She Who Has No Name (The Legacy Trilogy) Read Online Free PDF Page A

panic.
    A boom then shook the earth and Samuel was almost shaken from his feet.  Just then he felt it : a presence of intense magic that he had failed to notice approaching in the confusion of the battle; six magicians of awesome power.
    ‘The Lions,’ Samuel said and they each turned to the south to view the magicians’ approach.
    In Samuel’s vision, six globes of power were spread atop the rise, and they began throwing out spells that decimated the Garten forces.  The potent men were recognisable from their energies alone and Samuel knew them each by name: Grand Masters Jurien, Orien, Tudor, Gallivan, Anthem and Du.  They were the Lions, legendary symbols of the Order and the Empire.  They had felled entire armies between them and no other men were so feared in the world.  The N orth-men screamed out their woes as they fled in terror, leaving Samuel and his friends standing idly amongst their thinning ranks.
    ‘Well,’ Eric began, ‘that was certainly good timing.  It looks like we’re saved.’
    Perhaps he spoke too soon, for a savage yell gave the briefest warning and a Garten came stumbling towards them, swinging his axe wildly and snarling with rage.  He was nearly on top of them before a tangle of haphazardly gathered magic snapped out from Goodfellow and tossed the man away like a broken straw doll.
    ‘I don’t think we should stay here,’ Goodfellow advised.  ‘There’s a long way between us and safety and we don’t know how long this retreat will last.’
    ‘Then let’s head back,’ Samuel suggested.  ‘I’m not sure about you two, but I’m quite out of practice.  I don’t think I have much magic left in me.’  His hands were still trembling from the exertion, despite his efforts to keep them still.
    ‘I agree,’ Goodfellow said warily , still watching the fleeing Gartens.
    ‘ Pfft! ’ Eric said in response.  ‘I was just getting warmed up.  Perhaps we should chase after them?’  To which Goodfellow only raised a questioning brow.
    It was true that Eric still looked fresh and ready for more.  His boyish pranks and youthful air had been fading day by day as his magic matured, but he had become a magician to rival the very best.  He had spent the last few years honing his craft, while Samuel had sat stagnant — bitter and fuming at his friends’ advances.
    ‘Then you stay here and warm up by yourself,’ Samuel responded.  ‘We’re off.’
    With that, the three of them began beelining their way back towards the hill crest, towards the safety of the Lions.  They had to swerve here and there to avoid the occasional enraged Garten, but mostly the N orth-men were more intent on escaping and fled from their path, lest they attract the wrath of the Lions watching on from above.  Still, the odd warrior would come running for them with his axe held high, and either Eric would pick them off without too much fuss.  The three magicians only paused to scoop up their abandoned robes from the mud and they then continued at a slower pace, far from the receding waves of N orth-men.
    A shadow flickered over them and each of the three gawked up to see one of the Lions sailing overhead, halfway through a great magical leap that had him bounding almost across the valley, where he disappeared into the sea of fleeing figures with a splash of bodies going up around him.
    ‘What a spell!’ Goodfellow gasped with amazement.  ‘I thought I’d seen everything.’
    ‘I think they have a lot to teach us yet,’ Eric added.
    They were still eyeing the scene when Grand Master Anthem’s voice came booming down towards them from the rise.  ‘Get up here, you damned young fools!’
    They began scrambling up the slope to where the old magician, who had guided them for so long at the School of Magic, was waiting impatiently.  ‘No matter where we send you, you three somehow manage to find no end of trouble!  Can’t you keep yourselves out of mischief?’
    As they stood beside the Grand