Editing Chronicle - Malek (section)

== Lanzi's Funny Turn ==

Enraged, [[Milai]] killed the last two flying creatures with Agan, and we turned our attention to [[Lanzi]]. We were to be frustrated, though, as he blinked away and out of sight. [[Milai]] shouted that [[Lanzi]] had been subject to a mental attack and would be our enemy until we could restore him; she had also been attacked and weakened, so I called on [[Odin]] to heal her mind. I also called on his power to give me sight of anything invisible around us, spying Si Ti Qa flying away from us, probably towards [[Lanzi]]. [[Milai]] sees the creature as an Achilles' heel that we can attack, used dweomer to reveal him to her, and directed the carpet after him.

Si Ti Qa, realising his vulnerability, ceased his flight and flitted underneath the carpet, which was far too slow to outmanoeuvre him. [[Milai]] was not to be outdone, though, and stepped off the carpet, reaching for her bow. In a moment she had loosed an arrow, killing him instantly, and his body vanished back to his own plane. [[Milai]] was distraught, as she had not intended to kill him and realised the damage such an act could do to [[Lanzi]]. I offered one potential way out; with [[Odin]]'s help I could reverse her actions if she would willingly submit to my power. She agreed, but I warned [[Hintzu]] to be ready as [[Milai]] would have no recollection of her actions and would probably try to attack Si Ti Qa again.

I reversed her actions, making the arrow return to her sheath and Si Ti Qa to appear unscathed. It went further, though, as the carpet retraced its motion and [[Milai]] 'uncast' the dweomer that she had used to see Si Ti Qa in the first place. Time for her resumed then, and we spoke of not harming Si Ti Qa. However she was engrossed in her casting and [[Hintzu]] grabbed her arm, interrupting her action. She was furious! The dweomer had been wasted and, although she accepted our explanation with reluctance, she warned us never to interfere with her casting again! We had saved Si Ti Qa from her arrow, though.

Si Ti Qa, knowing now that he was in mortal danger, attacked us with dweomer-induced fear. Ironically, the very item that [[Lanzi]] had created for [[Hintzu]] now protected him from the effects. A squeaky voice could just be heard from within his robes, saying "I've been a very brave boy!" [[Hintzu]] looked very unhappy with this undisclosed attribute of his 'amulet'!

[[Hintzu]] tried to highlight Si Ti Qa with fairey fire, and I tried to command him to stop still, but he resisted our efforts with dweomer. [[Milai]] gave herself the ability to fly and stepped off, looking for Si Ti Qa, as a bolt from the striken ship below flew past; they were beginning to get our range. [[Milai]] quickly located him and struck him with the flat of Agan, quickly subduing him, but grabbing him by the tail before he fell.

[[Hintzu]] decided to step off the carpet as well, as [[Lanzi]] was likely to try to save Si Ti Qa and we needed to be ready. Unfortunately for him, [[Lanzi]] had approached to within about 20 yards and suddenly appeared right him front of him, spewing ice from his mouth straight at [[Hintzu]] and beyond to the rest of us. [[Milai]] absorbed the energy around the two of us, but [[Hintzu]] was too far from us and took the full brunt of the attack, falling lifeless towards the river below. I called on [[Odin]] to allow me to walk through the air, fearing that the carpet could be damaged in further attacks.

[[Milai]] dropped Si Ti Qa, having given him the chance to try a less violent approach, turning instead to her bow to attack [[Lanzi]] directly. Fireballs exploded around us, but we were protected again. The carpet, however, was not so lucky; of all the things to fall foul of, it was a ballista bolt that holed it and it fluttered uselessly towards to the ground.

[[Milai]]'s arrows passed through what was clearly one of [[Lanzi]]'s images. I dispelled the image, but there was still no sign of [[Lanzi]] himself. At about this time [[Hintzu]] and Si Ti Qa hit the ground beside the river below, with fatal consequences for both. Ballistae were still firing at us, so I descended slightly and let my mace have a bit of fun, sending a meteor swarm down to engulf what was left of the ships and to stop any further attack.

[[Milai]] shouted over that we have to leave, to draw [[Lanzi]] away from the surviving enemy forces below, but she flew down to recover [[Hintzu]]'s body first. We both set out Southward as quickly as we could whilst staying together. [[Lanzi]] appeared again, about a hundred feet in front of us, calling a column of flame down on me. My armour protected me again, though, and I watched as [[Milai]] charged forward to engage him in combat. Again she was to be thwarted, as it was another image.

I could not run any further, and had to stop to rest. [[Milai]] returned to my side and a battle of dweomer began between her and [[Lanzi]]. Lightning was launched at us, but it disappeared before reaching us, and [[Milai]] decided to move, levitating [[Hintzu]]'s body and grabbing me. A fireball exploded around us, but we were not affected and [[Milai]] carried me forward. We were then surrounded by exploding meteors, but [[Milai]] protected us again.

This stalemate continued for some time, with neither side able to gain an advantage. Eventually, thankfully, the effect on [[Lanzi]]'s mind wore off and he was able to return to us and apologise for attacking. I was able to raise and heal [[Hintzu]], who understood that [[Lanzi]] was not in full control of his mind when he struck.