A World Apart The Jake Thomas Trilogy - By Steven A. Tolle Page 0,110

took over. Quickly, she was helping him up, chastising him to not drink so much and to be more careful.

The crown parted again as Hailyn came back over, then took up teasing Neven, with some telling him they would buy him a drink. Most of the crowd went back inside.

Jake was reaching down to help Hailyn up when a brilliant flash of yellow light erupted in the distance. They paused, startled by the display. The other people in the street saw it as well and turned to stare, all conversation ceasing. In the quiet of the night, they could hear the faint sounds of fighting and screaming coming from that direction. The darkness was lit by more flashes of light, coming rapidly together, strobing in the night.

"It's coming from the Temple." Hailyn said, quiet and intense. "That has to be clerics' magic causing the light. We need to get there." Her form suddenly shone with power, lighting the area around them.

Jake nodded, but before they could move, a group of five half-men came barreling out of a side street. They saw Hailyn's shining form and immediately started running up the street, slashing and striking the other people in the street still watching the display. The crowds immediately fled, cries of fear echoing along the street.

Hailyn reacted immediately, sending her power into the half-men, scattering and knocking them back. They got back to their feet, their bodies smoking, and spread out, trying to limit Hailyn's effectiveness.

Shocked for a moment by their sudden appearance, Jake shook of his inaction and dropped off Dontas' back. He drew his sword and moved to defend Hailyn.

"It is the boy." One of the half-men said, a tall and burly man. "He was reported to spend time with a girl cleric. Kill her and take him."

As they began to rush forward, Jake leapt in front of Hailyn, sword moving. He engaged the closest half-man, meeting his attack, sword to sword, while Hailyn lashed out at the others, her power hurting them, driving them back.

Jake tried to stay calm as he and his opponent traded blows, allowing his body to react as Dominic taught him. Jake was able to nick the man's sword arm, but narrowly dodged a blow that almost took his hand.

"You idiot!" One of the half-men shouted, slapping Jake's opponent with the flat of his blade. "We are supposed to take him alive, with limited harm."

Jake fell back next to Hailyn, his sword swinging as he engaged the half-men who avoided Hailyn's blasts. They were at a stalemate, the half-men having the greater numbers, but limited by their need to take Jake alive and unharmed, while Hailyn could not focus her power on one without exposing herself to the others. The groups continued to trade blows, but neither side could take advantage.

Jake was desperately trying to figure out how they were going to get out of this when out of the dark, like an avenging angel, Dominic appeared on Shadow, riding hard. He did not slow down as he charged Shadow into the group of half-men, the impact sending them tumbling away, while he swung his sword, dropping one of the half-men with a blow to the head. Shadow lashed out with his hind legs, his steel-shod hooves flinging another half-man away. Even as Shadow tore through the group, Dominic leapt from his back, sword moving. The half-men struggled to gain their feet and regroup, but Dominic was on them before they could succeed, and that quickly, the fight was over.

Dominic ran over to Jake and Hailyn, his face and body streaked with blood. Hailyn noticed that some of it was from wounds and she reached out to Dominic, her power shining, but he pushed her away. "Leave over, girl. None are serious." He growled.

He turned to Jake. "They are here for you, boy." Dominic stated, voice calm and manner matter-of-fact. "You and the girl get on your horse. We will ride straight to the Temple. That will be the safest place for now." He started to move towards Shadow when he suddenly whirled around. At the same time, Jake felt as if an icy hand had seized his heart, freezing his blood, and heard Hailyn gasp.

Out of the side street, a short figure stepped into the main road, its form seeming darker than the night. Jake instinctively knew that this was a demon, even before he saw the torchlight faintly reflecting off its black eyes and sharp teeth.

Without hesitating, Dominic moved towards it, sword