by Phil Stern
Then Marissa had a sudden inspiration. Why not simply ask the Boundary hummingbirds to take them to the world in which their sisters were being held? Even if they didn’t know the actual name of where they wanted to go, wouldn’t their inter-dimensional guides understand the essence of their wish? It was worth a try.
Anxiously swirling about, the glowing hummingbirds clearly were unhappy with the choice of destination. Yet the young women were insistent, repeating their desire to go where the wizard had taken their captured sisters. Amid repeated bouts of hummingbird recalcitrance, April and Marissa were conveyed across the Boundary to parts unknown.
After a time the mists thickened once again, most of the hummingbirds and both escorting unicorns turning back. Their final winged guide gave one last unhappy chirp before flying off. As usual, both sorceresses began walking straight forward, preparing to exit the Boundary.
Just as the mists began to finally clear, however, a lone wolf darted in from behind, sinking his fangs into April’s thigh. Apparently tracking them through the Boundary itself, the predator had waited for the optimal moment to strike.
In one fluid motion April pulled a knife from her belt, sinking it deep into the lone wolf. Green fire pulsed into the wild canine, forcing its jaws open and blasting him through the air ahead of them.
Stunned, both witches hurried through the rapidly clearing mist into Jain, their black boots soon crunching down onto a wooded landscape. The huge wolf lay at their feet, dead.
“Are you okay?” Marissa asked, staring in wonder at the bleeding, burned animal.
“Yeah. He didn’t really get a chance to dig in.” Running a hand through her blonde hair, April looked about. “I’ve never seen one of those things leave the Boundary. Have you?”
“Nope.” Bending down, the svelte enchantress inspected their kill. “Look at those teeth! Do you think...”
Without warning, a chorus of growls burst out behind them. Whirling about, April and Marissa held their knives at the ready.
But they were too late. Bursting through the nearly-evaporated mist, three more Boundary wolves thundered past April and Marissa into the Jainian forest. Howling and snapping, they tore though the woods, dashing about among the trees. After generally circling the area for a minute, the wolves took off, soon disappearing from sight entirely.
Before they could recover from this latest shock, the Coven witches now watched the dead wolf slowly get to his feet. Still bleeding and burned, he promptly loped off after the other three, howling in displeasure.
“Well,” April said, flexing her injured leg. “I think we’re in the right place.”
“Yeah.” Pulling out their small first-aid kit, Marissa glanced apprehensively about. “Let’s get that leg taken care of, and then keep moving. Who knows what else might be out here?”
With magical assistance, they borrowed swords and horses from a military detachment guarding the lone road through the woods. An hour later, the two witches then rode for the nearest town.
Now, taking in the grimy, medieval village, April turned to her partner. “Are you ready?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be.” Though nearly dark, they could make out a few pike-wielding soldiers on the edge of town near a flickering, smoky torch. “They don’t look too friendly.”
“Well, neither am I right now.” Gingerly, April touched her tender leg. “But we need information. That wizard can’t be far from here. I can almost feel him.”
“Agreed.” Sighing, Marissa drew her sword, a wisp of earth fire sparking from the blade. “Let’s go.”
***
Within the town itself, Lord Gensrow stood behind a stone house, shaking with excitement. These new ones were so close, almost within his power! Breathing heavily, the wizard somehow forced himself to wait for the two young women to fully enter his trap.
Sure enough, April and Marissa slowly rode into town, magically causing the three regular guards they passed to look the other way. Clearly, they were utterly unaware of either their quarry’s proximity, or the ambush he’d prepared.
Only when the damnable witches had reached the open town square did Gensrow finally give the signal. Ten archers instantly launched a fusillade from the rooftops, while a dozen more foot soldiers rushed from almost every doorway.
***
CREEPING THROUGH the dark forest, Tiffany once more stopped to orient herself. The wizard’s castle lay over the next hill. She could also sense the fiend himself, exultant at his recent victory over April and Marissa.
After spending a few days in Meda training with Katrina, the rogue witch had announced that her informants placed the male magician in Jain. In fact, he was the resident warlord of that medieval world, ruling by force and terror. In all likelihood, Tiffany would find her captive sisters there. Thanking her recent teacher and newfound friend, Tiffany had then traversed the Boundary, exiting in the Jainian forest well after nightfall.
At Katrina’s urging, Tiffany had approached the nearest human habitation with caution, fashioning an invisibility spell before reaching the village proper. Such magic wasn’t foolproof, and would only last a short while, yet should allow the young witch to initially reconnoiter the village unnoticed.
What she found stunned her as had nothing else in her short life. In the small town square was April, hanging lifelessly from a noose on a hastily constructed gallows. Over her head was a garishly painted sign, reading “DEATH TO ALL WITCHES!”
Torches to either side cast leaping shadows over the ghastly scene. Before the gallows were gathered some dozen villagers, shrieking and yelling at her dead sister. A few even cast stones at April’s mangled, swaying body.
Several dead soldiers were still strewn about the area, along with debris and several half-burned houses. Clearly, a titanic battle had recently taken place.
Forgetting herself, Tiffany shed the invisibility cloak, grabbing a villager as he ran by. Hauling the man into an alleyway, the sorceress held a dagger to his throat. “What happened here?” she hissed.
“Lord...Lord Gensrow,” the man blubbered, eyes wide as saucers. “He knew the witches were coming to destroy our town. So the soldiers ambushed them! When the witches unleashed Satan’s power, Lord Gensrow himself used God’s purity to defeat them!”
Tiffany took a deep breath, the blade still pressed to his skin. “And the other woman,” she said, remembering Marissa had been paired with April. “What of her?”
“The Lord took her! To his castle.”
“And where is that?”
“Over yonder,” he stammered, pointing vaguely to the north.
“Thank you.” Releasing him, Tiffany placed the blade back in its scabbard.
Relaxing, the man nodded vigorously. “You can’t beat Lord Gensrow!” he crowed. “He’ll kill you too! Why, Lord Gensrow...”
Punching the villager hard, Tiffany had the pleasure of watching him crumple to the ground, unconscious. A forget spell would be better, but for now it would have to do.
Now, nearing the castle, Tiffany swore a mighty oath. This ended here, tonight. By the earth’s power, she would beat the wizard and free her sisters, or die trying.
***
Cringing, the magician held his left arm under the cold water, desperately trying to sooth the burned skin. Gensrow’s side ached from a cracked rib, while blood continued flowing from deep cuts on his cheek and shoulder, dripping down to the ground by the well.
Bellowing in rage as the bucket ran empty, he caused a sheet of water to erupt from the well opening, dousing himself completely. Intermingled with the wizard’s residual magic, this drenching at least reduced the burning throb to a tolerable level.
Bitterly, Gensrow realized his early victories over young, isolated witches had given him a false sense of confidence. These last two had been warriors, confidently accepting battle. Reacting quickly to the village ambush, the two she-devils had slain a half-dozen of Gensrow’s best soldiers before the wizard himself had entered the fray.
Though intending to take the two girls captive, the magician had thankfully driven his sword through April’s heart, stringing her up in the village square for good measure. Marissa, though grievously wounded, should recover sufficiently to properly serve her new lord and master. Even now the other girls were succoring their sister in the dungeon below.
But clearly, the damnable Coven now knew Jain to be his base of operations. He needed to relocate to an already prepared fortress in another dimension, taking the girls and his small supply of midate with him. From there he could venture out and take more captives, avoiding battle except on his terms...
Wait! Were there more witches approaching from the south? Fearfully, the wizard dropped the well bucket, running back toward the castle proper, preparing to duck inside its stout walls.
No. He sensed only one earth stone. A single witch, without support. Gensrow smiled, carefully flexing his burned arm. Let her come. Fighting alone, on his castle grounds, the witch had no chance. Another loss for the Coven, while yet another addition to his harem.
Once he took this girl and made his escape, it might be years before the Coven found him again. And by then he would be too strong for them to ever defeat.
***
Three of Jain’s five moons hung low over the castle. Staring up at the thick stone walls, Tiffany drew her heavy sword. Earth fire rippled along the sharp edge, sparking down into the grass with a dull hiss.
Extending her sensitivity, the sorceress detected a magical trip wire surrounding the wizard’s abode. Tossing an experimental rock at the nearest stone wall, she was unsurprised to find it immediately encased in a stout iron cage. Behind her, in the forest she’d just traversed, a pack of wolves began howling.
Battling the castle minions would bring her no closer to defeating their Lord. Gathering all her energy, Tiffany teleported to the center well of the roof.
It was a calculated risk, the young witch very vulnerable after such extreme exertion. She took a moment to recover in the bright moonlight, studying her surroundings.
The ramparts rose ten feet above her head, with several sets of stairs leading up to a stone walkway running three feet below the staggered parapet. Huge iron cauldrons sat in the lower center area, the better to prepare boiling oil to dump on would-be invaders, amid stacks of pikes, cross bows, and other ancient arms.
Inspecting the weapons, a glint of unnaturally smooth metal caught her eye. There, amid the medieval junk, sat a row of sleek laser rifles.
Clearly, the wizard had brought the guns to Jain from a modern world. As Lord Gensrow already enjoyed absolute magical dominance in Jain, the guns were clearly intended for cross-dimensional invasion.
Before she could disable them, the entire roof erupted. Amid a mighty, collective shriek, hundreds of rats suddenly charged the sorceress, flowing out from every nook and cranny. Tiffany unleashed a pulse of magical energy, the green first bursting outward. Every last rodent was blasted up and over the ramparts, to fall, burning and broken, to the ground below.
“Now that wasn’t very nice, was it?”
Whipping about, Tiffany’s blade oriented on the wizard himself, standing some two dozen feet away. A tall man wearing plain black clothes, the magician’s horribly mangled face gathered in a sneer. Casually hefting a heavy broadsword, Gensrow laughed.
“Hmmm, you’re very pretty.” Eyes widening, the wizard gave a satisfied nod. “You will serve me well.”
Revolted, she retreated a half-step.“Never!”
“You will serve me!” he bellowed, wildly swinging the sword. “You will pay for what those other bitches did!” He then held up his arm, sleeve falling away to show the severe burns.
A powerful magical aura emanated from the wizard, and in particular the black stone hanging from his belt. Tiffany would have to be very careful. Yet the man was obviously unbalanced. If she could rile him, distract him...
“Poor you. That must have hurt!” Laughing, Tiffany took a step closer. “But that’s nothing compared to what I will do to you.”
“Shut up!”
“By the stone, are you ugly! I’ll bet women won’t even give you the time of day, will they?”
“You whore!” Screaming in rage, Gensrow charged. Dropping the sword, Tiffany snatched up a laser rifle, firing a full charge at the evil Lord’s chest.
Somehow, Gensrow managed to raise his sword just in time to deflect the laser bolt. Still, the wizard found himself blasted back across the roof, against the far wall, his sword shattered. Shrapnel from the destroyed blade was embedded in the wizard’s chest and arms. Bellowing in pain, left arm thrown before his eyes, the magician’s right hand closed around the midate at his side.
A dark energy burst roiled across the castle rooftop. Shielded from the worst of it by her own power, Tiffany nevertheless had the laser ripped from her hands, flung far out into the Janian night, along with the other modern weapons. A fragment of dislodged stone painfully thudded against her knee, knocking the young sorceress flat.
“Bitch!” The very heavens now seemed to crackle with Gensrow’s madness. Staggering forward, he caused a spare sword to fly into his outstretched hand. Tiffany also rose, armed with her blade once more, hobbling on wounded knee to meet the attack.
Gensrow put all his might into an exaggerated overhand swing, which Tiffany easily parried. Yet there was an explosion where the blades met, green and black sparks fighting for supremacy. Despite marshaling all her physical strength, Tiffany was still smashed down onto the hard flagstones, while Gensrow remained standing.
Grinning, Gensrow aimed a strike at her prostrate body, but the sorceress rolled away, slashing at the magician’s exposed leg as she scrambled to her feet.
“Now, now, my dear,” the wizard murmured, almost to himself. “We don’t want to hurt you. At least not yet.” Rushing forward again, Gensrow and Tiffany exchanged several blows. Then, gathering himself, the sorcerer put all his fury into a single, massive strike.
Though once more bracing herself, the young witch found herself blasted up onto the stone walkway running just below the upper parapet. Painfully, she scrambled to her feet.
“I will have you, witch!” Still near the center of the roof, Gensrow stared up at her, yanking off his burning shirt to expose bare chest and arms. “Surrender now and it will go easier for you!”
“I think not.” Clearly, Tiffany would never win a battle of pure strength. But if she could tempt him up onto the ramparts, it might be possible...
With a tremendous leap, the wizard landed some dozen feet from Tiffany on the walkway. “I am the master of Jain!”
Deliberately, she pulsed green fire into her blade until the metal shrieked. “You’re nothing.”
Eyes widening, the magician strode forward. “You will learn respect!”
Tiffany smiled. “Not from you.” Then, with all her might, the witch laced an intense blast of earth fire into the stone at the magician’s feet.
The walkway instantly disintegrated, the wizard awkwardly tumbling some ten feet to the roof proper. Heavy rock crashed down on top of him. Scrambling backwards, Tiffany now leapt down to safety as the entire rampart structure collapsed.
A smoky haze now covered the rooftop. It was as if she were in the Boundary, yet there were no hummingbirds or unicorns for guidance and protection. The young sorceress held her sword at the ready, feeling very exposed.
With a shriek, the bloodied, crazed wizard rushed from the haze, dragging an obviously broken leg. Acting purely on instinct, she side-stepped his thrust, swinging once more to the attack.
As never before, Tiffany gave herself over to the green fire, its power coalescing throughout her being. It was as if body, blade, and earth stone had become one, providing strength
and surety in abundance. Badly injured, burned, and largely immobile, the castle Lord was unable to match her. With growing confidence, she struck at Gensrow time and again, dancing clear of his counter blows. Soon the black fire became weaker, her own green blaze dominant.
Finally, with a tremendous crack, the magician’s latest blade split apart, horribly mangling his own hands. Shrieking in rage and pain, the wizard tumbled to the rooftop, bleeding profusely from multiple wounds. By this point the haze had cleared. A sharp slice from Tiffany’s weapon now dislodged the hateful midate, the black stone skidding well out of Gensrow’s reach.
“No!” he wailed, trying to crawl after the source of his power, blood gushing freely onto the rooftop. “Get away from me!”
Brutally slamming the now defrocked wizard down onto his chest, Tiffany pressed her blade to Gensrow’s ear. “Surrender and you live.”
“Never!” he screamed, tears now mingling with the blood. “You’re hurting me!”
What did she do now? Run the blade through his neck? Confused, Tiffany leaned back. “We didn’t start this. You did.”
“You hurt me first!” Eyes growing wide, Gensrow pounded his now broken hand on the stone roof. “You killed Daddy! You took my Mommy!”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Tiffany screamed. “Shut up!”
But now the wizard began mumbling and sobbing unintelligibly, face pressed to the unyielding stone, trying to squirm away from the green sparks burning his skin.
Well, she had to do something. Brushing hair from her own burned forehead, the brunette warrior tried to remember the spell for conjuring a cage. But that would take too much energy. Maybe just put the wizard to sleep? Surely, that wouldn’t last long...
Without warning, Gensrow shoved her sword aside, leaping up. Caught by surprise, Tiffany lunged at the midate some twenty feet away, but Gensrow had other plans. Sprinting in the opposite direction, he ran through the now shattered ramparts, flying off the edge of the castle.
