Bladesinger - Keith Francis Strohm [102]
Marissa watched as Roberc stumbled slightly from the pain of the attack, forcing Cavan to throw himself to the side at the last possible moment to avoid biting down on his master's flesh. The war-dog recovered quickly, however, and lunged forward, deftly dodging a powerful slash of the tiger's razored claws. Cavan opened his jaws wide, prepared to bite deeply into his enemy's neck-and nearly fell in a tangle of fur and barding as his momentum carried him right through the creature. Saliva sprayed wildly as his jaws snapped together on empty air.
"Taenaran," Marissa shouted to the half-elf as she observed the battle, "the beast is incorporeal. They'll need help."
Taenaran nodded and quickly moved behind his companions. The druid heard his voice call out the words to a spell moments before twin green auras sprang to life around the half-elf's hands. Careful not to interfere with his companion's attacks, Taenaran touched both Roberc and Cavan. Immediately, the auras flared brightly then disappeared.
Marissa knew that whatever spell he had cast would help her friends-but would it be enough? Already the crone had used the distraction of the snow tiger's attack to begin a spell of her own. The druid could see black and purple energy coalescing around the crone's upraised hands as she chanted and called out in a harsh, guttural language that sounded to Marissa like the screams of a thousand banshees.
Two shimmering arrows hissed out of the shadows, streaking toward the chanting crone from Borovazk's heavy bow. Marissa hoped that the gleaming arrows would have an effect, somehow interrupting the witch's dark incantation, but the druid's hopes were dashed like an old boat slammed against the rocks in a heavy tide. Ebon power flashed forth from the witch's baleful eye socket, striking the missiles as they sped toward their intended target and instantly vaporizing them.
Marissa knew that they would all be in serious trouble if they didn't deal with the witch soon. Moving deftly around Borovazk's bulky form, the druid opened her spirit to Rillifane's power. Gratefully, she accepted the surge of divine energy and shaped it with the words of a familiar prayer. The air grew warmer in the cavern for just a moment as she reached out and pressed her palm briefly against Cavan's powerful flank. The war-dog paid her little attention, focusing instead on his enemy. He charged forward once again, but this time, the war-dog's form shifted slightly. Surrounded by a golden nimbus of energy, Cavan's muscles rippled and swelled, its body elongated and thickened-until at last it stood even larger than his snow tiger opponent.
"Roberc," Marissa shouted over the incensed roar of the incorporeal beast, "help Borovazk and Taenaran take down the witch. I'll stay with Cavan."
The halfling glanced over at his spell-enhanced mount and flashed Marissa a wicked grin. "I. Live. To. Serve," he said, sucking in great lungfuls of air between each word. He lunged forward with his sword one more time, drawing blood from the tiger with a wicked thrust of his blade then shifted to his left, allowing Cavan to take on the full brunt of the snow tiger's attack. Without another word, the diminutive fighter joined the others as they advanced on the witch.
Judging by the rippling black mass of energy that pulsated before the ancient crone, Marissa wondered whether it was too late.
* * * * *
Taen could sense the arcane power building in the cavern. It hung in the air, pressing down on his inner vision, threatening to envelop him like a thick funereal pall. To his left, Cavan and the ghostly snow tiger were engaged in a grisly dance. Tooth and claw shredded fur and tore through skin as the two beasts raged and spat in a