Magi Legend

by Andrew Dobell

  With her shield gone, Amanda pulled on her Magic and tried to push back, until another of Yasmin’s bolts of lightning snapped in and slammed into her chest.

  She felt herself being thrown backwards, and then the sickening crunch as she landed on the unrelenting cold concrete. Pain screamed for her attention from a hundred different wounds on her body, and she noticed the coppery taste of blood in her mouth.

  She got her hands beneath her, pushed herself up, and turned her head to look at her attacker, only for an invisible sledgehammer to smash against the side of her head and knock her back down.

  Her head rang, and she could feel something warm and wet running down her face.

  As she laid there, memories of Horlack’s attack in the alley just a few blocks away rose to the surface of her mind. She remembered being thrown into the darkness and the feeling of hitting that concrete. That had been the start of her journey, the beginning of her adventure as a Magus, and it had started with pain, like any birth.

  She remembered how scared she felt, how terrified she’d been upon seeing that colossal monster right out of a nightmare bearing down on her. But, strangely, she wasn’t scared anymore. She didn’t feel terrified. She knew she had done everything she could. She’d fought against the darkness to the best of her ability, so, perhaps… maybe it was time for the reins to pass to someone else.

  She pushed herself up into a kneeling position, feeling like she’d done her best. She had tried, and that was all anyone could do.

  Everything hurt, everything was pain, and she knew that the end had come.

  Searing agony lanced through her back as a gleaming metal blade punched through her ribcage and out of her chest. Blood pumped out of the wound, covering the dagger and soaking into her dirty white top.

  For a moment, the unbelievable pain that filled her body was all she could feel. But then, slowly, it faded away as her vision narrowed.

  The shadows crept in, closing her view down even further, until the sweet release of blackness and nothing overwhelmed her, and she knew nothing else.

  Endings and Beginnings

  Manhattan, New York

  Liz stared at the unbelievable sight before her as she backed off from Nate, letting Stella deal with him for a moment.

  A short distance away, Yasmin stood behind Amanda, laughing as her blade punched right through her mentor’s chest, no doubt slicing her heart in two. For a moment, all she could do was stare in disbelief, not quite fully registering what her eyes were telling her.

  As she watched, Yasmin withdrew the blade away with an over the top flourish and a wide grin of satisfaction on her face.

  At her feet, Amanda remained on her knees for a moment, until she pitched forward and collapsed onto the debris-strewn street.

  “NOOOOOOO!” Liz screamed at the top of her lungs.

  From close by, Maria wailed and called out Amanda’s name.

  Liz backed up to Maria and watched as tears beaded in her eyes.

  “Dead… She’s dead. Amanda’s dead,” Maria said, her voice quivering as she spoke.

  Liz looked at her mentor’s motionless body and then back at Maria.

  “No, she’s not. We can bring her back. She can’t die here today. We can save her. She’d not dead. I… No, I refuse to believe it,” she said, her own tears now falling like rain down her face.

  “Liz!” Stella called out to Liz’s right. Liz turned and looked back at Stella as she was being forced back by Nate. “A little help?”

  Liz looked back at her mentor, seeing Yasmin standing above her looking very pleased with herself. She wanted to get to Amanda. She wanted to get her out of here and bring her back to life. She wanted to heal her and save her. She knew it could be done.

  Liz looked back at Stella and saw Nate spin, his blade whipping out and slicing right through her neck.

  Stella’s head fell from her shoulders as her body collapsed beneath it. Nate looked down at the corpse with triumph in his eyes.

  As her horror grew, a scream from nearby grabbed Liz’s attention.

  She looked over to see a new figure join the fray, standing on top of the nearby pile of rubble. It was Mary Damask, welding her gleaming Crusader sword and looking down at Amanda, her mouth wide with shock.

  “No! No, this can’t be. I’m…” she started to say before her eyes tracked over to Liz, and Liz could see a new focus and a new hatred rise up within her.

  “Fine,” Mary said, “I’ll settle for you.” She strode down the rubble pile towards Liz.

  ***

  Rising from the darkness, her vision was filled with a bright white glow. Everything was white and she had no idea which way was up or down.

  She felt relief wash over her. Her last fleeting impression had been one of pain. Sudden, intense, burning pain in her chest.

  She tried to grip onto that memory. She tried to remember what it was and where she’d been, but other than a mess of confusing images—Destruction, fighting, death—there was precious little to remember.

  In the distance, she could hear what sounded like a voice. Someone was calling out in this white void.

  What were they saying? What was that word?

  She tried to focus on it, to understand what they were saying. Was it a name? Were they calling to her?

  “…Amanda…”

  There was something familiar about that name, something that felt connected to her.

  “…Amanda…”

  It was fading again. Where was that coming from? She couldn’t be sure, and didn’t feel like chasing it down.

  She didn’t want to do much of anything. She felt tired. She felt like she needed to rest. As she relaxed and closed her eyes, whoever it had been seemed to get further away, and becoming less important to her.

  For now, all she wanted was rest and peace, nothing more.

  MAGI REBIRTH

  The Magi Saga

  Book 7

  From the Jaws of Defeat…

  Manhattan, New York

  Mary Damask, leader of the Inquisition and ruthless killer of Liz’s friends and family, glared at her from atop the pile of rubble.

  She was an intimidating sight, in her grey vest top, combat trousers, walking boots, and keen-looking Crusader sword that glowed with infused Magical energy. The wind caught her severe bob-cut black hair as she skidded down the slope, staring at Liz with a hatred and ferocity that scared her.

  Liz took a step back and glanced to her left, through the chaos of the fight that was all around her and looked longingly at the lifeless body of her mentor, Amanda.

  She lay on her stomach. Her face was turned toward Liz and her eyes were open, but there was no life there.

  Amanda was dead.

  To Liz, the blood pooling onto the dusty concrete beneath her looked like something from a nightmare.

  She couldn’t quite wrap her head around the idea that her mentor and best friend was gone. It just didn’t seem real to her. Surely, this couldn’t be the end of Amanda. It wasn’t supposed to happen this way. It should be Yasmin on the ground now, she thought, looking at the figure standing above Amanda.

  In her fitted black outfit, Yasmin looked more like she was coated in black treacle than wearing a bodysuit. The way it broke into runnels of liquid seeping up her neck and down over her hands only reinforced the idea.

  The glowing, sickly-green orb that was attached to her chest, held in place by strands of the viscus black goo that covered her, was new though. The glow from the orb underlit her angular face as she looked down at Amanda with unrestrained glee before she lifted the large kukri dagger in front of her face and marvelled at its blood-covered blade.

  Amanda’s blood.

  Yasmin held the dagger aloft and sticking her tongue out, licked some of the blood from the blade.

  The action made Liz shiver with disgust. Movement on the left side of where Yasmin stood caught Liz’s attention, and she saw Israel step over towards Yasmin, the Essentia around him flaring and sparkin
g as he worked his Magic and threw blasts of the energy at the Nomad. It caught her off guard and snapped her attention away from Amanda.

  Liz felt a moment of relief knowing that Yasmin, at least for the time being, wouldn’t be doing anything else to her mentor’s body. Liz was desperate to get to Amanda and maybe save her. The Magic that she or one of the more powerful people here could bring to bear might be enough to revive her. Liz knew it was possible. She knew that Amanda could be saved, she was sure of it, if she could only get her out of here soon.

  If they waited too long, a resurrection would just get messy and controversial in the eyes of the Magi Council.

  Liz turned her head at the sound of approaching footsteps and looked back towards Mary who was approaching with her sword raised.

  Liz gripped her blade a little bit tighter and stepped back to give herself room to fight. Taking a breath, she focused herself and looked up at the woman who had caused her so much pain and heartache. She didn’t see an Inquisitor. She didn’t see a Magus. She only saw a murderer, someone who killed in cold blood for misguided reasons. Liz had been waiting for this moment for a long time. Mary had been one of the people at the top of her list she wanted revenge on. The other, Nate, she’d lost sight of, but he was around here somewhere.

  Well, one thing at a time, she thought and focused on Mary, who rushed towards her, her blade swinging.

  “I will have my vengeance,” Mary shouted.

  Liz raised her weapon and blocked, the metal of the swords ringing out as they struck each other. “Not if I have mine first,” Liz growled at her.

  Mary moved fast, going on the offensive and swinging her sword in again and again, only for Liz’s Essentia-charged weapon to fend her off each time. Mary was fast and skilled and was giving Liz something of a hard time.

  Concentrating, Liz called on her Magic, gathered as much of the energy around her as she could and sent it lancing over at Mary in a spike of power that hammered into her Aegis.

  Mary faltered under the new assault. The hesitation was just what Liz was after and she took the opportunity to step in and swing her blade at the Inquisitor, going on the offensive for the first time.

  Mary saw the swing and lifted her blade to fend it off.

  She wasn’t looking at what Liz was doing, though, and missed the Essentia kick Liz delivered that slipped in under her defences and caught her in the stomach.

  “Umph,” Mary grunted as her Aegis sparked and flickered. Liz’s Multitasking mind unleashed another Essentia Strike and burnt a hole in Mary’s Aegis, causing it to suddenly fall, surprising Liz with how fragile it was.

  Mary’s blade slipped, and the cold steel Liz wielded bit into the Inquisitor’s arm. Mary yelped and jumped back, a look of shock on her face, which swiftly turned into rage. Rushing in, the finesse Mary had shown moments before faded away as her anger got the better of her. The lunge was clumsy, and Mary broadcast her intentions far too early, allowing Liz to duck left. Dodging the swing easily, Liz timed her attack for just the right moment and cut upward, slashing her sword across Mary’s body, bypassing her defences and biting deep into her torso.

  Liz spun as Mary staggered past, clutching her side as dark blood seeped into her vest top.

  “No. No, this can’t be…” Mary exclaimed.

  “You’re out of your league,” Liz taunted. “I’m not the defenceless little girl you met back on that train.”

  “You’re still a whore of Satan,” Mary spat.

  Liz couldn’t suppress a chuckle at that.

  “Believe what you like, but I’ve been waiting and preparing for this moment for a very long time.”

  “You can’t kill me. You’re too weak,” Mary mocked her.

  Liz shook her head. “If you say so,” she answered as Mary lifted her sword with a grunt of effort, using the last of her strength. It was a slow and predictable swing. Liz batted it away and stepped closer, plunging her blade into Mary’s stomach.

  It was surprising how easily it sank into her, Liz thought as Mary gagged slightly, her eyes opening wide as shock played over her face.

  “How’s that for weak?” Liz asked.

  Mary’s eyes swam as her body reacted to being skewered by a four-foot-long steel blade. She looked up into Liz’s face as she gagged and blood seeped from the corner of her mouth. Mary suddenly spat a gob of blood at Liz that slapped onto her cheek.

  “Godforsaken bitch,” Mary cursed as Liz pulled her face back in surprise.

  “Goodbye,” Liz said, her voice deadpan as she ripped her sword out sideways, slicing Mary’s stomach open. Mary dropped to her knees, looking at nothing, before pitching forward, her abdomen bulging open as her insides fell out.

  Israel’s voice sounded loud and clear through the Link to the group. ~We need to get out of here, they’re too strong. We’ll die here if we stay.~

  ~I’m not leaving Amanda,~ Liz answered through the Link.

  ~She’s dead,~ Israel answered her.

  ~We can save her, I’m not leaving her,~ Liz answered, her tone resolute.

  ~I’ll help you,~ Maria said.

  Liz sent an affirmative response back through to Maria as she turned her back on Mary and made her way through the fight until Nate stepped out before her, his blades slick with Stella’s blood.

  “Going somewhere?” Nate asked.

  “Yes, through you,” she answered, her words laced with threat as she glanced at the blood of Yoh’s assistant on his blades. He would pay for killing her.

  Essentia flared as he swung his machete. Liz parried as his Magic crunched into her Aegis. She hit back with an Essentia bolt of her own that dented his Magical Shield.

  “We’ll see about that,” he answered.

  “We will,” said a voice to Liz’s right as another blast of Essentia followed by a snap of lightning hit Nate with an almighty bang. Liz glanced right to see Maria had stepped away from the fight with Anastasia. She’d left that particular Nomad to Sabine, who seemed to be more than capable of defending herself.

  Liz had seen Anastasia a few times recently. She was a member of Yasmin’s Black Knights Coven, and a deadly Magus.

  Nate staggered back from Maria’s attack, distracted, and gave Liz an opening. She lunged in, going to stab him as she had with Mary, but he was quicker than Mary and saw it coming, batting her blade away.

  Maria hit Nate again with several more Essentia Strikes that lanced into his Aegis, wearing it down.

  Liz swung her blade at Nate’s neck, only to be blocked. Liz’s next swing slipped past Nate’s defences and slashed his chest. His Aegis sparked as the Magical blade bit through the shield for a moment and cut him.

  Nate reacted with surprise while Maria hit him with everything she had as if she’d been building up to this round of Magical attacks. Nate’s Aegis couldn’t take the onslaught. It buckled, before collapsing around the Nomad.

  Essentia flared out from him, but Maria countered it and stifled his Magic as he tried to Port away.

  Liz rushed in, taking advantage of his momentary distraction and brought her sword down as hard as she could onto his head. Her blade sliced into his skull and buried itself a good three inches deep, stopping partway down his forehead.

  He stood there quivering for a moment, the signals from his brain going haywire until his eyes started to close and his body went limp. Liz planted her foot onto his chest and yanked her sword out of his head as he fell with blood pouring down his face.

  She looked up at Maria, who looked a touch shocked by Liz’s actions.

  “Brutal,” Maria said, blinking.

  “Amanda,” Liz said, not wanting to think too hard about what she had just done. Just the idea of it made her sick. Best to focus on something else. She wanted to get to her mentor and save her from a similar fate.

  Looking up, the fighting had shifted, and Aaron was now in the way, fighting one of Yasmin’s Knights, who she thought she’d heard referred to as Scralex, a name she recognised from some of Amanda’s
stories.

  Maria’s Flux Magic surged and wrapped around them as they Ported the short distance to Amanda’s body.

  Liz looked up and saw Israel still fighting Yasmin, though Horlack was standing beside him and helping now.

  Closer to them, Gentle Water and Balor were in a pitched battle with Kez, while Sabine, Maya, Tabitha, and Aaron were elsewhere in their own fights.

  “Amanda,” Liz said as she crouched down beside her inert body, her mentor’s deep burgundy hair spilt over the ground around her head like a fiery crown. Liz reached out to gingerly touch Amanda’s back, but then she noticed that she’d placed her knee down into the pool of blood that was still steadily growing from under Amanda, and pulled back slightly.

  “Oh, jeez,” Liz said, grimacing. Looking back at Amanda and the oozing wound in the middle of her back, Liz used her Aetheric Sight to look for any life signs but saw nothing.

  Liz worked her Magic and reached out to the wound that cut through Amanda’s chest. Muscles had been severed, her left lung punctured, and her heart had been cut almost entirely in two before the blade had burst out through her chest.

  Concentrating, she knitted the wound back together, healing the damage that had been done. Within a couple of seconds, her body was as good as new.

  But she was still dead.

  Movement and rapid footsteps caught her attention and Liz looked up. It was Gentle Water. He skidded to a stop, kneeling on the opposite side of Amanda and reached for Liz’s hand.

  “She is dead, Liz. Amanda is gone,” he said, his voice soft, yet filled with urgency. “We need to go, yes?”

  “We can save her,” Liz answered. “You can save her.”

  “Liz, it not that…”

  “She’s coming with us, end of story,” Liz cut in, her tone final.

  “I agree, I’m not leaving her here,” Maria added.

  Liz couldn’t deny that she had hoped that healing the wound might do something. She’d hoped that it might heal her enough to get her breathing again, but it hadn’t. Could she try doing some kind of resuscitation maybe? Do some mouth to mouth and chest compressions?