A Clash of Magics by Guy Antibes (read this if txt) 📕

directions, and Trevor didn’t have a defense against the projectiles caused by the ward. He held his arm in front of his face, and then when the blast was over, he waved his hand to clear the smoke.

A lightning bolt shot out of the door, splashing against his chest, but it was silver and had no effect on him. The others ran past him into the rooms, and the fighting was even more intense. Neither side gave quarter to the other, but numbers finally overcame the cabal magicians, and Trevor ran to the open windows in a large dining room overlooking the harbor. Magicians had used ropes to clamber down the wall to boats waiting below.

Trevor looked out into the bay to see Doford’s ships dodging the weak defense put up by the Khartooians, and then he headed toward the fleeing magicians. As he stomped through the ruins of the cabal section, there was no Gareeze Plissaki, but he did step over the body of one of the magicians who had interviewed him. Maskum’s magical prowess had suffered a devastating blow, but he wondered where Plissaki was?

Trevor stepped onto a patio with a view of the capital to see smoke coming from the palace and shook his head.

“Of course,” he said. “Magicians are defending their leader, the potentate.”

“Let me go with you,” Win said, walking up to his side with Volst and Custik.

“You aren’t strong enough,” Trevor said.

Custik squinted. “I charged your stuff before we started. You can walk back if you need to.”

“We can walk back,” Trevor said to Win. “Tell those who ask that Win and I have gone to the palace. Everyone else can make sure we have scoured the enclave.”

“Go on. Most of the fighting is over here,” Volst said.

Trevor looked at his friends. They all had scorch marks and cuts but had survived the attack. He took Win’s wrist and suddenly stood in front of the Maskum seer’s house.

“The best magicians are probably ahead,” Trevor said.

They looked back and saw banners of Viksar marching down the street. Win raised his sword and waved it at the oncoming force.

A squad of soldiers broke from the front and pulled their swords as they ran toward Trevor and Win.

“We’re friends!” Win said as he dropped his sword and raised his hands. Trevor sheathed his before reaching for the sky.

The squad kept their swords pointed at them as an officer arrived. “Prince Trevor,” the commander said. “You beat us here.”

“We did. How was the fighting?” Trevor said as he lowered his hands.

“Brutal at the gate, but after a few blocks, the citizens retreated into their houses. Will we find a defense at the palace?”

“We’ll have to be prepared for one. The most powerful wizard that I met at the enclave wasn’t there,” Trevor said. “I suspect the worst the enemy has to throw at us is yet to come. Move to the end of the block and stop.”

The Viksaran commander let two hundred men rest on either side of the street. Trevor composed messages to the other forces assigned to attack the palace. They had to run to the far end of the road toward the Jarkanese forces. “Are you willing to jump into a fight?”

“That’s what I’m here for,” Win said. “I will avenge the death of Azar Zutterak.”

They walked toward the main Jarkanese force another block away and spotted General Henkari reading his message.

“You secured the enclave?” Henkari asked.

Trevor nodded. “It was costly on both sides. Gareeze Plissaki wasn’t in the enclave. The best enclave magicians will likely be protecting the potentate. There is also a private dock on the shore side of the palace where the potentate’s ship is probably ready to set sail.”

“Then we should go there,” Henkari said.

Trevor shook his head. “No need. Samar Doford has ships enough to block its departure. I suggest that you pause long enough to confirm what everyone’s role is, assuming a powerful magician presence, before you move forward.”

“We don’t have that much time before there could be a counterattack,” Henkari said. “We’ve met the primary objective, so we should figure out what to do quickly.”

“You have the plan for the palace?” Trevor asked.

“It isn’t elegant, but this is what it looks like in general.” Henkari pulled a large paper with a crude sketch of the compound.

“I wish we had Custik with us, but it would take him half an hour to get here. Let me use your most powerful magician to teleport inside. We can land just inside the side gate at the end of the street.”

“Then do it. My men have extra shields and charms.” Henkari motioned to one of his officers. “Bring me a shield for Win Fenton.”

“I made sure the Brachians were charmed when they were going to attack the enclave from the city side,” Trevor said.

“Good. I hadn’t asked. Shall we give the potentate a visit?” Henkari asked.

“It is long overdue,” Trevor said with a grin as he handed a shield to Win.

Win and Trevor followed the vanguard as the army began to split, walking along with three of the streets leading to the square fronting the main palace gate. Before they reached the end, the Maskumites attacked.

“From this point on, our focus is to get inside,” Henkari said. “Good luck!”

Chapter Twenty-Eight

~

T revor instantly had to deal with a splitting headache as he looked at the side gate from the inside. The Jarkanese magician wasn’t much stronger than Volst or Win. Maskumite troops massed in front of the large gate with more on the top of the wall. No one noticed the two fighters moving toward the side entrance. Trevor nodded to the Jarkanese soldier as they pressed themselves in with the men after drawing their swords.

Pounding came from outside the stout side