“Hallic. Where is he?”
“Waiting for an opening would be my guess,” the mage replied as he kept an eye on their enemies. “Like he's said more than once, a rogue doesn't do well in a stand up fight; they're more effective striking from the shadows.”
“And you've gotten rid of most of those,” Tamara added with a laugh as she glanced up at Simon's floating lights.
“Oh damn, I hadn't thought of that,” he said ruefully. “Hallic doesn't have a lot of cover now, does he?”
“Personally, I'd rather be able to see,” the mage replied. “That rogue has already been of enormous help. If he can't aid us in this last battle, I certainly won't hold it against him.”
The necromancers were still shouting at each other and Simon tried to puzzle out what they were saying.
“Any idea what they're planning?” he asked the others.
“It's been a few years since I took high school Latin, I'm afraid,” Barnaby told him. “Sorry.”
“Wait a second; they're speaking Latin?”
“Definitely. I mean, I can pick out a few words. Death, attack, um...flee or run; something like that. That's about it though.”
“They sound divided on what to do next,” Barnaby said with a hopeful grin. “Maybe if we all attack together, it will scare them enough to actually retreat?”
The others began discussing that idea but Simon stepped away from them and looked across the rock-strewn field at the five necromancers.
They were still speaking loudly and one of them was gesturing wildly, but in the middle of the group one of the casters was standing silently, his hooded face looking down. One hand held his staff horizontally across his body and he was as immobile as a statue.
That has to be the leader, the wizard thought. But what is he doing?
He could feel the hairs on the back of his neck stand up and the tingling eddies of magic that moved unseen around him began to spin and quicken. Whatever that mysterious dark wizard was doing, it involved summoning a lot of power.
Simon felt a sudden premonition, a smothering feeling of overwhelming malice. He hurried forward toward Liliana and the other fighters.
“All of you, retreat! Come back here, right now!”
The five armored figures looked back at him in surprise.
“What? What's wrong, Simon?” Malcolm called out. “We're fine. Those guys are falling apart.”
“It's a trick, damn it!” the wizard shouted. “That guy in the middle is about to drop something on us. Now get back, please!”
Liliana didn't hesitate. She'd known Simon too long to ignore such a warning.
“Move your asses,” she barked. “Go, go, go!”
Running in full plate armor isn't easy. Or immediate. The warriors all turned around and tried to retreat as fast as they could, but it took a moment to build up enough momentum to run. They never got that moment.
The ground beneath them exploded; rocks and dirt went flying in all directions. So did the fighters.
All of Simon's floating globes of light burst in bright cascades of sparks. In their fading light, he watched, aghast, as Fergus was blown twenty feet into the air. The warrior only had enough time to cry out once before he slammed back into the ground so hard that the wizard could hear bones shatter. It was a horrible sound.
Fortunately, the others fared better. Kate was blown back toward Simon and the others and they hurried to drag her out of harm's way. Virginia and her group raced forward to lend a hand.
“Gerard, Eric, carry her back to where we were standing,” Miriam commanded.
The cleric looked at the warrior's bleeding face and shook her head.
“Hurry, there may be internal injuries. Bring the others back to me as soon as you can,” she added to Simon.
“I'll try,” he told her.
He turned to look across the field. A mist of dust and dirt blanketed the area and he couldn't see Liliana. He did feel a rush of relief at the sight of Malcolm stumbling back toward them with an arm around Aiden's shoulders. His partner was limping badly.
“I don't know where Liliana is!” the big man shouted at Simon as soon as he saw him.
“Don't worry, I'll find her,” the wizard told him as he hurried forward. “Just get Aiden back to Miriam; with her help and his fast metabolism, I'm sure that he'll be fine.”
Malcolm nodded and shot his partner a look of concern. Aiden was glassy-eyed and blood was dripping from both of his nostrils. He'd lost his helmet in the blast.
“Aeris? Find Liliana please. Kronk, you go as well.”
“Certainly,” the air elemental said agreeably. He faded from sight as he flew toward the dust cloud.
“I'm happy to help, master,” the earthen said and he immediately slipped into the ground.
“Shield,” Simon said.
He waited for the shimmering globe to encase him fully and then looked at the three mages.
“Wait here and cover me, please. I doubt that those damned necromancers are done with us.”
“Should you be going alone?” Tamara asked anxiously.
“I'll be fine. Protect the group. If you have to start shooting before I return, do so; don't wait for me.”
“But...”
“See you soon.”
The dust was still hanging suspended over the site of the explosion. There was no wind, and no sound from the last spot that Simon had seen the necromancers. He wondered if they had actually retreated under the cover of their attack or were still lurking around somewhere. He intended to find out.
The shield sparked and sizzled as it filtered out the dirty fog and the wizard carefully climbed over and around mounds of fresh dirt that smelled vaguely of gunpowder and burnt grass. The aroma pinched his nostrils and he coughed several times.
He used his staff as support on the uneven ground and kept lifting his robe as it got caught on rocks and debris. There was no sign of Liliana's silver armor and no movement or sound anywhere nearby.
In the distance behind him, he could hear some of the group's muted conversation, but he couldn't tell who was talking or what they were saying. One thing that did lift his spirits was the tinge of pink on the horizon; dawn was coming.
A streak of light made him flinch but it was just Aeris returning. Simon opened a small hole in his shield and the elemental flew through.
“Found her,” he said quietly and pointed at a spot off to the left.
“Kronk is with her. The paladin is conscious and should be standing by the time you reach her. She said she'd wait when we told her you were on your way.”
“Should be standing? What does that mean?”
Simon began walking carefully in the direction that Aeris had indicated. He had to circle around the gaping hole in the ground where the explosion had occurred and glanced in as he passed it. It was deep and very dark, the bottom hidden in shadow.
“It means that she broke her leg when she was tossed across the field,” the elemental said matter-of-factly. “But it's healing and she'll be mobile again in a few minutes.”
Simon stopped and stared at Aeris.
“Seriously? She can do that? I mean, I know paladins can heal but...”
“She is extraordinarily powerful, my dear wizard,” Aeris replied in admiration. “I actually saw her wrench her leg back into place before she applied her healing gift to it. An impressive sight.”
“Wow. That's intense.”
They kept moving and the dust around them settled as they went. The night was still and dark, even with the glow on the horizon and Simon strained to hear any suspicious noises.
“Where are those damned necromancers?” he whispered.
“No idea,” Aeris murmured. “But if I might make a suggestion, you should drop your shield. The shimmer from it can be seen a hundred yards away in the dark.”
Simon agreed with the elemental, even though it made him nervous to be without his shield's protection. He dismissed the barrier and it collapsed with a sound like me
at sizzling on a grill.
“I swear, if we make it through this in one piece, I'm going to ferret out that spell to see in the dark.”
“Good idea. It's quite handy.”
Aeris stopped after a minute and looked around curiously.
“What is it?” Simon asked.
“Probably nothing, but I'm pretty sure that I left Kronk and the lady paladin right here.”
He zipped down to the ground and began glowing.
“Yes, I was right. Look, footprints. She was right here.”
“Well, she isn't now. Which way do the tracks lead?”
Aeris pointed straight toward the large mound that was the remains of the dark tower.
“That way,” he said with certainty. “Oh, that's not good.”
“Gee, you think? Damn it, what if she was captured?”
“She wasn't.”
Aeris increased the strength of his light and examined the ground.
“There are no signs of a struggle and I doubt that even those necromancers could capture Kronk before he could slip underground. No, for whatever reason, they left on their own.”
“Then we have to follow. If the two of them run into those casters by themselves, not even Liliana's strength and skill will be enough to save them.”
Aeris looked back at the others, now a hundred feet away. He could see them in the gloom but they were invisible to Simon.
“Should we go back and...”
“Tell them what's happened? There's no time. You can go back if you want to, but I'm going on.”
The elemental snorted.
“You'd be lost without me. I'm sure that lady Tamara will chase after us as soon as she realizes that we've ventured back to the tower.”
He dampened his light, but Simon could still see his body bobbing up and down. The horizon was brightening by the minute and it wasn't as dark as it had been.
“Lead on then,” he said to Aeris. “But not too fast; I don't want to make too much noise in case it attracts attention.”
The pair continued to move ahead slowly, following the tracks in the loose dirt. As the daylight grew, Simon could soon see the footprints, not only of Liliana, but the tiny ones of Kronk as well. He had to smile at the contrast between the two.
They reached the long high mound of broken stone and metal in a few minutes. The tracks continued up the side of the wreckage and Simon gamely followed.
“We've created an artificial hill,” he panted as he tried not to slip into any of the gaping holes in the rubble.
“True. In a few years, it will probably be covered in grass and plants. Well, Kronk will be pleased, no doubt.”
It was still predawn but the sky was now a mixture of red and gold in the east that faded to darkness in the west. If the circumstances hadn't been so grim, Simon would have enjoyed the beauty of the moment.
“Wait!” Aeris told him suddenly, his voice muted. “Listen. What is that?”
A sudden cacophony of sounds rang out, just out of sight on the other side of the mound and Simon tried to redouble his speed, pushing himself urgently along with his staff.
“Metal on bone,” he gasped. “It has to be Liliana!”
He finally reached the top of the hill, slipping on the unstable surface, and spotted the paladin. She was surrounded by a dozen undead; animated corpses that reeked of rotting flesh. They were flailing at her awkwardly while Liliana blocked and parried their attacks.
“Aeris, circle around and see if you can find those damned necromancers. They have to be somewhere nearby.”
“At once,” the elemental said and disappeared.
Simon quickly raised a shield as he watched the conflict.
The wizard had no idea where the zombies had come from; probably from underneath the wreckage of the tower. Certainly the disgusting things looked the worse for wear. Several had limbs missing and all of them were oozing pus from gaping wounds that hadn't been inflicted by the paladin.
Ah well, he'd have to analyze things later; right now it was time to get to work.
Simon concentrated on the nearest undead creature and pointed his staff.
“Burn,” he muttered as he focused his will.
Mortis twitched in his hand and the monster burst into flame. Simon hurriedly turned his attention to the next assailant and did the same thing.
In the meantime, Liliana continued to attack. Her sword sliced off arms and heads as easily as if she was wielding a chainsaw. She smiled as some of her opponents began burning but didn't lose her focus.
“Is that you, Simon?” she called out as she blocked another attack with her shield.
“It's me,” he replied loudly. “How are you doing?”
“I'm disappointed, to be honest. I spotted some movement up here and came over to take a look. These mindless brutes attacked but they aren't a challenge. I was actually hoping to find the necromancers, but I think they've run off.”
The paladin swept the head off of her last opponent and looked around for more.
Simon stumbled forward and joined her, stepping around the smoldering remains of the three undead he had destroyed. He dropped his shield spell as he went.
“Thanks for the help, but you should have conserved your strength,” Liliana told him as she wiped gore off of her sword with a small piece of cloth. She sheathed the weapon, slung her shield over her shoulder and smiled at him.
“What are you doing up here anyway? Where are the others?”
“Dealing with the wounded,” the wizard told her and watched her expression change.
“Of course. Damn those bastards! Fergus didn't make it, did he? No, I thought not. My leg was broken in the blast, but fortunately the gods were feeling generous this morning and healed me. I saw these creatures moving around and mistakenly thought that they were our foes.”
“I've sent Aeris off to scout the area,” Simon told her as his breathing finally slowed somewhat. “If they are close by, he'll find them. And speaking of elementals, where's Kronk?”
Liliana pointed at the mass of rubble under their feet.
“Down there somewhere. As we were climbing up here, I asked him to try to find either the dragons or their remains. I want to know if either one survived the destruction of the tower.”
There was a sudden burst of light and the two of them turned toward the east. Simon smiled in relief.
“Finally. True sunrise. If those necromancers really are still around, they're screwed. Undead can't survive in the light of the sun.”
An ear-splitting roar made the ground shake under their feet and the wizard looked up, searching for the source of the sound.
“Those undead can,” Liliana exclaimed, her voice thick with hatred. “And it looks like we've found the necromancers, or at least their leader.”
Arrowing straight down at them were the two missing dracoliches. In the burning light of the rising sun, their bleached bones looked like they were on fire and their gaping maws glowed red.
Standing on the back of one of the abominations was a robed figure. He was pointing his staff directly at the wizard and the paladin.
“Brace yourself,” Simon shouted. “This is going to be bad!”
Chapter 31
“Liliana, get close to me,” Simon said urgently.
The paladin moved to stand next to him and the wizard quickly raised a shield.
The undead dragons were falling from the sky at unbelievable speed and all that Simon and Liliana could do was watch and wait for the impact.
“Will your shield hold?” Liliana asked as she watched their doom drop toward them.
“I don't know,” Simon replied.
He brought his staff down in front of him and channeled as much energy as he could into reinforcing the barrier.
“Well, we're about to find out,” the paladin said grimly as she drew her sword and stared upward defiantly.
The shield became opaque and thick, denser than any that Simon had ever cast before. It was the best tha
t he could do.
“Here they come!” Liliana shouted as the screeching of the undead monsters and the sound of the wind through their bones deafened them.
The unstable ground beneath them heaved and both the wizard and the paladin were tossed aside like rag dolls. They bounced and crashed into each other inside the shield until Liliana grabbed Simon in a crushing hug to save him from breaking his bones on her armored body.
“Hang on,” she told him urgently.
“I'm trying,” he squeaked as he tried to breathe. Her grip was like steel bands around his ribs. “Watch that damned sword of yours.”
They bounced and rolled down the mound of debris as if they were actually inside a giant rubber ball, finally coming to rest at the base of the hill.
“Are you all right?” the paladin asked as she stood up and carefully sheathed her sword again.
“Fine. Fine. Just a little dizzy.”
Simon stood up with her help and looked back up at the top of the mound.
“What just happened?”
“I think Kronk must have found our missing dragons,” Liliana said. “Or at least one of them.”
She pointed skyward and Simon dropped his shield to get a better look.
“Whoa,” he said in awe.
The magnificent figure of a silvery dragon was swooping and diving a hundred feet above them, dodging attacks from the two dracoliches.
“Who is it?” the paladin asked in a hushed voice as she watched.
“Argentium. I'd recognize him anywhere. He's bigger than Esmiralla; almost as big as the two primals that were used to create those undead dragons.”
The deadly aerial ballet was mesmerizing. The argent dragon's grace, considering his size, was a thing of beauty. The dracoliches looked uncoordinated and brutish in comparison. But there were two of them.
“Can he defeat both of them by himself?” Liliana asked anxiously.
She looked like she was yearning to help the argent dragon, but there was nothing that she could do.
“He's not by himself,” Simon said as he began to scramble up the side of the debris mound. “I've got to get back up to the top of this thing.”
The paladin hurried to help and the two of them tripped and stumbled up the hill, trying to watch the battle as they went.
The Dragons of Bone and Dust (Tales from the New Earth Book 7) Page 37