“Have it your way! If you won’t be ours, you will not be theirs!” she shouted. The vortex behind her swirled violently, and he could feel the ionization in the air, his breath misting as he exhaled, the hoarfrost forming on the carriages. The lightning bolt struck from the vortex. If it were not for his heightened reflexes, it probably would have struck him in the neck joint and killed him dead. As it were, he raised his shield and closed his eyes. He saw what happened to the roof at his feet. This was going to hurt, his rational mind damning him for a fool for not surrendering.