Lannon. The light that the stones emitted was cold, but the air suddenly felt warped with heat. The Eye of Divinity revealed that the Fire Reach was an appropriate name, for the soil and air were infested with a fiery type of dark sorcery. These flames of evil were drawn into the gauntlet, enhancing its power. The demon man's face displayed a leer of supreme confidence--like the hideous faces sculpted on the pillars of the shrine.
The rain hissed as it made contact with the demon man, steam rising from his flesh. The air grew so hot the others--save for Taris--moved back a bit, protecting their faces. Lannon used the Eye of Divinity like a shield against the heat. Flames rose from the blackened earth, and the shrine pillars grew red hot.
"So this is where it ends," said the demon man. "You should never have been brought to Dremlock. You are not even a grown man yet. I hate to have to slay a child. It is rather unbecoming of a warrior like me. But I am left with no choice. The Knights, however, are to blame for your death."
Lannon said nothing, struggling to stay focused and block out the raging heat. He had no idea how Taris was able to withstand it, but the sorcerer sat rigidly in the saddle, stone dagger in hand. The scarred region of Taris' face seemed darkened by shadow, with his left eye gleaming yellow.
The demon man licked his lips. "The Eye of Divinity versus The Hand of Tharnin. What a grand duel that would be, were you not a pathetic and unskilled lad who was never fit to be a Knight to begin with."
Lannon realized the demon man might be trying to tire him, as Lannon had to keep protecting himself from the heat. The demon man undoubtedly expected Lannon to keep listening to his boasts and wait for him to make the first move.
"Your death will very painful," the demon man went on. "You will be roasted alive. Before all is said and done--"
Lannon seized him with Eye of Divinity, squeezing with all his might. He hoped to catch the demon man off guard and simply crush him--and be done with the whole affair. He hated the thought of killing a man (even a man as vile as this) but he was desperate to end the duel quickly. And for an instant he thought he was succeeding brilliantly. The demon man's eyes sprang open wide and his flesh gave way beneath the power of the Eye. But then the blue stones in the gauntlet shone brighter, and the Eye was pushed back.
The demon man snarled in rage and the heat grew more intense. Lannon thought his clothes and hair might burst into flames. The metal glove turned red hot, with the blue stones contrasting it. Slowly, the demon man began to move toward Lannon, the gauntlet turning and the fingers opening like claws. The smell of scorching iron was strong in Lannon's nostrils.
Lannon fought back fiercely, but his panic began to disrupt his focus. He could only watch in horror as the fingers reached for his throat. Then the Eye seemed to strengthen, and he shoved the demon man away.
With a snarl, the demon man lifted a rock with the gauntlet and flung it at Jace. The projectile nearly caught Jace off guard, but he ducked at the last instant and it missed his head by inches.
"The duel is broken!" Taris cried.
The demon man charged at Lannon, but again the Squire seized him with the Eye and froze him, while intense heat again threatened to overcome Lannon. And then a dark blade hurtled past Lannon and stuck in the demon man's shoulder--Vorden's spider sword, thrown like a spear. With a howl, the demon man staggered, clutching at the weapon. The flames and heat died down.
Weakened, Lannon fell to one knee. Taris jumped from his horse and attacked the demon man with his burning dagger, but the demon man knocked the weapon aside with his gauntlet and shoved Taris into a tree. The sorcerer fell to the ground and lay still, clutching his head with both hands.
The demon man hurled Vorden's sword aside, and then three arrows from the archers struck him--but the arrows glanced off an
The rain hissed as it made contact with the demon man, steam rising from his flesh. The air grew so hot the others--save for Taris--moved back a bit, protecting their faces. Lannon used the Eye of Divinity like a shield against the heat. Flames rose from the blackened earth, and the shrine pillars grew red hot.
"So this is where it ends," said the demon man. "You should never have been brought to Dremlock. You are not even a grown man yet. I hate to have to slay a child. It is rather unbecoming of a warrior like me. But I am left with no choice. The Knights, however, are to blame for your death."
Lannon said nothing, struggling to stay focused and block out the raging heat. He had no idea how Taris was able to withstand it, but the sorcerer sat rigidly in the saddle, stone dagger in hand. The scarred region of Taris' face seemed darkened by shadow, with his left eye gleaming yellow.
The demon man licked his lips. "The Eye of Divinity versus The Hand of Tharnin. What a grand duel that would be, were you not a pathetic and unskilled lad who was never fit to be a Knight to begin with."
Lannon realized the demon man might be trying to tire him, as Lannon had to keep protecting himself from the heat. The demon man undoubtedly expected Lannon to keep listening to his boasts and wait for him to make the first move.
"Your death will very painful," the demon man went on. "You will be roasted alive. Before all is said and done--"
Lannon seized him with Eye of Divinity, squeezing with all his might. He hoped to catch the demon man off guard and simply crush him--and be done with the whole affair. He hated the thought of killing a man (even a man as vile as this) but he was desperate to end the duel quickly. And for an instant he thought he was succeeding brilliantly. The demon man's eyes sprang open wide and his flesh gave way beneath the power of the Eye. But then the blue stones in the gauntlet shone brighter, and the Eye was pushed back.
The demon man snarled in rage and the heat grew more intense. Lannon thought his clothes and hair might burst into flames. The metal glove turned red hot, with the blue stones contrasting it. Slowly, the demon man began to move toward Lannon, the gauntlet turning and the fingers opening like claws. The smell of scorching iron was strong in Lannon's nostrils.
Lannon fought back fiercely, but his panic began to disrupt his focus. He could only watch in horror as the fingers reached for his throat. Then the Eye seemed to strengthen, and he shoved the demon man away.
With a snarl, the demon man lifted a rock with the gauntlet and flung it at Jace. The projectile nearly caught Jace off guard, but he ducked at the last instant and it missed his head by inches.
"The duel is broken!" Taris cried.
The demon man charged at Lannon, but again the Squire seized him with the Eye and froze him, while intense heat again threatened to overcome Lannon. And then a dark blade hurtled past Lannon and stuck in the demon man's shoulder--Vorden's spider sword, thrown like a spear. With a howl, the demon man staggered, clutching at the weapon. The flames and heat died down.
Weakened, Lannon fell to one knee. Taris jumped from his horse and attacked the demon man with his burning dagger, but the demon man knocked the weapon aside with his gauntlet and shoved Taris into a tree. The sorcerer fell to the ground and lay still, clutching his head with both hands.
The demon man hurled Vorden's sword aside, and then three arrows from the archers struck him--but the arrows glanced off an
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