Tommy Black and the Coat of Invincibility

by Jake Kerr

  Naomi was moving toward the flames. “Naomi, no! Illusions can still hurt you!” She ignored me and marched forward. She was waving her hands left and right, using a spell to move the flames aside with air, but for every swath of flame that was blown aside, new flames would fill the space.

  Changing strategies, Naomi started casting explosive spells through the flames. They exploded in the distance, but I couldn’t tell if they were at all close to the Master illusionist and neither could Naomi.

  “Naomi! Run! The fire is going to surround you!” The flames roared and spread toward Naomi, only to hold their position as the illusionist spoke. “A pity to destroy such talent. Do not do this! You are not even appreciated by your own allies. Join us, Naomi.”

  In response Naomi cast a detonation toward the sound of the magician’s voice on the other side of the wall of flame. She clearly missed, as the flames marched forward again.

  I watched as Naomi fell to a knee. “Naomi, run!” I yelled, but she was casting another spell. At that moment the flames closed connected and completely surrounded her. All that was left was the magician to tighten the fiery noose to incinerate Naomi.

  I lifted the staff and willed time to stop. I had witnessed Naomi nearly killed by the flame spell of an Ifrit, and I wouldn’t let her get that close to death again. But to my horror time didn’t stop. I was powerless. I was once again no more than a streetlight. I pulled myself up with the staff and desperately limped toward her. The flames were burning my face when I noticed movement to my left.

  A creature of flame was slowly moving toward the illusionary flames. Iggy! He held out a hand, and a ball of fire shot out, disappearing behind the huge wall of flames that the illusionist had created. There was a cry and then Iggy cast another ball of fire.

  At that moment the fiery wall disappeared, replaced by a pillar of fire standing on the lawn in the distance. It burned bright and intense. I limped forward to Naomi, who was on the ground. She looked perfectly fine but was unconscious. I touched her forehead. It wasn’t hot at all.

  Her chest wasn’t moving, so I leaned down and put my lips over her mouth, hoping to fill her lungs with air. The moment my lips touched hers, her eyes shot open and she pushed me hard with her hands. I fell back, jarring my shoulder. I groaned and blinked tears of pain out of my eyes.

  “Oh Tommy, you shoulder is dislocated! I’m so sorry!” Naomi looked unsteady, but scrambled over and put her arm around me as she pulled me to a sitting position.

  “It’s okay. It only hurts like crazy,” I replied.

  She slapped my good shoulder with her hand. “You idiot. I wouldn’t have dislocated your shoulder if you hadn’t decided to kiss me while I was burning to death.”

  I couldn’t help but laugh even though I was in searing pain. “You didn’t dislocate my shoulder. A detonation from a Master did. And I wasn’t trying to kiss you; I was trying to save you.”

  “We need to get you medical attention.” Naomi stood and gently grabbed my good arm, pulling me up.

  “I don’t know if that’s a good idea. We don’t know how many Germans are around, and I need to get the Coat.”

  “I can heal your shoulder.” It was Iggy, who had returned to his human form.

  “Iggy! You saved us!” I limped over to him. “Are you okay?”

  “I am gravely injured, Enayat. My life force is depleted, and by shifting into this form I have used energy I should have used to heal.”

  “Sheesh, why did you do that?”

  “My job is to keep you safe. I can’t stay near you for very long in my natural form.” Before I could reply, he moved toward me in an odd stutter step, stopping at my side. “Are you ready to be healed?”

  “I guess so.” I looked at him as he reached toward me. “Will this hurt?”

  “Lots,” Iggy replied, as his hands and arms grabbed my arm and shoulder. With a yank he pulled my arm into its socket. I am not too proud to admit that I screamed and tears streamed down my face.

  Breathing hard, I yelled, “I thought you were going to heal me!”

  “You are healed now,” Iggy replied.

  I moved my arm, and while I clearly wasn’t healed, it was at least usable. Naomi rubbed my shoulder, which actually made it hurt more, but I didn’t want her to stop so I didn’t say anything. “Iggy,” Naomi said. “I think our definition of healing is different than yours.”

  I looked around. There was a small pile of charred ashes in the distance. I didn’t need to ask Iggy what it was. There were four magicians secure in some kind of invisible binding spread across the grass. “Where do you think the other magician went?” I asked.

  “Back to school, I hope. He knew one good spell, and I had that mastered in my first month of study.”

  “What do we do with them?” I nodded toward the restrained magicians.

  “Leave them for the French,” Naomi replied. “We need to get back to the hotel. We’re a bit of a mess.”

  Just to be safe, I made us invisible as we made our way out of the park and along the sidewalk. None of us could see each other, so I held Naomi's hand while Iggy placed his hand on my sore shoulder. We would have looked ridiculous if we weren't invisible.

  Shortly after we left the park, Iggy stumbled and I reached for him, but he slipped from my fingers. Beyond the pain of the jolt to my shoulder, I was shocked by the immense weight and bulk of Iggy in his human form. It felt like trying to hold back a tank.

  "Iggy, are you okay?"

  "I will be fine when we return to the hotel, and I can rest."

  "It's not far," I replied, trying to be supportive.

  "I will go on my own. I will meet you in my room," he added, his voice coming from further ahead.

  I spoke in Naomi's direction. "Are you okay?"

  "Just enjoying the Two Invisible Stooges." I was going to object, but she squeezed my hand, and I decided I liked the feeling of holding her hand more than an argument.

  Things were quiet as we slowly made our way down the street. I was sore. I was nervous over the possibility of Russians or Germans finding us, and I still didn't know how I would get the Coat. Yet it was a Paris afternoon, and I was walking down the street holding Naomi’s hand. I didn't want the afternoon to end.

  As we waited at an intersection, I heard Naomi's voice from my right. “What a pair we are. The Mighty magician and the Archmage, beaten by a single illusionist.” She sounded utterly defeated. “When are we going to actually win a battle, Tommy? I’ve studied so hard, and I’m still useless.”

  “You are not useless!” I exclaimed. “You defeated five Master magicians. Five! No one else in the world could do such a thing. You are amazing.”

  Naomi was quite for a while, finally replying with deep bitterness in her voice, “But I still failed.”

  “You could have won, Naomi! You’re just too aggressive.” I didn’t know if Naomi would accept the criticism, but I was worried she’d hurt herself, so I threw caution to the wind. “You need to learn how to retreat and then counter-attack. The illusory fire is a great example. You should have fled and then found a new angle of attack.”

  “But then he would have killed you, Tommy.”

  “Maybe that’s our problem then,” I replied, unable to keep frustration from entering my own voice. “We don’t trust each other. I can protect myself with the staff. You can handle yourself with your magic. Maybe we would work better as a team by focusing on our strengths rather than trying to protect or impress each other.”

  “I never said you had to protect me,” Naomi said, irritation in her voice.

  “And you don’t have to impress me. You’re amazing as you are,” I replied.

  Naomi didn’t reply, and we finished our walk back to the hotel in silence.

  33

  REST & HEALING

  When we reached the hotel Naomi slipped her hand out of mine, and as her touch faded I became more aware of the pain in my shoulder and hip. I made us visible, but as I looked around Iggy was no
where to be seen. We were to meet in my room, so Naomi and I made our way to the elevator, too tired and sore to take the stairs. We didn’t speak as the elevator creakily took us up to our floor.

  Iggy was waiting near the door. He was a mess, and I was sure I didn’t look much better. The only one of us who appeared unhurt was Naomi. She had quickly recovered from the fire illusion and looked both beautiful and intimidating as she alternately crafted spells and clenched her fists in her black dress.

  “Lots to talk about,” Iggy said as we approached.

  “You think so?” Naomi said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

  “Yes. Absolutely,” Iggy replied.

  “She’s teasing you, Iggy,” I said as I pulled the key out of my pocket and unlocked the door.

  He didn’t reply as we all shuffled into the room. The first thing I did was lay the Staff on the bed and sit next to it, cradling my arm in a way that would support my recently dislocated shoulder. I assumed Naomi would sit on a chair, but she spread out the bottom of her dress and sat on the floor, crossing her legs. She brought up her hands and started casting another spell.

  “A very good idea, Naomi,” Iggy said as he sat in the desk chair.

  “What’s that?” I asked.

  “She is casting a shield to protect us in case of a surprise attack.” I nodded. It sounded like something Naomi would do.

  I sighed and adjusted my arm. “So.” I looked at Iggy, but he didn’t move or say anything. “Why are you helping me? Ifrit aren’t exactly known for being friendly to humans.”

  “You are Enayat, and the artifacts of Jamshid are no longer hidden. You are the one who will do the right thing when they are joined.”

  I knew exactly what Iggy was saying. No other Archmage would think to free Zahhak. They would all strive to use his combined power. On the other hand that didn’t seem at all aligned with what Cain would want. Cain would want me to wield the artifacts for the good of the allies.

  “Do you work for Cain?”

  “Yes. No.” Iggy looked to be in pain. “I report to him, and I am to follow his commands, but I am with you because my brothers and sisters know it is important to assist you.”

  “I see.” I rubbed my shoulder, which was still sore. “Assuming I can get the Coat, who has the Cup?”

  “A Nazi illusionist. Goebbels. He is a master of a new magic—voice illusion. He can convince people to do his bidding with his voice.”

  I nodded. It didn’t seem like a particularly powerful magic. “Well, we can worry about him later. First we have to free the Coat from Ana.”

  Naomi’s voice cut into our conversation. “I don’t get it.” Iggy and I turned toward her as she lifted herself off the floor using only her legs in a single fluid motion, her black dress gathering around her as she stood up. “You speak good English. You are an elemental that can shape shift to human form. Yet there are no historical documents of Ifrit partnering with or even talking casually to humans. Only passages outlining wishes and magic and betrayal.”

  Iggy stared at Naomi, and that’s when I noticed something that I dismissed but had been nagging at me since I met Iggy—he didn’t blink. “Djinn, Ifrit, and Marids cannot lie. Humans have taken advantage of that to enslave us for many years. Our only hope was to stop communicating with those who would enslave us.”

  “You can’t tell a lie?” I asked rather incredulously. I tried to think back to all the questions I had asked Iggy. Had he ever lied?

  Turning to me, Iggy shook his head. “No.”

  “Who is the most powerful magician in the world,” Naomi said, smirking.

  “You are,” Iggy replied without any hesitation. Naomi’s smirk turned into a big smile.

  “I like you, Lazarus,” Naomi replied. Iggy smiled, which appeared fake in its formality.

  I grabbed the staff. “Iggy should rest. He was badly hurt today.” I used the staff to help me stand.

  “You were hurt, too!” Naomi walked over and sat next to me, gently touching my shoulder where it was dislocated. “Do you need anything?”

  “A sling would probably be good,” I replied.

  “I will leave you two.” Iggy stood up.

  “How long will it take you to heal? Should we wait to confront Ana for a few days?” I asked.

  “I heal quickly. It is okay. Ana will arrive tomorrow morning. We should plan on retrieving the Coat tomorrow afternoon. A delay would be bad.”

  Naomi had grabbed a pillow and was removing the case as she replied, “We can’t. Tommy’s arm will be weak. He needs to be stronger.”

  “It’s okay, Naomi. I can still hold the staff, and that’s all that matters.” I looked over as Iggy started to leave. “Thank you, Iggy.” He didn’t reply as he walked through the door.

  “Here, try this.” Naomi handed me the pillowcase, which she had turned into a sling by tying the corners into a triangle with a tight little knot. I slipped it over my head and slid my arm into it. The length was a little long but close enough that I didn’t mention it.

  “This is great!” I said to Naomi. She smiled, and I twirled the cane in my right hand. “I’m ready for Ana now.”

  Naomi’s face turned serious. “It will be dangerous, Tommy. You know that.”

  “Of course. If nothing else, today illustrated that.”

  Naomi sat down next to me again. “You know that if she resists you’ll have to forcefully take the Coat from her. Possibly hurt her.”

  “I won’t have to hurt her. This will be easy, Naomi. Especially with an Ifrit on our side.”

  “As long as you mean won’t and not can’t.”

  “Don’t worry!” I exclaimed. “When the time comes I’ll do the right thing.”

  “That’s what worries me,” Naomi said with a sigh.

  34

  ARTIFACTS OUT OF BALANCE

  The next morning I waited in my room for Iggy and Naomi. I had trouble sleeping thanks to my aching shoulder, but the staff filled me with a barely containable energy and excitement. I considered our plan. The good news was that all I had to do was take the Coat from Ana. I had no power over her, but she also had no power over me. The plan was simple: Point a pistol at her and demand the Coat.

  But I was worried about her followers. They had guns and perhaps explosives. This would be a fight between magic and technology, and I was afraid that magic wouldn’t be enough, even with someone as powerful as Naomi on my side. Her shields could only do so much.

  There was a heavy knock on the door. I opened it to Iggy, who looked much better than he had the previous day. He even appeared to be moving in a more casual fashion. “Feeling better?” I asked as Iggy walked in.

  “Yes. I am nearly at full strength.”

  “Do you know if Ana is here?” I had attempted to stop time earlier and failed. That made me think that she was still far away.

  “She is here. Yes. She is at the residence on Boulevard de Courcelles.”

  I didn’t say anything as I tried to grasp what was going on. She was close. Close enough that all my powers should work. I tried to bend light around the lamp, making it invisible. I failed.

  “Are you okay, Enayat?”

  Nothing felt wrong. I knew that I should be able to do everything with the staff. I just knew it. This was different than when I couldn’t stop time before. Then I had felt like a part of me was injured. Now everything felt normal. What was going on?

  “Tommy?”

  “Be quiet, Iggy.” I gripped the staff tight and focused on the simplest power, the first I had mastered, the one that made Naomi call me streetlight. I willed the staff to bring forth a beacon of pure white light on its tip.

  Nothing happened.

  I couldn’t breathe. My hands shook hard enough that my shoulder throbbed in rhythmic pain. I tried again. This couldn’t possibly be happening. Nothing. I tried again, a smaller light. Nothing. I closed my eyes and focused on the staff, the cane, the artifact in my hand.

  Zahhak. I willed him to talk to me
. What are you doing? Do not hold back the power of the staff. I need it to free you. Somewhere I heard a knocking. Was it Zahhak? I tried to pass through the bars of his prison, to visit him in the staff. But it was impossible. I knew it. It wasn’t a prison like that. It was a prison of existence. Still, I had to know why. Why are you doing this, Zahhak?

  There was no answer.

  A shock of pain brought me back to reality. I opened my eyes to see Naomi shaking my good shoulder. “Tommy? Are you okay? Tommy?”

  “I’ve lost power over the Staff,” I whispered. It took all my strength to hold back tears.

  “You can’t do anything?” Naomi asked. She was sitting next to me, wearing her black dress. Her face was full of concern. Iggy stood behind her.

  “Nothing. I feel a connection to the staff. In fact, it feels stronger now that it ever has. I felt like I was actually close to Zahhak as I tried to see what was happening. It’s just that it doesn’t do anything.”

  “Have you tried making light?”

  “Of course I have!” I snapped. Naomi leaned back, which made me feel worse. “I’m sorry, Naomi. I’m just upset. I don’t know what is going on.”

  “Zahhak can only serve one master,” Iggy said. He stood still as a statue, staring at me with his nearly white, unblinking eyes.

  “That can’t be true.” I tapped the staff on the floor, it’s brass tip making the tap tap tap noise that soothed me. “There have been three Archmages for years, and it’s pretty clear that all three of us have been able to control the Artifacts.”

  Naomi spoke as she stood up and started pacing. “But it’s become unstable recently. Something has changed.” I looked at Iggy, but he didn’t add anything to Naomi’s comment.

  Tap. Tap. Tap. “Something has changed.” Tap. “It made sense to me that the Artifacts would start to fail if they were far apart. That would indicate that Zahhak was exerting some power to bring them together. Maybe the Germans have recently unearthed the Cup, and that’s what woke Zahhak.” I stopped tapping on the floor and clutched the cane in my hand, as if holding it tighter would reveal some undiscovered truth.