and generally ignoring their riders as they attempted to get as far away from the demon as they could. It didn’t help the situation that the frustrated demon had managed to crush two animals who had shrieked in panic; that, along with the smell of horse blood, had pushed most of the mounts far beyond their otherwise solid battle training.
The Keshian field commander was trying to restore order, but at least a hundred of his footmen had followed the horses’ example and were turning west and fleeing back over the rise towards Crydee. His officers were riding around as best they could trying to maintain order, despite their own mounts’ increasingly balky behaviour.
Nakor was starting to think this time he might have overextended himself, for while he was still finding the current situation hilarious, he could feel a strange and dangerous sensation beginning to manifest itself close at hand. Sparing what little attention he could from the general mayhem on all sides, he saw what looked to be a clutch of officers standing atop a nearby hill, before a proud array of Keshian battle standards and signal flags. In their midst was what obviously appeared to be a magician.
Nakor desperately hoped he was not another demon summoner, for if he was he might quickly see through Nakor’s guise and discover the essence of Belog beneath the human exterior; should that occur, Nakor would be in for a terrible battle. He had no doubt that with what he had learned from Nakor’s memories and the power he had gained travelling with Child he could resist all the but most powerful Demon Masters, but while he might best the man face to face, the attention such a confrontation would require would certainly leave him vulnerable to attack from other quarters.
And with a massive water demon and half the Keshian army attempting to kill him, that would prove a problem that even Nakor’s legendary luck and cunning couldn’t overcome.
Still, always trying to find a way out of seemingly impossible situations, he decided to see how well Keshian officers did in confronting a massive water demon. He dodged as he felt more than saw a blow coming from his left, and rolled on the grass, holding what was left of the burning torch high. He knew he’d stand a better chance of surviving if he threw it away but the fire seemed to be the only thing that kept the demon from chasing after him rather than stopping to randomly kill and eat horses and riders.
Nakor saw the officers draw their weapons when he started running toward them, and the magician began an incantation. Nakor wasn’t particular eager to find out what sort of magic the man was attempting; a protective shell or something along those lines would only be annoying to the demon, but might put Nakor at a disadvantage, while any sort of seriously destructive spell could end his existence in seconds. Nakor had a limited supply of magical tricks at his disposal — right now all his demonic energies were directed to speed, extended senses to anticipate any blows headed his way, and a slight armour magic that made his skin and clothing as tough as plate armour — but he knew that a well-placed blast of magic energy could light him up like a holiday bonfire.
Moreover, it appeared that the magician had taken note of Nakor’s antics and had judged correctly that as long as he was around, the water demon would follow him, and if he ended Nakor’s existence first, then the demon might prove more tractable.
A sizzling bolt of energy, blindingly bright, shot over Nakor’s head as he tried to burrow into the dirt, singing his hair and leaving the stench of lightning in the air. A monstrous howl of pain and rage cut through the air and shook the ground where he lay.
As much as Nakor would have loved to have rolled over and observed what had just happened, his instincts forced him to leap to his right, then suddenly to his left, tuck and roll across the ground, then turn and leap back in the opposite direction.
He caught a quick glimpse of the water demon charging up the hill, one leg half-dragged behind him as he lunged towards the knot of warriors and the lone magician on top of the hill. Nakor had judged rightly: the energy blast meant to end his existence had struck the demon instead. If he wasn’t trying too hard to stay alive, he would have found the situation hilarious. But not for long, as a Keshian soldier charged at him, chopping his blade through the air.
Without thought, Nakor dropped the torch and reached up to seize the man’s sword arm. The soldier cried out in pain as Nakor squeezed his wrist, shattering it. With a single push he sent the man flying five feet back, despite his heavy armoured breastplate and helm.
Nakor paused for a second to catch his breath and shook his head ruefully. He had been thinking so much like Nakor, he had almost forgotten he wasn’t the little bandy-legged gambler, but was really a demon with all the strength and toughness a demon possessed. And as it was obvious that the magician not too far away was not a demon-summoner, Nakor decided it was time for more direct action.
Another solider ran towards him as the water demon began to wreak havoc on the officers and those soldiers desperately trying to defend them. Nakor waited until the Keshian swordsman swung and with cat-like reflexes grabbed his arm and broke it as a child would a twig. The man fell to the ground shrieking as Nakor turned away. He had spent his entire existence as the demon Belog using all his energy for intellect. And yet as he had travelled with Child through the demon realm he had gained prodigious physical strength, even if he wasn’t used to employing it. He decided now was the time to use that raw strength.
A third warrior started moving towards him when suddenly another figure raced in from Nakor’s right, blowing over the swordsman completely. Miranda turned and said, ‘Are you all right?’
Nakor laughed. ‘I’m strong!’
‘Yes,’ said Miranda. ‘But you’re also foolish. You had no idea what type of magic you were about to face.’
‘Let’s go find out.’
‘I want him alive if we can manage it.’
Nakor jumped in a majestic arc over the cluster of warriors attempting to stop the water demon.
That massive creature was starting to show the effects of being away from the nurturing water and dealing with huge expenditures of energy and multiple wounds. Miranda wasn’t concerned with that, for she knew that the creature would die, returning to the demon realm from where it had come before it could threaten the city again.
She had found what she had sought, the magician who had tried to blast Nakor. He was holding his robes up so as not to trip on them, running down the hill away from the fight. He would have been comic save for two things: first, he had just tried to help kill a great number of people and while Child found nothing remotely distasteful in that, Miranda did. With each passing day, she was becoming more Miranda and less Child. Secondly, Miranda recognized the magician and that discovery filled her with both disappointment and anger.
She could run like a gazelle, and she had discovered she could leap nearly a hundred yards, so in one jump and a sprint, she was behind the man. She reached out and grabbed him by the back of his robe then stopped, letting him almost break his own neck when he came to an unexpected and sudden stop.
Turning, he drew back his right hand and Miranda could feel the magic form. Knowing instantly what he was doing, she slapped him hard across the face before he could finish his conjuration, breaking his concentration and causing his eyes to brim with tears.
‘Hello, Akesh,’ she said in tones venomous. ‘It’s been a while.’
The Keshian-born magician was stunned and shocked. ‘Miranda!’ he blurted. ‘But-’
‘I know,’ she interrupted. ‘Dead. Apparently, not as dead as people thought.’
‘But-’
‘Silence,’ she said, ‘or I will happily knock you unconscious. We have much to discuss.’
She didn’t release her grip on his robe, but turned to see the water demon faltering as it was now surrounded by archers. In its weakened state its already meagre intelligence was pushed to the limit, and it stood uncertain of which way to attack.
Nakor had found a clear path down the hill and he trotted to where Miranda stood holding the magician. When he got near he grinned and said delightedly, ‘Akesh! So you were the one trying to kill me!’
‘I could scarcely believe my eyes when I saw you out there,’ said the Keshian magician. ‘I thought it had to be another madman. Besides-’
‘I know,’ interrupted Nakor. ‘You thought we were both dead.’
‘Let’s go somewhere we can talk,’ said Miranda.
Nakor turned to take in the scene. ‘The demon is almost done, and if I were the Keshian commander, I’d be withdrawing.’ He pointed to the north. ‘We can go that way until we find the entrance to the keep on that high bluff
