I looked at the doors across the room from us, far behind the men we faced and I spoke the words to create a shield across it, one tight enough to prevent even air from passing. Then I looked down to the line that stood in front of me. Penny watched my face and I wondered if I would die, it seemed such a shame. She started toward me but I held up my hand, I couldn’t afford any distractions.
Reaching down into myself I drew out my power and let it fall from my lips and down my arm as I gestured to the line before me. I could feel it flowing outward, filling the line that had been drawn and then I raised my hands upwards. A shimmering screen of light rose from the floor to meet the ceiling, seamless and perfect. Some of the enemy had already charged at us and those who were across the line were cut cleanly in half, limbs and body parts falling to the floor as they died. Those behind slammed into air that had become solid as stone, I could feel the force of them as they struck my shield.
Devon laughed where he stood behind them, purple flames coursing over his body, “Fool! You can’t maintain that shield for long! You’ll die of the strain and I’ll be killing your friends before your body has cooled!”
I glared at him across the screen that separated us, “You don’t look so good Devon, did someone rearrange your face for you or were you always that ugly?” Despite the power running through him his face was swollen from the beating I had given him earlier. “Oh that’s right I nearly beat you to death with the ugly stick didn’t I? Maybe I should finish the job. It could only improve your looks!”
He snarled something at me and I could feel a dark force pressing against my screen, trying to tear it open. That worried me, the strength to maintain a shield is greater than the strength needed to destroy it and he would rapidly burn through my reserves if he kept pushing at it. I looked across the open room and spoke the words I had been saving, words of fire and power.
Nothing happened. I could feel myself weakening and realized I had overextended myself. I didn’t have the power left to accomplish my goal. We were going to die. Devon thrust his power against my shield again and I staggered, falling to my knees. Only seconds remained before my strength was gone. I dropped my sword and saw it strike the floor. There at the base of the blade was the maker’s mark, the mark of Royce Eldridge. For a moment I remembered his words as he had given it to me. “I did not make this for your vengeance. I did this to show that even from the ashes of wickedness and tragedy something of beauty can arise. I made this hoping the same for you. Use it for yourself; use it for defending those who cannot protect themselves, as your true father would have. Do not shame either of us.”
I stood up, driven by nothing but my resolve. “Pyrren nian Aeltos, Pyrren strictos Kaerek!” I spoke again, this time opening my heart, pouring my life into the spell. Loosely translated the words meant, ‘Let the air burn, turning all to ash,’ and I meant them. The air beyond my screen bloomed into white hot incandescent flames. I had not directed my spell at the men but the air itself.
Within seconds the flame was out, and I could feel a tugging at my screen. The air inside had been used up creating a vacuum that pulled against my screen. The enemy were mostly dead, and those still living were suffocating. Devon was still standing, his own shield had protected him, but his eyes were bulging. He gasped as he tried to draw breath, but there was nothing to breathe, nothing but smoke and ash.
He began beating at my shield with his mind, using his power like a battering ram, not even bothering with words. He couldn’t speak anyway. The room grew dim as he struggled against me and my vision narrowed, as if I were standing in a tunnel. I held the shield for a long minute before he finally collapsed, and then I held it for minutes more. I had to make sure he was dead.
People were yelling and someone was shaking me, but I ignored them. I would not release my spell till Devon Tremont was dead beyond any doubt. Penny was standing in front of me and I could see her screaming at me, but I couldn’t understand her words. Finally she slapped me and the screen collapsed. Smoke and cinders filled the air and people began coughing.
I looked at her, “Why did you do that?” I said.
“Because you were killing yourself idiot!” she answered me, and then the ground rushed up to meet me. She tried to catch me but all she managed was to break my fall. I looked up at her; she had never seemed so lovely.
“Your nose looks like a potato.” I said with a laugh and then passed out. Stupid never dies, I thought as I spiralled into darkness.
Chapter 21
The biggest factor which makes healing anything beyond simple wounds difficult is a problem of perception. Some wizards manage to heal more complex wounds within their own bodies, but fail when faced with the same problem in other people. Their perception of the inner actions of someone else's body is hampered by the sensations and perceptions of their own body. The few great mage healers found a way around this problem, enabling them to occasionally achieve miracles that some thought possible only for the gods. A great tragedy lies in the loss of the knowledge detailing how they accomplished this.
I woke in a dark room. I lay still for a long while, trying to figure out how I had gotten there. Gradually I realized that someone lay next to me, and after a moment I identified it as Penny. The snoring is a dead giveaway, and it was worse than ever now, probably because of her nose. I slid my hand over to her and discovered she had a nightgown on. How disappointing. She stirred and the snoring stopped, I could feel her eyes on me in the dark, although I was sure she couldn’t see, the room was pitch black.
“Are you awake?” she asked softly.
“I’m not sure, this could be heaven,” I replied moving my hand over her shoulder. “I must be awake, because in heaven all the girls are naked.”
“Idiot, we thought you were dying,” she said, “I thought I would lose you.”
“I should have written you a letter first, then you would have felt better.” I replied sarcastically. Have I mentioned my unparalleled skills in talking to women?
For a change she didn’t react angrily, “I couldn’t do it without leaving you something, to explain.” I didn’t like the sound of her voice, it had a thick sound, as if she were about to cry.
I did my best to divert her, “Exactly why did you try to kill Devon anyway? Are you that interested in getting yourself killed?”
She explained what had happened; her vision, killing Father Tonnsdale, and her resolve to make the most of things by getting rid of Devon Tremont. I listened quietly, amazed at her nerve. This lovely woman had killed the traitor and hidden the fact without me being any the wiser. Then she had planned a murder and kept me completely unaware. I would have been scared to have her in the bed with me if I wasn’t absolutely sure we were on the same team.
“At least I had a good reason for everything I did. Unlike you… you tried to kill yourself at the end, even after they were all dead,” she finished.
“Not true, I was making sure they were dead,” I answered.
“You’re an idiot.” she shot back.
“You’re a double idiot, potato nose!” I replied wittily. Luckily this time she saw the humor in my joke and started giggling, and soon we were both laughing. Fatigue washed over me in waves and I decided I needed more sleep. Before I drifted off I realized I couldn’t feel her with my mind. I couldn’t feel anything. I was blind, but it wasn’t my eyes that weren’t working.
I woke early the next morning, amazed at how good I felt. By all rights I should be dead; instead I was hungry and extremely thirsty. Penny was not in the room so I ordered room service, “Hey! Somebody! I know you’re out there ya bunch of vultures. I’m not dead! I want food and something to drink!” In point of fact I had no idea if anyone was outside my door, I couldn’t sense anything beyond what my eyes could see. But I’m smart you see, I knew that whenever the hero slays a dragon the villagers always wait outside to bring him food and drink. There’s usually grateful virgins too, but I didn’t think Penny would approve of me asking for those.
