The Gift of Fury

by Richard Jackson

  I get over myself and the surprise. Meredith has done it to me again. I have a flashback to my fight with the ogre. It seems like the distant past. I remember how Gr’staka hurt my knee. More importantly, I remember how Meredith used him as a sacrifice. What if he could do the same thing to the Servitor? He couldn’t, to sacrifice someone or something you need either a willing victim or the ability to destroy it utterly. In the case of an unwilling victim, you need to be able to kill it. The Servitor would be too powerful for Meredith to kill unless it was weakened. Then it hits me. Hagan is doing just that. He might also be a target for that spell. Once more, I feel like I’ve played into his hands.

  “Don’t you ever get tired of failure?” Meredith asks.

  His words make me flinch. Was this what Hagan was afraid of? While we fought the Servitor, Meredith would be free to do his little sacrifice and cast his ritual. I can feel the rush of energy as Meredith makes a strangling motion with his hands. The Servitor didn’t make a sound in life. In death, its sanity rending wail echoes down the tunnel. I’m out of time. He has all the power he needs to awaken the Seven. I have to stop him but I don’t know how.

  “Do something!!”

  It’s Nerva’s pain wracked voice that motivates me. She is still fighting and here I m standing around doing nothing. It happens purely on instinct. I use what Kara has taught me and all that I have learned about my gift. I focus my will not at Meredith but at the energy around us. He wants to use the power of this place and the Servitor’s sacrifice to awaken the Seven. I deny him. Touching the ring was bad enough, this is far worse. The power of this place and the Servitor’s essence makes my skin crawl. It feels like I am rotting away from the inside out but I don’t stop.

  Meredith grunts in surprise. He scrabbles for a grip on his power before I can pull it from his grasp. His curses fill the air as we play our complex game of tug of war. He matches his knowledge and skill verses my gift and willpower. Even with surprise on my side, it’s not enough. I’m losing. My gift is perfect for this sort of battle but my inexperience is costing me. I’ve never tried to use it like this before. I can delay Meredith but I can’t stop him, not like this, not today. It doesn’t take him long to realize that. He laughs at me. Meredith knows how close to winning he is. Defeat is at most a minute away.

  I remember an old saying – In a race against death, second place is someplace you don’t want to be. It’s true. Second place might sound good but in the end, you’re the one who lost. I can’t let that happen. There is too much at stake. I change tactics and do the unthinkable. I stop fighting him. I use my gift to reach far and wide for every bit of magic I can scrounge and then feed it into Meredith. I help him cast his spell.

  Everyone feels it. It’s like being in a warm cozy house while a blizzard rages outside. Suddenly, some fool throws open the door for no apparent reason to let in the winter chill. This time, I’m the fool doing it. I sense them awakening from their slumber. Slow and lethargic, the Seven begin to rouse themselves ready to make themselves masters of this world. Meredith glows in triumph. The excess energy bathes us both in liquid fire that flows between us. With their awakening, magic becomes stronger giving me even more power to draw upon. Sparks fly from his inscription. His expression turns to fear and desperation as he realizes what I have done. It’s too much power for his purposes. He is losing control and there is nothing he can do about it. Meredith wasn’t ready for something like this. I’ve let go of the rope and he is flying backwards, out of control. He is the one seconds from defeat and I can’t help but smile. It’s small and petty to take pleasure in something like this but I can live with myself for it. He, if any one does, deserves this end and it comes violently in a spectacular blaze of white fire. The flame consumes body and soul. The sound Meredith makes reminds me of the high pitched scream a lobster makes when tossed into a pot of boiling water. No matter how painful it was for him, he got off lucky considering all the death and misery he was responsible for.

  I don’t savor my victory otherwise it will be short lived. I put Meredith and everything else out of my mind. I focus on what I have to do. There is only one chance at this. If I get it wrong, I’ll suffer the same fate as Meredith or worse. I have two things going for me he doesn’t have. The world loses definition, disappearing from sight as I concentrate. There is just the Bloodstone and the power flowing around me. I take hold of them both.

  The Bloodstone was made for this purpose. It responds to my commands, eager to do my bidding. All it needs is power and there is plenty of that around. Even with my gift, it takes all my strength and will to hold onto the power without being consumed by it. The taint that threatened to corrupt me is still there. It burns me from the inside out, making the job that much more difficult. The Bloodstone pulses in time to my heartbeat. It takes all the power I am holding and stores it.

  I take the next step. I use the Bloodstone to undo the damage me Meredith and I have done. The old spell binding the Seven is gone, so I forge a new one. I let my instincts guide me and use the ring to close the door we opened. It’s not a perfect solution. I lack the knowledge and skill to put the Seven back to sleep. I don’t even try. Instead, I focus on the door to their prison. I reinforce it with all the power in the Bloodstone so it will hold them at bay. As I close and lock the door, one of the Seven, more awake than its fellows, makes a lunge forward. I don’t know if it was quick enough or not. It doesn’t matter. I did the best I could do. For the time being, it’s over. The Seven are trapped once more.

  Chapter Twenty Eight

  My awareness of the world around me returns. I catch sight of Nerva. She’s hurt, moving on autopilot right now. Her smile, like her clothes have seen better days. I try not to notice just how much blood is on her and the bruises that mar her beauty. She’s been punched, stabbed and slashed. It makes me wonder how well Fitzgerald fared. Then I see an arm that has been ripped out of its socket. The knife is still clutched in its hand. Its owner lies in a crumpled mass a dozen feet away. I don’t remember hearing Fitzgerald scream but he must have. No one could take that sort of punishment and remain silent. His remaining limbs are all in impossible angles and there is a ragged hole in his chest. Hagan would approve.

  “I’ll check on Hagan while you finish up here” She says. I watch her go, wondering what she means by that. There is nothing more to do down here. Fitzgerald and Meredith are dead. She saw to the Fae and I took care of Meredith. His body is burned and blackened from the magic he was channeling. It lies where he fell, in the center of his magic circle. He has paid the price for his ambitions. I am about to leave when I notice a wisp of smoke float up from the corpse. A second later, there is another one. With a start, I realize he is still alive. After all this, Meredith is still alive and trying to speak. I don’t know how or why. Even worse, I don’t know if I can put him out of his and my misery.

  “I’m dying,” He rasps. It is so tempting to tell him to do it faster. Instead, I move closer to hear his last words. “I was wrong.”

  I should gloat but I can’t find it in me to do so. I have no words for this man who has taught me to hate. It wouldn’t matter. He’s not really speaking to me. His words are to make his last moments more bearable.

  “It was never about the Bloodstone. It was always about you and me,” He makes a wet coughing sound that passes for laughter. “I couldn’t have done it without you. Together, we ushered in my new world. They are awake and they won’t rest until they are free.”

  I want to call him a liar. I can’t. It’s the truth. They won’t rest until they are free. It’s all a matter of when and how unless someone finds a way to put them to sleep again. Meredith’s lips crack and split as he leers at me.

  “The longest road, you’ll walk it to stop them. You will only find death at the end of your journey,” His coughing continues, changing from humor to a death rattle. I watch him die, just to make sure then waste a few more seconds, bidding farewell to Meredith. When I am done spitting on his corpse, I
realize Kara hasn’t returned to me. I turn and race up the tunnel, fearing the worse.

  ***

  The Servitor is gone. I find Hagan lying near the cave entrance in a pool of blood. Nerva sits close by him, cradling his head in her lap. I don’t have any formal medical training but I know he’s in a bad way. Usually, it’s the bad guys who do the dying, not my friends. It’s funny in a tragic sort of way. This all started with me getting the Bloodstone from Hagan. It looks like it is going to end that way. Kara is there, visible to the three of us as I crouch down next to my friend. What do you say to someone who is dying? How can you put into words all the things you feel in a sentence or two? Hagan does it for me.

  “This was the battle I was looking for. Thank you.”

  He takes his last breath with a smile and dies with no regrets. I look up at Kara. There are tears in her eyes. “What now?”

  “I must escort Hagan to Vahalla,” She sees my expression and murmurs. “It’s not what you think. This isn’t goodbye. I will be back when I can.”

  I nod slowly, rising to kiss her softly. I am sad to see her go but happy she will return. “I’ll wait for you.”

  Kara shakes her head. “You can’t. There is much to do. You have to get moving. There are lessons you need to learn,” She smiles. “I’ll catch up to you.”

  A final kiss then she and Hagan are gone. Nerva looks at me curiously before murmuring “So that’s her,” She smiles as I help her up. Her injuries force her to lean on me for support. “No wonder you’re so hard to corrupt.”

  ***

  We exit avoiding the police who are arriving on the scene. Jennifer must have called them. I think about phoning her then decide against it. She has enough to do right now. It will put off having to answer her questions. I’m not up to it right now. All I want to do is go home and crash but I can’t. There is a lot to do.

  My offer to drive earns me a dirty look from Nerva. No one drives her mustang but her. We drive to my place in silence. She stays just under the speed limit and doesn’t take any chances. Nerva just wants to get me home in one piece. It’s probably the safest she has even driven. As we pull, she breaks the silence.

  “I know that look, Count.”

  I flash Nerva a smile, hoping it is not as tired as I feel. It’s the best I can do in the present circumstances. I’m thinking about Hagan and what Kara said. I have things to do.

  “Can you and Sol keep an eye on my place while I’m gone?”

  Nerva takes a hand off the wheel long enough to pinch me before replying. “Of course, but you’ll owe me one,” She says.

  “Will I ever get out of debt?”

  “Not in this lifetime.”

  ***

  Nerva doesn’t say good bye. It’s not her style. Instead, she steals a kiss. It’s almost enough to make me stick around longer. I don’t promise to keep in touch. I don’t have to. We’ve been friends long enough to know I’ll call when I can and she’ll answer when she can. Who could ask for anything more?

  As I climb the stairs up to my apartment, I think about my next move. Meredith talked about the Longest Road. I don’t know what it’s all about. I just know I need to learn more about it and the Seven before I decide on a course of action. There will be others looking to follow in Meredith’s footsteps. Something has to be done about them. By the time, I walk into my apartment I know how and where to start. It doesn’t take long to pack a few things for the trip. I planned for something like this a while back when I first got in trouble with the law. I have enough cash left over from my last case to travel but not in style. It’ll have to do.

  When I leave my place, the sun is just coming up. I can hear the birds singing. It is morning and the dawn of a new day, maybe even a new era. Kara was right. I have a lot of things to do and more importantly learn. Whether the Longest Road is part of it or not remains to be seen. I am almost to the corner when Jennifer’s car pulls up alongside of me.

  “Are you going to take me in or something?”

  It’s a valid question. I look into Jennifer’s eyes as she opens the door for me. “No,” she says. She’s telling the truth yet I hesitate. I don’t know where things will take me or the dangers I might have to face. Do I want to drag her along? My knee makes the decision for me, riding is better than walking. I slide into the passenger seat. “Where to?” she asks.

  I smile. “I’ll think of something but west is as good a direction as any.”

  Bonus Story: The Path Taken

  Bonus Story: The Path Taken

  “It’s good to be out of the city.”

  It’s a thought and feeling echoed by my guardian angel. Ever since I got back to from my trip, I have been out of sorts. I tried to go back to my usual routine but it hasn’t worked out. It’s like I’ve been trying to fit a square peg into a round hole.

  “Don’t worry, Count. You’re just adjusting to your new life.”

  Kara’s voice reassures me more than her words do. All of my friends and co-workers were clueless. Only Orion understood. He considered himself a shaman. He wasn’t pretentious about it. I always respected his words, beliefs and feelings while others looked down on them. When I got back from Oklahoma, he knew there was something different about me. I didn’t have to tell him about Kara or what happened on the road. He just knew that I needed to find my way.

  Orion said that he knew the perfect place for me to visit. I wasn’t quite so sure about that but there was no arguing with him. I’m less sure when I get off the bus. This is the second bus trip this month that has led to the unexpected.

  The bus stop is along a deserted and unwelcoming stretch of road. The driver doesn’t give me time to reconsider my decision. The bus pulls off in a hurry eager to continue on its way and leave me behind. Kara makes a noise of discontent as we watch it go. We’re committed. The next bus wouldn’t be along till the morning.

  It is close to sunset when I find what I am looking for. The driveway is overgrown and stretched into the forest. A battered wooden sign reads: Welcome to Stone Mountain. Orion had given me a little history lesson before I left New York. Back in the 30s and 40s, Stone Mountain was something of a winter hotspot. Its location close to the Hudson River and major roadways made it easy to get to. People would come from miles around to ski down one of the three trails here. When the World War II started, the place died. People had more important things to do than ski. Stone Mountain suffered a mortal wound that it never recovered from. Some of Orion’s friends pooled their resources and brought the land.

  Like the driveway, the area that was once the resort’s parking lot is overgrown. Kara’s voice is getting easier to hear especially with night approaching. Her presence is something else that I need to make sense of. I can hardly believe it sometimes that’s when I get the feeling we are not alone.

  “Good,” she asks “You can feel it too.”

  “Yes,” I murmur. It takes me a moment to spot the slightly overweight man walking out of the forest. There is nothing out of the ordinary about him except for his lack of clothing. It’s late November and he is dressed only in a simple dark brown vest and pants. No shoes protect his feet yet he walks sure footed across the parking lot. In his hands, a set of wooden pipes can be seen. As he nears me, something changes. Whatever illusion that was cloaking him wavers and dissipates. His features don’t change much except for his eyes which seem to twinkle and glitter in the darkening light. The ears are now pointed though not enough to call attention away from his goat legs and hooves. Instead of pants, he wears a loin cloth that matches his brown vest.

  “You’re a satyr?” My voice sounds squeaky even to my own ears. It gets a laugh out of my goat legged friend.

  “And you are pretty observant for one of your kind. You may call me Nightbringer,” he says.

  “And you can call me Count.”

  “Is that a name or a title?” he asks with a smile.

  “It’s a name. I’m a friend of Orion,” I say, finally getting over some of my nervous
ness.

  “Ah, someone else with a strange name but not a stranger,” Nightbringer turns and heads back into the woods. “If you’re a friend of his, you’re welcome to guest at my camp for as long as you like.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Just mind your manners,” He warns.

  Without another word, I follow Nightbringer deeper into the woods as Kara murmurs “He’s right. You need to be careful.”

  “Why? Orion wouldn’t send us into danger without a warning,” I reply, careful to internalize my words.

  “He didn’t tell you what you were getting into either. Maybe, he doesn’t know,” Kara pauses for a moment as if she is taking a deep breath or figuring out the best way to tell me something. “Count, you’re still new at this and the Fae…. They can be hard to deal with.”

  “Hey, I’m not quite helpless, you know.”

  Nightbringer picks this moment to interrupt my talk with Kara with a question of his own. “So, how was it that you could see through my Glamour? Are you a sorcerer?”

  I answer with his question with one of my own “The Glamour?”

  “It’s the way we use magic. Part enchantment, part illusion and part act of creation, we Fae can use it to shape the world around us and the perceptions of those who walk through our lands.”

  I nod, remembering all the stories about the Fae and their magic. The story of Cinderella and how her fairy god mother turned a pumpkin into a carriage comes to mind.