Anyone watching us would have been baffled bywhat they saw. We used no audible language but interacted just likepeople who were talking. “Well, that will have to do, then. Ifwe are ready we should move out.” I had lost all track of timedown there and did not know how much time we had left before theDragon Claw began its attack.
As Darnath moved ahead to take the forwardguard position, I felt our net stretch and soon I could see whatDarnath saw ahead of us, and as Luke fell behind to take therearguard position I could see what he saw at the same time. I wassilent for a while as I made sense of seeing through three pairs ofeyes at once. They talked amongst themselves about various optionsin the route we could take, and other mission-related topics. Thefree exchange of ideas between them was a masterful demonstrationof how team planning should work, but never seems to. This mediumof communication seemed to allow a more pure exchange of ideas.They could talk with any combination of the five senses at once, soinstead of just describing an idea, they could show everyone whatthey were picturing.
Ahead through Darnath’s eyes I saw theentrance to the room that contained the gate. There were twoguards, firmly entrenched behind a partial shield wall with wandsat the ready, scanning the corridor in both directions. Darnathwaited for us to catch up.
“I do not like this. They are too wellentrenched there. I doubt we could get past them beforereinforcements arrived,” I said. I checked my gear to see if Ihad any hand-grenades left. I was sure I did not but hoped I waswrong. As I had thought I did not have any, but in looking for themI unintentionally sent the image of my idea to all the BlackAdders.
“Sir, that is a great idea. I can take asmall part of the explosives from the bomb and make one,” saidMajor Jerran.
“Without a timer, how will you detonateit?” I asked.
“Well, sir, the stuff we were able to getfrom the storeroom is notoriously unstable; it should be easy todetonate it with a light blast from a wand.” As he said that Ihad an image in my mind of the explosive drifting down the corridornear the ceiling out of sight, and then myself jumping out andshooting it.
“That sounds … looks … should work,” Isaid, stumbling for the right word to use. “Since the wands aretargeted by sight, can I use the view I have from Darnath’s eyes totarget, or does it have to be mine?”
“Sir, either will work, but you still needa clear line-of-sight path for the bolt to travel,” answeredLuke.
“Okay, here is the plan. Kellyn, you andAndreya will go through the gate first. Andreya, once through thegate use your power to hide the fact that we are all comingthrough. Kellyn will guard you with her wands and should you beattacked she is your best chance of survival until the rest of usarrive.
“Jerran, as soon as you are ready, send inthe bomb,” I ordered. Soon after, I saw the package travelingin the shadows towards the unsuspecting Magi. As soon as it was inplace, I rolled out into the corridor on my belly and fired mywand. When the bolt hit the package there was a bright flash oflight, followed by a loud rumble. I covered my head but could stillsee, thanks to my connection to Darnath.
The bomb destroyed a section of the corridorand the two Magi were dead, but the passage was partly blocked byrubble. I ran forward intending to climb over the pile of rubblewhen I felt myself lifted up and over it. As soon as I was back onmy feet I looked back to see the others flying over, too. It tookme a moment to realize that Major Jerran had lifted us allover.
As soon as everyone was over Andreya andKellyn approached the gate, and Major Jerran began stringing outthe explosives. I felt Andreya focus on the gate and concentrate ona single thought, “A place of safety.” Then in the center ofthe gate a blue, swirling light started to grow until it filled thegate. She and Kellyn charged through, followed by the threetelepaths. As Gafar passed through the gate I lost touch with allof them.
“The bomb is live!” called out Jerran,the last one to pass through the gate.
I started to count down from fifteen in myhead. I had to wait to make sure the bomb was not interfered withbefore I left. Just as I started to count, the pile of rubbleblocking the corridor dissolved and one of the Seven stood there,lowering his staff at me. “You are too late, old man!” Itaunted, knowing that time was up and dove through the gate. WhenAndreya activated it, she did it the same way we used the wands, soI did the same, focusing on Kellyn as my target and hoping for thebest.
Chapter Seventeen
As I entered the gate everything around meturned into an iridescent blue. It was similar to jump space, but Iwas much freer in my movements. It was not like being in a tunnelor a room, more an endless sea of blue. Looking back over myshoulder I saw him again, that black specter that always joined me.This time he was much nearer, and coming for me. Instinctively Iknew that if he reached me I would die, and I could not let my teamdown. I was still holding a wand, so I turned it on him and pouredinto it all my anger over the death of the Dark Knights. The blasthit him and sent him reeling back, just long enough for me to fallthrough the other side of the gate.
As I came through the gate I felt myselffalling towards the floor, but something caught me just in time.Soon I felt the Black Adders silently communicating with me oncemore, all urging me to be quiet and not move. I wanted to scream inpain, as it felt like my back was on fire, but looking throughtheir eyes I saw Andreya maintaining an illusionary wall thatperfectly mirrored the wall behind us, and an old man staring atthe wall as if searching for us. I did my best not to move, noteven to breathe, for what seemed like years and eventually heturned and left.
Once he was gone, I felt myself being loweredto the ground and immediately Kellyn rushed to my side. “Sir, itlooks like you took a hit just before you made it through the gate.You are hurt pretty badly; I will do what I can.” With that Ifelt her warm hands on my back and energy leaving her, passingthrough me. As she worked I lost the communication link with theAdders, but I felt a deeper connection to her. I felt her think,“Sir, I know what demon chases you, and so long as there is anypower left in me, it will never catch you.” Then I had a visionof her standing between myself and that dark specter. She washolding up her staff and glowing brightly while the specter foughtfruitlessly against her.
Then it all faded away and I felt a weight onmy back. Soon I was able to re-establish communication with theBlack Adders, but Kellyn was not there. “She is overtired, sir.We need to find a place for her to rest,” said Jerran.
She was the weight on my back. With Gafar’shelp I was able to get up, and pick her up. “Then let’s find asafe place,” I said. Andreya lowered her illusionary wall andwe began to move out when he appeared again.
It was the same man as before. He was wearinga long, flowing, dark purple robe covered in glowing symbols. Hehad a tall pointed hat and a long white beard. In his hand he helda staff, but one completely unlike the sleek black staves of theMagi. This one looked more like a tree, with a crystal ball on topinstead of leaves.
“Welcome, Black Adders, I have been waitingfor you,” he said in a grandfatherly voice. “The little one needsrest, as do you all. Come, I will show you a safe place.”
With that he turned to leave, and I startedto follow him. The others seemed uncomfortable with this, so I toldthem, “My instincts say we can trust him, and rarely am I wrongabout a person.”
That immediately put them at ease. I got thefeeling from them that the instincts of a Black Adder were farbetter than any scanner. It was then I realized that they hadfinally accepted me as one of their own.