Wizard's Sword (The Battle Wizard Saga, No.2)

by C. M. Lance

  Dmitri stood, and then knelt, head bowed. "Yes master." No reply came. He rose and groped his way to the door. He turned the knob and the door opened. With the light from the hallway, he turned and looked back into the room. No one there.

  †††

  After Sig′s banishment from the Amazon training facility, he and Rick spent more time together. Rick drove him to and from school and work, until Sig bought his new Jeep. After the purchase of the Jeep, since it had headlights and was drivable at night, unlike Rick′s Toronado, they rejoined the evening social scene.

  Rick plunged in exuberantly. Sig′s roller coaster ride through social experiences made his approach much more tentative. When he came out of his shell after Dad died, the first girl he liked turned out to be a witch who tried to kill him, and almost succeeded. Developing friendship with Amazons resulted in their leader trying to kill him, too.

  Amazons still frequented the same venues he and Rick attended. Those Amazons he liked and got along with maintained their distance because the Commander had pronounced him off-limits. Others, apparently under the influence of the hereditary breeding imperative, eyed him as if he were a hunk of meat prepared for their consumption.

  Walking to the restroom became an ordeal. He caught Amazons pointing at him and whispering among themselves. He realized that women probably felt the same discomfort when guys ogled them. If so, he′d be careful in the future to avoid subjecting women to similar treatment.

  One evening at the Game Room, Rick commented on Sig′s reserved behavior. "Why are you so quiet? Are you missing Giselle that much?"

  Sig frowned. "I see her all the time at work. We chat."

  "You talk about work. It′s not the same is it?"

  Sig′s head sunk. "Naw, not really. I guess I do miss talking with her about other stuff. She didn′t let me get away with much and made me think. She forced me to see things differently, but did it in a nice way. I also miss the camaraderie of the training center workouts."

  "So, you′re a masochist and liked getting your butt kicked?"

  Sig gave Rick a wry smile. "Right." He knew the Amazons learned at least as much from him as he did from them. He toyed with the straw in his soda. "I miss the workouts. If the girls weren′t around everywhere we go, it wouldn′t be so bad. But they are, and now everything is different. Some avoid me, and others… They act like they want to have their way with me."

  "I thought we were talking about your problems, not reasons you should be shouting whoopee, I′m gonna make whoopee."

  "You should try it sometime."

  "Please, please, please, tell me how. I′d like to try it. Don′t forget, I′m a Were. We have that whole alpha dog thing going. My turn doesn′t happen until way down the list from the alpha wolf."

  "Sorry. I guess we all have our problems. I shouldn′t get lost in mine."

  "That′s the attitude. If Amazons have issued a tribal imperative banishing you, there are lots of other women out there. I saw a couple of cute little witches headed toward the shuffleboard game. Let′s scoot over there."

  Rick grabbed his beer and swung around on his stool, and stopped. "Look what the dog dragged in. If it isn′t Dean Heathcoat. What′s he doing here—slumming? Oh, there′s the answer."

  Sig looked over as Dmitri walked up next to the Dean and sat on a bar stool that looked like it either would collapse or disappear up his rectum. "What does Dmitri have to do with Dean Heathcoat?"

  "He′s been reassigned from Ley Line mapping to the Dean as a research assistant. I hear he was almost useless on the Ley Line project.

  I don′t know what research he does for the Dean or how much he assists, but it′s a cushy assignment for an All-America football player. Maybe he gets the Dean tickets to the games."

  Sig′s forehead wrinkled as he stared at Dean Heathcoat. "There′s something different about him, but I don′t know what."

  "He′s usually in a dark suit. Khaki′s, a brown tweed sports coat, and brown T-shirt are out of character. You know clothes make the man."

  "Yeah, maybe that′s it." Sig looked down at his sweatshirt, jeans, and scuffed sneakers, shrugged and said, "Let′s find those witches."

  †††

  Rick stood. "The dart competition is about to start. I have to get over there. Are you joining me?"

  Sig stood and turned to the two witches. "Ladies I must go and provide moral, or in his case, immoral support. Should you care to join us, we′ll be at the dart venue where Rick will vie for the Game Room Championship." He delivered the last in sonorous tones.

  Rick and Sig strolled in the direction of the dart championship. For this round of the tournament, Rick had drawn a match with his main competition, a small red headed man named Seamus, from Ireland. Rick nicknamed him Leprechaun. He looked like he might someday grow up to become a garden gnome.

  Seamus frequented many of the same places as attended by others with magic. Sig guessed that the nickname probably had a basis in fact.

  Rick and Seamus played each other frequently, evenly, and sociably. Today′s match, as part of the official dart club championship, included a money prize. Cordiality became a victim to cash. Rick greeted Seamus, "Hey Leprechaun, do you need the cash prize because you lost your pot of gold? If you′re that hard up, I′ll write you a check after I win."

  "Sure, and I′m thinking there′ll be enough elastic in that check, I could make spandex pants for all the girls around here— and a pair for you when you dance in the moonlight."

  Some of those gathered to watch the competition snickered.

  Rick blushed and flashed a strained smile at Seamus. He pulled out his darts and laid them on the bar. Seamus did likewise.

  Andrew, the bartender, looked around. "Does anyone here want to check the darts for spells?"

  From the end of the bar, a long arm holding a glass raised high. "I′ll do it."

  Professor Herman got up from his stool and sauntered over with his pint of dark brew.

  Rick looked surprised. "I didn′t know you came here."

  The Professor smiled and raised his pint. "I enjoy a brew as well as the next man, and I thought I′d come and show support for my research assistant, even if he didn′t invite me."

  Rick opened his mouth to reply, and then shut it and shrugged. "Thanks for coming."

  Professor Herman picked up the dart cases, opened them, set them back on the bar, and domed his hands over the darts, about an inch away. He pursed his lips, picked up Seamus′ darts, and with raised eyebrows proffered them back to him.

  Seamus shrugged, smiled, pulled another set of darts from his pocket, and handed them to the Professor. He opened them, placed them next to Rick′s, and repeated his examination. After a moment, he nodded and handed the darts to each competitor. He then extended his hand to Seamus, palm up.

  Seamus looked up at the Professor, rolled his eyes, and flashed a mischievous smile. He pulled the original darts out of his pocket, and laid them in the Professor′s hand. "I didn′t expect you to be here."

  "Obviously." The Professor pocketed the darts and returned to his seat, signaling Andrew for another brew.

  They flipped and Seamus won, choosing Cricket as the first game. A player accumulated points by landing on any number, until his opponent "closed" a number by scoring three darts in it. The target included rings that doubled or tripled the value scored.

  Seamus went first and threw five bull′s-eyes with three darts by scoring double bulls-eyes with two of his darts. Rick scored three bulls with two darts and threw a triple twenty. Seamus threw three twenties to close them, plus a nineteen. The Cricket match continued until Seamus won on the strength of his original bull′s-eyes.

  Rick chose "301" as the following match. Each player starts with 301 points and subtracts points scored. The first to reach zero exactly wins the game. The trick being that the final points subtracted had to be from the doubles ring. Rick won that match. Needing forty points to zero out, he managed to double out by throwing a d
ouble twenty.

  Seamus drew first throw for the last match. Rick picked the game. He announced loudly, "301. Leprechauns are terrible at math. Comes from not needing to count their money."

  "301 is based on luck. Cricket requires true skill."

  "Hurry up Leprechaun before someone steals your lucky charms."

  With a sour smile, Seamus toed the dart line.

  The throws were very close, but Rick managed to land the winning dart. He threw his hands up and shouted, "Irish whiskey for everyone, in honor of my noble competitor… on me." Then he turned to Sig with a crooked smile. "Well for everyone old enough to drink."

  Sig laughed and clapped him on the shoulder as he said to Andrew, "Make mine a Fresca—on the rocks."

  †††

  A large crowd stayed until closing time. Rick spent all of his prize money and the Professor, surprisingly, stepped in to make up the difference.

  Dean Heathcoat and Dmitri stayed until almost the end. Dmitri left, but Dean Heathcoat remained until the party broke up.

  As everyone streamed out of the bar and down the hall toward their cars, one of the Amazons rushed back in from the parking lot. "There′s some idiot kid riding a pony out in the parking lot." Sig and Rick looked at each other. Rick mouthed, "Crap!"

  Sig turned and ran toward the back of the building. Rick watched him leave with chagrin before hurrying out the front with the rest. He emerged in the middle of a milling group of inebriated patrons watching Andras and his wolf pace back and forth between the exit and the cars.

  "That′s not a pony. What′s that funny helmet he has on?" Seamus asked.

  Andras stopped the pacing and thundered, "Bring me the boy. This time he is mine."

  One of the Amazons, standing next to Rick growled, "I′m not giving any baby to that freak."

  Rick said to her, "He eats babies."

  "That bastard! Amazons—to me."

  Rick found the witches in the crowd. "That freak wants to hurt a kid."

  "Not on my watch," hissed the witch Amalia.

  Andras raised his sword and hurled a flaming ball at the crowd. "Bring him to me."

  The Professor, arriving after settling the tab, raised a shield. The flaming ball smashed into and goblets of fire splattered throughout the parking lot, sizzling while they dispersed.

  "Where is he?"

  "Right here." Sig, in Battle Wizard form, stepped out of the dark behind Andras and sliced off the rear half of the wolf.

  Andras turned to look at the back end of the wolf twitching on the ground behind him. The wolf′s head turned to look also.

  Sig sliced at Andras, but he blocked Sig′s blow and leapt off the wolf.

  Andras attacked with a flurry of slashes and thrusts. To the onlookers, it appeared that a steel whirlwind attacked Sig.

  To Sig it seemed like he battled multiple Amazons, something he′d done in his other form, successfully. He blocked every hack, dodged every thrust. It felt like déjà vu, all over again, except he held his ground this time. However, although he could defend, he couldn′t mount an attack. He couldn′t defend forever against a demon with an infinite life.

  He sought an opening in the curtain of steel whirling in front of him and couldn′t find one. He backed up, seeking opportunity. Andras backed Sig against a car. Sig sought a break from the whirlwind in front of him, and then vaulted over the car.

  Andras leaped on top of the car in pursuit.

  A stream of water blasted, sweeping Andras off the car and across the parking lot. He screeched as he tumbled. His rejoined wolf ran to him and the torrent caught it broadside. They both slid toward the street.

  The water died down and Andras leapt upon the wolf. It reared and charged Sig. The wolf leapt and crashed into an invisible barrier, falling to the ground on top of Andras. He shoved the wolf away.

  Sig stood over Andras and chopped down. Andras blocked the blow and rolled away. He sprang to his feet in time to take another blast of water, knocking him onto his back.

  Sig lunged forward, ready to chop again, but had to block a fireball Andras hurled at him, and then slapped another away with his sword. The fireballs flared and splattered blindingly over the cars in the lot.

  He whirled to defend against the next attack. None came.

  Sig′s eyes recovered from the flares in time to see Andras leap on his wolf and race away.

  He heard clapping. The Professor led the crowd in applause. Rick laughed as he walked toward Sig. "With a little help from your friends, even you can kick the ass of a Marquis from Hell."

  Sig spun, sword up, head swiveling, searching for danger.

  "Hey, we kicked his ass." Rick gestured toward a gushing fire hydrant, "Luckily our new friends, Amalia and Rebecca are water witches. They blasted Andras with a water jet and kept him off balance. The Professor chipped in with an energy shield at the opportune moment. Voila, Andras ran."

  Sig kept scanning the surroundings. "Don′t forget, he ran last time too—and came back to attack us. Let′s get everyone out of here in case he returns."

  Rick glanced at the chattering crowd outside the club. "Maybe there′s strength in numbers. That helped last time."

  "I don′t want anyone hurt because Andras is trying to kill me."

  "Maybe he′ll stay away if we′re all together."

  "C′mon, let′s get them out…"

  A shape dove off the roof into the crowd. Andras on wolfback hacked left and right with his sword. One of the Amazons fell, cleaved in half, top to bottom. He sliced through another sideways. The screaming crowd scattered.

  Sig ran toward Andras. A huge wolf passed him. Rick went in low, slashed at Andras′ wolf legs, dashed out, and whirled to slash at the wolf again. He darted away again, just in time for Andras to miss a cut aimed at his back.

  Sig prepared to hack at Andras′ head, but heard a crackling roar from above. He raised his sword just in time to block a lightning bolt aimed at him from the shadows of the roof. The bolt, deflected into the parking lot away from the crowd, slammed into a car, igniting it. The gas tank exploded, showering the parking lot with flaming debris. The combined smell of burning gasoline and hellfire made Sig gag.

  Andras and the wolf spun toward a group that included the water witches. The Professor stepped forward and threw up another energy shield. The wolf crashed into it. Andras slashed at the Professor. His sword penetrated, but the shield stopped his hand. The tip missed the Professor by inches.

  Andras drew the sword back and, with the other hand, cast a fireball that splashed against the shield, showering stragglers in the escaping crowd with molten fire. He threw his sword at the Professor. Sig managed to deflect it before it plunged through the energy shield. Instead of penetrating the Professor′s chest, it sliced his arm. He fell to the ground and his shield faded.

  Andras gestured with his fingers and the sword leapt into the air and flew towards him. Sig lunged and grabbed it out of the air. Andras squealed.

  Sig advanced with both swords, but his hand began to sizzle. He almost dropped Andras′ sword. He grimaced as he raised the burning sword high and then jammed it into the pavement up to the hilt. He shook his smoking hand after releasing it. Intense pain throbbed. He held it up and saw the imprint of Andras′ sword hilt charred into his palm.

  He turned back as Andras gestured for the sword to fly to him. The hilt trembled, emitting a twang like a colossal guitar string, but remained jammed into the parking lot.

  Sig ran toward Andras, but the wolf spun and bounded, carrying him away. Rick followed, tearing at the wolf′s legs, until Andras cast a fireball at him. He dodged, but the fireball set the fur on one side aflame. Rick rolled, extinguishing the flames, and rose to his feet in human form.

  Sig ran back to the three bodies lying by the club. Two Amazons were dead. One of the witches used her jacket to staunch blood from the Professor′s arm.

  Arianna knelt and looped her belt around his arm above the wound, pulling it tight to stop the bleedin
g.

  Sid knelt, lifted the Professor, and turned toward his Jeep, "Crap." He could just make out the Jeep′s shape through roaring flames. He remembered slapping the lightning bolt away from the crowd. "Can someone drive the Professor to the hospital?" He shouted

  The witch said, "I′ll call 911."

  Rick, now clothed again said, "Don′t do that, he needs to go to the university hospital."

  "We don′t want to have to explain this to the police. They′ll never believe it. I′m here and I don′t believe it," Arianna said.

  The witch shut her phone. "But there are two dead people."

  "We′ll take care of them, they′re Amazons."

  Another Amazon raced up in a pickup. Arianna looked at Sig. "Will you help?"

  He nodded and picked up the dead Amazons and placed them gently in the back of the pickup. It pulled away.

  Amalia pulled up in a convertible. "Put the Professor in. I′ll take him to the hospital."

  Sig lifted the Professor into the back and Rick jumped into the passenger seat. They sped off.

  The remaining witch turned a stream of water from the fire hydrant onto the blood in the parking lot, washing it toward a sewer grate.

  When he heard sirens approaching, Sig changed back to normal.

  Thunder rumbled. Sig cringed. When the patter of rain followed, Sig relaxed.

  Sirens wound down as a fire truck pulled up next to the still gushing fire hydrant. Firefighters spilled out and unwound their hoses. They had to shut the hydrant off before attaching them.

  A police vehicle pulled up. The police officer got out and walked over to Sig. "What happened here?"

  Holding an umbrella, Arianna strolled up to Sig. "It′s too bad about your car, but you′re lucky you weren′t in it when the lightning struck." They huddled under her umbrella.

  The police officer looked back and forth between them. "Lightning struck the vehicle? It′s your vehicle?" He pointed his pen at Sig.

  Sig nodded.

  "May I see your license and registration?" Water dripped off the brim of his hat as he held his hand out.