Jemma’s phone rang in the middle of her explanation. She listened, nodded to herself, and disconnected.
“The enemy vehicle is ten miles out. Contact in two minutes. Get your men in position while I raise the barrier.”
He saluted and rushed back to his men, shouting orders and waving them toward the main building. Hopefully he would survive what was coming, but she didn’t hold out much hope for any of them. Shaking her head Jemma touched the ground and chanted. She was far from an expert in earth magic, but she could raise a rampart easily enough. A four-foot-high barrier should slow whatever the Atlanteans threw at them and would let the soldiers shoot over it.
She joined them behind the barrier and looked up. In the distance, the crystal ship was visible maybe two miles out. It appeared undamaged. Whatever desperate attack the RAF made must not have amounted to much.
The ship approached slowly, as if eager to increase their fear. The soldiers clutched their rifles and watched the unnatural vessel come to a stop about a hundred yards away. On the bottom of its hull, four protrusions formed.
Jemma had seen those before. “Everyone down!”
She threw herself flat against the earthen barrier and sent magic into it, making the earth as hard as stone.
A moment later the first blast struck home.
More followed, pounding the rampart like a smith’s hammer on a stubborn piece of steel. Her magic held it together, repairing damage as fast as it appeared.
The barrage shifted to the school itself. If they thought it was an easy target, they’d badly underestimated the precautions Jemma’s predecessors had taken.
The beams streaked in and bounced off an invisible energy field. The Atlanteans kept it up for a few seconds before giving up.
A high, clear chime rang out and all Jemma’s magical protections fizzled out. The enemy had activated an anti-magic field. But how far did it extend?
“Lieutenant, put a round into the eaves of the school.”
He stared at her for a moment, shrugged, and had one of his men fire. The bullet drove into the wood.
As she feared, the defensive barrier was down.
And if that was down, the escape portals wouldn’t be working either.
“Ma’am, we’ve got incoming,” one of the soldiers peeking over the bank said.
Jemma scrambled up and looked for herself. Dozens of crystal soldiers were leaping from an opening in the ship. They hit the ground with enough force to sink in to their ankles, but it did them no harm. As soon as they landed, they pulled themselves free and marched toward the earthworks.
“I need to check on the evacuation,” Jemma said. “Can you hold them?”
“We’ll do our best,” the lieutenant said.
She couldn’t ask for more than that.
Jemma ran toward the school. Escaping on foot was going to be a bigger challenge, but somehow she’d get those kids to safety.
In the few days since her secret eavesdropping on the president and his advisors, Malice had learned much more about his secret anti-magic project. Her sources indicated that it was a total failure. Assassins equipped with the crystals had been sent to eliminate Conryu Koda. He’d dealt with the fools easily, killing one and returning the rest unconscious and without their crystals.
She nearly laughed out loud when she heard. Much as she personally disliked the boy, he had been badly underestimated. That was a mistake Malice would never make. Somehow the scientists had also lost their remaining test subject leaving them with no crystals and nothing to show for their time and effort. They were beaten and she hadn’t had to lift a finger. She savored such victories the most.
Now she had been summoned by the president to an emergency meeting. Apparently, some new threat had popped up, something bad enough that he was willing to set aside his dislike in the hope that she could help. He’d better believe that she’d remember this and make him pay for it later.
Today’s meeting wasn’t in the president’s private office. Instead everyone was gathered in the situation room. It was three levels down in the basement. Malice had been forced to use pain-negating magic to make the long walk and even then, only managed it thanks to the elevator. The guards on duty outside, another pair of young men barely old enough to shave, opened the doors as she approached.
Even before she stepped through, the sounds of raised, panic-tinged voices reached her. Whatever was going on, it was serious. On a four-foot-wide screen mounted on the wall was a scene of chaos. Crystal humanoids were firing crimson rays at fleeing young people. Wizards were counterattacking, but their spells fizzled before striking home. Soldiers fired rifles to equally little effect.
The president’s focus was on a smaller screen where a crystal ship flew through a clear sky. Malice ignored the many eyes on her and made her way to stand beside him.
“What’s going on?” she asked.
“The wizard school in the Kingdom of the Isles is under attack by an unknown enemy.” He pointed at the screen. “They arrived in a vessel exactly like this one. The RAF damaged it by crashing a drone into the top deck, but it repaired itself in seconds and kept on coming.”
“And this one?” Malice asked.
“Ten minutes from the East Coast.”
“Headed for the Academy?”
“That’s our assumption, but all it is, is an assumption. If you know anything, have some secret weapon your researchers have been cooking up, now’s the time to bring it out. Nothing we’ve tried has worked and we lost six jets trying.”
“You mean something like a crystal that can negate magic?” Malice smiled her most evil smile when he looked down at her. “Yes, I know all about your desire not to have to rely on wizards anymore. Funny how when there’s a real emergency, I’m the one you send for.”
The muscle in his jaw bunched and relaxed. “That’s a discussion for another time. Can you stop them?”
“I doubt it. Magic appears useless against them. I suggest you evacuate the school and try hitting them with something heavier than whatever your jets were carrying. I wouldn’t hold your breath on it working.”
His gaze was searching but Malice gave him nothing. The truth was, she really had no idea how to stop something immune to magic. This was exactly what she feared would happen if the president and his friends got their way. Now the nightmare had come to life and she was every bit as helpless as she’d feared. It was no consolation that the threat came from an unknown enemy rather than the man beside her.
Chapter 24
Maria ran through the Academy toward the science lab where she’d left Conryu’s mother working on her latest device. Speaking of Conryu, she’d been trying to reach him for an hour, but the rune stone failed to connect. She couldn’t imagine where he was, but she really needed to talk to him. Dean Blane had gotten the evacuation order five minutes ago. An Atlantean ship was on its way. Apparently, they had already attacked the magic school in the Kingdom of the Isles to tragic effect.
She reached the door and pushed it open. Mrs. Koda was sitting exactly where Maria had left her, hunched over an oblong device, a soldering iron in her hand and magnifying lenses over her eyes.
“We have to go,” Maria said.
Mrs. Koda looked up. “I’m almost done. I really think this sonic bomb is the key to beating them.”
“In an hour a ship full of them is going to arrive. Dean Blane has ordered everyone out of here and on the train. You can work on it there. Please. Conryu would never forgive me if something happened to you.”
Her smile was bittersweet. “Okay. Let me get a box to collect my things and we’ll go.”
Relieved, Maria murmured a quick spell and made a circle with her finger. A light magic bubble formed around her workbench. “Do you need anything else?”
“I believe that will do it.”
They hurried out. Maria took them down one of the deserted back corridors in hopes of avoiding panicked students. It was odd that she wasn’t losing it herself. Maybe she’
d become used to this sort of thing considering all the trouble they’d gotten into over the past few years.
“Have you heard from Conryu?” Mrs. Koda asked.
Maria debated how much to tell her, but only for a moment. This wasn’t the time to keep secrets. “Not for a while. Luckily Conryu isn’t the sort of person you need to worry about.”
“Easier said than done.”
Maria sighed. Wasn’t that the truth.
They reached the exit and stepped outside. Voices from the Academy’s loading area indicated preparations were coming along. A shallow, grassy slope led to the train platform. Lines had formed and there was no pushing or shoving. No doubt having Mrs. Umbra, the exceedingly intimidating head of dark magic overseeing things explained everyone’s patience.
Dean Blane had arranged a compartment for them in the rear car so Conryu’s mom could continue her work. Lucky for them, the first cars were being loaded first so they didn’t have to wait in line. They reached the door and were preparing to board when the rune stone in her pocket grew warm.
Maria scrambled to pull it out without breaking the spell holding Mrs. Koda’s gear. “Conryu? Are you okay? I tried to contact you, but nothing happened. Yes, I’m perfectly calm. You were in the Black City for a personal meeting with the Reaper? Okay. Look, Atlantis has attacked Jemma’s school and they’re on their way here. No, we’re fine and on our way out. If you have weapons, help Jemma first. Yes, I’m sure. Your mother’s fine. She’s with me now. Okay, see you soon.”
“He’s okay?” Mrs. Koda asked.
“Yeah, he just got out of a meeting with the ruler of Hell. But for Conryu, that’s less strange than it sounds.” Maria climbed the steps, carefully maneuvering the workbench through the narrow door. “Hopefully he can help Jemma and the students over there.”
“And while he’s doing it, I’ll finish my bomb so we can blow them back to wherever they came from.”
Jemma risked a look behind her. Smoke rose from the school grounds and the sounds of gunfire had largely fallen silent. The soldiers had lasted longer than she’d feared, but not nearly long enough.
She ducked a tree branch and hurried on. Ahead of her, fifty students and six teachers fled on foot through the woods surrounding the grounds. Hopefully soon they’d reach the edge of the anti-magic field. She felt weak and exposed without her magic.
Not that it was much good against these crystal monsters. At least it made her feel less helpless, and more importantly, they could escape. She understood better now that nowhere was safe, but nowhere she could think of was less safe than here.
Something exploded ahead of them and flames shot toward the sky.
Students screamed.
Jemma ran forward past huddled young people. When she reached the front of the group she found a smoking hole. The crystal ship floated about fifty yards above them, a larger protrusion at the front pointing down at the woods.
One of the teachers, a new one that looked like she’d been a student the year before, said in a trembling voice, “Anna was in the lead. The blast hit her…”
Jemma got the picture. A blast that big must have taken a lot of power. They needed to move before it recharged.
“Get everyone going. Tell them to spread out.”
The teacher nodded and hurried back, urging everyone to get up. Jemma needed to distract that ship so her people could escape, but how, she couldn’t even throw rocks at the damn thing.
As she was thinking, the protrusion started to glow. Jemma waved at it and ran left. Maybe movement would draw it. It wasn’t like she had any better ideas.
When the blast came, it struck behind her.
Jemma went flying, slammed into a tree trunk, and slid down.
She groaned and winced. It felt like a few of her ribs had broken.
The crystal ship swung away. It was getting ready to target more of her students.
Jemma raised a weak hand, but there was nothing she could do.
She rolled over on her back. Something rustled and a moment later one of the crystal monsters stepped out from behind a pair of saplings.
It pointed at her and the tip of its finger started to glow.
This was it.
She closed her eyes.
A loud crunch was followed by a dull thud.
Jemma opened her eyes and found a woman in all black standing over the prone form of her would-be killer. The ninja held an odd weapon of black steel with a spike on one side. Whatever it was, it had killed the Atlantean soldier.
“Are you all right?” the ninja asked.
“No, but I’ll live, thanks to you.”
The woman shook her head. “The Chosen bade us save as many of you as we could. It is him you must thank.”
Conryu, of course. “Where is he and how did you get here so fast?”
“The anti-magic field only extends five hundred feet from that ship in a dome below it. We appeared at its edge and ran. As for the Chosen, he is up there, dealing with the leader of this force.”
Conryu landed lightly on the deck of the crystal ship and Kai joined him an instant later. For this fight, he’d placed Prime in the pocket dimension where he kept the Staff of All Elements. The scholomantic wasn’t thrilled, but without magic to protect him, Prime was too easy of a target.
He tightened his grip on his weapon. The Hell-forged mace was heavy in his hand, but not in a bad way. It was incredibly reassuring to finally have a way of defeating these crystal monsters. Hopefully the other ninjas weren’t having too much trouble with the ones on the ground.
At the front of the ship stood a more refined crystal person, a man this time, who could have been the brother of the woman they fought on the floating island. He stared at them as if not fully comprehending what he was seeing. Though it was hard to say for sure given his total lack of expression.
Perhaps he hadn’t realized the weakness in his defense. The anti-magic field that protected the ship only extended six feet above the deck. Conryu had simply opened the library doors at its edge and then jumped down. Nothing to it really. This was where the challenge really began.
The crystal man pointed at Conryu and loosed a beam of crimson energy.
He dodged and Kai charged. The plan was for whoever didn’t get attacked to close and bring the Reaper’s weapon to bear.
Their opponent thrust his open palm at Kai and sent her flying backward.
Conryu grimaced and made his own attack.
Only fifty feet separated him from the crystal man, but it might as well have been a mile. He only made it halfway before another shockwave sent him tumbling ass over elbows across the deck.
Kai had regained her feet and made it within fifteen feet before cartwheeling out of the way of a crimson ray.
Conryu raced to join her.
When the shockwave came, he was ready. He caught Kai in midair, spun her around, and hurled her back at the crystal man.
The enemy didn’t have time to respond before her mace crashed into his head. Cracks appeared in his cheek, but the spike didn’t penetrate deeply enough to kill him.
The Atlantean staggered back.
Kai lashed out again, but this time he was ready. Her opponent caught the haft of her mace with one hand and pointed at her with the other.
An instant before the crimson ray could fire, Conryu slammed his own mace into the Atlantean’s wrist. The beam burned a line down the deck but missed Kai by a good half a foot.
Conryu spun and hammered the spike into the Atlantean’s chest. He’d hit concrete softer than that crystal. He barely penetrated an eighth of an inch.
He staggered back another step and Kai freed her weapon from his grasp.
“Kai, double impact.”
Hopefully she’d get what he meant. Conryu stepped in and swung with all his might.
The tip of his mace hit hard but failed to penetrate. An instant later Kai struck his mace with the blunt end of her weapon. Crystal cracked as the spike broke through. Liquid darknes
s surged into the Atlantean, blotting out the golden mist that had filled his body.
An ear-splitting wail filled the air before the crystal man fell forward and shattered on the deck.
“Are you okay?” Kai asked.
Conryu nodded. He was better than okay. His magic had returned and they now knew that the Reaper’s weapons were effective against the Atlanteans.
“Let’s see if anyone was hurt on the ground.” Conryu stood beside Kai and activated a flying spell. They soared down from the ship which appeared content to just float where it was.
The trees here weren’t especially thick and he soon spotted one of the ninjas standing beside Jemma who was lying on the ground propped up by a tree.
They landed and the ninja bowed. “Is it done, Chosen?”
“Yeah.” Conryu knelt beside Jemma and sent light magic into her, mending broken ribs and closing some small internal ruptures. A few seconds later he helped her to her feet. “Better?”
“Much, thank you.” Jemma looked up at the immobile crystal ship. “You defeated the Atlantean without magic. How?”
Conryu held up his mace. “A gift from the Reaper himself. I’m glad it worked. Your people?”
“I’m not sure. When the ship fired on us, we got separated. I tried to draw its fire but ran into a crystal monster. I thought I was dead, but your friend here saved my life.”
Conryu grinned. “You can always count on a ninja when you’re in trouble.”
He held out a fist to the woman who stared at it in confusion. Kai whispered to her and she finally bumped fists with him. They might be lethal, but they’d been pretty isolated for a long time.
Another ninja appeared out of the borderland. She pulled her mask down. It was Kanna. “Chosen, the enemy continues to fight, but they do so in an aimless fashion. With our powers working it’s only a matter of time before we’ve defeated them. What do you wish us to do next?”
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