Chapter 193: Battle [4] (1/2)
Chang Chang squinted through the smoke of a dozen fires that raged on this side of the riverbank. The battle had begun to shift, the dwarves pouring across the river at the sound of a horn. Abron and Obarn stood at the bridges, shouting to anyone within earshot to fall back. The yaomo forces seemed confused by the sudden exodus and did not immediately follow. Perhaps they sensed a retreat and wanted to take advantage of the lull in the fighting to regroup and hit the dwarves while they fell back to more secure ground.
Chang Chang saw this from her vantage on the ledge at the edge of the cavern, the same spot where she and Ju Fenghad watched Ongara and Arngam's wedding. It felt like many days ago.
”He'll do it now.”
Chang Chang said as she levitated to the ground. Sull and Ju Fengstood waiting for her. She rubbed her hands up and down her arms.
”Heavens tears, the power—I can feel it in the air, as if the whole city is one huge conduit for magical essence.”
”He's calling upon the runes,”
Abron said, pushing through the stream of dwarves flowing into the plaza.
”Protective energy and symbols placed all over the city—they react to the king's will, and he can use them—or destroy them—as he wishes.”
”The same thing you did to the bridge on our way down here,” Ju Feng said.
Chang Chang remembered the look of sorrow and loss she'd seen etched on Abron's face when he'd destroyed the ancient piece of architecture. Her heart ached for what the king was about to do. She asked.
”Is this the only way?”
Abron nodded once. His expression softened somewhat as Druya and Ongara came through the crowd, looking pale and weary.
”W here have you been? We were worried.”
”At the temple. I asked Druya to tend to Arngam.”
Ongara replied.
”Is he all right?” Chang Chang asked.
”I think so—took in too much smoke. He's unconscious. Are you ready?”
Druya nodded. ”We should hurry.”
”Where are you going?”
Abron demanded as the two women headed for the bridges. He continued.
”The king ordered us to fall back.”
”There are wounded on the other side of the river. I'll get as many of them up and moving as possible.”
”It's too late for that.”
Abron said, looking at Druya,
”And even if you got there in time, the yaomo will tear you apart as soon as they see you.”
”They'll be too distracted by the king. I can't abandon the wounded.”
She put her hand on her father's shoulder and said something in Dwarvish. Abron's expression hardened, and he shook his head. But Druya was equally stubborn. She took her father's face between her hands, kissed the runes on his face, and then she pressed her forehead against his. A breath passed, and Druya pulled away. Ongara took her place and repeated the gesture. Then the women headed for the bridge.
”Wait, Druyaya!” Chang Chang cried.
Druya turned to look at her, but Chang Chang found herself at a loss for words. She didn't know why she'd called out to the cleric. A lump rose in her throat. Druya smiled and nodded. Then they were gone, passing through the smoke and hidden from sight. Chang Chang turned to Ju feng, but before she could speak, a tremor shook the cavern, raising dust clouds from the stone. Awareness surged in Chang Chang's blood, a massive buildup of power, pulsing, raging …
As if in a dream, Chang Chang looked up, and for an instant, all the magical runes in the city flashed with brilliant, blue-white radiance. In the heart of the magical storm, the white-silver dragon pulled up, wings beating the air, and released a breath of gas in a line along the opposite side of the river. The yaomo caught in the blast collapsed, paralyzed. The dragon flew higher, and the runes continued to pulse until Chang Chang raised her hands to her head as if she could ward off the surge in magic. Frantically, she turned to Ju Feng.
”Get down!”
She cried, but the words were lost in an explosion that deafened her. All around her, yaomo and dwarf eyes turned to the sky, their expressions reflecting fear and awe. Chang Chang looked with them, but she could barely see King Laggarma beyond the glow of the magical light. The runes burst apart before her eyes, and the cavern ceiling above the dragon collapsed. A roaring filled Chang Chang's ears, and the tremors became a shuddering that threw her to the ground. Ju Feng,crawled to her, and the three of them huddled close as the world came crashing down around them.
She floated in darkness, broken only by surges of arcane light—magic that burned where it touched her skin. Chang Chang flinched in pain, but there was nowhere to go.
Heaven's tears, make it stop, she cried silently. I can't bear any more.
Let go.