by Sean Stone
“If you get the chance to stab him in the heart with it don’t hesitate,” I added. It didn’t matter who did the deed, it only mattered that it happened.
“Let’s find him first,” said Gabe, and then the vampires dispersed into the chaos.
Thunder rolled across the apocalyptic sky and I looked up. As expected there was Nick soaring down towards me. I threw out a beam of magic at him and knocked him straight out of the sky. He should’ve come at me silently. Idiot. He tumbled to the floor a few feet away from me. The crowd cleared around us. Nobody wanted to get close to this fight. He was on his feet before I could recast my beam. He met my beam with his. Green and black battled between us. Magic flying about. Some of the offshoots of magic caught sorcerers and warlocks around us and set them ablaze. They moved further away allowing us more space. My arms were shaking vehemently as I tried to fight Nick, but his beam was devouring mine. If that black beam hit me I would die. I was too weak to survive an attack that strong. My magic had replenished considerably but it still wasn’t at full strength and I couldn’t hold Nick off for much longer. My beam shrunk further. Just a foot or two left now. Then his beam vanished as Gabe and the vampires pounced on him. I relaxed my spell before it could hit him or else it would have killed my own vampires.
Nick thrashed wildly, trying to defend against the flurry of super-fast attacks coming from the vampires. A spell sent Alison cartwheeling down the street. Marty lunged but Nick caught him by the throat. “Vile creature,” he growled. He made for his heart, but Charlene barrelled into him. Marty was freed and fell to the ground. Nick staggered back but stayed on his feet and flicked a dark ball at Charlene. She froze, hiccupped and then exploded. Marty and Gabe came at him from different directions. Nick grabbed Marty by the throat yet again. His trouser leg had risen up and the hilt of the Dagger was on show. Gabe zoomed past, snatching the Dagger as he went. He went for Nick, but Nick kicked out with on foot knocking him back. Gabe flew through the air and as he went he launched the Dagger over Nick’s head where it landed at my feet. Seeing that the Dagger was now in our possession Marty scarpered. His job was done and I didn’t hold his departure against him.
I bent over and scooped the Dagger up off the floor. I smiled smugly as I brandished it at Nick. He glowered at me with pure abhorrence. Gabe, Marty, Alison and Sharon were all poised ready to attack again, staring intently at me for instructions.
“Are you still operating under the delusion that you can win?” he asked me. Then he laughed. “You will never learn.” He held out his hand and called to the Dagger. I held on for as long as I could, clutching at it and then I let go. I watched it go and waited. I had to time it perfectly. As it neared him I teleported. I reappeared right before him, behind the Dagger. I pushed both hands on the hilt and used the momentum of his summoning spell to force it right at his chest. He got his hands up just in time and grabbed my wrists. The blade was just touching his chest. I screamed in frustration as I tried to push it in, but he was far stronger. He laughed again, and I could feel the inferno of rage lashing about inside me.
“You cannot win, Eddie. When will you learn? I cannot be defeated. I am truly immortal. The most powerful of our kind. I am without equal. No lone warlock will be able to take me down.”
“When will you learn?” I said as I saw Gabe approach behind him. “I am not alone.” Gabe shoved Nick in the back forcing him forwards onto the Dagger. The blade slid in slickly. Nick’s jaw dropped in a gasping moan. His eyes flew open. “You were the real disappointment. You were supposed to be the family I never had. You turned out to be nothing more than a cunt,” I told him, staring into his eyes as they lost their shine. He let out a defeated sigh as we let his body fall heavily to the cobbles.
Chapter Forty
The fighting around us stopped at once. Every face turned to look at what had just happened. Everybody was taken by surprise. Then there was a deafening crack as every warlock vanished at once. The battle was over. We had won. Realising this, the sorcerers all let out the biggest cheer I had ever heard. It was like being at a football game. The clouds dissipated immediately, and the sun shone across clear blue skies once again.
“They’re cheering you,” said Gabe as he reached out to shake my hand.
I shook my head. “They’re cheering us!” I grabbed him and pulled him into a hug. Who would have though it eh? Just a couple of years ago I had a no hug rule.
“Alright, we’ll take him back to HQ and lock him up somewhere,” Arthur said, his eyes transfixed on Nick. The immortal certainly looked dead even though I knew he wasn’t. All it would take was for somebody to pull out that Dagger and he’d be back. That was not something I wanted to deal with. Staring down at his motionless body I knew what I had to do.
“No,” I said. My voice was quiet and sad.
“Excuse me?” he looked at me in confusion.
“Can you guarantee that nobody will ever release him?” I asked.
“I can guarantee that we’ll keep him more securely than anybody else ever could.”
I looked up in irritation at the noisy helicopter overhead. “What about when the warlocks come for him? They will eventually, you know that. Can you stop them from taking him? Everybody will see him not he ITV news. Everybody will know you have him.”
“Well… Have you got a better plan?” he said defensively.
I looked down at my grandfather. All this guilt I held because of him. Guilt over what had happened to Clara. All the others who had died because of my alliance with that treacherous man. I could atone for it all with one act and avenge Ashley properly in the process. “Yes,” I said in a whisper. My eyes met Arthur’s and I saw that he knew what I meant to do.
“Are you sure?” he asked. There was respect in his gaze as well as disbelief.
“I’m sorry for my part in Clara’s death,” I said genuinely. I wanted him to know that I regretted it. I needed him to know that I never meant for her to die.
“I know,” he replied gravely. He held out his hand and I knew this was it. He’d accepted my offer and now there was no going back. No changing my mind. I took his hand and we shared a tight handshake. “Goodbye, Eddie.” He gave me a small nod and then turned away. Shirley came next. She smiled cheekily and offered her hand too.
“Life’s never dull with you around is it, Eddie?” she said as we shook. “I have a feeling it will be after today,” she added sadly. “It’s been a pleasure.”
“Yes, it has,” I agreed as I watched her go too. None of the others said goodbye but Sam did give me a polite nod as Arthur led them all away. And that was that. The last I’d be seeing of them ever again. It was just me and the vampires now.
“What’s happening?” asked Marty. Ever the idiot. I laughed to myself.
“You’ve got your work cut out with that one,” I said to Gabe.
“I know,” he said grinning. “I like hard work. It’s not like working for you has ever been easy.”
I chuckled. “Never a truer word spoken.” I turned to them all. “It’s been great working with you all. I appreciated all of your loyalty. You don’t work for me anymore. Aldric Ashworth is gone. Unless Gabe decides to free him from his cement prison. You’re all free. The world is yours. Do as you please.”
They all said some nice things back to me, even Marty, and then one by one they left until only Gabe remained. I wondered what they’d do with their lives now. They were completely free to do whatever they wanted. I was more than a little jealous.
“You don’t have to do this,” Gabe said pleadingly.
I nodded. “I do. Don’t try to talk me out of it please. It’s hard enough as it is.”
“What am I supposed to do?” he asked sadly.
“Go live your life.” I shrugged. “Do whatever you like. You’re young. Get drunk. Go to a festival. Go travelling. I hear Thailand’s a great travel destination.”
“Tell me I’ll see you again soon,” he said softly. He was getting all wet in the eyes. If he
carried on I’d be crying soon too.
“Look after yourself, Gabe,” I said. He nodded, trying to hold back tears and then turned and walked away. He didn’t leave with vampiric speed. He walked like a human. His shoulders slumped.
I turned back to Nick. “Just me and you now, you big ugly lug,” I said. I wish that was true, but he was the best-looking man I’d ever seen. Shame I hadn’t inherited his looks. Just his temper.
“This isn’t fair,” I complained. “I won. I beat you. I’m supposed to live happily ever after. You ruined everything! You were supposed to stop my death, not bring it about!” I wiped furiously at my eyes with my sleeve. “Will you all fuck off!” I screamed at the news crews who were still watching me. The police officers had long since given up trying to move them on. They ignored me. Even my last moments were not going to be private. I turned back to Nick. “Oh, well. Shall we get on with this?”
I lowered myself to my knees and readied myself. If this didn’t get me a ticket into heaven then I didn’t know what would. If heaven was even real. I reached out carefully, still wary that he might wake up. He didn’t. He remained rigidly staring up at the sky, his faded eyes wide and disbelieving. I took hold of the Ambrotos Dagger with both hands and held on tight. This was it, I thought to myself as I closed my eyes. I found no resistance as I siphoned his power out. The only fight came from my own body which shook violently as if a train was racing through it. It knew that it would not be able to house so much magic and was actively trying to reject it. Painful as it was I forced myself to continue. The pain faded soon enough and that roaring blaze within me started to feel magnificent. I felt drunker than Dionysus. The reporters were probably having a field day with everything they were witnessing. So much for Clara’s plan to keep our kind secret. With a final burst I took the last of Nick’s power and was flung away from him with enough force to break every bone in my body. But I didn’t feel a thing. I was too powerful to feel pain now. I felt radiant with magic.
I jumped up easily. All the pain from my previous injuries was now healed. I’d never had so much energy. I watched as Nick’s corpse started to wither. His skin tightened and wrinkled. His hair dried and fell, blowing away on the breeze. As his face sunk in his eyes disintegrated leaving two gaping holes in his head. He was handsome no more. Then suddenly his body shot up in flames. Beautiful golden flames that ate away at him and reduced him to nothing but ashes. When the flames burned out all that was left was the Ambrotos Dagger, now a plain dull gold, no patterns on its blade. It lay among a pile of ashes. With no more than a thought I willed a breeze to scatter the ashes about the town. Always scatter the ashes. Nickolas Blackwood was no more. He wouldn’t be coming back from this death.
I laughed to myself, quietly at first and then more maniacally. I’d won. Nick was dead, and I was now the most powerful warlock in the world. Every nerve was alive with tantalising, unimaginable power. I don’t know why but I suddenly pushed up off the ground and I was off and away. Soaring up into the clouds. I was actually fucking flying. I don’t know why Nick ever teleported when he could do this. I soared high above the town and then did something I’d wanted to do ever since I was a child. I plunged myself back to Earth. The wind tore at me as I travelled but nothing could hurt me. Birds scattered out of my path. I felt like Superman charging through the brilliant sunny sky. I hit the ground hard, landing on one knee in the perfect superhero pose. The cobbles cracked beneath the force of my landing and I smiled devilishly to myself. I really hoped the reporters got that on camera. I would look so awesome. I stood up wondering what to do next. I saw cuts on my knuckles where I’d hit the ground, but I didn’t feel a thing. I was beyond pain. Beyond harm. I was invincible. I was unbeatable. I was powerful beyond belief. I was… dying.
I clutched my chest as burning agony ripped into my heart and I fell to one knee, gasping loudly. “God!” I screamed as the pain increased. My insides were literally on fire. I could feel it. It was like I’d swallowed lava. I looked down at my hand and saw what I’d been expecting. My veins were glowing red through my skin as the destructive magic ate away at me. Although I couldn’t see them I knew that my eyes would be glowing red too. I wanted to say something witty to the news crews. Something for the world to remember me by. I opened my mouth but all that came out was a strangled sigh as I collapsed down onto my back. The pain was fading now, and I was numb. I stared up at the beautiful sunny day and laughed to myself. It was a good day to die. And at least I was going to die a winner. My vision blurred as I turned my head and saw a figure standing a few feet away. Some woman. She needed to get out of here. Things were about to turn messy. I opened my mouth to tell her to leave but then I saw who it was. Long dirty blonde hair hung around her shoulders and as she came closer her green eyes twinkled in the sun.
“Ashley,” I said. She smiled fondly as she bounced towards me, her face lighting up. “How are you… here?” I tried to sit up, but I couldn’t move and instead remained on the floor, my head turned her way.
“You’re fading, Eddie. You’re between worlds now,” she said. I wanted so badly to touch her, but I knew I wouldn’t be able to. Not yet. But soon.
“I tried to bring you back,” I told her. I didn’t want her to think I’d just accepted her death. I needed her to know how broken I was without her.
“I know, but I don’t want to come back. I’ve found peace and you will too. Maybe not at first but you will. All your pain, all your anguish. It all stays here when you make it to the end. I’ll see you on the other side.” Her voice was like music. A sound I’d been without for so long. I could hardly see through my tears. I managed to move my arm and I reached out to her in vain as she turned and faded away.
Well, that just leaves you now, reader. I’ve said my goodbyes to everyone else. Unless you’re going to be annoying enough to follow me into the afterlife. You probably will. You’ve followed me this far. I don’t think we got on so well in the beginning. I was always so rude to you, but you’ve stuck with me, so you must’ve liked it. Like some kind of sadist. Or is it masochist? I can’t remember. I don’t care either. Everything is so… foggy right now. I haven’t really spoken to you much this time, have I? You’ll have to excuse me, I’ve been grieving my dead girlfriend. I haven’t really felt like myself at all. Still, it’s been a great ride, right? Ha, ha.
Well, you’re probably expecting some great heroic rescue now. Somehow someone will come and save me. Maybe someone will turn up with a spot of ambrosia and make me immortal. Well, forget—
Chapter Forty-One
The news crew stared down from the helicopter making sure they caught every moment of the action on camera. They watched as Eddie lay on his back, his whole body glowing with fiery red magic. His lips were moving, though nobody could see who he was talking to. Then he was gone.
The power burst out of Eddie in an explosion of fire that pulverised his body to nothing in an instant. The fiery explosion of magic shot straight up into the air and incinerated the helicopter that had so annoyed Eddie. It flew outwards and swamped Cedarstone High Street destroying every shop, every car, every person stupid enough not to have heeded the evacuation call. The explosion could be seen almost right across Kent. Cedarstone town centre was devastated. Once the magic had finished tearing through everything, nothing remained but dust. Arthur and the sorcerers managed to contain the magic to the town centre but there was nothing they could do to save it. The High Street and the surrounding area was nothing more than a barren wasteland. And just like that, in one afternoon the supernatural was exposed to the world and nothing would ever be the same again.
A service for Eddie was held at the Muggleton Inn on Maidstone High Street. After hearing about his sacrifice, Bobby changed his mind about the deceased warlock. There was nothing to bury so no funeral was held, just a wake at the pub. Gabe arranged everything and all his vampires turned up. Matt and Emma returned from Manchester to mourn their friend. Annabelle came to deliver a teary goodbye. Former cl
ients came to pay their respects. Detective Chief Inspector Richards even showed his face, not that he had any kind words to say, he sat grumpily in the corner drinking.
Gabe tinged his glass for silence and jumped up on the bar to deliver a speech for his former boss and friend. Bobby glared up at him but did not complain about his forwardness. The door opened as his speech started and Arthur Winters entered with Dean Tenson and Shirley Demelza. Gabe smiled to them as if they were old friends and then began his speech.
“Eddie was everything to me. He gave me a purpose, he gave my life direction. He saved me when everyone else had abandoned me. He gave me a second chance at life. I loved him. Eddie Lancaster was…” he paused, trying to think of a way to summarise one of the most annoying, difficult and yet lovable people he’d ever met.
“He was a hero,” Arthur finished for him. Shirley nodded in agreement. “He was a rude, cocky, annoying, deceitful and downright stupid pain in the arse, but in the end, he was a hero.”
Gabe lifted his glass up. “Eddie Lancaster. Hero!” he said loudly.
Every glass in the pub went up too. “Eddie Lancaster!”
THE END
Also by Sean Stone
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Also by Sean Stone:
Arcane Inc.
Warlock for Hire
Warlock Wanted
Dark Warlock
Warlock At War
Dead Warlock
The Cedarstone Chronicles
Cursed
The Cult of Osiris
The Ancients
Reunion
Abomination
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