by John Corwin
Max furrowed his brow. "Hang on, now. Didn't you just let us go on a dangerous mission without any adult supervision at all?"
Ambria bolted from her seat. "Exactly. We are perfectly capable of taking care of ourselves, thank you very much."
The old Arcane held up his hands in surrender. "Very well. But if you're interested, I've found relatives for you to live with. They are, unfortunately, noms and as such, don't live in Queens Gate."
"We'll keep it in mind," Ambria said.
The more I thought about Galfandor's proposal, the better it seemed to me, and not simply because we lived in a house with vampires. It was time to tell the old man the rest of the story.
Chapter 30
"There's more to our little adventure," I said.
Galfandor raised an eyebrow. "I'm listening."
"Cumberbatch showed up after the Goodleighs crashed. He knocked me out and took me to his estate where he removed the curse."
"I thought your aura felt different today," Galfandor said. "What made Cumberbatch decide to help you?"
Max snorted. "He didn't exactly help him."
I held up a hand to quiet my friend. "The curse used demon magic."
"No surprise." Galfandor shrugged. "When Cumberbatch first came to Arcane University, he wanted nothing more than to be the best healer. He thought conventional techniques were too limiting and added specializations in demonology and necromancy."
"He summoned a demon to possess me in order to preserve two souls." I let that sink in.
Judging from the troubled look growing in Galfandor's eyes, he probably knew what I'd say next. "Go on, Conrad."
"My parents are alive again."
"Apparently, Conrad still has some of their soul fragments stuck to him," Ambria said. "They were going to kill him."
"I don't think they're a hundred percent," Max added.
"Are you certain your parents are alive again and that Cumberbatch wasn't simply using necromancy on corpses?" Galfandor said. "It can be very hard for most people to discern the difference."
"They were up and talking like normal people, not zombies, if that's what you mean," I said.
"Yes, but did they do magic?" he asked. "People revived by a skilled necromancer will still act like their old selves, provided the bodies were well preserved."
I thought hard but didn't remember my parents doing any sort of magic. "No."
The old Arcane seemed to relax. "Then it's likely he simply revived their corpses. Demon magic doesn't preserve souls. Demons devour souls to perform magic."
"It looked like it worked to me," I said. "How else did I know things that only my parents knew?"
"It's possible, if he tried this insane theory of his, the demon took your parents' souls, and because he possessed you, some of their memories transferred during all those years." He pursed his lips and nodded. "Yes, the curse makes much more sense now."
"So the Overlord and Delectra aren't back for round two?" Max asked, sounding somewhat disappointed.
Galfandor shook his head. "Cumberbatch attempted an impossible feat and failed. I am certain of it."
I didn't know what to say. Despite the extra knowledge drifting around in my head, I knew little about magic. If my parents weren't truly alive, but simply reanimated corpses, then my worries about them were unfounded. I decided to trust Galfandor's word on this.
"We'll bring the orphans—children—to you," I said. It was odd knowing that everything I'd known for most of my childhood had been a lie.
We returned to the house and announced the good news to everyone.
Alice flung herself into my arms. "Oh, Conrad, it's a miracle!" She squeezed me so tight I could hardly breathe. "You've saved us all."
"Saved us all," Ambria said in a mocking voice. "I suppose Max and I simply slept through the ordeal."
Stephan held out his arms. "I'd be happy to hug you, Ambria."
She dropped open her mouth slightly. "I'd rather hug a toad."
"That can be arranged," Max said with a grin.
Alice kissed both my cheeks. "You're very brave, Conrad. I hope to see you again."
Ambria groaned. "Let's load them on the flying carpet."
As she herded the children outside, Max came up to me. "I used to think girls were gross, but I kind of wish Alice would kiss my cheeks too."
I raised my eyebrows. "I could always ask her."
He waved his hands. "No, no, no. That would just be embarrassing." His expression grew serious. "By the way, I figured out how you can fly brooms so well."
I raised an eyebrow. "Tell me."
"Your mother used to be a professional racer." He grinned. "When she was young, she was the champion. Then she met your dad and stopped racing."
"I guess with her soul inside of me, I must have soaked up the skill." I just hoped it would stick with me. And that I soaked up nothing nastier. The thought gave me a shiver.
When we arrived at Galfandor's later that day, several parents had already arrived. Galfandor matched them up with the proper children while Max, Ambria, and I stood by and watched with great satisfaction.
Galfandor also spoke to Stephan, William, and Alice about taking the entrance exam for Arcane University.
"I can be a magician?" Stephan looked astonished. "That's always been my dream since I was little."
"Pulling rabbits out of hats is boring," William said.
Galfandor smiled. "I believe you'll discover there's a bit more to it than that, young man."
Alice squeezed my hand. "Are you going to school too, Conrad?"
I shrugged. "I guess. I don't know if I can do magic, though."
"You might surprise yourself," Galfandor said.
"I'll be there," Max said.
"What will I need to study?" I asked.
"I can tell you all about it," Max said. "I have the scroll with the requirements."
Over the next few hours, all the other parents arrived and collected their children. Little Mary's mother and father were the last to arrive. Before she left, she gave us each a hug and a kiss.
"I'm going to be a fairy princess when I grow up," she declared. "I'll always share my pixie dust with you."
"I don't understand how this is possible," her mother said to Galfandor, "but you have our eternal gratitude."
"Thank these brave children," he said, waving an arm to us. "They are the ones who rescued them."
The mother hugged each of us. "If you ever need anything, just ask me."
"We thank you from the bottom of our hearts," the father said as he shook our hands.
Most of the other parents had said something similar. It felt good to know that, despite the sins of our parents, Max, Ambria, and I had done something wonderful.
Galfandor's golem butler brought us a basket with a hot meal packed inside for us to take home.
"I hope to see you soon," the old man said. "If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask."
"Can we keep the brooms you gave us?" Max asked.
Galfandor chuckled. "Yes. I believe you've earned them."
As we flew over the cliff and back toward Queen's Gate, I closed my eyes and imagined Cora smiling at me, green eyes bright with love.
She would be proud of me.
I hoped that was true.
A great sense of purpose swelled in me. I had broken the chains of the past and now had a future to look forward to. I had two great friends and a place to live. With the burden of the living curse gone, I felt more alive than I'd ever been.
Now it was time to take this new life and live it to the fullest.
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Aetherial Annihilation C
hapter 1
I found Nightliss sitting in the war-torn field behind Arcane University a few days after the end of the Second Seraphim War.
Wondering what she was doing out there all alone, I sat down beside her and put an arm on her shoulder. "Are you okay?"
She looked at me, her expression as bleak as the blasted landscape. "No." She wiped tears from her eyes and stood. "I don't think I can go on anymore, Justin."
"But you're the Templar Clarion—their guiding light." I squeezed her small hand in mine. "They need you—we all need you."
She took a deep breath, eyes lost in the distance. "My sister is dead and Eden is safe. Now Ketiss marches to Seraphina and into another war."
"Do you plan to go with him?" I asked.
She shook her head. "Seraphina doesn't feel like home anymore."
I sensed something more to that statement. "And Eden?"
Nightliss blinked and looked up as if waking from a dream. "I don't know where I belong."
"With us, with your family."
She hugged me. "I love you, Justin. You are a true and dear friend."
Dread spread its cold tendrils through my chest. "You're not planning to kill yourself are you?"
Nightliss smiled and stood. "No. But I'm going away for a while." She looked around the destroyed field and over at the blackened ruins of Colossus Stadium. "I have fought too many wars in my life. I want to find peace. I want to find myself."
Her statement hit a nerve deep within me. I'd gone from hardcore nerd to supernatural warrior in the space of a year, fought demons, angels, and almost everything in between without a break. How many thousands had died under my watch? How many more would die when Ketiss invaded his homeland to wrest control of the government back from the traitor Cephus? I pushed to my feet as the past swirled through my mind.
"You're haunted by ghosts too, Justin." Nightliss looked at me with intense green eyes. "You just haven't realized it yet." She stood on her tiptoes and kissed me on the cheek. "I will see you again."
Tears stung my eyes. I embraced her petite frame. "Don't pick any fights with stray dogs."
She laughed and cried. "You will always be my hero, the man who saved a little black cat."
"I'm going to miss you so much." I kissed her forehead and reluctantly did what I had to do.
I let her go.
Nightliss wiped her eyes, turned, and walked away.
War is an ugly thing.
Even if you survive, it slowly kills you inside. Nightliss had woken something inside me—a realization that I hadn't made it unscathed through the countless battles I'd fought against Daelissa and her minions. I wasn't ready to embark on a journey to Seraphina to unseat a usurper, much less to fight a long war against more Brightlings.
Maybe Nightliss had the right idea. Maybe I needed some time away from death and destruction.
Ketiss has an army of super-charged Darklings. He won't have any problems beating Cephus.
I called Elyssa.
"What's up, babe?" she asked.
I took a breath to soothe the knot in my throat. "How would you like to see the world?"
A pause. "Right now?"
"The train leaves tomorrow."
She chuckled. "A plane or portal would be a lot faster."
"We're taking a break from the supernatural." I couldn't remember where I'd left my wallet and ID. "Do you have a passport?"
"No."
"Well, I guess we have some nom stuff to take care of."
Elyssa made a thoughtful noise. "You're serious, aren't you?"
I kicked a rock across the mud. "Yeah. I just want to be a normal guy with his normal girlfriend for a while. Is that okay?"
"There are a lot of loose ends around here, Justin." She sighed. "Now isn't really a good time."
"There will never be a good time." The more I thought about fighting in Seraphina, the more desperate I was to run away. "Please."
She spoke in a soft voice. "As you wish."
The tightness in my chest eased. "I love you."
"I love you too."
Three months later, Elyssa and I watched the sun set over the Andaman Sea in Thailand. Splashing in the water and bathing in the sun was nice after our visit to Switzerland and chillier climates. A young woman raced past us and into the water. Her dark hair, petite figure, and olive skin looked so familiar.
Elyssa looked at the woman. "Something wrong?"
I shook my head. "She looks like Nightliss."
"You've seen someone who reminds you of Nightliss in every country we've visited."
"Yeah." I forced a smile. "I hope she's doing okay."
"She's a powerful Seraphim, Justin." Elyssa squeezed my hand. "Of course she's okay."
"Emotionally, I mean." I cleared my throat to ward off the knot forming and changed the subject. "Gorgeous sunset."
"Mhm." She watched me for a moment. "You're feeling guilty again, aren't you?"
I looked down. "Are you?"
"This vacation has been amazing, and my father tells me everything is under control but—"
"You feel like you're shirking your duty?" I said.
She nodded.
I blew out a breath. "Maybe I wimped out, I dunno. When Nightliss told me how she felt, it just hit a nerve, you know?"
Elyssa wrapped her arms around my neck. "You have nothing to prove to me. I'll travel the world with you for eternity if that's what you want."
I chuckled. "I'll settle for cuddling for now."
She planted a kiss on my lips. "Maybe once it gets dark and everyone leaves, we can do a little more than cuddling."
"Like stargazing?"
She punched my shoulder. "Yes, that's exactly what I meant."
We leaned against each other and watched the last rays of the sun vanish over the horizon. Before long, it was dark. The lack of sunlight didn't deter many people, and it looked like the privacy we wanted wasn't coming anytime soon.
Elyssa pointed up. "Look, a falling star."
I noticed it as well. In fact, it was hard not to notice the massive glowing ball in the sky growing larger and larger with every passing second. "Holy farting fairies, that thing is huge."
"Shouldn't it have burned up in the atmosphere?" Elyssa asked.
I sat up and watched the massive meteor slam into the ocean just off the coast of another small island a few clicks from ours. The water didn't quench the flames. Instead, the glow grew brighter until it lit the ocean like a massive pool light.
Shouts of alarm rose from the other people on the beach. Those shouts turned to screams as a great glowing mountain of water crested and headed for shore.
A tidal wave.
People ran inland toward the small tourist town. A mountain loomed about a half-mile away, but I didn't see how anyone could possibly make it there in time—anyone except for Elyssa and me.
Despite the uncountable monsters I'd faced, I didn't know how in the world to fight Mother Nature's wrath. I might channel a magical shield to protect Elyssa and me from the wave, but that wouldn't save the stampede of normal people running for their lives.
Think, Justin, think!
Seraphim magic came in four different flavors: Murk, Brilliance, Stasis, and Clarity.
Brilliance, the element of destruction, would only turn the water to steam. Stasis might freeze the water temporarily, but channeling it required a great deal more effort. Clarity revealed a soul's deepest inner truths, but water didn't have a soul.
That left Murk, the magical energy of creation. It formed the strongest barriers, but I'd never before attempted a shield so massive.
"You've got that look again," Elyssa said.
"The one where I just ate a lot of spicy Indian food and really regret it?"
"Actually, it does kind of resemble that expression, but in this case, you're not running for the bathroom." She gripped my arm. "You're going to try to stop this thing, aren't you?"
I nodded. "I can't let all these people die."
Elyssa looked at the fleeing crowds and a look of firm resolve erased the fear from her eyes. "Then let's save them."
We raced toward the glowing ocean and the looming tidal wave. In the distance, I saw water crash across the surface of the distant island where the meteor had fallen. I wondered how many lives the ocean had just snuffed out of existence but forced the thought from my mind. I walked to the edge of the water, took a deep breath, and prayed I had it in me to keep this monster at bay.
I drew in aether, the magical energy of the world, and channeled it into Murk. My veins grew icy cold as I flooded myself with the dark ultraviolet energy, letting it build until I felt ready to freeze solid. The air rumbled and a gust of hot wind hit my face as the water loomed like a leviathan from the deep poised to consume me and the island whole.
Despite the power coursing through me, I felt insignificant—like an ant preparing to thwart the advance of an elephant.
"Oh my god," I whispered. "That thing is huge." My confidence melted and my knees buckled. Unfortunately, there wasn't much I could do at this point but try or die. Holding my left hand out before me, I imagined a giant wall forming along the beach and opened the floodgates.
Ultraviolet energy flooded the air, shimmering and crystalizing like black ice. I drew more and more energy from the magical ley lines in the earth, until it felt as though I were nothing more than a conductor discharging aether into the air.
My body could take no more. I felt something pop, like a fuse snapping in my brain. My legs went limp and I fell. Strong arms caught me by the armpits and Elyssa spoke.
"I've got you, babe." She dragged me away from the water.
My body finally regained some strength and I climbed wearily to my feet. My crystalline wall rose fifty feet tall and a hundred yards wide, curving slightly inward. It was by far the largest shield I'd ever conjured, but it might as well have been a picket fence compared to the monstrous beast I hoped to contain.
"It's not enough," I said. "It's nowhere near enough."
Elyssa stared at the oncoming horror, futility in her eyes. "You did your best, Justin. That's all anyone can ask."
With a thunderous roar the tidal wave struck my shield. Water rushed around the sides, filling in the gap behind it while the brunt of the wave pressed against it. Cracks sprouted in the middle and I knew it wasn't going to hold for long.
