by S. E. Smith
Ka’ya kept the arrow ready on her bow and stepped closer to the doorway leading into the main hall. She peeked around the corner. The soft sounds of whimpers and the soothing hush of a child’s voice told her that Elder Mayleaf had been right. From what she could see, almost fifty of the village children were inside the great hall.
She was about to step around the corner when a shadow moved out of the corner of her eye. Drawing back, she watched as a tall, gangly skeletal figure walked by – the empty sockets where its eyes should have been turning to gaze over the group of children before moving on.
Pulling back, she stared at Alexandru in disbelief. He nodded grimly at her and raised five fingers. She silently released a long breath. There were five of these creatures in the room with the children.
How do you kill the dead? she silently wondered.
She was about to try when the large double doors to the gathering hall opened. She peered around the edge of the door frame again. Her gaze narrowed when she saw the emaciated features of Jorge standing in the entrance. He was surrounded by at least six of the dead creatures he had created.
“Dru Stargazer, come here,” Jorge demanded.
Ka’ya watched in horror as her brother stood up. He stared back at Jorge for a moment before he stiffened his shoulders. Tears burned in Ka’ya’s eyes. He reminded her so much of herself at that age.
Rage built in Ka’ya as she watched her brother step over the other children who huddled together to get out of his way. Her lips tightened. She would not allow Jorge’s monstrous plan to use the children.
She glanced over her shoulder at Alexandru, regret poured through her, but she knew that if they were to have a chance of success, she needed to keep Jorge distracted. If he could free one of the villagers, they could disengage the boundary shields. Her gaze locked with Alexandru’s.
“I love you. Free them,” she whispered.
“No!” Alexandru hissed, reaching for her but she had already stepped through the doorway.
Ka’ya released four arrows in quick succession before Jorge even realized what was happening. Each arrow pierced the skull of one of the skeletons, driving them back into the wall before they dissolved to ash. Jorge’s rasping snarl was like fingernails against a piece of slate.
“You will not succeed, Jorge,” Ka’ya said, releasing another arrow at a skeletal guard.
“I have unlocked an army that not even you can defeat, Huntress,” Jorge retorted, waving a boney hand at her brother. “Come here to me, boy.”
“Dru, no!” Ka’ya ordered in a sharp voice.
Her brother moved in jerky, stiff steps as if he were being pulled by an invisible rope. He glanced over his shoulder at her, his eyes wild with fear before he turned back to face Jorge. Ka’ya could see her brother shrink from Jorge’s waving hands but he still continued moving toward him.
“You are too late, Huntress. Your brother is under my spell,” Jorge chuckled, waving his hand at Dru.
“Not for long,” Ka’ya said grimly, releasing three more arrows as she moved forward.
The three guards in front of Jorge stumbled backwards – the arrows piercing their eye sockets. Ka’ya stepped up onto one of the long benches before stepping onto the table. She could continue moving forward without being impeded by the children who were scrambling to get behind her.
“I am too powerful, Huntress,” Jorge exclaimed, raising his hands and releasing a powerful burst of red energy at her.
Ka’ya dove to the side, but the force curved toward her. The powerful burst hit her, flinging her backwards toward the wall. Seconds before she hit, she felt an arm wrap around her waist and pull her close. She pulled in a deep breath.
“You are not too powerful for me, human,” Alexandru retorted in a grim voice. “Portal open!”
Ka’ya watched as Alexandru opened a portal in the center of the room near the children. The little ones, seeing the inviting green field of the meadow, scrambled to run through the opening. Ka’ya pulled away from Alexandru and fitted another arrow. Several more of the dead skeletal creatures rushed her and Alexandru. She released the arrows one after another. One of the creatures was chasing several children who were frantically climbing under the table in order to reach the portal.
“Oh, no you don’t!” Ka’ya hissed and released the string.
The arrow flew through the gap between several children before embedding into the side of the skull. The force of the strike was enough to rip the skull off the rest of the skeleton’s frame and send it into the door next to Jorge. Ka’ya turned in time to see Jorge’s bony fingers wrap around her brother’s arm and he dragged him out of the entrance.
“Ka’ya! Seal the doors before more of those creatures get in,” Alexandru yelled. “We have to get the children out of here.”
Ka’ya teetered on the edge of the table, her gaze fixed on the opened door where Jorge and her brother had disappeared. She was torn, but knew Alexandru was right. If they didn’t get the other children out of here, Jorge would use them as hostages also.
Jumping down off the table, she ran to the doors and closed them. She pulled the heavy wood plank down, sealing it from the inside. The windows were already sealed. She stepped back when she heard the thuds of something hitting the door. The creatures were trying to break through.
She turned back to where Alexandru was tersely ordering the older children to help the younger ones. She quickly picked up several of the younger children and handed them to an older one.
“Go to the end of the meadow. You will find help there,” she instructed.
Ka’ya hurriedly motioned for the children to go through the portal that Alexandru was keeping open. Self-doubt consumed her. What if their attack had hastened her brother’s demise? How would she ever forgive herself?
“This is the last of them,” she said before glancing at the door. “Except for Dru.”
Alexandru sealed the portal. Ka’ya glanced at him when he laid his hand on her shoulder. She reluctantly turned to look at him, her eyes filled with sorrow. He shook his head at her.
“It will be alright. We will get him back. I need you to disable the outer barrier so your father and the others can enter the village. I need to conserve my energy. Can you get out of here and to the building you need to find?” Alexandru asked.
“Yes. Please, stop him, Alexandru. Don’t let him hurt Dru,” she said urgently.
“I’ll stop him. I’ll show that son-of-a-bitch what happens when you mess with magic,” he promised.
“We need to get out of here first. Do you have any suggestions?” he asked.
Ka’ya bit her lip and nodded. She shouldered her bow and looked up at the ceiling. They would have to go through one of the hatches and scale down the back of the hall. She glanced over her shoulder at the door. Cracks were beginning to appear through the wood.
“Up to the roof, then down the back wall,” she suggested, pointing to an open ceiling vent. “Hopefully, those things will be focused on the front.”
“Up it is,” Alexandru concurred, cupping his hands. “Ladies, first.”
She raised an eyebrow at him before she placed her foot in his cupped hands. Gripping his shoulders, she steadied her body and glanced up. Alexandru counted softly to three before he lifted her up.
Ka’ya felt her body flying through the air. Her hands reached out and she gripped the large, round chandelier hanging down. She pulled herself up and used the thick chain holding it to climb to the ceiling. She climbed up onto the long section of beam that ran the center length of the gathering hall. From it, she could easily climb through the opening.
Peering out to make sure the roof was clear, she slipped through the opening and turned to check on Alexandru. She was shocked to find him already climbing through the opening.
“I thought it better to be quick, I don’t know why the dead are in such a hurry,” he teased.
Ka’ya heard the doors down below explode inward. Through the opening, dozens of t
he skeletal creatures poured into the gathering hall. Alexandru quietly leaned through the hatch. Ka’ya saw his hands glow for a moment before he shot out a half dozen energy bursts. Her lips parted when the row of large lights crashed down on their unsuspecting attackers, sending fragments of bones everywhere.
“That was good,” she replied with a surprised grin.
“I always aim to please,” Alexandru chuckled before his expression sobered. “You take care of the boundary fence. I’ll take care of Jorge.”
Together, they slipped down the back of the gathering hall and into the shadows between the huts. Ka’ya headed for the building near the river and the turning wheels that powered the boundary alarms. Alexandru focused on the dark gray hut with the black smoke rising from the chimney.
16
Alexandru moved through the shadows. The sword in his hand hummed with the power of elfin magic. He sliced through the skeletal guards that he encountered.
What concerned him the most was watching more of the supernatural creatures rise from the ground. Jorge was becoming more powerful. Crossing the yard, Alexandru drew to a stop when several other creatures turned toward him. These were not beings raised from the dead. These were creatures made from dark magic.
Each of the creatures was nearly fifteen feet tall from the ground to their shoulders, with an extremely broad torso and an arm span nearly as wide. They were covered in thick dark gray, leathery skin. Their black beady eyes reflected the surrounding area. Large gaping jaws filled with rows of sharp teeth along the top and bottom were enough to dissuade Alexandru from wanting to get too close. The putrid smell of their breaths made a skunk smell like a bunch of Get Well flowers from the local florist.
Alexandru resisted the urge to cover his nose and mouth. There were some times in life when being a vampire with enhanced senses sucked and this was one of them. Two of the creatures turned toward him. He didn’t have much choice. He could either go through them or above them. Deciding he would conserve his strength, and stay away from the sharp jaws, he shifted into a large crow.
Alexandru lifted off the ground. He soared upward, circling over the creatures that were beginning to multiply faster than the rabbits that his cousin Lacey liked to raise. He swerved to the side when one of the creatures opened its huge mouth and snapped its tongue out at him.
Forget rabbits! These are like mammoth bullfrogs, he thought, trying to avoid becoming a midday snack, he rose higher.
In the distance, he could see Legend and the group of men closing in on the village. Turning his head, he saw Ka’ya emerge from a hut near the river. His heart caught when she drew an arrow and shot it up into the sky. He saw it soar upward before it exploded – the boundary fencing was disabled.
He released a loud warning cry when he saw several of the skeletal creatures rushing toward her. She heard his warning and refocused her attention on the creatures. Blinding fear rushed through him when three of the creatures below him suddenly rose from the ground not more than thirty feet from Ka’ya. She was trapped between the fence surrounding the village and the creatures.
He turned in a tight circle toward where Legend and his army were approaching. More of the monstrous creatures, along with Jorge’s skeletal army had risen in front of them, cutting off their advance. Locked in battle, there was nothing they could do to help Ka’ya or himself.
Alexandru started toward Ka’ya, unwilling to leave her alone to face the increasing number of Jorge’s army when one of the creatures appeared on the roof of the gathering hall. He swerved to miss the gaping jaws and dove for an opening between two huts. He had almost cleared the roof when the creature’s tongue struck his left wing. Pain exploded through Alexandru and he plummeted to the ground – a silent call for help was carried away on the threads of magic.
Blood dripped down from the cut on her arm. There had been one of the skeletal guards in the hut when she entered. It had struck a lucky blow before she put the end of her bow through its nostril cavity.
She had used the undead’s sword to jam the gears on the water wheel. Afraid that one of the creatures might somehow remove the sword, she had also caused an increased pressure in the tanks by closing off the release valves. Pouring more oil into burners, she closed them too so the pressure would build faster. She would have only a few minutes before the increased pressure caused the tanks to explode.
Ka’ya strode back to the door of the boundary hut and peered out. She stepped outside, and had only gone a few steps when two of the skeletal guards turned the corner and saw her. Quickly notching an arrow, she released it before turning on the other guard. It ran too quickly for her to pull another arrow and she was forced to use her bow to deflect the sword it swung at her.
The sword flashed to the right, then to her left. Frustrated, Ka’ya kicked the creature between the legs before swinging the end of her bow with all her might. The skull of the creature popped off and flew through the air, rolling several times before coming to a stop. A loud, piercing cry from overhead warned her that something was amiss. No sooner had the alarm sounded than Ka’ya saw the swirl of dust rising from the ground and forming into an even more hideous shape.
“Black magic!” she hissed, watching as another monstrous dark gray beast rose from the ground.
Ka’ya released a shuddering breath at the size of these new magical creatures. She pulled one arrow after another, firing as fast as she could. She watched in dismay as the arrows were deflected by the thick hide. One of the creatures opened its gaping jaws to reveal sharp teeth and a long, narrow tongue. She was forced to dive to the side when the beast’s tongue snapped out at a blinding speed. Pulling her sword, she twisted to the side when another tongue barely missed her.
She grabbed her bow and rolled to her feet. Flattening her back as much as she could against the off-white plaster of the hut, she warily eyed the creatures. For a brief instant, her gaze strayed to the hut she had just left as she tried to figure out a way to escape. She could see the gauges of the boiler were reaching a critical level. If she didn’t get away soon, the creatures would be the least of her concerns.
She scooted back along the wall when the creatures started forward. Near the end, a wooden door stood ajar. She glanced through the interior, seeing another door across from her.
A malicious smile curled her lips and she pushed the door open so she could step partially inside. Sheathing her sword, she pulled an arrow with an explosive tip from her quiver and notched it.
She waited until the three creatures were struggling with each other to get into the narrow passage between the two buildings. Aiming through the window of the boundary hut at the pressure tank, Ka’ya released the arrow before turning and bolting for the other door. The explosion ripped through the surrounding buildings. Ka’ya felt her feet lifting off the ground as she exited the other door. She was thrown close to twenty feet before she landed and rolled, covering her head as debris from the destroyed buildings rained down around her.
Rolling onto her back, her ears ringing from the explosion, she blinked, trying to make out the faint image of the black bird that had warned her of danger. A smile curved her lips. She knew it was Alexandru. The smile turned to horror when she saw the dark shadow of one of the gray beasts rise up into view on top of the gathering hut. Alexandru swerved to miss the snapping jaws. Ka’ya thought he was clear before the dark magic creature struck out with its tongue. A cry of denial escaped her when she saw the bird falling to the ground near Jorge’s hut.
Alexandru scooted back behind a rain barrel and repeated every curse he had ever learned. A glance at his left arm told him it was broken. If the level of pain wasn’t enough of an indicator, the odd angle most definitely didn’t need a doctor’s diagnosis.
Reaching over, he wrapped the fingers of his right hand around his left wrist. His eyes glittered with pain and he gritted his teeth. This was going to hurt like hell. He didn’t bother counting or waiting, he just pulled until he heard the bone click back into p
lace.
Sweat beaded on his brow and he saw red dots in front of his eyes. A frown creased his brow and he blinked. Unfortunately, the red dots seemed to be multiplying and swirling and had – lace on the border. Shaking his head, Alexandru tried to clear his vision.
“Oh, Alexandru! What have you done?” a soft, concerned, and very familiar voice asked him in a worried tone. “Charles, get Nonny to come help me.”
“I’m fine, Mom. I just broke my arm,” Alexandru muttered, leaning his head back.
While he waited for the bone in his arm to heal, he wondered vaguely if he was about to join Jorge’s army of the undead. His head rolled to the side and he frowned. What the hell?
“Topper? Mom? Dad? Nonny?! What the hell?” Alexandru exclaimed.
“Language, son, you know how your mother is about using inappropriate language,” Charles reminded his middle son. “Looks like you’ve got an out of control Egyptian artifact.”
“No shi…. I mean, yeah. Some human playing with magic he doesn’t understand,” Alexandru replied with a wince. “Mom, I’m fine. It’s already healed. What the hel… heck are you doing here?”
“You sent out a distress signal,” Nonny said. “Oh, dear. I think those things have made Topper mad.”
Alexandru turned his head to watch his Great-Aunt Topper grab the tongue of one the gray creatures and yank it forward to snap her umbrella on its nose. The creature crumbled to dust.
“I really need to learn that spell,” he said, blinking when the ground shook.
He glanced up as a shadow passed by. He knew his mouth was hanging open when his grandmother gently pushed it shut. Must have been one hell of a distress signal, he had the whole frigging town of Magic here.
“Hi, Alex,” Hugo the Giant said before he turned to Topper. “You want us to step on them all, Topper?”
“You’re damn right I do. Those magical perverts tried to stick their tongues up my dress,” Topper snapped.