by Dante King
Because whatever was on the other side of the door was so powerful that it commanded all of their attention. Each warlock was calling forth their most formidable dark magic. Shadows engulfed their aura, and the putrid stench of black magic flooded the space between us.
13
The red-bearded warlock glanced back at us, his eyes narrowing as he lifted his arm. I knew what was coming before the spell had taken shape.
“He’s bringing forth a Shadow Spear,” I said. “Take cover.”
The warlock sent a flash of black energy hurtling in our direction. The Shadow Spear had one purpose: to tear through creatures of blood and flesh. Thankfully, my warning had saved all of us. We ducked for cover, and when I looked back up again, all three corrupt mages had disappeared into the room in front of us.
“Let’s go,” I said, already sensing an aura that I recognized.
The only thing I had the time to note about the chamber was that it was huge; my eyes were immediately drawn to the young woman by the four-poster feather bed that rested on a raised platform at only a couple of feet from the entrance—and the three mages closing in on her.
It was strange that I had met her only yesterday. It felt as though a lifetime had passed since I’d last seen Lillian Cyntria. I supposed in some ways a lifetime had passed. Last night I had been only a guard, but today, I was a mage slayer.
Her eyes were bright with fear as she regarded the three men. She had obviously been caught unawares. She was wearing a dark blue nightgown that looked like it would blow away with the slightest breeze. Her pure black hair hung in long curving waves down her bare shoulders and ended just past her breasts. She was holding a bedsheet up across her body, as though it were a shield.
I could see the bright beauty of her purple aura, as I had expected, exactly the color all the magical defensive measures had been drenched in. Now, she was trapped herself, walled in by her own enchantments.
“It’s over, girl,” the red-bearded warlock said with a grating voice. “Come with us, and it will go easier for you.”
“She’s not going anywhere with you lot,” I said, stepping forward.
Lillian’s head turned to me, and I saw her body tense. Her lips shaped my name but no sound escaped her. She looked scared and helpless—strange, given that she was the most powerful mage in the room. I concentrated a little harder on her pulsating aura. Yes, it was undoubtedly powerful—but there was something restraining her.
“Who the fuck are you?” the sour-faced warlock said.
“Not your concern. All you need to know is that this is my domain now.”
The three men exchanged glances, and the dark-haired warlock laughed.
“Your domain?” he said. “The Spire is ours.”
“Funny,” I said, taking another step forward. “That’s what your friend said to me at the entrance to the Spire. He’s dead now.”
“The girl is ours,” snarled the red-bearded warlock. He turned away from Lillian so that his body was angled toward me.
I shook my head. “Over my dead body.”
“Oh, believe me,” the sour-faced warlock said, “I will be waltzing over your dead body when I leave this tower with the girl.”
“Alright then—let’s dance.”
Yarina moved forward with her rapier drawn. The corrupt magi took in her uniform and their eyes widened. They clearly thought she would be the biggest threat. Good. I liked being underestimated; it would make the pleasure of killing them that much sweeter.
The savory scent of their magic hit me as all three warlocks called on their dark energy at once by moving in choreographed patterns. In unison, they raised their hands and sent lightning bolts of gray energy hurtling toward us.
I leapt to action seconds before their spells took effect and pushed Winnie out of the way. I fell to the floor with her, having missed the warlocks’ attacks by a hair’s breadth. I jumped back to my feet and noticed that Yarina had managed to avoid being hit as well, but the three warlocks had her cornered.
“Stay low, and cast your spells from here,” I told Winnie as I rushed back into the fray to aid Yarina.
Yarina was on her back foot, only managing to dance out of reach of their continuously blasting spells. It was only a matter of time before she would get hit.
She had just landed after leaping and twisting three times in the air to evade three spells, when a fourth came hurtling straight for her heart. She wasn’t going to make it out of the way in time. Without thinking, I propelled myself into the path of the blast and was hit square in the chest. Pain grabbed hold of my body with talons so deep and piercing I wanted to cry out.
I noticed my Negation Aura was glowing brightly. I could only imagine how much worse the pain would have been if I’d been unprotected.
“Fool,” the sour-faced warlock said as he approached me. He raised his hands, fire flickering at his fingertips.
His previous spell was still ripping through my body in waves, the fourth finally causing my legs to buckle. I squirmed but finally pushed past the pain and took control of my own magic. My Negation Aura had succeeded in fighting off the time stop that the warlocks’ accomplice had cast on me, so, with a little additional effort, I was sure I could cast off this spell too.
Proper flames now burst from the warlock’s fingers, his power boiling under the surface, impatient to be released. My Negation Aura throbbed violently before finally throwing off the spell. Immediately, I got back to my feet and raised my axe. The fire emanating from the warlock’s fingers came to an abrupt stop as his concentration dissolved.
Taking advantage, I sent my axe into the side of his face with a force that shattered his jaw and broke his neck at the same time. He collapsed onto the floor in front of me, and the remaining two warlocks stared at me in stunned silence. I gave them a smirk before launching my axe at the red-bearded one.
He managed to jump out of the way, and my axe smashed into a tall bookshelf by an arched window, damaging at least three large leather-bound manuscripts in the process. I called for my axe and it flew straight back into the palm of my hand.
The remaining warlocks converged, their magic still emitting all the signs of awesome potency. Their concentration was now split between Yarina and me, and I knew they weren’t going to make the mistake of underestimating me again.
“Take the girl,” the dark-haired mage hissed. “I’ll handle those two.”
“If you touch her,” I said calmly, “I will make sure to kill you painfully. If you leave her alone, I will give you a clean death.”
The warlocks looked at me with a deep and unremitting hatred. A gleaming second skin slipped over the dark-haired warlock’s body like armor. It reminded me of my own Negation Aura, the only difference being that his was made from dark shadows, mine from silver light.
“Shadow armor,” Yarina said, struggling to get the words out in between her panting.
The dark-haired warlock wasn’t finished. He raised his arm in a slow, sweeping motion, and a long sword appeared in his hand. Its blade was black as night and its edge looked as sinister as its creator. He angled it in my direction while the red-bearded warlock turned to Lillian, who was hiding behind one of her bedposts.
The dark-haired mage jumped forward, and his blade sung through the air. Yarina took a step in my direction, succeeding in blocking his path. Her rapier was a useful weapon, but it was clearly no match for the warlock’s brutish blade. Winnie sent a weakening ray at the dark-haired mage, but his armor was strong, and her spell bounced right off him.
I heard a scream from the bed and saw that the red-bearded warlock had Lillian cornered.
“Winnie,” I called urgently.
“On it,” Winnie said, as she sent another weakening ray straight for the mage.
His back was turned, so he didn’t even see it coming. The spell hit him in his spine, and he roared with anger as his knees buckled and he fell limp to the floor. Satisfied that he wouldn’t be able to spirit Lillian away a
nytime soon, I turned my attention back to the third mage, who looked like he was close to overpowering Yarina.
His armor did more than just protect him from spells; it actually prevented physical attacks as well. No matter how or where Yarina’s rapier struck—and it struck multiple times—the warlock seemed completely unaffected. I hardened my jaw and walked right up to the bastard. He may have thought he had the upper hand, but even if he could have mustered the blackest magic he had ever felt surge through his corrupt mage fingers, I had the ultimate trump.
Unfortunately, the-dark haired warlock saw me coming, and he cut through the air between us with his sword. I couldn’t get close enough to him to nullify his magic. After a thwarted attempt to reach him, I was close enough for him to aim at me. He sliced his sword straight down, holding it with both hands,, but I raised my axe and blocked. I saw Yarina a few feet away and sensed the fast-rising white light that was engulfing her body.
I closed my eyes just as she unleashed her Holy Flash. It wasn’t as strong as we needed it to be, I suspected that she was still tired from all the magic she had used to get us to the tower, but it temporarily disrupted the warlock and his magical weapons.
I saw his shadow armor flicker slightly and grabbed the opportunity to move in behind him. I grabbed him from the back and felt his armor recede completely under my pressure. He dropped the magic weapon in his hand and it disappeared into thin air before it could even reach the floor.
“Kurt,” Winnie alerted me, as she sent another weakening ray in our direction.
I gripped the warlock tight around the neck and turned him around so that Winnie’s spell hit him right in the chest. He jerked and wriggled, trying desperately to throw me off his back, but I locked my grip, leaving no doubt as to who was superior in muscular strength. Winnie’s weakening ray reduced him to a shuddering mass in my arms. Then Yarina approached with her rapier drawn.
“No,” the warlock cried, but it was too late. Yarina plunged her weapon into his heart and I felt his magic fade away into nothing.
He went slack against me, and I released his body unceremoniously.
“Great teamwork, guys,” I said.
“Watch out!” Lillian screamed, just as I sensed the blaze of a dark spell hurtling toward us. It seemed the red-bearded warlock had finally fought off Winnie’s weakening ray.
I managed to duck out of the way just in time before I turned around to face the red-bearded mage. The confidence had been completely extinguished from his eyes. He looked weary now, like a cornered animal. I felt his magic fluctuate with panic and uncertainty; he seemed less concerned about Lillian now, and more concerned for his own life.
“It’s over,” Yarina said blankly. “Stand down and we may show you mercy.”
“Mercy?” the warlock sneered, as magic collected at his fingertips. He was trying to catch us off guard, but I could sense his intentions, and I was ready for it.
“You think I trust your mercy?” he said.
Then he hurled forth another dark beam. It emanated from his hand in one thick rope of magic before whipping and splitting into three smaller ones that zoomed toward Yarina, Winnie, and me.
“Duck,” I cried.
I avoided the spell easily and Yarina managed to somersault out of the way too, but Winnie got hit, and she screamed out in pain. Fueled by rage, I launched my axe at the warlock with a roar, and it struck him full in the face. I saw his eyes roll back in his head as blood spurted from his nose. He toppled over backward, and the spell that had been gripping Winnie instantly vanished.
She collapsed to the floor, and I rushed toward her.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
Winnie nodded limply, and Yarina helped her back on her feet. She had only felt the pain for a few seconds; her magic was already starting to recuperate.
Assured that Winnie would be fine, I turned toward the bed. Finally—time for Lillian.
Lillian took a few tentative steps forward, and the sheet she had still been holding slipped from her fingers. Looking at her, you would never know just how powerful she was. She just seemed so fragile in her thin slip of a nightdress, framed in residues of battle magic.
“Hi,” I said, giving her my most disarming smile. “Remember me?”
She looked at me in surprise. “How did you even get in here?”
“I’m a mage slayer,” I replied, trying not to sound too cocky. “We have our ways.”
I surveyed the wreckage of her room, taking a brief moment to look at the three corpses in turn. All three warlocks were wearing a Demon Seal ring on the index finger of their left hand. I could feel the subtle thrum of magic that still clung to the rings, and I realized that qualified them as artifacts. Qilzid could certainly make use of them.
Aware that Lillian’s eyes were still on me, I went to each of the corpses to collect the rings., ending with the one closest to her.
“Sorry about the mess,” I finally said.
“Why are you here?” she asked, glancing at Yarina and Winnie.
“We wanted to have a chat with your father,” I said honestly. “But the corrupt magic that filled the Spire was kind of hard to ignore.”
“What do you need to speak to my father about?”
“Kurt told us that you were there this morning, when the Terminus Seal was stolen from the Arcanum,” Yarina said, coming toward us. “The Institute was infiltrated as well…your father seems to have connections to both places.”
“What are you asking me?” Lillian’s posture was tense and her eyes darted around the room restlessly.
“Are you in league with the Chaos Gods?” I asked bluntly.
Her eyes went wide with surprise, and there and then I knew that she had nothing to do with these gods. Of course, her father was a different matter entirely.
Before she could answer, none other than Barlin Cyntria burst into the room with his magic pulsating powerfully. His eyes were wild and his posture aggressive. He didn’t hesitate or stop to ask questions; with barely a flick of his hand, he slammed Winnie into one of the bookshelves in the corner. A massive ball of mage fire materialized in his hand, and I knew it was meant for me. Just as he was poised to launch it, he caught sight of Yarina standing beside me, and his face dropped.
“Priestess Yarina,” he said, breathless, the ball of fire in his hand flickering slightly. Only then did he take the time to take a proper look around and see the dead warlocks lying about his daughter’s room. He extinguished the ball of fire in his hand by closing his palm before he straightened his back with dignity and immediate calm.
“I see you have assisted with the intruders,” he said.
“Yeah, we did,” Winnie said, as she got to her feet and dusted herself off. Thankfully, she wasn’t hurt, but there was anger in her eyes as she stared at Archmage Cyntria. “Something I’m regretting already.”
“Apologies,” Barlin said coolly. “I did not know who you were or what you wanted. All I knew was that the Spire had been breached.”
“Father,” Lillian said, standing up and moving toward him. “They think we’re involved with the Chaos Gods.”
Barlin looked at me with more than a little curiosity. “I suppose I have some explaining to do.” His tone suggested that he wasn’t too eager. “I shall have Orli prepare dinner for all of us. It is the least I can do to thank you for saving my daughter.”
This was the audience that Yarina and I had hoped for, and neither one of us was about to turn down the offer.
“Thank you, Archmage Cyntria,” Yarina said. “We would be honored to join you for dinner.”
Barlin bowed his head before he turned to his daughter. “Why don’t you change into something more appropriate and meet us in the Observatory for dinner?”
Lillian nodded self-consciously and left her chamber through a back door. When she was gone, Barlin turned to survey the disaster area properly. He stopped at the ornate bookshelf in the corner just under the arched windows.
“That�
�s going to be costly to replace,” he said with a sigh. “It was a hundred percent Elder wood.”
The sound of heavy footsteps reached us through the open door, and Yarina and I turned around with our weapons raised.
“That’ll be my spellswords,” Cyntria said. “You can sheath your weapons.”
Five soldiers appeared at the door and looked us over suspiciously.
“Take care of this,” he told them authoritatively. “Move all three mages into the repository. I will come later to inspect them.”
The spellsword he was addressing nodded, before the five of them fanned out. Barlin motioned for us to follow him out of the chamber. I fastened my axe to the loop on my belt and we left the room. As we were walking toward the staircase, I noticed Barlin look over his shoulder at me, and I could have sworn I heard him mutter under his breath.
He was being excessively polite, and my instincts screamed he was more than peeved, for my presence here perhaps, or for his orders having been ignored this morning. Beyond any doubt, he was not happy I was around his daughter. That he made crystal clear before he realized Yarina was with me.
Oh well—it wasn’t the first time a parent had worried about their daughter hanging around me…and it certainly wouldn’t be the last.
14
The Observatory’s frameless floor-to-ceiling windows showed the city sprawling before us, lit up and twinkling like a jewel in the dark-blue night sky. I counted two airships in the distance, and one more that was obviously for private use docked next to one of the Spire’s spindle towers. Except this last airship had no sails. A flag depicting the Spire in all its glory hung from the mast and flew gracefully against the wind. The icon was extremely detailed and contributed to the ship’s sleek look..