How does one kill something that is not alive?
Shaking his head, he focused his attention on the necromancer. He was not sure if it would work, but killing the one that controlled the skeletons with magic sounded like the best plan.
“Caleb, go straight for him. He’ll most likely bring his minions in to defend himself. I’ll grab the tome while he’s distracted,” Katie whispered from behind him. He had to strain to hear her, so there was no chance the necromancer managed the same.
“For Kirakath!” Caleb yelled as he suddenly dashed towards the necromancer without acknowledging Katie’s suggestion. He was not sure what inspired the battle cry, but it made the necromancer take an involuntary step back.
The skeletons all seemed to turn their attention to Caleb as he ran, though none of them were fast enough to get close to him.
“You won’t beat me so easily!” the necromancer yelled as he thrust his staff at Caleb.
His eyes widened as flames rushed from the necromancers staff towards him. That was not something he had expected, and he could not dodge it because of the skeletons that seemed to form a wall at either side of him. By the time he cut one down and tried to rush through the gap it created, the flames would have been upon him.
Stand firm.
The thought was not his own. It eerily reminded him of the voice that helped him heal Katie during his hunt of the Night Blades.
He took a deep breath as he did exactly what it told him to do.
Before the Sword of Kirakath, magic itself becomes solid. Call to it and command its power.
Without thinking, Caleb did as the voice commanded. It was like embracing the Blood of Kirakath, but it felt different at the same time. Whereas the Blood of Kirakath had always filled him with fire, the Sword of Kirakath was like a cool breeze on a hot day.
He swung the Sword of Kirakath with all of his strength and watched as the blade emitted a faint blue glow.
The blade hit the approaching flames, but it did not pass through the flames as he would have normally expected. Instead, the flames met the blade at a standstill. With the strength of his right arm, he could not push the flames back. It felt as though a small tree had fallen against his blade instead of a torrent of flame.
I have to do it.
The thought left a bad taste in his mouth, but he embraced the Blood of Kirakath for a short time. His blood felt as though it was on fire and an overwhelming desire to kill filled his mind. Fortunately, he was able to release his hold on the Blood of Kirakath almost instantly.
In the short time he embraced the magic, Caleb was able to throw the flames back with the blade of his sword. He briefly saw the dumbstruck look on the necromancer’s face as his own flames engulfed him.
As the fire reduced him to ashes, the skeletons collapsed to the ground, once again reduced to piles of bones.
“That was a bit anti-climactic,” Katie remarked as she walked towards him, looking at the ashes of the necromancer.
“I know what you mean,” Caleb said, shaking his head in disbelief. He had had seen power lurking behind Abigail’s eyes. He had seen a fraction of her power within the necromancer’s eyes. Compared to her, he was nothing. So that posed the question he could not help but think about. Why had other Witches of Akabar failed to defeat him and reclaim the tome? It was true that he would have likely lost without the Sword of Kirakath and the Blood of Kirakath, but he was not a mage either.
“Thank you for your assistance.”
The bone chilling voice echoed through the caverns, startling Caleb and Katie.
Caleb looked towards the tunnels on the other side of the area from them and saw what looked to be a skeleton wearing black and crimson robes. An ebony staff with a red crystal at one end could be seen in one of its skeletal hands.
“Every time the Witches of Akabar come to retrieve that tome, they make sure to get rid of my disciples. If they are too inept to defend this place against intruders, then it proves how useless they are,” the skeleton said coldly. “I am the real reason no one can steal the tome back. If you were truly impressed by that worthless pretender, then you will see me as a god,” the skeleton said as crimson flames became visible where its eyes should have been.
It pointed its staff at Katie, and blue lightning shot towards her.
“No,” Caleb said as he met the lightning with the Sword of Kirakath. Unlike before, his sword did not meet the magic in a stalemate. Instead of blocking, he parried, deflecting the lightning away.
“The true wielder of the Sword of Kirakath.” Its words were both curious and alarmed.
“What you see before you is a lich,” Katie said quietly with a hint of disgust in her voice. “It’s a necromancer that bound its soul to something to ensure that it didn’t move on after it died. It also helps it stay in control of its remains.”
“You are well informed,” the lich remarked with a cold laugh.
“I am, and you should know that I hate liches,” Katie said as she suddenly threw one of the ever present knives she carried.
The lich lifted one hand and stopped the dagger mid-flight. It stayed suspended in the air a scant few feet away from it. “Good try.”
“But here’s a better one,” Caleb said as he dashed towards the lich and cut the air directly below the knife in a wide arc. The magic that held the knife in place was destroyed by the blade. As a result, the knife shot forward again, having only been halted by magic.
As the knife hit its mark a few inches above the lich’s sternum, an audible cracking sound was heard. Almost instantly, the skeleton collapsed to the ground. The fire in its eyes was gone.
“What did you just do?” Caleb asked in confusion.
“Like I said, that was a lich. I heard that they always bind their souls to amulets or rings to stay in the world of the living. He didn’t have any rings, and I saw something bulging under his robes where an amulet would have been,” Katie explained matter-of-factly. “Do me a favor and get my knife for me. Feel free to grab the broken amulet while you’re at it. That Abigail woman might want to see it.”
Caleb stared at her blankly for a short moment before he did exactly what she told him to. He had no idea what to say or think at that moment. He had been trying to figure out a way to deal with the lich, and he had been at a loss. He thought something good may have come out of him cutting the air below the knife, but he had not known what would have happened. It was lucky Katie had known just what to do and that he had followed his instincts.
He almost laughed as he realized that he had followed her command without even thinking about it. It was rather fitting that she knew how to use such a commanding tone when her father was a duke.
If they were not in the lair of a necromancer, he might have laughed hysterically at the irony of it all. But surrounded by the bones of the dead as they were, that would have been disturbing.
* * * * *
“So, are you going to tell me how you did that?” Katie asked once they were outside of the cave and were making their way back up to the top of the cliff.
“You’re talking about the sword glowing blue?” Caleb asked, stroking the hilt of his sword.
“Yes, that’s exactly what I’m talking about,” Katie replied in a firm tone. “As far as I know, that’s not something you knew how to do the last time I saw you.”
“I did it the same way I healed you. I just know. It’s kind of like my conscience tells me, if that makes any sense,” Caleb said with a slight frown. “I used the sword’s magic against the necromancer and the lich. It turns magic solid.”
“Talk to your ancestor about that,” Katie suggested with a hint of worry in her eyes. “He likely had no one to teach him about the Sword of Kirakath or the Blood of Kirakath, so that voice may be part of one of them. I imagine it would be useful to have a way to pass the knowledge on without having to worry about it getting corrupted over the years.”
“I’ll do that,” Caleb promised.
“Caleb, we sh
ould split up now. There’s no reason for you to head to Laus, only to turn around and go back to Mount Akabar,” Katie said as she looked towards the town in the distance. “Please be safe. I didn’t tell you my secret only for you to do something reckless and get yourself killed.”
“You don’t have to worry there,” Caleb chuckled. “I appreciate the thought, but you’ll be in more danger than I will.”
“If I have to make a list of reckless things you’ve done, we’ll be here all night,” Katie stated pointedly. “Just promise me you’ll be careful.”
“I promise I’ll be careful,” Caleb said, seeing the resolve in her eyes. “Try to do the same. With the last Abrams brother on the island, I get the feeling that we’re not going to leave without a confrontation.”
“Leave?” Katie asked suddenly. “I was under the impression we were staying for a while because we’re wanted for assassinating the Count of Caldreth.”
“I think after Sir Edmond finishes training me, I’d like to return to Arcadia,” Caleb admitted. “I need answers. Until I know the truth about Arcadia and who Clovis served, I don’t think I’ll be able to completely relax.”
“I can’t say that I’m surprised,” Katie conceded, her lips curving upwards slightly. It was easy to see that she was trying not to smile. “I’ll definitely go with you when you leave. I don’t know about Nicolas though. He’s not as big on adventure as we are.”
“Perhaps he’s the only smart one,” Caleb remarked, making Katie laugh softly.
“Perhaps he is,” she said once the laughter died away. “Of course, he may end up choosing to come with us if he sleeps with the wrong girl before we leave. His promiscuous tendencies have offended more than one noble in the past. Some say that’s the part of the reason he ended up outside of the city walls.”
“He’ll be welcome to come either way,” Caleb laughed. “But I should get going. It takes hours to reach the mountain, and then I’ll have to climb to the top of it.”
Katie nodded as she turned towards Laus. “I’ll see you soon.”
And with that, she ran towards the town, not even waiting for him to say anything.
Caleb just shook his head as he began his trek back to the mountain. If it was up to him, he would not say any farewells to her ever again. It reminded him too much of his time alone after they dealt with the Black Crows.
He had no intention of allowing a repeat of that to occur. Other than him realizing that being alone was not something he wished to experience again, nothing good had come of it. In fact, it had almost resulted in her death.
Chapter 6
“It took you less time than I had expected,” Sir Edmond remarked as Caleb stopped in front of the temple on Mount Akabar. “You have the tome?”
“I have the tome and the necklace of something called a lich,” Caleb answered, removing both objects from his bag.
“There was a lich there?” Abigail asked as she stepped through the doors of the temple.
“A necromancer and a lich,” Caleb replied as he tossed the broken amulet to her.
“This is definitely the soul anchor of a lich, a phylactery. I never imagined a lich would be here on the island though,” Abigail remarked as she examined it.
“It’s a good thing Katie broke it with a knife,” Caleb said as he walked over and handed the tome to her. He then looked at Sir Edmond. “It’s also a good thing I figured out how to do this.” As he spoke, he unsheathed his sword and drew upon its magic.
“I suspected you would,” Sir Edmond said as he stared at the glowing blade. “You have questions, I take it?”
Caleb barely suppressed a snort at hearing Sir Edmond’s casual acceptance. “Just one for now. Is the voice normal?”
“It is something I never understood, but it appears to be connected to the sword’s magic,” Sir Edmond answered with a nod of his head.
Caleb did not look surprised by Sir Edmond’s words. Instead, he looked at Abigail. “When can you cleanse the taint?”
“Give me some time to look over the tome. Tomorrow morning, I will begin the process. Provided nothing interferes, of course,” Abigail answered.
Though he did not look pleased by that answer, he nodded his head in understanding. She did not see it though. She returned to the inside of the temple as quickly as she left it.
“Perhaps you should think about getting some rest before tomorrow,” Sir Edmond suggested as he rose to his feet and looked at the doors of the temple. “No one can be for sure how the cleansing will affect you. It is quite possible that it will leave you drained though.”
“I can’t argue with you there,” Caleb agreed. He had spent half of the day walking, so he was exhausted as it was.
* * * * *
The next day, Caleb was standing in front of Abigail in a chamber below the temple. For the first time in a while, the Sword of Kirakath was not in his possession. Sir Edmond was holding it near the door.
“Before I remove the taint, it is important that you understand what I must do,” she said as she made eye contact with him. “What I am about to do is taboo. If this was Arcadia, Calia, or Tiberia, I would be sentenced to the gallows. If anyone managed to capture me, at least.”
“Blood Magic,” Sir Edmond stated.
“Blood Magic,” she agreed. “Using Blood Magic, I can temporarily gain control over the Blood of Kirakath. Once I have control over it, I can use it to undo the barrier between prophecy and the world. Then, I can also use it to purify the taint within you.”
“What are we waiting for?” he asked curiously.
“Nothing,” she said with a wry smile as she placed her hand on his chest over his heart. She did not say anything further, but she appeared to be focusing intently. A tingling sensation overwhelmed him suddenly, starting from his chest and spreading out throughout his body. The sensation changed rapidly, and he felt as though he had embraced the Blood of Kirakath. His blood felt hot as it coursed through his body, but there was no bloodlust accompanying the sensation.
“It is done,” she said after a few minutes. As she spoke, it felt as though he had been relieved of a heavy weight. He looked mystified as he was relieved of a burden that he had not even realized he carried.
That was when things took a turn that no one had expected.
Caleb suddenly collapsed to his knees as a sharp pain filled his head. The chamber around him disappeared before his eyes, and he saw himself standing at the gates of a large city. He was holding the Sword of Kirakath, and he was fighting his former best friend, Gabriel Silver. The thing about it that confused him the most was that he saw the fight as though he was a spectator in a crowd. He did not see it through his own eyes.
Just as quickly as the vision came about, it faded, leaving Caleb in the chamber with Abigail and Sir Edmond again.
“No wonder the Blood of Kirakath was partially awakened before he obtained the Sword of Kirakath,” Sir Edmond spoke in a whisper, alarm clear in his voice. “How could it stay dormant when it had to actively work to reinforce the barrier?”
“What are you talking about?” Caleb demanded, seeing the shocked look on Abigail’s face and hearing Sir Edmond’s tone.
“Caleb, the barrier does not prevent prophets from being born. It merely stops them from accessing their abilities,” Abigail said reverently. “You were one such person. Caleb of Kirakath, you are a prophet. You have the gift of prophecy.”
“That was a prophecy?” he asked in confusion. It was too much to comprehend, but he found that he could not stop the question from coming out. “All I saw was me fighting someone in front of a city.”
“Prophecy, true prophecy, comes not in the form of words but in visions. Seeing visions of the future… that is prophecy. Prophets tend to put words to it to describe what they saw, but only fools try to interpret prophecy through a description,” Sir Edmond stated. “I need you to rise to your feet now. Abigail must cleanse the taint now. Things are only half done now.”
“Right,” C
aleb muttered as he did as he was told. The realization of what he had been told began to sink in as Abigail placed a hand over his heart once again. He had known that prophecy would return to the world, but he had never expected that its return would affect him so personally.
He was broken from his thoughts as he felt his blood grow hot again, but it did not stay hot that time. Instead, he felt it begin to fade. He could still feel the power within the Blood of Kirakath, but it was now no warmer than standing under the sun on a cool day. He could feel power course through him as Abigail removed her hand from his chest.
Abigail was no longer in control of the Blood of Kirakath. Caleb had its power in his grasp, and it was nothing like it had been. He felt at peace with the world under the influence of the magic. There was nothing reckless or desperate about the magic now that it had been cleansed. He was in complete control now. After being ruled by the bloodlust that came with the taint, being free of it was indescribable.
Rise of the Champion (The Sword of Kirakath Omnibus #1) Page 36