Restless

by Scott Prussing

  He raised both hands and sent a half dozen bolts of white magic zooming toward Viktor. He watched as the black wizard picked each of them off with distressing ease. Dominic had added a special wrinkle to the final bolt, however, one that he hoped would take his foe by surprise. Just before it reached Viktor’s defenses, the bolt suddenly erupted into a searingly bright white flare. At the last second, Dominic closed his eyes. Even so, he could see the flash through his eyelids. Victor’s eyes received no such shielding. Taken totally off guard, the black wizard was temporarily blinded. To protect himself, he surrounded himself with a globe of impenetrable black magic.

  Dominic raced forward, determined to press whatever advantage he had. Twin beams of white magic shot from his hands as he ran. He knew he couldn’t hope to pierce Viktor’s protective globe, so he aimed his beams at the ground around the black wizard instead, hoping to dig a deep enough chasm that he could then fill in on top of Viktor.

  Dominic’s magic cut deep into the earth. As the ground gave way, taking a dozen heavy headstones with it, the dark sphere tumbled down out of sight. Before Dominic could bury it under tons of dirt and rock, the black globe rose up out of the chasm, carried aloft by Viktor’s levitation spell.

  Floating four feet up in the air, Viktor dissolved his globe and fired twin black bolts at Dominic, merging the two beams about halfway there. Dominic knew an air shield would not withstand the double-strength stream, so he met it with a double beam of his own.

  Where the black and white bolts collided, the magical energies flattened and spread into a small starburst. A sputtering, crackling sound filled the air as the dual magics pressed against each other.

  Ever so slowly, the black beam gained ground, pushing closer and closer to Dominic. The wizard knew this was a contest he could not hope to win and tried desperately to come up with a plan to change the tide of the battle.

  He could think of nothing. It took all his power to keep the black magic even temporarily at bay—if he tried to divert even a tiny bit of his power into another spell, the black magic would burst through and consume him. His only hope was if Leesa defeated Jordan and arrived in time to help him, but he could sense her magic off in the distance and knew her struggle with Jordan still raged.

  Ulric recognized that Dominic was losing and raced toward Viktor. The black waziri moved one arm toward Ulric for just an instant. Even Ulric’s volkaane speed was not enough to avoid the black bolt which struck him in the chest, killing him instantly. Viktor immediately renewed his double attack on Dominic.

  The momentary distraction allowed Dominic to gain a few feet where the energy beams met, but now that Viktor was using his full power again, he slowly regained the advantage. His black magic inched inexorably closer to Dominic. Ulric’s brave sacrifice had bought Dominic a few seconds, but nothing more.

  Suddenly, two dark forms hurtled down toward the black wizard from the night sky. At the last moment, he raised his arm and blasted one of them from the air, but the other fell upon his head, raking his face and eyes with razor-sharp talons. Viktor screamed and reached up to pull the owl from his face.

  No longer blocked by Viktor’s black beam, Dominic’s magical bolt surged forward, blasting the black wizard with the full force of Dominic’s magic. Viktor’s scream reached a horrifying crescendo and then abruptly ended as his body simply vaporized.

  Dominic kept his magic focused on the spot where his foe had disappeared for another few seconds, making certain that Viktor’s magical essence could never be regenerated. When he was satisfied that Viktor was destroyed forever, Dominic turned his attention to the oncoming zombies, who were no longer held in check by Viktor’s magic.

  “To my side, Halee,” he yelled, wanting the volkaane out of the way.

  Halee bounded to Dominic’s side as the wizard unleashed a wide swath of magic, instantly incinerating more than a hundred of the nearest creatures. There were still plenty more zombies behind them, but they were far enough away to give Dominic and Halee some breathing room.

  When Dominic finally let his power subside, the surviving owl had landed on the ground beside its fallen mate. A silver flash briefly lit up the night. A moment later, a man Dominic had never seen before stood in its place. The wizard was pretty sure he knew who the man was.

  “Michael?” he asked.

  The man nodded. “Yes. And you must be Dominic.” He looked down at the dead owl, his face filled with sadness. “Jenna spoke highly of you.”

  “She has been a good friend and a great help,” Dominic replied sadly. “I grieve at her loss.”

  “Is there nothing you can do for her?” Michael asked.

  Dominic sighed and shook his head. “I can heal near-fatal wounds, but restoring the dead to life is beyond my powers.”

  Michael sighed and then fell silent, seemingly wrestling with his thoughts. Dominic was willing to give him a few moments to grieve, but knew they could spare no more.

  “It falls to me, then,” Michael said finally.

  “What falls to you?” Halee asked, puzzled.

  “I must restore her.”

  “You can bring back the dead?” Halee asked, stunned. “Do witches have such power?”

  Michael knelt by the dead owl’s side. “Only if I act quickly,” he replied. “And only if I exchange a similar life force for hers.” He placed his hand atop the owl’s tufted head and glanced up at Dominic.

  “Tell Jenna I love her.”

  A second silver flash lit up the night, this one brighter and longer than any Dominic had ever seen from a witch. When it ended, two human forms lay side by side upon the ground.

  Jenna’s eyes fluttered open. Her face bore a look of confusion.

  “What happened?” she asked as she pushed herself up into a sitting position. She looked down at her hands. “I was in my owl form. I remember being struck by the black wizard’s magic. I thought I was dead.” Her eyes fell upon Michael’s motionless body. “Oh, no!” she cried, covering her face with her hands in anguish. “He didn’t!”

  “He said to tell you he loved you,” Dominic said softly.

  “His death is all my fault,” Jenna sobbed. “If I had not asked his help, he would still be alive.”

  “If you two had not arrived when you did, I fear our cause would have been lost. His sacrifice was not in vain. Your actions may have saved countless lives.”

  Jenna laid her hand on Michael’s cold forehead. “I hope he knew that,” she said, wiping the tears from her eyes with her other sleeve.

  “Whether he did or not, he knew he had saved you.” Dominic held out his hand and helped Jenna up. “I think that was enough for him.”

  A shimmering silver glow enveloped Michael’s body.

  “Good-bye, Michael,” Jenna said. “I love you, too.”

  The glow disappeared, taking Michael’s body with it.

  Leesa raced to where Rave lay motionless on the ground and knelt down on one knee beside him. She laid her hand on his cheek and sobbed—his skin was barely warmer than her own. Lowering her head, she rested her cheek on his chest, listening carefully for any sign of a heartbeat. Relief flooded through her. His pulse was faint and irregular, but it was there!

  “Is he okay? Cali asked, kneeling next to Leesa.

  Leesa lifted her head. “He’s alive, but just barely.”

  She looked down at Rave’s shoulder. Jordan’s magic had burned away his shirt, leaving behind an ugly black wound on the smooth bronze flesh. Seven or eight crooked black tentacles snaked out beneath Rave’s skin from the edges of the wound. The streaks were growing steadily longer, spreading the deadly magical infection down his arm and across his chest. Leesa knew if she didn’t stop them quickly, they would drain what remained of his life in moments.

  She placed her hand over the burn the way Dominic had taught her and called upon her healing magic, picturing Rave’s shoulder the way it had been before the wound and forcing all other thoughts from her mind. Her palm grew warm as the healing en
ergy passed from her hand into Rave.

  When the warmth faded, she pulled her hand away. The dark streaks had vanished, beaten back by her magic, but the ugly burn mark still remained. Whatever elation she felt at the improvement quickly faded as the black streaks began to creep from the wound once again. She had failed!

  “Try again,” Cali urged when she saw the infection begin to spread. “Give it everything you’ve got.”

  “I already did,” Leesa said dejectedly. Tears streamed down her cheeks. “It wasn’t enough.”

  She put her head on Rave’s chest. His heartbeat was even weaker than before. He was dying, she knew without a doubt. And she was helpless to save him.

  Cali put her arm around Leesa’s shoulders, knowing her gesture would bring little comfort.

  “Wait a minute,” she said, struck by a sudden thought. “What about the magic Dominic just gave you? Did you use that?”

  Leesa’s head jerked up. She hadn’t thought to add Dominic’s magic to her healing spell. His magic was meant to help her defeat Jordan—if she used it now, how would they stop him? She twisted her head around. Jordan was still some thirty yards away, walking unhurriedly toward them, confident he had nothing more to worry about.

  Leesa made up her mind. First she would try to heal Rave. Once she had done that they could worry about defeating Jordan.

  She placed her palm over Rave’s wound again, this time picturing Dominic’s white hot magic mixing with her own as it flowed from her hand. Her palm grew more than twice as warm this time before the heat faded. Almost afraid to look, she eased her hand away. Rave’s shoulder was smooth and unblemished. The foul blackness had completely vanished!

  A moment later, Rave opened his eyes. Leesa helped him up to a sitting position.

  “How do you feel?” she asked.

  Rave rolled his neck in a slow circle and then massaged his shoulder. “I’ve felt better,” he said.

  “Uh, guys?” Cali interjected, her voice filled with urgency. “That Jordan creep is almost here.”

  Leesa and Rave looked up. Jordan had stopped about five paces away and was watching them curiously. Leesa hoped he hadn’t seen her use magic to heal Rave. Her hidden power was their secret weapon, the only thing they had that gave them even a chance to stand before Jordan’s black magic.

  “You volkaanes are a hardier folk than I knew,” the apprentice said, speaking only to Rave and ignoring the two girls as if they were beneath his notice. “Still, I do not expect you will survive my next attack.”

  Leesa breathed just a bit easier. Clearly, Jordan did not think of her as a threat. Now she just had to figure out a way to defeat him.

  An idea came to her. It was a huge gamble, for sure, but it was the only thing she could think of. Without leaning any closer to Rave and with her back to Jordan, she softly whispered her plan, knowing Rave’s volkaane hearing would pick up her words. He replied with a single, almost imperceptible nod that told her he understood.

  Jordan raised his arm, ready to finish Rave off. Just as he unleashed his deadly energy beam, Leesa shouted, “Bonduur!” praying that her shield would be strong enough to block the young wizard’s black bolt.

  The dark beam struck the invisible barrier and stopped. Shocked by what he had just seen and heard, Jordan stumbled back a half step. The girl had shouted a waziri spell and created an air shield—he had not known such a thing was possible, that a female could use waziri magic. Still, he did not believe she could possibly be strong enough to truly challenge him.

  He fired his black beam again, aiming at Leesa this time. Once again, the bolt was blocked by the unseen shield. Now, though, Jordan was ready for it and kept his energy stream firing at the barrier. He could sense the shield weakening and walked slowly forward, increasing the power of his magical beam by closing the distance.

  Leesa could feel her shield faltering, but still she waited, praying that it would last long enough. When Jordan was but two steps away, she made her move.

  “Now!” she shouted.

  Two things happened at once. Leesa dropped her shield and replaced it with a yellow energy beam, which smashed into Jordan’s beam with enough unexpected force to knock Jordan briefly off balance. At the same instant, Rave sprang toward the apprentice, using every last bit of his incredible volkaane speed. Before Jordan could react, Rave wrapped his arms around the young wizard and pressed his mouth over Jordan’s. The full fury of his volkaane fire raged into the apprentice, burning him from the inside out. In seconds, it was over. Rave dropped Jordan’s burned out corpse to the ground and spat.

  Leesa rushed into Rave’s arms.

  “We did it!” she exclaimed.

  Rave turned his head and spat a second time. “I had hoped never to taste such filth again,” he said. “But it was worth it to end that one’s foul existence.”

  A moment later, Jordan’s body disintegrated into a pile of black ash.

  43. REUNITED

  WITH ONLY DRAL AND BAIN holding back the oncoming zombies, some of the creatures had drawn dangerously close to Leesa and Cali. The two volkaanes raced around spiking the nearest ones, but more and more continued to attack.

  “Can you encase you and Cali completely inside an air shield?” Rave asked Leesa.

  She nodded. “Yeah, I think so. But I don’t know how long it’s going hold against so many of these things.”

  “I don’t think it will have to. They are guided by their unceasing hunger. I’m betting when they can no longer smell you, they’ll head elsewhere to satisfy their cravings.”

  Leesa pictured an invisible cocoon surrounding herself and Cali as she invoked the air shield spell once more. As Rave predicted, as soon as the shield materialized the zombies suddenly turned away and began heading in the opposite direction in search of human flesh.

  Leesa breathed a sigh of relief as she watched the creatures lumber away—until she realized that the closest human flesh would be Dominic.

  “Rave!” she shouted. “They’re heading for Dominic. Go help him.”

  Dral and Bain looked at Rave, who nodded. The two volkaanes sped away, falling upon the creatures from behind and driving their metal spikes repeatedly into the zombies’ skulls. Rave hung back, reluctant to leave Leesa alone.

  “You, too,” Leesa told him. “We’ll be fine here. I promise I won’t let the shield down until you return.”

  Rave hesitated for an instant, then joined his friends at the rear of the retreating zombies. Just to be safe, he kept glancing back toward Leesa to make sure she was okay. He had slain about a dozen of the creatures when flashes of white magic began illuminating the night a short distance in front of him.

  A moment later, Dominic appeared, flinging his magic bolts with both hands and slaying zombies by the score. Jenna and Halee followed close beside him. Rave glanced around, but saw no sign of Ulric. A sinking feeling stole over him.

  “Well met,” Dominic said when he reached Rave. “I take it your presence here means Leesa is unharmed?”

  “She’s fine,” Rave replied. “She and Cali are wrapped inside an air shield so the zombies cannot smell them.” Rave looked to Halee. “Ulric?”

  Halee shook her head. “Dead. I burned his body in the volkaane way.”

  Rave nodded. Volkaanes did not bury their dead. Instead, they incinerated them with their magical fire.

  “There will be a time to mourn our losses when all this is finished,” Dominic told them. “Right now, we must destroy as many of these creatures as we can and then stop the Necromancer.” He emphasized his words by raking the zombie ranks with another powerful blast of magic. Dozens more fell before the onslaught.

  The wizard strode across the graveyard toward Leesa and Cali. Rave and Jenna walked with him, while the remaining three volkaanes continued dispatching zombies.

  Leesa watched as Dominic approached. A great relief washed over her to see him unharmed. She was glad to see Jenna was now here as well.

  As he neared the spot where Lees
a and Cali stood together, Dominic spread his arms above his head and created an invisible dome of hardened air that covered everyone save Dral, Bain and Halle. When the zombies changed direction again, most of them heading to the south and to the east, Leesa recognized what the wizard had done. She let down her own shield, glad to be able to turn her magic off and grab a bit of rest at last.

  “I trust you made good use of the magic I gave you?” Dominic asked her.

  Leesa took Rave’s hand and smiled. “The absolute best use, yes.”

  Dominic turned his head toward the pile of black ashes a few yards away. “Jordan?” he asked.

  “Yeah,” Leesa replied simply.

  “Rave fried his ass with volkaane fire,” Cali added.

  Dominic fired a blast of white magic into the ashes, destroying any remaining trace of Jordan’s magical essence.

  “What about Viktor?” Leesa asked when he was finished.

  “Viktor will trouble us no more,” Dominic replied. “Something seems to have befallen Andre as well,” he added, remembering the look on Viktor’s face at the mention of Andre’s name. “If he is indeed gone, then you and I are the last of the waziri.”

  He twisted his neck and glanced behind him, where Dral, Bain and Halee were still using their spikes upon the retreating zombies. “I’m going to take down my shield,” he warned his comrade, “to make sure as few of these abominations as possible leave the cemetery. The smell of our flesh should entice most of them back this way.”

  Oh, great, Leesa thought, just what she needed—more zombies coming her way. She saw no change in the air around them, but when the creatures turned and headed back in their direction, she knew Dominic had dropped his shield.