The Hamrammr<\/i> alpha went limp in his grip as a surge of power ripped outward from the settlement\u2019s warding lines.\u00a0 It left Thordin\u2019s head ringing and his eyes stinging, but he redoubled his efforts.<\/p>\n
The alpha was no longer resisting.\u00a0 He stared up at Thordin, his eyes wide with terror, jaw slack.<\/p>\n
Thordin could understand why.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The surge of power was unexpected and heavy with more power than he could ever remember Phelan wielding.<\/p>\n
Someone was shouting above them\u2014Thom, he thought, though he couldn\u2019t be sure.\u00a0 A second pulse of power rolled out from the warding lines and the alpha jerked in Thordin\u2019s hands, then went limp again.\u00a0 He glanced down and snarled in disgust.\u00a0 The creature was dead, impossibly, inexplicably so.<\/p>\n
Maybe not inexplicably\u2026<\/i>\u00a0 Thordin dropped the corpse, looking back toward the lip of the ravine.\u00a0 What the hell did you do, Phelan?<\/i><\/p>\n
Thom shouted his name and Thordin scrambled up the hill, past the prone corpses of the enemy and toward the leading edge of the ravine.\u00a0 Behind him, from the bridge, he could hear Cariocecus\u2019s voice echoing as well\u2014something about getting someone to bring him across the lines before whatever Phelan was doing tore half the world asunder.<\/p>\n
\u201cValkyrie\u2019s teats,\u201d he muttered.\u00a0 \u201cWhat have<\/i> you managed to do this time, Phelan?\u201d<\/p>\n
Cameron grasped his hand and helped him clear the edge of the ravine and as Thordin stumbled a few steps forward and caught his balance, he realized that his assumption that it was something that Phelan had done might actually have been a bit hasty.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat happened up here?\u201d\u00a0 Thordin asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re not even sure,\u201d Thom said, blade plunging through one of the Hamrammr<\/i> bodies to ensure that it was, in fact, quite deceased.\u00a0 \u201cBut that\u2019s par for the course lately when it comes to them.\u201d<\/p>\n
The normally invisible walls of energy that were the ward lines were the green of holly leaves and pine needles, and that same green mingled with bright sliver wrapped around Marin and Phelan, who both leaned against Phelan\u2019s staff.\u00a0 Blood dripped to the snow-crusted ground alongside Phelan, down the shaft of a spear that was still shoved deep into the flesh of his side.<\/p>\n
The energy that the pair had called had either slain their enemies or rendered them unconscious for now\u2014and probably won them the day this time.<\/p>\n
But they\u2019ll not be able to keep this up forever.<\/i>\u00a0 Thordin grasped Thom\u2019s arm.\u00a0 \u201cHelp me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cRight.\u201d\u00a0 Thom\u2019s brows knit.\u00a0 \u201cWhat am I helping you with?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPulling them apart before they tear the ley lines around here wide open and spill raw energy into the world.\u00a0 You thought this place was a beacon already. \u00a0It just got worse.\u201d<\/p>\n
Setting his jaw, Thordin strode toward his friend and one of the most powerful Seers left in the world.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Hamrammr alpha went limp in his grip as a surge of power ripped outward from the settlement\u2019s warding lines.\u00a0 It left Thordin\u2019s head ringing and his eyes stinging, but he redoubled his efforts. The alpha was no longer resisting.\u00a0 … Continue reading