by Holly Hook
Thurton paused and color flooded his cheeks. "All right," he said, bowing and facing the floor.
I realized Thurton's mistake--facing the floor and not up--a split second before Thorne raised his staff and hit the Elder War Mage across the back with a deafening crack. The old man grunted and fell to the floor.
The other two Elders moved and the air turned to the inside of a volcano. Thorne raised his staff and the two men lifted their hands in defense. Magenta light exploded around them and I knew Thorne would stand no chance against War Magic. These men would kill him and smear him later.
"You're going to defend a man working for Thoreau," Thorne yelled at them. "Did you know he was planning to vaporize the Underground?"
"You traitor," one of the man rasped. "You will burn alive for this."
He would. We all might. I had to move. I didn't have time to nod to Xavier. I blinked and an eerie green glow flashed behind my eyes. Thurton grunted in pain.
I rushed out from behind the hay bales, my sword raised. I never let it leave my side now.
The second man didn't notice me as I bolted across the dojo. I blinked and the green light flashed behind my eyelids again--the green glow of Death. A surge of confidence washed over me. I could take these guys. I wasn't sure how I knew, but I could.
The Elder War Mage faced me too late.
I leapt and swung.
My blade was surrounded by an eerie green glow.
My sword sliced across his arm, tearing his purple robe open. I smelled his blood. Turkey and gravy spilled out. I wanted to taste it, but there was no time. I moved on as the Elder staggered out of the way, grabbing his arm in silence. These were people used to battle. They were old, but they were no wimps. I was up against three lifetimes' worth of experience.
The third man held his ground. His hands glowed with violet, palms facing me. I was fast, but the War Magic was faster.
"Alyssa!" Xavier shouted.
Magenta exploded in my vision as a great force struck me and threw me back. I hit the wall. Pain exploded in my lower back as numbness spread through my legs. My spine was broken, my nerves severed. I dropped my sword as my legs crumpled underneath me, useless. My spine tingled as my bones tried to pull themselves together, but it would take a few minutes before I was normal again. It was as if I didn't have legs at all.
The magenta light around me faded and the Elder stood there, eyeing me with blue and violet rage. He closed in as his buddy struggled to peel himself from the wall, grasping his arm. I didn't get it. I hadn't cut him that badly. There wasn't even that much blood on his sleeve. Behind him, Thorne hit Thurton with his staff again while Xavier ran towards me. He was too slow. The third Elder was raising his arms again, smiling. The air heated. This wouldn't be a simple charge this time, meant to throw someone back. This blow would burn. It would kill.
My sword lay four feet away. The first tingling came back to my feet but my spinal cord wasn't healing fast enough. I was too hungry. I needed blood but there was no time for that either.
"Don't hurt her!" Xavier shouted.
It sounded like he cared.
It sounded like he really loved me now that he was about to lose me. Was that what it took?
"You don't know what you're doing," I said to the Elder. The air got so hot I couldn't stand it. Behind him, his partner continued to grasp his arm and slump against the wall.
Thurton lay on the floor, afraid to rise as Thorne stood over him. "Don't listen to her," Thurton said to his friend.
I said nothing else as another round of War Magic flared around the guy's hands, stronger than ever. My face heated. I was immune to fire thanks to Gaozu the dragon, but not to War Magic, which could burn even demons. Xavier ran closer and the Elder's gaze shifted to him.
He would attack Xavier while I was helpless.
The Elder turned with amazing speed and brought his arms back, ready to strike Xavier and Thorne both.
"No!" I shouted, lunging for my sword.
My legs fumbled underneath me but they were there enough for me to reach my sword. I grabbed the handle and rolled onto my back, stabbing the third Elder in the leg. My blade glowed with green energy. His magic died and he looked down in shock at me as I drove the blade into his flesh, just above the knee. The scent of his blood exploded and become overpowering.
Xavier tackled him. He fell away from my blade, leaving it dripping with blood. I tried not to look at it as the two wrestled on the floor. Xavier had the upper hand when it came to brute strength. He raised a fist and punched the Elder, growling with rage. Blood spurted out of the guy's nose.
I managed to get up on legs like a newborn calf's. My spinal cord was almost healed. The second Elder slumped against the wall now, whimpering and shaking. He faced me with terror. A green glint flashed in his eyes for a split second.
"Help," he rasped.
I couldn't stop. The air was still hot. Thurton was ready to do something. I ran for him. The closer I got to him and Thorne the worse it got. The old man turned over as Thorne raised his staff again. Both his hands glowed with War Magic which crackled and popped. Thorne backed away. A grin spread across Thurton's face. He was going to burn Thorne alive.
"Stay away from him!" I shouted, swinging my sword down.
His War Magic exploded as I struck his chest and sliced into his skin. I jumped back, thrown back by the heat that could destroy any flesh. Thurton screamed as he lost control and the energy spread across the ceiling, the geyser narrowly missing Thorne and spreading overhead like vaporous purple lava. The whole room lit in magenta and the top of the hay stack behind me burned with real flame. Smoke filled the air. Thorne hit the floor and so did I. The heat was overbearing.
Next to me, Xavier punched the other Elder again.
And the second one was dying, to say the least.
Still clutching the arm I had cut, he sat against the wall and his skin was tighter now, drawing against his bones like he was a living mummy. I felt like the Elder across from me was an agonized zombie. He groaned and the green light in his eyes flared, then died.
The second Elder was still.
The purple fire above us died, leaving nothing but the torches popping on the walls. One of them fizzled and went out like it was scared and giving up. Xavier punched the third Elder again, who was also still.
"Stop," I said, getting up from the floor. Now I was shaking, too. Shaking, and hungry. The second Elder had lost his scent and he already smelled faintly of decay. He reminded me of those mummified Halloween pirate props that I'd seen in yards before, except he was missing an eye patch. His mouth was open in a skeletal grin.
I had done this.
Death Magic was awake inside of me, all right. Now I had the touch of Death and it worked on at least humans. It fit in with the whole Dark Pentagram theme perfectly.
I wanted to throw up.
Thurton groaned on the ground and I knew the same was happening to him. Xavier looked at the new mummy slumped against the wall and back to me, his mouth falling open. I never failed to horrify him and everyone else, including myself.
"Um, Alyssa?" Xavier asked. Blood leaked out of the third Elder's nose and I knew he was unconscious. "What happened?"
"I'm not sure," I said. "I just sliced him across the arm. I didn't mean to kill him!" I had killed how many people now? There was the roper in the ruins and now there was this.
Thurton rolled over and groaned. His skin was tightening around his cheekbones.
I couldn't look away. He had meant to kill hundreds of Abnormals. He deserved to lie there as Death consumed him from the inside out. But the now dry and mummified Elder against the wall might not have known that Thurton was with Thoreau. He was so dry and lifeless, in fact, that I could no longer smell his blood.
There was only sadness and decay.
I turned away from Thurton, but I could still see him convulsing and shriveling. Thorne watched with horror, backing against he wall as if he could catch it. Silence fell-
-almost. The only sound was that of skin pulling against bone. It sounded like Scotch tape peeling. I would never be able to stand that sound again.
"Help," Thurton managed and let out one final breath.
His scent died and along with it, him.
The touch of Death had spread through him now, too.
"Well," I said, slumping against the wall. "That's not something I do every day."
Chapter Three
We were left with two bodies and one guy who was seriously hurt or worse. I couldn't find the strength to get up from the wall.
It wasn't a great start to the day. Not to mention, the top hay bale on the stack Xavier and I had been hiding behind was burned and blackened on the top. The combined smell of it all was horrible. Thorne didn't seem to care. He took the hay bale off the stack and walked over to where there was a new bloodstain on the floor from Thurton's chest.
Thorne faced me with a grave look. "I didn't know you could do that, Alyssa."
"I didn't know that, either," I said. "It must be the part Death woke up."
Thorne spread the straw across the floor, soaking up the blood the best he could. Now I knew why he kept the bales in here. "We're lucky," he said, facing the dojo doors which Xavier had closed. "Bloodstains are the norm here, so no one will question these new ones."
He sounded so calm or maybe he was just in shock like Xavier, who stood against the wall. How could he just walk around like this? Thorne was part of the reason Thurton was dead. Thorne had beaten him with a staff, after all, which was something no old man body could handle. But we all knew that Thurton was plotting against us and wanted Thorne dead along with the rest of the Underground. He deserved what he got. I had to tell myself that.
I felt bad for the second guy, the one I was only trying to stop.
He might have gotten swept up in something he didn't understand.
Xavier appeared above me. "Alyssa," he said, nodding. "Stand up. I know you're freaked out. I've never seen you this bad. If it's any consolation, Thorne and I helped to kill these guys and we meant it. You didn't know this would happen."
"You mean," I asked, "the third one's dead too?"
Xavier nodded. I could see the agony in his eyes. It had replaced his horror. I wasn't sure what was worse but at least he was giving me his usual pep talks. That was one thing that hadn't changed.
He extended his hand and I took it, glad for the feel of his hand around mine. I faced the third Elder, who lay there, eyes open with a bloody nose. His scent was fast fading, too. Xavier had punched the guy to death and his face was misshapen. He must have a broken nose or skull. The man must have been very old, nearing a hundred or even beyond. Elders often lived for a long time if they were battle partners with any kind of immortal.
Which brought another horrible revelation to me.
"We killed six people," I said. "All of their battle partners just died, too, whoever they were."
Xavier paled even more while Thorne continued to spread the hay. "You're right," he muttered.
"God," I said, leaning against Xavier.
I felt like I was Death herself and there was a dark throne of black rock waiting for me in the underworld. Mom had been right to run from me. Things would never be right. I would never be right.
Xavier struggled to speak. "We did what was best for the Underground and for everyone else," he said. "These guys would have hurt us and taken us to Thoreau whether they knew it or not. We're not going to save the world by not fighting or hurting anybody. If we hadn't fought, Thoreau would probably be merging the worlds tomorrow."
I knew there was logic in his words but I couldn't grab onto it. Emotion was winning. I knew any semblance of a Normal life was done, that any dream of having a loving family was gone forever. Xavier and I would never have more than a partnership. I couldn't stop mourning its loss and with every fight and death I was reminded of the worst.
I peeled away from Xavier. He nodded at me with professionalism. "We need to hide the bodies," he said.
Thorne stood behind him. He gagged a bit and his face was greenish. "Xavier's right," he said. "War Mages' bodies are too dangerous, especially now that Thoreau is down here and the rest of the Dark Council isn't far behind."
"But they can't work any more magic at the ruins for another century," I said. "Xavier and I drained the power there. Thoreau said so himself. The meeting got canceled."
"True," Thorne said. "But Thoreau can always set fire to the bodies and unleash all the energy so long as he has some way to protect himself. He may have even wanted you to kill these three."
Xavier and I exchanged a look of horror. That had happened back at the ruins thanks to Gaozu. Thoreau's original plan had been to extract Leon's energy and direct it to Thurton, who would unleash it on the Underground in a controlled manner. Burning War Mages' bodies also let out all their magic, but not in a controlled way like Thoreau wanted. Still, he could find a way to make it work.
"You're right," Xavier said. "We need to hide these and fast."
I thought. "What about the catacombs?"
"You mean the ones underneath here?" Xavier asked. "I hate that place. It's where Leon nearly roasted us."
Thorne winced. "The place holds some bad memories for me, too."
"We don't have a choice," I said. "I can see down there. You can't." I wasn't looking forward to being around a bunch of old crypts but if there was any place to hide bodies, it was there. The place was flooded and in disrepair and it wasn't a place where people went to hang out.
"The only way in is through some of the pubs," Xavier said. "That's where they store their wines."
"Then we'll have to find one that's closed," I said.
"They're never closed," Xavier said. "If we go through a pub carrying bodies, Leon's going to find out. I bet he's still down here."
"Now we're talking about carrying bodies," I said.
"It has to be done," Thorne said, turning in a circle like he could find some answers in the floor. "I can't believe we're doing this."
The three of us were in this together. We were all equally responsible for this mess. My thoughts went to the families of these guys. They had to have families somewhere. But, as Xavier said, even their families were better off now, whether they knew it or not. Thurton would have only gotten his whole family killed or enslaved had he lived, whether he meant it or not.
I had to think about it that way or I'd go insane. It was bad enough my mother had seen what a monster I was.
"We're already fugitives here," I said. "Our enemies have the Underground and the surface."
"Then we have to kill Leon again," Xavier said, leaning down to grab the shoulders of one of the Elders, the second one that lay against the wall. He was trying to look away.
"I don't know if that's possible," I said. "The last time I fought Leon, he healed just like Thoreau does."
"But you have your new power," Xavier said. "It might affect even Thoreau."
"He's friends with Death," I said.
"I thought you told me she was neutral?" Xavier asked. He dragged the body closer to the door.
"She says she is, but she's still in the Dark Council. She's happy to help resurrect the other members every now and then as long as they do the correct rites. That's hypocritical, since she doesn't like to interfere with the way the world runs. I think she likes seeing how stories play out."
"That does sound hypocritical," Xavier said. "Would someone help with this body?"
"I'll tell her that next time I see her," I said, but before I could walk over and get the legs, Thorne did. He was still green and staring at the ceiling like he couldn't face what we'd done.
It was up to me to determine if it was safe to move forward. I had to listen at the closed doors. It took a long time, waiting for the Underground streets to be clear before I could give the signal to move out of the dojo. I had become pretty good at moving through the shadows lately. In a way, I had done it all my life. After waiting at corners and
listening to the late night streets clear out, we headed down a narrow alley made of old brick and came to the back door of another pub. I could smell booze and sugary ambrosia on the other side of the door. People talked and laughed. The bartender was wiping a counter and laughing with the others. The noise would mask what we were doing. I opened the back door by breaking the lock and hoped that the bartender wasn't a being with good hearing. We were taking a risk here.
The door led to a back room with stairs that headed down into the catacombs. I helped carry the body now that I'd done my main job. We came to a room filled with old wine bottles and walked past that, into the catacombs where old crypts were waiting.
"We need to remove this purple robe off the body," Xavier said. "It's gross, but we can't have people knowing these are the bodies of War Mages."
"I think you're right," I said. "At least two of these bodies look too old and dry to belong to those guys." Maybe they were safe from discovery after all. My new magic had a benefit.
Chatter floated down from above. Dust rained down as someone walked across the pub overhead. From the sounds of it, there was a party starting. A bunch of people sang the lyrics to a song that was in some language I didn't know. It was some old drinking song. At least the loudness had masked our breaking in. I hoped that it continued.
We did the worst and dumped the body in an ancient, half-open stone coffin and closed the lid with great effort. I hated being in crypts. People thought vampires liked to hang out in them, but nothing was further from the truth. It was just a dumb stereotype started by the fact that vampires used to have to hide in them to avoid being hunted. Crypts smelled like dust and death, for starters. No one wanted to hang around that.
"Two to go," Xavier said, wiping the sweat from his brow.
"I locked the dojo," Thorne said. "No one should have found the others."
Without the body in tow, it took only a few minutes to get back to the dojo. Now that it was late, it didn't take as long to get the other two bodies to the pub and down into the catacombs. It must be getting very late on the surface and even in the Underground a lot of people went to bed at Normal times. I guessed that it was somewhere between one and two in the morning. I was usually up at this time, especially now that I wasn't up in the Normal world anymore. In fact, now I was usually up all night.
