The High-Wizard's Hunt - By Ashley Delay Page 0,98

were swallowed whole where they sat. There was an awesome vengeance in the beating of their wings as hundreds of dragons descended into the square. From every direction, Osric could see the sheen of thick, bony scales lit by torch light. Crimson, gold and sapphire blazed through the dark, as each dragon added its own signature to the panicked plea from the Kallegians.

It was a spectacle unlike any Osric had witnessed before. The dragons moved with a terrible grace as they flew, twisting and turning in a controlled symphony of movement. Vicious efficiency drove the winged attack, until finally the Kallegians halted their chanting in favor of retreat.

Osric quickly looked back and watched as the dwarves, Vigiles, and the throngs of onlookers all joined in the attack. The Kallegians were putting up a fierce fight in tightly packed groups, but they were frequently thwarted by the stones dropped from the sky and dragon fire raining down on them. The Kallegians had no chance, constantly being pushed back by an assault that came from all sides. Each wave pressed the Kallegians further down the road and out of town, but they did not dare turn to run.

“No!”

Osric heard a scream from on top of a cart behind the departing soldiers. He looked, but in the low light he could not make out who was shouting. Yet, the voice sounded disturbingly familiar.

“Osric, I will have your head for this!” Aron’s scream was full of wrath.

Osric considered raising his wand, using the traveling spell to transport Aron a thousand strides into the sky, and simply dropping him. He could watch, satisfied, as Aron tumbled helplessly through the air. Aron deserved to be unable to stop himself, forced to see his own death rapidly approaching in the form of the solid ground beneath him; but no, that would not do. Osric needed to dispatch Aron himself. He wanted to show him that he was wrong, that he had joined the wrong side of the conflict. He needed Aron to realize that he had been beaten by an enemy that he never took seriously, to make him feel the pain that he had to endure while watching Kenneth be beaten in their cell.

Osric’s attackers gave him the opening he needed when they turned to flee from the dragons and eagles. He did not want any more deaths on his hands, and Aron would kill anyone in his path to reach Osric and force him to fight. So, he ran with as much speed as he could muster toward the cart, and all the while, Aron watched him approach.

Osric was slowed by the need to dispatch a few more men as he waded through the crowd in order to cut a path, but he kept an eye on Aron. Swords clashed all around him, and he ducked to evade an occasional burst of flames intended for the Kallegians. Weariness was pressing in on his mind and body from a day of battle, and several more without sleep, but Osric pressed on until at last he stood before Aron.

“You worthless traitor,” Aron held his sword up, pointing it at Osric’s chest, “I swear you will give up your secrets tonight!”

“Never,” Osric spat in reply.

“Oh, you will tell me.” Aron jumped down from the cart, swinging hard with his sword. Osric cast a shield to block the strike, and the follow through had Aron fighting to keep his balance as the sword’s momentum carried him to the left.

Osric kicked Aron with a heavy boot, shoving him down to the ground. To his surprise, Aron rolled over quickly and kicked Osric’s hand. His fingers were numb from the cold winter air, and Legati flew from his grasp as the shock settled into the broken bones of his hand. Osric cast a shield spell as he was forced to turn his back to Aron and lunge for his sword. Aron dove forward and caught Osric by the ankle, sending him sprawling into the frozen, muddy slush of the road. Osric’s elbow slammed into the ground, flinging his wand from his hand. He fought to suck air into his lungs, sure he had cracked several ribs. Osric craned his head to look back at Aron, filled with a sense of doom. Aron laughed sinisterly, rising to his feet, but Osric was relieved to see Aron’s blade also lay on the ground several strides away.

Aron stood over him, still chuckling, and reached behind himself. “Who would have thought it would have come