannia was hidden in the forest on the other side of the river-for, Torio realized, while Maldek was distracted with the games he was playing with his visitors, the three Master Sorcerers had left Rokannia’s ship and traveled inland on the same road Torio and his companions had taken.
Of course-these three had the power to fool Maldek’s Readers. They had not even known two other sorcerers were aboard Rokannia’s vessel. The ship was still proceeding around the southeast tip of the island, as if to sail up to the City by the river, as expected. No one had reported that it had put people ashore.
Rokannia and her cohorts easily deflected Maldek’s first blow and sent their own barrage against the castle, shaking its foundations. But it was built to withstand Adept attack, and nothing happened beyond a loud rattling.
Kwinn, however, wakened in terror and galloped down the stairs squealing, looking for Dirdra. When he found her, he flung his arms around her and buried his face in her skirt to be stroked and comforted.
Outside, local minor Adepts had already put out the forest fire-but Torio could Read that such an effort quickly used up their meager powers.
He caught Rokannia Reading him-in fact, Reading the whole group gathered before Maldek. “Join with us!” she directed. “Maldek has proven himself your enemy-help us to kill him, and you will have three Master Sorcerers in your debt!”
But it was not their war-at least not yet. Torio Read the consensus that they protect themselves, but not attack-a spontaneous response from all who could Read Rokannia’s offer.
“Don’t listen to her,” warned Maldek. “I will win. Be my friends, not my enemies! Help me, and I will reward you well.”
He probably Read the skepticism with which they heard that offer, but again they remained spontaneously neutral, waiting to see the outcome- all heartily wishing they were not trapped between Maldek’s evil and the uncertainty of Rokannia and her friends.
The attacking forces again struck with fire- Torio had seen this method of attack many times before. In the City, several neighborhoods blazed up, people running helplessly, minor Adepts rescuing those they could, healers rushing to save people who had inhaled smoke or been burned.
But then there were no new fires as the three Master Sorcerers concentrated so hard that they could not be Read unless one knew where to visualize them-and overhead storm clouds gathered, black and threatening. As they were creating them in a cloudless sky, Torio knew they were working against nature, using a great deal of Adept power.
“You think thunder and lightning will frighten me?” Maldek demanded sarcastically-but his audience was not listening.
Something more was happening in those clouds- water droplets were being urged together, freezing wind condensing them into ice crystals, larger and larger chunks-
Hail the size of melons began to fall on the City and the castle!
People and animals were struck and killed.
Roofs were pierced-and those which first held gave way under further bombardment and the sheer weight of ice.
Even the castle roof was struck through, great ice balls smashing on the stone floors.
But Maldek grabbed hold of the wind, and sent the hail sheering from the upper atmosphere across the river to strike the people who had created it.
Shivahn moved her attention from forming the hail to melting what Maldek was throwing at them before it could strike.
He focused on her-and the sorceress’ heart shuddered and heaved as searing pain clutched at her chest!
Her attention focused on her own body as, shaking, she fought Maldek’s squeezing of her heart.
Fortunately for Shivahn, Maldek dared not concentrate for long on just one person-for while his attention was thus engaged, Rokannia and Borru were directing the hailstones to crush his castle walls-stone walls pierced by ice, driven by Adept powers.
The castle shook as the kitchen wing collapsed.
Maldek had to concentrate on melting the ice before it struck-and at the same time protect himself as the three Master Sorcerers launched an attack on his body, trying to stop his heart or paralyze his diaphragm so he could not breathe.
“Fools!” Rokannia stormed at Maldek’s visitors. “You are closer than we are! Kill him where he stands before-”
But it was too late. Maldek was calling upon the planes of power-Torio could Read a strange aura of energy around him, protecting, even absorbing the blows the others sent against him, thus increasing its own power.
Astonishment rang from Borru. “Maldek-what are you doing? You cannot control so much power!”
" I am doing what you taught me, Master!” Maldek replied cynically.
“We must stop him nowMI exclaimed the sorcerer from the far north. “Come-join with me!”
And the three joined hands, Borru reaching for the same source of power Maldek was tapping- but with a difference.
Maldek was using the power as an outer defense. The sorcerer from Meliard merely drew strength into his own body, as if to heal the weakness caused by the use of Adept powers. Thus strengthened, he joined his companions in the attack with powers Torio was only too familiar with.
Searing flames rose all around!
Hot fire of destruction!
The tapestries went up in flames, the paneling, the wooden throne, the rugs-
Kwinn screamed, and Gray yelped in terror.
The doors burst into flame.
The Readers gasped in disbelief as the very stone walls began to burn.
They were trapped!
Even Maldek had to have air to breathe-and the fire was taking all the air!
Torio choked and gasped, trying to Read a way out. There was flame in every direction.
Heat seared his flesh.
Melissa, Zanos, and Astra fought the fire, but succeeded only in creating a flameless circle around them-there was still no way out!
Maldek concentrated-and cold white fire leaped across the river, attacking the circle of sorcerers-
It burned through their nerves, not healing now, but draining them with searing pain until they shriveled, agony traveling up their spines to their brains, roaring through their minds and leaving them dead-empty!
Maldek had won.
But his throne room was surrounded by fire, the walls, the floor, the very air aflame.
Outside, the forest blazed.
The City roared to the heavens!
All the power their own small circle of Adepts could muster could not hold off the conflagration any longer-they were dying.
“Maldek!” Melissa screamed. “Stop the fire! It will kill you, too!”
He Read that it was destroying his castle, his City-and in pure selfishness he once again reached for that cold white flame-
“Not more fire!” cried Torio-
But then he saw what Maldek was doing.
The cold fire attacked the hot-absorbed it! It spread, circling the group of visitors, drawing power from the flames it fed on and leaving only ash in its wake. Cold ash.
Everyone stared, gasping for breath.
Up the walls went the cold white fire, feeding on the hot orange flames, consuming them and leaving refreshing coolness.
Melissa stared at Maldek. “Such power,” she whispered. “Blessed gods-he is truly invincible!”
Maldek grinned triumphantly, striding down the barren steps as the fire retreated.
About him was still that aura of cold fire.
“Melissa,” Torio warned, “do not touch him! That power is working through him!”
“Of course,” replied Maldek. “I am its route into this world-only I dare call up so much power. Poor Borru-all he ever tried to teach me was to control, control, never loose the true power of which I am capable. Now he knows, wherever he is, what power he could have had if he hadn’t been afraid!”