Titans of Chaos

When she slumped away from the point of impact, bloodstains trailed behind her hair. Whethershe was stunned or dead, I could not see.

Four comely women stepped from the boles of four trees in the circle around us. Each was morebeautiful than the last, soft-eyed, soft-voiced, folds of emerald gowns falling and flowing aroundlong legs and trim ankles. Each was dark-haired, with skin as pale as parchment, eyebrowsdelicate dark streaks above eyes like glittering black amethysts, lips smiling red cupid's bows.

Each had a willow wand in her slim-wristed and well-shaped hand.

One pointed her wand at Colin, cooing in a voice mild yet clear as cool water: "Phobetor, I callyou by your true name. Red blood drips from your woman-slaying hands and cries out forvengeance. How will you account for the death of Parthenope, the wounds of unloved Oenone?

Those hands I, death-defying Cyane, now call upon to do our work; seize the girl, Phaethusa, robher powers from her."

Colin raised his hand. Reality hiccuped. My higher senses were dead. I could no longer see themagic boiling around us; there was nothing I could do to interfere.

Another nymph spoke. Her voice was rippling music: "Heart and sense and soul, cruel Phobetor,you have devoted to ruthless murder. I, Apostate Ethemea the Proud, now make your eyes asblind as your black heart."

Colin, though blind, still tried to attack. He ran toward the sound of the girl, his arms windmillingand wild.

As he ran, the grass and leaves began to swirl around him, and the sun was blotted out by cloud.

The air seemed to tremble; Colin's wrath was growing thick around him, becoming visible.

He was fast on his feet, and he seemed not to need his eyes to sense where the girl stood. Hegrabbed the nymph who cursed him by one arm. He threw her to the stones with a violent cry. Iheard bones break.

A third nymph cooed: "Panic and wrath you unleash into the darkening air. Murderer, I, Lara,whose voice Lord Hermes grants me nevermore be stilled, bestow on you the calmness andgrave-peace into which you have thrown the women you have killed."

The swirl of leaves dropped and died. The sun came out.

The fourth one said, "Such strength, oh muscles, oh nerves, you used against us, I, Sagaritis,hated of the dread goddesses, now take from you. I turn your limbs to stone."

Colin staggered and fell to his knees."