magic from his location, levelling the trees all around them and scattering them like driftwood. As the sunlight flooded the now open area the Vesdari screamed at the sudden intense pain from the sunlight striking its skin. Smoke rose from its black scales, and small bubbles started to form on its softer, more exposed areas of skin. It thrashed violently to escape its torture, but was unable to do so. Zedd gave it a choice: submit, or die in the sun. After several more seconds, which felt like hours, it finally submitted to Zedd's control. Cole was now unconscious on the floor. Zedd had not drained him fully when he had destroyed the trees, but Zedd had considered him expendable even if it had killed him. On the positive side, at least the boy mage had not been warned of their pursuit by feeling the death of a nearby mage.
Zedd allowed the Vesdari to retreat to the shade where it awaited his command. No longer able to defy him it waited in the shadows, agitated and hissing at its own dire predicament. Zedd shook with the immense effort it had taken to subdue this creature. He knew he would not be able to resume his pursuit for several hours, even if Cole awoke by then, but he also felt immense pride in the fact he had just done what nobody else had ever done before him. Smiling with an evil grin he commanded the Vesdari , “Go south, ignore all else on the way, and kill the boy mage within this forest. GO!” The Vesdari hissed at Zedd one last time, then vanished into the forest. He watched it heading south in the shadows through its own eyes, searching for its new prey.
Chapter Eight
Lusam found the crossing Renn had discovered easy enough, and headed straight back to meet up with him on the other side of the river. As he approached Renn's location, Lusam could see that he'd already gutted and de-scaled the fish, and was about to skewer them on a long sharp stick, when he noticed Lusam approaching.
“No need to do that,” Lusam said nodding towards the fish about to be skewered on the stick. Renn didn't respond, and still looking annoyed and very wet, he simply dropped the fish on the ground with the other one, and waited for Lusam to explain. Lusam could tell Renn was still angry at falling in the river. Even though it wasn't Lusam's fault he fell in, he did feel slightly guilty about dunking him completely under the water when he broke the pole he had been clinging on to. He decided he'd better try and defuse the atmosphere between them and apologise for his part in getting him wet, even though he doubted Renn would have been any drier without his help anyway. “Sorry for dunking you under the water back there, I should have given you more time to prepare before I broke your pole,” he said in his most apologetic voice. Renn just grunted and nodded his acceptance.
Lusam instinctively knew he would get no more from Renn for a while, so he proceeded to deal with cooking the fish. The sooner they ate, the sooner they could be on their way again to rescue Neala. He had been trying to think of a way to track Neala all afternoon while he kept pace with Renn. Not long before they had reached the river he thought he may have come up with a possible way to achieve it. He was keen to test his theory out, but first he had to eat something before he fainted with hunger. Running almost non-stop for two days on little more than a couple of snacks and a handful of berries, was really starting to catch up with him.
Renn removed his tunic and hung it on a tree branch to dry a little, then he sat down with his back to a large oak tree, all the time watching what Lusam would do next. Lusam felt a little uncomfortable at his scrutiny, but decided to continue all the same as if he hadn't noticed the strange looks coming from him at all. He used the same method of cooking the fish as he had used several times in the basement back at the bookshop in Helveel. He created a small fireball in his right hand and let it float about knee
Zedd allowed the Vesdari to retreat to the shade where it awaited his command. No longer able to defy him it waited in the shadows, agitated and hissing at its own dire predicament. Zedd shook with the immense effort it had taken to subdue this creature. He knew he would not be able to resume his pursuit for several hours, even if Cole awoke by then, but he also felt immense pride in the fact he had just done what nobody else had ever done before him. Smiling with an evil grin he commanded the Vesdari , “Go south, ignore all else on the way, and kill the boy mage within this forest. GO!” The Vesdari hissed at Zedd one last time, then vanished into the forest. He watched it heading south in the shadows through its own eyes, searching for its new prey.
Chapter Eight
Lusam found the crossing Renn had discovered easy enough, and headed straight back to meet up with him on the other side of the river. As he approached Renn's location, Lusam could see that he'd already gutted and de-scaled the fish, and was about to skewer them on a long sharp stick, when he noticed Lusam approaching.
“No need to do that,” Lusam said nodding towards the fish about to be skewered on the stick. Renn didn't respond, and still looking annoyed and very wet, he simply dropped the fish on the ground with the other one, and waited for Lusam to explain. Lusam could tell Renn was still angry at falling in the river. Even though it wasn't Lusam's fault he fell in, he did feel slightly guilty about dunking him completely under the water when he broke the pole he had been clinging on to. He decided he'd better try and defuse the atmosphere between them and apologise for his part in getting him wet, even though he doubted Renn would have been any drier without his help anyway. “Sorry for dunking you under the water back there, I should have given you more time to prepare before I broke your pole,” he said in his most apologetic voice. Renn just grunted and nodded his acceptance.
Lusam instinctively knew he would get no more from Renn for a while, so he proceeded to deal with cooking the fish. The sooner they ate, the sooner they could be on their way again to rescue Neala. He had been trying to think of a way to track Neala all afternoon while he kept pace with Renn. Not long before they had reached the river he thought he may have come up with a possible way to achieve it. He was keen to test his theory out, but first he had to eat something before he fainted with hunger. Running almost non-stop for two days on little more than a couple of snacks and a handful of berries, was really starting to catch up with him.
Renn removed his tunic and hung it on a tree branch to dry a little, then he sat down with his back to a large oak tree, all the time watching what Lusam would do next. Lusam felt a little uncomfortable at his scrutiny, but decided to continue all the same as if he hadn't noticed the strange looks coming from him at all. He used the same method of cooking the fish as he had used several times in the basement back at the bookshop in Helveel. He created a small fireball in his right hand and let it float about knee
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