The barbarian smiled. 'No. Just making conversation. All right,
let's try something else. How far does Eilaan reckon the power source is?'
'Close. Probably no more than a short run,' said Denser. 'It's impossible to say after that.'
'What will it be?'
Denser scratched at his beard. 'Gods, Hirad, how the hell do you expect me to know that? All we can tell is that it's a massive mana construct and it is driving mana out of this dimension and obviously into ours. There's still a significant density here but it's interesting that where we landed there was a relative lack. Whatever it is they have done, it is attracting mana into a huge concentration to pump it out.'
'What's interesting about that?'
'Well, that as far as our writings are concerned, what is happening is impossible. That makes whoever is doing this very powerful indeed. And we have to kill it or them. And that's after we get through the hordes waiting outside our front door.'
'Should be fun.'
T very much doubt it,' said Erienne.
'Now, surely it's your turn to get some rest, Hirad,' said Denser.
'What makes you say that?'
'Because your inane questioning is setting my teeth on edge.'
Hirad thought to retort but when he considered it, was too tired. The hours they'd had behind the ForceCone had allowed Denser and Erienne to deliver a few key healing casts and they were as fit as they would ever be. But nothing was going to take away the raw fatigue.
Hirad lay back on his pack, punching it into an acceptable pillow and trying to ignore the stink. He closed his eyes and was immediately suffused by feelings of warmth and speed.
'No time for rest, my Dragonene. We are come.'
Hirad shot to his feet. 'Game time, everyone. Hope you're feeling good. We're about to get help.'
Chapter 44
'Maces everyone, we aren't going to have spell back-up on the run. Mages, do whatever you can, just don't risk yourselves.'
The Unknown's words were bawled into the tumult from outside the ForceCone Eilaan still held. The Raven were formed up to run. Packs were discarded at the back of the cave, empty waterskins with them. The demons knew they were ready to break out. Their excitement had reached fever pitch and the thudding on the Force-Cone reached new pressure. Eilaan grunted.
'Just a little longer,' said Rebraal, his hand on the young mage's shoulder. 'You'll make a fine Al-Arynaar.'
'They have no idea what's about to happen,' said Hirad. 'No idea at all.'
He could feel the closeness of Sha-Kaan. The great dragon brought with him the largest assembly of his kind ever to fight together. It was going to be some spectacle. They were all homing in on Hirad's position and they all knew what they had to do. The only question remaining to be asked was whetiier they would prove to be enough.
They were just about to get their answer.
'Ready, Raven,' said Hirad. 'Here it comes.'
Hirad felt the jolt through him as Sha-Kaan entered the demon dimension. He heard the bark of die Great Kaan taken up by a thousand throats and the dragons joined the fight for survival. Shadows passed over the darkening landscape. Demon voices stilled then raised in alarm. Flame swept across the mouth of the cave and in a swath forty yards at least down the slope away from them. The demons in its path were simply obliterated, scorched to ash by the extraordinary heat. Never mind their mana protection, nothing withstood dragon breath.
'Yes!' Hirad punched the air. 'Come on Sha-Kaan.'
His mind warmed again. 'We are with you. You have safe exit.'
'Raven! Raven with me!'
Rebraal squeezed Eilaan's shoulder and the mage dispersed the ForceCone. He was dragged to his feet and the run began. Auum and Evunn sprinted from the cave and turned immediately right and away. The Raven followed in standard formation with Rebraal and Eilaan bringing up the rear.
The noise outside the SoundBell was a shock but not as much as the heat. Dragons had fired the air hotter than inside the cave. Rock was scarred black and smoking, dirt and stone had fused and where any vestiges of plant life had clung, they had been snuffed out in an instant. The ground was hot underfoot.
Of the demons who had been massed outside the cave there was no sign. Nothing at all. Hirad had time to shudder at the power the dragons generated and thanked the gods they were on his side.
Up in the skies the battle had already commenced. The heavens were darkened further by the mass of scale and wing that had appeared in the dimension and the element of surprise was being used to the full. Hundreds of reavers were in the sky with them but were being taken apart by flame and claw, crashing to the dead earth. And on the ground in front of The Raven, the demons were being swept aside as flight after flight screamed overhead, fire gushing from their mouths. Beyond the hills too, and out of sight, they could see the flare of flame brightening the sky. Dragons climbed above the horizon, chasing packs of winged demons, panicked into misguided attempts at escape. They might have been masters on Balaia but everywhere dragons went, they were undisputed lords of the skies.
It was glorious.
'Keep the pace up,' called The Unknown. 'They'll get themselves together sooner or later. Come on, Denser. This is what Darrick had you swimming round the ship for.'
They were heading up a steep slope. The stone was smoking from dragon fire and presented a hot and slick surface.
'Don't put your hands down,' warned Hirad. 'Keep moving.'
'Sound advice,' said Denser. 'You'll be sure and tell me when we get there just in case I don't realise.'
'Concentrate,' snapped The Unknown. 'No accidents. Not now.'
Reavers had gathered in the air ahead and they plunged Forty winged demons diving headlong, heedless of their lives, desperate to kill those that threatened them. Hirad raised his mace to a defensive position knowing it wouldn't be enough. He slipped almost immediately, planting the weapon in front of him to break his fall and push himself upright. He looked back to where the reavers were coming, saw the flash of scale to his right, and a blast of flame brushed them from his sight, squealing as they died, tumbling helpless from the sky.
The dragon pulled a tight circle and flew close, head snaking down.
'At the top of the next rise,' said Sha-Kaan. 'Where your elves have reached already. Wait for the signal. There are many enemies.'
And he was gone with a beat of his wings that almost knocked Hirad over. He reached flatter ground and looked after the mighty dragon, still in awe of his grace and speed. He ran on up the shallow slope to where Auum and Evunn waited, looking down.
'Right,' he said, reaching them ahead of the rest of The Raven. 'What have we . . .'
His voice trailed away, caught in his throat. He sensed the rest of The Raven come to his sides and he felt their hearts sink.
'How the hell did we ever think we could achieve this?' asked Denser.
Hirad would have berated him for his lack of faith but couldn't find it within him to disagree. Stretched out below them, across a plain maybe half a mile long and four times that in width, was a carpet of demons. Tens of thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands, it was hard to tell in the half-light. It was a shifting mass, ordered and with one purpose. It moved towards a massive low edifice on which stood hundreds of spires angled out like the spines of a hedgehog. Each spike glistened and flashed at its end, and closer to the roots a maelstrom of colours danced and clashed.
The entire front of the edifice was open to the air. Hirad could see light within it and watched as demons entered its shadow and were lost in the brightness. Countless karron moved across the plain. Reavers flew in complex patterns overhead while strike-strain cavorted amongst them. The long-fingered albinos issued slowly towards the edifice, trailed by the mana gliders. And around the
periphery masters floated on their tentacle beds, directing the remorseless advance.