The crystals had grown more pronounced. Hunter noticed tiny blue icicles dangling from Ghaelvord’s fingertips. Virgil’s voice had taken on an unsettling monotone with an almost robotic quality. Ghaelvord would soon be frozen and ready for transport.

“I came. I saw. I conquered.” Hunter muttered as he caught his breath.

He felt pleased with himself. As soon as Virgil finished, they merely needed to carry Shenouda and Ghaelvord to the Khan. Then they needed to drive like the wind and get the hell out of Dodge.

“Avastol!”

Hunter heard someone shout a foreign word. He frowned and looked up. What he saw sickened his heart. Malacoda stood on the roof of the nearby wing of the great hall. He held Tiyana wrapped in his blood-red arms.

“Chronan.” Malacoda said through gritted teeth.

Virgil stopped chanting. Ghaelvord’s eyes rolled languidly to the side. He could not move his head, but with a sideways glance, he could make out Malacoda and Tiyana in the periphery of his vision. He tried to grin. His lips barely moved.

“That is right. Stop what you are doing. I will kill her, but you probably already know that. Now, let him go, carefully.” With that, Malacoda pointed his chin toward Ghaelvord and gave Tiyana a squeeze.

Virgil dropped the lapis stone. It ceased glowing. Blue liquid droplets fell from Ghaelvord’s fingertips as the icicles began to melt.

“Now the sword.” Malacoda pointed his chin at Hunter.

Hunter’s muscles tensed. White-hot anger filled his consciousness. He gritted his teeth hard. He wanted desperately to activate the kebaac, and throw the sword at the scarlet demon. He felt confident that he could pull the feat off before Malacoda could react. The beast would fall forward off of the roof’s edge, impaled on Hunter’s wurtzite-crystal blade. Hunter pictured it happening. He felt confident, but not confident enough. He could not bring himself to risk the safety of the love of his life. Without taking his malevolent gaze off of Malacoda’s eyes he slowly turned to face the hostage-taker. He raised the sword with his left hand and let it drop to the ground.

Out of the side of his mouth, Hunter spoke into his earpiece without moving his lips, “Hongo, come on buddy. We’re in a bind.”

After he said it, he realized that his earpiece had fallen out during the declopse. Hongo did not hear him. Hongo still sat perched in a tree to the east of the front entrance to the great hall. The uprooted tree trunks that comprised the Lincoln-logged main building blocked his sight to the scene of the action, which was west and slightly north of his position. Hongo did, however, see the group come around the corner of the building.

Virgil came around first. Hongo knew that something was wrong when he saw Virgil’s hands clasped around the back of his head. Hunter came next carrying Shenouda’s body slumped across his right shoulder. Ghaelvord walked behind him. Ghaelvord held Hunter’s swords in one hand and Virgil’s staff in the other. Ghaelvord wore a wide, haughty grin on his face.

In an unbearably cloying voice Ghaelvord addressed his captives, “So, you are the one they call Hunter, and you, wizard, you are going by Virgil. Wonderful. Now I know what to call you both. My hands are quite full by the way, carrying all of your fascinating equipment. You could probably get it back if you want to fight for it.”

Hunter and Virgil said nothing and continued walking.

“No takers? Disappointing.” Ghaelvord’s voice changed and became menacing, “I’d like to see you beat me unarmed, without your precious swords and without your precious magic.”

Hongo put Ghaelvord’s head in his sights. Just before he pulled the trigger, a black, flapping wing obscured his sight. He turned the scope downwards and saw Malacoda descend gracefully in front of the front doorway. Tiyana was wrapped up in the demon’s arms.

“Ma Ang’o…” He muttered under his breath.

Hongo now had only seconds to decide who to shoot. If he shot Ghaelvord, then Malacoda could injure or kill Tiyana. If he shot Malacoda, well, he had an AWC G2 bullpup sniper rifle. If he missed, the bullet would penetrate all the way through its target. Malacoda’s massive red arms made it difficult to see exactly how and where Tiyana was being held. If he misjudged her position, the bullet would pass through Malacoda and into her. He tried to get a bead on Malacoda’s head, but the head bobbed and wove as he hovered just inches off of the ground. Also, the flapping wings distracted Hongo. As Hongo tried to get a bead, Virgil and Hongo filed inside. Malacoda followed them and Hongo missed his opportunity.

“Kumbe.” Hongo muttered.