Monty cast a camouflage rune and disappeared from view. He began inscribing symbols into the ground. Even his energy signature was masked. I could barely sense him.
“He’ll see through this once he’s in proximity,” Monty said. “By the time he does, I should have the cast complete, and the shortcut will shut down the artifact.”
“How long are we talking, here? He looks like the type to blast first and ask later.”
“I need him completely focused on you,” Monty said. “Thirty seconds should suffice. I have the rest primed for the cast.”
“Thirty seconds, got it,” I said, starting my mental timer as I ran forward to intercept Toson. “Time to try some diplomacy.”
“Who are you?” Toson asked as he gently landed the blazing boulder in front of me. “Stand aside.”
“Can’t do that,” I said. “I’m going to have to ask you to cease and desist.”
“Excuse me? Cease and desist? Who are you?”
“I’m going to guess you are the owner of the unauthorized golem,” I said blithely, glancing over at where the golem was trying to crush Ursula and Peaches. “I’m going to need you to unsummon said golem and leave the city. This is your one and only warning.”
Toson narrowed his eyes and looked down his nose at me—the usual mage expression. I made sure I had my mala bracelet free.
“Are you mad?” Toson asked as his hands burst into flames. Large chunks of stone broke from the earth and started floating lazily around him. “You’re not even a mage. Do you know who I am?”
“Let me guess,” I said. “You feel your rightful place is being usurped and because you weren’t being listened to and no one on the Red Mountain bowed to your every whim, you, like a spoiled brat, stole that”—I pointed to the Earth’s Breath—“summoned that”—I pointed to the golem without taking my eyes off of Toson—“and proceeded to think you could just take whatever you wanted. That about right?”
I could practically see his blood pressure rise. Mage goading—it was just too easy. I caught the motion of the stones first, and pressed the mala bead, materializing my shield just in time to deflect a medium-sized stone, one the size of my head, from slamming into me.
The impact catapulted me back. I landed in a roll and drew Grim Whisper, firing. The rounds never reached him, crashing into the floating stones, which now whirled around him, effectively shielding him.
“You’re with that mage, aren’t you? You two were the best Orahjene could find to defend her cause?” Toson scoffed. “Where is she? Even with a shift, she is weaker than me. Is she so frightened to face me herself that she would send incompetents to their death in her stead?”
“Actually, she said she had a spa appointment she couldn’t break and wondered if we could handle—what did she call you?—a minor nuisance, in her absence.”
“Minor nuisance? I am the rightful First Elder of the Red Mountain,” Toson said, raising his voice. “How dare you meddle in affairs that do not concern you!”
“Because, unlike you, Jen asked nicely—and you, I’m discovering, are a second-rate, mage apprentice, hack.”
“Jen?” Toson asked, seemingly more upset about that, than my insult. “Her name is Orahjene…not Jen.”
“In fact,” I continued, ignoring him, “I know a little ice mage girl that has more power in her pinky than you have in your entire body. She doesn’t need an artifact or a golem to get things done, either.”
“You have no idea the forces you are facing, you insignificant flea of a human!”
Toson raised a fist and I felt the tremor, before noticing the golem had shifted trajectories and was headed my way. I moved back to where Monty had inscribed symbols into the ground.
“I think I have his complete attention now,” I said, looking at the infuriated Toson. “Whatever you’re going to do—now would be a good time.”
Silence.
“Monty?” I said, looking around. “You out there?”
“Did your mage abandon you?” Toson asked as he closed the distance. “I was going to end you with my creature, but I think I will enjoy snuffing out your life personally.”
He waved a hand, and the golem turned around with Ursula and Peaches in tow. It plodded slowly back on a trajectory toward Bowling Green and the hub.
I materialized Ebonsoul as Toson approached.
“You’re going to find that snuffing part harder than you think.”
He paused in his approach. “You have skill,” Toson said, materializing a blade of his own. “But your courage will not save you tonight. It is a pity you will not live to see the new era I have set in motion.”
“Listen, I can appreciate you want to be a hands-on kind of guy, what with the killing me personally and all, but this is a bad idea. You really want to stop all of this.”
“You’re scared?” Toson scoffed. “I would be, in your place. I promise you a quick death—a mercy I rarely grant.”
“I’m flattered,” I said, stepping closer to the symbols Monty inscribed. “Why are you doing this? I mean, really? Why not go out and start another sect? Call yours the Blue Mountain and call it a day.”
“Start another sect?” Toson said, stepping into a fighting stance. “My family has been part of the Red Mountain sect for countless generations. I am the rightful successor. My power dwarfs Orahjene’s. I am destined to be First Elder. I will turn the Red Mountain into the sect it should be.”
I noticed the bare feet as he circled around.
“What’s that? A sect of peace, love, and happiness?”
“My world, like yours, only recognizes one thing—power,” he said. “I will begin by forming my golem army. Then I will bring all of the sects under one Elder.”
“This one Elder—did you nominate yourself?”
“I am the most qualified, the strongest warrior”—he touched the Earth’s Breath—“and the leader of the golem army. I know the truth, I have seen it.”
I shook my head. “Let me guess, Orahjene disagrees with you.”
“She is short-sighted
