After those first two meetings his mind was fuzzy and he wanted a break so he willed himself to return to the library and lo and behold it worked.
Conryu released his grip on the staff and flexed stiff fingers. Prime gave a whole-book shiver and settled in beside him.
Some new furniture had appeared since he left. Angus snored away on a couch while Maria read at a table as far from him as the geography of the room allowed. A stack of books surrounded her and it didn’t look like she’d even noticed his arrival. No surprise there. When a book was involved, Maria’s focus approached total.
The ghost rose up out of the floor. “Welcome back, Candidate. I sense you’re now halfway to completing your task. Congratulations.”
“Conryu!” Maria pushed away from the table and ran around to hug him. “How did it go?”
“So far so good. The process is mentally draining so I decided to take a break.”
“Of course it’s draining,” Prime said. “You have no experience with astral projection. Without the aid of the staff, I doubt you’d manage at all.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence, pal.” He returned his attention to Maria. “What are you reading?”
“Books on fire spirits. The Librarian convinced me that I was being too narrow in my quest for the spirit bound to the elf ring.” She sighed. “There are a lot of powerful fire spirits. I’ve begun to doubt I’ll ever find the right one.”
“If anyone can do it, you can.”
She kissed his cheek. “Thanks.”
Maria returned to her reading while he settled into one of the empty chairs and closed his eyes. He wasn’t sleepy so much as burned out. An hour or two without having to focus should help.
When he finished his rest, Conryu pushed himself up out of the chair. At least Angus hadn’t woken up. “I’d best get back to it.”
Maria looked up long enough to say, “Good luck,” before turning back to her book.
He smiled at the top of her head and returned to the staff. Before he grasped it Prime asked, “Are you certain you don’t need a longer rest, Master?”
“No, but I don’t want to be stuck in here any longer than necessary. Everyone’s probably frantic back home. I figure Kai didn’t make it in since she hasn’t appeared. Assuming someone’s told her, my mom is probably losing her mind. The sooner we finish up the better.”
In Maria’s honor, he focused on the realm of fire and grasped the staff. He flew through flames before appearing in a floating city made of stone and a shiny, golden metal. The city featured onion-domed buildings made of white stone, towers of red stone, and fortresses of black stone. In every direction beyond the buildings he saw nothing but raging flames.
“This place looks even less hospitable than Hell,” Conryu said.
“You only think that because you haven’t visited the Black City yet. I assure you a city full of demons is much less hospitable than this.”
A pillar of flame sprang to life in front of them, cutting the debate short. When the flames vanished they left behind a twenty-foot-tall man with shiny red skin, black spiral horns like a ram, and clothes that wouldn’t have looked out of place in an Arabian Nights story.
The red giant eyed Conryu then tapped his chin. “I’ve been expecting you. I’m Pasha of this city. You must be Gideon’s successor. You certainly took your sweet time appearing.”
“Sorry. Can I have your blessing?”
“You get right to the point, don’t you? I have some questions you need to answer first.”
Conryu winced. He was terrible at pop quizzes.
The Pasha must have read his mind because he let out a great, booming laugh. “Don’t worry, the questions are easy. Here we go. What did the Goddess ask of you?”
What an odd question. “She asked why I wanted her blessing.”
“Good. And the blowhard in the realm of wind, what did he ask?”
The wind spirit hadn’t asked him anything. What was he supposed to say? He thought and thought then finally shrugged. “Nothing.”
“Excellent. Last question. What did Null want?”
Conryu shuddered. “Souls. The Reaper wants me to use his power to kill.”
“Perfect.” The giant pointed and Conryu’s upper right arm burned. “I grant you my blessing. Good luck with earth and water.”
“Wait, that’s it? What were the questions for?”
“Master, perhaps it would be best to accept his blessing and move on.”
Prime had a point, but Conryu wanted to understand. Needed to understand. Nothing much had made sense from the moment he stumbled into the library.
“I already knew the answers,” the giant said. “The point was to see what you said. If you’d been less than fully honest with me I would have denied you my blessing. For us, choosing you is less about your power than your nature. Not Null, he granted you his blessing based solely on your raw power because that’s what demons respect most. The Goddess gave you hers because of your kind soul. The wind spirit valued the way you respected the weakest of his children. I value honesty above all and you were honest with me, thus gaining my blessing. Clear?”
“Yeah. What do earth and water value?”
The Pasha smiled, revealing glittering gold teeth. “That’s what you’ll have to figure out. Good luck.”
He vanished in a whoosh of flame, leaving Conryu to stare at the spot he’d occupied an instant before. He stood there trying to think what an earth spirit and water spirit might value, but he came up blank. Who would have guessed a fire spirit would value honesty in particular?
“Try not to overthink it, Master. Just being yourself has worked so far.”
“Good point, pal.” Conryu would go with his default plan: winging it.
Malice read the last report about the Lonely Rock escapees on her way down to meet the president. The hum of the elevator helped her concentrate. The last two additions were members of the Le Fay Society sent over by the Department after their capture. Malice had argued for execution, but the law banned it. After this breakout, she had high hopes for getting that law repealed.
The bell chimed and she stuffed the pages in her bag. Emergency protocol didn’t allow her aides to accompany her to the president’s secure office so she had to carry the damn thing herself. The door opened revealing a short hall with a door at the end and a pair of soldiers guarding it. The young men made no effort to stop or search her as she approached the door. They simply held the door open and closed it behind her. Sometimes, Malice’s reputation made life much easier.
Behind his polished mahogany desk the president picked at a large salad. He had on a blue suit and red tie today. His face looked sunken in and tired. Her visit wasn’t going to do his appearance any good.
He looked up as the door clicked shut behind her. “My wife says I need to eat this rabbit food if I want to get my cholesterol down. The fact that I have a light magic healer on hand at all times doesn’t impress her a bit.”
Malice sat in one of the two leather chairs in front of him without waiting for his invitation. A considerable breach of protocol, but she didn’t care. Her legs were killing her.
The president shoved his salad aside. “How bad is it?”
“Bad enough. The worst of the worst were locked up there. The satellite is tracking their movements and for now the group appears content to travel towards Europe. If we want to take them out, now’s the time. They’re a day away from the nearest land so we won’t need to worry about civilians getting hurt.”
“Have you spoken to King Patric?” the president asked.
“No, he’s deferring to his Ministry director. If we attack, Jemma has promised us the Kingdom’s full support. Morgana was captured in Kingdom territory and she very much wants the half-elf stopped before she reaches them.”
“Have the generals put forward a plan?”
“Long-range assault with cruise missiles and follow-up by the Air Force. I doubt it will be effective, but we might buy time for o
ur wizards to get organized. Dean Blane is working on the second line of defense as we speak.”
“Bottom line it for me, Malice. How much damage are we looking at if we don’t stop this lunatic?”
“Without knowing Morgana’s plans I can only guess, but she’s been locked up and experimented on for centuries. If I were in her place, I’d burn the world to ash.”
He nodded. “Attack when ready.”
Morgana rode at the front of the boat her rescuers had brought to free her. It would have been a simple matter for the assembled wizards to travel to their first target via portal, but Morgana wanted to see what the so-called world powers would do to try and stop her. Fools or not, no one could miss the challenge she’d made when she blew up their wizard prison.
When she looked up the sun warmed her face. The Society members had even been thoughtful enough to pack her a spare robe. She would have preferred red, but the green silk felt like heaven after the rough prison uniforms they’d forced her to wear.
Something tickled her mind as it passed through the outermost ward she’d set. Her gaze shifted east. Large missiles, each of them the size of a small plane, raced toward them. A pathetic attempt really.
Morgana waved her hand and called on fire and wind. Flaming tornadoes appeared, sucked up the missiles, and caused them to explode at a safe distance.
“Mistress, what was that explosion?” Indra asked.
“The first feeble attempt by our enemies to destroy us. They will make more attempts I have no doubt. Still, perhaps I can dissuade them for a little while. I will return shortly. Maintain this course.”
“I’ll come with you,” Indra said.
“No, as a fire wizard, your abilities are too restrained fighting surrounded by water. You’ll have your chance soon enough.” Morgana called the wind and shot into the air.
She flew along the missiles’ back trail and moments later reached a gathering of warships. Ten of the hulking steel beasts bobbed in the water like a child’s bath toys, just waiting for her to sink them.
Guns tracked her movements and a moment later hundreds of bullets clattered off her barrier. Their willingness to fight against the inevitable spoke well of their courage.
Her scepter appeared in her hand and she leveled it at the largest ship in the group. “Rend the earth and break the stone, bend the steel and send them home, Earth Render!”
At her command the steel hulls crumpled and huge holes opened letting ocean water rush in. In minutes the battleship sank below the waves.
Morgana repeated the spell over and over until all the ships had been sunk. The surface of the ocean was littered with debris and sailors struggling to stay afloat. It would be cruel to leave them to the mercy of the sharks.
Her lips twisted in an evil smile. She called on the hungry spirits of the sea to devour the survivors. She watched until the last bubble vanished then flew back to rejoin the others. Sinking the ships hadn’t been nearly as enjoyable as blowing up the island, but it was a start and now they didn’t need to worry about random bombs falling on their heads.
Morgana had barely started back when the drone of an approaching aircraft reached her. Another fusillade of bullets clattered off her barrier like raindrops. Half a dozen jets streaked past her then turned to make another run.
She shook her head at the futility of their attacks. What idiot sent conventional weapons to attack a wizard? A weak wizard might be taken down by a well-armed opponent, but Morgana was far from weak. Even after her imprisonment her strength remained overwhelming. Any leader with half a brain would know that.
The insult implied by the attack annoyed her more than anything. She brandished the scepter at them and birds of flame appeared on the planes’ tails. One after another the magical creatures slammed into their targets, melting wings and destroying engines.
Her last bird struck home and the pilot ejected in time. His parachute opened and he drifted toward the ocean.
Morgana flew over and descended with him. “Your leaders sent you on a fool’s errand. They sent you to die. You understand that?”
He remained silent and she couldn’t see his eyes behind the dark visor of his helmet. He had to be frightened, but he hid it well. It would be a shame to kill him.
“I want you to take a message to your leaders. Tell them that I’m coming and there will be no mercy. I will have a lake of blood for the pain they caused me. Your cities will burn and your people will scream in agony. Only when I tire of hearing their anguished wails will I allow the survivors to rebuild under my eternal rule. Tell them, soldier. Tell them death is coming.”
She flew off, content to let him find his fate. Whether he delivered her message or not, the people of the world would hear it soon enough.
6
London Falling
After the Alliance’s sad attempt to destroy them, there remained no point in using slow surface transportation. Morgana ordered the boat abandoned and everyone into a portal of their alignment. The target was London and they’d meet up there.
In the blink of an eye, two hundred portals opened above the city, the largest a fire portal that a giant red dragon emerged from, Morgana on its back. She looked down at the city, so different yet so familiar. She’d lost track of how many centuries had passed since she last visited, but it was a lot. Many of the skyscrapers had tall cranes lifting girders into place to reinforce ruined sections.
Indra informed her that a minor war had been fought in the streets only months ago. She felt no pity for the people that helped lock her up and destroyed her dream. The damage they’d suffered earlier was nothing compared to what she intended.
When she’d hovered long enough to draw the attention of everyone likely to notice a giant dragon over their city, Morgana pointed her scepter at the nearest building. Her dragon roared and spat a ball of fire that blew the top ten floors to rubble that rained down on the streets below.
That was the signal to the rest of the gathered wizards. Spells of every element roared down on the city. Lightning crackled, shattering windows and setting fires.
On the streets earth wizards tore the ground apart, flipping over cars and sending people running for safety, as if such a thing existed in the city now that Morgana had arrived.
She watched it all with a little smile. She’d hold back her strength for now, let the former prisoners blow off a little steam. They were all as eager as she to wield their magic again. The real fun would begin when the Ministry finally sorted themselves out and counterattacked.
Her blood raced at the prospect of a proper wizard’s battle. Not that Morgana held high hopes for the quality of the opposition she’d face. The sad truth was, outside the three other survivors of the elves’ experiments, no one in the world had the power to face her and survive.
The first faint screams rode the wind up to her, causing her smile to broaden. Wizards sought power obsessively, it was part of their nature, like salmon swimming upstream to spawn. None of them seemed to realize that if their wish came true and they became the strongest, life grew downright tedious. Morgana knew that better than anyone alive.
The approach of magical energy jarred her out of her thoughts. A pair of women in red robes flew at her. Magic gathered around their hands as spells spilled from their lips.
Fire and lightning, how predictable. Before the wizards completed their spells she leveled her scepter at them and summoned a tornado.
The spell materialized, drew the women in, and bashed them together with enough force that their bodies came apart on impact, sending blood and limbs flying in every direction.
She shook her head at the weaklings’ effort. Her elf blood allowed her to use all but the most powerful spells without chanting and suffer no ill effects. Full-blooded humans never allowed for that. The results of their carelessness now rained down on the masses below.
Morgana’s magical senses were drawn to more battles in the skies and on the streets below. Her followers lacked the overwhelming might
to defeat their enemies in an instant. Unless she wanted to lose a number of them, she’d have to get involved.
She grinned. This was what she’d been waiting for.
Jemma had barely gotten off the phone with Malice Kincade when the first explosion shook the newly rebuilt Ministry building. Morgana had arrived sooner than expected.
Her office door flew open and Marsha rushed in. “We have portals opening everywhere, over two hundred at last count. I’ve ordered every wizard in the Ministry as well as every combat-capable wizard in London active. Oh, and there’s a bloody big red dragon over the city center.”
“Alright.” It was even worse than she feared. “Has anyone gone to the palace to secure the king?”
Marsha’s eyes widened. “I didn’t even think about that. No, though I assume the palace guard will see him to the safe room in their basement.”
“I’m sure, but there are only six wizards assigned to the guard and they won’t last long if it comes to a fight. I want you to assume command of the main battle. No, don’t argue, you’ll be fine. I need to check on the palace and make sure everything’s secure. The safe room has a full communications suite so I’ll contact you as soon as we’re set up. Focus on the weaker wizards. Morgana’s beyond your ability to handle without a plan.”
“Understood. Will you go directly by portal?”
“No, there’s no way through the wards. I insisted they be upgraded after the dragon mane attack a year ago. I seldom curse my thoroughness, but today is one of those days. Get going.”
Marsha nodded and rushed back out, not bothering to close the door behind her. Before she left Jemma needed some emergency supplies. She got up and went over to a section of wall that looked exactly the same as every other section.
A wave of her hand and a whispered password caused a brief shimmer. When it passed a safe appeared. A six-digit password opened that. Jemma reached inside and pulled out the Black Ring.
Death Incarnate: Aegis of Merlin Book 7 (The Aegis of Merlin) Page 6