Oblivion's Peril

by M. H. Johnson

  And somehow he had done it, hot fury and hasted time projecting his spell far further than what he sensed was its normal range, his PRM-derived ability to subtly manipulate magic itself giving his spell just that tiny extra boost he needed to hit his target.

  The mercenary leader screamed and collapsed in a spray of blood, his right leg torn completely through by the massive spear of ice quivering as it bit into the ground.

  The captain's screams distracted his men, instinctively reforming to protect their leader, one of the men immediately locking onto Val, the entire clumped cluster soon firing upon his armored form. Val grinned fiercely through the flashing beams. Just what he wanted.

  "Glacie Pilum! Glacie Pilum!" And within seconds, four more massive spears shot through the air, enhanced exactly as the first one had been, the fifth one abruptly going wide as Val screamed and crashed to the ground, one lucky shot hitting neither shield nor reflective armor but the critically damaged greave that couldn't reflect worth a damn, the hot beam spearing through his leg, and lucky Val was that it had only seared for a moment, though long enough to send Val crashing to the ground, sending his final attack wide.

  A handful of shrieks served as dark satisfaction even as fresh pain roared through him, and it was with fierce pride that he saw his Julia gazing at the remaining enemy troops, fist crackling with electricity, her shout causing even Val to wince as the remaining men were sent crashing to the ground by a fearsome bolt of Chain Lightning ripping through the entire squad.

  And when Julia slumped over, her shield collapsing, a suddenly panicked Val ignored all pain from his screaming calf as he desperately hobbled to her side, relieved beyond words to find her still alive. Her face was a rictus of pain from the spell pulsing through her still, healing even as it tormented her with pain that had once sent Val reeling into unconsciousness, and somehow, despite that, she had managed to save his life with a 45th level tactical spell.

  Tormented eyes gazed into his own.

  He blinked back hot tears as he smiled down at her, stroking her sweaty brow. "Thank you," he whispered.

  "Told you girls were tougher," she whispered as her eyes began to close, exhaustion taking its toll at last.

  Val spared one precious moment to gaze into her beautiful, exhausted face, terrified by how fragile she was, how much he cared for her, before quickly eyeing the battlefield. The fight was still raging but scattered in splintered pockets. Val then turned back to the manor, desperate to find a safe room to hide Julia before doing what he must.

  16

  Val screamed. The agony was excruciating. But he had no choice.

  Congratulations! You have successfully cast Searing Cleanse and Season's Mending upon yourself. Feel the pain, Val. Did you really think you could stop it before it runs its course?

  But stop it he must... enduring the hot throbbing agony only for so long as it took to seal his wound, to allow his body to stabilize the damage, so he could hobble without further injury. Seconds stretched forever, and he realized there was no way in hell he could focus enough to dispel his own magic, let alone cast another spell. He gazed at his girl with fierce pride, doing all he could to keep her safe and hidden here in this third-floor pantry room, away from the fighting even now occurring down below.

  Then, much to his surprise, the pain was gone.

  He blinked as the horrific pain he had been a fool to think he could have possibly dispelled on his own ran its course. Though he had to pull off the shattered greave, the calf it had failed to protect was pristine and whole once more. The nausea, dizziness, and throbbing headache were also gone. And much to his surprise and relief, it had taken only a fraction of the time he had expected.

  Good thing you finally boosted your PRM to Rank 10, Jordia's own electromana field helping to heal damage you were too foolish to avoid!

  Val couldn't help grinning fiercely at that. His inner voice was right. He could regenerate now, albeit not as fast as he could recover his mana, and his calf had been a serious mess. He also suspected his head injury could have been serious. But the same energy coursing through him that had given him the strength to carry Julia up here and endure such awful pain had allowed him to heal completely in less than a minute, at least when heightened by his Season's Mending spell.

  And somehow he sensed he'd only heal faster in time. Not that he was looking forward to putting that to the test.

  He had momentarily thought about trying to share his PRM healing with Julia through their Spirit Link, somehow still joined as a party, but had gotten the prickly feeling that attempting such would have been a very bad idea.

  Insight gained! Healing potions might be one thing, but perhaps it's not a good idea to force unexpected arcane energies into every cell of Julia's body? And not all of those cells are hers!

  Val grimaced, more frightened for her safety than ever, but now was not the time.

  He pressed his lips against her sweaty brow, gently stroking her cheek before stepping away, able to focus and slip back into Shadowmind at last, and thanks to his Psi-Sense, the entire battlefield the grand manor had become now felt like a 3-D map in his mind's eye.

  He smiled as he sensed friend from foe, nearby at least, knowing his range would extend with time, slipping into darkest shadow as he made his move.

  Terrified whimpers could be heard just ahead as a handful of serving girls sobbed before the cruel ministrations of a trio of Blackenthorp mercenaries, one with his blaster coldly pointed at their victims while the other two finished with grunts and final parting blows before dressing once more.

  "Sir?" said the one with the blaster as the girls begged to be released.

  The senior soldier sneered at the girls before him.

  "Please, sir, we gave you everything. Everything!" sobbed the youngest of the girls, her heart-stoppingly beautiful features marred by bruises and a cruelly shattered nose, innocent blood leaking from places shadow boiled to see.

  The senior soldier's cruel smile widened. "We filled em with our seed, now fill them with hot death. We had our fun, but orders are orders."

  "No, please!" screamed the girls in perfect unison as shadows coalesced and a sliver of oblivion tore through the lead gunman’s head.

  Desperate pleas turned to horrified screams as the naked girls were drenched in a dying man's blood, the two remaining mercenaries having time only to look about in confusion before they too fell to oblivion's caress, corpses before they even hit the ground.

  And Val was exactly where he needed to be, the abandoned laboratory just beside Christine's own, every flask and vial within quickly emptied regardless of contents as strange liquids hissed and bubbled together before seeming to disappear in shadow's maw.

  The four bruised and bleeding girls only shook, too terrified to do more than quietly sob as darkness coalesced in intent and purpose. They did not dare move, it seemed, for all that the sounds of shouts and blaster fire in the corridors beyond had all but died off. The girls had no doubt been too distracted by their own ordeal to notice or care.

  And the darkness seemed almost to coalesce before one girl's eyes as she whimpered and looked away.

  The hiss and crackle of oblivion, and unexpected light as a door was cut into the wall between rooms, shouts of surprise as living shadow slipped through.

  "What the hell was that?" demanded a crimson-eyed giant, well over seven feet tall and shimmering with a protective force field in addition to the Psiblade and forceshield he held. He spared only a moment scowling at the sudden hole but saw nothing, eyes naturally rolling off that which was not meant to be seen, before the man turned his focus back to the two Highlords before him. The younger sobbing with pain, her hand cleaved off. The other infested with sores upon her sweaty features for all that she glared with steely resolve, holding her blade and forceshield in perfect concert, a force field crackling about her frame as well. Behind them were Val's friends, still comatose, and by the doorway were no less than a dozen Blackenthorp soldiers, several l
ooking more cyborg than human.

  And Val sensed another presence as well.

  Christine flashed a desperate smile. "Perhaps it is your death, dear Augustus. Long overdue."

  The giant smirked, hot eyes blazing across the room, yet Christine made no move to attack, sparing a single glance for her daughter who shook and bled.

  "Seal, it, love, don't be a fool."

  Elise, sobbing over her spurting wound, widened her eyes, jerking an exhausted nod, centering herself, and Val could all but feel the flood of Psions she activated as her wound began to cauterize itself, Elise whimpering as the spurting blood died to a trickle, and then it was sealed, Elise too exhausted now to do other than tremble on the cold floor.

  Augustus spat. "Pathetic, Christine. Both of your daughters. I have no doubt your Julia has already fallen to my brother's blade."

  Even as shadow felt the sudden force and fury of the giant's Ego Crush, Christine's deadly smile and shimmering golden gaze her only response, his attack crashing futilely against the barriers of her mind.

  "Castling, Christine? The least of all wards," the giant sneered.

  And Val's eyes widened, realizing that his eyes had slid over darkest shadow a second time.

  Insight gained! Why is Christine content to taunt and bide her time? So you can strike from behind! She knows it's you! But then why is Augustus content to do the same?

  Val hissed, heart racing, finally understanding what he had to do.

  "I too am Dauda. By blood and alliance, I claim Clan Highblood as kin! Christine lies under my shadow."

  Augustus's eyes widened, he spun around.

  Seeing only darkness, Val allowing himself to sink fully into the gloom once more.

  For the crackling blade of death but a heartbeat from taking Christine's head had paused.

  "What is your name?"

  Val froze at that voice. Rich and full, and he could imagine it younger, softer, innocent for all that the throaty laughter she had once teased her admirers with had worried their parents considerably, so young she had been, just a handful of years ago.

  Val blinked away the hot sting in his eyes he refused to call tears. A dozen men guarded the doorway who would be more than happy to kill him if they could get a clean shot, if they didn't have to worry about their own.

  "Val. Valor Hunter." The blood was roaring in his ears. It was all he could do to keep to the gloom. "I think you know who I am. In fact, I have Faith that you do."

  Shadow hissed.

  And her secret Val would keep, for all that he had surrendered his own.

  The husky voice was almost accusatory. "You told me Christine had betrayed Hanna. Presenting so much evidence you all but threw at the council's feet, swearing to it with such convincing sincerity, even agreeing to bind your oath to my own, Augustus."

  "You will do what you swore to," Augustus snarled, "or your clan will pay a very steep price indeed!" Val's eyes narrowed as he saw the man lower his shield slightly, his hand now hovering over his belt.

  The man knew Dauda were death. Why did he show only contempt?

  Heart racing, Val could think of only one reason. He shouted in a language he hoped his enemy didn't understand.

  "Faith, que recibiste? Su regalo es una trampa!"

  Shadow gasped, a soft flash of diamonds sparkling through the air before a flash and scream.

  “You dare to delay? You dare to question me? Death is your reward for betrayal!" Augustus roared, even as he pivoted with surprising speed, catching Val's blade with his own, pivoting around, using his shield to control the bind.

  Val met strong with weak, flowing out of the Darklord's bind before lashing out with a double Zwerch, but Augustus had already arched his head back, attempting to use Psiblade and forceshield to trap Val's blade even as he roared his Psionic Blast.

  Crumpling most of his own mercenaries, but shadow cared nothing for his roar, though his Psiblade almost spelled Val's end as near perfect mastery of blade and shield forced Val back on the defensive.

  Strike, pivot, thrust, and parry. Snapping cuts expertly countered by his foe, Augustus pivoting forward before smashing with his forceshield, smiling viciously as he made contact with that which he could not sense, save for feeling Val's presence in the bind. And it was enough, Val grunting as he was sent flying, turning it into a roll, ducking his head before voidal death could cleave it free, spinning to his feet, smashing into the potent Highlord with all force and fury, forever pivoting back only heartbeats before his blade was trapped once more.

  Augustus growled, hot red eyes flashing. "You're becoming a nuisance. Men! Spray the room!" he roared, leaping back as Christine screamed, desperately covering a fallen Elise with her form as blaster fire burned through the room.

  "Fire in the hole!" Val roared, hoping, praying the girl cloaked in shadow understood the one move he could make, Val snapping a vial free of shadow, hurtling it just over the heads of the troopers firing into the room even now, Augustus's eyes widening as if outraged that Val had dared shift his focus in the instant his foe had leaped back to give his men room to shoot, random blaster fire bouncing harmlessly off the Darklord's force field.

  And then they were all thrown off their feet by a concussive wave of force, the guardsmen crowding the doorway spraying into the room like an exploding meat vat, drenching them all in blood and gore. Val braced himself and rolled, feeling it even in shadow, oddly certain it struck him with far less force than it should, as if embracing Shadowmind did more than simply cloak him from sight.

  Augustus might have been slammed to the ground but it fazed him for only a heartbeat before he sprang back up to his feet with a roar, smashing into Val with all force and fury. The man's cruel smile lit up his face even as his crimson eyes blazed, the howl of his Psionic Blast near blowing Val free from his Shadowmind. "I begin to sense you, maggot. First your form, then your mind! You Dauda are fools to cross one who will become Overlord. Exothermics shall be but one of many pretexts for your demise. I shall make sure your entire clan is wiped from the face of Jordia for daring to cross me!"

  "Three Musketeers!" cried a voice that Val didn't let distract him from the sudden onslaught of blade and shield he faced, as much as his heart sang with those words. His crackling sword was nearly caught in the bind twice, and only once had it been deliberate, Augustus roaring his triumph as he blasted forth with his terrible mind before lashing out with a blistering series of crosscuts, Val fighting desperately to control the center before his foe struck, punching out with his shield before striking low.

  As Val knew he would, accepting the hideous agony even as he impaled himself on voidal death, his Scheitelhau strike pivoting over the poorly positioned forceshield, cleaving through the would-be Overlord's skull.

  And so fast were his foe's reflexes that Augustus had barely been hit, Val saw as he crashed to the ground, his entrails ruptured, but it had been enough. Augustus gazed strangely at Val, sporting a small hole in the top of his skull where Val's blade had just barely sheared through. "But I thought. No, not... it will not stop me!"

  And to Val's horror, Augustus's crimson eyes seared into his brain as the wound began to bubble and close.

  Before his head was cleaved free by his sister's Psiblade, the body collapsing in death at last. Val recalled in a flash the mock duels he and Faith had once fought with their brother, using weapons their mother would give them, somehow strangely certain their father never knew. Always Hanna would push them to see who was the strongest, the cleverest, the fastest, and forever Val or Faith would be forced to work together, one seeking to distract their older brother while the other struck from behind. Three Musketeers indeed.

  Val shivered as agony rocked through him, ripping him entirely free of Shadowmind, gazing into a face solemn, beautiful, and hauntingly like his mother’s.

  Until that moment he had forgotten everything. Why HEMA came to him so naturally, the probing questions about his skills that he could never really answer, his fr
iends’ disdain for all the odd techniques he would use, completely outside the treatises. Techniques that nonetheless proved effective enough for their chapter's founder to start adapting them into their school's repertoire, far more interested in winning competitions than preserving ancient arts in their purest form. For all that Val loved the longsword, blade and buckler had come to him so naturally it was almost frightening.

  Val blinked away the odd reverie, eyes widening as he spotted the nose plugs, the sheen to Faith's face, the marks upon her throat, two leaking blood still, where a necklace had been ripped free.

  "Thanks for saving my life, little brother. Stay safe."

  He fought to speak, coughing blood. His sister sighed, turning to Christine. "You're a doctor. Treat him." Ignoring all the chaos around.

  Christine's eyes widened, a shaking Elise still clutched tightly to her. "I am not exactly in the best position at the moment, but of course I will. How are you, Faith? How is your mother?"

  But Faith was already gone.

  Val forced himself to speak. "The fools broke containment. If you get sick, come back, we'll treat you. I swear it!"

  Christine gazed sadly at Val. "Don't worry, Valor. I saw the antiseptic sheen to her cheeks when she lowered her Shadowmind for just a second to peer at you. I have no doubt she's disinfecting the cut on her throat even as I speak." She shook her head. "So much I want to say, Valor. Thank you for saving my daughter's life, and mine, again?" She shook her head, forcing her thoughts to focus. "At least I hear no more screams or blaster fire. I can only hope that means we have won."

  She was shouting, Val realized, all of their ears ringing with the force of the explosion, small as his infused Silbion flask had been, carefully thrown to assure their enemies took the brunt of the blast. And his friends were lying comatose on the ground, knocked from their gurneys. Her cyborg assistant was nowhere to be found, Julia was even now holed up, injured and vulnerable, and Val needed to move.