Spark of Truth (The Hidden Wizard Book 3)

by Vaughan W. Smith

  Lara returned to Alrion’s side panting.

  “That was close,” she said.

  “I could see that. I know it has limitations so the more we push it the better chance we have of finding a weakness. Just make sure you have enough speed to get away,” he said without taking his eyes off Fury.

  “I understand. See what you can figure out,” Lara said. She paused for a moment, her eyes darting back and forth, before diving back into the fight.

  Alyx was crouched down and watching Fury. The Shade Wizard just looked back.

  “Maybe he’s waiting,” Vincent said quietly. He took up a position next to Alyx. Lara joined them moments later.

  “I will press from the front, you two go for the flanks,” Alyx said. The other two just nodded and waited.

  “Come entertain me, you weaklings!” Fury shouted. It had stopped clutching its hand and was now observing them. Alyx crouched even lower and sprung forward with incredible speed. It was like she was trying to win a foot race, not enter a fight. She held the sword in front of her like a spear. Fury laughed and threw a wave of force at her. But it just seemed to wrap around her. She increased her speed, moving forward with a single-minded purpose.

  Fury scrambled to counter. It brought both hands together and looked like it was concentrating intensely. Another blast of force exploded, knocking Alyx aside. Rather than go down, she rolled and continued forward like it had been nothing. Fury didn’t try another spell, instead readying to strike out at her.

  Interesting. It needs to concentrate properly to cast spells with anything more than just general targeting. And doesn’t like to chain together too many at once. I think we can use that. He continued to watch the fight.

  Vincent crossed over, approaching Fury from the opposite angle. The creature stepped aside to bring both Alyx and Vincent into its field of vision. Lara ran further, coming back in a wide arc and splitting the Shade Wizard’s attention further. She threw some daggers at it. Fury glanced at them, then turned away. They bounced harmlessly off his body. The distraction however bought Alyx an extra second of approach and she changed her stance. Instead of looking to spear the creature, she instead sliced at its legs again.

  However, this time Fury couldn’t stop the strike. A wave of fire started to emanate from its hands. Alyx must have noticed but ignored it. She continued her swing. As she connected, a wave of fire enveloped her legs. Alyx continued the arc of the strike, slicing through then rolling to safety. She rolled around quickly, trying to put out the fire.

  Lara dived in to help, moving Alyx around and extinguishing any other flames. Vincent moved to capitalise on the attack and slashed again at the creature. Fury moved just enough, and caught the attack on the shoulder. The Runesteel cut deep and Fury cried out in pain and anguish.

  The simultaneous attack did the trick. They didn’t even need me to point that out. I hope they can finish this, Alrion thought. He didn’t like the look of what happened to Alyx. Even if she had escaped the worst, her mobility would be gone.

  Fury grew quiet, and looked to be testing its limbs. Without warning, it lurched forward charging towards Alyx. She just lay there, her legs twitching. Lara crouched over her, with her Runesteel dagger at the ready.

  “You’ll pay for that! I won’t even keep you for the Blight. DIE NOW!” the Shade Wizard cried out. His right hand was aflame and his nails were extended out like knives.

  There’s no way Lara can stop that. And Alyx can’t stand. Alrion’s blood boiled and he felt powerless. He scrambled within himself, trying to find a way to access his Spark without reaching through the dark mass of Blight. He even considered trying it anyway, knowing the consequences. But movement ahead caught his attention. It was his father.

  Vincent had launched himself at Fury’s back, his sword outstretched. By some miracle he seemed to reach the creature before it could hit Alyx. The Runesteel slid effortlessly through the Shade Wizard’s chest all the way to the hilt. But Fury kept moving.

  Lara held her ground and moved with lightning speed. She grasped Fury’s outstretched hand just enough to divert it, and with her right hand she drove her Dagger into its heart.

  “Die, you abomination!” she shouted. Fury halted. It lost its momentum and started to topple.

  “Move it over!” Vincent called out. He started to guide Fury over to the side and Lara aided him. With a resounding crash the creature fell to the ground just to the side of Alyx. Its protective skin started to flake away and turn to dust. Alrion ran forward to join them. He couldn’t believe how close that had been. And Alyx wasn’t moving.

  Before he could reach her side, Vincent and Lara were standing over the weapon master with concerned looks.

  “How is she?” Alrion said.

  “Badly burned on her legs, but otherwise alright it seems,” Vincent said.

  “I’ve had worse,” Alyx said hoarsely. But she looked to be in incredible pain.

  “You did well Lara, I wasn’t able to do enough to stop it,” Vincent said.

  “Thanks, but it was a team effort. We only managed that because Alyx slowed it down. At great cost.”

  “Just doing my duty,” Alyx said. Lara and Vincent returned their weapons and Alrion carefully unclasped Alyx’s grip and sheathed his sword. He stepped over and looked at the body of Fury. The transformation had been reversed. Now it just looked like an ordinary man.

  “This could be me. This is why I must succeed. Death should not be the only release from this curse,” he said. He turned and walked a few paces away, a surge of emotions within him. Alyx had almost died, they had killed a wizard, and Alrion had felt powerless throughout the whole thing.

  As much as it was about him finding a cure for himself, he realised that he had a greater responsibility. It wasn’t only his own fate that was doomed if he failed, it was all those who were infected. That was a heavy weight on his shoulders.

  13

  SLOW PROGRESS

  Alrion was staring off into space, obviously affected by the battle. Lara decided to focus on practical matters.

  “Can you sit up?” she said. Alyx didn’t respond so Lara knelt to help prop her up. Vincent dropped down beside her, and the two of them managed to lift Alyx and rest her against a nearby rock in a seated position.

  “How’s that?” Lara said. Alyx paused to gather her breath, then responded.

  “A bit better. I’m not sure how well I can move,” she said.

  “Let us worry about that,” Vincent said. He looked around the area.

  “He was waiting for us. Do you think there’s more ahead?” Lara said.

  “No, Wraith would have been here himself if they were that prepared. I think we have a window of opportunity to create some distance. But it will be hard with Alyx’s injury,” Vincent said. Alrion approached suddenly.

  “I can heal her. My power isn’t gone, it’s just a bit beyond my usual reach,” he said.

  “No!” Vincent shouted. He cleared his throat and continued. “Sorry, but it’s not negotiable. You do not use your gift while infected. I’ve been told too many horror stories.”

  “But …”

  “Not ever. We need to get to a Healer. We don’t have any supplies to even treat her,” Vincent said.

  “I’m done, leave me here. My legs are burned and I’m infected. I don’t want to be the reason your quest fails. I’m already a lost cause,” Alyx said. There was silence.

  “We should consider it. If they aren’t after her, maybe we can send help back. We’re in the middle of nowhere and will have difficulty moving forward otherwise. You can’t afford to be caught,” Lara said. She had had disagreements with Alyx, and disliked the often-critical nature of the weapon master. But she had come to respect her and didn’t like the idea of leaving her behind. In this situation, though, it sounded like common sense. It was too risky otherwise.

  “I can’t leave her here. They will do worse to her if they find her, or if she’s left alone she won’t make it. Alyx is the r
eason we survived that fight. What happens next time? If I can’t heal her, then we find someone who can,” Alrion said. Lara was surprised by the amount of passion in his voice. It was hard to argue against him. She just didn’t want to get caught again in a difficult situation. It would be worse next time with an injured companion.

  “We can’t lose the time debating this. Alrion, let’s try and get Alyx up and assess,” Vincent said. Alrion nodded and helped his father. They strained and hauled her up. They held her weight and slowly lowered her feet to the ground. Lara could see the pain on Alyx’s face.

  “How bad is it?” Vincent said. Alyx tried putting weight down on each foot, one at a time.

  “Quite excruciating. If you’re insistent on taking me, then I can deal with the pain. But all I can do is try and prevent my feet dragging. I can’t walk properly. I’ll just fall,” Alyx said.

  “We will make this right,” Alrion said. He already looked tired. And who knew how much of his strength had already been sapped by the Blight.

  “Give me your weapons,” Lara said. She walked over and unbuckled all three swords, strapped one to her back and let the other two hang from her hips. They were heavy and a bit unwieldy, but at least Vincent and Alrion didn’t have the additional weight. They shifted their holds then moved forward slowly. With great concentration Alyx managed to coordinate her feet to match their rhythm.

  “Looking good.” Lara wanted to encourage them, but it was way too slow. She could have crawled quicker.

  “I’ll be slightly ahead to spot any potential dangers or good places for breaks. Shout out if you need anything,” she said. She knew she couldn’t keep the same pace as them. It would frustrate her no end. At least this way she could keep occupied and help point out or avoid any obstacles.

  The path narrowed, with what looked like sharp drops on each side. Due to the way it wound she had trouble seeing what lay too far ahead. It was a mix of rocks, short-cropped grass, and lots of dirt. There was a chill to the air, which felt refreshing while you moved, but would set in deep if you were still.

  Lara felt the urge to push further forward to see what lay behind each bend. But she had to restrain herself. Otherwise she would bound too far ahead and be unable to hear any cries for help. So, she reined herself in, albeit with difficulty.

  Her stomach rumbled but she ignored it. There were more important things to focus on. The clouds seemed closer now, and there were some strange grey puffs rising in the distance. Lara stopped quickly and looked closer.

  That’s not clouds. Maybe smoke?

  Fighting the urge to run ahead and investigate, she turned and rushed back to find the others.

  They were seated in the middle of the path. There was nothing to rest on.

  “Sorry, we couldn’t make it anywhere more sensible. It’s been a long day already,” Vincent said.

  “Don’t apologise, I wish I could help more. Should I swap with one of you?” Lara said.

  “No, it’s fine. We are in a rhythm now, and it would be good to have you fresh. Anything ahead?”

  “I think I’ve spotted some smoke in the distance. Which could mean some sort of settlement. Maybe a village?”

  “It has to be. We should press on and see if we can get there before dark,” Alyx said. She grimaced and looked away. Lara looked over at Alrion.

  “Is she alright?” she mouthed to him. He shook his head slowly.

  “You’ve rested enough surely, Alrion. Don’t let your father’s age slow you down,” Lara said. She wanted to break the mood. Alrion at least laughed.

  “You’re right. This ground is too cold for my liking anyway. Up we get,” Alrion said. With another great effort they lifted Alyx up and started moving.

  “Pick up the pace a bit?” Lara said. Alrion nodded and Vincent complied. Alyx looked pained but went along with it.

  “Not far now, just keep it up,” Lara said. She had no idea how far it was; the terrain being deceptive, but she knew that if they stopped again, it might be the last stop for a while.

  Lara pushed forward again.

  “Just one more bend,” she told herself. The sight and smell of the smoke had strengthened which meant they were getting closer. She had started to wonder if perhaps the village was under attack, but dismissed the thought. That was just pessimistic thinking. It was going to be a collection of hearth fires that they could be warmed by.

  Lara rounded the corner and almost cheered. Ahead there was a large wooden gate, and behind it a small village. There were several pillars of smoke rising up from houses. Some big and some small. They were roughly constructed out of stones but looked like they had been there a long time.

  Finally, a place to rest.

  She felt guilty because she’d had an easy time of it comparatively and still felt tired. It had been a draining day.

  “Time to pass on the good news.” Lara raced back to find the others. They were still mobile, which was a relief.

  “Don’t stop now, there’s a village just beyond us,” she said. She saw Alrion’s shoulders instantly perk up. The weight he must’ve felt had been lessened.

  “You heard her, let’s finish strong,” Alrion said. With a visible effort he shifted his hold and held Alyx even higher. She was practically being carried now. Vincent did the same and they almost doubled their speed.

  “That’s more like it. Don’t drop her!” Lara said. This time she kept pace with them, keeping an eye on their progress and helping them maintain the pace. As they returned to where she had spotted the village she watched for Alrion’s reaction.

  “I’ve never seen a more welcoming place,” he said with a laugh. Lara hoped that the village would be as welcoming as they all wanted it to be. But with a small village in a remote location, you never could tell. They had to knock on that giant door and find out. Just a few hundred more agonising steps to go.

  “You can do the honours,” Vincent said when they finally reached the gate. The huge wooden doors hung on titanic steel hinges. The wood was weathered by the elements and had a metallic rectangular slot in the middle of the right door. Lara walked up and rapped loudly just below the slot.

  “Hello! We have an emergency and need to enter!” Lara shouted. She waited for a response.

  “Hello!” she shouted again. The metallic panel slid open but Lara couldn’t see anything through it.

  “We aren’t expecting visitors,” a man said. He must have been standing near the opening.

  “We didn’t know we had to send word. We need immediate attention for one of our party. We must get to your Healer as soon as possible,” Lara said.

  “I’m sorry I can’t allow that. There’s been too many strange happenings lately, the gates are closed. You can make your case tomorrow when the town magistrate is accepting submissions for entry,” the man said. He didn’t sound particularly sorry. More annoyed that he was being disturbed.

  “We have someone in dire need of attention. Your Healer will vouch for us,” Lara said. She was gambling a bit, but needed something. They couldn’t afford to wait outside all night.

  “If you know the Healer, then what’s her name?” the man said. He sounded doubly annoyed now. At least Lara was getting somewhere.

  “I haven’t met this Healer, but we were sent ahead by another Healer. Freyda from Rolyntide.”

  “Prove it.”

  “Well, she gave us directions. Said we could find help here on our way. How else do you think we found you?” Lara said. She was grasping at straws now, but she had little choice. Something had to work.

  “There’s only one main path, you would have found us anyway. I need more than that. Otherwise you can sleep out under the stars,” the man said. He sounded like he was looking forward to that being the conclusion of their business. Lara looked over at the group. Alyx was struggling with something.

  “Take the amulet,” she said weakly. Alrion and Vincent adjusted their stance, and Lara came in close. She unclasped the amulet and dangled it into the hole i
n the door.

  “She gave us this to help us on our way. Show that to your Healer and she will insist we come inside,” Lara said. The man roughly grabbed the amulet from her hands and she heard him walk off.

  “I hope this works,” Alrion said.

  “I think there’s a good chance,” Vincent said. “Alyx has good instincts.”

  “Well, if it doesn’t I’m sure I can climb over this wall. Plynth was much higher,” Lara said, chuckling. She managed to get a smile out of Alrion.

  Good, he’s still alright, she thought. Alyx looked terrible though. It was like she had expended all her energy and willpower getting here, and now she had nothing left. Lara felt bad for the animosity between them.

  Why does she rub me the wrong way so badly?

  Before she could ponder further, footsteps approached. And another sound. Metal clanking, and bars being drawn back. The doors started to lurch open with a creaking roar. A simply dressed guard stood before them. He looked less armoured than the ones they had encountered elsewhere and was suitably unimpressed at having to open the doors.

  “You can enter. Take the first right and enter the house with the vines crawling the walls. That’s the Healer’s residence,” he said.

  “What about our amulet?” Lara said.

  “The Healer will return it if she believes you obtained it lawfully. Otherwise I’ll be around to throw you out,” the guard said. It sounded like he would enjoy that, even though it would require him to do something. Lara didn’t want to push their luck.

  “Sounds fair, sorry for the trouble,” she said. The guard shook his head and walked off.

  “That was quite restrained of you,” Alrion said.