The Shattered Path

Chapter 35 - The Veil

Alara covered her face with her arms. She raised every magical shield that she knew, hoping it would be enough. The dueling wizards tugged at the nearby flows but she managed to draw in her fair share of energy and lhaeris. The concussion of a blast threw her against the man seated behind her. The impact was softened by magic for her, but the man cried out. She knew he probably believed he had been struck by a stone.

Alara climbed to her feet. Syrs was gone! The flash had left colored spots before her eyes. Black smoke whirled above the large hole in the wall in the corner of the room. Small flames flickered around the edge of the opening, burning bits of wood littering the floor. The stunned patrons scrambled for the door, many punching and kicking to get to the front.

Genbael stood where he had, now lowering his hand. He stepped carefully through the hole into the night. Debris crunched beneath his feet. His dark robe dragged across the burning wood but didn't catch fire as it seemed it should have.

Alara held her breath. Had Syrs had been incinerated? He couldn't be dead. She refused to believe it. He couldn't die that easily!

Crackling blue energy engulfed the Raujornian as he stepped outside. When the energy dissipated, he continued walking as if nothing had happened. After he moved out of sight, brilliant flashes of red and blue lit the street like an eerie, macabre daylight.

Syrs was alive! Alara was relieved, but it seemed that this battle was only beginning. She was at a loss for what to do. It seemed the two wizards were going to finish a battle they had started years ago and Syrs hadn't given any indication he wanted her to interfere. It was another example of men and their honor; something she was tired of being associated with.

However, Syrs had hinted that the other Raujornians couldn't enter the Veil, or at least Alara had taken it as a hint. She had never tried to enter, though she was certain she was capable. She knew it had something to do with lhaeris, but she had no idea how to go about it. She doubted she had time to teach herself. Fiddling with the magic involved would likely only reveal her location to the other Raujornians, if they didn't already know where she was. But Syrs had said envelop herself in lhaeris?

The frantic patrons continued struggling and fighting to exit through the front door. Many men shouted threats, while others cried in pain.

Alara moved to the burning hole in the wall and cautiously stepped out on the street. The two wizards had already moved out of sight. Burning bits of wood smoldered on a dim street, illuminated only by the orange flames burning around the opening in the wall.

An explosion shook the building across the street, causing the structure to creak and lean to the left. The building didn't collapse, but it held there. A billowing cloud of smoke and flame rose above the roof. Smoldering wood showered the street, striking Alara's magic shield to bounce away harmlessly.

Shouts and screams rose around her as people ran in confusion. Some came to see what was causing the commotion. Most people, it seemed, had the good sense to run away from the spectacle. Alara understood magic and she was terrified, so she knew the poor citizens had to be frightened out of their wits. Perhaps it was only the calm of lhaeris that prevented her from being the same.

Assuming Genbael hadn't lied, there were eight other Raujornians in the city. She wanted to avoid them and reach the harbor, but was unsure which direction to go. She worried that her father was in the city, and might be hurt, but she knew she couldn't search for him even if he was there.

An orange ball of fire streaked high overhead, leading a trail of cinders. It struck something in the distance, out of sight, raising another billowing cloud of fire. She saw the unmistakable furled sails of the mast of a ship silhouetted against the plume of glowing smoke. Now, she knew where the harbor was located. Bouncing off of the chest of a stout man in leather, she ran along the street in that direction.