Surviving Prophesy: The Immortals

by Frances Howitt

  ‘We did it,’ Paul from her class said and glanced sideways to include his fellows. ‘It was inevitable he’d fall judging by what you were saying and doing all alone. It was the only help we could give.’

  ‘Thank you, all of you,’ she said sincerely, then while Zach was out she quickly set each of his broken arm and leg bones into the correct alignment.

  ‘Will he live?’ Brendon asked her. Someone had fetched his clothes, and now decent, he felt he could approach.

  ‘Brendon?’ she asked not having actually met him before.

  ‘Yes, Wizard Megan.’

  ‘He’s in a bad way as I’m sure you can see and has lost far too much blood,’ she said biting her lip fearfully. ‘I could use a little more of your help if you’re willing?’

  ‘Anything, my lady. Do you need splints for his arms and legs?’ Brendon asked. The sight of his friend lying so broken and in a pool of blood had shocked him to the core. ‘The medical people are here,’ he added noticing them standing by. He wondered what it was about Megan that they had let her, a mere student, take charge.

  ‘Good, bring the stretcher over,’ Megan called and two men came over. Zacharias whimpered when they moved him off the ground onto the stretcher. Megan had to stop the men to straighten one of his legs back into position. Only then did she let them carry him to sick bay.

  ‘Come with us Brendon. You should be checked out and your wounds tended,’ Megan commented suspecting he wasn’t intending to bother and that the medics had only been aware of the one casualty.

  Brendon raised a brow but fell into step beside her as they followed the stretcher. ‘What can I help you with?’ he asked quietly now they were clear of the crowd of onlookers. Wizard Alistair had come with them but was ahead talking to someone at that moment.

  ‘He trusts you,’ Megan told the big man and searched his face. ‘I need someone to watch our backs. Neither of us is strong enough to defend ourselves if anyone should decide to finish the job.’

  ‘I was planning on doing that anyway,’ Brendon admitted. ‘You think more might be in on it?’

  ‘I really don’t know and I can’t think about that right now.’

  ‘No, you have more important things to concentrate on.’

  ‘I know he has enemies, but I didn’t think they’d get to him here,’ she admitted, wringing her hands.

  ‘Leave the security to me.’ Brendon glanced around them again aware of just how many onlookers were following and watching them. ‘Show no fear my lady; they are looking for you to be showing weakness.’

  She straightened up, making an effort to appear less wiped out than she felt. She knew he had a point. As an animus, he understood better than most the power of body language. People could circle like wolves waiting for a strong opponent to show vulnerability. Glancing up at him she realised he was keeping a close eye on everyone around them as they followed the stretcher bearers. It made her doubly anxious that it might be necessary and that in turn added to her anger. At the entrance to the sickbay wing she noticed headmaster Tarquin waiting. Alistair hurried to him, obviously filling him in, but his gaze remained focussed on her and Zacharias on the stretcher.

  ‘What the hell happened?’ Tarquin demanded of her.

  ‘Five of the older wizard students immobilised and beat Brendon, but their real target was Zacharias. They tried to murder him by shoving him out a window on the fourth floor. He’s in a bad way. He’s only alive because my classmates wove a spell to slow his fall.’

  ‘Who did this?’ Tarquin demanded, shocked that such a vicious crime should happen within his walls.

  ‘I caught them red-handed and that’s how I marked them. All except the ringleader, who’s still up there. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to check what they’re doing.’ Megan didn’t wait for permission before entering the sickbay. She’d spoken quickly but Zacharias was now out of sight and she didn’t like it.

  Tarquin noted Brendon’s split lip, abraded face and that he was limping. For an animus warrior who would never show he was injured if it were possible, it indicated he was badly hurt; nothing like Zacharias of course. He hadn’t appeared conscious and his clothes were dark with blood. Tarquin followed the little party inside but had enough presence of mind to close the door behind him, stopping the nosy from also entering. He and Alistair joined a very watchful Brendon by the door of the treatment room.

  ‘Miss, what is he? And why isn’t he dead?’ the chief medic asked.

  Megan glanced at Zach, glad he hadn’t heard that comment. ‘I take it none of you have ever treated an immortal?’

  ‘An immortal? So it’s true they can’t die?’

  ‘Of course that’s not true, look at him. He only survived that fall because I cushioned his head with a shield and my class slowed his fall.’ She moved around him slowly, glad he was up on a clean treatment table. ‘Damn Zach, this is a lot of broken bones, even for you.’ As she came across problems she made mental notes of them, but the priority was finding and sorting anything internal and truly serious first.

  ‘What are you doing? Surely he’ll just heal?’

  ‘All an immortal has is the ability to heal quickly. But that means they must be treated immediately. If I don’t set his bones,’ she said whilst clicking some ribs back into place, ‘they will try to heal out of alignment, causing weakness. There, can you splint his arms and legs. I’ve set them but they will take a few days to start to fuse properly. Damn, he’s punctured a lung and that’s fresh blood coming from somewhere,’ she muttered, searching with her other sight along his arteries. ‘There, now you can breathe properly,’ she whispered having reset a rib on his other side that had punctured his lung. She magically sealed the tear in his lung, before it had a chance to deflate. At least she’d now managed to treat all the life threatening injuries. Unfortunately he was extremely weak and had lost a dangerous amount of blood.

  ‘What’s that?’ Megan asked seeing a cup of liquid brought close.

  ‘For the pain. He’ll need to drink it,’ the medic said, keeping his reservations about the man, immortal or not, waking from this. He’d never seen so much damage on a still living person. Listening to Megan’s catalogue of internal injuries also told the tale of how close to fatal this was. In fact several of those injuries could yet carry him off, never mind in combination.

  Having asked for a description of what was in the medicine, Megan dipped a finger in and tasted it. Ascertaining it was rather strong but was just what he needed she turned her attention to waking him.

  Zacharias came awake with a start. He jerked, panicking that his arms and legs felt leaden, excruciatingly painful and strange.

  ‘Zach, look at me. No you’re not in the cave. You’re safe. Open your eyes.’ His eyes opened wide, anxious and scared. His gaze darted around him before he focussed on her. ‘Hush love,’ she whispered.

  ‘I hurt,’ he said in small voice.

  ‘I know. I’ve taken as much of your pain as I can. Drink this, it’ll help. No, don’t try and move.’ She held the beaker to his lips letting him sip at the bitter brew. She gave him about half of the beaker before letting him fall asleep again. She glanced up, aware of a pregnant silence from the people all around her. All were watching her every move.

  At least Brendon had been looked at while she’d been occupied so the medics weren’t completely useless. She frowned noticing Brendon had a bandage around his ribs. He’d been cleaned up of blood and some kind of salve had been applied to the abrasions on his face. She hoped it contained a painkiller.

  ‘How’re you doing Brendon?’ she asked. He was Zach’s trusted friend and the pain he’d incurred helping defend Zach offended her.

  ‘I’ll be fine,’ he responded although he felt every one of those kicks with each breath.

  Megan looked him over from where she sat, frowned and went to him. ‘You’ve two broken ribs and a third cracked one. You’re bruised as hell too aren’t you?’ She picked up Zach’s beaker, and despite his un
certainty, bade him take a single mouthful. A few minutes later, when her discreet observation showed his pained tension had eased, she approached him again. ‘Keep still. Let me see what I can do for you,’ she murmured and placed her hands over his bandage. Ribs were awkward because to knit properly, a bone needed to be kept still, whereas ribs constantly flexed with every breath. Brendon was breathing very shallowly, pain spiking him with every incautiously deep breath. She knew what to do to heal him but now wondered if she had the strength. Those damn thugs had really been strong. What was that ringleader going to do once he was loose again? He was one wizard who should not have magic. Maybe she could siphon his magic to aid Brendon and Zach? Certainly the shield pinning him to the wall was powered by his own magic. He’d be furious if he knew he was trapping himself. She sat still and reached for him. Magic flowed into her surprisingly easily. He seemed to have no defence against this theft she was shocked to discover. Could anyone steal another’s power so easily? She’d done nothing permanent; his magic would replenish itself, once he’d had sufficient rest and food. She left him with just enough power to maintain his trap and left him, aware he knew something had happened, but not what. Now she returned to Brendon and repaired his ribs, adding a strengthening spell. She unwound the bandage and inspected his skin, lightly prodding him.

  ‘It doesn’t hurt so much now,’ Brendon exclaimed. ‘What did you do?’

  ‘Mended your ribs. I can’t do much about the bruising though, but at least you can breathe properly now.’

  ‘This is amazing, thank you,’ Brendon said and glanced at the medics to note their consternation and surprise. So what Megan could do they could not? Then again, none were wizards.

  ‘If you can actually mend bones, why haven’t you mended Zacharias’s arms and legs?’ Alistair asked.

  ‘It takes far more energy to mend than to set,’ Megan explained. ‘I fixed Zach’s ribs since ribs don’t mend well, but his arms and legs should mend unaided now and it’s more important to stop his internal bleeding. My strength is limited; I must prioritise how I use it.’

  ‘That makes sense. You need to take a break and eat Megan, I can see the weight dropping off you from here,’ Alistair told her.

  ‘I can’t leave him; there are still many things to set right.’ She turned back to Zach and barely noticed when Alistair, Tarquin and the medics left. She’d returned to scanning Zacharias’s body, seeking out damage and trying to either repair it or at least set it back in its proper place. Aiding Zach was all that was important and she was not going to fail him.

  ‘How’s he doing?’ Brendon asked when she next appeared to be between treatments. He approached her with the tray of food he’d just been handed.

  ‘He’s sleeping now rather than unconscious,’ Megan responded.

  ‘Good. You must eat,’ Brendon told her pushing a plate into her hand. He noticed she didn’t seem to know what to do with the plate for a moment, which was a fair indication of just how distracted and exhausted she was. Only when she sat down in the chair right beside the bed and took her first bite did he fetch the chair from beside the door and bring it nearer. He sat silently but companionably eating his own dinner, prompting and coaxing her to do the same. Once she began eating however, she ate with a speed and focus that he was familiar with and knew was the magic’s insistence. Animus always felt the same need to eat after using their magic to shape-shift. Wizards were clearly the same, although he’d never before witnessed it. Megan had lost weight in the last hour; even he could tell and she really didn’t have it to lose. ‘So, what have you managed to fix?’ Brendon asked once she’d finished everything on her plate.

  ‘I’ve set all his broken bones, mended the punctured lung and so many torn veins and muscles inside. As with you, I can’t fix bruises and he’s badly bruised all over. Until some of the swelling goes down I can’t see what else might be wrong. I’ve done all I’ve got strength for just now.’

  ‘You must rest. You’re about all in,’ Brendon suggested gently. Her face was white and there was a bruised look to her eyes.

  ‘I know; I need to close my eyes for a few minutes. Do you mind?’

  ‘Not at all. It’ll be a relief to know you’re finally resting.’ She gave him a wan smile then dropped her head on the bed and was quickly asleep.

  Brendon watched over them feeling honoured to have earned the trust of them both. He was also glad for the chance to be alone to relax enough to rest properly too. When headmaster Tarquin returned about an hour later he felt considerably better, but Megan and Zacharias both still slept. Brendon let Tarquin see the pair before urging him out of the room.

  ‘How are they? Alistair tells me she has expended an astonishing amount of magic healing him and that was on top of all the magic she used trying to protect him in the battle itself.’

  ‘Yes. I’ve managed to get her to eat a few light snacks, but she needs a lot more food to restore her weight. She told me she’s done about as much as she can for the moment. Once the swelling goes down she’ll be able to check him again for anything that might have been missed. His injuries were life threateningly serious and he’s very weak. He’s in a bad way still. Have our attackers been caught?’

  ‘Indeed they have. It was the first thing Alistair ordered. Through contact with you during the fight he got a good look at them, so knows who they all are. Of course because Megan marked them all, none have been able to deny involvement. He’s got them all in stasis in the cellar, well, all except the one she left pinned to the wall upstairs.’

  Tarquin paused, considering what he’d been told. No-one as yet had been able to get the student down. Whatever she’d done to trap him, was remarkably efficient. ‘Do you believe Zacharias will live?’

  ‘I hope so,’ Brendon said quietly. ‘He is immortal and she’s very gifted in healing. She’s done many things that a regular medic would not have been able to do. I’m certain he lives only because of her treatment and intervention.’

  ‘Tell me about the attack. I need all the details and what you think provoked it,’ Tarquin asked now Alistair had returned and could listen and help verify the story.

  Alistair did indeed chip in, since he’d been watching the magical flow around Megan. In a few words he explained the bombardment of increasingly vicious spells that Brendon had witnessed but not truly understood.

  ‘They are one hell of a team even remote from one another,’ Alistair summed up. ‘But against five older and more experienced wizards they were severely outnumbered. She must have found a way to tap into and use his magic. I saw her magic flowing into him, but against five, she had no chance of prevailing. The only thing she asked, when I offered myself, was that I help you Brendon.’

  ‘I’d wondered who’d done that. Thanks. They pounded us hard and some things stung.’

  ‘Yes, shielding you gave me a good appreciation for what Megan suffered shielding Zacharias. I must admit I was initially rather sceptical about her inclusion in a warrior training class. She’s such a gentle little slip of a thing. Now I know for sure she has what it takes. She took one hell of a pounding during that fight, but to have run out of strength and be unable to prevent his fall. Well, that was just appallingly cruel. No-one asked her classmates to help, but they realised what was ultimately to happen and worked out a spell to slow the fall. That’s the only reason he survived.’

  All three silently considered that. Attempted murder was a grave crime, but when it was an attempt to snuff out one of the rare immortals, it was deemed particularly wicked.

  ‘Did you get the impression he’d been subject to any attacks or bullying before?’ Tarquin asked.

  ‘I’m not sure,’ Brendon responded slowly. ‘He didn’t seem very surprised, just irritated. It’s difficult to tell with him, he’s seen so much before, little is going to be surprising.’

  ‘How old is he, any idea?’ Alistair asked.

  ‘No. I’d think him my age by the way he looks and acts, but I know he’s not. He
comes out with odd words and ways now and then. He’d not keep it from Megan though, if it’s important to know?’

  ‘I’m just curious actually. I thought someone might have asked what he was when he first joined the animus class, before it became common knowledge.’

  ‘He sidesteps anything he doesn’t want to talk about. He’s quite good at that,’ Brendon added having watched in admiration as a cheeky question was bounced back in a very unexpected way.

  ‘Experience and a keen mind,’ Alistair suggested. ‘Reinforcements?’ he asked noticing a group of six animus students come in down the corridor. They tentatively came forward, seeing Brendon talking with both himself and the headmaster and then halted politely, mostly out of earshot. ‘You’d best speak with them.’

  Brendon quickly returned, with the others on his heels. ‘Sir, they would like to ask permission to stand guard,’ Brendon announced. ‘They know I was injured, and am not at full strength.’

  ‘Whose permission were they seeking?’ Alistair asked struck by the phrasing and that they’d looked to the closed door.

  ‘Wizard Megan’s, and of course yours, sir,’ Tommy said, glancing a little apologetically at Headmaster Tarquin.

  ‘Very well, you’d best ask her,’ Tarquin said to Brendon.

  ‘Thank you sir,’ Brendon responded and went into the treatment room. Megan raised her head at his entrance, so she must be a little stronger.

  ‘There’s crowd hovering outside the door isn’t there?’ Megan asked. The growing mass of magical signatures approaching had woken her.

  ‘Some of my friends and Zach’s classmates have come to ask if they can be of any help,’ Brendon told her, impressed she’d been able to sense them outside the door. Whilst he had sensitive hearing and smell, she did not, but obviously she had something else that gave warning. It relieved his mind that she might not easily be taken completely by surprise.

  ‘You know and trust them?’ she asked seriously.