by Paul Sobol
With the Doom no longer shrouding the room the two magicians performed one last inspection before leaving. The only thing out of place was a small round pill lying on the floor. What made it stand out was the surrounding black ash which had, moments ago, been grey fungus. It appeared as if the Creeping Doom hadn’t even touched the pill, instead avoiding it altogether and going around it. Even though there was a slight aura of magic around the pill the magicians decided to leave it for forensics to analyse. They had a good idea of where to get another sample if needed; any junkie on the street would know a supplier of Walking Death.
Satisfied they had seen enough the detectives stepped out of the Invisible and crossed into the mundane world, appearing once again on the empty stairway.
“Same like the last ones,” Carlyle said matter-of-factly.
“The manner of death is consistent with the others, although any of the lesser beings could have performed such a ritual as the Soul Breath.”
“I wish it were a copycat or multiple killers, but it is more reasonable to assume this is the handiwork of one particular demon, trying to build up its strength.”
“The Assembly should be made aware of this. They cannot continue to ignore the situation, especially with the evidence we have gathered. If you’re correct, and we are faced with a single entity trying to re-establish a base of power then it needs to be dealt with immediately, before it gets beyond our power to control.”
The two had made it back to their black sedan, and getting in they still looked as stone-faced as before. Davies and Hunt watched them leave; unable to fathom what had just been discovered by the equally mysterious detectives who came and went like ghosts. It was whispered in dark corners the two were Paranormal Investigators brought into the department to handle the cases deemed ‘bizarre’, but whatever the truth was the officers didn’t need extra BS to deal with, especially vampires and demons.
The Assembly hall was large and airy, much like an amphitheatre. In the old days such a place was used for larger gatherings of magicians to discuss and debate issues of governance and law and order. But now whenever anyone called for a meeting only those on the council bothered to show, and that was only if they felt the matter was of some importance.
Today they had little choice.
Carlyle had called the meeting with the time-honoured traditional invitation that was only used when circumstances were dire. To call a meeting under false pretences was a despicable crime unto itself with zero tolerance or leniency. With the formal invitation sent all council members were now obliged to attend, and one by one they appeared within the Assembly hall having transported from all over the world. Eventually the entire council of magicians – eleven of the most powerful - were seated at the forefront of the hall where they would hear from the petitioner.
Like any council they were bound by form and tradition which cannot be ignored, and although several members might look unfavourably upon being summoned on such short notice they remained respectfully silent.
Carlyle stood resolute before the assembled magicians. His position, as petitioner, was in the middle of the hall and slightly below the main dais where the council sat. From high above, shafts of light filtered down through pristine crystal windows to illuminate those waiting below. White marble, the predominant material used for the hall’s construction, glowed as if touched by magic. But Carlyle knew it was just a clever trick of the light. Inside the Hall of the Assembly magic was strictly prohibited during a meeting unless for the purpose of providing evidence or, in extreme cases, self-defence should a magician feel at any time threatened.
Having spoken the proper introduction to the council members, Detective Carlyle launched into his hastily prepared speech.
“Council Members of the Assembly. Thank you for seeing me on such short notice I assure you it is of the utmost importance. For the past several years, Paranormal Division has been investigating a string of ritual murders we believe committed by a singular individual.” Here the magician paused and raised his right hand, palm facing upwards. Illusionary images of the various crime scenes appeared, floating in the air, and grew in size until the council members could see them each clearly. “The method of killing is the same – a Soul Breath spell used to draw out the victim’s life energy. The ritualistic components ensure the energy is particularly rich with fear and other negative associated emotions. Granted the Soul Breath spell is nothing unique, and can be performed by any number of lesser beings such as vampires, zombies, wraiths and other ‘‘undead’’.
“However, I propose to you today this is not the work of a lesser being. I believe,” Carlyle said with a slightly dramatic pause for effect, “we are most likely dealing with something more powerful, perhaps a dark magician, but for what purpose remains unclear. The spell in itself is rather archaic, hailing from the days of Khaldun and his infernal plagues. Another possibility exists, however unlikely it may sound, but it could be a demon from the realm of darkness.”
He let it hang in the air, hoping his message will finally sink in. But without any hard evidence it seemed unlikely they will be moved to act quickly.
“Judging from the ritualistic nature of the killings and the precise timing, a demon stands to gain the most power from the spell. From past encounters with demons, they usually try and form a base of power from which they can then build upon, slowly over time. Secrecy and hiding serve them well in the early stages upon first re-entering our realm. Unlike those that have been summoned, when a demon slips through to our world they are weak and vulnerable.”
The eleven magicians of the council talked quietly amongst themselves. A cleverly designed shield spell allowed them to speak openly without being heard, and a slight distortion in the air prevented their lips being read, but from facial expressions Carlyle knew the debate was one-sided and not in his favour. Like any governing body the council was made up of ordinary people, albeit powerful demi-gods who collectively could change the entire world, but they still retained enough human characteristics to become predictable.
“Detective,” said the Head Council member, “if what you say is true, the council cannot move on more than just your word alone. As usual with these kinds of situations, bring us proof and you will have our full support in the matter, but until then we wish you success in your investigation. Before you go, Detective, we fully understand the severity of the situation and hope your findings are in the negative. It has been some time since any demon of consequence has walked upon this world, and if what you propose is true then time is against us.”
Carlyle bowed stiffly in acknowledgement of the verdict.
The large doors boomed shut behind the detective as he stormed from the Council Hall. He was used to the general ineffectiveness of governments but this was approaching the absurd. Granted there were procedures in place which had to be followed, but faced with a potentially cataclysmic threat common sense should prevail and at least some action be taken to ensure the threat was dealt with.
Reaching the outer limits of the Hall’s prohibition against magic, Carlyle silently willed himself away, and in a burst of magical energy disappeared.
Chapter Three
Out on the compact sand of the Grand Arena the sun shone down on the two lone figures facing each other. What little breeze there was barely ruffled the pennants high above on the Arena walls.
It had been a long day but thankfully this was the last opponent. Xander casually stepped into the magical circle inscribed around the boundary of the Arena, and like his opponent, stilled his thoughts and began to draw forth his mana.
Be careful with this one. The Voice spoke in his mind.
What do you know about her? He asked the Voice.
Jia Li is one of the Chinese school’s best. Although she is only fifteen don’t let her age fool you; she is very good with elemental magic and concentrates on using a lot of psychic spells to disrupt and cripple her foes. She may not be as powerful as you, but she is quick in drawing her pow
er and has a firm grasp of tactics. You have your work cut out for you this time but focus on her mana, she is more likely to take control of anything summoned and throw it back to you.
Great. Xander gave the equivalent of a mental sigh.
Don’t worry you’ll do fine. You may want to open your eyes now. The Voice quickly receded, leaving Xander alone once more.
He had sensed the spell coming and easily dodged it, letting the blue bolt of energy smash against the invisible barrier at his back.
Impressed she had gathered quite as much mana, to attack with such a spell first, he was nonetheless disappointed in her choice; unimaginative and even a little insulting. He decided to respond by throwing an equally dull spell of fireball, and with a flick of his wrist sent the blazing ball of energy across the Arena floor towards his opponent. Jia Li, standing tall and defiant in the wake of the spell simply sent the spell back to its owner with a flourish of her own hands. Typical.
Xander drew upon energy from the air and created a small powerful gust of wind to return the fireball. Like a game of tennis the spell was thrown back and forth, and each time it grew slightly more powerful. It was a common tactic, used by magicians who felt equally superior, but at some point the initial spell would get too large to handle and someone eventually would have to neutralise it. Xander had no intention of being the one and decided to wait and see what his opponent would do.
The Arena began to pulse with an unearthly glow as more and more mana was brought into play, with the fireball tossed between the two over again. The fireball had begun about the size of a baseball, but having bounced back and forth so many times it had accumulated additional energy and was several times larger.
The huge crowd of spectators seated around the vast Arena were for the most part silent as the dangerous game was played out below. For several days they had sat and watched hundreds of young magicians fight each other in a grand contest to see who was best. And although the tournament was open to all students it was more important for those in their last year of schooling, as it could decide whether they were chosen for an apprenticeship with a Master.
Each year, one of the five major schools of magic hosted the tournament, and each year hundreds of Master magicians attended with the possible intention of taking on an apprentice. When a child’s power manifested, usually around the time of puberty, they were required to attend school for at least seven years. If they showed exceptional aptitude for the art of Magic they were often picked to become apprentice to a master magician. For seven more years they would be guided and tutored, and maybe one day deemed ready to undertake the final Testing. Should the apprentice pass they would attain the rank of Master, and one day be given the opportunity to take on an apprentice of their own to teach.
From the first year attending the Academy, Xander was already considered to be one of the more gifted students. Having grown up amongst powerful magicians he had been expertly tutored from a very early age, and it was showing down on the Arena sand.
Sweat drenched Xander’s face, threatening to blind him temporarily as he concentrated on the battle at hand. Yet again the fireball was sent sailing across the sandy space, only to be deflected at the last moment and sent back. Both magicians were starting to feel the strain of the battle, but despite the draining exhaustion they continued to fight for control of the spell.
For a brief moment, as the fireball was somewhere between the two, the air shimmered. Putting it down to fatigue or heat haze from the sand, Xander prepared his next move; it was getting to the point where either student could easily make a life-threatening mistake.
The fireball was coming back.
Blinking a sudden trickle of sweat away, Xander sensed something different in the aether. The fireball felt wrong, as though it had been altered into something else entirely. With mere seconds before the spell would engulf him in fiery death he decided to act. The spell he had prepared vanished from his mind, and still holding onto a lot of potentially dangerous mana hastily constructed a new spell. Trusting his instincts, Xander couldn’t help but wonder if he was about to be roasted like a marshmallow over a campfire.
The newly formed spell wasn’t going to be pretty, but a good magician quickly adapts to any change in situation and used what he had on hand. Palms together he opened them up like a seashell and focused his mana into a small pulsing ball between his fingers. The spell he had constructed shot forth and pierced the fiery conflagration without apparent effect.
In the space of a heartbeat Xander hastily erected a weak shield of protection with what little mana he had remaining, and not a moment too late. The fireball hit with full force equal to several pounds of plastic explosives being detonated. Or it should have. Ordinarily, a fireball of that magnitude should have created an explosion large enough to destroy a small building, but out on the Arena floor the ‘fireball’ didn’t even stir the flags waved by cheering students.
From inside the protective shield Xander smiled.
The ‘fireball’ was nothing more than an elaborately constructed illusion, and with a wave of his hand the surrounding flames disappeared as he dispelled the magic. His gamble had paid off, and rather than waste precious energy countering the fake fireball he had dealt a terrible blow to his opponent. A hundred paces away across the arena floor, Jia Li was only now shaking off the debilitating effects of his paralysis spell. She hadn’t anticipated Xander’s counter-attack, but it wasn’t long before she had enough mana to summon forth a small army of creatures.
Jia Li, standing confidently behind the line of nasties, commanded them to attack. Flying phantoms, air elementals, djinn and several small ice drakes advanced across the sand towards the lone magician. With a sweep of his hands, Xander created a small dense dust storm from the Arena floor that surged into the oncoming host. He knew it wasn’t enough to stop them all but it would weaken the creatures and buy him some more time to gather his powers.
For a brief moment he considered taking control of several of the creatures, but a sudden piercing pain erupted inside his head. The psychic attack was quick and unexpected, temporarily paralysing him, and through the mental pain he could barely retain hold of what little mana he had summoned. In desperation Xander managed to raise a powerful shield of protection, one which he had hoped to keep secret until later, but if he didn’t stop the psychic onslaught he wouldn’t last much longer.
With the magical barrier in place the psychic attack ceased as the initial spell was reversed and sent back against the caster. Jia Li’s scream of pain was proof she hadn’t expected such a backlash, and Xander couldn’t help but feel a bit more confident. As the pain inside his head vanished he used a small amount of power to clear his mind of the psychic blast and regain focus. Within a few moments he was fully restored and could feel his power growing once again. His opponent cast several spells to attack his mana but each was successfully blocked by the shield.
By now several of the summoned creatures had made it through the sand storm, a little worse for wear, but still able to complete their master’s bidding. Driven by a single mind they advanced, intent on destroying their target.
Xander flung out one hand and summoned several flying swords which flashed around him in a dazzling display of aerobatics. A blue scaled drake was closing in fast and the swords rose to meet the oncoming threat. With a piercing shriek the drake was slashed to pieces as the wickedly curved blades spun about, biting through hardened scales to pierce soft flesh beneath.
The second drake hesitated for a moment, having seen its brethren die so horribly by the flying swords, but with a mental push from its master it had no choice but to obey and attack. Within moments it too joined the tattered, bloody remains of the first drake.
A djinn, mostly humanoid, blue skinned, heavily muscled and covered in a myriad of mystical swirling tattoos lumbered forth. Standing easily at nine feet tall it wielded a massive halberd – a long staff topped with a straight blade – of equal height. As the creature towered o
ver Xander it momentarily blotted out the sun, and for a brief moment the magician was thankful for the bit of shade. Pointing towards the ground a small fissure appeared and the giant creature fell down the seemingly bottomless hole, its screams could still be heard for several minutes after it disappeared.
Turning now to engage the last few creatures to have survived the dust storm Xander threw out a volley of fireballs and lightning bolts. Running low on power he had to play strategically now rather than relying on brute strength, and as the last of the creatures died in flames or lay twitching on the Arena sand he decided to begin his End Game strategy.
Knowing his opponent had conserved a lot of her regained energy Xander decided to focus on her main vulnerability: her mana, without it magicians were powerless. With a flurry of small attacks he was able to get a sense of how she reacted to certain situations, and feeling the time was right he cast a powerful spell which drained both magicians of whatever mana they held.
Cursing in frustration at being caught by such a clever ploy Jia Li began furiously drawing in more mana to counter the next attack. Careful not to draw too much she used a psychic spell to peer into her opponents mind and see what he would do next. The spell allowed her to read only surface thoughts, and with a slight smile she prepared to counter Xander’s next moves. Trying hard not to revel in what was to be certain victory, Jia Li drew on more mana and began constructing her spell.
With hands outstretched, Xander focused his remaining power into the one spell that should finish his opponent once and for all. For some time both magicians worked on their spells, muttering powerful incantations under their breath and bending the unseen forces of the universe to their will. With a snap of his hands Xander cast his spell.
A pulsing globe of silver and blue energy sped over the sand.
Jia Li let go of her own spell, which rushed forward in a shower of sparkling energies. The two mighty spells collided mid-way across the Arena. Xander stood impassively as his silvery-blue spell dissolved in his opponents more powerful spell, which continued onwards to its target. Him.
