The Iron Sword

by J. M. Briggs

  “Let’s talk about something,” Nicki suggested, giving herself a small shake in the corner of Alex’s eye. “Just sitting here in silence is going to put us all to sleep or at least make us start daydreaming.”

  “I don’t know if everyone daydreams as easily as you do,” Aiden chimed in, earning himself a stuck out tongue from Nicki.

  “What would you like to discuss Nicole?” Merlin asked with a soft, amused smile from his place

  “What about water travel?” Nicki asked Merlin, glancing towards him and pouting at the sight of his bag of candy corn. “How does that work?”

  “Water travel is very dangerous Nicole,” Merlin scolded.

  “I’m not going to try it,” Nicki insisted, straightening up and almost hitting her elbow against the window frame. “I’m just curious. We’ve still got a lot to learn and it seems like you guys add more to that list every time we talk.”

  “I suppose it does seem that way,” Merlin admitted with a small nod, setting the bag of candy corn on the small corner table. “Water travel is the only magical means of transportation that I know of. There is no teleportation or anything similar, not like you see in the movies or read about. In truth, moving your body which is matter through energy is a very dangerous prospect. A mage who uses water travel creates a magical tunnel linking two bodies of water,” Merlin explained carefully, a pensive expression on his face.

  “We are not even sure if this tunnel passes through the Earth or works on a different level than the physical world,” Morgana added, looking at them all in turn. “We’ve only used it a few times ourselves due to the amount of magic needed to form the tunnel and keep it in place long enough to reach your destination.”

  “Exactly: it is not an easy feat for us. Some of the Old Ones are able to do it; in fact, it is probably how Chernobog is traveling towards us without being seen.”

  “So it is a magical tunnel,” Nicki clarified with a nod. “Is it actually made of water?”

  “It seems to be to the user,” Merlin agreed. “In order to use water travel, a mage must have a clear mental picture of the body of water they are traveling to. You have to pour in a tremendous amount of magic into the water you are using as the starting point, all while keeping a clear image of the place you are going in mind. Sadly, I lost a student of mine almost five hundred years ago because they did not focus on their destination. They entered the water tunnel and never arrived or returned.”

  “They just vanished?” Aiden asked with wide eyes.

  “I suppose that they probably washed up on some shore somewhere,” Merlin told him with a sigh and a grimace. “But it is a huge world and it was impossible for me to know that for certain. Water travel is fast; it gets you where you want to go in moments, but it takes a great deal of magic. One slip and the tunnel will collapse around you. When Morgana and I have used it in the past it has left us drained.”

  “And of course you have to know the place you’re going,” Aiden remarked with a frown. “That limits its usefulness.”

  “The only being I know who is truly skilled at water travel is Cyrridven, but she is an Old One who never leaves the water. She has become connected to it in a way that is beyond most of them. As for Chernobog; he sees through his shadows and if he is using water travel, has most likely seen the lake through their eyes.”

  “When Cyrridven wakes up, do you think she’ll come here?” Nicki asked, her voice soft, but excited. “Like rise out of the middle of the lake?”

  Alex smiled at the eagerness in Nicki’s voice and couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to see a person emerge out of the water itself. She briefly wondered if she looked like the Lady of the Lake in the stories or if she looked like something else completely.

  “I am certain that Cyrridven will come here,” Merlin assured them. “I just do not know if she knows the waters of this lake or if she even requires such knowledge to water travel.” Merlin paused and chuckled. “And for all I know, the lake is where she is sleeping.”

  “You think that’s possible?” Aiden questioned, leaning forward with a frown.

  “Cyrridven has many gifts and the power of the Iron Realm has revealed many things to her. I put very few things beyond her.”

  “But she’s an Old One,” Bran remarked thoughtfully. “Why does she know so much?”

  “Cyrridven was shown many things so that she could instruct Merlin,” Morgana informed them calmly. “To be honest, she’s never had that much interest in me. I suppose to her, I’m merely another mage, but Merlin is her responsibility.”

  “Just as the first Iron Soul was my student and I have sought to teach the different incarnations in times of need, so she taught me,” Merlin explained with a small pleased smile. “As to why her and why an Old One, I do not know. Perhaps the magic simply knew that she could be trusted.”

  “You make it sounds like the Earth is alive sometimes,” Alex told him, an odd feeling twisting in her stomach at the idea. “Is it?”

  “I do not know,” Merlin replied gently. “I am not inclined to believe in the western monotheistic idea of a God, but my experience indicates that there is something guiding the mages of Earth. Perhaps it is sentient or perhaps it is some kind of chaos that just seems to put the right people at the right place at the right time. Perhaps Cyrridven’s original connection to the magic of Earth was not her being chosen, but rather an accident like getting hit by lightning, something quite possible but rare.”

  “One more thing to wonder about,” Aiden chuckled. “As if there wasn’t enough already.”

  “Oh lighten up,” Nicki scolded him lightly. “After all, today is sort of an anniversary for us.”

  “Ah yes,” Alex sighed dramatically. “It was a year ago that we were chased and cornered by vicious Sídhe Hounds looking to rip us apart.”

  “At least it’s also the anniversary of the day you were reassured that you weren’t crazy,” Bran added with a grin.

  “True, not crazy, but stuck in a magical story that got me dragged underground.”

  “Hey, you got Arthur out of the deal,” Nicki reminded her with a smirk, nodding towards the boy in question. “Not all bad.”

  “Yeah, okay not all bad,” Alex agreed with a glance towards her boyfriend who was smiling at the banter.

  They quieted again and Alex leaned against the wall, trying to stay awake. The initial rush of fear that the shadows were coming was fading away and being replaced by boredom and the reminder that with the party last night she hadn’t gotten much sleep.

  It was a low growl that brought Alex back from the fuzzy haze that she’d fallen into. She tensed as the sound grew louder and looked out the window. In the darkness beyond the lights of the house, she thought she could see something moving. A chill seeped through the window and she shivered. Shifting to her feet, Alex glanced around at the others and noted that everyone was stirring and moving.

  The front door rattled and Arthur’s eyes widened in alarm. He glanced down at the jack-o-lantern in the doorway and took a cautious step forward to look around the corner. A moment later he sprang back and moved away from the entry way as the front door rattled louder and louder. Moving away from the window, Alex quickly moved towards Arthur as he backed away.

  Then there was an odd sound, almost like a blast of water and the air turned even colder. In the entryway, the lights flickered and dimmed. Something rippled just beyond the jack-o-lantern and a shadow appeared out of the darkness. The shadow twisted in midair, floating over the ground like a black ghost. Long arms jutted at awkward angles out of the black form looking disconnected and almost hazy, but the long claws at the end of the arms were perfectly clear. The head shifted and came forward on an unnaturally long neck that curved into an arch as it looked at them with large round red eyes. The inky blackness that made up its face rippled in the low light until two rows of sharp teeth flashed into view. It growled but came no closer to her and Arthur as her boyfriend moved beside her.

  An
other snarl made her turn to look towards the doorway to the kitchen in alarm, her heart racing and her legs tensing to move. A shadow that bore a strong resemblance to a wolf with a long muzzle and glowing red eyes was just beyond the jack-o-lantern. The flames inside the jack-o-lanterns flickered and Alex held her breath, wondering, watching and waiting.

  “Stay calm,” Merlin’s commanded, his voice filling the silent room.

  Alex looked back at the misshapen shadow creature looming in the doorway. It was watching them as it took a small step forward. The fire in the jack-o-lantern flared wildly, casting strange shadows across the walls. Alex glanced down at the fire and swallowed fearfully as she noted the flame shrinking. She exhaled slowly to calm down, only to have her breath dance in front of her in the chilled room.

  More sounds of snarling, growling and groaning echoed through the windows. Glancing over her shoulder, Alex saw Nicki looking through the window cautiously. Her friend opened her mouth to say something, but then thick black liquid began to seep in from under the windows. The windows rattled and the temperature plummeted.

  “They’re getting in!” Morgana shouted right before a whip of silver light flared in the corner of Alex’s eye. “Take out the fully formed ones! Bran, Nicki keep an eye on the windows!”

  The jack-o-lantern cracked open, the shadow snarled and the flame extinguished. It lunged forward, entering the living room with a snarl. Behind them, Alex heard movement, banging and Bran shouting something, but it all masked by the overpowering sound of her own heart racing in her ears.

  Gasping, Alex barely kept herself from stumbling back as the long head surged towards her, the long jaws open. She darted to the side, sending a blast of magic out of her left hand towards the creature on reflex. The dark silver magic swirled in the air before colliding with the exposed roof of the shadow’s mouth. With a shriek, the shadow slammed its jaws shut and recoiled from Alex. Using its distraction, Alex planted her feet against the wooden floor and braced herself.

  The shadow shrank back, shaking its head as a high pitched sound escaped it. In the corner of her eye, she saw Arthur gather his own white magic in his right hand. It slowly lengthened into a shining spear. The shadow creature saw it and began to move towards Arthur who was still focusing on the growing spear.

  Alex tugged at the warm spark in her chest, pulling her magic forwards roughly. It was hard to breathe as the dark silver spark shot down her arm and followed the path of her hand, gathering on the end of her pointer finger. The shadow creature was bearing down on Arthur just as the burst of magic sprang off Alex’s finger and struck it in the face. There wasn’t enough focus or magic to do any damage, but the shadow creature snarled and spun towards her. The distraction was enough and a moment later a spear of ice was thrust into its odd head. Red eyes widened and a terrible gurgling sound escaped the creature as it lashed its head around for a moment. A warm hand gripped Alex’s chilly arm and tugged her back as the shadow creature began to fade away.

  As the last dark remnants of the shadow creature vanished, Alex turned her attention to the rest of the room. Another humanoid looking shadow creature with long limbs was facing off against Merlin as the oldest of the mages’ green magic swirled around it. Morgana was occupied with a shadow that looked like some kind of floating snake as it twisted and dodged her whip of silver magic. Then a large bulky shadow creature hit the far wall, knocking a painting onto the floor and Alex caught a flash of bright yellow magic as the creature tried to move. Bran was still sitting in his chair, one hand raised and glowing softly while his other hand gripped the top of his cane tightly.

  “Nicki!” Bran shouted, drawing the attention of Nicki who was still near her window. The vestiges of another shadow creature were vanishing. “A little help!”

  Aiden moved first, a red glowing spear sputtering in his hands as he tried to form it into something useful against the Shadows. A roar from the pinned creature seemed to shake the room. Ice formed along the floorboards and Alex shifted towards Bran. It broke loose with another roar, a wave of cold flooding the room. Alex stopped short and panted, hearing Bran coughing across the room.

  “Bran!” Aiden shouted as he lunged forward to intercept the huge bear-like creature moving for Bran. It swiped out a large paw, striking Aiden in the chest. His red magic surged into the shadow creature and it released a sharp hissing roar.

  Alex heard a growl escape Nicki as Aiden slammed against the floor with a hideous crunch. Before she could even move, Nicki’s hand glowed a light blue color as her magic gathered. Nicki didn’t even let it fully manifest before she waved her hand towards the shadow creature. A bright blue glow surrounded the beast as it stumbled back, but then it stilled in its place as ice formed around it, made of jagged shapes and freezing it solid. As Nicki swung around to look at the last of the shadow beasts, the wolf-like one that Arthur was hurling magic at with little success, Alex surged forward and dropped to the ground next to Aiden.

  “I’ve got him,” Alex told Nicki quickly as she reached out and felt the skin of his neck. It was cool to the touch, but she could feel it warming up and his pulse racing beneath her fingertips. A sigh of relief escaped her and Alex scanned him quickly for any signs of injury. There wasn’t any blood on his chest and arms were the creature had struck him and there was no blood on the floor beneath his head.

  Across the room, Alex could hear a soft scraping sound and felt a wave of cold brush over her skin as Nicki went to attack the Shadow. She didn’t look up, reminding herself that Nicki was the best suited of them all to fight the Shadows and instead focused on Aiden. There was a fierce animalistic cry from the corner of the room and a moment later Morgana was kneeling next to her. Alex shifted away to give the former doctor more room and finally risked a glance over towards where the Shadow had been.

  Arthur was panting slightly and already moving towards her. Nicki had a murderous expression on her face and her fists were tightly clenched. A soft groan from Aiden made Alex looked down at him. She grinned as his eyes fluttered open for a moment before closing. He shook his head slightly but then grimaced at the movement. Aiden tried to open his eyes again and slowly focused on them as they crowded around.

  “You’re alright Aiden,” Morgana assured him, reaching out and touching his cheek for a moment. Then a soft ball of light appeared in her hand. Aiden blinked at the light and Morgana smiled before the light vanished. “A slight concussion judging from your eyes.”

  “But… he hit the ground so hard,” Arthur protested with a frown before flinching at his own words. Standing up, Alex put a hand on his arm and forced a small smile.

  “He’s fine,” Morgana repeated, helping Aiden sit up. “Come on, you’ll be more comfortable off the floor.”

  Working together, they carefully helped Aiden to his feet with Nicki hovering at Morgana’s elbow. Alex kept glancing at her, wanting to make sure that the usually cheerful and collected girl was okay. By the time Aiden was settled in a chair and Morgana was checking his eyes again, Nicki’s shoulders had relaxed and her expression had softened. Of course, she stayed at Aiden’s side and her hand crept over to his shoulder.

  Alex stepped back and sank down into the nearby coach with a sigh of relief that Aiden was alright. Arthur walked over and placed a hand on her shoulder, giving it a quick squeeze. Merlin withdrew to the far side of the room and glanced out the window, nodding to himself.

  “How are you feeling?” Nicki asked Aiden as Morgana stepped back and vanished into the kitchen.

  “Actually, I’m already a bit better,” Aiden told them all with a smile. “And I’ve had concussions before and this doesn’t feel anywhere near those. You remember that time I slipped on the wet gym floor and smacked my head, Nicki?”

  “Yeah,” Nicki replied with a rather pained smile. “You crawled off to the side and I could barely get you to understand a thing I was saying.”

  “Good times,” Aiden joked with an easy grin before shaking his head. “Really though guys, I�
��m okay. Honestly, I’m surprised too.”

  “Your magic gradually makes you more resistant to physical attacks,” Morgana said calmly as she walked back to Aiden and handed him a sack of frozen peas. “It is a slow process and one that we don’t control, but we slowly become harder to hurt.”

  “Your skin can still be pierced of course,” Merlin added quickly. “But I haven’t broken a bone in more than a century.”

  “Seriously? Why didn’t you tell us this before?” Nicki demanded with a frown, arms crossed over her chest with her earlier anger returning.

  “Because it is hard to plan for,” Merlin replied calmly, not at all affected by her tone.

  “In layman’s terms; we didn’t want you rushing off and doing something stupid on the mistaken belief that you are invincible,” Morgana told Nicki, giving her a stern warning look that deflated the irritated red head slightly. “Think about some of the fights you’ve been in. Some of you have been thrown around and yet haven’t broken any bones, but still, get cut and bleed.”