Lightfoot

by Joe Kuster

  Magic detonated around the room as the mass of New Order members began firing off spells wildly. Most of them formed up back-to-back, searching for their invisible opponent as they clumped together in the center of the room.

  Someone erected a dome-shaped dispelling field as they huddled in close. It glowed with sigils as TJ’s magical detection skill identified it as blocking the most common forms of magic. One disciple who didn’t get the memo fired off a ball of blue sparkles only to have it immediately bounce back into his face. He died screaming as the flesh sloughed off his face.

  Seeing that his original plan wouldn’t work, TJ took aim from his perch amid in the high rafters. He chuckled darkly to himself. “Let’s see if they thought to ward against enchanted arrows.”

  He pulled his crossbow’s trigger. The flame arrow ignored the magical barrier, lodged in the back of someone’s skull, then exploded into a spray of flaming liquid. Orange flames spread from person to person and quickly caused black smoke to begin filling the room as robed figures screamed and tried to tear their burning clothing free. The spell barrier collapsed as the flames broke the caster’s concentration.

  In a rare bit of situational awareness, someone looked up as they tried to find where the arrow had come from. Spotting him, they started yelling. More heads turned his way. Cursing, he cast concealing shadows on himself, then leaped from his perch. TJ spread his wings wide and flapped hard. His magic reached out in a rapid series of attacks that caused three casters’ heads to explode from his kinetic blasts.

  In the chaos, he swooped low and aimed for the darkened corner behind a stack of crates. He tucked his wings, freefalling. He was about to plummet into the wall at high speed. At the last moment, a hand reached out and jerked him into the darkness beyond.

  Spells of nearly every type flashed, blowing chunks of stonework into the air, flash freezing the ground, and searing it with flame.

  Kallista pulled him through the shadows. One intense bout of vertigo later, she repeated her enhanced shadow step that had pulled him out of the way of the lightning spell and into the rafters, but this time he ended up on the other side of the chamber.

  He lined up his next attack and fired two shadow bolts at the ones protecting the entrance to the cell doors that lined the back wall. His spells took the mages silently, engulfing them in shadows as they withered with silent screams.

  Faith pranced down the center of the room as her shadows flashed, cleaving first the legs, then the heads of the ones who were cowering behind the wooden crates. She gave a roar that announced her triumph to the world, even if it only came out as a meow. She then ignored the remaining disciples as she continued her assigned task.

  As soon as he saw that his familiar was clear, TJ began gathering a massive storm of energy. He focused on the center of the confused mob. He crackled with golden energy as the spell built up, pulling hungrily at his core. When casting had finally reached its full potential, he cut the bindings loose and sent it into the world with an address of ‘to whom it may concern.’

  White-hot fire engulfed the remaining group, and the explosion sent burning crates of supplies flying in every direction. Most of his opponents died instantly in the massive inferno that scorched the ceiling. Others on the periphery succumbed to their burns slowly as even the air became unbreathable. When the magical flames began to wither, no one stood in their opposition.

  TJ heard sprinting footsteps clattering on the stone floor and shouts of alarm outside the set of doors to the side, so he readied another spell. As soon as the first mage came into sight, he fired off a mental domination spell. The man fell flat on his face as he stumbled. TJ mentally ordered the man to attack all other New Order members. Instantly the hallway became a confusing mess as thorny vines began to spring up around the man.

  TJ then sent some of the surviving crates flying into the gap. Bodies were crushed under their weight as he flung one after another until the opening was secured. He could hear explosions on the other side, so he kept at it, piling the boxes high.

  Success.

  Returning.

  Panting from the strain, he unstoppered the small vial of golden liquid and carefully turned it upside down on his tongue. He then righted it again, only transferring a few drops. He didn’t swallow it so much as it was immediately absorbed through his skin, and the crushing vacuum of his chest was engulfed in a flash flood of magical essence. It was so dense and bright that it hurt his senses to look at it.

  Tucking the bottle away, he shook away the confusing golden glow. His pool continued to expand at an alarming rate, so he shunted the excess to Kallista and Faith. Then as their essence containers reached overflowing, he crammed the rest into Rachel and Abby, forcing their already full pools to grow denser.

  He heard a squeak as Abby toppled over, immediately followed by Rachel. Kallista stepped out of thin air and scowled as she helped them up.

  A redheaded blur leaped into his arms as Abby wrapped her legs around him.

  Rachel regained her footing, moved in front of him, then whacked him upside the head. “Be gentle! I thought I was going to split in half when you did that. You are not going to be that rough on our wedding night, do you hear me!” She then followed up her blow by pulling him into a crushing kiss.

  “Yes, wife,” he said with a grin, then drew her up into his arms and held her close.

  She looked at Abby and pouted.

  TJ shifted the bard to his side then lifted the swordswoman into his arms. They awkwardly scrabbled for purchase but eventually found a position that worked as he wrapped his arms around both of them. Content not to say a word, they let their connection press against each other.

  Rachel chuckled. “Soon. I promise. I’ve already decided to skip any sort of ceremony, but I need that contract. I’ll beat it out of my father if I have to.”

  Only once she looked relieved did he set Rachel back down to her feet. Abby, however, showed no desire to let him go.

  “I missed you so much, Master,” Abby said as she pressed her face into his collar.

  Rachel snorted. “We were under a sleep spell almost the entire time. How did you miss him?”

  “I just did,” she said defiantly.

  He crushed her to his chest and kissed her hard. “Doesn’t matter. I missed you too.”

  “I fear zat our reunion will be short-lived, no?” she asked, still not letting go of him.

  He groaned. “Yeah, the fight’s not over, so gear up as fast as you can. Kallista has your stuff.”

  “Do we go back to the plan?” Rachel asked as she began strapping herself back into her combination of chainmail and interlocking plate that flexed along her ribs at a breakneck pace while Kalli helped her slip into her greaves.

  TJ replied, “Fuck the original plan. Timarat has gotta know we’re here. We’re just going to blow everything up and kill everyone that isn’t Kalli’s people.”

  Abby nodded gravely and dropped to the floor. She moved to where the rogue was already placing items in organized piles. Grabbing her chainmail-lined leather clothing, she began slipping into it as quickly as possible and then threw her ornate shawl over it.

  The New Order had stripped them of their outer layers of armor but left their clothing intact. It was something he’d found surprising considering that they might have nasty surprises woven into their expensive garments. They’d even left the numerous enchanted gems and pendants alone.

  He eyed them critically and Rachel seemed to pick up on the unspoken question. She pointed to a purple pendant below her collar that Abby also had in place. “These befuddle anyone who touches us without permission. After a few seconds, they tend to forget what they were trying to do. I’m surprised they hadn’t prepared for them. It’s a fairly common protection among noblewomen.”

  TJ pursed his lips, not understanding.

  “Rapists, kidnappers, and thieves,” Kalli filled in unprompted. “Confuses them long enough for someone to get away. What she’s not saying is
that only the really wealthy can afford something like that.”

  TJ grumbled, “This really is a shit stain of a realm, isn’t it?”

  No one replied as they continued getting ready. It seemed like each layer had lots of fussy extra buttons, chains of colored stones, necklaces, and broaches.

  He’d teased that they’d bought the entire jewelry store that sold enchanted items, but looking at it, he realized that was a real possibility. He also internally admitted that perhaps he should have put a limit on their shopping. He’d just handed them a massive stack of money and told them to have fun.

  Their clothes were packing every sort of enchantment they could get their hands on. Opening his magical perception, they glowed from head to foot. Every single area they could fit something was covered in agility runes, fire resistance, lightning resistance, muck repulsion runes, minor strength enhancement, and even one that made their perfume last longer. If it had some sort of advantage or was pretty, they had bought it. Even Rachel’s bra and panties had magical damage resistance along with a small bow that made them self-cleaning.

  Given that, unlike them, he’d been stripped and forced into a cell to be drained, he decided he needed to improve his own gear if they could find something better. If he’d had better magical resistances to mental domination or something that would prevent him from being drained, things might have played out very differently.

  Pulling him from his meandering thoughts while they dressed, an explosion dislodged a crate of armor, revealing a giant rock fist. Task complete, the six-foot-tall conjuration broke apart once it had burst free through the obstruction. Only seconds later, the sounds of people clambering over the shattered debris could be heard.

  “Speaking of blowing shit up,” TJ muttered.

  A contingent of armed and armored Novenary toppled inelegantly into the warehouse. It was clear they weren’t used to wearing human-styled heavy armor, and whoever was issuing equipment had done so without much care.

  Everyone was wearing a random fitment, some far too large, others far too small for them to move effectively. The cobbled-together selection of steel plates fit their more muscular frames poorly, and their helmets were modeled after human ones, just with slots cut out for their horns. It looked like they didn’t have much peripheral vision and were having a hell of a time moving.

  Still, they toppled over the debris, then rose to their feet and dashed into battle formations, spears and shield in hand, and swords strapped to their waist.

  Behind the rapidly growing shield ranks of imposing figures with spears, four robed humans began channeling magic in some sort of impromptu magical circle. More soldiers continued pushing through the gap and started organizing troops behind a man TJ assumed was their commander.

  Frowning, he yelled, “Kalli, you’re up!” He then sent the four New Order lackeys tumbling ass over tea kettle into the nearest wall.

  Despite her protests of slapping his shoulder, he scooped the rogue into his arms as he leaped into the air. Flapping hard, he made a slow pass by their front line so they could get a good look at her, then eased her where she could stand amid the rafters. As eyes locked onto Kallista, all movement ceased.

  TJ needed them to know who she was but was wary enough not to leave her on the ground where they could rush her while she was outside of the protection of her shadows. Once settled, he stood next to her as she worked up the courage to address the slowly growing army before her.

  Obviously uncomfortable with the situation, she whispered to TJ, “What the fuck am I supposed to tell them?”

  “No clue, but if they want to keep calling you a royal, play to it. Maybe pretend you’re the Duchess if that helps,” he suggested.

  She swallowed hard, then forced herself to raise her chin. “My people, please disarm and leave the field. If you have been assigned a task by the New Order, there are cells behind us that you can lock to keep yourselves out of the fight, and it shouldn’t oppose your oath. We’ll take it from here. I hope to have you freed before a new sun rises.”

  Most of the figures immediately dipped into low bows or threw themselves to the floor in supplication. Spears clattered, and after she motioned with her hand for them to rise, many began struggling to remove their armor.

  The giant of a man with jet black skin in the front disregarded her and continued flipping his finger through the air. Unlike the others, he’d opted to fight with no armor and was wearing little more than a leather kilt that showed off hard layers of muscles.

  His finger tapped again, then balled into a fist. As if reading something he disagreed with, the man let out a deep, bone-rattling roar. He then cocked back his arm and sent his spear hurtling toward Kallista at an incredible speed.

  Growling, TJ batted it away midair with his magic.

  The big incubus bellowed, “I challenge her right to lead. She is no longer a royal; she has a life binding! Are you all blind? She’s been turned into someone’s pet.”

  The soldiers behind him paused, uncertain of what to do.

  Kallista’s face faltered as she looked to TJ with uncertainty. So far, she’d not had anyone challenge her requests.

  Not knowing shit about her people’s customs, he opted to handle it like a challenge in a bar fight and dropped to the ground and eyed the big man.

  “She’s bound to me, but Princess Kallista is no pet, and I’ll tear apart anyone who says otherwise,” he yelled in response.

  The giant incubus made a grunt and then spat on the floor, aiming for TJ’s boots. TJ resisted the urge to look down just to see if it had connected or not and instead stared into the black orbs fixed in the man’s skull. He had to be close to eight feet tall and built of hard muscle. His fingers blurred into claws as he returned the glare.

  TJ couldn’t help but recall how insanely fucking fast Kallista was and wondered if the brute before him could match her speed. If so, this was far from a sure thing.

  TJ’s magic took time to channel, and he might not get more than one shot at him if it came to body blows. Still, he knew the rules for bar fights when someone insulted their companion, and he wasn’t about to back down.

  TJ peered around the man to see a few of the New Order disciples had regained their bearings enough to be rising to their knees. He lifted his hand, and as the arcane words crossed his lips, their skulls detonated with an overpowered kinetic blast. As expected, all four popped like cherry tomatoes hit by a sledgehammer. Each boom caused a thundering echo in the cavernous warehouse that caused the soldiers around him to flinch from the show of power.

  TJ stepped closer to their leader and thumped a finger into his own chest. “Seriously, big man, you want a go? Because I’ve got Suvbus in my corner, along with my goddess, Lady Serina. I’ll wreck your ass here and let him use your soul as a cum rag for being such an idiotic dipshit when I’m trying to free your people.”

  A hushed silence fell over the group of abducted men and women. The big man tensed like he’d been slapped, and the stony expression of defiance faltered at the mention of his god. “I hadn’t… Wait… is that true?”

  TJ nodded slowly, deciding he may as well lay it all out there. He’d already made up his mind; he just had no idea of how to make it happen, nor had he discussed it with the princess-in-exile turned gutter rat in question.

  Perhaps he was pulled in by the drama of her plight so far in life, but he doubted it. He didn’t pity her for what she’d endured. He respected her for coming out on the other side. Every interaction they’d shared had left a mark, and it was her that had saved him. She’d gone through the grinder to rescue him and stop him from draining Serina. That wasn’t something he could just ignore. He didn’t know where things were going to shake out with the rogue or the challenges they’d face, but he knew they’d face them together.

  He had a brief flare of doubt and concern that his oaths were leading him to be overly attached, but he pushed it aside. It didn’t matter. His magic surged in his chest, thudding hard and firm as
though it were letting him know that it would back him up on his stupid idea.

  Deciding on his path, TJ held his head high. “May Suvbus strike me down now if he disapproves of Kallista and I being bonded. As I understand it, your princess and heir to the throne is currently undergoing her grand foretelling. When the time comes, I will make sure she’s on the throne and will leave ruling your people to her. Until that day, I’ll look over her and care for her as best I am able. This, I swear upon my divine covenant. As an ally to his cause through my goddess, I ask for Suvbus’ judgment, here and now.”

  The light in the room dimmed, and TJ felt his thoughts laid out in a neat and tidy order before the deity. Only a second passed before the tension disappeared and was replaced with soft laughter. A small bit of magic fell into place upon his forehead, and TJ recognized it immediately as a minor blessing that gave him some sort of magical resistance. The god of foretelling eased his attention, leaving only the smell of incense and exotic spices.

  Not having been set ablaze by a wrathful divine power, TJ relaxed and gave the giant a lopsided smirk.

  The hush turned into absolute silence as everyone looked to the ceiling, expecting some sort of godly rebuke. When a divine smiting didn’t come, the giant cleared his throat, then knelt. “Forgive me. As a humble shepherd of Suvbus, I only seek what is best for our people and will guide them in accord with his wishes.”

  TJ began, “If you really want what is best, anyone that can fight can join us. I’m not sure what oaths and orders you have, but if that’s…”

  Anyone still struggling to get out of their armor immediately reversed directions. Hands reached for fallen spears. Whispers hissed as those in front explained the situations to those out of earshot. More still whispered to those still trickling into the room.

  The giant inspected his still growing ranks of soldiers, then lifted his eyes to TJ’s. “Oath or not, you’ll have us fighting by your side. If we are struck down by Timarat’s divine retribution, then it shall be our act of defiance in the name of Suvbus. You shall not field this battle alone.”