The pain suffused Tyler’s entire being. It invaded every pore of his body, burning its way into places the mage didn’t know he had. He would have embraced losing consciousness. But the energy kept him awake and standing while it attacked his senses and set his nerves aflame. Tyler could feel his veins burning with the power. He dimly heard Hal shouting at him.
“Elder! Your bones! Course the energy through them! Force your will! We are storing it, but it must be channeled through your bones if you are to survive!”
Shit! Am I going to die? A dispassionate part of himself asked the question. Tyler could again observe the phenomenon of his mind separating into compartmentalized but connected parts. The unflustered side started to direct his will on the incoming energy, forcing his resolve on the mighty tide of power. A portion of his mind was soundlessly howling in pain. His world was pain. He didn’t know if he was screaming on the outside too.
The mage immediately stopped the spell. Only a few seconds had passed.
Slowly, as he forced the power through his bones, Tyler could feel the pressure lessen though the pain was still excruciating. The mage could sense it surging through his bones. As the power filled him, a new sensation arose. Mixed with the terrible pain. Exhilaration. Bliss. He stopped the spell and opened his eyes. His vision had changed. He could see with unearthly quality what was happening before him. Most of the mages were lying down on the ground in various death poses. Some mages were crawling back to the main host.
Most of the unmoving mages were in weirdly stricken poses, as if they were turned to statues. The angles of their arms and legs together with the expressions of those who died facing him revealed agonizing death in the few seconds Tyler’s spell was active. There were mounds of dust among loincloths, capes, and colorfully feathered bonnets. Eztli was on his back, body covered with blood, as if the red fluid was suddenly and forcibly excreted through all the pores of his body. The other champion was also crumpled nearby, but his body was burning. The fire was unnatural. Green and purple flashes could be seen in its angry blaze which was rapidly turning the corpse into ashes. Some warriors have fallen, unmoving where they lay. Others were lying down, screaming their throats out. Many Aztecah fighters had already taken several steps back, terrified of the bizarre and terrible scene.
Tyler’s eyes went to where Yayauhqui slammed to the ground. With a shock, he saw the witch’s body was gone, replaced by a black thin and wasted caricature of a human being. It looked like a long-dead cadaver. Her face was skeletal and the long black tresses of her hair were now a few strands clinging to the skull. She slowly rose, her clothes falling to the ground. A curling wisp of the green-black energy clung to her, covering the body as it swirled around the witch. He watched the creature slowly float to a standing position. It turned in his direction and pointed her hands at him, apparently trying to cast a spell. Nothing happened.
Low ambient energy field, the mage blearily concluded.
The mage noticed the ridge of the low hills was gone and had collapsed in a tumbled mass of churned earth. The stone bridge was gone, fallen back into the ravine. Long cracks lined the road, all the way up to the temple. The devastation on the other side of the crossing revealed a wasteland. The Aztecah were in confused disarray. All he could see through the dust clouds on the far side were crawling and running figures. Gone was the grassland with its sea of green, replaced with irregular outlines of tossed brown earth and gray stone.
The entire area must be saturated with magical energy. Probably for agricultural purposes during the town’s existence.
Around the mage, some ruined walls and previously standing structures had finally fallen. Fallen trees and uprooted vegetation covered cracks in the ground on their side of the bridge. The effects of the spell evidently extended across the ravine. The mage took a quick glance at the temple behind him. It was still standing though chunks of stone had fallen off. Clouds of dust surrounded the mage. He could hear his companions coughing. As he observed what was Yayauhqui, the mage could see the erratic movements of the witch as she glided towards him. Worryingly, he could see that the skeletal figure had gained a bit of mass.
“Burn her.” A voice sounded in his head. The mage was desperately trying to clear his head. The surge of power had the effect of intoxicating him. The pain had receded to a persistent throbbing. The exhilaration was vanishing.
“What?” Tyler voiced the question out loud.
“Burn her. The corruption that animates her is defenseless. Burn her. Quickly.”
Immediately, he flung a fireball at the approaching figure. But instead of a fireball, one massive stream of fire came into existence in front of him, instantaneously crossed the ravine, and covered the witch with a huge pillar of flame. The torrent of concentrated fire didn’t disappear. It stayed in place until the mage stopped the spell. Tyler was dumbfounded, the unexpected occurrence punching through his muddled mind.
Strangely, he could hear the burning being scream. But no sound came from it. The huge influx of energy had momentarily elevated his awareness and power a level higher, enabling him to hear and see a lot more than what his enhanced senses normally provided. But he could feel it was just all energy, swirling in an undirected and chaotic mass. No focus. No managed path. No knowledge to help it find a channel. At this rate, Tyler realized he wouldn’t be able to use any of his abilities for fear of what the immense power would create. A small lightning bolt directed at an individual target might result in a torrent of electricity powerful enough to destroy the objective and everything for miles beyond.
Shit. It’s like being dressed up with nowhere to go. The mage remembered the voice. In his state of mind then, the mage couldn’t identify who it was, but it sounded familiar. He turned his attention to the immediate problem. The immense power that still waited within him, unfettered in its roiling essence. It was continuing to affect the clarity of his thinking and even his physical movements. Tyler knew he was staggering. He was also finding it difficult to coordinate his arms and legs. His muscles still ached terribly.
“Guys, please reduce the available energy.”
Tyler felt a lessening of the pressure buffeting him straightaway. The fog clouding his awareness dissipated. He got back control of his extremities. The mage took a deep breath. In front of him, what was Yayauhqui was still burning. The fiery tower was gone and he didn’t know if the continued flames were because of the witch or because of the peculiar adhesiveness of his magical fire, enhanced by the massive influx of power.
Forget it, he thought. The more it burns, the better. Freaking zombie.
He continued watching what remained of the Aztecah host for a while. The thick dust still shrouded the enemy, but from what he could glimpse, it was evident that the fight had gone out of them. Some were trying to dig their comrades from under mounds of earth and rock. Others were busy treating the wounded. He could also see groups running off the battlefield in the direction from whence they came.
A very loud hacking cough caught his attention. It was Tyndur. Covered in dust and still watching over the mage. Tyler walked to the einherjar.
“You’ve lost your pretty face, Tyndur,” Tyler joked wearily. Now that the battle appeared over, adrenaline loss reminded him of exhausted and painful muscles. Even a hastily cast healing spell didn’t address the problem. Though he felt better. A bit. The mage knew he needed to rest and assess what the power surge and energy intake did to him. But he could sense that the two constructs were busy. The mere fact that the actions of the two registered in his mind made the observation singularly accurate. And worrying.
“Powdered and dusted, sire. It appears we won,” came the reply.
“By desperate measures, Tyndur. I don’t think you would want to know how desperate. Keep watching them. The bridge is out, but it wouldn’t hurt to keep an eye on them. I’ll go see the two.”
“Of course, sire. Those Aztecah bastards are not only powerful but also tricky.”
Tyler left the man t
o his task and proceeded to the two women. As he had instructed, Asem had moved the Valkyrie from the ruined wall and was now crouching at Astrid’s side. Tyler knelt beside the priestess. He could see that the dust had only covered them partially. Asem had the presence of mind to use a cape as cover. The ruined wall where they took shelter before had fallen.
“How is she?” asked Tyler.
“Recovering. But still extremely weak. Whatever that energy was, it took a lot out of her. I have been continuously casting healing spells. I have no idea of what the problem is. But for some reason, the energy available in the area seemed to drop suddenly,” replied Asem while looking at the mage.
“Later, Asem. I know you have questions. But can Astrid be moved? Let’s say up to that temple? It appears all the structures here are now deathtraps. The quakes would have made sure of that.”
“She can be moved, First Mage. But the temple? We haven’t checked it yet. Who knows what’s waiting for us?”
“No time like the present, Asem. Unfortunately, that’s the only structure now which can provide us with a reliable roof over our heads. And give us time to examine Astrid’s illness thoroughly.”
“And the enemy?”
“We kicked them in their tepolli. I doubt if they pose any danger now. Being in the open does put us in an exposed position. The elements and whatever beasts roam this ruin are still considerations. Tyndur will carry her. Guard the rear and I will lead the way.”
“As you command, First Mage.”
“And again my thanks, Asem. For saving my worthless ass back on that hill and for saving Astrid. But do call me ‘sire’ like the others.”
“No need for thanks, sire. You would have done the same things if our positions were reversed.”
“That reminds me. How did you follow us so quickly?”
“The priests of Lord Viracocha informed me the moment you departed Hellas. I decided to follow your group, wondering why you didn’t proceed to the temple first.”
“The priests have their own travel stones?”
“No, First Mage. I am my father’s daughter. I have my ways. Some sort of barrier prevented me from appearing on that hill. I had to manifest some distance away. But I have been in that temple before in search of knowledge. The deity Viracocha is an icon of such wisdom. Known and respected even in Kemet. Though quite parsimonious in sharing lore, I have to say.”
“You can fast travel?” asked the now interested mage.
“My father’s gift. The knowledge, I mean. But I can only bring myself.”
“Unfortunate,” observed Tyler. “We could have left this place. We appear trapped here. The bridge is down and it seems to be the only way out of here. Anyway, first things first. The temple,” replied Tyler as he stood up.
After informing the einherjar, the group walked up to the temple, taking care to avoid the numerous cracks in the road. Some were wide and deep, enough to swallow a man. The mage led the way, barriers in place, and he was wary about wild animals coming back from where they fled during the earthquakes. But they made it to the temple grounds without incident.
But Tyler felt something strange the closer they got to the temple. He could sense a distortion in the magical field. Not the corruption experienced with the Aztecah witch but more of gaps and irregularities in the ambient energy field. He was concerned about it enough to disturb the two guides.
“Guys, there appears to be something abnormal in the magical field around here. Do you sense it?”
“Yes, Elder. We are analyzing the event. It seems a great part of the natural terrain had been removed and cut off from the rest resulting in the distortions, but we could not determine where the lost part is now located. But we can conclude that the field around here is unstable.”
“Now that’s weird. Please keep alert. I know you’re busy, but this is unknown territory we are getting into.”
“As you command. Though we have to inform you that analyzing the corruption is proving difficult. The excess energy has been stored in dimensional pockets. The corruption we have isolated was also contained following our protocols about such dangerous elements. But we believe that the base element of the temple corruption and that of the witch is the same.”
“Thanks.”
The temple courtyard was a vast one and enclosed by low stone walls, all overrun by vines and other vegetation. He could see some walls have fallen leaving gaps in the enclosure. From the massive arch of the entrance to the temple complex, it was a straight two hundred feet to the gaping maw of its opened gates.
Strangely, the temple resisted his attempt to investigate it. It stopped his efforts to look inside using his ability to flow with the ambient energy field, though it didn’t show any life signs in the open area bounded by the walls. Portions of the paved path of ancient stone leading to the temple entrance were cracked and the avenue itself was lined with low stone idols sculpted in the Incan abstract style. Little remained of the original colors painted on them and some effigies had fallen off their pedestals. The open area on both sides of the approach each had a raised round structure with fallen and rotting timbers around them. Must be wells, he thought as the group continued walking.
But the closer they got to the pyramidal temple, Tyler noticed that it began to get quiet. It was as if they were entering a cone of silence surrounding the shrine. He saw that a series of steps were built into the façade of the structure. But for an ancient temple, the stone material was surprisingly well preserved. Through the crawling vegetation, he could see weathered but still solid stone blocks. Except for the portions which fell during the duration of the area energy draining spell he cast against the Aztecah.
As they got to the open double-paneled gates made of now rusting iron, torches suddenly flared to life, illuminating a narrow corridor which leads deeper into the temple. The way the passageway was angled, it was clear it went down to the bowels of the structure. Tyler halted and looked at his companions. Both Asem and Tyndur nodded, though he noticed the priestess had brought out her khopesh. Her right hand held the unique weapon while her left grasped her staff.
Amid the unnatural quiet, the group walked down the corridor, their steps echoing loudly along its unknown depths.
As they reached the end of the corridor, a wall stopped their progress. The mage carefully examined the stone blockade.
“A seeming,” said the priestess. “Looks like a wall, but it’s not. More likely, there’s an immensely strong energy barrier underneath the illusion.”
Tyler touched it. It felt like stone. The rough texture, the patina of age, its color, even the dirt between the cracks of the blocks.
“An excellent illusion,” he commented. He tried using his affinity to check the stone wall and what was beyond it, but it didn’t work.
A dampening field must be in place. Quite powerful to frustrate my ability, Tyler thought.
“What do we do now? Suggestions? We can’t just blow our way inside. Though it’s an option,” he asked, a grin forming on his tired face.
“IT’S A TEST, YOU BRUTISH EXCUSE FOR A MAGE! Don’t think of throwing fireballs in here!” An irritated voice sounded in his mind. Viracocha. Now I remember whose voice it was back on the bridge.
“Sorry. I must be more tired than I realized,” Tyler replied. “But what test?”
“YANA SIKI! The brains I have to deal with!” came the exasperated response.
“Hey! No insults! Leave my butt out of it,” protested Tyler.
Viracocha sighed.
“Be thankful Quechua has no native swear words. You need to make up your own. If you were a black person, I would have called you ‘white butt’. The barrier is a test of your humanity. Of you not being influenced by malign magic or having less than stellar intentions. Just walk through it as if the wall does not exist.”
“We may have a problem with that,” answered Tyler. “Astrid had been hit by a spell tainted with some kind of corruption. She’s still suffering from it.”
&
nbsp; “Ah. I know of that disgustingly diabolical element. Leave the Valkyrie in the corridor, with your back to the wall. You and your companions go ahead and cross the threshold. I’ll take care of Astrid’s entrance. She does need treatment.”
Tyler gave the needed instructions and then passed through the wall. The experience was strange, to put it mildly. It was like walking through four to five feet of unresisting jelly.
He found himself staring at a cavernous hall with a few side doors indicating adjacent rooms. Magelights lined the walls with large versions hanging from the ceiling. A long wooden table with several chairs was in the middle of the room. But the chamber itself was bereft of statues and other decorations. The walls were bare. On one side of the hall, lying on a bed, was Astrid, tended to by the deity who was now in his Wilan persona.
“Sit! Sit! I am nearly finished!” shouted Viracocha without looking at the arriving companions. The three each took a chair and continued looking at what Viracocha was doing. Not that they could see anything definite, the deity had his back to them.
The mage stole a glance at the priestess, wondering if she could see through the disguise. By the expression on her face, Tyler concluded she could. Tyndur, on one the hand, was dusting himself off while watching. He was using a piece of cloth which Tyler didn’t know from where the einherjar got it. Unless he cut off a part of his robe.
“You all must be hungry. Crocodile-Bane, there’s some food and drinks in baskets at the end of the table. If you would be so kind to put them on the table. And eat, you lot. Gather your strength. The sun has barely risen on your path,” added the Incan.
Bad tidings, reflected Tyler as he dwelt on the Incan’s last statement. We barely made it past Yayauhqui and her army and that’s hardly the start according to this guy. But something seems to off with Viracocha.
Tyndur didn’t move. Apparently, the reference flew past him.
“Tyndur, that’s you,” he told him.
Blood Wars Page 19
