Titans of Chaos

"Lux fiat!" shouted Quentin, and a corona of flame appeared around his head. He had hiswalking stick raised high, shivering with eldritch power, his cloak billowing around him in a windthat was touching nothing but him. Victor rose slightly into the air, and tiny hissing dots of matterfled from his azure-flaming eye in all directions about us. I could not see them, but their internalnature was watchful and dangerous: some sort of prepared nanomachine package.

I did not flinch, of course, because I saw the utility and the inner nature of her scream. It was nota scream of fear or pain.

Colin stumbled into view at that moment and wrestled the bag hoodwinking him off his head. Asleader, I bestowed on him the privilege of riding with Quentin, because Vanity and I were notgoing to do any naughtiness to restore him to lusty boy form. Colin scrambled on the ground for amoment, looking no doubt for a rock or stick to use as a club, but all he came up with was ahandful of grass and fern. The bouquet of grass did not make a very good bludgeon, but his angerand shock made it burst into flame, which was pretty impressive, considering. The hairs of hishead stirred and stood up, and the veins stood out on his neck as he screeched his war cry.

"WINDROSE!"

(I assume it was his war cry. He was standing only two feet from me, so I doubt he was calling forme.)

Vanity was making a little pirouette in the grass. "See?" she said brightly. "No one heard me. Noone is in earshot, Leaderess. Deserted. Argent Nautilus did exactly as told."

Colin threw the burning twigs from his hand with a scowl. "Scared the piss out of me, Red! Youowe me a pair of new silk boxers. And that is the last time I fly through the air with Quentin."

Darkness gathered itself up around Quentin as silently as a black silk handkerchief when hewhispered the word to end his spell, and banished whatever fallen angel had lent him a blazingcrown.

I said, "Let's find dry ground and make camp. We can look at the empty huts in the morning:groping into them at night is not a good idea."

No one moved. Victor said slowly, "I suppose we should look for higher ground, if we want itdry."