by Jim Johnson
The energies around the cathedral shifted, and I sensed something larger and more powerful moving around inside the building. I glanced at Malcolm. “I think we got his attention!”
He dispatched another ‘geist with his fire. “No doubt! We’re tearing up his army out here!”
Just then, the Jackie ‘geist dived down toward us, a blazing blue arrowhead of light forming in front of it. As I registered what it looked like, the etheric arrowhead punched a hole into my warding shield. Jackie screeched her way into the sphere and streaked toward Malcolm.
She scored deep cuts along his back and side, sending him crashing down to the ground. I cried out, and swung my etheric catcher toward it, but missed. The thing swooped up high within the sphere’s confines, and then screaming again, streaked toward me.
I pushed it aside with my catcher, but it still managed to score a shallow cut across my chest. I staggered back and cried out in pain.
Desperate, I reached out and pulled together several threads of energy from Bonita and Abbie, and wove their strength into my ‘geist catcher, and desperately pushed it toward Jackie again.
Malcolm had gotten up to his knees and had pushed deep into the ley grid for more power. Just as I caught one of the ‘geist’s feet with my catcher, slowing it down, Malcolm released his collected energy like a firehose, drenching Jackie’s pathetic but powerful form in a huge wall of bright bronze fire.
That slowed her down more, enough that I could stabilize my ‘geist catcher and fully enclose her in my grasp. And yet the thing kept fighting. Even with bronze fire coursing all over it, crisping its black fur, the thing twisted and screamed, threatening to break my hold on it.
A cry boomed out from within the cathedral, and all the main doors on the front of the building crashed open outward. “Rachel Farran! It is time for your end!”
The Spinner, it had to be. I vaguely recognized the voice, though this sounded deeper and more powerful.
I glanced toward the open doors and blanched. A massive etheric form, almost like a Transformer robot, loomed inside the building, wreathed in electric blue sparks and yellow-gold flickers of flame not unlike Malcolm’s bronze sparks. Gods, the Spinner had gotten an upgrade.
“Come and meet your doom, girl!”
I dodged another attack from Jackie, though I caught another claw that just clipped my left ear. I cried out as I felt the sting and then an almost-immediate rush of wet heat on that side of my neck and head.
Malcolm cursed, a cry that was echoed by Abbie and Bonita and Charity. Malcolm tried another double burst of fire, but missed with both shots. I clamped a hand against my wound and gestured with my other hand, pulling etherics together to both ward off Jackie’s attacks and to get my damn warding cube patched up.
One more wave of ‘geists burst out of the open cathedral doors, and swirled all around my warding sphere, looking for an opening. Jackie continued the assault from within the sphere, wearing down me and Malcolm.
I pulled more ley energy from Abbie and Bonita, trusting Charity would somehow control matters to keep me from tapping them both out, and tried to capture Jackie once again. I caught a bit of her, but not enough to slow her down.
I spared a glance at the cathedral doors, but nearly got my head taken off for my trouble. His etheric form was still inside, directing his remaining ‘geists in their attack. Small blessing.
Malcolm fended off another attack from Jackie and then reached into his pocket and threw his weathered ten-dollar bill into the air. I cried out as he triggered the etherics to activate the ‘geist contained within the bill.
The strange ‘geist attached to the bill, a thing that resembled a black tiger with glittering teeth and claws, burst into the air with a yowl and streaked straight toward Jackie.
The two ‘geists battled back and forth, and spun and dove toward each other, fully locked in battle. I tried to stabilize my warding shield from the attacks of the other ‘geists under the Spinner’s control, and Malcolm was fully occupied taking shots at the last few ‘geists and at Jackie when an opportunity presented itself.
The battle felt like it was balanced on the head of a pin. The Spinner made the first move toward tipping the scales. He shifted focus from Malcolm and I and sent his remaining ‘geists to attack Charity’s ward sphere.
As much as we wanted to help, we were now consumed with taking down Jackie, who was proving to be a damned hard target to take down. I couldn’t quite catch her with my etheric trap, and she seemed to absorb one blast after another from Malcolm.
Charity cried out through the etherics, followed by Abbie and Bonita. No! This is the worst thing I wanted to have happen. I cried out and pushed what little etheric energy I could toward them, but it wasn’t enough.
The five ‘geists remaining aside from Jackie tore down Charity’s ward sphere and rushed toward Bonita and Abbie. Just before they reached them, there was an explosion of green fire between the girls and the ‘geists. All but one of the ‘geists were incinerated in the sudden gout of flame. The last one turned and sped toward the cathedral and disappeared through the open doors.
Jackie took the opportunity to crash into Malcolm’s back, knocking him to the ground.
The wall of green fire morphed into the shape of a pillar of fire that twisted and spiraled together and spun around and slammed into Jackie. She was caught in the vortex of power, which spun around and around, a mix of warding energy to keep it contained and brilliant fire to burn it down.
I’d never seen this power before, never seen its strength, but the aura color was well known to me. Shivers of fear and surprise coursed up and down my spine as I struggled to pick myself up off the ground.
The pillar of fire pushed Jackie to the ground, where she writhed around in agony and then, finally, was stilled. The Spinner let loose a howl filled with frustration and anger.
Malcolm was prone, face down on the ground. I limped over to him, but then stopped as the pillar of green fire spiraled down to ground level and tapered out slowly, like a tornado dying out. The swirling flames coalesced into a familiar form and face.
Miss Chin had joined the battle.
Chapter Thirty-Three
BEFORE I HAD A CHANCE TO call out to her, she gestured toward Malcolm. “Look to your friends and then come help me!”
I sprinted toward Malcolm as Miss Chin formed a green-tinged ward sphere around herself and started toward the cathedral doors. I landed hard on my knees once I got to Malcolm, skinning both of them in the process.
I winced at the pain, though it was nothing compared to the cuts Jackie had inflicted on me and Malcolm. I checked Malcolm and saw he was still breathing, then gingerly turned him over, appalled at the various wounds and cuts on his body.
“Malcolm?” I gently shook him and then reached out through the etherics to find my connection with him. It was weak, but still intact. I tried funneling a little energy his way, which seemed to help.
His eyelids fluttered and then he started, and stared up at me. “Damn, that thing hit hard. Did you take it out?”
I shook my head. “Miss Chin showed up and dropped the hammer on it. Can you stand up?”
“I think so.” He pushed up to a sitting position and then glanced toward the cathedral entrance. Miss Chin had somehow pushed her warding sphere through the shield around the cathedral and was moving toward the Spinner.
Malcolm’s eyes widened. “Oh, damn. Help me up!”
I got Malcolm to his feet and then, together, we hurried over to the entrance to the bishop’s gardens. “Abbie? Bonita?” I called out.
Charity’s etheric form, faint within the etherics, signaled to us from a covered archway. We hurried over there. I gathered up as many ley threads as I could manage, and sensed Malcolm doing likewise.
Within the archway was an ivy-covered trellis, forming a comfortable spot to rest from the day’s sun. Abbie and Bonita were both laying on the ground.
I stared at Charity’s form, my heart skipping a
beat. “Are they…?” God, no, please don’t let them be dead.
Charity shook her head and moved to kneel between them. No, just unconscious. They both suffered tremendous stresses in that last ‘geist attack. I was able to deflect most of the backlash, but they were both overwhelmed.
I moved over with her and knelt down as well. “Is there anything you can do?”
Charity shook her head as her etheric image flickered. I am having a very hard time focusing enough to maintain this form. I fear that without the structure of the journal matrix to retreat to, I have no established structure to hold myself together.
She offered me a sad smile and sighed. I don’t think I can help you any more, Rachel.
Tears welled up in my eyes. An explosion of light and sound reverberated nearby, and pieces of debris clattered off the top of the trellis. Malcolm rested a hand on my shoulder. “I’ll run and help Miss Chin.”
I grabbed his hand and looked up at him. “Are you up for it?”
He shot me a lost-looking grin. “No choice. We gotta do this.” His ‘geist, clearly wounded, slid into view nearby, apparently waiting for his next orders.
Malcolm nodded toward me and then flicked a jaunty salute toward Charity. “Thanks for all your help, Charity. We couldn’t have gotten this far without your help. Go in peace.”
Charity bowed her head toward Malcolm. Thank you, Malcolm. Good luck.
Malcolm traded one last look with me and then hurried out of the garden, his ‘geist following just after him.
I focused on Charity’s form, now nearly indistinct in the morning sunlight. “What can I do?”
Charity smiled. Do as you have done. Practice, take care of the lost souls. Defeat the Spinner. Nearly indistinct, she reached out and rested a hand on mind. Remember me.
She faded into the morning light, her sad smile the last thing I saw of her. I stared down at my two unconscious friends, and spared a moment to weep for them and for Charity.
I rested a hand on each of their foreheads and scanned them. Both were unconscious but healthy, and would need some time to come out of their etheric-induced stupors.
Another pair of explosions sounded, and more pieces of the cathedral scattered around the garden and rained down on top of the trellis. Christ, it sounded like they were taking the cathedral apart!
I reached out into the etherics and wove the energies together and erected a small but strong warding dome around Bonita and Abbie. I poured as much strength and protection into it as I could, and then anchored it to the ley grid.
“I hope this is strong enough to protect the two of you until you wake up. I’ve gotta go help Malcolm and Miss Chin.”
There’d probably never be another opportunity to stop the Spinner. As much as I hated to do it, I gave Abbie a quick kiss on the cheek and then stood up and rushed out of the garden and toward the cathedral.
I was stunned to see that all the doors on the front of the cathedral and part of the wall above the doors had been blown apart. Stone and rubble lay scattered all over the front entrance to the cathedral and on the lawn and driveway just outside.
Bursts of fire within the cathedral, yellow-gold, green, and bronze, flickered this way and that, signs of a battle raging hard.
I fashioned another shield for myself and then picked my way through the debris and charged into the cathedral.
The interior of the cathedral was a wreck, as well. Pieces of wooden chairs lay strewn all over the place, and various sections of the stone walls and floor smoldered from the arcane fires that had been thrown around.
The Spinner stood near the center of the cathedral, tied into the very etheric structure of the place with strong ropes of electric blue ley threads. Miss Chin and Malcolm were loosing bolt after bolt of etheric fire at him, and he was responding with yellow-gold fire of his own.
The Spinner’s lashes of fire were indiscriminately targeted, and he was destroying sections of the cathedral, parts of the arches, some walls, and stained glass windows in his lust for destruction.
This had to end, but how? Other than protecting Malcolm and Miss Chin, I didn’t know what I could do. I hurried forward and formed a shield around both of them, though I was growing more tired and was having a hard time managing so many etheric shields at the same time.
The Spinner loosed a long burst of yellow-gold fire at me and I staggered back, holding the fire at bay as it scorched the air around my shield.
Miss Chin cried out, “No, Rachel! Get back!” and then she loosed a fresh burst of green fire into the Spinner’s back.
He stumbled under the onslaught but kept fighting. Malcolm’s ‘geist swooped in over and over, taking pieces out of the Spinner’s avatar.
The Spinner roared and then lashed out, lightning-quick. He grabbed Malcolm’s ‘geist and squeezed hard, then twisted. A crunching sound and an ear-splitting wail resounded in my ears.
The Spinner tossed aside the broken remains of Malcolm’s ‘geist, nearly hitting Malcolm with it. Malcolm found some cover behind a wooden pew that soon caught fire from a blast from the Spinner.
Malcolm, forced to retreat, staggered back. The Spinner came for him fast, and I threw a hasty shield in that direction, hoping to slow him down.
Miss Chin was just a bit faster. She leaped in between the Spinner and Malcolm just as the Spinner loosed a double handful of etheric fire.
My little shield managed to deflect some of the fire, but the rest of it hit Miss Chin hard, and in moments, she had hit the floor and was pushed back against the wall, her skin and clothing smoking, hair burning away.
The Spinner stood over both Malcolm and Miss Chin, shaking his fists in victory.
There was a rumble deep beneath our feet, and then I sensed a presence within my head that I had felt a couple times previously within the etherics. I couldn’t put a name to it, but somehow knew it.
It assumed Charity’s voice. “Rachel. Now, strike while you can. Take the ley threads and plunge into the Spinner’s form directly! Don’t think, go!”
Before my mind had a chance to fully comprehend the order, a thick bundle of etheric threads, glowing a brilliant white, formed in front of me in the shape of a flaming sword.
I didn’t know what else to do but to obey Charity’s call, so I reached out, grabbed the sword handle, and then ran toward the Spinner with a cry.
His hands blazing, he turned on me and loosed the fire he had meant for Miss Chin and Malcolm. I braced myself for the incoming pain, but somehow the flames didn’t reach me. The sword held before me somehow cut a furrow between the flames and enabled me to reach the Spinner.
He cried out, “What power is this?”
I had no answer for him, other than the sword itself. I spun it around in my hands, focused all my remaining will and energy, and plunged the sword deep into his chest.
Chapter Thirty-Four
MY ENTIRE EXISTENCE EXPLODED INTO BRILLIANT white light. I lost track of time and place, though my sense of self remained intact. For however long that moment lasted, I was aware of only that blazing white sword in my hand and the Spinner’s presence before me, crying out in pain and anger.
My vision cleared and I was within the matrix of the ley grid, the electric blue radiance of its threads floating all around me. The Spinner’s massive etheric form was sprawled out on the ground in front of me, the bright etheric sword plunged into his chest.
The Spinner writhed around, but could not seem to stand due to the sword holding him fast to the surface of the ley grid. He turned his head to face me.
“Pull this sword from me and face me one on one!”
I shook my head, somehow unable to put voice to thought. Flickering images tickled the edges of my Sight, and I focused out to the distant borders of the etheric grid.
Slowly, in ones and twos, etheric bodies moved toward us, taking the shape of men and women from all walks of life. It wasn’t until they were much closer that I recognized some of them. There was Cooper, and Tonia, and Jacki
e. Some of the older souls looked like people who might have residents of Branchwood with my grandpa. And then it struck me—these were all victims of the Spinner, either killed by him directly, or those who had their souls twisted into some new ‘geist form thanks to his machinations.
There were many more of the latter that would not appear here. Malcolm and I had inadvertently destroyed several souls that the Spinner had twisted toward evil. I mourned the necessity of their destruction.
The dozens of souls gathered around us, all focused on the Spinner’s struggling form. One more shape coalesced before my eyes, one familiar to me.
“Charity!”
She glanced at me with a tired smile. Her usual blouse and skirt had been recolored somehow through the etherics, and had taken on a bright gold hue similar to that of the sword.
Charity raised her hands and focused on the Spinner. “Christopher Andrew Kenner, who goes by the name of the Spinner, hear me. I speak for all those you have killed or maimed in the pursuit of power.”
The Spinner raged out again and tried to pull ley threads together to do his bidding, but was somehow blocked from being able to do so.
Exhausted, I sunk down to my knees, maintaining my grip on that sword with all the energy I had left. I had no idea what would happen if I were to let go, but wasn’t about to find out.
“What right do you have to hold me down?” He tried to shift again, to dislodge the sword holding him to the grid.
I solidified my grip on the sword, determined to keep him in place.
Charity said, “There are beings strong with the ley more ancient and powerful than even you, and rules have been set into place long ago. I am but a conduit for those voices. Your presence within the ley was tolerated, but your profanation of sacred ground is intolerable.”
“There was no one there to protect it. It was mine for the taking!”
“No. It is for all to share. No one person may possess such power.”
The Spinner raged out again, and slowly started to pull himself up the sword, hand over hand. His etheric hands smoked and burned as he worked up the blade and the hilt, an incredible focus of will and sheer power.
