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behind the thick stone walls and shuttered windows of the great hall； the gunfire could almost be mistaken for extremely heavy hail； with grenades for thunderclaps； but not if you knew what it was。 sabriel walked into the center of the hall； and shouted。
鈥渃harter mages！ please e here。鈥�
they came； the young women quicker than the soldiers； who were showing the weariness of the day鈥檚 work； and proximity to the sarcophagus。
sabriel looked at the students； their faces bright and open； a thin layer of fear laid over excitement at the spice of the unknown。 two of her best schoolfriends； sulyn and ellimere； were among the crowd； but she felt far distant from them now。 she probably looked it too； she thought； seeing respect and something like wonder in their eyes。 even the charter marks on their foreheads looked like fragile cosmetic replicas； though she knew they were real。 it was so unfair that they had to be caught up in this 。 。 。
sabriel opened her mouth to speak； and the noise of gunfire suddenly ceased； almost on cue。
in the silence； one of the girls giggled nervously。
sabriel； however； suddenly felt many deaths e at once； and a familiar dread touched her spine with cold fingers。 kerrigor was closing in。
it was his power that had stilled the guns； not a lessening of the assault。 faintly； she could hear shouts and even 。 。 。 screams 。 。 。 from outside。
they would be fighting with older weapons now。
鈥渜uickly；鈥潯he said； walking towards the sarcophagus as she spoke。 鈥渨e must make a handfast ring around the sarcophagus。 magistrix； if you would place everyone鈥攍ieutenant； please put your men in among the girls 。 。 。鈥�
anywhere else； at any other time； there would have been ribald jokes and giggles about that。
here； with the dead about the building； and the sarcophagus brooding in their midst； it was simply an instruction。 men moved quickly to their places； the young women took their hands purposefully。
in a few seconds； the sarcophagus was ringed by charter mages。
linked by touch now； sabriel didn鈥檛 need to speak。 she could feel everyone in the ring。
touchstone； to her right； a familiar and powerful warmth。 miss greenwood； to her left； less powerful； but not without skill鈥攁nd so on； right around the ring。
slowly； sabriel brought the charter marks of opening to the forefront of her mind。 the marks grew； power flowing round and round the ring； growing in force till it started to project inwards； like the narrowing vortex of a whirlpool。 golden light began to stream about the sarcophagus； visible streaks rotating clockwise around it； with greater and greater speed。
still sabriel kept the power of the charter magic flowing into the center； drawing on everything the charter mages could produce。 soldiers and schoolgirls wavered； and some fell to their knees； but the hands stayed linked； the circle plete。
slowly； the sarcophagus itself began turning on the platform； with a hideous shrieking noise； like an enormous unoiled hinge。 steam jetted forth from under its lid； but the golden light whisked it away。 still shrieking； the sarcophagus began to spin faster and faster； till it was a blur of bronze； white steam and yolk…yellow light。
then； with a scream more piercing than any before； it suddenly stopped； the lid flying off to hurtle over the charter mages鈥櫋eads； smashing into the floor a good thirty paces away。
the charter magic went too； as if earthed by its success； and the ring collapsed with fewer than half the participants still on their feet。
wavering； her hands still tightly gripped by touchstone and the magistrix； sabriel tottered over to the sarcophagus and looked in。
鈥渨hy；鈥潯aid miss greenwood； with a startled glance back up at touchstone； 鈥渉e looks just like you！鈥�
before touchstone could answer； steel clashed outside in the corridor； and the shouting grew louder。 those scouts still standing drew their swords and rushed to the doors鈥攂ut before they could reach them； other soldiers were pouring in； bloodied； terrified soldiers； who ran to the corners； or threw themselves down； and sobbed； or laughed； or shook in silence。
behind this rush came some of the heavily armored soldiery of the corridor。 these men still had some semblance of control。 instead of running on； they hurled themselves back against the doors； and dropped the bar in place。
鈥渉e鈥檚 inside the main doors！鈥潯ne of them shouted back towards sabriel； his face white with terror。 there was no doubt about who 鈥渉e鈥�
was。
鈥渜uick； the final rites！鈥潯abriel snapped。 she drew her hands from the others鈥櫋rasp； and held them out over the body； forming the marks for fire； cleansing and peace in her mind。 she didn鈥檛 look too closely at the body。 rogir did look very much like a sleeping； defenseless touchstone。
she was tired； and there were still free magic protections around the body； but the first mark soon lingered in the air。 touchstone had transferred his hand to her shoulder； pouring power into her。 others of the circle had crept up and linked hands again鈥攁nd suddenly sabriel felt a stirring of relief。 they were going to make it鈥敗errigor鈥檚 human body would be destroyed； and the greater part of his power with it 。 。 。
then the whole of the northern wall exploded； bricks cascading out； red dust blowing in like a solid wave； knocking everyone down in blinding； choking ruin。
sabriel lay on the floor； coughing； hands pushing feebly on the floor； knees scrabbling as she tried to get up。 there was dust and grit in her eyes； and the lanterns had all gone out。 blind； she felt around her； but there was only the stillscalding bronze of the sarcophagus。
鈥渢he blood price must be paid；鈥潯aid a crackling； inhuman voice。 a familiar voice； though not the liquid； ruined tones of kerrigor 。 。 。 but the terrible speech of the night in holehallow； when the paperwing burned。
blinking furiously； sabriel crawled away from the sound； around the sarcophagus。 it didn鈥檛 speak again immediately； but she could hear it closing in； the air crackling and buzzing at its passage。
鈥渋 must deliver my last burden；鈥潯he creature said。 鈥渢hen the bargain is done； and i may turn to retribution。鈥�
sabriel blinked again； tears streaming down her face。 vision slowly came back； a picture woven with tears and the first rays of moonlight streaming through the shattered wall； a picture blurred with the red dust of pulverized bricks。
all sabriel鈥檚 senses were screaming inside her。
free magic； the dead； danger all around 。 。 。
the creature that had once been mogget blazed a little more than five yards away。 it was squatter than it had appeared previously； but equally misshapen； a lumpy body slowly drifting towards her atop a column of twisting； whirling energies。
a soldier suddenly leapt up behind it； driving a sword deep into its back。 it hardly noticed； but the man screamed and burst into white flames。
within a second； he was consumed； his sword a molten lump of metal； scorching the thick oak planks of the floor。
鈥渋 bring you abhorsen鈥檚 sword；鈥潯he creature said； dropping a long； dimly seen object to one side。 鈥渁nd the bell called astarael。鈥�
that； it laid carefully down； the silver glinting momentarily before it was lowered into the sea of dust。
鈥渆 forward； abhorsen。 it is long since time that we begun。鈥�
the thing laughed then； a sound like a match igniting； and it started to move around the sarcophagus。
sabriel loosened the ring on her finger； and edged away； keeping the sarcophagus between them； her thoughts racing。 kerrigor was very near； but there still might be time to turn this creature back into mogget； and plete the final rites 。 。 。
鈥渟top！鈥�
the word was like a foul lick across the face by a reptilian tongue； but there was power behind it。 sabriel stood still； against her own desire； as did the blazing thing。 sabriel tried looking past it； lidding her eyes against the light； trying to puzzle out what was happening at the other end of the hall。 not that she really needed to see。
it was kerrigor。 the soldiers who鈥檇 barred the door lay dead around him； pale flesh islands about a sea of darkness。 he had no shape now； but there were semi…human features in the great ink…splash of his presence。 eyes of white fire； and a yawning mouth that was lined with flickering coals of a red as dark as drying blood。
鈥渁bhorsen is mine；鈥潯roaked kerrigor； his voice deep and somehow liquid； as if his words came bubbling out like lava mixed with spittle。
鈥測ou will leave her to me。鈥�
the mogget…thing crackled； and moved again； white sparks falling like tiny stars in its wake。
鈥渋 have waited too long to allow my revenge to be taken by another！鈥潯t hissed； ending on a high…pitched yowl that still had something of the cat。 then it flew at kerrigor； a shining electric et hurtling into the darkness of his body； smashing into his shadowy substance like a hammer tenderizing meat。
for a moment； no one moved； shocked by the suddenness of the attack。 then； kerrigor鈥檚 dark shape slowly recongealed； long tendrils of bitter night wrapping around his brilliant attacker； choking and absorbing it with the impla