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he castle walls。
Tempest glanced over his shoulder before descending the stone steps。 Raj Ahten's Invincibles raised their shields and charged。 At their head； fifty men raced with a battering ram； a giant iron wolf's head at the ram's end。 Tempest knew little of siege magics； but he could see that the iron wolf's head was bound with powerful spells。 Fire glowed in its dead eyes。
Though the drawbridge had fallen open； Tempest's men had hastily set a wooden manteleta frame of timbersjust inside the green。 The ram would smash into the inner defenses。 Behind those defenses； Longmot's mounted knights had bee restive。 They held their great lances at the ready； helm visors down。 Their horses shifted their weight from foot to foot； eager to charge。
Raj Ahten's Invincibles raced forward； the earth thundering beneath their iron…shod feet； pounding under the hail that began to fall more earnestly。 These Invincibles were men with great endowments of stamina and brawn and metabolism。
Giants loped ahead with ladders； Invincibles with their ram。 Arcane powders strewn from the balloon hung over the castle gate now； like a gray hand of doom。
For a moment； Tempest hesitated behind the ramparts inside the gate； wondering if he should stand with his men or hurry forward to slay Shostag。
Across the fields； Raj Ahten's artillerymen let catapults fly。。。
Raj Ahten watched approvingly as the catapults let fly shells bearing mineral powders of sulfur； potash； and magnesium that would mix with other salts in the cloud above the castle wall。
The firing of these shells was timed so that they would stream through the skies at the same moment his battering ram drew within a hundred yards of the drawbridge。
In the darkness and hail； the bowmen on Longmot's walls saw the catapults fly； and dropped for cover； losing the precious second they needed to choose a target from among Raj Ahten's Invincibles。
For long years Raj Ahten had nurtured his flameweavers； feeding them。 On the mountains south of Aven； fires burned constantly so they might appease the Power that the sorcerers served。 His flameweavers were； Raj Ahten believed； the most fearsome of their kind on earth。
And these flameweavers had made great studies in the use of explosive fires。 It had long been known that when wheat and rice were poured into their granaries； the flame of a small lantern could ignite the air with explosive force。 Miners pounding out coal deep beneath the mountains of Muyyatin had long known that coal dust would spark at the touch of their lamps； sometimes exploding so ferociously that entire passages within the mine would cave in。
For generations； people had raised borage flowers to give them courage； and children had delighted in throwing the dried stalks into the fire to hear the popping sounds they exuded as they exploded。
But no one had considered how to benefit from the explosive force of such agents。 So Raj Ahten's flameweavers studied the phenomenon； learned to prepare and grind and mix the powders。
Now Raj Ahten watched in awe and satisfaction as years of nurturing his sorcerers and financing their grim study paid off。 The skies all around went blacker than the deepest night as the final ropes of fire twisted down from heaven。 Hail plummeted from the air； and the sound of thunder raged overhead。
The huge bonfire where the flameweavers stood with the beings they summoned suddenly snuffed out like a candle； the green walls collapsing； the creatures within drawing all light and heat into themselves。
The skies remained black； and in that sudden total darkness； no archer could have seen his target to shoot。 For ten seconds； the skies gave no light。
Atop the castle walls； Orden's knights performed one last defiant act。 They broke into a grim song。
Under the cover of that shadow； Raj Ahten's troops continued to race for the walls。
As the bowmen on the castle rose to shoot at unseen attackers； a blinding light shot from the center of the flameweavers' infernos。
The sorcerous blast roared like a living sun from flameweavers and salamanders； and a green flaming wave of fire swept from the hilltop； raced toward the castle。
In the sudden rush of light； one could see the terrified faces of Longmot's defenders。 Brave boys unmanned； brave men trembling but still defiant。
As the wave of flame traveled inexorably toward Longmont； it touched the arcane powders in the sky。
Then the whole arch above the gate roared into an inferno。 Raj Ahten's powders exploded in a cloud of fire that rose like a mushroom some hundred yards at the base； slowly ascending a mile into the air。 The concussion threw defenders from the walls like rag dolls。 Many fell； stunned。 Others staggered back in abject terror。
But the great green wave of flame was not a mere spark to touch off the explosive powders。 It was much more than that。
The wave of green fire smote the castle walls； washing over hundreds of defenders who still stood。
On the crowded walls； away from the initial explosion above the arch； warriors were crammed shoulder to shoulder in ranks six deep。 The green flames rolled over them like the roaring waves of the sea。
Longmont had been the perfect castle for Raj Ahten to use his powders on。 Its south face was but a hundred and twenty yards wide。 Defenders had concentrated along the upper wall…walk in that hundred yards。
Raj Ahten's flameweavers incinerated perhaps some two thousand men。 As the mushroom cloud rose； Raj Ahten's flameweavers now fell unconscious into the ruins of their own bonfire。 No flames leapt in the remains of the fire。 No smoke rose； for the flameweavers had drained the vast majority of the energies from it； and in an instant the great blackened logs had incinerated； bee ash。 So now the flameweavers lay dazed among the hot coals。
But the white…hot salamanders suddenly leapt； as if freed from a cage； rushing hungrily toward the castle。
The scene before the castle gate was a pandemonium。 Under the cover of darkness； Raj Ahten's giants had made the wall。 Raj Ahten's archers unleashed a hail of deadly arrowsa hail that proved almost unnecessarywhile his Invincibles began to race up ladders to the tops of the battlements。
No defenders stood on that south wall now。 The explosion and waves of fire had all but emptied the wall…walk。
The castle gate stood undefended。 The east tower was a smoking ruin。 But within the west tower； a few men tried one last trick。 King Orden's men unleashed a rain of burning oil； pouring it down runnels within the tower。 Stone gargoyles above the gate suddenly spewed the vile stuff as Raj Ahten's troops raced in with their battering ram。
Some of Raj Ahten's men faltered under the heat of that oil； but such was the speed of the men running that the head of the ram still struck the mantelet behind the castle gate。
All the energy of the spells bound within the wolf's head exploded against the mantelet； sending timbers of wood splintering in all directions。 Defenders behind the mantelet shrieked and died under the onslaught。
And in Raj Ahten's mind； a peculiar flame began to dance。
He knew that he should restrain himself now； that it was wrong to destroy men so ruthless