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ms came from its ruined left eye； an old wound that had evidently festered for a very long time。
Pharaun tried to swim away from it； but the rat…demon was faster。 It whirled in the water and brought its leathery pink tail to bear on the wizard。 Pharaun took the hit with a grimace。 It hurt。
As the uridezu twisted around； obviously meaning to shred Pharaun with its ragged claws； the Master of Sorcere touched his steel ring。 The rapier appeared before him； and Pharaun set it against the demon with a thought。 The dancing sword scored a deep slash； and the uridezu's attention…as Pharaun had planned…was drawn entirely to defending itself against the magically animated blade。
Content to let the rapier keep the demon busy； Pharaun kicked away from the duel； pulling his hand crossbow and a quarrel from his belt at the same time。 When the bolt was set and cocked； Pharaun called on the power of his brooch to levitate quickly up and out of the lake。 The second his face broke the surface he coughed out lungfuls of fluid。 He shot into the air a dozen feet above the water and hung there； black droplets pattering off him to rain back down onto the rippling surface of the Lake of Shadows。
The wizard turned his attention to the ship of chaos。 Never had the vessel seemed so aptly named。 Quenthel and the draegloth fought for their lives against the rat…demon boarding party。 Before Pharaun could get the whole situation sorted； Jeggred ripped a gash in the belly of one uridezu that was deep enough to spill its bowels onto the deck。 It crumpled in a heap of steaming entrails at the blood…soaked draegloth's feet。
Pharaun counted four more of the demons； in addition to Raashub。 The captain had gathered seven of his kind。
The wizard looked down； checking on the progress of the dancing rapier。 The animated blade slit the swimming uridezu's throat。 The demon shivered then went limp in the water； slowly floating to the surface。 Its scalding blood sent coppery…smelling steam rising into the air below the hovering mage。
Pharaun recalled his rapier。 Leveling his hand crossbow； he looked back at the ship of chaos。 Quenthel held one uridezu at bay with her whip while another rushed her from behind。 Pharaun couldn't get a clear shot； so he paused； and that was all the time it took for the uridezu behind her to bite Quenthel in the neck。
Blood welled up around the deep wound； and the high priestess gnashed her teeth in pain。 With a hard； sharp jerk of her shoulder； Quenthel knocked the demon away。 From a distance it was difficult for Pharaun to see； but he was sure the uridezu left a few teeth in the mistress's neck。
Movement from Jeggred caught Pharaun's eye。 The draegloth advanced on Raashub。 A wave of panic coursed through the Master of Sorcere。 Attack or no attack； they needed Raashub to pilot the ship。 Jeggred had been itching to kill the captain since they'd first claimed the vessel； and the boarding action was excuse enough for him to finally make good on his many threats。
Pharaun； fully aware of the irony of the situation； threw a spell that set a wall of invisible force between the uridezu captain and the advancing draegloth。 Jeggred hit the wall hard； setting him back on his heels for a moment。 Raashub cowered away from the draegloth then started to sniff the air in front of him； as puzzled by his unexplained； last…second reprieve as was Jeggred。
Quenthel threw an elbow at the uridezu that had bitten her； but the demon was able to avoid the blow。 Quenthel's attacks were spasmodic and haphazard； and Pharaun knew it was only a matter of time before the two uridezu she faced managed to kill her。
The Master of Sorcere made his way quickly through a spell and sent its energy flowing out from him to the uridezu that had bitten Quenthel。
An enormous； disembodied black hand faded into existence from the thin air； and Pharaun took control over it with a thought。 The uridezu that were harrying Quenthel stepped back from the hand but too slowly for the demon that had bitten her。 The hand closed around the creature and began to squeeze。
Taking stock of the situation again； Pharaun saw that Jeggred had moved on to another uridezu； leaving Raashub to grovel behind the wall of force。
The wizard had only to will the spell…hand to squeeze as hard as it could and he could leave it to its own devices。 As the uridezu trapped in the hand started gasping for air； Pharaun tightened his finger around the trigger of his hand crossbow and sent the bolt whizzing through the air。 The missile slammed into the other demon's chest。 It paused and turned to look at the source of the projectile。
The uridezu in the hand had its mouth wide open； but no sound came out。 All the air had been squeezed from its lungs。 Pharaun reloaded his hand crossbow； and the conjured hand squeezed even tighter。 The demon's eyes bulged； and Pharaun couldn't help but watch。
The wizard launched another bolt at the demon that was still managing to dodge the high priestess's whip。 The missile slammed home； pushing the uridezu toward Quenthel。 The rat…man was staggered but far from dead…which was more than Pharaun could say for the creature in the hand。 Its body bulged past the breaking point then burst in a torrent of blood and tissue。 A few agonizing seconds later and it was dead。
Pharaun reloaded his hand crossbow again and watched the uridezu his last bolt had pushed toward Quenthel。 The high priestess advanced quickly； scourge in one hand； the other wrapped into a tight fist。
The Mistress of the Academy hit the uridezu that faced her so hard its head burst into several large pieces that fell pletely away from its shoulders。 The rat…demon's glistening gray…and…yellow brain came free and went skipping out across the still surface of the lake。 Pharaun knew that her strength was ing from a magic item； and he made a mental note to stop being surprised by feats of strength from the priestess。
Movement and light from below him caught Pharaun's attention。 The uridezu he'd frozen in place had finally managed to break free； and it was moving with great whips of its ratlike tail。 It swam up and toward Pharaun； who was still hovering and dripping above the water。
Pharaun cast a spell that let him push the advancing demon back down into the water。 The Master of Sorcere continued pushing until the uridezu slipped beneath the layer of silt。 He pushed harder until the creature finally hit the rocky lake bed； four feet under the drifting sediment。 He pressed； crushing the monster into the lake bed。 He could feel the thing's back break but kept pressing still。
Aliisza held her breath watching the drow fight off the uridezu。 The rat…demons weren't necessarily the most impressive foes； but all things considered the dark elves made a fine show of it。 Pharaun was especially alluring； hanging in midair over the water； so wet and intense。 It made Aliisza all tingly。
The invisible alu…fiend drifted in the air over the regal female drow； who had been paralyzed by the bite of the uridezu she'd dispatched in a messy and uncreative way。
Another of the rat…demons sway