Warrior Priest of Dmon-Li - Brian Pratt [65]
ZZZZZST!
Another lightning bolt sizzles as it again strikes out at Abula-Mazki. Then suddenly a loud explosion as the bubble erupts into a fireball, blazing into the night. They can hear cries of warriors who had the misfortune to be caught within the blast.
“He’ll be coming back!” Jiron whispers to James.
“Not necessarily,” he says. “Remember, there were two of them.”
“Right,” he remembers.
They reach a tent adjacent to the one they’re after and pause as they see Abula-Mazki returning to the tent. The expression on his face is one of obvious anger.
From the other side of the camp, the other bubble begins emitting invisible bursts of magic, which do nothing other than create a magical signature. James can feel the prickling as each of the bursts happen. Looking at Abula-Mazki, it’s apparent that he feels them too.
The warrior priest calls out commands as he and the warriors near him run over toward where the bursts are originating.
Once they are past, Jiron crosses to the back of the tent and with a quick swipe from his knife, opens a long slit in it.
He quickly steps through the opening and dives to the side when he detects a movement out of the corner of his eye. The sword of the guard which had been stationed inside the tent passes just inches from where Jiron had entered the tent. Rolling quick, Jiron comes to his feet with both knives at the ready.
The guard calls out to those outside but the noise out there drowns out his words. Jiron moves to engage him and attempts to draw him away from the opening in the side of the tent so James can enter.
James pokes his head through and sees them battling a dozen feet away. Passing through, he moves away from where Jiron and the guard are battling, staying near the side of the tent. Tied to the central pole of the tent, Miko sits with his hands secured behind him. Coming over, he takes his knife out and cuts his bonds.
“Thank god you’re here!” Miko says as he gets up off the floor.
“Never mind that now,” James tells him. “We’ve got to get out of here.” He looks over to where Jiron and the guard are still fighting. Neither one seems able to get the advantage over the other.
Jiron is able to deflect the blows of the guard but so far has been unable to successfully counter attack. James sees his difficulty and picks up a stool and tosses it over behind the guard, causing him to trip.
Off balance, the guard falls to the ground and Jiron is able to sink a knife several inches into the man’s thigh. Leaving the knife there, Jiron falls upon the man as they wrestle for the sword.
The man punches out and connects with Jiron’s jaw, snapping his head back. Jiron uses his knee and catches the man in the groin causing him to gasp in pain.
Seeing them on the floor, Miko comes over and kicks the guard in the side of the head which leaves him dazed. Jiron then has little trouble in taking the sword away and with his remaining knife, slices him across the throat.
He retrieves his other knife from the man’s thigh and wipes them both off on the dead man’s tunic. Seeing James has already freed Miko, he moves to the opening in the side of the tent just as the night lights up with a loud explosion which can be heard as the remaining bubble detonates.
“That’s it,” James tells them. “They’ll be back soon.” He tosses a tunic he’d found in the tent over to Miko so he’d blend in better.
“Then let’s not wait around for them to return,” Jiron says as he opens the slit and makes his way out of the tent.
He waits a moment, scanning the area as the others exit, and then they run in the opposite way from where they heard that last explosion. Running as fast as they can, they race past tent after tent until they reach the edge of the Grey Wolf Clan’s camp. Warriors are running around like ants whose anthill has just had a stick poked in it. James grins at the analogy. I suppose it has!
Finding that they are now on the outskirts of the entire Gathering, they