[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
it with them."
"Then what evidencedo we have?"
Valdez nodded to several sorcerers who stood to one side.
The three stepped forward and dropped an assortment of spears and shields by Allic's feet.
"Macha?" Allic asked incredulously.
"It would appear so, my lord. Those are weapons of the Torms."
"And do you believe it?"
"No logic to it at all, sire. We have had problems with Macha in the past, to be sure. But Macha knew
that Dirk was your son. To attack Dirk is to directly attack you."
"Then if that bastard wants war," Allic said coldly, "he'll have war,"
"It isn't logical," Valdez ventured.
"To hell with your logic. We go in tonight."
"My lord, we should at least wait till morning and check the ground. We might find more evidence then."
"I want revenge!" Allic cried.
"My lord." It was Pina, who was still standing inside the keep, and pointing at the wall beside him.
Allic turned.
"Please come here for a moment. I've found something."
Allic walked over to Pina and bent to examine the wall.
The others gathered closer and Mark turned to Valdez. "What is it?"
"Looks like battle code," Valdez replied. "All our commanders and sorcerers learn a symbolic battle
code so that a message can be left. It's one of our best kept secrets. To any untrained eye, battle code
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
looks like random scratches. A gate portal is one of the places we use to leave such messages. Maybe
Dirk was able to scratch something before they broke in."
Valdez pushed closer and looked over Allic's shoulder.
"Sarnak," Valdez said, looking back at those beside him.
There was a growl from the assembly. Allic straightened and stepped out into the courtyard.
"Then it was Sarnak," Valdez said coldly. "That bastard tried to make this look like Macha's doing. They
swept the place for message crystals to make sure, but they didn't see the message."
"We go for them now!" Allic cried, and several of the sorcerers cheered.
"My lord," Valdez interjected, "it could be a trap. Perhaps Sarnak wants to provoke a war between us
and the Torms, but he must also expect that you might outguess him in this. If you charge into his realm
without an army for support, his defenses will be too strong."
"I don't care," Allic roared. "I will be avenged!"
"Besides, my lord," Pina said, "if you should openly attack him he can turn that to his advantage. Our
only proof is the scratchings in the battle code. Before all the other demigods and gods you will look like
the aggressor."
"Damn them all," Allic cried. "Is not the death of my own son enough proof? What are you, simpering
cowards and whining diplomats?"
"My lord!" Ikawa stepped forward. "I am new here, but I was a warrior long before you knew me. I too
want revenge for what was done here. Let me propose a plan, my lord, that will catch your enemy by
surprise."
"You're good at sneak attacks," Younger sneered from the back of the crowd.
Ikawa looked over at him.
Mark quickly stepped forward. "Ikawa is right, my lord, and so is Younger. Ikawa's people once hit
mine with a surprise attack that even we must admit was effective. Listen to him, my lord."
Ikawa nodded respectfully at Mark, then turned back to Allic.
"Tell me then, and quickly," Allic said coldly, "but you better not be wasting my time."
The hour was very late but Ralnath knew his master would still be working. He knocked on the door
and entered immediately.
"My lord, we've just detected two of Allic's triads crossing our border."
Sarnak laid down the report he was reviewing and stretched. Rising, he walked to his master crystal and
activated it with a wave.
"Very curious. Why send such a weak force to reconnoiter my border? Is Allic with them?"
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
"No indication, my lord."
"Could it be that he is already attacking Macha?"
"Very likely, sire. Here, let me show you something." Ralnath meshed his mind with the crystal and
shifted the perspective. "Right here is a very large, shielded mass heading towards Macha's realm. It's
quite powerful, must have at least fifteen to twenty sorcerers to generate something that strong."
"Excellent. Step by step we approach our goal." He paused, watching the pattern of light heading farther
and farther away, then switched back to the first scene with the two triads cruising slowly at the edge of
his land.
"My normal pattern would be to react violently to a border violation," Sarnak said, speaking slowly,
"and everything must appear normal so Allic will not suspect me of this night's work. Therefore"--his
voice sharpened--"have them destroyed. Send the forces that just made the attack on Dirk--they're
already in position near the border."
Chapter 9
"You're doing an excellent job," Pina said, banking over to Mark's side.
"How's that?"
"Your flying. That's it, keep up the erratic movements, wander out of formation. We want to make this
look weak."
Mark wasn't sure if Pina was serious or joking about his clumsy flying techniques.
Damn, he could lead a flight of B-17s or 29s and have them wingtip to wingtip for a thousand miles.
Most pilots hated tight formation work, but he loved it. But there was no stick here, no throttle to gently
work up and down. This was formation flying by pure willpower. If he let his attention be diverted for just
a second, he'd start to drift. Worse yet, if his attention turned to some object on the ground, the next
thing he knew he was dropping towards it.
Mark realized that to fly with precision he needed to have his mind running on two different tracks
simultaneously--one looking for signs of the enemy, the other maintaining formation and listening in his
mind for the faint whisper of a voice when Pina projected a direction or flight change to him through the
communications crystal.
Aboard a bomber there were eleven men working together as a team, to help with the flying. This must
be what a fighter jock feels like when out on the prowl, Mark realized, and he could see why they loved
it, once they had mastered the techniques of staying alive.
Acting as bait for Sarnak's sorcerers and demons wasn't Mark's idea of a fun time, but, he admitted, he
would rather be out here with his ass on the line than be along with most of the Japanese and their escorts
forming the decoy group headed towards the south. Mark was feeling more and more comfortable with
his flying. If only he could feel as confident about his ability to fight--
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
"Your offensive crystal that Allic gave you," Pina said, "just remember to concentrate your fire through
that."
"Okay, got it."
"Okay?"
"American slang... means all right."
Pina smiled at him. "Okay," and signaling for a turn, they banked back on a more easterly course,
heading straight for a horizon that still showed no sign of dawn.
"I'm still not detecting anything. How about you two?" Pina glanced over at Mark and Kochanski and
saw they didn't understand.
"You should be using your different senses to detect danger. Hasn't Valdez gotten that far with your
training yet?"
Both shook their heads. They had no idea what he was talking about.
"This is something you should have learned already, damn it. All right, using normal vision I want you to
look over at our other triad. Can you see them in the starlight?"
Mark and Kochanski struggled to make out the figures over a hundred yards away.
"Yeah, but not very well," Mark said.
"Fine. Now I want you to shift your perception to a different level. Look for heat coming from them. Tell
your vision to go to red. Take control, and use the Essence to will your eyes to see heat waves."
Kochanski said, "Jesus, I'm seeing three bright red blobs."
"Now look at the ground--look for the herd of animals below us."
This time it was Mark who responded, "There's almost a solid mass of red down there. No, wait, if I
look harder I can see individual dots." [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl rafalstec.xlx.pl
it with them."
"Then what evidencedo we have?"
Valdez nodded to several sorcerers who stood to one side.
The three stepped forward and dropped an assortment of spears and shields by Allic's feet.
"Macha?" Allic asked incredulously.
"It would appear so, my lord. Those are weapons of the Torms."
"And do you believe it?"
"No logic to it at all, sire. We have had problems with Macha in the past, to be sure. But Macha knew
that Dirk was your son. To attack Dirk is to directly attack you."
"Then if that bastard wants war," Allic said coldly, "he'll have war,"
"It isn't logical," Valdez ventured.
"To hell with your logic. We go in tonight."
"My lord, we should at least wait till morning and check the ground. We might find more evidence then."
"I want revenge!" Allic cried.
"My lord." It was Pina, who was still standing inside the keep, and pointing at the wall beside him.
Allic turned.
"Please come here for a moment. I've found something."
Allic walked over to Pina and bent to examine the wall.
The others gathered closer and Mark turned to Valdez. "What is it?"
"Looks like battle code," Valdez replied. "All our commanders and sorcerers learn a symbolic battle
code so that a message can be left. It's one of our best kept secrets. To any untrained eye, battle code
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
looks like random scratches. A gate portal is one of the places we use to leave such messages. Maybe
Dirk was able to scratch something before they broke in."
Valdez pushed closer and looked over Allic's shoulder.
"Sarnak," Valdez said, looking back at those beside him.
There was a growl from the assembly. Allic straightened and stepped out into the courtyard.
"Then it was Sarnak," Valdez said coldly. "That bastard tried to make this look like Macha's doing. They
swept the place for message crystals to make sure, but they didn't see the message."
"We go for them now!" Allic cried, and several of the sorcerers cheered.
"My lord," Valdez interjected, "it could be a trap. Perhaps Sarnak wants to provoke a war between us
and the Torms, but he must also expect that you might outguess him in this. If you charge into his realm
without an army for support, his defenses will be too strong."
"I don't care," Allic roared. "I will be avenged!"
"Besides, my lord," Pina said, "if you should openly attack him he can turn that to his advantage. Our
only proof is the scratchings in the battle code. Before all the other demigods and gods you will look like
the aggressor."
"Damn them all," Allic cried. "Is not the death of my own son enough proof? What are you, simpering
cowards and whining diplomats?"
"My lord!" Ikawa stepped forward. "I am new here, but I was a warrior long before you knew me. I too
want revenge for what was done here. Let me propose a plan, my lord, that will catch your enemy by
surprise."
"You're good at sneak attacks," Younger sneered from the back of the crowd.
Ikawa looked over at him.
Mark quickly stepped forward. "Ikawa is right, my lord, and so is Younger. Ikawa's people once hit
mine with a surprise attack that even we must admit was effective. Listen to him, my lord."
Ikawa nodded respectfully at Mark, then turned back to Allic.
"Tell me then, and quickly," Allic said coldly, "but you better not be wasting my time."
The hour was very late but Ralnath knew his master would still be working. He knocked on the door
and entered immediately.
"My lord, we've just detected two of Allic's triads crossing our border."
Sarnak laid down the report he was reviewing and stretched. Rising, he walked to his master crystal and
activated it with a wave.
"Very curious. Why send such a weak force to reconnoiter my border? Is Allic with them?"
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
"No indication, my lord."
"Could it be that he is already attacking Macha?"
"Very likely, sire. Here, let me show you something." Ralnath meshed his mind with the crystal and
shifted the perspective. "Right here is a very large, shielded mass heading towards Macha's realm. It's
quite powerful, must have at least fifteen to twenty sorcerers to generate something that strong."
"Excellent. Step by step we approach our goal." He paused, watching the pattern of light heading farther
and farther away, then switched back to the first scene with the two triads cruising slowly at the edge of
his land.
"My normal pattern would be to react violently to a border violation," Sarnak said, speaking slowly,
"and everything must appear normal so Allic will not suspect me of this night's work. Therefore"--his
voice sharpened--"have them destroyed. Send the forces that just made the attack on Dirk--they're
already in position near the border."
Chapter 9
"You're doing an excellent job," Pina said, banking over to Mark's side.
"How's that?"
"Your flying. That's it, keep up the erratic movements, wander out of formation. We want to make this
look weak."
Mark wasn't sure if Pina was serious or joking about his clumsy flying techniques.
Damn, he could lead a flight of B-17s or 29s and have them wingtip to wingtip for a thousand miles.
Most pilots hated tight formation work, but he loved it. But there was no stick here, no throttle to gently
work up and down. This was formation flying by pure willpower. If he let his attention be diverted for just
a second, he'd start to drift. Worse yet, if his attention turned to some object on the ground, the next
thing he knew he was dropping towards it.
Mark realized that to fly with precision he needed to have his mind running on two different tracks
simultaneously--one looking for signs of the enemy, the other maintaining formation and listening in his
mind for the faint whisper of a voice when Pina projected a direction or flight change to him through the
communications crystal.
Aboard a bomber there were eleven men working together as a team, to help with the flying. This must
be what a fighter jock feels like when out on the prowl, Mark realized, and he could see why they loved
it, once they had mastered the techniques of staying alive.
Acting as bait for Sarnak's sorcerers and demons wasn't Mark's idea of a fun time, but, he admitted, he
would rather be out here with his ass on the line than be along with most of the Japanese and their escorts
forming the decoy group headed towards the south. Mark was feeling more and more comfortable with
his flying. If only he could feel as confident about his ability to fight--
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
"Your offensive crystal that Allic gave you," Pina said, "just remember to concentrate your fire through
that."
"Okay, got it."
"Okay?"
"American slang... means all right."
Pina smiled at him. "Okay," and signaling for a turn, they banked back on a more easterly course,
heading straight for a horizon that still showed no sign of dawn.
"I'm still not detecting anything. How about you two?" Pina glanced over at Mark and Kochanski and
saw they didn't understand.
"You should be using your different senses to detect danger. Hasn't Valdez gotten that far with your
training yet?"
Both shook their heads. They had no idea what he was talking about.
"This is something you should have learned already, damn it. All right, using normal vision I want you to
look over at our other triad. Can you see them in the starlight?"
Mark and Kochanski struggled to make out the figures over a hundred yards away.
"Yeah, but not very well," Mark said.
"Fine. Now I want you to shift your perception to a different level. Look for heat coming from them. Tell
your vision to go to red. Take control, and use the Essence to will your eyes to see heat waves."
Kochanski said, "Jesus, I'm seeing three bright red blobs."
"Now look at the ground--look for the herd of animals below us."
This time it was Mark who responded, "There's almost a solid mass of red down there. No, wait, if I
look harder I can see individual dots." [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]