what Duggan told her about the stolen Chalice.
A terrible reek enveloped her as something dark passed overhead. Anastasia looked up and saw great, dark wings flapping. A bat climbed higher into the sky and flew toward the center of the town. It was impossibly large, with a wingspan that Anastasia estimated to be three times as great as the large, white wyvern that had followed Glinwilda.
Amazing! The Sorceress has used the power of the Chalice to transform that bat instead of herself. I never considered the possibility! Anastasia thought.
A stream of fire extended from the top of the bat to one of the yet unburn ed towers, interrupting Anastasia’s appreciation of the creativity of the Sorceress’ use of the Chalice. The feeling was replaced by one of horror at the appearance of the corpulent bat and the recognition that the Sorceress was riding on the back of the beast. The renewed screams of the townspeople and the buckling of the impacted tower reminded Anastasia that she had to act quickly if she meant to save the town.
She raised her arms and held her staff aloft. In mere moments , a light breeze stirred up the night air that had been calm and still only moments before. In a few more moments, a whipping wind descended over the town, and dark rain clouds blew in over the horizon.
Anastasia saw the bat struggle to hold its course against the force of the wind. It didn’t take long for the Sorceress to recognize opposing magic . Anastasia could see her head moving rapidly to scan the area for her unexpected opponent. The wind was causing the fires on the towers to spread rapidly. Mercifully, the dark clouds brought sheets of rain with them, which began to fight against the tongues of fire that writhed over the faces of the towers.
But the Sorceress had seen her . The great bat took a sweeping turn then flew toward Anastasia. Anastasia conjured a shield as the first blast of fire hit her position. The force of the blast made her recoil. The heat of the conflagration that was repulsed mere feet from her fragile flesh caused her to break out in a profuse sweat.
She heard laughter from above as the bat soared behind her and banked for another pass.
My turn! Anastasia thought.
Anastasia thrust her staff toward the sky and a great, whipping funnel of air and vapor descended from the darkest cloud. The tornado was farther from the bat than Anastasia intended, so she swept her staff in front of her, and the frenzied air moved across the horizon, following her motion.
The bat managed to come out of its turn in time to avoid the oncoming funnel of air. Anastasia slammed her staff to the earth and a bolt of lightning crackled out from the funnel and impacted the bat—or rather a blue shield that now protected the beast and its rider.
The bat faltered for a moment, and Anastasia hoped the funnel might overtake it, but it recovered and began to fly in earnest, putting some distance between it and the slower onrush of chaotic air.
The bat reached the outskirts of Ogrun, and Anastasia was forced to allow the tornado to dissipate before its great force, which felled many trees as it proceeded across the forest, damaged the town.
Anastasia was fatigued from her spell, but the Sorceress didn’t press her advantage. Instead the bat continued to fly across Ogrun, and the Sorceress blasted another tower as she passed. The bat veered toward the mountain stockade and passed out of sight.
Anastasia walked into the town with a grim determination. The duel had only partially satisfied her desire to humble this Sorceress. And now she knew the woman was a coward. Someone that fled from an unresolved duel deserved such a label.
As she passed through Ogrun, weeping people surrounded her, thank ing her and begging her for deliverance. She ignored them. Her only intention was to defeat the Sorceress once and for all, and discover the fate of Glinwilda. But, as she walked, she saw wounded
A terrible reek enveloped her as something dark passed overhead. Anastasia looked up and saw great, dark wings flapping. A bat climbed higher into the sky and flew toward the center of the town. It was impossibly large, with a wingspan that Anastasia estimated to be three times as great as the large, white wyvern that had followed Glinwilda.
Amazing! The Sorceress has used the power of the Chalice to transform that bat instead of herself. I never considered the possibility! Anastasia thought.
A stream of fire extended from the top of the bat to one of the yet unburn ed towers, interrupting Anastasia’s appreciation of the creativity of the Sorceress’ use of the Chalice. The feeling was replaced by one of horror at the appearance of the corpulent bat and the recognition that the Sorceress was riding on the back of the beast. The renewed screams of the townspeople and the buckling of the impacted tower reminded Anastasia that she had to act quickly if she meant to save the town.
She raised her arms and held her staff aloft. In mere moments , a light breeze stirred up the night air that had been calm and still only moments before. In a few more moments, a whipping wind descended over the town, and dark rain clouds blew in over the horizon.
Anastasia saw the bat struggle to hold its course against the force of the wind. It didn’t take long for the Sorceress to recognize opposing magic . Anastasia could see her head moving rapidly to scan the area for her unexpected opponent. The wind was causing the fires on the towers to spread rapidly. Mercifully, the dark clouds brought sheets of rain with them, which began to fight against the tongues of fire that writhed over the faces of the towers.
But the Sorceress had seen her . The great bat took a sweeping turn then flew toward Anastasia. Anastasia conjured a shield as the first blast of fire hit her position. The force of the blast made her recoil. The heat of the conflagration that was repulsed mere feet from her fragile flesh caused her to break out in a profuse sweat.
She heard laughter from above as the bat soared behind her and banked for another pass.
My turn! Anastasia thought.
Anastasia thrust her staff toward the sky and a great, whipping funnel of air and vapor descended from the darkest cloud. The tornado was farther from the bat than Anastasia intended, so she swept her staff in front of her, and the frenzied air moved across the horizon, following her motion.
The bat managed to come out of its turn in time to avoid the oncoming funnel of air. Anastasia slammed her staff to the earth and a bolt of lightning crackled out from the funnel and impacted the bat—or rather a blue shield that now protected the beast and its rider.
The bat faltered for a moment, and Anastasia hoped the funnel might overtake it, but it recovered and began to fly in earnest, putting some distance between it and the slower onrush of chaotic air.
The bat reached the outskirts of Ogrun, and Anastasia was forced to allow the tornado to dissipate before its great force, which felled many trees as it proceeded across the forest, damaged the town.
Anastasia was fatigued from her spell, but the Sorceress didn’t press her advantage. Instead the bat continued to fly across Ogrun, and the Sorceress blasted another tower as she passed. The bat veered toward the mountain stockade and passed out of sight.
Anastasia walked into the town with a grim determination. The duel had only partially satisfied her desire to humble this Sorceress. And now she knew the woman was a coward. Someone that fled from an unresolved duel deserved such a label.
As she passed through Ogrun, weeping people surrounded her, thank ing her and begging her for deliverance. She ignored them. Her only intention was to defeat the Sorceress once and for all, and discover the fate of Glinwilda. But, as she walked, she saw wounded
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