"A line of militia drew whips occult-tempered, and cracked them, sending the elementals rearing in fear, delight, and challenge. The whips snapped like heavy leather and elyctricity, like shadows. When they cracked the noice made dark light." "Then, oh, fast, some of the militia spun their whips, and the gnoscourges flailed much too long like serpentine presences momentarily alive and playing with space"