In a matter of heartbeats, the film had encased him. The world went silent and blurred as if seen through thick glass. He crashed to the ground, though he didn’t feel a thing. The demon stood over him. It gave him a smile that showed sharp yellow teeth, each at least three inches long. It didn’t see Ziary coming up right behind it. The scion held his sword in both hands and split the demon in two. The ward around Jez shattered. He gasped, but there wasn’t time. He got to his feet and inclined his head at Ziary before launching himself into the air. He rose fifty feet up, keeping his eyes locked on the next closest hagine. The demon was launching balls of green light at the mages. Jez crisscrossed his arms in front of him, and twin bands of crackling black fire rushed at the demon. It saw the oncoming attack and raised its hands, but the demon was too slow. The working wrapped itself around the hagine. The creature lifted its head and let out a silent roar before being engulfed in the flames. Jez flew over the battle lines, shooting the binding at other sorcerer demons.
The last one saw him coming. It uttered a word, and a glowing wall of purplish light appeared in front of her. Jez’s binding slammed into it and was absorbed. A heartbeat later, three glowing arrows shot toward Jez. He waved a hand, drawing water from the air and forming a shield that was stronger than steel. The arrows slammed into the water with a sound like thundering waves. Their points drilled through, stopping a few inches from Jez’s face. He splayed his fingers, dissipating the magic of the arrows. He sent out a burst of aqua magic, and the shield split apart into a hundred shards of iron-hard water. With a wave of his hands, they rushed at the demon. It summoned a shield of fire. It was exactly what Jez had expected.
He sent a surge of terra magic into the ground beneath the demon, shaping the stone into a hard spike. It rose, impaling the creature. Its eyes blazed blue before puffing out. It collapsed into dust a second later. The shards of water pierced nearly a dozen nearby demons and sent them back to the abyss.
“You’ve improved,” a raspy voice said from behind.
Ice formed in Jez’s veins. He sent power into his sword until it glowed electric blue. Then, he turned around. The being before him had once been human, but all vestiges of that had been wiped away. Green scales covered his body, and he stared at Jez with lidless yellow eyes. He wore no clothes, but the scales on its body had thickened and almost looked like armor. A long tail swished behind him. His body writhed like a snake slithering across the ground, and bat-like wings kept him aloft. His fingers ended in claws, and he had grown several feet since the last time Jez had seen him, a thing that hadn’t been apparent from the vision in the scrying bowl. He now stood nearly ten feet tall. Jez drew deeply of Luntayary’s power. The demons, seemingly unwilling to risk the wrath of a pharim so utterly consumed by rage, parted around him. When Jez spoke, he instilled his voice with all the anger he felt toward this being. In ages past, this creature had been known as Andera, one of the greatest and most powerful demons in the abyss. Years ago, it had taken on human flesh as a way to escape from its prison. Along with that, it had been given a mortal name, the first name Jez had known him by.
“Sharim.”
CHAPTER 22
Sharim laughed. “Jez, we’ve done this before. You know you can’t beat me.”
Jez rushed forward, sending a torrent of power into his sword. The blade seemed to cease being an independent object and became an extension of his arm, moving with inhuman speed, but Sharim was faster still. A sword of liquid flame materialized and caught Jez’s blade. When the weapons impacted, the very air vibrated with power. The earth shook, and the sky darkened. There was an explosion of force, and the two were forced back nearly twenty yards.
Jez shot forward again, intending to impale Sharim, but the human demon effortlessly knocked his attack aside. Thrown off balance, Jez expected the killing blow to sear through his back, but it never came. He flew past Sharim and turned around.
“This is pointless,” the demon said in a bored voice. “I’ve altered my body so it can take more of your punishment, but even before that, you were never a match for me.” He effortlessly dodged one of Jez’s blows. “Stop this. I’ve told you before. I don’t want you dead. I don’t expect you to join me, but it would be wise, at least, to get out of my way and let me claim the Academy.”
Jez cried out, so consumed with rage that he wasn’t even sure what he said. Once again, Sharim easily avoided the attack, but this time, Jez was ready. He angled his wings up so they caught the air. If they had been made of flesh and bone, the abrupt stop would’ve snapped them, but his wings were more spirit than matter and weren’t subject to physical laws. Almost instantly, he came to a complete stop and lashed out with his sword. Sharim moved to one side, but he wasn’t fast enough. Jez’s sword clipped off the edge of his right wing, sending blood mixed with fire spurting from the wound. Sharim wavered in the air a little, and Jez’s sword darted toward him. The human demon caught the crystal sword on his flame blade, but he’d been caught off balance, and his weapon didn’t quite deflect Jez’s strike. The sword bit into Sharim’s shoulder. He roared and stopped flapping. He fell a few inches, freeing himself from the sword. The wound steamed, but otherwise, it seemed to not even inconvenience him. He threw his hand forward and shot the same binding the hagine had used. This time, Jez caught it on his sword. The crystal shimmered for a second as the working was dispelled. Jez lashed out again, but Sharim’s blade met his. The demon twisted his sword, and Jez’s weapon went flying from his hand and vanished. Then, Sharim put his sword point to Jez’s throat. They both managed to stay steady in the air.
“When will you learn?” Sharim asked.
Jez glared into Sharim’s eyes. “When will you?”
Surprise danced across Sharim’s features. He glanced over his shoulder just as an eagle with dark brown feathers raked its talons across his face. Jez brought his hands together, shrouding them in blue energy. A heartbeat later, a ball of sapphire light shot forward, hitting Sharim in the chest. Bands of blue light encircled him, binding his arms, legs, and wings.
Sharim plummeted to the ground. Jez inclined his head at the transformed Master Horgar before tucking his wings in and diving after his foe. The demon was still fifty feet off the ground when he roared. The binding shattered. Jez was only inches away when he summoned his sword. He drove the weapon down in a two handed strike. Sharim waved a hand, and Jez’s sword crashed against an opaque blue barrier. Though the blow shattered the shield, it was slowed enough to allow Sharim to move and avoid a fatal blow. The sword bit into Sharim’s left shoulder. The demon struck with his flaming blade. Jez moved his own weapon to intercept, but his sword passed right through Sharim’s. Pain blossomed in Jez’s stomach. He looked down to see the demon’s blade pierce his abdomen.
The illusionary weapon Jez had tried to block vanished. Sharim laughed, though he seemed to be struggling to stay aloft. He may have broken out of Jez’s binding, but it had obviously weakened him.
“I learned that trick from you when you battled Maries.”
Horgar dove, his curved beak tearing a chunk out of Sharim’s shoulder. Sharim hissed and looked down at Jez. His eyes glowed an angry red. Then, he lifted a foot and pushed Jez off his blade. The last thing Jez remembered before losing consciousness was the earth rushing up at him.
CHAPTER 23
Jez awoke to Master Balud standing over him, though Jez could only barely make out his form. Everything was blurry, but the distinct lack of power flowing through him told him he’d returned to human form. A lantern burned with blinding intensity overhead, and for some reason, the ceiling had been painted blue. The chancellor’s hands glowed bright orange and gradually, the pain in Jez’s gut decreased. His vision began to clear, and it was only then that he realized he was outside. What he’d assumed was a lantern hanging from a painted ceiling was actually the sun in the sky.
“Well, this is new.” Jez tasted blood on his breath as he spoke. The stone he was laying on made his back ache. “Normal
ly, when I’m being healed, I wake up in a sick house.”
Balud let out a bark of laughter, but his expression went serious after a second. “We didn’t want to risk moving you.”
“What happened?”
“Sharim stabbed you.”
Jez sat up and looked down. The fact that his robes were torn was an indication of just how bad his wound had been. Normally, damage to his clothes vanished when he transformed. He saw no sign of the actual wound, though whether that was because of his transformation or Balud’s working, Jez couldn’t say.
“I remember that much. What happened after that?”
“Sharim threw you to the ground. Horgar chose to save you rather than pursue him.”
“The battle?”
“They had some nasty surprises for us. There were another dozen hagine.” Balud shook his head and sighed. “The legends said there were only ten of them in the whole of the abyss. We’ve now seen nearly twice that many. After what they saw you do, they were prepared for the black flame binding, and they struck at the worst possible time. The demons broke through our battle lines and now hold half the city. They’ve broken through the walls of the Academy, but we’ve managed to hold them back.”
Jez stood. The world spun, but he was able to keep his balance. He didn’t notice that Balud had taken his arm until the chancellor released him. “What about the people? How are you going to get them out?”
“There are still items we haven’t used from beneath the spire.”
“Where are the battle lines now?”
Balud’s eyes flickered over Jez’s shoulder. “Back that way.”
Jez took a step in that direction, but before long, he was on the ground again. He rolled onto his back and glared at Balud, but the chancellor only shrugged.
“You need some rest.”
Jez shook his head. “There’s no time. I can draw on Luntayary if I have to.”
“If you want to burn yourself out.” Balud sniffed at the air. “Literally, if that odor is any indication.”
Jez stood on shaky legs. It was an effort not to fall, but he managed to hold himself steady. He looked into Balud’s eyes and held himself on the edge of transforming. His nose wrinkled at the faint smell of burning flesh, but he had become so used to it over the past couple of days that he barely noticed.
“Sharim is hurt, hurt enough to run from a giant eagle. We’ll never have a better chance to take him down.”
“He has an army around him.”
“An army that’s been severely weakened,” Jez said.
“I’m sorry, Jez. I can’t allow you to go after him.”
“You can’t stop me,” an almost comically deep voice said.
Jez turned to see that Lina had walked up behind him. Osmund stood right behind her. Jez scowled. “I don’t sound like that.”
Lina smirked. “Yes, you do, and don’t pretend that’s not what you were going to say.”
“She has a point, Jez,” Osmund said. “When do we leave?”
“Oh, you’re going with us?” Lina asked with a barely concealed smile. “I thought you were going to stay with the guards.”
Osmund’s face went red, and Jez quirked an eyebrow. “What is it?”
“Nothing,” Osmund said.
“He’s been helping to train Captain Narva.”
Osmund grew even redder. “She just wanted some tips on her swordplay. She went from being a lay sword to a captain, and she’s a little overwhelmed.”
“And you’re helping her feel better.” Sarcasm dripped from Lina’s voice. “It’s very admirable.”
Balud cleared his throat. “As fascinating as this all is, I’m not about to send the three of you up against one of the most dangerous beings to ever walk the earth. Jezreel needs his rest and the two of you are hardly in any better condition.”
Jez let out a breath and released his power. His shoulders slumped, and he staggered. Lina caught him, though he tried to keep most of his weight off her.
“You’re probably right.” He glanced at Lina. “Can you help me get to the spire?”
“The spire is under constant attack from the air,” Balud said. “We’ve set apart classrooms in the destruction district for people to sleep in. It’s a little cramped, but it’s the best we can manage.”
Jez nodded, and they headed in that direction. As soon as they turned a corner, Jez drew on Luntayary’s power and stood up straight. He eyed his friends, but neither seemed surprised that he had no intention of getting rest. Osmund closed his eyes, and a second later, he too had shed his human form. His robes burned red, and he grew a foot in height. A flaming sword appeared at his waist. Lina offered her hand to Jez who took it. She smiled.
They flew over the occupied part of the city, hidden by Lina’s illusions. They crisscrossed the area several times, but they didn’t found any obvious command center.
“Are you sure he’d be in the city?” Lina asked.
Jez glanced at the large building situated just beyond the walls on the north side of the Academy. It was made of yellow stone, a stark contrast to the obsidian buildings that made up the rest of Tarcai.
He nodded. “He’ll want to get to the library as soon as he can.”
“You don’t think...” Lina took a deep breath. “Could he be on the Academy grounds?”
“No,” Osmund said. “There is an entire set of wards set up to prevent Sharim from crossing the walls, even aside from those made to stop regular demons. Sharim might be able to break through but not without Besis knowing.”
“But Besis was hurt,” Jez said. “He might not be able to sense things as well as he normally could.” He pursed his lips. “Everyone who can fight is on the battle lines, so it’s not like we have anyone patrolling. Sharim is a master illusionist. He could be hiding out there.” A chill ran down Jez’s back. “The summoning house. He’ll need circles if he’s going to replenish his army.”
CHAPTER 24
“That doesn’t look like the summoning house,” Jez said. “Look at the roof.”
“What about it?” Lina asked.
He pointed at the dark roof. The smooth stone was uniformly black, just like all of the surrounding buildings. Even to his protection sense, it seemed like one solid piece of earth, but it shouldn’t have.
“Remember when Mirel blew out the ceiling? Some of the acolytes fixed it, but their working wasn’t exactly seamless. That’s an illusion. It’s too perfect to be anyone but Sharim.”
“All right,” Ziary said. “We’ll land in front of it. I’ll open the door, and you be ready to strike.”
“No,” Jez said. “I think we’ll just go straight in.”
Lina stiffened in his grasp. “Jez, what are you saying?”
He tucked his wings and dove. Lina yelped, but Jez threw his power downward. There was a cracking sound, though it had no visible source. Lina screamed as they reached the roof and passed right through it.
The summoner’s practice house had half a dozen new summoning circles engraved into the ground, all glowing brilliant yellow. The rubble from Jez’s entry had fallen across one of the circles, but it didn’t seem to have disturbed it. Sharim stood in the middle of the room, his inhuman form reaching halfway to the ceiling. He held his arms up, and at least two dozen chezamuts surrounded him. For a second, Jez could only gape. He’d seen mages power summoning circles before. He’d done it himself, but to do six at once was beyond impossible.
Sharim looked at him, his eyes glowing violet, and he laughed. Lina hissed. “He’s dispelled the illusion.”
“Go.” Jez pitched his voice low and held his sword before him. “Tell Balud what’s happened.”
“Jez...”
The ceiling on the other side of the practice house glowed fiery red, and molten rock dripped to the ground. A second later, Osmund burst through the ceiling in an explosion of earth and stone. Sharim turned to him, and Jez thrust Lina toward the door. She turned and looked at him, but before she could say anything, t
he circles flared, and a new chezamut appeared in each.
“They have to be ready,” Jez said.
She only hesitated for a second before vanishing. The door opened and closed a moment later. Ziary charged the nearest chezamut, his flaming sword leaving a trail of fire behind him. Sharim opened his mouth to speak, but Jez didn’t wait. He drew as deeply as he dared on Luntayary’s power. He clenched his teeth against the pain as he threw his hand forward. The ball of sapphire light shot toward Sharim.
It passed right through him.
For a second, Jez could only stare. A pair of chezamuts rushed at him, but he flapped his wings and rose beyond their reach. His fingers danced as he wove a ward against illusion. He was almost done when Ziary cried out.
“Jez, behind you.”
Jez spun in the air, slashing with his sword before he’d identified his target. Thunder crashed, and Jez was thrown back several feet. The illusion around the invisible Sharim faltered then failed altogether. He too had been thrown away when their blades had crashed against each other. If not for Ziary’s warning, Sharim’s trap would’ve worked.
Near each circle, a hagine appeared, the illusion hiding them failing at the same time as Sharim’s. Sharim made a sharp gesture with his hand, and the demons scattered. Several crashed through the walls and spilled out into the Academy.
“You take care of him,” Ziary cried out. “I’ll see to the Academy.”
Jez didn’t bother to acknowledge. He waved his hand and sent out six bursts of terra magic into the circles. The runes glowed blue before going dark. The stone floor cracked as the magic the circles had held was released into the earth.
“Too late,” Sharim said.
Darkmask (Pharim War Book 5) Page 9