Shining Armor

by Halle Dean

  "I do," she said, stepping forward and letting the door close behind them. "I know you won't let me down."

  "Never again," he promised.

  She took a deep breath and looked around. He followed her gaze and saw a number of strange objects. Only about half of them made any sense to him, but he knew they were all powerful and dangerous in the wrong hands. He had purposely avoided the place, knowing he would be tempted to use many of the items. If he lost control of himself while in possession of even one of them, it could be disastrous.

  "This place is strange," Sophie whispered. Warner nodded. The air was thick with magic and it made his head feel a bit fuzzy. Once he was in the room, he very much wanted to investigate everything, but he restrained himself. He looked down at Sophie, who had stepped forward without his guidance. "What is all of this?"

  "Dangerous," he warned. He tried to reach out and grab her shoulder before she got too far, but his hand was stopped by an invisible force. "Sophie, stop!"

  She paused with her arm outstretched towards a glowing, green sphere. "What?" she asked, seeming slightly distracted. She blinked slowly and looked around. "Warner?"

  "You must not touch anything," he said firmly. "Ignore everything else and go to that chest on the table in the corner."

  She blinked again, seeming to break out of the trance. "Of course," she said. "Is that where the library is?"

  "Yes," he said. "But don't touch it. You need only be close to it." She did as he said, but when she neared the small chest, she stumbled backwards and fell. Warner instinctively jumped forward to catch her, but smacked into the barrier spell. "Ouch," he grumbled. "Sophie, are you hurt?"

  "S-sorry," she said, getting to her feet. "I'm all right. I was simply overwhelmed."

  "I should have warned you," he said. "It can be intense when you don't have proper training."

  "That's all right," she said. "I can handle it. It was simply surprising." She stepped back up to the chest, but held her head in her hands.

  Look what you're doing to her, other Warner's voice taunted.

  Ugh, Warner groaned inwardly. I was enjoying your absence.

  Your daughter isn't here, other Warmer pointed out.

  Perhaps I should have kept her with me, Warner mused.

  But then I wouldn't get to see all these lovely things, other Warner said.

  "Warner," Sophie whimpered.

  She's not going to die, is she?

  "Are you all right?" Warner asked. "Is it too much?"

  "I don't know," she said. "But I'm learning important things."

  He's here! other Warner alerted.

  Warner was already turning, feeling the strong magical presence behind him. Barry stood only a few feet away. Warner tried to attack, but found himself unable to use magic. Barry swiped his arm diagonally and Warner felt the deep gash carved into his chest. He cried out and heard Sophie gasp behind him.

  "Warner!"

  "Silence," Barry snapped at her. "I'll address you in a moment."

  Warner couldn't think straight through the intense pain he was feeling. It had been a while since he had been injured so severely. His hands clutched at the open wound, staining them red. He knew he had to do something, but he was losing blood fast and couldn't use magic.

  I'm going to die, he thought.

  How tragic, other Warner said apathetically.

  I can't protect Sophie if I die.

  Then get up, other Warner prompted.

  "Yes..." Warner mumbled.

  He had not even realized he had fallen to his knees. Trying to come up with a plan that didn't involve dying, he looked over at Sophie. She was clearly terrified. Warner had to save her, to stop her from ever making that face again, but he had no strength. He was useless.

  You are so pathetic, other Warner said scathingly. She'll die, you know? If you don't get up now, she will die.

  Warner could hear Sophie calling to him, but it seemed like he was hearing her from underwater.

  Am I drowning? Warner wondered.

  No, you fool, other Warner said. You're fainting. Stop it.

  Stop it, Warner repeated in thought. No time to sleep. No time to bleed out.

  A small, wooden chest suddenly skidded across the floor, stopping in front of him. Before he could process what it was, knowledge assaulted his brain. Everything he needed to know to survive was invading his mind. Hope, and adrenaline, rushed through him as the last few pieces fell into place. He stood and threw his arms out to either side of him, dispelling the magic suppressing spell that had been cast.

  "I've had enough," Warner said, ignoring his splitting headache and the pain in his chest. "It's time to die, Barry."

  "Quite," the old sorcerer agreed with a grin.

  Warner knew things he had never even thought possible. He could dissolve magical barriers and counteract magic suppression. He had knowledge on several types of magic he had never heard of. Barry made another sweeping gesture with his arm, but Warner was prepared. He used his newfound knowledge to vaporize the magic energy used in Barry's attack.

  "You learn very quickly," Barry said. "I've always hated that."

  Warner didn't speak, choosing to attack instead. He tried slicing, fire, lightning, and ice magic, but Barry countered them all easily. Warner realized that both of them had all the same knowledge, and Barry had known it for far longer. It would be difficult to surprise him. Warner wished he could go into The Void and regroup, but he couldn't leave Sophie.

  "Sophie!" he gasped, remembering she had touched the knowledge chest. She must have been the one to toss it to him. He looked over and saw her lying on the ground. At once, he waved the barrier out of his way and ran to her, turning his back on a momentarily surprised Barry. "Sophie, are you alive?"

  "Run," she said weakly. He knelt beside her and scooped her up in his arms, staining her clothes with his blood. "You must—"

  "I told you not to touch it," he scolded, ignoring her plea. "There's too much magical energy surrounding it. It's made you weak."

  It did help, though, other Warner justified.

  Warner felt a piercing pain in his back and doubled over Sophie involuntarily.

  "Warner, please. Go to Ella. Where is she?"

  His blood ran cold as he remembered that he still had others to protect. If Barry had gotten in, that meant that James and Layla were in trouble, if not dead. Ella and Melody should have been outside the door, but Barry hadn't used the door. Did that mean that they were still safe? He was full of uncertainty about what his next course of action should be.

  Leave, other Warner said.

  How? Warner asked him desperately.

  The Void, other Warner instructed.

  But Sophie—

  Other Warner cut him off with an exasperated sigh. You are going to die in the next few moments, unless you go now. She knows that.

  I-I don't care, Warner thought back. I have to—

  You fool! other Warner scoffed. I know you realize that you are the only one that stands a chance against Barry.

  Warner could feel himself trembling.

  "I promised to protect you," he whispered. The sound of Barry's footsteps told him that he was out of time. "I—"

  "It's all right." Sophie reached up to touch his cheek, which—like much of the rest of him—was splattered with blood.

  "It's not," he argued angrily, tears blurring his vision.

  "You're always so resilient," Barry said. Warner cried out as he felt the next attack carve a deep gash into his left shoulder. His arm fell limp and he dropped Sophie's legs. "George thought we didn't stand a chance against you," Barry went on. "I'll prove him wrong."

  Now is the time to leave, other Warner suggested.

  I can't, Warner thought.

  There's no way to save her! other Warner insisted. Stop being a selfish bastard!

  What? Warner asked in surprise.

  If you die, everyone dies, other Warner reminded him. If you leave, only Sophie dies. Choosing to die
here simply so that you didn't abandon her is selfish.

  But—Warner tried to argue.

  Besides, other Warner said, if you don't survive now, he'll kill everyone. Not only you. Sophie will die either way.

  But, I can't—

  Warner's internal argument was cut short by Sophie pushing herself away from him. She rolled onto the floor and promptly vanished from sight.

  "Sophie!" he exclaimed.

  "Damn," Barry said. "She is capable of that, then?"

  "Where—"

  "She bent the light," Barry grumbled. "I didn't realize she was capable of illumination magic in the first place."

  There, other Warner said. She's safe. Now, go.

  Warner was stunned for a short moment. Barry grabbed him by the back of the shirt and hoisted him to his feet. Warner's arm hung limply at his side as Barry spun him around.

  "It matters very little," Barry continued, glaring at Warner. "Once I'm through with you, I'll find her. She will not escape."

  Warner's anger flared up. He used all the strength he could muster to swing his leg around and kick Barry in the stomach. The old man was sent reeling, obviously unprepared for a physical attack. Praying that Sophie could escape unseen, Warner vanished himself into The Void.

  Twenty Nine

  Lethargy

  When Layla awoke, she was more than a little confused to find herself on the floor, in the dark. The last thing she remembered was standing beside James in the hall. Strange-feeling ropes cut into her wrists and bound her legs. "Well, this is wonderful," she snapped.

  "I must disagree," James' voice said from a few feet to her left.

  "James!" she said, relieved to hear his voice. "Are you all right?"

  "Not particularly," he said. "I failed at keeping Barry away from the closet. You were captured again. My head hurts. I think I'm bleeding in several places. And, if all that wasn't bad enough, we're wrapped in vines."

  "Vines?" she repeated.

  "Yes," he said. "Perhaps a variant of the Sweet Memories plant, but without the sweetness. It could be… Lethargy? I don't know how they got ahold of such a thing, but I can't think of what else would make me feel this way."

  "What do you mean?"

  He sighed. "We're going to die."

  His tone of voice was so resigned it made her blood run cold. "Will you simply lie there and let them kill us?" she asked.

  "There's nothing I can do."

  "You can't give up!" she exclaimed, starting to panic.

  "I don't have a choice," he said. "The vines are creeping along my legs and arms. They'll kill me soon enough." Layla's eyes had adjusted to the low light and she could see the vines wrapping around her. "You'll never break free from them," James said as she began to struggle against them. "They can't be torn or stretched, only cut."

  "Then use slicing magic!"

  "I can't," he said. "My arms are pinned to my sides." She looked over to see that the vines were covering him much more than they were covering her. He was still lying on the ground, not even having bothered to sit up, like she had.

  "There must be something you can do," she said.

  "Perhaps there is," he said. "But it won't be worth the effort."

  "You're going to die!"

  "Yes," he said. "I can already feel the vines stealing my life force. It won't be long now."

  Layla felt tears welling up. "James, please," she said. She could feel the vines beginning to constrict as they climbed over her. Her emotions were running especially high. "Why are you being this way?"

  "The Lethargy plant." He looked over at her, his expression blank. "Usually, I'd be fighting. I can't let you die."

  "Focus on that then!" she said. "I don't wish to die! And I don't wish for you to die either!"

  "And why would that be?"

  "Because, I love you!"

  "Oh." His apathetic tone irritated her. "I believe your vines aren't Lethargy. They seem to be intensifying your emotions."

  "I don't care what the vines are doing!" she shouted. "Get them off of us."

  "It's too late—"

  "It's not too late!" she interrupted, still struggling to free herself from the killer plant. "You are not allowed to die! I forbid it!"

  James raised his eyebrows. "Everyone dies at some point."

  Tears stung Layla's eyes, but she yanked harder against her restraints. She remembered James telling her of a time he escaped bound wrists by breaking his thumb. The thought made her feel sick and she wasn't even sure if his story was true, but she had no other ideas. Oh, this will hurt, she thought. She tried to prepare herself, but she wasn't able to hold back a scream of pain.

  "Layla!" James exclaimed, his voice finally breaking out of monotone.

  "It—it didn't work!" she gasped in disbelief, tugging at her now useless hand as the vines constricted. "They're only holding tighter!"

  "Layla, what did you—"

  "Why are you so loud?" an annoyed voice said. "This was meant to be a quiet death."

  Several torches blazed to life along the walls and Layla squinted against the light. Her eyes adjusted, though it was still hard to see through her tears. The owner of the voice turned out to be the horrible man who had tortured her before. Layla felt the phantom sting of the healed wounds he had magically carved into her. She tried to back away, gasping in pain as her injured hand was squeezed tighter by the vines.

  "You bastard," James spat. Layla saw he was finally sitting up and struggling against the Lethargy plant.

  "Hmm," Edric said, glaring down at James. "This plant has failed, I see. I suppose I must kill you myself."

  As he stepped towards James, Layla felt overwhelming panic. She couldn't breathe or think straight. "Please, no!"

  "Silence," Edric sneered. "This has nothing to do with you."

  "Then why is she here?" James growled.

  Edric shrugged. "She had the misfortune of being useful. Now she has the misfortune of no longer being useful. So…" He moved his arm to point at Layla.

  "I'll do anything you wish if you release her!" James interjected. Edric raised his eyebrows and dropped his arm slightly in surprise. "Anything," James repeated.

  "James—" Layla started to protest.

  "Quiet."

  "Don't be a fool!" she insisted.

  James ignored her and stared at Edric. "You must release her now and allow her to reach her home safely."

  "This bargain does not lean in my favor," Edric said. "How am I to trust that you'll do as I say once she's free? No, I'll make this easier." Before Layla knew what was happening, the vines around her arms and legs were severed. She cried out in pain as Edric gripped her broken hand and yanked her to her feet. "If you don't do as I say, I'll continue where I left off with her when you took her place."

  Edric swiped his finger across her cheek and she felt a horrible stinging. She cried out and tried to pull away, but Edric only held tighter to her injured hand.

  "No, stop!" James pleaded, pulling desperately against the vines. "I'll do what you ask!"

  "You've overestimated your usefulness. The only thing I desire of you is your death."

  "Very well," James said. "If you release her."

  "What?" Layla asked, forgetting her physical pain for the moment. "James, no..."

  Edric scowled. "What fun is there if you don't fight?"

  "You're a sick bastard," Layla said.

  Edric ignored her. "Perhaps the Lethargy is working," he mused. With that, he swiped his arm in an arc, towards James, and the vines were all cut. James and Layla watched in shock as they fell away. "I'm itching for a fight with a former Knight of Coriander. I suppose you'll do."

  James leapt to his feet at once, stumbling a bit, but recovering quickly. "Let us fight, then!"

  He made a strange gesture, then looked surprised when nothing happened. Edric let out a cruel laugh. "No magic," he said. "You'll fight like a knight. Let us see if you still know how to wield a sword."

  Edric waved his arm and
sent him crashing into the stone wall of the room. He was quick to his feet, but Layla could tell that he was more than a little hurt. She saw bruises on his arms from the vines, along with blood seeping through his shirt. Even if he had kept up practicing swordplay, he was at a serious disadvantage in his injured state. Nonetheless, he picked up the sword Edric conjured at his feet.

  "Let us make this quick," James said, staring Edric down as he raised the sword.

  Edric drew his own sword and prepared to fight, tossing Layla unceremoniously to the side. She smacked her head against the wall and fell to the ground. James began to move towards her, concern in his eyes. Edric took advantage of his distraction by lunging forward. James barely managed to block the attack, which would certainly have been fatal. Layla struggled against unconsciousness. She had a terrible headache and her dizziness forced her to remain on the floor.

  James was only just managing to keep himself alive in the fight. He had several deep cuts and his reactions were getting slower and slower. Layla drifted in and out of consciousness, wondering why she felt so weak. The door crashed open, startling her into opening her eyes again. James and Edric both seemed surprised as they looked to the doorway.

  Mason stumbled into the room, looking as though he might drop dead. He was covered in blood, probably his own, seeing as he had numerous cuts and wounds all over him. His skin was pale from blood loss, but he was standing upright, for the most part, and raising his sword.

  "Captain," Edric greeted unconcernedly. "You're looking well."

  "Shut your mouth," Mason snapped. "Paisley, kill him now."

  Edric spun to block James' attack, but Mason leapt forward at the same time. As James' sword clashed against Edric's, Mason's was aimed at the back of the king's neck. Layla closed her eyes, sure that she would really faint if she watched. Edric made a terrible noise, which was followed by a loud thud.

  "Ah," James breathed. "That is… disgusting."

  "I had to be sure he died this time," Mason said.

  "He seems… quite dead," James said with a nervous laugh. "Thank you."