“I’ll admit, that’s not one of the logical alternatives I considered,” said Nickelo.
“What’s a fuel-air explosive?” said Shandria.
Nickelo answered in the same voice he’d used when teaching the cadets back at the Academy. “A fuel-air explosive, or what is called a thermobaric explosive by the military, is a combination of fuel particles interspersed in an area containing oxygen. The fuel can be either a substance of fine particles such as flour, or it can be a flammable liquid or gas. When the dispersed fuel is ignited, it burns so quickly it causes an immense blast. Not only are the flames deadly, the pressurization of the blast is extremely destructive compared to the amount of flammable material used. In order to create a fuel-air explosion, we would somehow have to get the flammable material to the cavern. In our situation, hydrogen gas would be the obvious choice.”
“Why obvious?” asked Shandria.
“Because the cavern is uphill from here,” said Nickelo. “Hydrogen gas is lighter than the other gases in the atmosphere. It will quickly move up the tunnel and into the cavern. You said the cavern had no other outlets other than this tunnel. The hydrogen gas should fill the cavern from the ceiling down towards the floor.”
“Won’t the demons be suspicious when they start having trouble breathing?” said Shandria.
“Hydrogen gas,” said Nickelo, “is odorless and tasteless. Also, we won’t be replacing all the oxygen in the cavern. In fact, we don’t want to replace it all. Without oxygen, there would be no explosion. Hydrogen will explode at a concentration of eighteen point six percent to fifty-nine percent of the atmosphere. I would suggest a twenty-five percent concentration. It’s enough to explode and be destructive, but low enough to give us time to release that amount of hydrogen in the cavern before the enemies behind us break free.”
Richard said, “How much hydrogen will we need, Nick?”
“The cavern has about nine hundred thousand cubic meters of air,” said Nickelo. “To obtain a twenty-five percent concentration, we’ll need to release about two hundred twenty-five thousand cubic meters of hydrogen.”
“Wow,” Richard said with a whistle. “That’s a lot of hydrogen. More than I thought.”
“Getting that much hydrogen is not our biggest problem, Rick,” said Nickelo.
Shandria decided to get back in the conversation. “What is our biggest problem, Master Nick?”
“Any explosion in the cavern needs a point of release for the resulting pressure,” said Nickelo. “The only existing point of release is this tunnel.”
“And we’re standing in it,” said Shandria as the severity of the problem hit her. “But it probably won’t matter. I certainly have no spells to produce that amount of hydrogen. Rick, you told me you could summon almost anything from your dimensional pack. Could you summon that much hydrogen?”
“I don’t know,” Richard admitted. “I guess it depends on how much ‘the One’, or whoever stocks my equipment, thought I would need. I’ll admit, it’s not exactly a typical request.”
“I might be able to help with the blast problem,” Shandria said. “I have a spell that would put us in the void between dimensions for about thirty seconds. Nothing could harm us while we were there. Would that be long enough to be helpful? It’s Power hungry, so I’d hate to use it and still have to participate in a major battle.”
Nickelo answered, “It would be close. All the breathable air would be consumed in the cavern and probably this tunnel also. When we return to this dimension, you’d both suffocate.”
“I have a breathing spell,” said Shandria, “but it’s self only.”
“I could summon an oxygen mask for me,” Richard said. “I’d have to lower the bottom part of my battle helmet’s face guard. That shouldn’t matter since the suit’s seal is broken anyway.”
“You’ll think it matters if something hits you in the mouth,” said Nickelo. “Or, if a fireball goes off near you.”
“Spoil sport,” Richard said. “Always thinking of the negative things, aren’t you?”
The three of them continued discussing the merits of the plan a few more minutes, but in the end, they could think of nothing better. Finally, Richard took a walk back down the tunnel to the new cave-in he’d made near the intersection. He could hear pounding already from the other side. It sounded close. When he reported what he’d heard to Shandria, they made the only decision they could. They were going to roll the dice and see what happened. Richard and Shandria begin making preparations.
Chapter 26 – Efrestra
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“Why do you not come, you doomed thieves?” boomed a deep voice echoing down the tunnel. “My forces will soon break through your pitiful barricade. Come to me now, and I will be merciful. If you make me wait longer, your tortures will become legend.”
“Nice of him to be so generous,” Richard commented as he disengaged the vent tube from where it exited his dimensional pack. The setup for the hydrogen had been relatively simple, although it had been costly in terms of Power. Richard had imagined an arms-wide vent tube emerging from his pack while releasing hydrogen gas. When he’d lifted the flap, he was hit in the face with a strong blast of cool air coming from the end of a large vent tube. The elastic opening of the dimensional pack stretched to accommodate the meter-wide vent tube. Leaving the pack on the ground, Richard pulled an ever-lengthening vent tube out of it. He continued pulling until he had carried the end of the tube a hundred meters up the sloping tunnel. That had been almost an hour ago.
“Yes,” said Shandria with a laugh. “I’m sure the mercy of the demon Efrestra would be everything we could ever expect.” Then growing serious, she asked, “Are you ready, Rick?”
Richard was busy stuffing the last of the vent tubing back into his pack. He knew he’d need every tidbit of Power he could get for the coming fight. When he had completed the process, he felt a slight amount of Power return to his reserve. It was better than nothing.
“What do you think, Nick?” Richard asked.
“As I already mentioned,” said Nickelo, “it would have been helpful if you’d thought to summon a vent tube with a pressurization gauge. But, as best I can calculate, the cavern should now have a hydrogen concentration between twenty-five and thirty percent. When you set off the can of propane you summoned, the whole cavern should become one massive fireball.”
Richard double-checked the oxygen mask he had summoned earlier. He made sure it was securely strapped to his side ready for quick use. Picking up the ten kilogram tank of propane he’d gotten from his pack, Richard pulled out a block of J22 plastic explosive from the satchel strapped over his shoulder. He set the timer to thirty seconds and attached it to the tank of propane. He’d summoned another twenty blocks of J22 plastic explosive earlier, so that left him with nineteen.
“Ready,” Richard said.
“You only have eighteen percent Power in your reserve left, Rick,” warned Nickelo, “so be careful. That hydrogen was costlier than I ever imagined.”
Richard knew only too well how low on Power he was. If the hydrogen did not explode as hoped, he was doomed in any following fight. All it would take for their plan to fail would be the existence of another outlet from the cavern, or if Nickelo had miscalculated the hydrogen concentration. Any number of factors could cause their little experiment to fail. And, the cost of failure would be death, possibly a long, torturous death.
“Good luck,” said Shandria. “I will wait for your return before completing my dimensional spell, but do not tarry. We do not have much time.”
Richard nodded his head. “Thanks,” he said. Richard turned to leave, but then he turned back. “Shandria, in case things go wrong, I just want you to know I’m glad I met you. It’s been an experience to say the least. You’ve been a good friend.”
“As have you, Rick,” said Shandria. The elf held his eyes with hers, and even through the red tint of his visor, he could tell their molten silver was churning with emotion. �
��But, do not give up hope so easily. The ways of the Creator are beyond all understanding. If it is his will for us to succeed then succeed we will, no matter the odds.”
“Well,” Richard said, “then we need to pray he wants us to succeed. If we both do get out of this, you tell that boyfriend of yours I said he’s the luckiest male in the galaxy, bar none. I’d give my right arm if your eyes sparkled when you talked about me like they do when you talk about him.”
Shandria laughed, but Richard thought she also looked like she was blushing. It was hard to tell when everything looked red through his visor.
“Rest assured, Rick, I will give him your message,” said Shandria with a parting smile. “Take care of yourself, Rick, and take care of that blue sphere. All will have been for naught if all three seed parts are not returned to my time and my world.”
Richard touched the blue sphere where it was strapped securely to his chest. It was still in its leather bag, but Shandria had assured him Efrestra would know exactly where it was. Richard ran a hundred meters up the tunnel until it began sloping upward at a steep angle. He moved a few more meters forward, then he set down the tank of propane and placed his finger on the J22 plastic explosive’s activate switch.
“Why do you stop?” boomed the deep voice from the direction of the cavern. Richard thought it was much louder now. “Come. Come forward little wizard scout. Yes, I know you. I am aware of your pathetic, untrained Power. I hold no grudge against you, little wizard. Bring me the seed sphere you carry, and I will send you back to your world with no hard feelings. Why not? You mean nothing to me. You can continue your pathetic life at the Academy. You can live whatever life you desire. I care not. All you have to do is bring me your part of the seed. Do not be a pawn in a game played by your betters. Come. Come and feel my mercy.”
He’s stalling, Rick, said Nickelo. The others must be nearly through the barricade. It’s now or never.
Richard pressed the activation switch on the block of J22 plastic explosive. He turned and ran back towards Shandria as fast as the battle suit’s legs would carry him.
“Stop,” boomed the voice in Richard’s ears. “You cannot escape. I will rip your flesh from your bones one tiny bit at a time. I will stretch out your agony for thousands of years, thief. There is nowhere to run where I cannot find you. Run, you fool, if you desire. But, I will find you no matter how far you go.”
Efrestra’s deep, sadistic laughter rang in Richard’s ears just as Shandria came into view. The elf had already started her spell. Further down the tunnel, Richard saw a stream of undead spewing through an opening in the barricade. They’d broken through already. Two demon-dogs led the charge. Richard knew it was going to be close.
Shandria’s hands were moving quickly as she tried desperately to finish her spell without messing up the gestures. Richard could hear her shouting strange words as he drew close. The elf’s outline started to waiver as if she were losing substance. Richard took a final leap and latched onto Shandria just as her form began to blur out of sight. From the corner of his eyes, Richard saw one of the demon-dogs leaping straight for the elf’s throat.
The world around Richard wavered and disappeared. He clutched Shandria tight in his arms. The elf was solid. The elf was real. But the world he knew, the world of the time-bubble, was gone. Richard felt like nothing existed except the elf and he. He heard nothing. He saw nothing. He waited, he knew not how long, then the nothingness around the elf and he started to shimmer.
The world came back into view. The tunnels were darkened with soot. There was no noise. Richard released his hold on the elf and looked to his left towards the barricade. It was gone. Not even a rock remained. There was no sign of any demons or undead. It was as if everything in the tunnel had been swept clean.
Move, came a thought from Nickelo. Don’t give them time to react.
Richard turned and ran towards the cavern. He positioned his M12 plasma rifle as he went, ready to fire from the hip.
“Wait!” came Shandria’s panicked voice behind him. “We need to go together.”
Not this time, Richard thought. He knew she couldn’t take on Efrestra. The demon knew her abilities too well. It had been obvious to Richard during their first battle with the demon that the demon knew the elf’s weaknesses.
But, you don’t know mine, demon, he thought. You don’t know mine.
Richard ran at full speed. He quickly outpaced the elf, and she fell far behind. All too soon, Richard was running the last few meters of the soot-blackened tunnel into the cavern. Scraps of charred flesh were piled along the walls. It was the only evidence remaining of the two hundred plus undead which had occupied the cavern less than a minute ago. But, the cavern was not empty of life. Richard sensed the life forces of the demons. They had been weakened, but they were still alive, and they were still strong.
Two demon-dogs came running from Richard’s right. The hound in the lead looked healthy. The trailing demon-dog appeared to have a limp, and its quill-like fur appeared singed. Behind them, Richard could see two of the taller demons. They both had spots of dark, splotchy colors as if their skin had been heavily burned. One of the taller demons was missing part of an arm, and the other was leaning against a rock for support. Richard soon saw the reason. It was missing part of one leg. But, they were both up and alive, and Richard sensed their Power reserves were nearly full. The one with a missing arm began to cast a spell.
Richard sent a burst of plasma rounds at the lead demon-dog in a vain hope to slow it down. The rounds hit something invisible about a meter in front of the demon-dog. The plasma rounds dissipated into nothing.
Their links, Rick, said Nickelo. Check their links.
I know, Richard said curtly. He sent an active scan at the lead demon-dog and traced a line of Power from the hound’s defensive shield back to a pool of Power. Shandria had been correct. While a half-hearted attempt had been made to protect the link, the protection was feeble. Richard picked a weak spot and wrapped it with Power. Then he twisted. The link snapped. Richard fired another burst from his plasma rifle at the lead demon-dog. Half a dozen rounds hit it in the chest. The demon-dog was knocked on its back. Richard fired a 20mm grenade and the demon-dog’s chest exploded in a spray of blood.
The second demon-dog stopped in its tracks as if second-guessing itself on the wisdom of attacking. A ball of energy passed over its head towards Richard. The taller demon had released its spell. It was a large ball of energy. It was larger than anything Richard had tried to deflect in his training with Shandria. He was not hopeful. Richard threw up a defensive shield to his front and angled it slightly to his left. He gritted his teeth and waited.
Fireball, said Nickelo.
“No!” boomed a deep voice from behind a group of large boulders to Richard’s left.
A wall of energy appeared ten meters in front of Richard. The tall demon’s ball of energy hit the mysterious shield and exploded in a violent burst of flames and energy. Then the shield disappeared.
“You fools,” boomed the voice. “He has a sphere. Do not risk harming it. Kill the wizard scout, but do not harm the sphere.”
Richard had heard enough. The second demon-dog was still hesitating. Richard found a weak spot in the hound’s link and duplicated the process with the first demon-dog. He broke the link with a twist. The demon-dog turned and ran towards the far wall of the cave. Richard fired two 20mm grenades and blew the demon-dog in half.
Two balls of energy came towards Richard from the direction of the taller demons. As they flew, the balls of energy merged together then separated to form a crisscrossed mesh of energy resembling a net. Richard had an uneasy feeling, but he resolutely held his ground and formed a new defensive shield to his front.
“No!” Richard heard Shandria cry. “You shall not have him.”
Again, another shield of energy formed ahead of Richard and positioned itself to intercept the incoming spells. This shield was different. Its energy was familiar. It had a taint of go
od to it. The demons’ energy-net hit the shield, and both the shield and the energy-net exploded. The force of the blast knocked Richard down.
Richard saw the elf at the tunnel exit. She held her staff to her front. It began to glow, and a ball of energy shot out of the staff towards the taller demons.
Richard did not wait to see the results. He jumped to his feet and ran for the boulders from behind which the deep voice had come.
“No, Rick,” Shandria shouted. Any other words were drowned out by an explosion as Shandria’s spell hit the taller demons’ defensive shields.
Richard ignored the battle behind him. He was on a mission to destroy the demon in the dragon’s body. He activated the assisters on the legs of his battle suit and jumped for the top of one of the boulders. It was three times the height of a man. Just as it seemed he would fall short of the mark, he gave a little boost with his telekinesis and reached the top.
You’re at eleven percent Power, Rick, said Nickelo. Levitating your weight is expensive.
Whatever, Richard thought.
Richard spied the dragon which wasn’t a dragon on the other side of the boulder. It seemed to have weathered the hydrogen explosion well. Still, it must have taken at least some damage, because the stripe down its side appeared singed. A few scales were also missing on the lower part of its neck.
Richard fired a long burst of plasma rounds at the demon’s eyes as he jumped towards it. The demon didn’t even bother putting up a shield. It merely dipped its dragon head and allowed the plasma rounds to glance off its forehead. The demon lashed out with its long dragon’s tail. Richard had already jumped to the ground, so he leaped over the tail and continued running for the lower part of the demon’s neck.
Yes, said Nickelo. The missing scales might be a weak spot.
Richard ran an active scan on the neck of the dragon’s body. Even to Richard’s untrained eye, the demon seemed to have put so many layers of defenses on the dragon’s body that it was virtually invulnerable. The missing scales on the neck were slightly less defended, but Richard wasn’t sure how to take advantage of the situation. Even damaged, the neck was still heavily defended. But, attacking the missing scales was all Richard could think of, so when he got close, he dived for the lower part of the neck.
Intergalactic Wizard Scout Chronicles 1: Wizard Defiant Page 25
