Free The Crystal Sorcerers by William R. Forstchen Page B

vestiges of what had once been wings now undulating in a rippling motion like the movement of a giant ray flying through the water.
    He was amazed to see that their power in the water equaled his own, and in fact the strongest of them was rapidly closing in. Clumsily he tried to aim over his shoulder and fire a bolt. The water boiled around him as the lightning shot snapped out, disappearing into the darkness, wide of its mark.
    Leti swung wide, and then cut an arc across the front of Ikawa, firing twice. Her first shot missed, but the second caught the lead demon in the shoulder, sending him into a downward spiral.
    The fighting here was far different, Ikawa realized, his analytical mind examining the nature of this combat even as he fled. In the air, range of firing could reach out a quarter mile or more. Down here fifty yards was probably the maximum range of an energy bolt before its power was drained off by the surrounding water. Movement was far slower as well. A close-in fight would be short and extremely deadly.
    Suddenly, from straight beneath him, three forms shot up out of the depth. They had cut in front of him!
    He fired a bolt at the closest demon, killing him, but could not turn back in time to handle the other two.
    Swinging upward, he tried to cross above them, and they reached up eagerly to grab him.
    There was a blinding flash of light, and the first demon seemed to explode. A second and third flash struck the other pursuer in the back and front at almost the same instant. The water around Ikawa was an explosion of steam and light, with the world washed in the roar of angry demons and the hissing shriek of hundreds of gallons of water vaporizing into steam.
    Storm shot past, her countenance a terrifying visage of rage, with Mark at her side.
    Spinning around, Ikawa and Leti now went over to the attack. At the sight of another demigod appearing as if from nowhere, the demons broke away, scattering in every direction. Two more fell to her fury, the water around them boiling and foaming as her bolts shot out. Forming into a triad, Ikawa, Mark, and Leti fell in on two more demons who were madly racing back to the caverns. As if guided by a single thought, all three fired at the same time, and an instant later, Ikawa found himself swimming through the charred and boiled remains of his victim, the nauseating stench of burnt demon leaking through his shielding. The cliff wall now loomed above them, the last demons scurrying into its protection.
    Frustrated, Ikawa started after them.
    "Leave it go ," Leti cried, swinging alongside him. "It's probably a honeycomb of warrens back there. They could lead you into a trap. I think they've learned enough of a lesson for today."
    There was another flash off to their right, accompanied by an echoing shriek and the boiling hiss of steam. A moment later Storm reappeared, rage still glowing in her eyes.
    "That should teach the bastards not to interrupt us," she said coldly.
    Mark could not help but smile.
    "We better get that leg looked after," Leti said.
    Looking down, Ikawa saw that the slash was a deep one, going almost to the bone. A cut from a demon was always a tricky affair, since many times it would be poisoned. For the first time he felt pain wash through him, and a rising giddiness that was quickly turning into downright nausea.
    Together, the four gained the surface. Putting a protective arm around Ikawa, Mark soared straight upward to alight on the cliff where their clothes still lay.
    Leti spoke hurriedly into her communications crystal even as she bent over to examine Ikawa's leg.
    "I've alerted the medical team," she said, and pulled the healing crystal from her belt, laying it on the wound to stem the bleeding.
    The three dressed rapidly and were preparing to take Ikawa in when from out of the darkness a form landed beside them. Two other sorcerers quickly followed.
    Without a word Allic knelt to look at Ikawa's wound.
    "It could have been a lot worse," he said