08/26/2025 Snippet, BRAVING THE MALSTORM.

Needed more ACTION.

…

Zeke actually managed to get two shots off before he got noticed. Clearly the Haida didn’t train its mages to the same insane standards as the Dominion did. Then again, who does?

(No, the Grand Alliance doesn’t, actually. Their mages learn ten support spells for every offensive one, and they don’t specialize unless they’re insanely naturally good at it. Which is why the Dominion has been pushed back all the way to the Missouri River.)

So I had plenty of time to make the ground beneath those three suddenly have the consistency and firmness of mud, and Roger did… well, from my point of view our enemies were illuminated with a serene mix of sharp-bordered blue and yellow lights. It all felt very soothing and relaxing, right up to the point where the bad guys started howling and clawing at themselves.

And damned if one of their mages didn’t get off his gunpowder-explosion spell anyway. Not surprising, really. I personally hate that spell, but there’s no denying that it’s the best-designed one in existence. Zeke didn’t even have time to throw the gun away. …He didn’t have the need, either. The expression on Zeke’s face never flickered as he carefully put four more bullets into the writhing mix of corruption, sanctity, and mud now surrounding our targets.

I have no idea what look was on the bad guys’ faces, but I guess ‘shock’ would be a pretty good guess.

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