Azrael's Twins

by V. J. Mortimer

  ‘Our parents and grandparents and their great-great grandparents and everyone before them knew why the two worlds couldn’t be linked,’ said Niamh calmly. ‘It’s only the odd madman like you that think the world can be different and better if we go back to the old ways.’

  ‘Odd madman?’ said Gilly. ‘My dear, you sadly underestimate us. There are more of us out there than you realise. And not just in this world. On both sides of the great dividing void there are witches and wizards working to bring change. Some of them your grandfather even counts as friends in his court! So don’t think I am just some sad old man with a liking for banshees. I may be more powerful than practically any other wizard in Avalon, but there is an army waiting to step up behind me when the moment is right. You really have no idea how little time you all have left. So, you face a choice. You can give me the Twins now and let me get on with my great work, or I can take them from you and cast you to my friends here.

  ‘I won’t give them to you,’ said Quinn, cradling the Twins into his chest and raising his wand.

  ‘Oh, come now, boy. You know I can take them at any time. Or I can let my friends behind me have some fun with you before they retrieve the trophies for me. Did you know the banshees like to play with their prey before they enjoy a feast? I really don’t think you’d like their type of games, though. Why don’t you hand them over and we can all move on, hmmmm? I would rather not hurt you, but you know I will if need be.’

  ‘Don’t do it,’ cried Bree. ‘You can’t let him have the Twins!’

  ‘He plans to kill us anyway, whether we give them to him or not,’ said Quinn, moving closer to Niamh and Grady, and putting distance between himself and the lore master.

  Gilly chuckled. ‘Yes, you always were the sharp one, weren’t you Quinn. Such a bright student. And, as I cannot see what good lies would do me now, I do admit you will not walk out of here tonight,’ he said, nodding his head. ‘No one can see us, no one can hear us. My friend Jak on the door will make sure we are not disturbed and thanks to your little outburst earlier they would have trouble getting in that way anyway. In fact, having all of you here will make it look even better when they do find you. The poor prince, princess and their friends caught in a battle with the deceitful little orphan.’

  ‘You really are mad, aren’t you,’ said Bree. ‘Don’t you think they’ll notice the Twins are gone?’

  ‘Well of course they will, but the first thing they will check will be who took the Twins from their cover and thankfully the signature of the last people to touch it will show up – you two little royals. And once my friends behind me are finished with you there won’t be even a bone left for anyone to find, so there will be confusion and delay as they try to work out what happened to the Twins and where you all are. And while they blunder and bumble around I will already be in the Old World pulling together my friends and allies and linking our two worlds again. It really is too easy.’

  ‘Then maybe you’ll just have to work for it a bit more,’ said Quinn through clenched teeth. Stepping in front of Niamh and Grady he tossed the Twins up into the air towards Gilly and drew his wand back to unleash a blasting spell.

  ‘Quinn, NO!’ yelled Niamh. It was too late.

  The Twins arched across the vault towards the lore master. Before they had reached the top of their curve a fierce red bolt lanced out from Quinn’s wand, leaving a phosphorus tail behind it. The lore master smiled as one hand reached out from his robe towards the Twins while the other deftly cast a blocking spell to ward off Quinn’s attack. The spell rebounded off the shield and ricocheted back towards the children who all dived for cover.

  A green bubble consumed the Twins in their flight across the chamber and then drifted back down to the lore master as he stood chuckling. He plucked the Twins from the air and cradled them to his chest with a greedy gleam in his eye. ‘A nice try. But you must have known you could not beat me. And now I have the Twins anyway. And it is time for you to die. For all of you to die.’

  Niamh and Grady picked themselves up from the floor and stepped forward to stand between the others and the lore master. ‘Us first, then,’ said Niamh, holding her wand out defiantly.

  ‘If you want,’ sighed the lore master. Behind him the roiling mass of banshees started to slowly surge forward as they sensed feeding time. The lore master stretched out his wand and with snakelike quickness a sickly pale green bolt lanced across the chamber at the children. Niamh reacted first. Her own silver blue firebolt slammed into the oncoming spell and the two sparked fiercely as they struck. Grady was only fractions of a second behind with his spell. A fiery red bolt smashed into the conflagration with a booming noise which echoed round the chamber. The three spells mixed furiously. Tendrils of magical energy leapt from the collision of spells and arced themselves into the walls and ceiling. The children heard laughter coming from the lore master. His spell started to push back against Niamh and Grady’s, and the children found themselves forced back by the powerful magic being used against them.

  ‘I haven’t even tried to use the Twins yet, you know,’ said the lore master as the spell reached closer and closer to the children. ‘Did you really think two such as you could take on a sorcerer like me? Fools. Arrogant fools, just like your father and his father.’

  Niamh glanced at Grady. Their eyes met and they knew they could not beat him by themselves. Grady reached out his hand. Niamh looked at it and smiled. She stretched her fingers towards her brother. The moment they touched they both felt a powerful surge of magical energy, the likes of which they had never imagined. It seemed to bring the power to them from the rocks and the stones, like the taproot of a tree pulling energy up from the very earth itself.

  Quinn and Bree gasped as, just for a moment, it seemed as though four children stood where there had only been two – Niamh, Grady, and a life-sized version of the Twins. It was only for a fraction of a second and then, in a moment, they were gone – the Twins melting into the form of Niamh and Grady and disappearing. Hugh saw nothing as he was still trying to wipe dust from his eyes.

  Niamh suddenly knew what the voices in her head had meant when they took the Twins. The power of the statues was now bound inside Niamh and Grady – they were the Twins now! Niamh glanced at Grady and realised he knew this too – the thought rang clear and true across their connection.

  Grady smiled and looked back at the lore master. The sickly black banshee mist was now filling the chamber on one side. But it meant nothing now. There was no chance they would die today.

  ‘See if you can beat this, then,’ shouted Grady. With a sudden fury the spells from the children doubled in intensity and exploded into the fireball at the connection of their spells. The green lance of the lore master’s spell was suddenly driven back, but still he didn’t see the danger. He held up the Twins as some sort of bizarre shield and laughed.

  ‘Very good, children,’ he said, emphasising the last word with contempt. ‘Now let’s see how you match up to the power of the Twins!’ The lore master stood for a moment, concentrating on the Twins as the spells marched back towards him. For a moment the green spell held its ground before suddenly lurching closer to him. Shock and realisation dawned on Gilly’s face as he looked back at the children. ‘Not possible,’ he whispered to himself.

  Niamh and Grady heard his words clearly. The connection between them seemed to sharpen their hearing and senses. ‘Believe it,’ said Niamh as the spell closed on the lore master, who fell to his knees under the onslaught of the children. His teeth drew back in a rictus of pain as the spell drew closer. But he wasn’t finished yet. With a yell and a flick of his wrist the lore master threw the spells at the ceiling above the children. It crashed into the roof and sent rock tumbling down. They barely managed to throw themselves to one side as the debris tumbled around them. Niamh landed roughly and cracked her head on the floor. As she did so the connection was lost with Grady, and pain came flooding into his mind.

  Clouds of dust billowed up around t
hem as Quinn stepped forward. The lore master was on his knees and covered in dust and debris. Quinn didn’t hesitate. A spell shot from his wand but was calmly swatted aside by Gilly despite his condition. Quinn was about to unleash another bolt but the lore master was too quick. Grady and Niamh watched from the floor as time seemed suddenly to slow.

  As the spell left the tip of the lore master’s wand a bright leaf of flame seemed to float gently downward in the corner of their vision. Niamh knew with certainty what it was. Her eyes looked up as an almost transparent shape dropped from the ceiling, shimmering into existence directly in front of Quinn, just as the spell flamed its way across the chamber. The bolt from the lore master’s wand hit the shape with a sickening sound. It burst around Quinn’s rescuer outlining the fiery shape of Belimawr! The spell crackled and engulfed the bird which let out a primal scream of pain.

  Quinn did not hesitate. Dodging around the mass of the phoenix he let loose with a killing bolt from his wand. From the other side of the chamber came a roar from Bree and Hugh as they also fired on the kneeling lore master. All three bolts hit him square in the chest, lifting him backwards into the mass of banshees behind him. The evil creatures saw their master was no longer in control of them. As he flew backwards into their midst they fell on him with a terrifying screech. The black clouds rolled and swirled around the figure of the lore master as he fell further and further backwards. It looked to the children as though he was moving down a long tunnel which suddenly collapsed upon itself and then, with a sudden flash, winked out of existence. The Twins hung in the air for a moment before crashing to the ground and, with a crack, shattered into pieces.

  Niamh and Grady did not give the Twins a second look. They leapt up and ran to the fallen phoenix. The magical bird lay in a heap; one wing was twisted beneath it as the coat of flaming feathers sparked and smoked. ‘Bel!’ yelled Niamh. ‘What do we do?’

  The great bird lifted its head and opened one dull and clearly dying eye. ‘There is nothing you can do for me. Balthasar was a powerful wizard, more powerful than even I thought.’

  ‘But we must be able to help you!’ said Grady, brandishing his wand. ‘Just tell us what to do!’

  ‘There is nothing you can do. All things have their time and season. No more, and no less. And my time is done ... for now,’ wheezed the phoenix. His breath was becoming more ragged. More and more of his feathers were losing their flame as he spoke. ‘But you were very brave tonight. Very, very brave children. Very royal indeed. Your father and mother will be very proud of you. I am very proud of what you have become. And what you have yet to become ...’ The phoenix closed its eyes and lay its head back down.

  ‘What do you mean, yet to become?’ said Niamh, puzzled by Bel’s words.

  ‘No time left for me to explain,’ said the dying creature. ‘Where is Quinn? Where are you? Come here. There are things you must know before you leave here tonight.’

  Quinn stepped over the rubble and knelt down beside the phoenix. ‘Your parents were not killed in an accident. They were close advisors of the king and queen and an uncommonly strong witch and wizard. They did come back from the Old World to this when you were born – when you and your ... twin sister were born. But they were all killed when those who worked with Balthasar (I will not call him Gilly, for that was never his name) and against the safety of the two worlds destroyed that carriage you were all in.’

  ‘I had a sister?’ said Quinn incredulously.

  ‘Yes,’ wheezed Bel. ‘And you are uncommonly strong as a wizard, because something of her remained with you when she was killed. You and her would have been what these two have become,’ said Bel, pointing at Niamh and Grady. ‘I know you will be angry at that, but you have trusted those you should not have and turned your back on those you need most. You must understand that your plan to seal off the magic between worlds will not make either safe, but destroy both of them. The magic must flow both ways without the linking that the dark forces would try to force on us. Do you see? Do you hear me?’

  ‘I ... I ... I’m not sure I understand yet,’ Quinn stammered in reply.

  ‘Then take time to hear the truth of the words,’ said the phoenix.

  ‘Why did you take the blast of the spell?’ asked Quinn. ‘Why are you lying here dying instead of me? I haven’t done anything to deserve your pity or help, so why did you take the blast?’

  The phoenix let out a laugh which turned into a hacking cough. ‘I once told these children that I was here before witches and wizards ever walked this earth and will be here long after they leave. What I did tonight starts another turn of the wheel in my life, but without which yours would have ended. The choice was simple. And Niamh and Grady will need you as much as you will need them.’

  Quinn turned and looked at the children. What could the phoenix possibly mean? Only moments ago they had been duelling with wands and now they were being told their futures depended on each other? Niamh and Grady looked at Quinn with the same questions in their eyes.

  But answers would not be coming tonight as the phoenix spoke again. ‘Niamh, Grady. Listen and do exactly what I say. In moments my time will be done, but you must take what you find of me back to Roland or McHavering. They will know what to do.’

  ‘But what do you mean? We can’t lift you out of here!’

  ‘You will have no trouble. Trust me ... and now I suggest you step back quickly. Goodbye ... for now ...’

  The last sparks disappeared from the feathers of the phoenix as the children hastily stepped backward. Streaks of red started to glow from within the bird, building in intensity and pulsing faster and faster. In moments the whole of the body of the phoenix was a mass of glowing red light which slowly turned to gold before suddenly consuming itself in a mass of blinding light which left the children with the residual flash burnt into their retinas. As it faded they looked down at where the phoenix had been. In its place there was now a mound of golden ash with a single large egg at its centre. Belimawr was gone!

  Chapter 26

  New Beginnings

  Hugh and Bree stepped closer to stare at the glistening egg. Its surface seemed to move as though oiled and slick. ‘Where did he come from?’ said Bree. ‘Hardly anyone’s ever seen a phoenix round here. Most of them live far away in the mountains and I’ve never heard of one that can talk!’

  ‘We first met him when he came to the Old World to find us, when we didn’t know ... didn’t know who we are. He saved us from Gill... from Balthasar in the forest behind our house at Avalon’s End. Him and the unicorn, anyway.’

  ‘A unicorn too!’ yelled Hugh. ‘You’re kidding me! Did you get to ride one?’

  ‘Well, yeah. Of course,’ said Niamh. ‘That’s how we escaped through the forest.’

  ‘That’s meant to be the best luck you can get, having a ride on a unicorn,’ said Bree. ‘And you haven’t told us anything about being attacked in your Old World. What else haven’t you told us?’

  ‘Nothing you probably need to know. And no stories like this one,’ said Grady, staring at the golden egg. ‘Come on. Let’s figure out how we get out of here. Is the tunnel still there?’ he said, pointing to the shadows where they had entered the chamber.

  Niamh checked. ‘No. There’s nothing here but the wall now. I don’t think we’re meant to go out this way.’

  ‘I don’t think we’re going to need Miranda,’ said Bree. ‘Listen. Hear that?’ she said, pointing to where the entranceway had been blocked by fallen rubble. The sound of scraping rock and hammer blows started to seep into the chamber. They grew in intensity until suddenly an enormous grey hand pushed its way through the top of the rubble and started to hammer downward, pulling at the boulders and splintering them as if they were sand. In moments the face of a troll resolved itself from the billowing dust and the remaining rock collapsed under the weight of itself. The troll stared at the children for a moment and then calmly cleared the remaining rubble from their way before stepping into the chamber. It turned r
ound to look at the opening and then settled down on its haunches and having done its work, grunted and turned completely immobile.

  A moment later Murdock bounded in, followed by Merritt, Grace, and a host of other wand carrying guards who quickly fanned out across the chamber. Niamh and Grady bounded up to run to their parents.

  ‘Mum, Dad!’ they yelled as they were engulfed by warm arms, and showered with hugs and kisses and comforting words of concern.

  ‘Are you alright? Are you hurt?’ Grace blurted out as she wiped the grime away from Grady’s face and took a cloth out to dab at the cuts on his cheeks. Amidst it all Grady wondered how mothers always seemed to have a handkerchief or tissue to spit on and wipe away facial muck. But he also wondered why they never understood that the spitting thing is really quite gross. This time though, he was prepared to let it ride. Having the safe arms of his parents around them helped chase away what they had just faced. Niamh, likewise, sank into the embrace of her father while the other children stood back.

  ‘Well done, Frank,’ said Murdock to the troll. For a moment the troll didn’t move until it suddenly raised its head slowly, stared at Murdock, and said in a gravelly and low voice, ‘Tnks.’ Murdock smiled as the children stared. ‘Rescue troll,’ he said. ‘Frank is one of our best. Not the sharpest piece of shale in the sediment but if you need a wall or rock removed in a hurry then he’s your man.’ Frank grunted. ‘Troll, sorry. Frank’s your troll.’

  ‘How did you know where we were?’ asked Grady.

  ‘The answer is in the pile of ash in front of you,’ said Murdock, scooping up the egg. ‘I think I know a dragon master who will want to see this.’