The Gem Lords

The Battle of the Portal - Part 7

     The fourth ship had struck the Jules Verne while he'd been below decks and he was just in time to see the spreading cloud of flaming wreckage where it had been blown apart by the impact. The Jules Verne was still intact, but only just. Its hull had taken a tremendous pounding, and as the smoke of battle cleared he saw that it had suffered a serious breach. A flap of steel six feet wide had been torn open and pushed inwards, exposing a portion of deck six, the moon trog deck, and as he stared in terrified fascination he saw several smaller cracks and fissures. That entire side of the ship was ready to cave in. One more impact would crack the ship like an eggshell. It was fortunate that there wouldn't be any more. He'd ended the threat of the suicide ships...

     The spell that hit him was completely unexpected. The remnants of his defensive spell were torn apart and agony flared along his left side, just under the arm. He collapsed to the deck, gasping in shock and surprise, and curled up in an attempt to ease the terrible pain. What had happened? Who'd attacked him? There had only been two wizards and he'd killed them both. He groaned in sudden realisation. He'd only assumed there were only two wizards. There might have been more below decks. Perhaps lots more.

     Right now, though, just one was one too many. He only had enough magic left for a few minor spells. Nothing capable of penetrating the powerful shell of force he saw surrounding the man who strode confidently towards and past him. Thomas was finished and they both knew it. Thomas could only watch helplessly, gasping in pain, as the other wizard walked to the prow and reached down to place his hands on the ship's ram, casting a long and laborious spell.

     After a moment the ram began to glow under his hands, a dull, throbbing red. Another explosive spell. The same as the other ships had carried, programmed to detonate when it hit the Jules Verne. As Thomas watched in helpless horror the Garusian ship began to turn, gathering speed as it aimed itself at the weakened section of the Jules Verne's hull. He saw the Tharian ship desperately changing course in an attempt to escape, but the Garusian ship was much faster and more manoeuvrable and remained firmly locked on to its target. At that moment space around the two ships turned a rosy red, as if someone had just flipped a switch. The portal had opened, but that wouldn’t save the Jules Verne. Both ships were going through together.

     Thomas forced himself to ignore the pain and raise himself up on his elbow, pointing with a trembling hand, but the firebolts he cast were absorbed harmlessly by the other wizard's shield. The Garusian laughed contemptuously and strode towards him, not bothering to evade any other spell Thomas might be able to cast. Thomas tried to point again, but his hand was shaking too much, and the pain had driven the words out of his head anyway. He collapsed onto his back, staring up into the rosy tinged starry sky, and found himself staring up at the Garusian wizard towering over him, one foot on either side of his waist.

     He spat on his face and laughed, then grabbed his arm and hauled him to his feet. Thomas was dragged across the deck, sobbing in agony, and thrown onto a burning coil of rope. Thomas screamed at the new agony, drowning out the Garusian's mocking laughter, and then there was a foot in the middle of his back, pushing him down into the flames. The Garusian shouted something at him, gloating in triumph and mocking Thomas's futile efforts as the stricken form of the Jules Verne loomed ahead of them.

     Thomas struggled to rise, to fight, to find the words of a spell, but the heavy foot only pressed harder, forcing him down into the flames, and then there was only agony as the skin of his hands and face began to bubble and melt.

     Suddenly, there was another cry of pain and the pressure on the middle of his back was gone. Thomas rolled out of the flames, his clothing on fire, and he beat at himself in a desperate attempt to put them out. He was vaguely aware of a battle being fought somewhere behind him, but his whole world consisted of fire and pain and he couldn't spare any attention to see what was going on. Finally, there came the terrible cry of a man's death. The final mortal scream as the soul left his body and the solid thump of a corpse hitting the deck.