by Chris Fox
The bearded man slammed his club into Baldus, crushing his shoulder and arm. Baldus staggered back with a cry, allowing me to maneuver behind him. I was vaguely aware of Nara and her companions, who were quickly and efficiently slitting the guards' throats.
Baldus stabbed a finger at the bearded man, and a beam of blue-green lightning shot into the slave's chest. I didn't recognized the magic, and watched in horror as the slave began to shrink. His bushy beard spread, and within seconds the man was gone. In his place lay a tiny, quite harmless, hedgehog.
I overcame my shock, gliding toward Baldus. Energy stirred within me, a mixture of the power I'd borne when I first arrived, and the new void magic I'd gained from Xal. I combined them, deep purple lighting crackling around my blade. I rammed that blade into Baldus's back, just above the fourth vertebrate.
The stored energy rippled through his body, and he began to twitch and thrash. Smoke rose from his body as the void lightning completed its work. The charred stench of human flesh billowed out from his armor. I blinked, struggling to grasp the power of what I'd just done.
"That was impressive, Aran," Nara said. I looked up to find her aiming her spell-dagger in my direction. "There's no way our mutiny would have succeeded without you. You're going to make a wonderful apprentice, assuming you're smart enough to lay down that sword."
Behind her, all four of her companions had armed themselves with spell-rifles. There was no way I was going to overcome them. I didn't trust Nara, but I didn't have a better choice. I dropped my sword.
Nara waved her dagger at her closest supporter. "Go pick that up. We'll give it back to him when we're sure he's not going to do anything stupid. Let's go."
They started back for the ship, two of them dragging Baldus's still smoking body. I wasn't surprised. His armor, the ruby in his eye socket, and his stave were all of nearly incalculable worth. Certainly more than I was.
I sighed, bending to scoop up the hedgehog. It peered up at me suspiciously, growling.
"Hey, don't blame me. I have no idea if the spell will dissipate over time, but if not maybe can find someone to dispel it." I started after Nara, wondering what came next.
My situation wasn't of my own making, but at least no one was trying to kill me. For now.
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Dedication
Cast of Characters
Previously on Ganog Wars
Hold The Line
Planetstrider
Prologue
1. Nyar Prime
2. Warp Anchor
3. Explain
4. The Summit
5. Fleet Leader
6. Rebuffed
7. Kokar
8. Grak
9. Workable
10. Nowhere Is Safe
11. The Mission is Yours
12. Azatok
13. To Me
14. Clanless
15. Nyar Will Fall
16. A Fool I've Been
17. Don't Do This
18. Halut
19. Sanitation Ducts
20. Life Debt
21. Reunited
22. Spit In Death's Eye
23. Defiant
24. Called To Account
25. No Legend
26. Extraction
27. Fall Back
28. The First Arcanotome
29. Inside The Tome
30. More Guards
31. Bruth
32. Longshot
33. We Have The Technology
34. Repairs
35. Nyar
36. Catch Our Breath
37. The Void Wraith
38. No
39. Into The Spire
40. Yeah, Still No
41. Nameless One
42. I'll Get Right On That Miracle
43. Get Their Attention
44. Everyone Is Online
45. Upper Spire
46. Assault The Beacon
47. No, You Are Not
48. Sacrifice
49. Boom
50. Azatok
51. Respect The Tigris
52. Not Good
53. Online
54. T'kon's Decision
55. Dire Consequences
56. Speech
57. Transform
What Comes Next?
Planetstrider
I. Tech Mage
1. Cargo Hold
2. Into the Eye
3. Demons
4. Enlightenment
5. Betrayal
