Darkness Ascending (The Paladin Trilogy Book 3) by Hillebrecht James A

Author:Hillebrecht, James A. [Hillebrecht, James A.]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Story Merchant Books
Published: 2012-07-12T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 15

The Pride of Dragons

Jhan was standing in a hidden chamber somewhere deep within Llan Praetor, silently repeating the simple prayer to Mirna his mother had taught him as child. The prayer had to be silent, for the Presence was droning on in an incantation that might easily result in both their deaths.

The chamber had the size and intricate designs common to other rooms, but it was unique in that there were stone braziers in all four corners, each ablaze with a different colored fire. In the middle was a high table inscribed with strange runes, and Jhan understood this had been some kind of a magical forge for the original inhabitants of the castle, a cross between a workbench and an altar. Malcolm had chosen this place for the forging of magical devices, learning to use the tools that others had left behind, but Jhan was painful conscious they were completely isolated, far beyond any chance of help. If anything should go wrong here, this would be their tomb.

He tried to swallow but his mouth was too dry, and there were small beads of perspiration on his forehead; odd that the body should sweat when Malcolm seemed completely untouched by fear. Jhan was watching his own hands working the enchantment of two small but perfectly formed gem stones, feeling their smooth textures even though he had no control over his fingers. The clear stone had already been filled with power using an invocation that Jhan had been able to recognize as defensive in nature, the magic intended to absorb energy, not release it. But the spell currently being invoked into the red stone was much more dangerous, the power directed outwards, and should it slip past its magical constraints, the resulting explosion would be catastrophic.

The Presence was making no effort to disguise its thoughts, a sign of its distraction, and Jhan was able to understand most of what was going on. The first part of the evocation had simply been to open the stone, completing a preparation begun long before that had prepared the gems for enchantment. This second part was the killing magic. The graceful weavings of his own hands was conjuring a small but intent light, a glittering energy that could kill everything within a small space, and when the glittering abruptly stopped, he knew it had been frozen a mere instant before detonation. Now it was being slowly, agonizingly condensed down and enclosed within the red stone, concentrated death that would explode in devastating force if the least mistake were made. It was terrifying to see his own fingers containing that energy, and his heart pounded as the power quivered on the verge of detonation, death hovering right before his eyes. Then there was a final flash, and the spark vanished, pulled into the waiting stone.

“The demon take me,” breathed Jhan, seeing no conflict between the oath and his previous prayer. “That was a more dangerous encounter than facing any monster I know!”

“Then you know little of monsters,” replied the Voice.

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