Chapter 27

Uriel could see that Arhyvhynne was under extreme duress. He grabbed his staff, pointed it towards Ahrokh and spoke the Words of the most powerful black robe spell Eyrmysse had taught him. Bolts of fire erupted from Uriel's staff but this time the SoulSlayer was alert and turned them aside with little effort. Without leaving its mount, the Slayer used his left clawed hand to magically clutch Uriel by the throat and suspend him in the air. Then he used the right hand to deliver a vicious slap across the face. Uriel flew thirty feet before he landed, screaming in agony at the pain from the slashes in his cheek magically inflicted by the SoulSlayer's claws.

The SoulSlayer dismounted and moved towards Arhyvhynne, who sat helpless upon her Spyhr clutching her magic sword. He snatched her off her horse and pulled her to the ground. Ahrokh was about to have his way with her when the twang of bows sounded and arrows sang through the air. In a matter of seconds, three arrows struck the Slayer in the chest all in the exact same place, piercing the black armor. A fourth took him in the stomach. Ahrokh staggered back and howled in pain. He grabbed the shafts and broke them as he tried to pull them out. The arrowheads, however, remained embedded in the skeleton. Slowly, very slowly, the Souls imprisoned within the Slayer began to escape, bleeding out from the wounds created by the arrows.

The SoulSlayer looked up with hatred burning in its eyes and saw two riders approaching, bows in hand. Ahrokh held his chest with one hand and pointed the other at one of the riders. The claw turned into a fist and the rider gave a dreadful scream before he was taken by the SoulSlayer. Then three more arrows buried themselves in the Slayer's face. Ahrokh managed to stumble back to his horse and mounted it. He called for the vhultards to attack and then rode off, hoping to salvage his many Souls.

The attack came from the poisonous birds that were airborne. The lone rider made short work of them, expending no more than one arrow apiece on six vhultards, putting the shafts through their skulls with precision. The remaining five took flight.