and troll blood with it。
One of the trolls came right at him； holding up a huge cleaver。 Rych parried the cleaver； then kicked the troll in the
stomach。 That trick always worked on the drunks he used to clear out of Mowbry s Tavern back home。
Unfortunately； trolls had tougher bellies； and this one just laughed and swung again with the cleaver。
Blood pooled in the sand under him； but Rych couldn t spare a glance to see whose it was as he parried the cleaver
again。
You ve had this in a long time； the troll said as he lifted the cleaver。
While the troll was wasting time saying this； Rych stabbed the troll in the chest。
His foe falling to the sand as Rych removed the claymore； he turned to see that the blood was from both Hoban and
Allyn； who lay dead in the sand； blood pouring from multiple wounds。 An orc was charging toward the keep gates；
blood dripping from his ax。 Screaming； Rych ran for the orc and stabbed the greenskin in the back。
Ey！ Human！
Rych whirled around to see another orc。
You killed Gorx！
Gorx killed my friends； Rych said with a snarl。
Yeah； fought em； but you stabbed im inna back！
Not seeing the big deal； Rych said again； He killed my friends！
Raising his greatsword； the orc said； Well； now I m gonna kill you！
The greatsword was a lot bigger than Rych s claymore； but that meant it took the orc a lot longer to swing it； as he
had to wind up to strike； which gave Rych plenty of time to either dodge or parry。 An attempt at the latter resulted
in an impact of blade on blade that sent convulsions through his entire body； leaving Rych to embrace the efficacy
of the former。
Or so he thought the fourth time he dodged the greatsword； he bumped into Private Nash。 That caused Nash to
turn around in surprise； leaving him open to an attack from an orc s pulverizer。
Anger got Rych s blood boiling。 It wasn t enough that these orcs had to attack； now they were making him screw
up his fellow soldiers。 Screaming incoherently； he ran at the orc with his claymore。
The orc stepped aside to his left； holding out his greatsword； which cut through Rych s chest plate and stomach as
he ran past。 Whitehot agony sliced through his torso； and his scream became even more incoherent。 He flailed his
claymore about with his right hand while clutching his injured chest with his left。
Suddenly； the claymore stopped short and wouldn t move。 Wincing in searing pain even as he did so； Rych turned
to his right to see that the claymore had impaled the orc s head。
Serves you right； he managed to blurt out through clenched teeth。
He yanked the claymore out of the orc s skull； which shot a lot more pain through his chest。 For some reason； the
sounds of battle had dimmed； and all Rych could hear was a persistent roaring in his ears。
Using the family weapon as a makeshift walking stick； he stumbled forward in the sand； looking for more orcs to
kill。
TwentyTwo
A moment ago； Aegwynn had been standing in Theramore。
A moment ago； Lorena had taken a very deep breath and looked apprehensive。 Aegwynn remembered the colonel s
words about how she hated magic not to mention her nausea in response to teleporting last time。 Briefly；
Aegwynn wondered if it was such a good idea for Lorena to have eaten prior to this。
A moment ago； Jaina Proudmoore had looked determined。
Now； they stood at the mouth of a cave surrounded by a foulsmelling orange mist； leading Aegwynn to understand
why Lorena had been so unenthusiastic about ing here。 The orange miasma hung in the air like the worst kind
of fog。 Aegwynn almost felt weighed down by it。
Aegwynn had long since grown inured to the effects of teleportation； so the only disorientation she felt was related
to the mist。 She shot a glance at Lorena； who looked a bit pale； but was still holding her sword before her； ready for
anything。
Jaina； however； looked as pale as Lorena； which was not a good sign。
However； Aegwynn said nothing。 There was no going back now； and the last thing Jaina needed was someone
acting like a mother hen。 Aegwynn herself had certainly hated it when someone usually Scavell； or； when they
were sleeping together； Jonas； or one of the council fussed over her when she was exhausted and still had to do
battle； so she saw no reason to inflict that on Jaina now。
Still； there was cause for concern。 Jaina had cast four teleport spells today that Aegwynn knew about herself to
Bladescar； the thunder lizards to Bladescar； the three of them back to Theramore； and the three of them to this
cave plus scrying Zmodlor s location； doing whatever she did to keep the thunder lizards under control； and
inuring the three of them to whatever this mist did under normal circumstances。 That much casting in one day alone
would start to take its toll； and for all Aegwynn knew there was more besides。
As Jaina led the way through the mouth of the cave； Aegwynn wondered when she had stopped thinking of the
goldenhaired mage as Lady Proudmoore or that annoying little girl and had started thinking of her as
Jaina。
Aloud； she said； Zmodlor s here； all right。 She shuddered。 He s everywhere。 The demon had obviously set up
shop in this cave； and his essence was in the very rock。 She hadn t been so overwhelmed by foulness since she
confronted her son at Kharazan though some of the feeling might have been due to the mist。 It only added to the
general unpleasantness of the dank cave。 Jaina cast a light spell that allowed them to see； but all that served to do
was make the mist brighter。 Then again； Aegwynn had no interest in getting a better look at the damp walls；
stalactites the points of which threatened the top of her head and uneven stone floor。
After they d walked twenty paces into the cave； Aegwynn stiffened。 There s
I ve got it； Jaina said。 She muttered a quick incantation。
Aegwynn nodded。 Both she and Jaina had sensed the simple entrapment spell。 A lowlevel spell that any firstyear
apprentice could cast successfully； it was probably designed mostly to stop any stray animals or people from
wandering in unannounced。 It was unlikely that someone would be walking about up in this nightmare； but
Aegwynn had seen stranger in her time。 It would be just like some wolf or a lunatic mountainclimbing dwarf to
e up here and meander into the cavern just as Zmodlor and his minions were in the middle of casting something
that required concentration。 Best not to take chances。
However； dismantling the spell might well serve as an alarm。 Aegwynn made sure to keep Lorena and her sword
and Jaina and her magicks between herself and the rest of the cave at all times。
Moments later； Lorena cried； Get down！
Not being a fool； Aegwynn immediately dropped to the cold floor。 Lorena did likewise。
Jaina； however； stood her ground and held up her hands。 The fireball that roared toward her looked about to
consume her
but it stopped an arm slength before doing so； dissipating instantly。
Clambering to her feet； Aegwynn said； I d say they know we re here。
Indeed。 Jaina s voice was only a whisper。
Oh yes。
Aegwynn sighed。 The voice seemed to e from everywhere a popular demon trick。 Can the theatrics；
Zmodlor。 We re not your brainless minions； and we re not impressed。
Aegwynn！ What a pleasant surprise。 I had thought you had long since died at the hands of your son。 How fortunate
that I get to do it myself； instead。 I owe you for what you did to me。
Even as the demon ranted； Aegwynn heard strange cackling noises。
I know that laugh。 Lorena sounded disgusted。 Grellkin。
Sure enough； a score of little demons； covered in fur that matched the color of the mist； scampered toward them。
Moving forward to protect Aegwynn and Jaina both； Lorena said； I really really hate these guys。 Then she
charged ahead and attacked。
The fuzzy creatures were too much for one woman to handle； luckily； there were two women to do so。 Jaina cast
several spells that had various effects on the grellkin。 Some had their fur catch fire。 Others stopped breathing。
Others were blown into the cave walls by sudden galeforce winds in the enclosed space。 None of these were
particularly impressive spells； but they were all minor enough that they allowed Jaina to conserve her power。
But that was only the first wave。 After the first twenty were killed； twenty more replaced them。
This is a distraction； Aegwynn said。
Yes； Jaina said。 She cast another spell that disintegrated the twenty grellkin。
Another line of ten were behind them。
Colonel； Jaina said quickly； can you handle these？
Lorena grinned。 Watch me。
Good。
As the colonel waded into the demonic attackers； Jaina closed her eyes and almost stumbled。 Aegwynn moved to
grab her。 Are you all right？
With refreshing honesty； Jaina said； No。 I can cast the banishment； but only if I don t cast anything else。 Lorena
has to take care
A piercing scream echoed throughout the cavern as Lorena managed to stab the last three grellkin with one thrust of
her sword。 She yanked the sword out； and the creatures collapsed to the floor。 Staring at the ichorencrusted blade；
Lorena sighed。 I m never going to get these stains off。
I suspect that will be the least of your problems。
This time the voice didn t e from everywhere： it came from right in front of them。
The orange mist parted； which Aegwynn knew couldn t possibly be a good sign。 It revealed the massive form of
Zmodlor。
TwentyThree
P anic rooted Davin to the very spot。 Around him； his soldiers were dying； their limbs being hacked off； blades
slicing through their chests； axes cutting off their heads。
And Davin simply stood there； waiting to die。
He had thought for sure that as soon as the fighting menced； Burx would cleave him in two with his ax。 But the
orc got sidetracked by a couple of other soldiers who leapt in to defend their manding officer。 Davin wasn t
entirely clear what he had done to inspire such loyalty。
After that； no one came after him。 Orcs and trolls picked humans to fight； or vice versa； and somehow Davin；
standing closer to the shoreline than anyone else； got ignor