“THIS CITY WILL COME TO KNOW THE WAY,” the entity boomed. Its presence seemed to grow stronger, but this time Emily was ready for it. “THE SINNERS WILL BE PURGED. A DAY OF PEACE WILL RISE.”
Emily sensed another surge of magic and turned her head. A set of sorcerers were screaming defiance, hurling dozens of spells at the entity. Justice made no attempt to move, let alone to defend itself. The spells struck its exterior and vanished, snapping out of existence as if they’d struck a brick wall. And yet…Emily reached out again, frowning as she watched the second set of spells strike home. The magic was unravelling, the mana breaking down and falling towards the entity…
They’re feeding it, she realized.
“JUSTICE WILL BE DONE.”
The three sorcerers suddenly blazed with white light. When it faded, three more statues stood in the center of the square. The crowd broke, half falling on their knees, the other half running in all directions. Fistfights broke out as they struggled to get out of the square before it was too late, sorcerers and magic-users panicking and lashing out with their powers as they ran. Hundreds of people were going to die, Emily realized dully, trampled to death when they fell to the ground. Justice – whatever it actually was – would be responsible for them all…
She felt the presence ebb, just a little, and turned to look. Justice seemed smaller somehow, yet still impressive. His face was indistinct, but rigid; she saw flashes of his features, rather than a complete picture. A black beard, flashing black eyes, a stern chin, a muscular body…she thought he was garbed, but his clothes refused to come into focus. She couldn’t help thinking of Judge Dredd or – perhaps – an Old Testament prophet, coming home to lay down the law. There was a solidity about him that caught her attention, something that convinced her she wasn’t looking at an illusion…
“This way,” Sienna snapped.
Emily caught sight of Janus as Sienna led the way towards the Guildhall itself. The Speaker stood beside the podium, his hands clasped behind his back as he watched the carnage. He looked at Emily, just for a moment, and nodded politely to her. There was an oddly beneficent look on his face that was more terrifying, somehow, than any smirk or scream of rage.
He did this, Emily thought. The screams were growing louder. He knew it would happen.
She saw Harriman, lying on the ground near the doors. Blood poured from a nasty gash on his forehead. She hurried over to him, but it was too late. He made a gurgling sound, then died in her arms. She stared down at him for a long moment, knowing that she didn’t have the time to try to get his body out of the square. He’d deserved better than to die in such a way…she took his papers, then stood. Janus had turned back to look at her.
Magic boiled around her fingertips, demanding release as he watched her through cold, dark eyes. She could kill him right now, she could end it…but she knew it wouldn’t be enough to save the city. Justice’s mere presence would change everything, even if Janus died. They had to find a way to stop something that might as well be a god…
“Emily!” Caleb shouted.
Emily turned to run. She felt tired, her legs starting to hurt…she felt almost as if she were swimming through molasses. It felt like a nightmare when she couldn’t move, no matter how much she tried…she knew, all too well, that something was coming up behind her. She could feel the presence growing stronger, feel her knees threatening to bend…her body wanted to turn, to surrender…she raised her hand, somehow, and slapped her face. The pain gave her just enough focus to break free and run.
“We have to get out the rear,” Sienna snapped. “Hurry!”
She tossed a spell at the doors as soon as they were inside the building, slamming them closed. A second spell locked them, although Emily suspected it wouldn’t last more than a few seconds. Justice had more than enough power to reduce the entire building to dust, if it wanted. She heard the sound of falling masonry in the distance as the ground shook…she wondered, as she followed Sienna and the others through a maze of ornate corridors, if the island was tectonically stable. A major earthquake might do real damage…
Or a volcano, she thought. There were stories about magicians who’d triggered volcanoes, although most of them were cautionary tales. What if the city was built on a dead volcano?
The building shook, again. A large painting of a stern-looking guildmaster fell from the wall and crashed to the floor. Others followed, forcing them to jump. A lantern dropped from a great height and smashed against a tapestry, starting a fire. Sienna snapped a spell at it, quenching the flames in a heartbeat, but it was only a matter of time until something else caught fire. The shaking was growing worse.
“ALL WILL BE JUDGED,” Justice said. The voice was so near that Emily glanced over her shoulder, half-expecting to see the entity right behind her. Given its power, she suspected the entire city could hear it. “YOU WILL ALL COME TO ME IN TIME.”
Sienna threw the back door open. A small group of Hands of Justice stood behind the Guildhall, handing out weapons. Sienna didn’t hesitate. She raised a hand and threw a spell at them, knocking them to the ground. Emily’s hair stood on end as she sensed the residues. It was a killing spell, but not one she knew. Whatever it was, she thought as she watched Frieda scoop up a short sword, the Hands hadn’t stood a chance.
“Stop,” a voice shouted. A spell flashed over their heads. “Stop and be judged!”
Emily turned. A dozen more Hands ran towards them. One of them waved a wand in the air, threateningly. The others carried swords and staffs…the latter, perhaps, charged with magic. She noticed, as she readied a spell of her own, that they wore different insignia over their chests. It looked like a clenched fist…
“No,” Sienna said.
She threw a spell at the leader, knocking him back. Emily and Caleb threw fireballs too, then force punches; Frieda cast a spell of her own, a lightning storm that lashed out at everyone within range. The Hands scattered, then regrouped. Sienna struck them with another force punch, chanting words under her breath. The small group was flung in all directions with terrifying force.
“ALL WILL BE JUDGED,” Justice said.
“Run,” Sienna ordered.
Emily turned and ran for her life, followed by Frieda and Caleb. She was vaguely aware of Sienna doing…something before she ran too, something that sent more shivers down her spine as the spell detonated. The screams behind her cut off abruptly as Sienna joined them, pounding down the street. Thankfully, the streets were largely empty. Emily didn’t want to think about what that meant for the crowd left in the square.
“Janus knew.” Emily reached out with her senses. Justice was easy to sense, just like a nexus point; a flickering awareness of presence that seemed to ebb and flow around the center of the city. And yet…there was something odd about it, something that nagged at the back of her mind. What was it? “He knew something was going to happen…”
“Less talking, more running.” Sienna didn’t even sound winded. “We have to get back home before anything else.”
Emily nodded. Sienna was right. And yet…she couldn’t keep herself from thinking. Janus had known, right from the start, that something would happen. No, perhaps it was worse. Vesperian’s death hadn’t started the whole nightmare, making it impossible for the city’s population to delude themselves any longer. It had only made matters worse…
If Janus knew the whole scheme was about to collapse, she thought as she forced herself to run faster, he might have tried to take advantage of it. And yet…
“Stop,” a voice bellowed.
Sienna swore out loud as they came face-to-face with another group of men. They carried staffs and wore silver armor, covered in runes…Emily gritted her teeth, remembering the first time she’d faced men in protective armor. They could be beaten, she knew, but it took time. Or she could use a larger spell…
“Emily,” Frieda said. “Watch me.”
Emily had only a second to realize what Frieda intended to do before it was too late. Her bo
dy seemed to blur as she threw herself at the Hands, her sword flashing like lightning in the bright sunlight. She moved too fast to be seen clearly, slashing out at the men before they could react. Emily gritted her teeth as she saw five men fall in less than thirty seconds, knowing that Frieda would pay a high price for her bravery. The Berserker spell was too dangerous to use for long. Emily had never dared use it since her first year at Whitehall.
A man broke free and hurled himself at Sienna. She darted to one side, yanking a virgin dagger out of nowhere and inserting it into his eye. He yelped and dropped to the ground, dead. Emily reached for her own magic as another man came at her, only to have Caleb slam a force punch into his chest. The sheer force of the impact picked the man up and blasted him into a building hard enough to leave a mark. He slumped to the ground, his legs twisted out of shape. He might never walk again.
“Now,” Sienna said.
Emily looked up, then ran forward. Frieda had killed all of her enemies, but now she twitched helplessly as the spell ran its course. Emily readied a cancellation spell as she reached Frieda, casting the spell a moment before Frieda lunged at her, too far gone to tell the difference between a friend and an enemy. Emily felt a flash of pure horror, then grunted in pain as Frieda bowled her over, landing hard on the solid pavement. Frieda drew back a fist, then stopped a moment before she slammed it into Emily’s throat…
“Emily,” Frieda said. “I…”
She sagged, nearly falling on top of Emily. Sienna helped Frieda to her feet, then picked her up and slung her over her shoulder in a fireman’s carry. Frieda looked as though she was struggling to stay awake, even though her body must be screaming for rest. Berserker drained the caster completely unless it was stopped.
“Take the armor,” Sienna ordered. “Hurry.”
Emily glanced in both directions, then hastily started to undo the first set of armor. Warding spells snapped at her fingertips, but they were already fading. It might be hard, she thought, to re-enchant the armor. But it might come in handy for something…she collected three sets of intact breastplates, then stood. Caleb had removed four sets himself. She looked down at the bodies for a moment, wondering what they’d been thinking when they’d joined the Hands, before following Sienna down the road. The noise behind them grew louder…
I can sense the entity, she thought. She didn’t want to label it with a name, even in the privacy of her own mind. And so can everyone else.
She sagged in relief as they finally reached Sorcerers Row, passing through a tangled network of wards guarded by a dozen sorcerers. Sienna slowed to talk to one of them, explaining what had happened in a hushed voice. The sorcerers didn’t look as though they believed her, which didn’t come as a complete surprise. Emily had seen the entity firsthand and part of her mind refused to believe it.
You’ve seen demons, her own thoughts reminded her. Why not a god?
“Come inside,” Sienna said.
Emily looked back towards the center of town. More smoke was rising, suggesting…what? That the Guildhall had caught fire? Or that other buildings were burning too? Or…she could still sense the presence, even at a distance. It pervaded her thoughts, an itch she couldn’t scratch, taunting her with its sheer presence. The sensation grew stronger the more she looked, drawing her back…she shook her head, pinching herself. God alone knew what would happen when they slept.
We’ll have to tune the wards to block it out, she thought. If we can…
“Emily,” Caleb hissed.
General Pollack was still out there, somewhere. Emily hoped he was safe, but she knew he’d been in the midst of the crowd. What if he was dead? Or compelled to kneel before the entity and pledge himself to its service? What if…her heart twisted in pain at the thought of more misery being inflicted on Caleb and his family. They deserved a break, didn’t they? They deserved a chance to heal from their earlier wounds…
She closed her eyes for a long moment, then turned and walked through the door.
Behind her, Caleb slammed it shut.
Chapter Twenty-Three
IT WAS BLESSEDLY QUIET INSIDE THE house.
Emily allowed herself a sigh of naked relief as she felt the entity’s presence fade from her mind. Whatever it was, the wards kept it out. Oddly, she found that reassuring. A real god would have no problems working through the wards. She sagged against the wall, trying to catch her breath. Her thoughts and impressions were hopelessly jumbled.
Karan appeared, popping out of a side door. “What happened?”
“Get some soup,” Sienna ordered. She carried Frieda into the living room and placed her on the couch. “Now!”
Emily followed her into the room and sat on the chair, suddenly feeling exhausted. Her entire body felt drained. Alarmed, she tested her power reserves as Karan returned and discovered they were untouched. Resisting the entity’s sheer presence had been enough to exhaust her. She rubbed her forehead, feeling yet another headache blooming to life. The entity hadn’t been focused on her, and yet it had had an effect…
“Caleb, test the wards,” Sienna snapped. “And then send Marian and Croce down here.”
“Yes, mother,” Caleb said.
Karan reappeared, carrying a bowl of thin soup. Sienna took it and started to feed Frieda, holding the spoon to her lips as if she were feeding a baby. Emily watched as Frieda sipped, wishing she could reach out and hold the younger girl. The Berserker spell had been stopped before it had drained Frieda completely, but it had still left her tired and worn. And yet, without it, they might not have reached home.
“Tired,” Frieda said. “I…”
“Lie still,” Sienna ordered. “You’ll need to eat something more solid once you regain your strength.”
Frieda looked at Emily, then relaxed. “What…what was it?”
“I wish I knew,” Emily said. She could see a dozen ways to cast an illusion that would look like a god, particularly one designed to allow its target’s perceptions to fill in the gaps, but the entity had clearly been far more substantial. And it had wielded magic. She had no doubt that Jalil and the others were dead. What could do that? “But it can’t get to us in here.”
“Yet.” Sienna’s voice was grim. “The wards are strong, but not unbreakable.”
Marian came into the room, looking mutinous. “Mother, Karan…”
Her voice trailed off as she saw Frieda. “What happened?”
“Good question,” Sienna said. “There was…something…at the square.”
Caleb returned, followed by Croce. “The wards are fine, mother,” Caleb said. “But there’s an odd resonance that worries me. Someone might be probing the edge of our defenses.”
“I’ll take a look at it.” Sienna helped Frieda sit upright, then passed her a piece of bread and butter. “Emily, make sure Frieda keeps eating. She’s going to need to eat until she feels stuffed.”
“I’m all right,” Frieda said. “I…”
“Eat,” Sienna said, firmly. “I’ve seen that spell kill people who didn’t have someone looking after them already.”
Marian cleared her throat. “Mother,” she said, sounding scared. “What happened?”
“We saw an entity that claimed to be a god,” Sienna said. She rose, allowing Emily to sit next to Frieda. “Caleb can fill you in. I have to check the wards.”
Karan’s voice rose. “Where’s father?”
“I wish I knew,” Sienna said.
“But you can find him,” Marian said. “Can’t you?”
“I don’t have a tracking spell on him,” Sienna said, sharply. “I don’t know what happened to him.”
She walked out of the room, closing the door firmly behind her.
Marian looked at Caleb. “What happened?”
Emily forced herself to concentrate on Frieda as Caleb told the story. Frieda was growing stronger, thankfully, but she still looked weak. She would have to get some rest soon, Emily knew, yet she had to eat first. The Berserker spell would have drained her
reserves to the limit. If she went to sleep without eating something, she might never wake up.
“Justice,” Marian breathed, when Caleb finished. “It’s him.”
“And father is still out there somewhere,” Caleb said. “Where is he?”
Emily swallowed. General Pollack was tough, but he didn’t – he couldn’t – have any active defenses against outside influences. Given time, Emily knew, she could have twisted his mind into a pretzel. She had no doubt that Justice – whatever the entity actually was – could do the same. Hell, merely being in its presence for a few hours would probably be enough to wear down the strongest defenses. And then…
The general has a blood tie to his family, she thought. The entity could find us…
“You’re the man of the house,” Karan said. “Go find him.”
“Casper would have gone by now,” Marian added.
Caleb looked hesitant, glancing between Emily and his sisters. Emily understood, all too well. Caleb loved his father, wanted to save his father…but the streets were in chaos and the wards might not remain secure. Who knew what had happened to General Pollack? Finding him might prove impossible…
Or all too easy, her thoughts mocked her. But we might not like what we found.
“Dad is strong,” Caleb said. “He could have escaped another way.”
Emily winced. General Pollack had been far too close to Janus for her peace of mind. She had no way to know if Janus had magic, but the priest could have used a wand or simply knocked General Pollack on the head, if he’d wanted a prisoner. Or stuck a knife in his back when the entity first appeared. God knew everyone had been so focused on Justice that Janus could have done anything without anyone taking a moment’s notice.
“You have a blood tie,” Karan said, again. “You could find him…”
“I’ll go,” Marian said. “I’ve got a blood tie too.”
Karan glared at her. “Do I have to stick your butt to the chair again?”
“You’re too young,” Caleb said. “You have to stay here.”
Fists of Justice (Schooled in Magic Book 12) Page 22