a random chapter from a book never written

Foley staggered as another monstrous hunk of rock shook the castle wall. He watched in dismay as the force finally proved too much for the battered wall and it began to crumble. Huge chunks of rock, brick, mortar and stone battered their way into the keep. Screams filled the air as soldiers were crushed under the collapsing wall.
Foley spun and ran for the inner room where Alstyne knelt by Larice. He knew the castle was going to fall unless something unforeseen and miraculous occurred. His only thought was that somehow, someway Alstyne might be able to salvage the situation and the kingdom. If the castle fell then so would the kingdom.
Behind him he heard the thunderous clash of steel and the screams of the dying as the invaders poured through the gap created by their catapults. He pounded down the stairs and into the dark halls under the castle. Footsteps pounded behind him, much faster than he would have expected. He spun in front of the door just in time to see his enemies pound down the hallway. He got his sword up in time to deflect the first blade but the charging Gorian hit him full bore, driving him back through the door.
The wood splintered in a crash of groaning, tearing wood. Foley was first to his feet. He felt no mercy as he thrust his blade through the throat of the Gorian who had hit him. A deft parry and his riposte spitted the throat of the second enemy and a rapid spin move gutted the final enemy.
His breath coming in great, ragged gasps, Foley turned to see if Alstyne was moving to help him. The dark man knelt where Foley had left him before the battle, his hand holding the limp, pale hand of his beloved Larice.
Foley heard more footsteps and knew it would not be castle defenders. Hurriedly he crossed the room to grab Alstyne by the shoulder. Finally roused, Alstyne raised his tear-stained face to acknoswledge Foley.
"The castle has fallen, Alstyne. The situation is desperate. If you don't do something, the kingdom will fall. All is lost."
Alstyne dropped his gaze again to Larice, her breathing even shallower than when he had looked up. For tense moments Foley was afraid he would say nothing. Finally Alstyne broke the silence he had maintained since the wizards of Goriay had struck her with the strange, wasting disease. "She's dying."
Bitterness at the fall of the kingdom overwhelmed the good sense Foley had maintained so long. "She is dying because you have done nothing, Alstyne. Nothing. And more will die." He pointed out to the castle keep. "Our men are dying, failing, because you have done nothing. More will die unless you do something. You have power, Alstyne. You could have saved her. Perhaps you still can save the kingdom."
Again Alstyne raised his head. "You don't understand, Foley. You never understood. If I use my power then everyone will want a piece of me. There will always be a loved one to save, a kingdom to save. No, better it go to my grave with me. All I wish...all I have ever asked for was to live in peace with Larice. It is you, you and this stupid war you fight that has brought her to the brink of disaster."
Just then the Gorian soldiers found them. Only one at a time could enter the doorway. Resigned to his fate, Foley spun and began a fight he knew he could not win. One, two three Gorians fell to his blade, but then there were two in the room, then a third. He fought valiantly but hopelessly and finally a blade pierced his defenses and struck his side. At the same moment a bonechilling cry sounded. Instinctively he knew Larice had died.
As Foley slumped to the floor, his blade clattering to the ground, the Gorians turned their attention to Alstyne. They were too late. The death of his beloved caused a grief he had foreseen but also an anger such as he had never experienced.
As the first Gorian swept his sword in a blow designed to decapitate Alstyne, the dark wizard threw back his head and uttered a primal scream of such power the entire building shook. The Gorian froze for a moment and that moment was his undoing. The sword in his hand began to glow with heat, then burst into flames. Before he could react the flames spread up the blade, up his arm, and engulfed his body.
Foley lifted his head in time to see Alstyne sweep his arm across the room. The enemy soldiers were thrown against the walls with such force that their bones shattered and even the walls themselves developed cracks.
Alstyne thrust his hand out to the side and from somewhere a staff appeared and flew into his hand. He stormed out of the room leaving behind his dead beloved, the wounded Foley, and the broken bodies of his enemies.
Using his sword as leverage, Foley staggered to his feet and followed the path of destruction Alstyne was leaving behind. Gorians lay sprawled in poses of hideous, painful death, some with shattered bones, others burned as horribly as the first one Alstyne had killed. None lived to cause Foley a problem.
He made it into the castle courtyard in time to see Pierzynski fly into the courtyard and dismount from his fearsome red dragon. The dragon inhaled preparotory to breathing fire on Alstyne but Pierzynski held out a calming hand. He drew himself up tall and faced Alstyne.
"So you dragged yourself into this at last, Alstyne. I am afraid it is too late." He gestured around at the devastation. "We have taken your last stronghold. By now, your king is doubtless dead or in our hands. In light of your grief, I grant you safe passage across the seas, but you are never to return to Tamov again."
Alstyne's eyes narrowed alarmingly. "You? You grant ME safe passage?" He gestured towards the dragon with his staff. Instantly the beast exploded in a shower of gore, the dragonfires of its stomach expanding in a devastating explosion that did more damage to the castle and surrounding countryside than the entire three week siege had done.
Pierzynski effortlessly formed a protective around himself. Alstyne formed no such bubble that Foley could see but still none of the explosive effect disturbed him. Fortunately for Foley he was blocked from the blast by the combined area protected by Alstyne and Pierzynski.
Alstyne snarled, "You think of yourself as powerful, Pierzynski. You are but a child to me." He gestured towards Pierzynski and the Gorian was raised several feet into the air.
"Impossible!" gasped Pierzynski. "I am the most powerful wizard on the 7 continents." He struggled futiley but it soon became obvious he was powerless in the hands of Alstyne.
"Power is nothing in the hands of the stupid" snarled Alstyne. "Had Larice lived, so would you." He squeezed the invisible hand and Foley heard cracks as the bones of Pierzynski began to break. "She didn't. Neither will you."
Bones continued to crack and then were ground to dust inside the body of Pierzynski. Scream after screamed ripped his throat raw as his body became limp and the pain past unbearable raced with the devastation being done to his body by Alstyne.
Across the field, Pierzynski's fellow sorcerers felt the pain and need of their master. Without hesitation they walked the paths of magic to arrive at his side. As they materialized in the courtyard they saw the barely breathing, pain wracked body of Pierzynski, long held the most powerful sorcerer in all the lands, being slammed into the ground by a furious Alstyne.
"But it is not you to blame for her death," he thundered. "You are but a tool in the hands of your emporer." He glared at the newly arrived enemy sorcerers. "I will have my vengeance. None shall stop me."
Foley watched in awe as Alstyne began to simultaneously grind to dust these new enemies. Effortlessly, unstoppably he wreaked his terrible vengeance. Grimly Foley considered the new situation. This was the power he had tried to convince Alstyne to use to save their kingdom. Had Alstyne done so it would have changed everything. But now that he was using it Foley knew nothing but fear.
This was no longer the smiling, laughing man who goodnaturedly kidded with all he came across. Alstyne had become a malevolent, vindictive force that Foley could see no way to stop. There was no doubt he would succeed in wreaking his vengeance. Foley just feared how he would be stopped once that was over...and what he would choose to do.