Delver Magic Book III: Balance of Fate
Page 40
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Frowning and shaking his head, Sazar’s normal flowing and hypnotic voice dropped to a grumble. “Why are they not counterattacking? They are allowing us to move unimpeded. Their cavalry is doing nothing more than gathering up some of the farmers.”
Throwing a fist down on the uneven table, Sazar threw himself out of his chair and stormed to the door. “I need to have a better view of what is going on.”
He threw open the door and stepped out into the cold night air. Ignoring the snow flakes falling on his head, he sent a mental command to a hook hawk perched in a tree far off in the distance.
Lowering its head slightly, the beast turned about on a thick branch, spread its uneven wings and leapt into the air. With but a few beats of its thick wings, the monster gained altitude higher then the trees. It began to shift and swerve in the air as it headed in a jagged path toward the city of Connel. As the flying beast came close enough to view the full breadth of the city, the images it gained in its mind traveled through magical waves back to the serp.
“Much of the city is in ruins!” Sazar noted. “I knew the dwarves of Dunop attacked, but I had no idea that inflicted so much damage. The outer ring is in fair shape, but the inner city has been crushed. Over half of the buildings are nearly demolished. The dwarves must have struck from the city center. The human forces on patrol are few and far between. No wonder my rock beetles felt so little movement above them. I wonder how many humans are even left in the city. This changes things drastically.”