Obsidian Ridge - Jess Lebow [117]
Now it was Quinn's turn. Shifting deeper into the center of the triangle, he flew toward the ceiling and grabbed hold of Jallal's feet. Burying the blades of his gauntlet into the man's calf just above the hoof, Quinn yanked him sideways and then let go, tossing him out of the triangle.
One by one the threads of energy slipped away from Jallal, until he wasn't even connected to a single ruby. From high up in the air, he plummeted to the floor, no longer suspended by the humming, levitating magic of the floating gemstones. With a heavy thud, his body slammed to the ground; his head landing last, making a sound like a ripe melon falling from a farmer's cart. His sword impacted tip first, burying itself in the stone floor beside him.
"Your brother is dead," said Quinn. "The princess is free, and the Elixir trade in Erlkazar is over." The magic coursing through his skin filled him with confidence and energy. "You shall never beat me. I've won." He did a back flip, thrilled by the heightened sense of victory and power he now felt.
Far below, Jallal stirred. He was slow to move, holding his head in his hands. After a short while, he sat up and glared at Quinn. Then he moved to his knees.
The fall was not a short one. Most men would have been killed by such an impact, their internal organs simply shattered from crashing into the ground. Jallal was not most men, but even his demon-enhanced body was severely damaged by such a drop.
His sword, still vibrating from the fall, served as a cane, and Jallal lifted himself up off the floor with its aid. He coughed, spitting something into his hand. Then he pulled on the hilt, groaning from the exertion.
The blade slipped free of the floor and lifted easily into the air. The strange sword seemed a natural extension of Jallal's hands, balanced just right, no strain or fumbling. It just simply moved where he wanted it when he wanted it. Taking several steps back from the triangle, he held the blade waist high behind him, parallel to the floor as if it were his tail.
He hobbled as he walked, clearly staggered from the fall. Then he stopped, closed his eyes, and took a warrior's stance-poised to fly into battle.
"We shall see how confident you are when you no longer have your little toys," Jallal said.
Opening his eyes, he took a deep breath and charged across the room. He ran on the tips of his hooves, the wounds from his fall not slowing him. His horns cast a heavy shadow on his head, and his sword glistened orange and red as it cut through the charged air.
Then it impacted the first ruby, shattering it to dust with a single blow.
A huge bang echoed through the chamber and bolts of energy shot out in every direction. Light filled the room, revealing the cracks and crevices on every wall. The threads hissed and popped, reaching out to every imperfection in the obsidian and trying to grab hold.
On the floor, Jallal's charge carried on. Tiny threads of magic mauled his shoulders, arms, and legs. The energy releasing from the ruby exploded from the ruined gemstone, coveting his whole body in a dance of light. It stretched out behind him as he ran several more steps, long curving strands of magic trailing to catch up.
His blade impacted the second ruby and bit deep, nearly cutting it in half. The top section of the gemstone teetered for a moment, then it toppled over, a million tiny cracks shooting out across its surface. By the time it hit the floor, the one single ruby had become countless smaller ones, and they rained down on the obsidian, bouncing and humming a melodic tune as they trickled to a rest.
Hovering near the top of the triangle, Quinn dropped from the air, his weight no longer suspended by the magic of the rubies. Threads of energy popped and squirmed all around him, touching his skin then dissipating into the air. He felt his stomach lurch as he plummeted, then his feet hit the