Free Eternity's Mind by Kevin J. Anderson

had spotted the fireballs racing toward Ildira. The Adar had activated the guardian warliners to stand as a barrier, but the faeros were coming in fast. “Prepare all available weapons. Laser cannons first, but be ready with sun bombs and conventional projectiles.” His throat went dry, but he kept his voice strong. “We will have to try everything.”
    He and all the Solar Navy crew braced themselves … but the burning ellipsoids dodged through the blockade like embers scattered from a fire, ignoring the warliners and plunging into the atmosphere.
    â€œShould we pursue them down to the surface, Adar?” asked his weapons officer.
    Below, the faeros converged above the center of the Prism Palace. The warliner’s communications officer sounded tense and perplexed. “The faeros have made no aggressive moves. The Mage-Imperator has gone to meet them.”
    â€œStand ready,” he said. “Let us not provoke them. Yet.”
    An agonizing hour passed. Whatever happened down on the surface, Zan’nh knew the faeros would come back. Rather than waiting in helpless dread, he used the time to prepare. All soldiers knew that if they were forced to hurl themselves into the path of the faeros, they would surely be vaporized—but it was a price they were willing to pay to defend the Ildiran Empire.
    Again, alarms bolted through the warliners gathered in a tight cordon. “Faeros are withdrawing to orbit at full speed, Adar! They are heading directly toward our warliners.”
    The fireballs closed in, scorching a path through the outer atmosphere. “Stand ready,” he said. He had to hope. “Report from the surface? How much damage to Mijistra?” And is the Mage-Imperator still alive?
    In the past, the faeros had obliterated the city and melted the Prism Palace. Yet if there were substantial casualties, he would have sensed the death of so many Ildirans through the thism, especially Mage-Imperator Jora’h. Therefore, the faeros must not have attacked. So why had they come?
    The sensor chief called in a voice that cracked, “No obvious destruction in Mijistra, Adar.”
    â€œIf we wait any longer to launch sun bombs, Adar, we will also be destroyed in the detonation,” said his weapons officer.
    The faeros roared closer, clearing the atmosphere and rising up to orbit toward the Solar Navy.
    â€œAdar?” the weapons officer pressed, ready to launch the sun bombs.
    â€œNo … this is not what I thought.” Zan’nh stared at the oncoming fireballs until his eyes ached from the glare. What were they doing? Did he dare provoke them? If so, he knew the Solar Navy would lose.
    The comm system crackled, and a voice came through—Tal Gale’nh on the primary command channel. “Adar, the faeros caused no harm down here. They did not attack!”
    Zan’nh reacted immediately as the fireballs closed in. “Stand down. Do not fire sun bombs.” His insides twisted, knowing what a gamble this was. The fireballs rushed closer.
    Gale’nh continued to transmit from the surface. “The faeros communicated with the Mage-Imperator. We … we believe we were able to enlist their aid. Let them pass.”
    Through the thism Zan’nh’s emotions broiled. The fiery elementals hurtled closer, showing no sign that they even saw the warliners lined up against them. The Adar clenched his hands on the rail of the command nucleus. The fireballs careened into the cohort of Solar Navy warships … and then soared past and headed out into deep space as if the warliners weren’t even there. They simply rolled away into the universe.

 
    CHAPTER
    10
    COLLIN
    The worldtrees could not help free them, Collin knew that. The forest here was tainted.
    The sentient forest was one of the greatest forces in the universe, a power so vast that no one could comprehend it all. But now, when he needed them most, the verdani were