Free Army of the Dead by Richard S. Tuttle Page A

the roof of the building. LifeTender and ValleyBreeze followed her closely, and Temiker panted to keep up. The Star of Sakova made her way down to the waterfront. Over a thousand archers peppered the Motangan small boats and hundreds of mages threw fireballs. The Motangan catapults aimed for the archers and the mages, leaving the entire waterfront area in ruins.
    Lyra halted near her group of mages. Her eyes slowly scanned the seas until she found a Motangan mage in one of the small boats. She raised her arm and pointed at him. A blast of power shot from her fist. It soared over the waves and hit the mage squarely. The mage was blown from the boat, a fist sized hole punched clear through his body.
    “Aim for their mages,” shouted Lyra. “Let the archers concentrate on the soldiers.”
    Lyra’s eyes sought out another black cloak and blew him away. The rest of the Sakovan mages also concentrated on the black cloaks. Within minutes there were no fireballs coming from the small boats of the second wave.
    “You have such power,” Temiker remarked with awe. “Try that force bolt on one of the small boats.”
    Lyra nodded and aimed for the nearest small boat. Her bolt ripped through the bow of the small boat and the soldier behind it. The boat immediately began sinking and the soldiers abandoned it. Lyra targeted another small boat, but she aimed along the side of it. Her force bolt tore the side off the boat, immediately capsizing it.
    “You are just trying to delay your departure from Alamar,” chuckled Temiker. “Keep that up and none of the Motangans will reach the shore.”
    Fireballs erupted from the small boats of the third wave. They were all aimed at Lyra. LifeTender and ValleyBreeze had erected shields around Lyra, Temiker and themselves. The shields glowed brightly as a dozen fireballs impacted them.
    “On second thought,” frowned Temiker, “taking out their mages is a better idea.”
    Lyra nodded as she shifted her concentration to the small boats of the third wave. Temiker joined in as they targeted the black cloaks. The catapults from the Motangan ships suddenly started striking the area around Lyra. Temiker knew that the magical shields around Lyra would not protect her from the catapults. He grabbed her and dragged her back.
    “Now,” Temiker said forcefully, “it is time for you to leave.”
    A catapult load splattered on the beach not twenty paces away. Flaming debris peppered the mages, who screamed and leaped back. Lyra sighed heavily and nodded.
    “Organize the mages,” she said to LifeTender and ValleyBreeze. “Continue attacking the Motangan mages if you can do so safely. Have them fall back when it is no longer safe to be where they are. I do not want to trade mages with the Motangans. That means preserving our mages is the priority. We will need them for the rest of this war.”

Chapter 5
Retreat
    Xavo exited the temple in Vandamar and hurried to the jungle path leading to the beach. He and Lady Mystic had magically carved out a clearing in the jungle a short distance from the beach. It was a hidden place where they could meet and talk without being observed in public. The Disciple of Vand smiled as he entered the clearing and saw Lady Mystic sitting with her back to a tree.
    “That must have been a rather short session,” Lady Mystic remarked. “I did not expect you for an hour or so.”
    “Secrecy is utmost at the present time,” shrugged Xavo. “Clarvoy was wounded in Fakara, and Vand has become more paranoid, if that is possible. I was politely excused from the rest of the session.”
    “Excused?” echoed Lady Mystic. “That is highly irregular. I wonder if Vand suspects you?”
    “I have no reason to believe that,” replied Xavo. “All disciples were excused. I was not singled out.”
    “Hmm,” pondered Vand’s daughter. “Who was allowed to remain?”
    “Only Clarvoy and the premers,” answered Xavo. “I assume that they will be discussing strategy for the