The roar of another explosion filled the area, followed by the roar of the golem. I think I preferred the explosion. We were standing near South Cove Park, a few blocks away from where the World Trade Center once stood. and in the center of the park, moving toward West Street, was what I could only describe as a giant man-shaped rock creature.
Cracks ran along its body, revealing lines of what looked like magma, making its skin resemble an active volcano. It stood nearly twenty feet tall and was attempting to crush the NYTF who were dousing it with water and chemical solutions created to stop fires.
All that did was create steam and limit visibility. Another NYTF group tried to contain it with shoulder-mounted rocket launchers, and I watched a volley of rockets sail into the golem and explode with no effect. They might as well have been throwing cotton balls at it.
The golem roared again.
“That’s our cue,” I said, moving closer and drawing Grim Whisper. “Let’s see if we can get its attention, at least.”
I unloaded the magazine. The entropy rounds punched holes into the golem’s body, causing it to turn and focus on me with another roar.
“Good job,” Ursula said with a nod, swinging her hammer. “Looks like you got its attention.”
“You plan on using that oversized paperweight? Or is it just for show?”
Electric arcs raced across the hammer’s surface and up her arm. I gave her some space in case she needed to discharge some excess electricity.
“Kirves isn’t for show,” she said, running at the golem. “Stay back.”
“I still can’t believe she calls that thing Curvy.”
Peaches bowed his head and growled. The runes along his flanks exploded with red light as the air around him became charged with energy. He shook his body, spread his legs, and barked—a real bark that left my ears ringing.
The sound deafened me for a few seconds as all of the windows in the surrounding buildings and vehicles shattered. Peaches increased in size, reaching XL status.
I pointed at the golem.
I ran to Ursula, and had almost reached her, when a boulder crashed into the ground next to me. I looked in the sky behind me and saw a comet streaking my way, except this comet was decidedly human-shaped. It took me a few seconds to realize that it wasn’t a comet.
It was Monty.
TWENTY-FIVE
I was momentarily distracted from Monty’s blazing flight by several large, orange orbs racing through the night sky, heading in the direction of the hub.
Peaches turned his head, focused on Monty and blinked out. One moment a massive hellhound the size of a large SUV was standing next to me, and the next he was mid-air catching Monty in his large maw and dousing the flames. I really hoped he didn’t think Monty was a sausage.
Peaches disappeared from sight again and appeared next to me, placing a slightly charbroiled Monty on the ground, who groaned as he got to his feet.
“That certainly gives a new meaning to ‘coming in hot’,” Monty said, shaking off some of the excess drool from his ruined jacket. “Please thank your creature for the assist. It would have been an unpleasant landing had he not intercepted my trajectory.”
I patted PeachesXL on the flank, still in awe that he was a puppy.
He bounded off to intercept the golem, who was currently being given shock therapy by Ursula and her hammer. I made a mental note never to get on her bad side as she pounded the golem and sent bolts of electricity at it.
“What happened?” I asked a disheveled Monty. “Were you able to use the shortcut?”
He shook his head and threw his jacket to one side.
“Ruined,” he said with disgust. “That was bespoke.”
“I’d really suggest combat armor. Maybe Ermenegildo can start the Montague Battlemage Collection?”
“It appears the Earth’s Breath has afforded Toson mastery over more than just the earth discipline,” Monty said, glancing back at the jacket. “I really liked that jacket.”
“That was a nice jacket,” I said, glancing at what was left of the smoldering jacket.“Looks like Toson got the hang of fire, too.”
“Indeed. It was all I could do to prevent myself being incinerated where I stood. His control is impressive.”
“I noticed what looked like orbs of destruction accompanying your flight,” I said, glancing skyward. “They headed that way, toward the hub.”
“Most likely Toson trying to finish the job,” Monty answered, gazing in the direction of the hub. “I’m not seeing any activity over there, besides your creature and Ursula.”
“And Toson is headed this way?” I asked, looking over to where Ursula and Peaches were tangling with the golem. “I don’t know how long they can keep that up.”
Monty glanced over. “We can’t let the golem reach the hub. Once Toson arrives, I’m going to need you to distract him while I cast the shortcut.”
“Why does ‘distract him’ sound like ‘be a moving target’ while he tries to blast me?”
“Speaking of moving targets, where are Bangers and Mash?” Monty asked, looking around. “Don’t tell me—?”
“No, I sent them to Haven before they were the ones bangersmashed. Turns out Bangers is a mage apprentice dropout.”
“A weak one, if you ask me. What about Mash?”
“Mash is an ex-military cook. The only time he dealt with Navy Seals was when he was feeding them. I told Frank they needed to be put on lockdown, just in case.”
“Charlatans—how they’ve survived this long is a miracle,” Monty said. “I’m sure Roxanne will want to hold them for ‘observation’ if only to keep them out of trouble.”
“What’s the plan?” I asked, reloading Grim Whisper. “My magic missile isn’t going to do squat against someone who flambéed you, and getting close enough to use Ebonsoul doesn’t look likely.”
“I’m not asking you to engage Toson in combat. He may be beyond both our abilities,” Monty replied. “I just need you to push his buttons and distract him, enrage him if possible. Remember, he needs to keep most of his energy and focus on the golem. Splitting that focus will give us an opening.”
“You want me to pi
ss-off the super-powerful mage coming to destroy us?”
“Yes,” Monty said. “It seems to be something you are supremely adept at.”
“Why don’t we call in the big guns? Starting with Dex.”
“In case you haven’t realized,” Monty said, gesturing and forming violet orbs all around us, “tonight, we are the big guns.”
“I’m not quite feeling the ‘big gun’ vibe. Big target maybe, but definitely not big gun.”
“It would seem…there’s no time,” Monty said, looking up. “We have incoming.”
I looked up and saw Toson. He reminded me of an angry Liam Neeson and, for a brief second, I wondered if he was going to threaten us with his “particular set of skills”. I noticed the glowing Earth’s Breath around his neck, as he glanced in the distance to where the golem was currently doing the rock-crushing tango with Ursula and Peaches.
Toson wore a brown robe similar to Jen’s, though his was covered with red and yellow runes that danced around as it blew in the wind. He was standing on a large flame-covered boulder, one that floated in our direction.
“Monty, he’s riding a flaming boulder.”
“Yes, I’m aware. I did mention he’s an elemental mage?”
“A flaming boulder. I will give him style points for that one,” I said under my breath. “Are you ready? How long do you need?”
Monty cast a camouflage rune and disappeared from view. He began inscribing symbols into the ground. Even his energy signature was masked. I could barely sense him.
“He’ll see through this once he’s in proximity,” Monty said. “By the time he does, I should have the cast complete, and the shortcut will shut down the artifact.”
“How long are we talking, here? He looks like the type to blast first and ask later.”
“I need him completely focused on you,” Monty said. “Thirty seconds should suffice. I have the rest primed for the cast.”
“Thirty seconds, got it,” I said, starting my mental timer as I ran forward to intercept Toson. “Time to try some diplomacy.”
“Who are you?” Toson asked as he gently landed the blazing boulder in front of me. “Stand aside.”
“Can’t do that,” I said. “I’m going to have to ask you to cease and desist.”
“Excuse me? Cease and desist? Who are you?”
“I’m going to guess you are the owner of the unauthorized golem,” I said blithely, glancing over at where the golem was trying to crush Ursula and Peaches. “I’m going to need you to unsummon said golem and leave the city. This is your one and only warning.”
Toson narrowed his eyes and looked down his nose at me—the usual mage expression. I made sure I had my mala bracelet free.
“Are you mad?” Toson asked as his hands burst into flames. Large chunks of stone broke from the earth and started floating lazily around him. “You’re not even a mage. Do you know who I am?”
“Let me guess,” I said. “You feel your rightful place is being usurped and because you weren’t being listened to and no one on the Red Mountain bowed to your every whim, you, like a spoiled brat, stole that”—I pointed to the Earth’s Breath—“summoned that”—I pointed to the golem without taking my eyes off of Toson—“and proceeded to think you could just take whatever you wanted. That about right?”
I could practically see his blood pressure rise. Mage goading—it was just too easy. I caught the motion of the stones first, and pressed the mala bead, materializing my shield just in time to deflect a medium-sized stone, one the size of my head, from slamming into me.
The impact catapulted me back. I landed in a roll and drew Grim Whisper, firing. The rounds never reached him, crashing into the floating stones, which now whirled around him, effectively shielding him.
“You’re with that mage, aren’t you? You two were the best Orahjene could find to defend her cause?” Toson scoffed. “Where is she? Even with a shift, she is weaker than me. Is she so frightened to face me herself that she would send incompetents to their death in her stead?”
“Actually, she said she had a spa appointment she couldn’t break and wondered if we could handle—what did she call you?—a minor nuisance, in her absence.”
“Minor nuisance? I am the rightful First Elder of the Red Mountain,” Toson said, raising his voice. “How dare you meddle in affairs that do not concern you!”
“Because, unlike you, Jen asked nicely—and you, I’m discovering, are a second-rate, mage apprentice, hack.”
“Jen?” Toson asked, seemingly more upset about that, than my insult. “Her name is Orahjene…not Jen.”
“In fact,” I continued, ignoring him, “I know a little ice mage girl that has more power in her pinky than you have in your entire body. She doesn’t need an artifact or a golem to get things done, either.”
“You have no idea the forces you are facing, you insignificant flea of a human!”
Toson raised a fist and I felt the tremor, before noticing the golem had shifted trajectories and was headed my way. I moved back to where Monty had inscribed symbols into the ground.
“I think I have his complete attention now,” I said, looking at the infuriated Toson. “Whatever you’re going to do—now would be a good time.”
Silence.
“Monty?” I said, looking around. “You out there?”
“Did your mage abandon you?” Toson asked as he closed the distance. “I was going to end you with my creature, but I think I will enjoy snuffing out your life personally.”
He waved a hand, and the golem turned around with Ursula and Peaches in tow. It plodded slowly back on a trajectory toward Bowling Green and the hub.
I materialized Ebonsoul as Toson approached.
“You’re going to find that snuffing part harder than you think.”
He paused in his approach. “You have skill,” Toson said, materializing a blade of his own. “But your courage will not save you tonight. It is a pity you will not live to see the new era I have set in motion.”
“Listen, I can appreciate you want to be a hands-on kind of guy, what with the killing me personally and all, but this is a bad idea. You really want to stop all of this.”
“You’re scared?” Toson scoffed. “I would be, in your place. I promise you a quick death—a mercy I rarely grant.”
“I’m flattered,” I said, stepping closer to the symbols Monty inscribed. “Why are you doing this? I mean, really? Why not go out and start another sect? Call yours the Blue Mountain and call it a day.”
“Start another sect?” Toson said, stepping into a fighting stance. “My family has been part of the Red Mountain sect for countless generations. I am the rightful successor. My power dwarfs Orahjene’s. I am destined to be First Elder. I will turn the Red Mountain into the sect it should be.”
I noticed the bare feet as he circled around.
“What’s that? A sect of peace, love, and happiness?”
“My world, like yours, only recognizes one thing—power,” he said. “I will begin by forming my golem army. Then I will bring all of the sects under one Elder.”
“This one Elder—did you nominate yourself?”
“I am the most qualified, the strongest warrior”—he touched the Earth’s Breath—“and the leader of the golem army. I know the truth, I have seen it.”
I shook my head. “Let me guess, Orahjene disagrees with you.”
“She is short-sighted and foolish,” Toson answered. “She will be made an example of for her defiance. She could have had it all—with me.”
I took a deep breath and stilled my thoughts.
“We don’t need to do this,” I said, sensing the vibrations around me. “Give back the Earth’s Breath and go back to your sect. I’m sure they’d understand. I’m sure she’d understand, probably even forgive you.”
“There is no going back. Not now, not ever. Too much has been done that can’t be undone.”
“I don’t want to kill you.”
“How ambitious, of you to th
ink you can,” Toson scoffed. “I am a blade master. This will be over before you know what happened.”
“Bring it.”
“Your name, so that I may recall it when your body lies cold on the earth.”
“Are you serious?”
“Deadly serious,” Toson replied. “I will give you a warrior’s death of honor, and will utter your name as you are buried.”
“And people say I need to get out more,” I muttered. “Strong, Simon Strong.”
“Very well, Strong,” Toson said, holding his blade to his forehead. “Today was your last sunrise and last sunset. Tonight, you will die a warrior.”
“Boy, are you in for a surprise.”
TWENTY-SIX
Toson slid forward, leading with his blade. I parried the thrust and dodged to the side. I ducked down the next second, as one of the stone satellites nearly decapitated me.
I kept my shield up and wondered where the hell Monty was when I saw the Earth’s Breath start to glow. Toson lunged again, forcing me to backpedal. A plume of flame burst forward from his open hand as I rolled to the side and right into a barrage of marble-sized stones.
I raised the shield to deflect them and realized too late that they were a misdirection. A larger stone sailed along the ground and slammed into my leg sideways, right at the knee, nearly shattering it. I fell to the ground with a groan, holding my leg. My body flushed hot as it repaired the damage.
“That…that was sneaky,” I said through clenched teeth, fighting the pain. “I thought you were a blade master?”
“Your first mistake was trying to think,” Toson scoffed. “There are no rules in warfare. I am a blade master, and I am also an elemental mage. Both are tools, weapons to be used when prudent and necessary. Especially against an amateur.”
Toson approached, apparently confident in the knowledge that the fight was over. I turned, keeping my bent leg between us as I held my knee. I just needed him to take a few more steps. I made sure to keep the groaning going, even after my body had healed.
He stepped close to deliver the final blow with his blade, and I unleashed a strike of my own, kicking the side of his knee and slicing his arm with Ebonsoul. The sick crunch of a break filled the night as he fell back with a yell, shocked I was able to attack at all.
The Golem: A Montague & Strong Detective Novel (Montague & Strong Case Files Book 10) Page 12
