The Feloran Chronicles Volume 29: Unexpected Hardships 9-1-03 to 11-23-03

The mage K'mael had travelled to the Avian Capital to speak with the Minion sorcerer D'kan - only to be attacked mercilessly by the demon Ji Baran.  The battle quickly spills out of D'kan's tower and rages across the Avian skies.  K'mael's ally, the Minion Torlu, tries to help in the fight, but Ji proves to be too powerful - with the strength of the dark Pirodin at his command.  D'kan and his apprentice Adele also try to intervene so as to minimize the damage to the surrounding city.  But when reasoning with the enraged Ji proves impossible, Adale decides to finish the fight as fast as she could - by helping Ji defeat K'mael!    When the fight draws the attention of Iradi, D'kan has no choice but to keep her occupied, leaving Adele and Ji to face K'mael and Torlu.  Phaithe, too, tries to join the fight, but Eliad snatches her up and away from the city.  Blows are struck by both sides, and by the time D'kan deals with Iradi, Adele is seriously injured.  Just when D'kan is about to side with Ji, Anthony talks him down and has Tyre Bek seal the demon away until they can decide how to procede.   Anthony suggests they go somewhere a bit more secluded to discuss things, and K'mael takes them to the outer boundary of the Keep.  There, Anthony tells him that it was the Book of Prophecy that K'mael had taken that had driven D'kan to ressurect Ra in the first place and that it was a prophecy, too, that had brought all the Minions to Felora.  Just as they begin to put the pieces together, they step into the null-magic zone around the Keep.  Ji was sealed by magic, and so was Anthony's true vampiric form.  Ji, now free, makes a dash toward the Keep and the Book within, while K'mael and Torlu are faced with the ancient Vampire Lord Volkenar who is once again in control of Anthony's body.

Art and Story by Matthew Knab.