The Blade Mage

by Phillip Drayer Duncan

  “Will you take me some place safe?”

  “Yes, I will.”

  “Will she be able to find me?”

  “Who?”

  “The witch,” she said, as though it were obvious. “I don’t want her to find me.”

  “You won’t have to worry about the witch anymore. I’m going to protect you from her.”

  “Are you going to kill her?” the child asked.

  “Um…” I said, stumbling for the right words. Finally, I decided to treat her like an adult. This kid clearly had her wits about her. No reason to pull punches. “If that’s what it takes to keep you safe, then yes, I will kill the witch. You have my word.”

  The little girl seemed to ponder this for a moment and said, “I think you should kill her.”

  “Yeah?” I asked.

  “Yeah, she’s a bitch.”

  I held back a sigh, wondering where she might’ve picked up that kind of language. Surely not from Axel. “Can you tell me about her?”

  She shook her head, terror spreading across her features again. Tears welling in her eyes, she asked, “Is Axel dead? Did the witch kill him?”

  “No,” I said, shaking my head. “Axel got… Well, he got in trouble. They thought he did something bad, but he didn’t do it. You can help me get him out of trouble.”

  “Really?”

  “Really,” I replied. “You want to go see him?”

  She nodded and slowly squeezed her way toward me. I backed up to give her room and when she finally stood up, it occurred to me that she and Faith didn’t look anything alike. I mean, not that all siblings look alike, but they weren’t even close. And she didn’t have pink hair. Another lie.

  “What’s your name?” I asked, wondering if that had been a lie too.

  “Emily,” she replied. “You promise you’re taking me to see Axel?”

  “Promise.”

  She nodded and wiped the tears from her cheek. “I like Axel. He’s nice.”

  “Hey, I’m nice too.”

  “Not like Axel.”

  “That’s fair,” I replied, heading for the door. “Let’s go rescue the nice guy.”

  Chapter 25

  Emily remained quiet in the back seat as Stone drove us toward Axel’s prison. Her eyes darted from window to window, as though she expected the witch to appear at any moment. It was clear she was terrified. The problem was I didn’t know shit about dealing with kids. So, there was little I could do to make her feel better.

  Besides, my thoughts were elsewhere.

  What was Faith’s deal? Obviously, she was a mage. One powerful enough to cast magic through her hands. That was all but unheard of. Sure, there were always rumors about sorcerers who were capable of it, but I’d yet to meet one until now.

  The thing about magic is it involves collecting energy, manipulating it to your will, and then casting the working you’ve created. The manipulating piece required something to focus the magic through. It was plausible I could focus energy through my hand, but chances were I’d blow my whole arm off. It was madness to even try.

  If you break sorcery down to the bones, the way I perform magic is kind of like working on a vehicle. Let’s say you have a mechanic who’s an expert on working on Chevy motors. That doesn’t necessarily mean they are also an expert on transmissions, tire balancing, and windshield wipers.

  But perhaps they are.

  Or perhaps they know some other components pretty well, but not others.

  Then imagine if they went to work on a Ford motor. They might understand the function and it might not be that different. Certainly, they could learn.

  But what if they tried to work on a diesel motor? Or a lawn mower engine? Or a farm tractor? School bus? While some components would be the same, each would require some unique knowledge.

  Our magic was kind of like that. I could learn to perform different spells, but it would require practice and training for the subtle differences. However, the basic core mechanics were roughly the same.

  But if you then took that Chevy motor mechanic, and told them to put together a jumbo jet, power it off solar energy, and get it to fly to the moon and back, they’d be utterly lost.

  That was what Faith had done.

  That’s how different it was from the magic I performed.

  And what had Marius Gunner said about the magic aura they’d found around Kyle’s body? It was different. Something they hadn’t seen before.

  More importantly, why had she lied about the little girl? Emily said she didn’t have a sister. When I’d asked, she’d told me she didn’t even know a Faith.

  I stared through the windshield. The last rays of sunlight were teasing us through the tree tops. I grumbled to myself and glanced up at Emily in the rearview, noticing that she was watching me with wide eyes.

  “You don’t have to be scared of us,” I said, smiling. “We’re not the bad guys.”

  “That’s what the bad guys would say.”

  Stone chuckled and glanced up at Emily in the rearview. “Don’t be too hard on him, kid. Wyatt ain’t too bright, if you know what I mean.”

  Emily grinned.

  Stone continued, “He means well, but he’s just kind of a dummy. Can’t help himself.”

  “Are you really friends with Axel?” Emily asked, directing the question at Stone.

  “Yeah,” he replied, shaking his head. “He ain’t always too bright, either. That’s why I’m here. Someone’s got to keep them out of trouble, right?”

  Emily nodded. “Are you here to keep me out of trouble, too?”

  “Something like that,” he replied, grinning as he still watched her through the mirror. “But you and me, we got to stick together to keep these two goons in line.”

  “I don’t know you,” she said, squinting at him.

  “Call me Stone.”

  “That’s a cool name.”

  “Yeah? I think Emily is a cool name.”

  “No, it isn’t,” she replied. “It’s stupid.”

  Stone shrugged. “So, pick a new one.”

  The girl was silent for a moment, then asked, “Can you do that? Just pick a new name?”

  “Of course,” Stone said in a serious tone. “Who the hell is going to stop you?”

  She grinned.

  “What would you like your name to be?” he asked, prodding her on.

  “I don’t know,” she said, a thoughtful look on her face. “Something scary.”

  “Something scary,” he repeated, raising an eyebrow. “Why would you want that?”

  “So the bad people will leave me alone.”

  “Yeah,” he replied, nodding. “That’s why I like ‘Stone.’ All the bad guys know my name.”

  “And that doesn’t scare you?”

  “No,” he said with a sly smile. “It scares them.”

  “I want a name like that,” she said, eyes brightening.

  “What’d you have in mind?”

  “What about Medusa?”

  “Medusa,” Stone said, nodding as though giving it careful consideration. “That the lady with snakes in her hair? Turns people to stone when they look at her?”

  “Yeah,” she said, getting excited. “I read about her in a book. She’s really scary. Can I be Medusa?”

  “Hell yeah,” Stone said, nodding approvingly. “Long as you promise not to turn any of us to stone.”

  “You already are stone,” she said with a giggle.

  “Yeah, I guess that’s fair,” he replied. “Don’t turn me into a rock then, okay?”

  “I promise I won’t.”

  “Medusa it is, then.”

  I stared between the two of them in disbelief. A moment ago, the girl had been terrified. Now the gun-toting, monster murdering, legendary badass that everyone was afraid of had calmed her nerves like it was nothing.

  “What?” Stone asked, noticing my look.

  “How’d you do that?” I asked.

  He chuckled but didn’t take his eyes from the road
. “I used to have kids, Wyatt.”

  “Right,” I replied and dropped it.

  Instead, I stared at what was left of the sun and went back to brooding.

  Chapter 26

  It was dark when we arrived, but the flames showed us the way.

  Specifically, a ring of torches glowing just inside a copse of trees a short distance from the bunker. They’d made a whole ceremony out of the ordeal.

  Knowing what I’d find in that circle, I felt something in me snap. The sun had set and I knew that the deed had been done.

  Before Stone even got the truck in park, I was out the door. I thought I heard him call my name, but his voice was hollow and I couldn’t bring myself to acknowledge him. I couldn’t turn around. My feet just kept moving forward, one after another.

  Standing between each of the torches were shadowed figures in dark robes. They seemed bigger in my dream-like state. Tall, and ominous, like statues.

  I moved toward them, seeing them but not really feeling like I was in the same world. Some dark part of me wanted to tear them down. To take my sword and chop down those silhouetted statues.

  And yet another part of me wanted to fall to the ground and weep for my friend.

  My heart was shattered, yet so full of rage.

  Anguish and fury fought for control while I battled to keep sense of what was happening around me. One foot, then another. Forward. Just keep moving forward.

  And then I was past the first of the mages and inside the perimeter of their circle.

  With every ounce of my will, I forced my gaze to the center, knowing what I’d find. I trembled with fear but couldn’t stop myself from looking. I had to see it.

  And yet, it wasn’t what I expected.

  Axel was in the center. He’d been placed on his knees and leaned over a chopping block. Hands ties behind his back.

  His head was…still attached.

  It hadn’t happened yet, I realized, reality flooding back to me.

  But it was about to.

  Beside him stood a hooded mage, face hidden in shadow, a giant bastard sword raised over his head.

  It was happening now.

  I felt myself moving before my brain had a chance to catch up.

  I don’t even remember drawing my sword, but I had a vague sense of the hidden faces cast in white light.

  The executioner’s sword fell.

  And Drynwyn stood in its way.

  Metal struck metal and sparks flew. The flames of Drynwyn’s sword burned brighter than I ever remembered, as though they’d burnt the very light of creation.

  The executioner’s sword split in half, the business end falling to the ground between Axel and me. It stuck in the ground where it landed, hissing.

  The mage looked down at the glowing end of his ruined sword, then back up at me.

  The crowd gasped.

  I became vaguely aware of someone imitating a lightsaber sound, then I heard Axel say, “Oh, hey Wyatt.”

  Wands, staves, and focusing rods lit up in the circle around me as the other mages drew their weapons.

  “Wyatt,” Parker’s voice hissed. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

  He started toward me and I could see the rage on his features as he approached.

  I had crossed the line. I’d finally gone too far.

  Yet, the sword still glowed brightly, didn’t it? Drynwyn was still with me.

  “Stand down,” Parker said through gritted teeth. “Or be put down.”

  Beside him, I recognized Anthony Burns, grinning. He might’ve had one arm in a sling, but this was the moment he’d been waiting for since we were kids. He’d watch me die and he’d enjoy it.

  Around me, I felt every mage drawing in energy. All of them, perhaps twenty or more, ready to pelt me with magics my little shield couldn’t hope to stop.

  Let them try, I thought. I’ll fight every goddamned one of them.

  A loud crack sounded, snapping the tension and causing everyone to jump. It took a moment for me to realize it was a gunshot.

  Then Shain Stone appeared at the perimeter of the circle. In one hand he held his M4, the barrel smoking. His other was raised over his head, holding onto the little girl perched on his shoulder. She had a finger in each ear and a look of terror on her face.

  “Axel!” she screamed when she saw him.

  “Emily!” Axel said, raising his head from the chopping block. He turned his gaze back up to me. “You found her!”

  “What the hell is this?” Parker asked, glancing between Stone, Medusa, and me.

  “The missing girl,” I replied.

  He stared at her for a moment, then turned back to me. “Can she prove that Axel didn’t Kyle Allen?”

  “No,” I said simply.

  “Then this doesn’t change anything,” he said with sigh. “Stand down, Wyatt. You’re under arrest.”

  “I don’t feel like being arrested today,” I said, glaring at him.

  “The Archmage—”

  “Can go to hell,” I finished for him. I stared around at the crowd. “You all can, too.”

  “Don’t do this,” he said, almost pleading. “Don’t make me give the order.”

  I was about to make another angry retort when I caught the haunted look in his eye. He was torn between his duty and a question of what he thought was right. I knew Parker, though. He was loyal and he’d follow his orders even if it broke his heart.

  We stared at each other, neither of us moving. The other mages didn’t move, either.

  Finally, it was Stone who broke the silence. “You really going to do this, Grimm? In front of the kid?”

  “You brought her,” Parker said. “And you’re not leaving me much choice.”

  “You’re right,” Stone said, easing Medusa off his shoulder with one arm while he kept his gun leveled at Parker. “You need to get behind me, sweetie.”

  Medusa did as she was told, but peeked back around from behind him, still watching.

  “Goddammit, you two,” Parker said, whipping his gaze back to me. “Stand down.”

  “You all don’t respect me, and I get that,” I said, letting my gaze drift across the other mages slowly. Then I motioned toward the burning sword in my hand. “But you still respect Drynwyn, don’t you? You still respect this sword and what it represents, right? You may not like the person holding it, but as you can see, it still burns. It still chooses me to wield it. Will you truly stand against me?” There were a few uneasy shifts in the crowd and I continued, “Are you truly willing to stand against the Blade Mage?”

  “And me?” Stone asked, glaring.

  “And me,” Axel said, from his spot on the chopping block.

  “What the hell are you going to do?” Anthony Burns asked, chuckling.

  Axel rose to his feet and made like he was trying to reach in the back of his pants. His face contorted with exaggerated effort until both his hands came forward, now free of his binds. In each, he held a drumstick, the tip glowing blue with magic.

  Parker glared at him. “You said those drumsticks had sentimental value. You said you couldn’t bear the idea of dying without them close.”

  “All true,” Axel said, nodding.

  “You failed to mention they were wands.”

  “You didn’t ask.”

  “Wait,” he said, shaking his head. “You had those in your cell with you the whole time.”

  “Yeah, I know,” Axel agreed. “Pretty dumb of you guys to let a prisoner keep a magic wand, much less two of them. If I were some kind of psycho, I could’ve done a nasty working on my guards. Good thing we were besties, right?”

  A few of the mages glanced at each other. I couldn’t see their faces under their hoods, but I liked to think they were nervous glances.

  “And he never tried to escape, did he?” I asked, hoping that was true. “He never tried to harm anyone? Even when you were about to execute him?”

  Parker didn’t reply.

  “So,” I said, glancing a
round at the group again. “Let’s recap… You don’t actually have any proof he’s guilty. Your Blade Mage is telling you not to execute him. You know he could’ve attempted an escape on his own, but didn’t. And now, to see this execution through, you’re going to have to get through Shain Stone and the Blade Mage. And you’re going to have to do it in front of an innocent child who could get hurt in the process. Are you sure you want to do this?”

  Silence.

  Finally, Parker Grimm took a steadying breath and said. “Go… Do it quickly before I change my mind.”

  “You can’t be serious,” Anthony Burns said, stepping forward. “You can’t—”

  “Shut up, Anthony,” Parker said, turning on his subordinate.

  Anthony did as he was told.

  I motioned for Axel to move and we started toward Stone.

  As we drew closer, Medusa appeared from behind Stone and ran to Axel.

  “Axel!” she cried, hugging his leg.

  “Hey, kiddo,” he said, returning her embrace. “You all right?”

  “Yeah,” she said, looking up at him with tear-filled eyes. “Mr. Stone let me change my name to Medusa. Do you like it?”

  “Like it?” he replied. “I love it.”

  I turned back to Parker. “She needs to stay here with you.”

  He nodded slowly.

  “What?!” she cried, glaring at me with a look of betrayal on her little features. She snuggled closer to Axel and said, “I want to stay with Axel! You said you were nice!”

  “I’m sorry,” I said.

  “No, you’re not! I’m staying with Axel!”

  “Aww, I wish you could,” he said, turning her to face him again. “But it’d be better if you stayed with Parker. He’ll protect you.”

  “He tried to hurt you, though,” she said.

  “I know,” Axel replied. “But he’s just confused. These people are all good guys. They can protect you better than I can. I promise.”

  “But what if she comes?” Medusa asked, dropping her voice into a whisper. “What if the witch comes for me?”

  “You see all these people?” Axel asked, pointing at the other mages. “They’re all wizards. Every last one of them. And you know what else? They’re all trained to kill witches. If she shows up, they’ll put her down. What’s our motto? If you see the witch…”