BOOOOM!!
A tower of flame exploded upward beneath him, swallowing Valdris in a roaring column of red and gold. The blast tore apart the grass around the stream. Stones shattered. Water flashed into steam. The heat struck the camp in a violent wave, forcing nearby knights to raise their arms over their faces.
The flame climbed high into the night.
For one second, it looked as though a crimson pillar had been driven from the earth toward the clouds.
Hermione cried out.
Airam pulled Esther close against her chest, turning the younger girl away from the explosion. Esther still tried to look over Airam's arm, tears running down her cheeks as the light painted her face red.
Even the battle around the tents faltered.
Rubenhart knights and Valmorian soldiers alike looked toward the stream.
The pillar of fire burned bright enough to turn the trees into black silhouettes.
Then it collapsed.
Smoke poured across the clearing.
Ash drifted over the water.
