What a fine day it is today, a bit of rain and looking forward to an even finer evening playing two gigs! Busy, but managed to get some time to write the next pat of the book "The Written"! Here's a quick sneak preview.... and also check out the Twitter, just search for BenGalley.
Farden turned to face his foes, planting his feet wide and feeling his hands shake with magick. Their stealthy approach ruined, the attackers shouted and bellowed, noisily crashing through the forest towards him. Their shouts and cries had woken the abbey from its peaceful slumbers and a handful of guards tumbled out of the main door still struggling with their armour and wiping tiredness from their eyes. The moon and stars bathed the abbey grounds in a pale glow, but it wasn’t enough to fight by, so Farden slammed his wrists together and a piercing white light burned the shadows away from the edges of the forest. The trees shook with movement, and the sound of men and metal clattering through the undergrowth grew even louder.
‘Stay together!’ Farden shouted to the confused and bewildered soldiers. They rushed to his side and readied their weapons, forming a little line halfway across the lawn. Arrows hissed exploded from the leaves and thudded into the grass inches from the men’s feet but they held firm, their courage bolstered by the powerful mage standing with them pulsing with magick.
Farden stretched out his hands by his legs and a sudden wind flattened the grass around the group. Dead leaves scurried around their feet and cloaks clapped and fluttered, crackling like whips.
‘Hold on!’ Farden bellowed to the others while slowly moving his hands forward inch by inch. At that moment two hooded figures sprang from the shadows between the trees and ran towards screaming at the men. The mage’s hands shook with energy as he seemed to push against an invisible wall. The wind howled wolfishly. The figures were knocked flat and their swords tumbled from their gloved hands. The intruders grabbed the grass to keep themselves from being torn away but it was useless. Just as two more men emerged from the darkness their friends were ripped from the earth and flew backwards into their friends. Armour crashed amidst crack branches and the broken tangle of men and swords tumbled back into the forest.
Farden strained and slowly wound the spell down, but a sudden flash of light in the corner of his eye caught his attention.
‘Watch out!’ A shout rang out from his right and a spitting bolt of fire tore out of the darkness towards them. Farden spun and threw himself flat to the ground as the fireball exploded against the chest of the man behind him. He crumpled to the ground with a gurgling choke and flames licked at his face and neck. The poor man frantically patted at his scorched chest and the others ran to quench the fire. Farden took a stand and threw two of his own roaring fireballs back in the same direction. He crouched to watch the fire burst against a tree where dark figure lurked at the edges of the forest...
Hope you like, let me know!
ben_galley@hotmail.com
(C) Copyright Ben Galley 2009
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