Amanda felt sure she’d seen her before, and probably would have guessed who she was, but Sophia gifted her with the answer. This was one of the Archons, and her name was Lilitu, the creator of the Vampire bloodline of Scions.
She stood talking to another Archon. A large creature, also in robes, but this time, they were green with gold detailing and attached to a wide golden neckpiece. The Archon’s head was a smooth, alabaster white and elongated, with a tall cranium. Its eyes were wide, thin slits in its skin, and its nose was almost nonexistent, apart from two holes that it could open and close at will.
This, Amanda knew, either from seeing the creatures in the Abyss or because of Sophia’s knowledge, was the Archon, Naga. She noticed the hem of the Archon’s robes faded into mist, giving it a ghostly quality that only befitted the progenitor of the Aethereal Scions.
“It is,” Naga said as she moved into the room. “Today, we might end this war, and finally bring the Magi to heel.”
“Those are lofty goals,” Lilitu answered.
“They are. But this will be the single largest working of Magic we have ever attempted.”
“Father won’t be pleased.”
“Father isn’t here,” Naga answered, annoyance making his words sharp.
“I jest, of course,” Lilitu admitted, as the other Archons filed into the room. As Amanda watched, it was clear there were alliances and rivalries between them. She got the feeling that these seven usually wouldn’t gather together like this and work together as a team, unless there was a really good reason to do so.
“Welcome, friends,” Naga began, standing in the middle of the room. “I appreciate your attendance today. We face a threat greater than anything ever before, and it’s a threat that seems to be growing in number.”
“The Magi,” hissed Tiamat.
“That is correct,” Naga continued. “The Magi. We must stand united against this enemy or all will be lost. We have already lost one of our own.”
“You have a plan,” Samael stated.
“I do, but it will take all of us working together to enact it.”
“Well, we’re here, aren’t we?” Enkidu rumbled impatiently.
“You are, and I appreciate you all coming. So, as I said, if we work together, it is my belief that we can weaken the Magi’s connection to Essentia. We can remove their ability to work Magic, leaving us as the sole users of this power.”
“You can do that?” Lilitu asked.
“I am relatively confident, yes.”
“And if it doesn’t work?” Oni asked.
“Then we will have lost nothing. But... we have the chance to gain everything.”
“What do we do?” Tiamat asked.
Naga smiled. It was not a pleasant sight, Amanda thought.
“Open your minds to me, Link with me, and I will show you the way,” Naga said, and Essentia flared.
The view faded back into white.
“Did the ritual work?” Amanda asked.
“Partly,” Sophia answered. “The Magic the Archons used that day became known as the Sundering, but it didn’t work as well as Naga and the others had hoped. It weakened the Magi, reducing their innate strength, their connection to Essentia, but it did not separate them from it. But it also ensured fewer humans became Magi.”
“Did it get all Magi?”
“No, the Magi who had left Earth behind escaped this effect, remaining as strong in their Magic as they had ever been. But the ritual did force many more Magi to leave Earth behind and head to the stars, following the rumours of those early pioneers.
“So, are all Magi on Earth Sundered Magi?”
“Most are,” Sophia said, and Amanda got the feeling that she might be one such exception.
The moment that the thought entered her mind, she felt Sophia send an affirmative response to her telepathically.
“You are right. You are not Sundered. Your connection to Essentia is strong, and you learn quicker than any other Magi.”
Amanda nodded, and she knew that this was true.
“So, what does this mean?”
“That’s for you to decide,” Sophia answered as a feeling of love and acceptance flowed into her.
- The Arkady, Ultima Thule
With a solid grip on the Werewolf’s arm, Maya twisted it violently. The crack of the bone breaking and popping out of its joint sounded loud and clear.
The Scion howled, but Maya held on, and with a push, she flipped over and was suddenly on top of it.
Still keeping one of its hands pinned, she slammed the claws on her other hand into the bottom of the creature’s lower jaw and ripped it out, pulling the jaw bone, part of its throat, and tongue with it.
Blood went everywhere as the Scion struggled beneath her, but Maya wasn’t done with it yet. Anger had taken over, and the attack by this servant of the Nomads had pushed her over the edge. She’d had enough, and this thing would pay.
Maya slammed her fists into the Werewolf’s head, splattering blood everywhere as her supernatural strength allowed her to crush the thing’s skull. She hit it again and again, but it had stopped moving. Slowly, her rage abated and she sat back, looking at the mess she had made of it.
“Feel better?” Gentle Water asked.
Maya looked at him for a moment and then laughed.
“A little, yeah.”
Into the Abyss
The Fortress of the Ebon Mark, Aetheric Realm
The flash of light faded from Liz’s eyes and she found herself standing within what looked like another castle, but this one was different in style. The bricks were bigger, smoother, and darker, and they were standing in a large wide room, upon what looked like a metal summoning circle inlaid into the floor.
Nearby, large rectangles of stone stood on their ends with glowing energy inside which pulsed with Flux and Astral Magic that had a signature Liz had never seen before.
Suddenly worried that some of her friends might not have made it, she looked over the group.
Maria and Sabine stood next to her. Matt and Howie, still carrying Amanda, stood behind them. Beyond them, she could see Mercy and Tabitha and finally Balor.
Liz sighed with relief and looked over to Crystal. “Thank you. I’m not sure we would have gotten out of there if you hadn’t turned up,” she said.
“My pleasure,” Crystal said. “Glad I could help.”
“Where are we?” Liz asked.
“We call this place the Fortress of the Ebon Mark. You’re in the Deep Aetheric.”
“The Deep Aetheric? You mean the Abyss?”
“Correct. I’m the Custodian of the Sentinels. We watched over the Archons in their prison... until very recently. Which is why I came to find Amanda. But I was not expecting… this,” she said.
Liz nodded and looked back at her friends, and then suddenly realised that not everyone was here after all. Maya and Gentle Water were still on the Arkady.
“Oh, crap,” Liz cursed.
“What’s up?” Sabine asked.
“Maya & Gentle Water, we left them behind.”
A series of gasps and curses rippled through the group as Liz looked back at Crystal.
“Can you help?”
Crystal returned her gaze and seemed to be thinking things through, and for a moment, Liz wondered if Crystal would agree to do anything for her at all.
“I’m not going to return to Ultima Thule. But, I will send some of you back if you wish. It’s a one-way trip, though. I can’t wait for you.”
Liz pressed her lips together in consternation and turned to her friends. “I’ll go,” she said.
“No, Liz” Mercy cut in. “Amanda needs you, you stay here. I’ll go.”
“I’ll go with you,” Sabine joined in, stepping up beside Mercy.
“Count me in, too,” Tabitha added.
“Are you sure?” Liz asked.
Mercy nodded. “Yeah, we’ll be fine. We’ll get to the ship and fly right out of there.”
“Alright. Cry
stal?”
Crystal nodded and worked her Magic. Essentia flared brightly and suddenly the trio was gone.
“Good luck,” Liz muttered as she stared into the now-empty space where they had been.
“Liz, is it?” Crystal asked.
She turned to look at the Sentinel and nodded. “That’s right.”
“I’m sorry that Amanda is gone. Did she die at Ultima Thule?”
“Um, no,” she said, and realised that it probably looked a little odd that they were carrying her body around with them. “Hmm, well. She might not be beyond help. It was Yasmin who killed her back on Earth, just after she returned from the Abyss, but her Anima is still tied to her body and seems quite normal, as if her body is still alive, but we can’t seem to bring her back.”
“You’ve tried, then?” Crystal asked.
Liz nodded. “Several times. Trevelyan wanted to examine her, hence…” Liz said, waving towards Amanda draped over Howie’s shoulder.
“I understand. I wonder, might I have a look at her?”
Liz shrugged, one more person couldn’t hurt, and maybe she’d spot something the others hadn’t. “Of course.”
Crystal looked around, spotted a table, and led Howie over to it, where he gently laid Amanda out. Liz stepped up and helped him as Crystal stood on the other side. Liz saw her Magic flare and the Essentia around them flow and reach out to Amanda.
Liz hoped that something might happen, that Amanda might move or start to return to life, but there was nothing. Liz’s more rational side knew nothing would change, but each time someone looked at her, that hope burnt bright.
She sighed. Would they ever figure this out? Would Amanda ever return from this early grave?
Would they have to bury her soon? She was dead, after all. Even with the energy that burnt within her, she wondered if Amanda’s body would go through the usual stages of decay. She wasn’t picking any up right now, though. Her body, although lifeless, seemed to be in some kind of stasis where the cells had just stopped but weren’t actually dying.
It was all very bizarre, but it all pointed to the idea that hope remained, and that somehow, she might return to life.
“Well, you’re right,” Crystal said. “Her body is basically dead, but her Anima is still in there. I’ve not seen this before in all my centuries of life. This is very strange. Was it Yasmin who did this?”
“That’s right,” Liz said. “She stabbed her through her heart after a prolonged fight.”
“Well, as strange as it is, I am at a loss as to how I might be able to help you. I hope you figure it out, though. It would be a shame to see her pass away.”
“Did you know her well?”
“I knew her. We’d met a couple of times before she came to the Fortress on Yasmin’s trail.”
“What happened with that?” Liz asked. “I never got a chance to speak to Amanda about it before…” Her words caught in her throat.
“Yasmin arrived here first. She attacked us before she moved into Tartarus. Amanda followed her. Luckily, I recognised Amanda before the other Sentinels attacked her, and I went with her into the Archon’s prison. We watched Yasmin kill one of the Archons and consume its power. That Archon’s death freed the others, breaking the Magic that held them here. That’s when Yasmin returned to Earth.”
“And attacked us,” Liz added.
“As you say,” Crystal confirmed.
Liz looked around at the room and noted the disarray it was in. Some of the walls had collapsed and there was even a dead body off to one side with a sheet over it.
“She did all this?” Liz asked.
Crystal looked around the room, and then returned her gaze to Liz. “No, this wasn’t Yasmin. She did kill many of of us, but this wasn’t her. This is actually the reason I came to find Amanda, I figured she’d want to know what happened.”
“If I ever find a way to bring her back, I’ll be happy to pass on the message,” Liz answered.
Crystal nodded. “Of course. Not long after Amanda left, the Archons came back and rampaged through the Fortress. They killed many of us, but their actual goal was to liberate some of the Magical Artifacts that we keep here. We couldn’t stop them. They’re too strong, and they’re not even fully rested and back at their full potential yet.”
“Artifacts?” Maria asked.
“Magical items, many of them from millennia ago. We have always strived to protect humanity from the influence of the Magi, and whenever possible, that meant confiscating and storing the more dangerous or powerful items.”
“How dangerous?” Liz asked.
“There were items the Archons themselves created and used, for instance. Plus, we had items that were created by beings even more powerful than them. We kept them safe, hidden away where they couldn’t do any harm.”
“And the Archons took them?”
“I’m afraid so,” Crystal said. “Which is why we’re leaving this place.”
“You’re giving up?”
“No. But we can’t stay here any longer. We were here to guard the Archons, but they’re gone now, released into the world, and the Null Barrier is gone. It’s only a matter of time before the Nomads or Arcadians find this place. So, we’re moving on, but we’re not leaving Earth behind. Our mission to protect humanity remains, but we have other goals as well now.”
“Which are?” Maria asked.
“I hope to tell you one day,” she answered with a smile. But please, if you ever do revive Amanda, tell her what happened here and that we’re still around. We’re never far from Earth.”
As Liz listened, a growing sense of unease took root when suddenly, the wall to Liz’s left exploded inwards as something large and grey smashed through it and landed amidst the rubble.
The thing stood, and Liz felt nauseated just looking at it. It was roughly humanoid, standing at around eight or nine feet tall with mottled grey skin covered in patches of armour-like bony plates. Its legs were goat-like and a long, prehensile penis swayed back and forth between them, like a tail. Looking up at its ugly visage, the Demon’s yellow eyes glowed beneath a pair of long, black horns that sprouted from his head. As it leered down at her, more of them, each one more horrific than the last, climbed in through the hole in the wall. There was a mix of male and female body parts on them, including several that had both. Six of the things entered the room and stalked forward.
“Abyssals,” Crystal muttered.
Liz backed off, feeling utterly disgusted by them, but the one in the lead moved towards her. She could see it glowing in her Aetheric Sight.
It could use Magic?
Essentia blasted at her, smashing against her Aegis in a bright display of light as Liz concentrated and split her mind, managing to create three distinct Multitasking minds this time.
She used one of them to pump Essentia into her Aegis as she tried to repair her shield from the attack, before lashing out herself. She hit the thing with a spike of Essentia that crunched into its Aegis, while she summoned a flash of lightning with her third mind, hitting its centre mass and knocking it back.
The Demon’s hooves skidded over the floor as it took the hit before it leapt at her, knocking her back and landing on top of her.
Liz struggled beneath it as the Demon roared at her, trying to pin her arms down as spittle dripped from its fanged mouth onto her face. She could feel the Demon’s member moving by itself, probing around her pelvis and thighs and felt sick to her stomach. She would not give in to this thing.
Freeing one of her legs from under it, she lifted her knee and hit it square in its sternum. It grunted. Looking even angrier, it lashed out with its hand and smacked her across the face, its claws cutting through her Aegis and slashing her cheek.
Opening her eyes following the hit, she saw several chunks of rubble on the ground nearby. She reached out with her Essentia and grabbed one while she boosted her Aegis and hit it with another Essentia Strike to keep it distracted.
She flung the boulder at th
e Demon.
Hitting it from the side, it knocked the beast sideways off of her and sent it rolling over the floor. Liz jumped up and quickly followed it, taking the opportunity to hit it with three solid Essentia Strikes, the last of which hammered through the Demon’s shield, causing it to collapse.
As she reached it, the Demon tried to push itself up, but Liz kicked it in the face, sending dark, sticky blood flying, along with a few teeth as well. Rolling onto its side, the beast’s flaccid, foot-and-a-half long member slapped to the floor at her feet.
Liz lifted her foot and brought her heel down onto it as hard as she could.
The Demon howled.
Liz called on her Magic and hit the thing with three lightning strikes, which left the Demon a lifeless, smoking ruin.
Looking around, the others were dealing with the remaining Demons. Only Matt and Howie were looking a little pressed as the Demon they were facing off against advanced on them.
Liz flung a string of Magical attacks at it and was joined by Maria, who had also killed her first opponent. Between them, they dispatched the Demon quickly and efficiently.
After a few more moments, silence fell over the room, leaving only the sounds of huffing and panting as they all caught their breath.
Crystal stepped up to Liz. “As I said, it’s not safe here. So, can send you anywhere?”
Liz frowned, but she knew Crystal was right. They couldn’t stay here. She did wonder about Mercy, Sabine, and Tabitha, though. Would they succeed in their mission? She had to just trust that they would make it. Crystal had been quite clear that it was a one-way trip.
“Actually, yes, that would be great,” Liz answered. “Can you get us to London?”
“Of course. Show me where,” Crystal said, and Liz felt the Link between them reopen.
Liz sent the location to her.
Crystal nodded. “Of course,” she said, the look on her face telling Liz that she knew where she was sending them.
Crystal walked towards the nearest Portal and reached out with her Magic, causing the energy in the Portal to flicker before it settled once more.
Magi Legend Page 144