Flaming sphere

One of the war machine crews had been too enthusiastic with its flammable packages, and the catapult was already burning, a constant danger of such tactics. The second and third were preparing for another volley. The third had been the most accurate, and had already gotten their range. There were more horns now, and arrows spattered erratically against the outer walls.

Jodah grabbed a barbarian helm and peeked over the wall, trying his best not to look like a wizard to the enemy archers. He quickly figured the distance to the nearest catapult and called the power of the mountains into his brain. Standing up, he cast the spell, then ducked back down before the archers could draw a bead on him.

He moved five feet away and poked his head over the edge of the wall. His spell had conjured a huge sphere of solid flame, which now rolled slowly and relentlessly uphill toward the catapult. As it surged forward it gained speed until it was a fiery juggernaut. The warriors in the sphere’s path shouted and dropped their weapons, and the catapult’s crew leapt from the side of their construct, heavy with another burning load.

The fire sphere slammed into the catapult and produced a rising column of flame, illuminating the area around it. In the instant of the explosion, Jodah caught sight again of the golden figure on horseback, not too far away, directing the assault. Neither the figure nor its mount seemed affected by the blast.

***

The Shattered Alliance, Chapter 10