from so little energy. Then he made a slicing motion with his talon, cutting it in two.
The twister shattered, showering rocks and bits of debris everywhere. Fari suffered only a small cut on his left claw. But he was badly shaken.
He looked at the chaos raging around him and heaved a long sigh of relief.
Luka took his fear and made it his courage. His battle cry was drowned out by his brother warriors, but it took life from them at same time, wailing out in a long single ululation that resounded across the desert.
They were almost on the human cavalry, which was charging toward them unfazed by the sight and sound of so many demon killers.
Luka saw a tall horseman with a blonde beard and long golden locks flowing from under his helmet. Riding beside him was a dark-featured man, just as tall but beardless. Despite the blur of the charge Luka could see the man's burning blue eyes.
Those eyes were looking at him now.
The bearded man turned his head and caught sight of Luka.
Both humans changed course and charged toward the demon prince.
Luka waved his sword wildly and braced for the shock.
But no clash came.
Instead, he found himself shouting and slashing and jabbing at… nothingness. He whirled his beast about and saw his warriors fighting empty air.
The humans had vanished.
Luka blinked. But as it was fully sinking in that he'd faced and fought only his imagination, he saw a humana real human, not a ghostleap up from the sand.
The man cried out when he saw the prince. Luka heard similar cries all around. Then the human lifted up a long tube. Luka noted with dazed interest that the tube had probably allowed the man to breathe while he lay in wait buried in the said.
Then he saw the men load the tube with a dart, lift it to his lips… and blow.
The dart took Luka's mount in the eye. The beast howled in pain, then collapsed under him. Luka rolled off, taking shelter behind his mount's body. It had died so quickly that he knew the dart was poisoned.
He lifted his head and was amazed to see his human attacker running away. He jumped up to follow, but had taken no more than a few steps when he stumbled over a mailed body. It was the corpse of one of his brother warriors.
Luka came to his feet. The ground was littered by many other demon corpses.
Then he came out of his shock and realized most were still mounted and uninjured. They were only confused, milling about wondering where their enemy had gone.
Luka saw the fleeing humans racing south toward a group of low dunes. They'd thrown down their dart tubes in their haste to escape an overwhelming demon force. From the dunes he saw a long line of horsemen dash out, each leading another animal.
The prince shouted for his fiends. He did not mean to let the humans escape.
Someone brought him a mount and Luka bounded into the saddle and led his warriors on yet another charge. But this time he had the enemy's back to him.
Snarling as wildly as his clawed-mount, Luka closed on the humans. He was so close he could hear their laboring breath.
He dropped his sword point low to take the first man in front of him.
'Now, Master? Gundara asked.
'Yes, now! Safar answered.
The little Favorite stomped on the table.
There was a deafening explosion and Luka's mount reared, shrieking in fear, claws pawing the air.
A cloud black as night and stinking of sulfur burst up between him and the fleeing humans.
Monstrous forms, all frighteningly ugly, all human, swirled out of the cloud, gnashing and grinding their flat teeth.
Luka heard his warriors howl in terror and knew they were experiencing the same thing. He tried to call out to them not to panic, to keep going until they reached the other side of the smoke curtain. But no one could make out his commands from the cries of hysteria.
Then it came to him that he was alone.
All his warriors had retreated and he was alone in the sulfurous darkness, filled with nightmare forms.
Luka wheeled his mount and retreated as calmly as he could.
When he'd cleared the smoky curtain he saw his father bearing down on him on his big white elephant.
'Why did you stop? his father shouted. Why didn't you go on?'
There was a thinly failed accusation of cowardice in his father's questions and Luka hated him for it.
'The humans caught us by surprise, Majesty, he said. It seemed best to regroup. Besides, it was only a small force, and most of that was illusion.'
Manacia jabbed a talon at the ebbing curtain of smoke. Are you telling me Protarus isn't waiting out there?'
'I don't believe so, Majesty, Luka answered. I think he waits where our scouts say he waits. Near the place of the Two Rocks. This was only a diversion. He was testing us.'
'Well, you're a fool to think that! Manacia snarled. He's out there, all right. I can feel it. He rapped his golden mail. In here I can feel it. He tapped his demon nose. And I can smell him. I can smell the human wizard, too.'
Lord Fari had come up in time to hear the last. Are you certain, Your Majesty? he asked. I too sense a presence out there. But perhaps it is only another illusion.'
Manacia snorted. Bah! I'm surrounded by fools and cowards.'
He shouted for an aide. Sound the attack, he commanded.
A moment later the air was filled with the cacophony of trumpets and drums and booted feet and clanking mail as Manacia's vast army poured across the empty plain, seeking humans to kill.
To support them, Manacia gathered his best wizards together, including Fari, and they made a mighty spell.
Boiling clouds filled the skies. Lighting cracked Thunder rolled. Horrible beasts, dragons and winged lions, raged across the heavens.
Manacia worked himself to exhaustion, forming and casting war spell after war spell.
Several hours passed and the first scouts returned from the main force to report there were no signs of even a small band of humans to be found, much less a whole army.
By now Manacia had collapsed on his traveling bed, surrounded by his wizards. He'd just heard Fari report that the huge magical hammer they'd created had been for naught.
After Fari heard what the scouts had to say, he dared to approach his king. I think it is clear, Your Majesty, he said, that all our efforts are being wasted. There's no one out there.'
'So I'm the fool, am I? Manacia raged.
'Not at all, Majesty, Luka broke in. Lord Fari meant nothing of the kind.'
The old demon was surprised to see this unprecedented show of support from the Crown Prince.
'It is Protarus who is the fool, Majesty, Luka said. How dare he toy with you? And such empty gestures. A few were hurt, even killed. But it's like a flea bite on a camel's ass. Nothing more.'
Manacia was roused from his weariness. He slammed one taloned fist into the other. I'll teach him to trifle with me, he said.
