“No offense, ma’am, but you’ll be seen as soon as you step into the open,” a young dwarf says through her helmet’s visor. The rest of her armor is made of hardened leather, which makes the metal headwear seem out of place. “Mr. Cunningham told us to work as a team. So we should go in together. The archers can cover us while we rush to the middle.”
“I’m sorry. It appears we have conflicting orders,” the telepath mentions as she makes the warriors believe she is pulling a scroll out of her pocket. The message is nothing more than a psychic illusion that none of the students are strong enough to resist. “As you can see, I have been asked to protect all of you. This means I need to go in first and eliminate the bigger threats before you leave the forest. Once the demons are defeated, I will call you in the help with the ogres. I swear on my family’s honor that I will do this.”
Unwilling to give up so easily, the dwarf holds up a leather sling and pats a bag of rocks on her hip. “We can still give you cover from here. If any of us see an opportunity then we’re going to take it and move to a new location. That way the enemies won’t be able to counterattack without leaving themselves open to you. I swear on my family’s ale that I will not let you face danger alone.”
The silver-haired champion smiles and picks up a perfectly shaped rock, which she hands to the determined student. Dariana waits for the warriors to take their positions before moving through the snow-covered trees. As she walks toward the encampment, Fizzle darts out of the bushes and flies next to her without turning invisible. Wanting to be involved in the real fight, he already has a spell on his tongue and has chosen which enemy he will hit first. Sensing the dragon’s plan, Dariana smirks and does a brief scan for the two demons. The beginning of a psychic screech is brewing in her mind, so she retracts her powers before the attack can strike and do any damage. For a moment, she swears a mocking laugh is on the breeze, but guesses it is a strong surface thought from one of the creatures.
“I appear to be limited, but don’t worry about me,” the telepath whispers, stepping into the clearing. The roar of ogres greets her and she quickly spots the rag-wearing beasts charging from the far side of the camp. “Please focus on the cage as soon as you are done with whoever you want to fight. It is very important to free them and get them back to the academy. Selenia’s mere presence will boost morale that her students will need. The winged one is disguised as a cloud on our right. Good luck.”
As the first volley of arrows and stones soar toward the ogres, Fizzle unleashes a blast of coiling ice at his enemy. Caught by surprise, the demon loses three of its tentacles and the stolen cloud cover before it escapes. Howling in pain, the creature swoops toward the drite and slams into the ground, its target really an illusion. Fizzle hurtles out of the treetops to strike the stunned monster in the face with a headbutt and pointblank force blast. Wings flailing madly, the demon is sent rolling away and launches back into the air in the hopes of gaining an advantage. Being faster and more focused, the drite flies higher and delivers an electrified tail slash to his enemy’s chest. The blow leaves a gaping wound that sparks and burns as the creature plummets to the earth, the impact causing one of its legs to snap in half. A pair of tentacles lance out to catch Fizzle by the tail and yank him toward a mouth that is filled with retractable teeth. Spinning rapidly, the dragon tangles the pink limbs and unleashes a disintegration spell along the demon’s damp skin. With a pathetic poof, the monster explodes into a fine dust that evaporates in the breeze.
Not having found the other demon, Dariana is busy battling the dozen ogres that have gathered around her. All of the creatures have arrows stuck in their flesh and bleeding welts on their heads, but the injuries do not slow them down. Catching an incoming club, the telepath releases enough of her strength to flip her attacker into another. The champion’s back is left open to a charging ogre whose horns pierce both of her shoulders even when a rock strikes it in the eye. Dariana stretches back to grip the blood-caked horns before they push too deep, the telepath making a quick spin of her upper body to snap the monster’s neck. Blocking a kick with her shin, she jumps to land a crushing heel strike into her taller enemy’s chest. Ribs snap as the beast is sent back, but the blow is not enough to remove it from the fight.
A loud gurgling draws Dariana’s attention to the edge of the clearing and she spots a patch of disturbed dirt moving for one of the archers. Leaping out of the circle of ogres, she sprints toward the hidden demon that is about to strike. The student is unaware of the danger even with the telepath frantically waving her arms and pointing. Worried that she will not make it in time, Dariana slows down enough to let the fastest ogre catch up. She grips the monster’s face and hurls it toward where she believes the burrowing demon will attack. The bulbous creature bursts from the earth, its entire body opening to reveal a gaping mouth that closes on the shrieking ogre instead of the terrified warrior who is only a few inches away. Chewing on the tough meal, the monster retreats from the harmless barrage of arrows and stones. Gurgling and belching, the demon continues its escape until its maw opens and attempts to suck in fresh prey. Everyone grips the nearest tree, but one of the archers slips and hurtles toward the monster. With a thud, the elf hits the ground and stares up at Dariana, who is holding the squirming creature over her head and aiming it at the approaching ogres. Not wanting to get eaten, the hulking beasts crouch and plunge their hands into the earth.
“Fall back until this enemy is dead!” Dariana shouts, making all of the students believe that the demon has escaped her hold. Unknown to them, she has already broken the monster’s circular spine and tossed it into a smoldering fire pit. “Do not bring attention to yourself! I will call you over when the time is right.”
“Didn’t you swear on your family’s honor that they could join the fight once both demons were dead?” asks a small voice from behind the ogres. The brutes move away, revealing a black-haired child wearing a white shirt of silk. “I’m sure they can handle the remaining pieces of fodder. Do you mind if I end your trick?”
Dariana feels a pinch to her mind and her connection to the students is shattered, revealing that only the ogres are left. “They are still outnumbered and inexperienced. As the veteran, I should be the one to face the most amount of danger. Who or what are you? I don’t get the sense that you’re a telepath.”
“I’m so much more than that,” the pale-skinned boy states while he watches the champion leap at the nearest ogre. He steps away from the severed arm that nearly hits him and bends down to poke at the twitching limb. “You lack the grace and finesse I expected. Then again, you didn’t look very well in Bor’daruk. Thank you for the gold coin. Though I have no use for it, I shall treasure it always.”
“You were the one who helped me up,” the telepath says, surprised that she did not recognize him. She sidesteps an ogre, which stumbles toward the boy and is immediately transformed into a tree. “That wasn’t magic or a psychic trick. I don’t recognize you as one of the gods. Not that you could get involved if you were.”
“Very close. Guess again because this game is fun.”
Fearing that a bigger threat has appeared, Dariana quickly reaches out to turn off the ogres’ minds. Two of the beasts fall into comas, but something shatters her telepathic control before she can finish her attack. Not wanting to leave the students to fight alone, the champion rushes toward the nearest enemy. Her punch goes wide when her arm becomes as flexible as rubber, twists to the side, and comes around to slap Dariana in the head. The ogre turns toward the stunned woman and roars in her face before rearing back to smash her head open. With a bone-chilling hiss, the club turns into a thick serpent that swallows its confused owner whole. A psychic burst causes the reptile to explode, the teeth-jarring force sending the telepath flying back.
“Those mortals are fine since I don’t care about them,” the boy says as he pops a piece of amber candy into his mouth. Looking over his shoulder, he narrows his gaze at where Fizzle is working on dismantling the cag
e. “That drite is another story. He can be a nuisance even though he isn’t really part of the game. My hope was to get him with a big revenant in the Caster Swamp, but I couldn’t control the beast. It went in the wrong direction, ate everything, and then went after Sari instead of its real target. Are you trying to turn my brain off? That’s naughty. I’m still angry at you for insulting our family’s honor. Never make an oath on that and break it again or I’ll stop being nice.”
“I’d only worry about that if my family had any honor,” Dariana replies, nervous sweat forming on her brow. She considers throwing a punch, but her enemy’s child-like appearance makes her reconsider. “I get it now. The son of Arthuru Kernaghan and Yola Biggs. I didn’t think our father would send you after us so quickly. Then again, I thought you would still be a toddler. Is it rapid growth or shapeshifting?”
“So rude, big sister. My name is Walter and I’m happy to finally meet you,” the boy declares with a dramatic bow. He abruptly stands up straight and cocks his head as an ebony hue appears in his skin. “I don’t have telepathy like you or even dad. Yet, I can read any thoughts that pertain to me. I’ll always know what you plan on doing. Like now, you want to talk me into standing down. You believe I’m young and innocent, so I obviously have no idea what I’m doing. I’m probably unaware of the repercussions of my actions because of my age and lack of life experiences. That is what you’re thinking, right?”
“Yes.”
“I see that you don’t want to hurt me even though we are enemies.”
“There is still time for you to change sides.”
“You fear me because I’m immune to your powers.”
“That has yet to be proven. Please-”
“I’m bored now.”
Walter puts his hand in his pocket and pulls out a ring that looks to be made out of burned wood. Blackened leaves grow out of the top as he puts it on and makes a fist that is fringed by pink energy, which swiftly turns a putrid green. The yawning boy claps his hands over his head and sends a shockwave rolling through Visindor Forest. The battered students remain on guard as the surviving ogres transform into leafless trees that continue screaming in pain until their mouths are filled in by woody pulp. With the creaking of metal, the triangular cage falls apart and explodes into puffs of snow. Fire pits spark to life and become crimson groves of thorn bushes that drip with a burning poison. As the air becomes more frigid, the last signs of the enemy camp turn into the beginning of a new patch of forest. Dariana watches her little brother fade away, his bare feet sinking into the ground when they are only parts left. Still in shock at the boy’s power, she crouches next to the prints as Fizzle and the prisoners join her.
“Big problem!” the drite shouts as he zips around the telepath. He delivers a solid tap to his friend’s head to bring her attention to Kevin and Duggan, the veterans dressed in the tattered remains of their clothes. “No Selenia. She not here. Fizzle no know where she go. Fizzle not like this!”
“That demon knight took her,” Kevin says, running a hand along the circlet of salt-and-pepper hair. He winces at the pain in his left shoulder and right leg, the old injuries having been aggravated by his uncomfortable containment. “The thing said something about putting a prince through his paces and making another one cry. Only thing I can figure out is that Delvin is one of them. Luke might be the other if the demon knows his relation to Selenia. Honestly, I don’t really care about the details. We need to get back to the academy fast and put a stop to whatever is going on.”
“Looks like we still have a cart over there, but no horses,” Duggan points out while picking twigs out of his grey beard. The blacksmith accepts the offer of a flask from the other dwarf, who frowns when she watches him finish the drink. “Think you can transform, Fizzle? Maybe one of those horned critters that orcs are known to ride. Just narrower, so we can fit the harness onto you.”
“You should stay here,” Dariana recommends before Kevin gets in her face. His black beard and mustache bristle, reminding her of how Nyx’s hair sprouts flames when she is annoyed and becoming overly aggressive. “It is for your own safety. We don’t know if the other ogres and demons have been eliminated like the ones here. More importantly, we don’t know where Selenia has been taken because that demonic knight was not with the army.”
The old warrior snaps his fingers at Fizzle and jerks his thumb at the cart, the drite obediently flying over to inspect the harness. “The two of us have been by Selenia Hamilton’s side through every loss and victory. We’re not letting her face this alone. So, you either get on that cart or we’re leaving your carcass behind.”
“In that case, I will get you there faster than Fizzle.”
Dariana’s hair turns black as she follows Kevin to the cart and helps the veteran climb onto the creaky seat. The others quickly get into the back, all of them feeling the tiny hairs of their body rising out of primal caution. Standing between the shafts, the champion can feel traces of her brother’s power within the mysterious vehicle. A chill runs up her spine when she touches the wood, which is able to withstand her crushing grip. Taking a deep breath, Dariana sprints forward and pulls the cart along the path of destruction.
*****
The battle comes to an abrupt halt when the monster army falls back and kneels to the demon that steps out of the forest. Standing taller than the hulking ogres, the white-armored knight marches toward the academy. Crimson eyes shine behind the visor grating, which creaks and threatens to open with every step. A pair of sabers resembling enlarged versions of Luke’s weapons are at the monster’s hips, the basket hilts now adorned with spikes and the pommel rubies cracked. The enemy’s rocking posture makes it unclear if there is a solid creature within the polished platemail or the suit is really possessed by an incorporeal demon. Wisps of vapor drift from the space between the helmet and breastplate, but the trails vanish too quickly for the mortals to get a clear look at them. As it gets closer, the students can see that the knight’s thudding footsteps leave no prints, which makes them even more nervous. Their attention shifts when the monster stops and reaches under its crimson cape to pull a chained figure out from under the billowing folds.
Selenia Hamilton is shivering from her time in the dimensional void, her breathes coming in ragged gasps as if she barely avoided suffocation. The headmistress is dressed in her usual white shirt and simple pants, which show no signs of being damaged during her imprisonment. To her students’ surprise, her pink hair has grown to the tips of her pointy ears instead of the military cut she had only days ago. When the demon shatters the chains, Selenia drops to the muddy ground and rolls to reveal a patch of blood on her white shirt. The half-elf is struggling to stand when the knight flips her over and violently kicks her in the ribs. The woman does not make a sound as she slams into the academy wall and slides down, the hardened warrior landing on her feet. Thomas and Theresa are immediately by her side, but she pushes them away to take a few steps forward and casually crack her neck.
“I can handle this, Selenia!” Delvin announces, the champion already heading for the demonic knight. He scowls at the sight of the sabers, which he senses are the genuine articles, but with magical alterations. “I’m going to be taking those back. Unless you want to hand them over and retreat.”
A muffled laugh drifts from under the creature’s helmet and it sprouts curved barbs along its metallic arms. Poison drips from the tips and burns into the earth, the holes bubbling with acidic blood that eats at the grass. Gripping his sword, Delvin cautiously walks to his right in case his enemy unleashes a spell that he has to dodge. Having the academy and students behind him will put them in danger, which the champion realizes removes nearly half of the battlefield from his use. Risking a glance at the ogres, he is surprised to see them lumbering through the trees, all of them sprouting branches and patches of green leaves. Taking it as a sign that something is going in his favor, the warrior holds his shield in front of his chest. Delvin prepares to charge at the same time as the
demon, but they do not get more than a single step. A blast of lightning explodes between the combatants and sends them flying away from each other.
“You don’t get the boy until you finish fighting me,” Selenia declares, waving for her protégé to come closer. Another blast from her longsword sends the demon knight further away from the academy, the creature remaining in a crouch. “I’m giving you a chance to retreat, but it won’t do you any good. I plan on hunting you down if you run.”
“What are you doing?” Delvin asks when he gets close enough to whisper. The arched eyebrow and twitching lip of the short woman make his heart stutter, the half-elf’s determination at a level he has never seen before. “You’re injured, Selenia. Let me handle this fight. My enemy is the one who sent this demon here in the first place. Go to the priests and let them heal you. I promise that I’ll be fine.”
“Lend me your shield, Cunningham,” the headmistress sternly requests, holding out her arm for the enchanted armor. She nods to Timoran and Nyx, the pair joining the small group as Delvin does what his mentor has asked. “Thank you. Now, you do make some good points. This demon has a bigger interest in you than me, which means it is meant to be your enemy. On the other hand, that monster threatened my students and damaged my academy. I take those actions very personally, which means it needs to finish its business with me. By the way, I expect that Sword Dragon head to be returned to my office before you go on your next adventure, Ms. Masterson. Yes, I’m pretty sure it was you who did that.”
Delvin holds up a hand to stop Nyx from talking, his eyes narrowing in suspicion. “What aren’t you telling me? This is something you’d never take away from me before. Especially since your ribs are broken and you probably haven’t eaten much in the last few days. You taught me to never enter a fight when you’re at a disadvantage.”
Ritual of the Lost Lamb Page 13
