Magi Legend

by Andrew Dobell

  “Hey,” she called out. “Hey, you.”

  The man looked up, fear in his eyes, which changed to a look of confusion as he glanced at the sword she carried. “Am I dead?”

  “No,” Liz said. “Go down the stairs, no one will hurt you now, you should be able to get out of the building.”

  “Who are you?”

  Liz offered him a thin smile. “Just a Good Samaritan,” she answered. She’d been half-helping and half-fighting people as she’d moved through the building. Her hate was only for the Inquisitors, who she thought of as a cancer within the Catholic Church that needed lancing.

  The Riven staff and Vatican personnel were innocents, and she was determined to help them escape. The Inquisitors and Crusaders, however, were fair game.

  “Bless you, my child,” the man said, before he followed her directions and moved down the stairs and out of sight.

  Moving on, a figure stepped out of a door up ahead and quickly spotted her.

  He was a good ten meters away, but she knew from just looking at him that it was a Scion—probably a Vampire from the looks of it.

  Liz called on her Magic and hit the thing with a triple strike of lightning that sent the Vampire smashing into the wall, its Aegis decimated by her Magic. Liz ran at it and swung her blade as the creature pulled itself up. Her sword swung true and hit the thing’s neck cleanly, severing its head.

  It fell to the floor, its Anima already leaving its body. Looking around, Liz found herself in a large, handsomely decorated hallway. She moved along it, dodging the fires, using her Magic to douse them or bring them more under control as she checked the rooms on either side. They were offices, and she soon found one whose door had a gold plaque on it, reading: “Office of the Grand High Inquisitor.”

  Liz walked inside to find it partially aflame, while several dead bodies lay on the floor. She walked over to them, wondering if she might recognise them.

  Over the years, since becoming a Magus, Liz had been researching the Inquisitors, including the ruling Conclave and who its members were, and as she looked down at these bodies, she felt sure she recognised some of them. This was the last room on this floor, and there was little in here but death.

  ~Finished my sweep,~ Liz said. ~No one’s alive, the Inquisition is finished. I can’t see how they can recover from this.~

  ~I agree,~ Maya added. ~This place is a tomb.~

  Even though none of the others could see it, Liz nodded her head in agreement, and she felt an element of closure on this part of her life. With Mary and Nate dead and the Inquisition finished, she wondered if she might be able to finally move on and put those memories to bed.

  ***

  Amanda sent blasts of energy at Kez, ripping lengths off her Aegis as Kez tried desperately to defend herself. Nearby, behind her, she was aware of the other two Nomads fighting against Maria, Stephen, and Sabine, but her friends seemed to be holding their own and fending them off without too much trouble.

  Kez’s Aegis weakened rapidly, and apart from the occasional Essentia Strike, she was mostly just defending against Amanda’s attacks and doing her best to rebuild her Aegis while Amanda tore it down.

  A bright flash of Magical energy outside the Aegis-dome attracted Amanda’s attention, and she couldn’t help looking to see what was happening. She watched in horror as Peter’s Aegis collapsed in on itself and Yasmin hit him with a body-ripping Magical effect that pulled Peter’s body apart in a matter of moments.

  A strange feeling washed over her on seeing this. Amanda had been no friend of the Inquisition and had fought them at every turn, and yet, as misguided as they were, she knew that ultimately, they were only trying to protect the Riven and fight for humanity.

  Seeing Peter die felt like the final nail in the coffin for the Inquisition, at least, in its current form, and it was one less group who had humanity’s best interests at heart.

  Amanda felt disgusted at what Yasmin had done, but when Kez hit her again with another Magical strike of energy, Amanda returned her focus to the Nomad. She lashed out and hit Kez with all the power she could bring to bear.

  Her attack smashed through the remains of Kez’s Aegis, blowing it away before Amanda’s devastatingly powerful lightning and fire ripped into her and tore a hole right through her.

  Kez fell and was dead before she hit the floor while Amanda pummelled the Aegis that surrounded them, tearing it down in a matter of moments now that Kez was gone.

  Amanda focused on Yasmin, who had already turned to face her. “Not going to run away again, are you?”

  Yasmin smiled. “No. I’m going to enjoy killing you for a second time, since you didn’t learn your lesson,” she answered, her Aegis flaring to full strength in Amanda’s vision as Magical energy rushed around her.

  Yasmin sent a wave of Essentia at Amanda. It hit her Aegis but didn’t penetrate. Amanda returned the favour, attempting to break Yasmin’s Aegis, but again, that Orb in her chest flared and bolstered her defences.

  A new source of Magic blazed nearby, a heartbeat before it hit her. Kinetic energy hammered her to the floor. The powerful strike knocked her off her feet, causing Amanda to land awkwardly. She scrambled into a crouch, looking around her to see a figure that looked like a cross between a woman and one of those creatures from the Alien films.

  Long, rippling tentacles waved in the air behind her, stretching from her back, and moving like dangerous snakes while her cruel face sneered.

  Amanda knew from her Aetheric Sight that this new attacker was both a Scion and a Magus, and a powerful one from the intense glow of Essentia she gave off. Only one name came to mind.

  “Lyka, I presume?” Amanda asked.

  The Scion gave Amanda a wicked smile.

  There was a blur of something dark and fast above her. It slammed into Lyka and sent her flying, before stopping a short distance away. Standing up, Amanda recognised the dark robes of Lilith, who stood between her and Lyka. Amanda looked over to see Yasmin close by, her eyes flicking between Lyka, Lilith, and Amanda.

  “So glad you came,” Lyka said.

  “This ends today,” Lilith warned Lyka.

  Lyka smiled. “Yes, it does.”

  Amanda wasn’t sure what the dynamic was between Yasmin and Lyka, and even Lilith. Was Lyka on Yasmin’s side? Maybe this wasn’t a formal alliance between them.

  “Well, that evens things out again,” Amanda commented, returning her attention to Yasmin. “Fair’s fair, after all. You get backup, I get backup,” she smirked, waving towards Lyka and Lilith in turn.

  Yasmin’s face didn’t give much away, but Magic blossomed again and threw Amanda into the nearby wall. She hit it with a grunt as she hissed against the pain. Her Aegis held firm as Yasmin was suddenly on her and hit her with a ram of Magical energy.

  Amanda kicked off with her foot and sent Essentia surging into Yasmin, knocking Yasmin back. Reaching out, Amanda used her Magic to grip a chunk of wall and threw it at Yasmin.

  The masonry hit Yasmin’s Aegis and shattered as Amanda followed it up with a blast of lightning. The rock didn’t cause Yasmin too much trouble, but the electricity made her stumble.

  Yasmin stepped through the cloud of smoke and dust, her face contorted in fury. Holding out her hands, Yasmin unleashed a flurry of Magical attacks. Pyrotechnics fizzed as energy blasts hammered Amanda’s shield. The Orb in Yasmin’s chest glowed with power and Amanda could feel the strength of Yasmin’s attacks grow. Amanda pumped Essentia into her Aegis as she pushed back.

  Nearby, Lyka threw Lilith to the floor as their Magic ripped at one another. Their attacks ferocious. But Amanda could see right away that Lyka was quite obviously the more powerful of the two as Lilith was forced to go on the defensive, but it was too little too late.

  “You don’t have that damned Orb now,” Lyka spat as another blast of energy hit Lilith and burst her Aegis. Lyka ripped at Lilith’s flesh with her claws and tentacles. Looking back at Yasmin, Amanda gathered her strength and sent out a wav
e of Essentia and Kinetic energy that threw Yasmin back, giving Amanda a break from the constant onslaught.

  Her attack hit Lyka as well, pushing her away from Lilith’s mutilated corpse. She skidded to a stop and looked up at Amanda.

  “Another lamb to the slaughter?” Lyka asked.

  Yasmin looked at Lyka, apparently unsure about her. But as the Scion Magus advance upon Amanda, a slight smile grew on Yasmin’s lips.

  “You can’t beat us both,” Yasmin purred.

  Amanda briefly considered Porting away, but quickly discarded the idea. She needed to end Yasmin’s rampage, once and for all.

  She glanced over at Stephen, Maria, and Sabine who were now fighting three Nomads, one more than earlier. They seemed to be putting up a good fight despite the additional enemy.

  Amanda locked eyes with Maria briefly. Maria nodded once, a look of confidence radiating from her.

  Destructive Energy rushed out of both Lyka and Yasmin and smashed into Amanda.

  The force of the attacks slammed her back against the wall with enough force to send a spiderweb of cracks out in the rock behind her. Amanda grunted at the pain in her back.

  Boosting her Aegis, it held up against their combined might, but it wouldn’t last forever. The pair of them would be too much for her without help.

  There was nothing else for it, it was now or never. She had to call on Sophia for help. She’d been hoping she could defeat Yasmin on her own, but with Lyka backing her up, things were looking bleak.

  ~Sophia,~ Amanda called, reaching out to her presence in the back of her mind. She immediately felt her mother answer, and a rush of love and power rushed through her.

  Up until that moment, she’d felt like she’d been blocking a torrent of deadly fire with an ever-weakening shield and that it was just a matter of time until the end. But as she felt the Aeon’s strength fill her, she knew she could hold her own. But more than that, she knew she could beat them.

  With a simple thought, she sent out a wave of Essentia and energy more powerful than anything she could achieve alone. It rushed out of her and slammed into her two attackers. They were both knocked off their feet as Amanda stood tall. Lyka and Yasmin lay on their backs on the floor before her.

  “What the…” Yasmin gasped, her eyes wide with shock.

  Advancing, Amanda hit them again with a bolt of fire, lightning, and Magical energy that hit Yasmin and Lyka’s Aegises and sent them skidding over the polished stone floor.

  “This ends. Today,” Amanda said, as Yasmin got to her feet, pumping her Aegis with Essentia to rebuild its strength. She sensed a build-up of Magic a heartbeat before Essentia flared and a small crowd of Nomads Ported in just behind Yasmin and Lyka. Amanda recognised Anastasia and others amidst the ones she didn’t know by name.

  Yasmin glanced back at her coven, and then at Amanda.

  “Yes, it will end today,” Yasmin answered in a low voice with a cruel smile.

  - The Vatican, Rome, Italy

  Liz looked up, sensing several flares of Essentia around the building, which faded to nothing. She frowned, wondering what it could be.

  ~Did anyone else feel that?~ Liz asked.

  ~Couldn’t miss it,~ Trevelyan answered. ~We need to get back to the Basilica, I think we’re done here.~

  ~Agreed,~ Liz said.

  ~Of course.~

  ~Whenever you’re ready.~

  ~Let’s go for it.~

  Liz felt Trevelyan’s Essentia reach out and then the familiar feeling of dislocation, as he Ported them all out of the Inquisitorial building and into the nave of Saint Peter’s Basilica a short distance away.

  One Giant Leap

  The Vatican, Rome

  Amanda had to admit, seeing the small crowd of Nomads appear just behind Yasmin was slightly worrying. She could feel the Aeon’s strength flowing through her, but even so, taking on a crowd of other Magi, all of whom would be keen to see her die would still be a challenge, even if they were just Knights or Sages in rank.

  “Not so confident now, are we?” Yasmin taunted, her voice cocky.

  “You need a crowd of Magi to back you up?” Amanda asked, choosing to go after her ego.

  “I’ll do whatever it takes to bring you down,” Yasmin answered.

  Having kept an eye on the fight Stephen, Maria, and Sabine were involved in, Amanda decided it was time for a little intervention. Her Magic flared, and she hit the three Nomads with a Kinetic Ram that threw them across the nave and away from her friends.

  Yasmin shrugged as the three Nomads Ported across the room to stand with the others. Amanda wondered what the relationship was between Lyka and Yasmin. Lyka stood to one side now and seemed to be watching Yasmin closely. She guessed that by default, Lyka and Yasmin were basically on the same side, given that they both hated Arcadians, but she couldn’t help but feel it was an alliance of convenience. Yasmin was only interested in her own power and acted only in her own self-interest. Their alliance was probably weak, if there was one at all.

  But what was Lyka’s interest in all this? Lilith? The Orb? Something else?

  ~Inbound,~ Amanda heard through her Link. It was Trevelyan, and a moment later Essentia flared behind her as her coven and friends Ported into the Basilica.

  Amanda didn’t take her eyes off Yasmin and watched her take a step back, a worried look crossing her face.

  “So, it comes to this, does it? A pitched battle between us?” Amanda asked.

  “If that’s what it takes,” Yasmin answered with a smile. “You deserve it. You and your pitiful friends. You’ve had your time. Now I have the power, not you. Now I will be the one to say who lives and who dies.”

  In a flash of realisation, the jigsaw fell into place in her mind as she suddenly realised Yasmin’s true motivation. It was all laid bare before her. It was so obvious, and yet, it had never really occurred to her before.

  “Is that what this is about?” Amanda asked, suddenly understanding what Yasmin was ranting about. Her voice was incredulous, laughing almost at the realisation. “It is, isn’t it? This is about me saving your life that day from your master all those hundreds of years ago, isn’t it? From that day forward, I had power over you. You couldn’t kill me or those closest to me without potentially killing yourself because of a paradox.”

  Yasmin was silent, staring at her with hate-filled eyes.

  “That’s it, isn’t it? You’re pissed at me. I’m right, aren’t I? You couldn’t abide that I had that power over you, could you? You couldn’t live with it, and you dedicated your life to building your power so you could kill me when the time came. I’m right, aren’t I?”

  “So, what if you are?”

  “I just want to know.”

  Yasmin seemed to think about it for a moment, and then nodded.

  “I knew it.”

  “You think you’re so clever, with your Weaver friend. I’m going to wipe that smile from your face.”

  “It must have killed you to have to play nice with me. Hell, we had sex. Shit, you must hate yourself for that.” Amanda could see the looks on many of the Nomad’s faces behind Yasmin. She could see them looking at each other with doubt as they started whispering to one another.

  “Shut up!”

  “I see it now. You really would’ve done anything to get that power, wouldn’t you? Even helping me, saving my life, and jumping into bed with me. Whatever it took, and honestly, you did well. You’ve come a long way. You’ve had to kill thousands to do it, and it must have eaten you up inside to have to save my life all those times, but you did it. I’m honestly impressed.”

  Amanda could see the dynamic changing. She could feel the mood in the room shift as the reality of Yasmin’s mission was laid bare. Her reaction to Amanda’s words wasn’t helping her either.

  “SHUT UP!” Yasmin yelled. “So, what if I’m pissed? Anyone would be.”

  Amanda smiled. “You know you were played by the Archons too, right?”

  “What?” Yasmin asked, her head
drawing back, the change in subject taking her off guard.

  Amanda thought back to the last vision that Sophia had shown her, and the realisation that had come from it. With doubt already sewn through the Black Knights, it was time to see if she could enhance their distrust even further.

  “The Archons knew that if one of them was killed by the Orb, it would free them from their prison, so Samael sacrificed himself.”

  “No, that’s not true. I found those Artifacts. Me.”

  “You’re wrong,” Amanda answered, recalling what Sophia had shown her. “Shaitan’s visit, two thousand years ago, left one of the Archons injured, and they saw the effect it had on the Magic there. They wanted you to find his Libre Nox Noctis. They corrupted your contact in the Syndicate, too. Ian Hammond, who told you where Mr Black was. They even got to Sybil…”

  “Sybil? How?”

  “Didn’t she tell you the importance of the Orb? That you must have it with you when you went to Tartarus?”

  “I didn’t… How can this…?”

  “You were played, Yasmin. Played. They knew exactly what they were doing, and you walked right into it.”

  “No. No, this is all lies,” Yasmin railed, as she pulled herself together. “You will die here today, and then I’ll hunt down and kill the Archons.”

  “Are you sure?” Amanda asked, meaning every word.

  “Of course,” she spat and directed her voice to her coven. “Let’s end this. Kill them all,” Yasmin ordered with wicked glee.

  Three of the Knights took a few steps forward, but the rest didn’t move. Yasmin waited for a moment, and then looked back towards Anastasia and the others.

  “I said kill them!” Yasmin repeated, her voice insistent.

  Amanda watched as Anastasia smiled at Yasmin, and then started to move away from her, followed by all but three of Yasmin’s coven.

  “What? What are you doing? What’s going on?” Yasmin ranted.

  Anastasia shrugged. “You’re weak, Yasmin. So, I made them a better offer.”

  “You?”