underwater. Dila was shuddering in his arms. He could feel her tears splash on his fingers and the low moan she uttered was strangling his heart.
Wider and wider the cloud spread. Faster and faster it turned. Yellow light shimmered all around and flashed dangerously within it. The stillness became a hum and the ground began to shake. Just a slight quiver through his feet but there all the same.
Rebraal saw buildings rocking. He saw slates fall and walls begin to collapse. From the west gates, people were running. Tiny dark shapes on the pale grass of the plain. The hum rattled the teeth in his jaws. Dila put her hands to her head and scratched at her skull. Her voice became a keening wail.
The cloud detonated.
A blinding yellow light flashed across the plain. Thick black smoke chased it away. The sound wave rolled out. Buildings shivered and fell. The tower of Julatsa exploded outwards. Stone was catapulted high into the sky, huge boulders turning lazy arcs to smash down on the city and the college. A massive column of yellow light streamed up, turning to smoke and haze before shutting off with the finality of a prison door slamming.
The force of the explosion swept out. Grass was flattened, trees bent, snapped, were uprooted or swayed back, scattering their leaves. Heat washed over the elven force. Rebraal turned himself and Dila away. The wave knocked them down. He breathed in hot air and choked out a cough.
Struggling to breathe for a moment, Rebraal dragged himself and Dila’heth to their feet. Across the plain was a sight that he could not take in and one that would remain with him until death closed his eyes the final time.
Half of the city was gone. Levelled. Dust was rising and billowing. Only the western edge of Julatsa remained, while beyond it the escaping Julatsans could be seen still running, protected at the last by the stone of their homes.
In the midst of the devastation he could hear exultant voices raised to the sky. In his arms Dila was reduced to wracking sobs, the centre of her life stolen away. He rocked her there for a while until she had calmed. She pulled away from him a little.
‘Nothing left for us here now,’ she said, her voice empty. ‘We should get back to the ships. Time is against us.’
Ilkar pulled himself upright and leaned back in the deep armchair. The nausea passed but the gulf in his body remained. He met the barbarian’s even gaze and could see the old Hirad shining through the unfamiliar face he now wore.
‘It’s over,’ he said, feeling a strange sense of relief. ‘Only Xetesk left now. And I think that should worry us.’
Hirad stretched over from his chair and patted Ilkar’s knee. ‘Well it would if it weren’t for the fact that the Garonin are going to roll over here in a few days too. How are you feeling?’
‘Like I’ve been robbed. I can’t touch anything that is mine, if you see what I mean. The house is empty and will never be refilled.’
He smiled but was aware how hollow it must look. Hirad rubbed a hand over his chin.
‘So is that it? End of you as a mage?’
‘Well, some would argue that happened when the Elfsorrow killed me.’
‘You know what I mean.’
‘Yep, sorry. And no, it isn’t the end, but you have to understand the mechanics of spell casting.’
Hirad’s face fell. ‘Must I?’
Ilkar laughed. ‘Gods drowning, I’m glad you’re with me. This is the most depressing day in the life of any Julatsan mage but at least I can console myself that I am not you.’
‘Mechanics,’ said Hirad.
‘Look, until the Garonin take every bit of mana, then any mage can still cast, sort of. What a Heart does is concentrate and feed out mana. It brings consistency to the mana density and each college’s Heart balances the others. Or used to. Now, if I try and cast, I’ll find it hard to drag enough mana in to construct my casting. It’ll take a whole lot more effort too and the outcome will be less certain.’
‘So, more difficult, more tiring and more dangerous to cast.’
‘Nothing gets past you, does it, Hirad?’
‘Fu-’
The door to the frugal student chambers that the two of them were sharing with Sirendor opened with some vigour. Denser stood in the doorway. Dystran was at his back and a cluster of other men could be seen in the corridor outside.
‘Come in,’ said Hirad. ‘Oh, I see you already have.’
Ilkar stood slowly, a crawling sensation in his gut. ‘What’s going on?’
His tone was picked up by Hirad, who tensed and let a hand drop to his sword hilt. Denser walked in and let the room fill behind him. Ilkar nodded at Dystran and counted the number of guards with him. Too many.
‘Ilkar, I am deeply sorry about what has happened to Julatsa. We were tracking the battle by Communion Globe but of course there was little we could do.’
‘Any idea how many escaped?’ Ilkar raised his eyebrows. ‘Or who in particular?’
Denser shrugged. ‘They had begun an evacuation when it was clear all was lost, but who actually got out is anyone’s guess.’
‘Pheone?’ Ilkar didn’t really want to utter the name of his former lover, now High Mage of Julatsa, lest it damn her.
‘Like Heryst she was in the Globe chamber until very late on. Heryst did not try to run, we know that. As for Pheone… I’m sorry, I think you have to assume the worst.’
‘The good news keeps on pouring in, doesn’t it?’ muttered Hirad.
‘It does rather,’ said Denser. Ilkar saw him shift uncomfortably and redden a little at the neck. ‘And that’s kind of why I’m here. Why we’re here. There’s been a change of plan.’
‘Oh?’ Ilkar did not like the way Dystran was smiling.
‘With Julatsa fallen it rests with Xetesk to rise to the challenge as the last bastion of power on Balaia, the last chance to save our country for all who survive the Garonin. We cannot countenance desertion. So many people in far-flung parts of the country will be untouched by the enemy but will feel the effects of their passing. For the greater good of Balaia, for her people and for the continuation of magic, Xetesk must and will survive. No one is going to the Wesmen. Here we stand and here we fight. I am closing the gates to the city.’
‘Have you completely taken leave of your senses?’ asked Ilkar, disbelieving what he had just heard for a moment. ‘I mean, no doubt you are about to deliver that same great leader speech to the masses or something, but this is me. This is Hirad and Sirendor. You know you can talk to us person to person. We’re friends, remember? And we all agree we need a way out of here should you fail. Right?’
Denser shook his head. ‘Wrong. We will not fail. We have the means and we have the ability. Xetesk will stand and will rule the new Balaia.’
Hirad’s mouth hung open. It was almost comical. Ilkar cleared his throat and rubbed his face.
‘I know you aren’t wild about our escape plan but you can’t just put a stop to it. It doesn’t make any sense. What does The Unknown have to say about this?’
Denser looked at the ceiling. ‘Our king is currently indisposed.’
Hirad exploded across the room. Two of Denser’s guards got to him. Just. He jabbed a finger between them as they pushed him back away from their Lord of the Mount.
‘Fucking idiot. Fucking betrayer. You’ll kill everyone. Are you blind? I am coming for you, Denser. You can’t do this.’
‘Shut up, Hirad,’ said Denser. ‘I can and I will. I am Lord of the Mount of Xetesk. This is my duty.’
Ilkar had his hands on his mouth. He felt detached. Like he was watching a play or something.
‘You stand on the brink of annihilation and yet still you dream of power and dominion,’ he breathed. ‘I will not help you do this. No dead will help you do this.’
‘That’s not strictly speaking true but we anticipated such a reponse. We know what drives the dead. We know what you desire for yourselves and for those who brought you back. Did you really think I wouldn’t get wind of your little plan to sneak my people out of my city?’
‘You have no right-’
‘Don’t talk to me about rights, Sirendor. This is my city. I cannot, I will not have the dead poisoning the minds
