Sinister Seraphim of Mine (Overworld Chronicles Book 8) by John Corwin
Authors: John Corwin
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of the freed husks latched onto him and fed. Light poured from his every pore like roiling white smoke. Dark veins stood out from his skin. Within seconds, his screams died away. He rose, oily darkness steaming from his skin. The newly born shadow person wasn't long for this world though. He erupted in shrieks as the light from the large lamps illuminating the cargo bay hit him.
I didn't stick around to see the grisly death and raced after the others through the opening created by Jeremiah. We ran down the train tracks, following them as they wound through the thickly wooded surroundings. It was still dark outside, which boded well for our escape. A klaxon went off in the prison and giant glowing balls shot high into the air where they hovered, lighting up the place like freaking New Year's Eve.
"Glowballs," Elyssa said. She pointed right, and we ran down a hill into the woods.
An explosion jerked my attention back to the prison. The roof of the cargo bay burst open in a spray of concrete and steel. Through the hole rose battle mages on flying carpets. They zoomed toward the tracks even as we raced away from them and into the woods. Unfortunately, the skeletal trees offered little cover, and our pursuers found us quickly. I aimed a fist and fired a quick shot of Brilliance at one carpet, but missed by a mile.
"Jeremiah!" Nightliss said.
Faster and stronger than most Arcanes, he still lagged behind the rest of us. Elyssa pointed to a row of pine trees, their canopy thicker than the hardwoods around us, and we dodged under their cover. Deadly spells hurled by the mages blew clods of earth into the air all around us. I dropped to a knee, magnified my sight, and swept a beam of destruction at the nearest flying carpet still a hundred yards above and behind us.
My attack struck true, blasting off the tail of the rug, sending one mage flying off with bellows of terror. The material smoked and burst into flames.
"Booyah!" I shouted, pumping a fist.
Unfortunately, the battle mages were too well-prepared for such situations. Almost as if choreographed through countless hours of practice and routine, another carpet swooped low and caught the falling mage just above the tree line while other pursuers rescued their comrade from his burning carpet as it spiraled down into the forest.
A grimace stretched my lips. I hadn't stopped the mages, but at least I'd just bought us some much-needed time. We ducked down a ridge and into an area thick with evergreens. Elyssa consulted her arcphone and led us along the slanted ground until we reached the area with the pond and the sewer entrance. From there, we angled back to where the portal opening was hopefully still waiting.
The odor of brimstone tickled my nose. I heard the shriek of a crawler the instant before a shadowy blur jetted through the trees and leapt. Fresh adrenalin flooded me. Just as the creature neared Nightliss, I managed to intercept it with a bubble of Murk. I willed the bubble to collapse and hurled it up in the air like a demonic shot put.
"I hope Joss and Otaleon didn't stumble into any of those things," I huffed as we continued running.
Before anyone could respond, a jagged bolt of green lightning splintered a nearby tree, sending it toppling across our path. Almost without thinking, I hurled a wave of destruction into its center, reducing it to ash. We ran through the smoking remains as the battle mages fired blindly through the treetops. A flock of birds burst from the trees, and I heard curses from above.
"I hope they crap on you!" I shouted.
"There it is!" Elyssa shouted, pointing toward the portal.
A tree exploded and burst into flames ahead. At first I thought it was the battle mages. Then I realized with horror it was Qualan. With one outstretched hand, he was holding the two Darklings at bay while he dragged his unconscious sister away from them. Shelton stepped through the portal, staff outstretched, and threw up a barrier to protect the boys.
The
I didn't stick around to see the grisly death and raced after the others through the opening created by Jeremiah. We ran down the train tracks, following them as they wound through the thickly wooded surroundings. It was still dark outside, which boded well for our escape. A klaxon went off in the prison and giant glowing balls shot high into the air where they hovered, lighting up the place like freaking New Year's Eve.
"Glowballs," Elyssa said. She pointed right, and we ran down a hill into the woods.
An explosion jerked my attention back to the prison. The roof of the cargo bay burst open in a spray of concrete and steel. Through the hole rose battle mages on flying carpets. They zoomed toward the tracks even as we raced away from them and into the woods. Unfortunately, the skeletal trees offered little cover, and our pursuers found us quickly. I aimed a fist and fired a quick shot of Brilliance at one carpet, but missed by a mile.
"Jeremiah!" Nightliss said.
Faster and stronger than most Arcanes, he still lagged behind the rest of us. Elyssa pointed to a row of pine trees, their canopy thicker than the hardwoods around us, and we dodged under their cover. Deadly spells hurled by the mages blew clods of earth into the air all around us. I dropped to a knee, magnified my sight, and swept a beam of destruction at the nearest flying carpet still a hundred yards above and behind us.
My attack struck true, blasting off the tail of the rug, sending one mage flying off with bellows of terror. The material smoked and burst into flames.
"Booyah!" I shouted, pumping a fist.
Unfortunately, the battle mages were too well-prepared for such situations. Almost as if choreographed through countless hours of practice and routine, another carpet swooped low and caught the falling mage just above the tree line while other pursuers rescued their comrade from his burning carpet as it spiraled down into the forest.
A grimace stretched my lips. I hadn't stopped the mages, but at least I'd just bought us some much-needed time. We ducked down a ridge and into an area thick with evergreens. Elyssa consulted her arcphone and led us along the slanted ground until we reached the area with the pond and the sewer entrance. From there, we angled back to where the portal opening was hopefully still waiting.
The odor of brimstone tickled my nose. I heard the shriek of a crawler the instant before a shadowy blur jetted through the trees and leapt. Fresh adrenalin flooded me. Just as the creature neared Nightliss, I managed to intercept it with a bubble of Murk. I willed the bubble to collapse and hurled it up in the air like a demonic shot put.
"I hope Joss and Otaleon didn't stumble into any of those things," I huffed as we continued running.
Before anyone could respond, a jagged bolt of green lightning splintered a nearby tree, sending it toppling across our path. Almost without thinking, I hurled a wave of destruction into its center, reducing it to ash. We ran through the smoking remains as the battle mages fired blindly through the treetops. A flock of birds burst from the trees, and I heard curses from above.
"I hope they crap on you!" I shouted.
"There it is!" Elyssa shouted, pointing toward the portal.
A tree exploded and burst into flames ahead. At first I thought it was the battle mages. Then I realized with horror it was Qualan. With one outstretched hand, he was holding the two Darklings at bay while he dragged his unconscious sister away from them. Shelton stepped through the portal, staff outstretched, and threw up a barrier to protect the boys.
The
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