Part 4: Casualties of war
Michael opened his mouth to warn Dabiri
but was cut off by the explosion that resulted from the figure's contact
with the ward. A flash of white light blinded him momentarily, and
then the sound of something tearing- the very universe seeming to come
down around him. Then it was gone, and everything was as before.
The black figure dressed in a wizard's tunic stood regarding Dabiri solemnly.
With a broad, deliberate movement, it stepped over the line that Dabiri
had created in the ground.
Nothing happened.
A smile, wicked and cruel, crossed the face of the
figure. "Ha! Dabiri, your goddess fails you."
The effect on Dabiri was devastating. The
aged priest's face seemed to crumble in on itself. The hail ceased
suddenly and Michael moved forward toward the two.
"Who- what are you?" Dabiri said, his voice shaking.
"I am Stinnett, and I have come for this 'goddess'
you claim to have. Either surrender her to me, or I will take her
by force. This is no idle threat, old man." Stinnett seemed
to be enjoying himself immensely. "You have seen what men I bring
with me. More are still coming. What say you?"
Dabiri was openly weeping. "I- I say..."
Suddenly, the priest looked up, his eyes filled with white fury.
"I say NEVER!" Stinnett took a step back, a suprised look on his
face. The suprise was quickly replaced with anger, however.
"Fine then! You will die here, by my own hand!"
Stinnet proclaimed, raising one gloved hand wreathed with black fire.
Stinnett never got the chance to deploy this magic.
Michael ran forward, brandishing his sword that the clerics had treated.
Stinnett gazed toward him in the split second before the sword came into
contact with him.
Michael felt a jolt like electricity run through
his body as the sword came to life in his hands. The white light
shimmered within it and then seemed to break loose, illuminating everything.
Michael felt the surge of the sword's magic envelop him, enpower him as
he sent it on its deadly course through Stinnett.
So, Stinnett thinks, this is Dabiri. The old
man looked like so much less than he had been lead to believe. A
pity, Stinnett thinks. This battle was too quick. Stinnett
decides to finish business here. Dabiri would, of course, be executed
for his treachery. But first there is the matter of the Goddess.
So Stinnett makes his statement, finishing with 'What say you?'
Such a pity, Stinnett thinks again. This once-great
priest reduced to such lows.
"NEVER!"
Stinnett takes an involuntary step back, shocked
by the response and the raw power he suddenly sensed coarse through the
aged cleric. Shock is quickly washed away with anger. He says
something in response, but in his own mind there is only a low growl, calling
out for blood. Stinnett raises one hand, intending to slay the upstart
right now. It is his instinct that saves him. He suddenly senses
enormous power, greater than even that of the old man. He sees some
warrior, brandishing a sword (THAT sword!?) toward him. Suddenly,
every fiber of his being is set alight as the sword pierces him- holy fire
burns through this body that he has created, tearing him apart. The
magic flows from the sword, filling his body, seeming to speak to him in
its own language (THIS is my true power, THIS is your undoing, your
final form is destroyed THIS brings you to an end Stinnett).
Stinnett abandons (You were forced! his mind tells him) his body,
fleeing from it in absolute terror, trailing the magic of the sword behind
him.
Michael's inner world collapsed as the magic swirled
and then returned to the sword. For a moment, he was paralyzed by
emptiness. The magic had made him whole, given him power, direction,
and more... and now it was gone. He struggled to look up and found
that he could not.
Dabiri staggered over to him, shaking him roughly.
Michael reacted immediately, pulling away as if shocked. "Good job!"
Dabiri proclaimed. "Now quickly, inside!"
Michael, some of his energy returning to him, glanced
out toward the battlefield. There he watched in horror as Stinnett's
minions gathered themselves together and began to move toward the temple.
"Quickly Michael! Into the temple!"
Michael, upon reaching the conclusion that the hoarde
before him was less than happy about the reception he had given their leader,
ran into the temple. Two clerics behind him shut the main doors and
put a heavy beam across them.
"That won't hold them for long!" Dabiri yelled,
still running and motioning the clerics inside to him. "To the shrine!"
the clerics followed him into a room in the back that Michael had never
entered before. The clerics behind him again shut and barred the
door immediately after he entered.
"Listen to me!" Dabiri said, his voice becoming
confident and commanding once more. "We are going, and we are taking
the goddess with us."
Michael looked around, seeing no other exit from
the room. His eyes glanced to the walls and came to rest on the shrine
in the center of the room.
And the Goddess.
His breath was suddenly stolen from his body.
Encased in what seemed to be glass, a woman laid with her eyes closed.
Dabiri continued talking, but Michael no longer heard him. Slowly,
he made his way to the shrine in the center and lightly touched the glass.
It seemed slightly warm, and his fingers left a light glow where they had
touched the glass. The woman's eyes were closed, and her hands were
at her sides. Her clothing seemed completely unfamiliar to him, but
that did not matter to him in the least. This was the Goddess Dabiri
worshipped.... Now Michael could see why. Merely upon seeing
her, he felt the need to watch over her, to protect her at the cost of
his life, to serve her. He did not know why, nor did he care.
He felt a glimmer of what he had felt when the magic had enveloped him,
and he shivered involuntarily.
"Michael!" Dabiri yelled.
Michael stood up and looked at Dabiri, confused.
Reality slowly came back to him- how long had he been standing there, staring
at the goddess? He didn't know. "Yes?" He answered, struggling
to keep his voice straight.
"We're going."
Michael nodded, not knowing what exactly Dabiri
had in mind, but perfectly ready to go along with it if it would protect
the goddess. Dabiri nodded back and moved over by the shrine.
His eyes closed, and he began chanting. The clerics formed a circle
around Dabiri, Michael, and the shrine. After a moment, Michael realized
that it was for protection. Apparently, the army was at the door
to the shrine room, and was fast knocking it down. There was another
thud and the door splintered open, spilling men into the room. Michael's
vision began to fog over and it seemed in slow motion that he raised his
sword and began rushing forward to confront the attackers. In one
moment, he saw archers loose arrows at him and the clerics, in the next
he had vanished along with Dabiri, the shrine, and the remaining clerics.
The dust in Stinnett's sanctuary stirs momentarily,
as though blown by a light wind. There is no wind, however, as all
the entrances to the room are shut. There is someone in the room,
however. Andrew Ericson, the errand boy who had delivered a message
to Stinnett earlier, stands nervously in the center, holding a piece of
parchment in one hand. He looks about nervously, obviously uncomfortable
at being inside Stinnett's sanctum, and with good reason. The dust
moves again, this time with more force, making a scratching sound against
the floors. Andrew jumps and almost manages to suppress a scream.
He stands still and forces his breathing under control. After all,
he is safe, isn't he? Stinnett isn't here, right?
A piercing headache suddenly overcomes him and he
falls to his knees, violently throwing up.
Stinnett opens the eyes of Andrew Ericson, looking
outside at the world through a human body once more.
Back - Home - Next
This page hosted by 
Get your own Free Home
Page