by Marc Lindsay
‘Am I. Are you prepared to risk her life,’ Zahhak said. Jason hesitated, torn between Zahhak’s words and Selene’s screams.
‘I swear I will make you pay for hurting her,’ Jason growled. Zahhak laughed.
‘That’s the spirit, once I’ve completed my ascension to Godhood, I’m going to put you to the test,’ Zahhak said, he then spoke more words in Arabic and the energy intensified and changed a deep blue colour.
‘Yes, yes, I can feel its power.’ Selene screamed again. Jason charged forward into the electrical field, only to be thrown back into the air by a massive surge of feedback. Zahhak laughed in response.
‘You don’t have the power, knowledge or real inclination to be able to stop me,’ Zahhak said. Jason could now see that the sorcerer was continuing to grow, but it was more than that, some sort of stumps were starting to grow from his torso and what appeared to be a tail was forming from his lower back.
‘What the hell is happening to him,’ Jason muttered. Wendy stepped forward her book opened, Jason grasped her by the shoulder.
‘What are you doing?’ Jason demanded.
‘Sssshhhhh,’ Wendy hissed. She then started whispering an incantation, a green aura started to form around her. Jason could feel the power building within the young girl, the hairs on his neck standing up. Wendy’s incantations got louder and louder, her aura was now almost too blinding to look at, then the aura exploded out in an arc of pure green power and latched onto Zahhak’s blue energy, sparks flew as the competing energies fought against each other. The strain with which she held her bucking green energy was already causing Wendy extreme duress.
‘I don’t know if I can hold it,’ Wendy grunted under the exertion.
‘Try… please,’ Jason urged. Zahhak laughed again.
‘The desperate mewling’s of the weak and pathetic,’ Zahhak chuckled.
Jason felt completely helpless, Selene was trapped and in pain and although Wendy was putting up a fight, it appeared as if she wasn’t making any significant gains. Jason was fresh out of ideas when the library entrance flew open and Ulysses appeared.
‘Zahhak. Surrender yourself,’ Ulysses ordered as he raced down the stairwell. Relief flooded through Jason at the sight of his mentor.
‘Ah, and here’s the leader of this pathetic group. I will definitely enjoy breaking your spirit,’ Zahhak crowed.
‘This is your last warning,’ Ulysses ordered as he leapt from the stairs and landed in a squatted pose. Zahhak’s laughter was the only answer he received. Not wasting any time Ulysses ran at the energy field as he withdrew something that was tucked under his jacket. Still running he raised a short gladius styled sword high above his head. Zahhak was watching closely, at first with humorous loathing then with unnerved interest.
‘What is that you’re holding,’ Zahhak muttered in detached fascination. Ulysses answered by swinging the sword down with all of his might, it connected with Zahhak’s blue energy and the resulting electrical explosion threw Selene, Ulysses and Zahhak in three different directions and the glass on all of the display cases shattered, shards flying everywhere. Jason dived towards Wendy using his body to shield her from the fragments.
There was silence and no movement in the library, then slowly the sounds of scraping glass and individuals slowly got to their feet. Ulysses and Zahhak were the first, they eyed each other contemptuously.
‘How long?’ Ulysses asked.
‘I took the life of your friend two hundred years ago. The great blacksmith Kava was living the life of a common farmer, he had a wife and two daughters. I killed them all,’ Zahhak said proudly. ‘He never even saw it coming.’
‘You’re never leaving here alive,’ Ulysses said grimly.
‘You jest, once I retrieve the thirteenth parchment from your whelp and continue the ceremony, none of you will be able to stop me. Zahhak said, his confidence backed by his considerable size.
‘But I don’t have the parchment,’ Selene said.
They turned in her direction, Selene was ash white and shaken by her ordeal but Ulysses could see her indomitable will was still intact.
‘Of course you do, otherwise I would never have been able to start the ceremony,’ Zahhak said.
‘Ulysses. I swear I don’t have the parchment, I would know after all,’ Selene said.
‘Not necessarily,’ Jason said. They turned towards him. Jason was standing in front of Wendy who was lying unconscious.
‘I don’t understand,’ Selene said puzzled.
‘The library always has a way of giving us what we need, especially when we don’t even know it ourselves,’ Jason said. Selene shook her head. ‘Remember the book of origami, remember the lion,’ Jason suggested. The light went on in Selene’s head, fumbling in her pockets she produced the yellowed crumpled lion.
‘I’ve still got it,’ Selene said with a relieved smile.
‘Of course you do, stupid girl. NOW GIVE IT TO ME,’ Zahhak roared. Selene unfolded the origami lion to reveal the thirteenth parchment.
‘What now?’ Selene asked. Jason looked at Zahhak with steely eyes.
‘Let it burn,’ Jason said turning into the same volcanic rock creation as when he had burnt the floor in his room. Selene nodded, crumpling the parchment in her fist she cast a glance and a cruel smile at Zahhak as she tossed the parchment ball to Jason.
‘Nnnnnooooo,’ Zahhak screamed as he watched helplessly as the parchment flew through the air and landed in Jason’s outstretched hand, immediately bursting into intense but short lived flames. As Jason transformed back into his human form he crushed the blackened parchment turning it into ash.
‘You’re nothing, in fact you’re less than nothing,’ Jason mocked.
‘So much for your mantle of Godhood Selene sneered. It was at that moment with Zahhak still in shock, lost the plot.
Zahhak bellowed in rage and charged Ulysses, catching the librarian off guard knocking Ulysses to the ground, Jason transformed into the Erymanthian Boar, the fabled beast that Hercules defeated during his fabled twelve labours, Jason tripled in size and fell to all fours, wiry fur and a large head covered in deadly tusks. Jason bellowed and charged the mad sorcerer. Zahhak was caught unawares as Jason ploughed into him, the tusks digging in deep into the sorcerer’s flesh, Selene fired off a score of arrows that helped distract the sorcerer. Jason drove him into a stone pillar his tusks digging in deep. Zahhak roared in pain and attempted to push Jason away, the young changeling dug his hooves into the timber floor as he fought against the sorcerer’s strength. Ulysses had now gotten to his feet and was racing to assist his protégé, diving he landed into the struggling pair, their bodies rolling with the impact. Zahhak roared against the combined strength of the pair of shape-shifters despite the fact that they were using every ounce of their power to restrain him.
‘I don’t know how much longer I can hold him,’ Jason yelled.
‘Just a little bit longer,’ Ulysses replied. Selene watched on helplessly as the three figures continued to wrestle, even though it was obvious that Zahhak’s power was still too great. In a surge of power Zahhak screamed and threw Ulysses and Jason from him, their bodies tossed as if they were nothing.
‘ENOUGH,’ a voice echoed through the library, the tone alone held power unknown. Everyone stopped at this new intrusion. Amelia was standing at the base of the stairs and with her Mr Vert.
‘Enough,’ Mr Vert repeated. Zahhak turned to face this new threat, apprehension in his eyes.
‘Deceiver and charlatan, you have power undeserved. I will see it is removed,’ Vert stated. Before Zahhak could reply he gestured with both hands his fingers wide, red energy like demon flame erupted from them and engulfed the Persian sorcerer. Rage and pain caused him to roar within the flame, but not drop, his nine-foot figure could be seen trying to withstand its heat.
‘It’s not working,’ Jason said astonished.
‘Maybe I can help with that,’ Wendy said as she pushed past Jason. She too gestured and h
er emerald energy joined with Vert’s creating a blazing yellow fireball encasing the monstrous figure of Zahhak.
‘I will have my revenge, I will flay the skin from your bodies, I will suck the marrow from your bones,’ Zahhak screamed in mindless fury. Both Wendy and Vert continued to pour their energy into their opponent despite the fact that Zahhak was resisting their attack and that their power was taking a physical toll on them both. Jason grabbed Ulysses by the shoulders.
‘It’s not enough. You need to throw me,’ Jason pleaded.
‘WHAT, are you crazy,’ Ulysses said.
‘Maybe, but you have to risk it to get the biscuit,’ Jason said. Ulysses shook his head then turned to watch Zahhak fighting back, the look of fatigue on Vert and Wendy.
‘Your mother will kill me if she ever finds out,’ Ulysses muttered and transformed, large and brutish with powerful muscles and a blunt expressionless face.
‘Batter up,’ Ulysses growled and Jason nodded and transformed as well, human skin became dull grey steel.
‘Don’t miss,’ Jason instructed. As Ulysses picked him up easily in giant powerful hands.
‘What do you think you’re doing,’ Selene called out in horror. Jason had just enough time to blow her a kiss before Ulysses hurled the younger shape-shifter at Zahhak.
‘No!’ Selene cried as she watched Jason fly towards the flaming madman, his body poised and straight like a spear, instead of striking the sorcerer, though his trajectory was slightly higher than anticipated, fearing that he might overshoot his target Jason reached out and grasped at the nearest thing he could. The helmet of Rostam. With his speed and a little luck, the helmet came off in his hands.
Rolling with his newly won prize Jason managed to skid along the floor with minimal impact. With the helmet now removed Zahhak began to shrink in stature and with his diminished power and the combined efforts of Wendy and Mr Vert, Zahhak started to falter, doubling over in pain he raised his arms in an attempt to cover up. With the mace raised and exposed Selene notched and fired an arrow, her aim was never in question, it struck the mace sending it flying from the sorcerer’s hand. No longer under the protection of enchanted weaponry, Zahhak screamed and fell to the ground unmoving. Mr Vert and Wendy ceased their energy wielding but remained ready to recommence if Zahhak so much as even twitched. Ulysses moved forward cautiously and tapped the downed sorcerer with the toe of his boot then regarded the others.
‘He’s breathing. But only just,’ Ulysses said. Amelia raced forward and attached a pair of heavy bronze looking cuffs to Zahhak’s wrists.
‘I’ll move him below,’ Ms Jax said. And picked the inert figure up with ease and carried him away. Selene ran to Jason’s side and helped him to his feet.
‘Are you okay?’ Selene asked.
‘Apart from a little singeing I’m fine,’ Jason replied.
‘I see Amelia brought in the cavalry,’ Ulysses said regarding Mr Vert.
‘And it’s a good thing she did, and it’s a good thing I lent you the sword of Mars,’ Mr Vert replied. Ulysses walked over and picked up both the sword and mace and handed them both to Vert.
‘I appreciate both your generosity and assistance, I hope this token of friendship will lessen the destruction my young friends rendered upon your property,’ Ulysses said humbly. Mr Vert took the offered weapons then glanced at the helmet in Jason’s hands.
‘And the helmet of Rostam. What are your plans for that?’ Mr Vert asked.
‘I’m afraid that is something I’m not prepared to relinquish into your possession. I think both that and the mace are too powerful for any one being to possess, so I’ll be securing that here,’ Ulysses said.
‘Well that’s one thing we can agree on. As for your friendship, I have no need or desire to maintain such a thing. Keep your kids away from my land. I’ll not be so welcoming again if they set foot there,’ Mr Vert said coolly. Ulysses simply nodded as Vert turned and departed.
‘Ouch,’ Jason said as he limped over to Ulysses ‘I hope this doesn’t turn around to bite us on the ass.’
‘Yes, let’s hope,’ Ulysses replied as he watched Vert leave, he then turned to regard the destruction in his library and then Jason.
‘I think before we do anything else, you have some explaining to do,’ Ulysses said and placed a firm hand on Jason’s shoulder.
Epilogue
They sat wearily around the open fireplace located in the staff room, sipping tea and discussing the events of the last few days, their various experiences and conclusions filling in the pieces to the whole elaborate puzzle. Jason, Selene and Wendy discovered that after unravelling the truth about Zahhak’s charade, Ulysses had gone and personally sought Mr Vert’s help, which was where he had received the sword of Mars. Also, when Ms Jax had disappeared she too had sought Mr Vert, only narrowly missing her old friend, she had managed to receive his help personally though the acquisition was a little vague, but Selene had a feeling it might have resorted from a threat on her behalf.
After relocating Zahhak to the library holding cells, they conducted a quick search and found Mrs Page unconscious in the boot of Zahhak’s rental car. After taking her home and a spell cast by Wendy, they were able to remove any memory of the night’s transgressions. Jason, Selene and Wendy also came clean about their journey into the midnight garden, including their acquiring the silver orb which they presented to Ulysses.
‘This will definitely need to be examined at a later date,’ Ulysses said.
‘I hope you’re not too mad at us?’ Jason asked.
‘To be completely honest, I’m more than just a little upset at myself in regards to Zahhak’s deception,’ Ulysses said embarrassed.
‘You have nothing to be ashamed about. He had us all fooled,’ Amelia said. Although Jason guessed that it would take Ulysses a long time to completely forgive himself.
‘How about we put this down to a series of unfortunate events and move on,’ Selene said, and there was a hearty if not slightly exhausted agreement from around the room.
‘I do have one thing to add,’ Ulysses said and fixed his gaze upon Wendy. ‘I think there is no doubt here that Wendy has truly earned a right to be here with us.’
‘You mean it?’ Wendy said.
‘Yes I do, and as a token of my appreciation I have this for you,’ Ulysses said and handed the young girl a small parcel wrapped in plain brown paper.
‘OhmyGod,’ Wendy squealed and took the offered present, tearing into it with gusto.
‘Is that what I think it is?’ Jason asked and received a nod from Ulysses. Wendy pulled out a plain looking pair of overalls from within the tattered remains of the brown paper. She looked at the overalls with less than enthusiasm.
‘Thanks?’ she said now less than excited.
‘Put them on first and think of something really pretty,’ Selene instructed. The young girl’s face lit up as she ran off to get changed.
‘That was really nice of you,’ Jason said and Ulysses shrugged.
‘The way I see it, any organization that would have you as a member can’t do any worse,’ Ulysses said.
‘Thanks boss, I appreciate the sentiment,’ Jason smirked as he stretched out in front of the fire contented.
‘You look pretty pleased with yourself,’ Selene said as she snuggled in closer to him. Jason placed his head on her shoulder and sighed.
‘Most definitely.’
PERIGORD
Have you ever wanted to fly?
Or be able to see and breathe under water?
What about superhuman strength or speed?
Well for 16-year old Jason Page this is now a reality. After inheriting a new house from a mysterious Uncle, Jason and his mother move to the beautiful and quiet town of Perigord.
But even with the emergence of these fantastic powers, Jason has to contend with psychotic students, a shadowy town sheriff, unearthly mercenaries and an ancient prophecy with catastrophic repercussions.
With the help of the beautifu
l Selene Jaeger and the enigmatic town librarian Ulysses Walker, they must prevent the use of the Gjallarhorn a mystical Norse artefact with the power to raise an unstoppable army during the town’s Harvest Moon Festival.
Being the new kid in town was never this hard.
PLATO WYNGARD AND THE VALLEY OF THE IMMORTALS
Chasing answers about his Father’s death, Ex-Special Air Service operative Plato Wyngard’s finds himself in post war Vietnam, 1976. There he becomes embroiled in a plot by nefarious forces to locate the Jade Cup, a mystical object that has the power to grant immortality.
With the help of his partner Luther Macbeth and a rag-tag assortment of locals he must race against a powerful drug lord and the mysterious Guild of Wolves to retrieve four ancient relics from Vietnamese mythology, only with these items can Plato hope to locate the Jade Cup.
Adventure has a new name.
About The Author
MARC LINDSAY:
Marc was born in 1972, Katherine, NT, Marc always loved to read in particular fantasy fiction. His favourite authors include JRR Tolkien, Robert E Howard, Stephen King, Raymond E Feist, Jim Butcher and the awesome Matthew Reilly. Growing up he was always a bit of a geek, in particular his love of comics and horror movies, something that has stayed with him well into his “mature years”. Marc served as a soldier in the Australian Defence Force for nearly 20 years, on operations in Rwanda and East Timor, and later an instructor at the School of Infantry. Before turning to writing, his secret passion.
First published in Australia in 2016 by Murder of
Crows Publishing
Copyright © 2016 Marc Lindsay
The moral right of the author has been asserted
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of the publisher, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.