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"MARISSA!" HE SHOUTED ABOVE THE
CRACKLING FLAMES AND TEARING, RENDING
SOUNDS OF DESTRUCTION THAT CAME FROM
WITHIN THE CASTLE PROPER. "TAGOR! BESS!" HE
WAS ACROSS THE GARDEN IN A HEARTBEAT AND
RAN THROUGH THE ENTRYWAY. THE GREAT
DOUBLE DOORS LAY BROKEN AND SCATTERED ON
THE FLOOR. THE HUGE FOYER WAS DESTROYED, A
SHAMBLES, A MOCKERY OF ITS ORIGINAL
GRANDEUR. ONE SCRUFFY-BEARDED RUFFIAN
STOOD GUARD AT THE ENTRANCE.
THE MARAUDER CHARGED. HE HAD
DETERMINATION AND PURPOSE IN HIS EYES;
MARAKION HAD MURDER. RAGE FUELED MARAKION'S
SWORD ARM, FEAR FOR HIS FAMILY
INFUSING HIS BODY WITH UNCANNY SPEED. HE
SMASHED THE INVADER'S SWORD ASIDE AND
DELIVERED A VICIOUS RETURN STROKE AT THE
HEAD.
THE MARAUDER DUCKED UNDER THE
POWERFUL ATTACK AND SLIPPED A CUT AT
MARAKION'S MIDRIFF. MARAKION PARRIED,
STEPPED INSIDE THE INVADER'S GUARD, AND RAN
HIM THROUGH.
THE INVADER FELL AND GASPED AS HIS LIFE
SEEPED AWAY. MARAKION PUT HIS FOOT ON THE
MAN'S CHEST AND KICKED VIOLENTLY, FREEING HIS
BLADE. THE DYING MAN'S SCREAMS ENDED BY THE
TIME MARAKION REACHED THE TOP OF THE LEFT-
HAND STAIRS.
"MARISSA!"
MARAKION RACED TO HIS YOUNGER SISTER'S
ROOM, THE FIRST ROOM ON THE SECOND LEVEL.
SHE WAS NOT THERE, BUT, AS WITH THE FOYER,
HER ROOM WAS CAST INTO DISARRAY - BOOKS
THROWN ON THE FLOOR, THE BED A SMOLDERING
PILE OF BURNED SHEETS, STRAW, AND WOOD. NEXT
TO THE BURNING MASS LAY A PIECE OF CLOTH. HE
RECOGNIZED IT, GRABBED IT: A SCRAP OF HER
DRESS, THE LAVENDER DRESS SHE ALWAYS WORE
FOR HIS HOMECOMING
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