“You’re fully here,” he said.
“So are you.”
An evil grin spread across the demon’s face. They stared at each other for several seconds before launching themselves forward in a combat that would only end when one was destroyed utterly.
CHAPTER 41
This time, it wasn’t sword against sword. It was lightning against fire. Jez was a storm and Marrowit was a city aflame. Jez’s weapon crashed against Marrowit’s, sending jolts of energy into the demon. In the same instant, at Jez’s command, an iron spike rose from the earth, but Marrowit leapt out of the way before it impaled him. The demon threw his hands forward, and Jez’s mind was filled with images of death and destruction, but Jez forced them away as a fountain of fire appeared under him. His wings carried him off to one side, but Marrowit was already moving, its clawed hand reaching for Jez’s wing, but he twisted out of the way.
Back and forth they went, neither able to gain the upper hand over the other. After a few strikes, everything for a hundred yards had been reduced to rubble. Jez took to the air in an attempt to get some sort of advantage over Marrowit by attacking from above. As soon as his plans became apparent, however, Marrowit unfurled wings of his own, bat-like appendages wreathed in flames. He leapt into the air, leaving trails of fire behind him. They clashed in the skies over the patchwork of dreams. Storm clouds stirred around them. Marrowit roared and the clouds thundered in response. Too late, Jez realized his mistake. Fire and air were of the dominion of destruction, and Marrowit’s control over them was nearly absolute. Up here, the demon had the advantage. Lightning spewed from the clouds, arcing through the air. It struck his chest and pain suffused every inch of him. He was halfway to the ground before he realized he’d started falling. Rather than recovering from his fall, he bent his wings forward and dove into one of the patches, one that was made of water. Marrowit’s shadow fell over him. He could feel the fear radiating from the demon, slowly infecting Jez.
They splashed into the water, an element governed by protection. Instantly, the fear vanished, and Jez spun. Marrowit was surrounded in steam as his skin evaporated the water. Jez pointed his sword and sent power into the surrounding sea. Water hardened around the demon, freezing him in place, and Jez rushed forward. At the last instant, however, Marrowit’s muscles tensed. Everything turned to steam. It billowed into Jez’s face, and he didn’t even see the demon’s hand until it closed around his throat.
He reached up to try to pull it away, but Marrowit held on with a grip like a vice, and he didn’t just hold on to his physical form. Somehow, Marrowit held his power in check as well. The demon dragged him onto shore. They stepped onto a wooden dock, Marrowit’s steps leaving blackened footprints on the planks. Nearby was a boat with a blue starfish painted on it, the same one that had been painted on his father’s door. His father who had sacrificed himself to deny this demon.
“You did better than I expected,” Marrowit said. “But did you really think you could defeat me here? This is my realm. This is my home.”
“No,” Jez said, his eyes locked on the blue starfish “It’s mine.”
For a second, Marrowit’s face twisted in confusion. Jez’s fist crashed against the demon’s face with enough force to shatter a mountain. He threw himself at Marrowit, pummeling him with his bare hands, consumed with a rage that was wholly human, just like Osmund when Jez had seen him in the arena. Unlike the limaph, however, Jez had no reason to hold back. Marrowit struck him with his wings, but Jez barely registered the pain. This was the being that held his father.
Marrowit struck with his own sword, but Jez slammed his fist into the demon’s arm, sending the sword flying. It steamed as it burned through the dock and fell into the water. Jez lifted his hands and his sword materialized. The demon’s eyes grew brighter, and for the first time, the fear Marrowit gave off was his own.
“Do not do this, pharim. With my power and yours, there is nothing we could not do.”
“Except good,” Jez said and drove his sword into the demon’s chest. This was no mere banishment, not here in Marrowit’s place of power, the one place he could be destroyed. The demon roared and his entire realm roared with him. One by one, people formed in the patches of ground before vanishing, either to wakefulness or to whatever lies beyond mortal life.
“Jez?”
A lump formed in Jez’s throat, and he turned around. His father was stepping out of the boat. No longer the broken shell that Marrowit had shown him in the throne room, Bartin looked strong like he had before Dusan had taken Jez as a ward.
“You’re here.”
His father smiled and opened his arms. “Where else would I be, son?” He waved his hand to indicate the boat. The blue starfish seemed brighter, and the wood looked brand new. “This is my home.”
“This is our home,” Jez said as he shed his pharim body and fell into his father’s arms.
“So it is, son. So it is.”
“I did it, father. I destroyed the demon. You’re free. So is everyone else.”
“I am proud of you.”
The voice was fading. Jez looked up. His father had tears in his eyes, but he was vanishing. For a moment, Jez tried to stop it, but not even a pharim could hold on to a soul whose time had come.
“Goodbye, father.”
“Live well, Jezreel.”
Then, the world vanished.
CHAPTER 42
The first thing Jez saw when he awoke was fire. For a second, he worried that he was back under Marrowit’s sway. He tried to get up, but something held him down. He began to panic, but he realized the fire was small and wasn’t spreading. He blinked several times. It was in a fireplace. He looked down at himself. He was in a bed, and the thing holding him down was a blanket that had been tucked in just a little too tight. He squirmed until it came loose. Then he sat up. He was still in the Academy’s sick house, though he seemed to be the only one in residence. He swung his legs over the side of the bed and tried to stand up, but his knees buckled. He flailed and knocked over a small table with a teapot on it. The pot clattered to the ground spilling its contents. He hit his elbow on the ground and winced at a jolt of pain.
By the time one of Balud’s adjutants had come in to see what was causing all the noise, Jez was bleeding. His sick robes were wet from the tea, and he smelled distinctly of mint. He was also laughing. The adjutant just stared at him for a few seconds before turning and running back into the hall. The chancellor came in a few minutes later. He took one look at Jez before scowling at his adjutant. The boy shrank away.
“Help me get him back into bed,” he said, “like you should’ve done when you first saw him like that.”
The boy turned red and moved to Jez’s side. Together, the two hefted him up, though they almost dropped him because of his laughter. Then, Balud scolded the adjutant on how he should never leave a patient alone under those conditions. After a minute of that, the adjutant slinked away. At the doorway, he turned and said something to Jez that might’ve been an apology, but he mumbled so Jez couldn’t be sure. Once the door closed, the chancellor turned to him.
“Why in the seven are you laughing?”
It took effort for Jez to regain control of himself. “I’m sorry, Chancellor. It’s just so funny.”
“What is?”
“This.” Jez gestured down at his tea stained robe. “I just destroyed a demon in his own realm and saved the soul of my father and thousands of others. After all that, I hurt myself with a teapot. You have to admit, that’s pretty funny.”
The edges Balud’s lips turned up in a smile. “Yes, I suppose it is. Let’s get you into clean robes and I’ll bandage that elbow.”
He went to a drawer and pulled out a bandage. He wiped at the cut with liquid that stung a little. A few seconds later, the wound was wrapped.
“Can you change on your own? You’ve been asleep for a week, and your body’s not used to walking anymore.”
“A week?” Jez asked in shock.
<
br /> “A week and a day actually. I can help you into clean clothes if you’re not up to it.”
Jez’s face reddened. “I think I can manage it.”
Balud nodded and brought a clean robe to him. “I’ll be right outside if you change your mind.”
It took Jez five minutes to get out of the wet robe. The tea made it cling to his skin, and he almost fell several times. Once, Master Balud poked his head in to check on him. With an obvious effort, he resisted the urge to laugh at Jez seemingly entangled in his own robe. He asked Jez if he needed help, but Jez refused. When he’d finally changed, he called the chancellor back into the room. The adjutant came with him and picked up the old robes. For a moment, he looked at the spilled tea. Then, he shrugged and wiped up the rest of it with the robe. Master Balud sighed as the adjutant left.
“You’ll have to forgive Dombar. He really is a gifted healer once he forces himself to slow down and think a little.”
“He’s fine,” Jez said.
Balud nodded. “I take it from your assertion that you destroyed a demon that Marrowit is banished.”
Jez shook his head “Not banished. Destroyed. Marrowit doesn’t exist anymore.”
Balud blinked and let out a short gasp. “I thought demons couldn’t be destroyed.”
“He was a nightmare demon,” Jez said. “The dream world was his place of power. He had nowhere to retreat to when I defeated him..”
“Destroyed.” Balud said the word in a half whisper. “Has that ever happened before?”
Jez closed his eyes and searched his memory, but it was gone. He still had memories of the past thirteen years, and he remembered knowing other things, but the memories from before his life were gone. He shrugged.
“I don’t know,” he said through a smile.
Balud raised an eyebrow at that and inclined his head. “If you’re feeling strong enough, there are people who’d like to see you.”
Jez leaned forward. “Osmund?”
“He woke up a few hours after you went to sleep. Master Besis got back this morning.”
Jez nodded and Balud opened the door to call for Dombar. The adjutant came in with his head down. The edges of his sleeves were still wet from the tea. He kept his face lowered and mumbled when Balud told him to go get the guests. Balud sighed as the adjutant ran out.
“He’ll learn one of these days. It might not be for another fifty years, but I’m sure he’ll learn.”
Jez barked a laugh, and very nearly couldn’t stop again. Besis and Osmund came in a few seconds later. Osmund scooped Jez into a bear hug before Balud could stop him. The chancellor had to shout three times for him to put Jez down before he listened.
“It’s truly over?” Besis asked.
Jez nodded and related the story to them, though with Balud here, he made it sound like he was a limaph, sure that the others would understand. Each of them asked for more details at different points. Balud wanted to know how Marrowit had kept the souls away from their bodies and seemed disappointed when Jez couldn’t answer. Besis wondered if Marrowit could’ve been bound if all the sleepers had been awakened, though from the demon’s words, Jez doubted it. Osmund asked about the battle and if Jez remembered how he’d summoned Luntayary’s sword, but Jez shook his head.
“You have Ziary’s sword,” Jez said. He pursed his lips. “You do, don’t you? You can still change?”
A smile spread across Osmund’s face. “I can control him.”
“What? How?”
“I don’t know. I think Ziary’s mind is still asleep.”
“There are few magics that can survive their caster’s death, but it does make sense,” Besis said. “Marrowit never actually put the sleeping sickness on Ziary. That would’ve sent him to the dream world, and I doubt he wanted that. Since he didn’t hold the soul, Ziary didn’t awaken when Marrowit was destroyed.”
“I’ll take your word for it,” Osmund said. “I’m just glad it happened”
“Well, be sure you don’t lose control,” Balud said. “I would hate to expel you again.”
“Again?” Jez asked. “You’re letting him back in?”
“Of course. Assuming that’s what you want.”
“Well, yes, but why does it matter what I want?”
“Didn’t Dusan tell you?” Balud asked. “He adopted you with the king’s approval.”
“Well, yes, but he also tried to have me arrested.”
Balud shrugged. “He never rescinded his request for adoption. The king’s men found his lair at Kunashi and concluded he’d attempted some dark ritual. Besis confirmed it, and I testified to what I saw when the demon arrived. It was enough to convince King Haziel that he’s dead. You are the Baron of Korand now, and that makes you a great deal more important than anyone Osmund offended. Of course you’re welcome back, too.” His eyes flickered to Besis. “And you may study whatever you wish.” Jez was at a loss for words, so he just nodded. “Good. The term starts in a week. It’ll be a hard road back to recovery if you’re going to be ready on time.”
Jez nodded again and Balud ushered everyone out, insisting he needed his rest. Jez tried to point out that he’d had enough rest, but Balud wouldn’t hear of it and forced everyone to leave. A few minutes later, a new adjutant returned with a bowl of soup and a crust of bread. His stomach growled. He hadn’t realized how hungry he was until that moment, and the food vanished almost before Jez realized he’d started eating.
Strength returned to Jez slowly over the next several days. Master Balud instructed him to take walks every day, and told him to never go alone. At first, Jez chaffed against the restriction, but once, he fell and wouldn’t have been able to get up if Osmund hadn’t been there. He signed up for classes, including binding, theology, and aqua magic. At Besis’s insistence, he also included literature as something a proper noble would study. With the assistance of Master Linala, he made arrangements to hire a regent to govern Korand while he was at the Academy. On the night before the term started, he found he was looking forward to it.
He awoke to a bright light. At first, he thought the sun had risen, but the light was too bright, too pure. He sat up and saw a pillar of light in one corner. He blinked several times until he made out the face inside.
“Sariel.”
“Luntayary.”
“Jez.”
The pharim lord inclined his head. “Jez.” The light receded, and he became a tanned skinned man with gray hair and blue eyes. “You did well. As well as any Darkhunter might have. You do the Shadowguard great honor.”
“What happened to my memories?”
“Dusan put an imperfect binding on you when he confined you to this form. It allowed memories from before to leak through, especially when dealing with the demon under your charge. I simply perfected the binding.”
“So I won’t remember?” he asked. “I won’t be so good at binding?”
“You’re memories are locked away, but the power remains. You are a Shadowguard, and I would not change that if I could. I simply allowed you to be mortal as well.”
“Then you won’t try to get me to kill myself.”
Sariel shook his head. “Your charge is destroyed.”
“You’ll leave me alone, then?”
“Perhaps.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You are still pharim and you are still Shadowguard. There may yet be tasks for a mortal who can claim those titles, but for now, you are free. Live well, Jezreel Bartinson. Luntayary of the Shadowguard.”
Sariel inclined his head, and vanished. The next thing Jez knew, the morning sun was streaming through his window. He wondered if the whole thing had been a dream. Somehow, he didn’t think so.
Osmund was waiting for him at the base of tower, dressed in brown robes but lacking any silver buttons.
“I thought they were going to let you into the upper tier,” Jez said.
Osmund shrugged. “Even you can’t just declare someone to be nobility.”
/> Jez rolled his eyes. “You don’t have to be nobility to get into the upper tier. I wasn’t the first time.”
“No, you were just a noble’s ward.”
“And you’re a noble’s friend” Jez said. “Come on. Let’s go see Master Balud.”
Osmund shook his head. “Jez, I was born to a poor family, and I don’t want to forget where I came from, so if it’s all the same to you, I’ll keep these.”
He thumbed his plain black buttons, and Jez looked at his own and felt a sudden pang at the loss of his father. Osmund shook his head. “You were always noble, Jez, but if it’ll make you feel better...”
Osmund raised a finger and small flame shot to Jez’s shoulder. He yelped and jumped back, but the fire didn’t burn through the robe. It just singed a little. When it went out, the blackened form of a smiling starfish had been burned there. He smiled.
“Thanks.”
Osmund nodded. “We should go. Besis won’t be happy if we’re late.”
Jez nodded, and they headed for their binding class. Jez didn’t know how well he could be both mortal and Shadowguard, but the pharim lord had told him there might still be tasks for him to do. He would be ready.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Gama Ray Martinez lives near Salt Lake City, Utah. He moved there solely because he likes mountains. He collects weapons in case he ever needs to supply a medieval battalion, and he greatly resents when work or other real life things get in the way of writing. Find him at http://gamarayburst.com/ and http://www.facebook.com/gamarayburst.
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