“No, not personally. But I've known a few who have. They are powerful but stupid. Predictable. I wonder if these necromancers create such things to impress others rather than because they are practical. Because they aren't.”
Incendus looked around the roof and Kronk and Aeris bowed to him respectfully. He smiled and nodded and turned to Simon.
“You need that thing dealt with?”
“If possible, yes. I could hit it with lightning, or a few fireballs, but I have a feeling that it will take something more...focused to destroy it. It really is ridiculously big.”
“Hmm. True.”
They all watched the dracolich as it flew its mindless circular route again and again. The flapping sound it made was particularly chilling. Arcs of purple energy connecting the bones of its wings seemed to act as the missing skin it once had, allowing it to fly.
“Well, I certainly could not destroy it on my own. Would you allow me to bring in a few of my kind? I'd say a half dozen or so of us could get the job done.”
He looked up at the shield pulsing overhead and then grinned knowingly at Simon.
“Clever wizard,” he said lightly. “Using elementals means that you don't have to drop the wards around your tower, does it not?”
“It does,” Simon agreed. “But that isn't my reason for asking for your assistance. I'm willing to drop the shield if it means that I can take out that monster and the other undead below.”
“Wait. Other undead?”
Incendus rose up several feet and flew off of the roof. He looked down and spotted the hole in the field that was still disgorging lines of undead monsters.
“Well, well. Someone doesn't like you, sir wizard. That is a lot of undead.”
Simon hurried to the edge of the roof closest to the fire elemental.
“It is, but I think I can deal with them. At least the wards on my outer wall will slow them down. It's the dracolich that I'm really worried about.”
It was hard to read Incendus' expression but as he returned to the roof, he seemed to be looking at Simon with genuine respect.
“You know, there have not been many wizards, even years ago, who would be so casual about your situation. I'm not sure if it's bravado, courage or foolishness, but I like it.”
Simon managed a smile.
“I'm not sure either, but maybe after facing primal dragons I've become a little blasé about things like animated bones.”
Incendus laughed deeply and sparks drifted off of his skin.
“Well said. Very well then. Give me permission to invite others to the party and we shall endeavor to rid your sky of that abomination.”
“Consider it given, Incendus. Do what you need to do to destroy that thing.”
“With pleasure.”
Incendus folded his arms and coalesced back into a ball of flame. The burning mass hovered for another moment and then shot straight up and through the shield.
“Master,” Kronk called out. “Is he going to aid you?”
“Are you deaf?” Aeris asked. “He just said so.”
“I do not listen to the conversations of my betters,” the earthen told him loftily. “It is not my place to do so. Unfortunately your manners seem to be lacking in that regard.”
“Oh please. The situation is dire. Why wouldn't I listen?”
Kronk just snorted in disgust and didn't reply.
“Yes, he's going to help,” Simon told them as he watched the distant point of red that was Incendus. He was now so high that he looked like just another star in the sky. The clouds that had gathered when the wizard had cast the Lightning Storm spell had dissipated and the stars twinkled merrily, oblivious to the drama happening below.
“What's he going to do?” Aeris asked as he joined Simon.
“No clue. He's the expert on his own powers. I left it up to him.”
“Good thinking. I hope it works. I don't know if you've noticed or not, but the air inside your shielding is beginning to grow thin.”
“How do you know that?” Simon asked him. “You don't breathe.”
Aeris rose up and spun rapidly with his arms stretched out. He stopped and tapped his chest while staring at the wizard.
“Um, hello? Air elemental here. I am always aware of the atmosphere around me.”
“Oh right. Sorry. Well, I'm still able to breathe so I guess it's okay. By the way, nice pirouette.”
“Thanks. You can breathe for now, sure. But let's hope this doesn't take too long or you'll be wheezing soon.”
“Great. More pressure.”
Simon looked up again, focusing on the tiny red speck that he was almost sure was Incendus.
“What is he doing up there?” he wondered.
“Shall I go up and take a look?”
“No. I think that might seem a bit insulting. I trust that he has a plan. I just wish I knew what it was.”
There was a flash of light above them, like a distant explosion and Simon gasped.
“What just happened?”
“Did he blow up, master?”
The three of them watched nervously as the red light that was Incendus faded away.
Simon looked blankly at the elementals.
“I don't understand. What did he do?”
Aeris appeared mystified.
“I have no idea. He just...”
“Master. Master, look!”
Kronk pointed straight up.
A starburst of twinkling red sparks, like distant fireworks, lit up the night sky.
“Oh, that's so pretty,” Aeris said breathlessly.
The light faded and the sparks left behind began to fall to Earth. As they fell they grew in size and brightness. There were six of them.
Simon finally realized what was happening and looked around for the dracolich.
The monster was still circling the perimeter, stubbornly flapping mindlessly and waiting for an opening. It seemed to catch his gaze with its empty eye sockets and belched out a blob of purple energy that slammed into the shield and exploded in an eye-searing burst of sparks.
It doesn't know what's coming, Simon thought, elated. It's too stupid to see the danger.
The descending blobs of flame, which he now knew were fire elementals, could be heard approaching. A high-pitched scream that reminded the wizard of the wail of diving attack planes, filled the air. And the undead dragon flew on, oblivious to it all.
“I wonder if it's deaf?” Simon said as he put his hands over his ears.
“Or just focused on its target?” Aeris said as he watched the descending elementals.
A hundred feet over the tower, the six attackers suddenly merged into one blazing ball of scarlet fury and Simon staggered back, shielding his eyes. The enormous missile smashed into the dracolich and drove it straight into the ground below.
The monster had time for a single screech of fury before it exploded, sending pieces of bone and gristle flying in all directions. The grass and brush on the field burned and blackened in the intense heat and lit up the night.
Simon cheered and then gaped in surprise as the elementals burst apart and rose up into separate fireballs.
They weren't done.
As the dracolich was destroyed, a dry roar had risen up from the hundreds of undead surrounding the tower. Many of them waved rusty weapons and their dead eyes filled with purple flame glared at the attackers.
Maybe Simon was imagining things, but he was sure that he heard a collective laugh from the fire elementals as they regrouped and then swooped to attack the horde.
“By the Four Winds, they can fly,” Aeris whispered.
Simon knew that the air elemental could not give Incendus and his fellows a greater compliment and smiled to himself. He was feeling giddy with relief, or maybe the air inside the wards was finally getting thin and making him light-headed.
The fire elementals began to burn even hotter and they shot through the ranks of the undead, leaving charred bones and ashes in their wake. Their magical fire leaped from monster to
monster and heavy black smoke began to cover the battlefield, obscuring Simon's view.
The shrieks of mindless rage from the undead grew thinner and then faded away, leaving only the distant sound of burning and the wind behind.
Simon watched for a few more minutes and walked around the edge of the roof, trying to make sure that the threat had been eliminated.
When he was satisfied that the tower was safe, at least for the moment, he put his hands on the ward stones and reduced their power levels.
The shield around the tower flickered and then faded away and a gust of cool air flowed past Simon. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply. There was a smell of burnt grass in the air but it was still refreshing.
He slipped his staff off of his shoulder and looked at Kronk and Aeris.
“Come on, guys. Let's get down there,” Simon told them. “Grab hold.”
“You are wasting power, master,” the earthen chastised him gently.
The wizard grinned at him.
“I know, but this is quicker and doesn't take a lot of energy. So come on.”
The elementals latched on to his robe and Simon looked down at the front gate. He concentrated on where he wanted to go and cast the Gate spell.
The three of them appeared a second later just inside the entrance and the wizard summoned a globe of light. He pulled back the bolts, opened the gates and stood there looking out at the ruin of the undead army.
There was very little left. Piles of ashes, some blackened bones; that was about it.
“Amazing,” Aeris said with a wicked smile. “That necromancer is not going to be pleased.”
“Good,” Simon said flatly. “I hope the bastard is shaking in his boots. His arrogance in sending his army here and not even bothering to show up to lead it is telling. Maybe this will set him back a bit.”
“Let us hope so, sir wizard”
Incendus floated down from above, his body becoming man-shaped as he approached.
“Wonderful job,” Simon told him heartily. “I didn't expect you and your friends to take on the army as well as the undead dragon.”
“We hate leaving a task half finished,” the fire elemental said with a laugh. “My brethren are below ground now, chasing down the remnants of the undead army, including those damnable wraiths. They may be mostly ethereal, but they have a mortal core that burns easily.”
“Ah, good to know,” the wizard told him, tucking that fact away for future reference.
“Now, if you will excuse me, I shall join them and finish the job. Feel free to call upon me again, sir wizard. I find working with you quite satisfying.”
“Thanks again, Incendus. I appreciate your aid.”
The fire elemental nodded, rose up and shot away into the darkness in the direction of the crater.
The night was suddenly quiet and Simon noticed the dry stench of burnt bones clogging up his nostrils. He grimaced and slammed and locked the gates again.
“Yuck. That's disturbing,” he said as he rubbed his nose. “Let's head in, guys. I need more coffee and then I want to call Tamara back and tell her what's happened.”
“I hope they are all okay after that attack on Nottinghill, master,” Kronk piped up as they walked back to the tower.
“I'm sure they are,” Simon told him. “The sun was rising when I spoke to Tamara, which means that the worst was over.”
He climbed the front steps, opened the door and walked inside. The warm light of the candles welcomed them back and Simon smiled with relief at the sudden feeling of normalcy.
He left Mortis de Draconis leaning on the wall by the door, slipped off his shoes and walked over to the counter.
While Aeris put the kettle on the fire and the wizard began preparing his coffee, Kronk remained at the door.
“Master,” he called. “I think I should patrol the perimeter for the rest of the night. We lost three of our guards and have gaps in our defenses now.”
Simon turned around and looked at the little guy.
“Oh damn. I am so sorry, Kronk. I totally forgot about them in the middle of all the craziness. Are you okay? Were they close friends?”
“No master, they were not. But losing one of your own is always hard. Losing three is...harder. I am fine. I would suggest that, once you get some sleep, you summon some others to replace them.”
“Just like that?” Aeris wondered. “That sounds a bit heartless.”
Kronk glared at him and his red eyes flared briefly.
“Would you rather we left master unprotected? I feel the loss, Aeris. But I am also a realist. I swore my service to our wizard and I will do whatever it takes to keep him safe. Would you do any less?”
Simon remained silent. He'd learned that sometimes it was wiser to let the two elementals work these things out for themselves.
“No. No, of course not. I...yes, certainly the lost watchers should be replaced. My apologies, Kronk.”
The earthen looked at him silently for a moment and then nodded stiffly. He opened the front door and left, slamming it shut behind him.
“Prickly,” Aeris muttered as he watched the kettle, waiting for it to boil.
The wizard kept his thoughts to himself. It had been a long night.
Chapter 23
Tamara and the inhabitants of Nottinghill Castle were fine. Simon called and told her what had happened and the mage was suitably impressed.
“Maybe we should get some fire elementals to guard this place,” she said tiredly as she sat on the edge of a low wall looking out over the countryside. She was on the high parapet looking south from the castle. The morning sun had risen and a thin haze covered the forests in the distance. Except for a few hints of bird song, it was very quiet.
“I wish you had someone among you who could summon them. Unfortunately, as I've been told in the past, an elemental will only serve the one who conjures them. They can't be made to take orders from someone else unless they choose to. Like Vepolas on the Defiant. And she's a special case,” he added dryly.
Tamara laughed lightly.
“So you've said. Ah well, it was just a thought. Of course, if you lived here, you could defend the castle with your elementals personally,” she said with a sly smile.
“Yeah, that's not happening, Tamara. Sorry. I prefer my solitude and, quite frankly, Kronk and Aeris are the only ones who can stand me for long.”
“So true,” Aeris said tartly.
They were in the study. Simon sat at his desk and was working hard to keep his eyes open. He frowned at the elemental who looked back innocently.
“What? I'm agreeing with you.”
Simon shook his head and looked back in the mirror.
“Anyway, I just wanted to let you know what happened,” he told the mage. “I'm sorry to hear about the three people you lost. We can ill afford the loss of any Changling.”
“I know. But what can we do? It's a brutal world we've inherited. By the way, do you think your elemental friend is right? About the necromancers going after all of the surviving humans, I mean?”
He had told her about Aeris' theory and Tamara had been as appalled as he was.
“There's no way to know yet. I'll have to send out some scouts to investigate. Or do it myself. Either way, I'll keep you informed. You should get some sleep; you look worn out.”
“Thanks. You look like crap too, so we're even.”
She grinned as she said it and Simon chuckled in return.
“Touché. Okay, we'll talk soon. Take care, Tamara.”
“You too.”
He broke the connection and put down the mirror. When he glanced at the window, he could see the rising sun beginning to paint the sky pink and he sat back, rubbing his eyes. It had been a long night.
“Time to sleep, my dear wizard,” Aeris told him. “I will patrol the area around the tower today, just in case there are any remnants of the undead army that Incendus and his fellows missed.”
Simon stood up and looked at the elemental bleari
ly.
“They're undead, Aeris. If they somehow avoided being incinerated, the sun will destroy them.”
“Not if they've gone to ground and found shelter from its rays. Anyway, it will give me something to do.”
He flew to the doorway.
“Sleep well,” he said and left with a wave.
“Sounds good to me,” the wizard said thinly.
He blew out the candles and headed off to bed.
Simon woke up in late afternoon to the sound of pots and pans rattling together. He stared at the thick wooden beams that supported the ceiling of his bedroom and listened in sleepy confusion.
“You're getting it wrong!”
“I am not. I am quite capable of cooking, thank you. Master deserves a good breakfast and I intend to see that he gets it.”
“By burning it? Come on, Kronk. Let me do that.”
“No! Boil the water and leave me be. He will wake up soon.”
“With all of that banging you're doing, I'm surprised he isn't already storming down the stairs.”
The wizard closed his eyes and sighed tiredly. Then he grinned. Those two sounded like an old married couple and he had to admit he loved it. Even when it woke him up from a deep sleep. And breakfast sounded like a great idea.
He got up, groaning at the dull pounding in his head, and began to rummage around in his drawers looking for matching socks.
When he wandered downstairs a few minutes later wearing his usual brown robe, the argument had apparently been resolved. Aeris was pouring boiling water into the teapot while Kronk was putting the finishing touches on a plate of food. He was casually standing on the hot cast iron stove and putting some fried beef on to the plate next to a couple of eggs and a mound of home fries.
“Master! Good afternoon. You slept well?”
“Hey Kronk. I did, yes. How are things? Any signs of hostiles outside of the walls?”
“None, master. And Aeris says that he saw nothing on his patrol.”
“True,” the air elemental said as he set the teapot down on the kitchen table.
“Um, so what's with the service?” Simon asked curiously. “It isn't my birthday and Christmas isn't for about seven months or so.”
“You are always hungry and sore after using a lot of magic, master,” Kronk told him as he signaled for Aeris to carry the plate to the table.
Tales from the New Earth: Volume Two Page 68