Techromancy Scrolls: Adept (31 page)

She shrugged and said far too sweetly, “Electromagnetism.” Then she looped her arm through his and pulled him off down the cavernous space. I wondered why they didn't share with our ally what I was. It wasn't like I was a threat to anyone with any amount of power.

We searched and found other exits, but they opened to walls of clay and stone. The way we came in was the only way in or out. If we stayed in here, it would be our tomb, like the ten skeletons Bowyn found huddled in a room labeled 'Cafeteria'. He had a couple dozen extremely thin bladed knives from there.

We left the cavern and sat around John's re-stoked fire while Bex and Brenda stood guard just outside. We inventoried our weapons. Nothing that could stand against the hundred or so men that Lord John said that Poe commanded.

Fredrick said, “So it is decided then. We run while we can. We could have Lady Beth and one of the squires leave some false trails to the ravine to the north while we head west. We can meet at the end of the dry riverbed at sunrise.”

We all nodded in assent, but Bex yelled, “Riders!”

We all ran out and saw dozens of men riding swiftly toward us from the east carrying torches, they were maybe a mile and a half out. I could see a sea of colors radiating from most of them. I whispered, “Almost all of them are rogues.” I could hear the fear in my voice. We looked west and saw a smaller group curling around to meet the others just about when they would arrive. It was too late, we were trapped.

Bowyn and Beth slowly drew their swords started walking down the rise to meet the enemy. There was steel in their eyes, Bex and Brenda began to follow. I shouted, “Wait!” The beginnings of an insane plan forming in my head.

They turned to look at me then the oncoming horde. I mumbled to myself, “Water and electricity don't mix.” I turned to the Duke of Flatlash, “Lord John, you said you were water elemental?” He nodded and I looked to Fredrick and Lucia and asked, “Water?” They both nodded.

Then I asked John, “Do you really think you can turn that generator?”

He started to ask, “What does that...”

I interrupted. “Can the three of you bring the groundwater to the surface in the dry riverbed there?” I pointed at the base of the rise then John's head rolled back and he started a bellowing laugh to the heavens. I grinned wickedly at him. He pointed at me and said, “That, we can do.” He looked at my Lord and Lady and prompted, “Wexbury?”

They nodded and they all stretched out their hands, I felt an enormous wave of power wash past me and we could see the ground below darkening in the moonlight. When the water was puddling on the surface, they all stopped and Fredrick asked, “Laney?”

I shrugged and repeated, “Water and electricity don't mix.”

He nodded and said, “Yes but where are we going to get...” He trailed off and his head snapped to the crevice and a smile bloomed on his face.

John nodded at them. “I'll probably need your help to do this from here. Can your squire do this?”

To my surprise, it was again Lucia that said firmly, “Our girl caught a bolt of lightning, what do you think?” Then she looked at me with an actual grin and said as she rolled her eyes and shook her head, “Men.”

I looked around then at the approaching horde. I thought about the cavernous room of Powerplant Three and motioned to everyone with my chin. “You'll want to stand over there at the top of the rise to be safe.”

They all hesitated, Sir Bowyn stood beside me and I shook my head, I could tell he hadn't realized what I was about to attempt. “No. Go Bowyn, it isn't safe next to me.”

He gave me an undecipherable look and then said, “It is no wonder Celeste chose you.” He leaned down and kissed the top of my head and retreated to the top of the rise to stand guard in front of the rulers of Wexbury and Flatlash. He told the porters and coachman, “You three go hide in that gully downrange. Someone needs to get word back to Flatlash and Werxbury.” They hesitated, then nodded and ran off.

I watched as the streams of lights merged then charged toward the dry riverbed as I drew Anadele, perhaps for the last time. I looked back and nodded at Duke John. He thrust his hands down with his eyes closed, I could feel his immense power seeking his target. Duke Fredrick and the Duchess followed suit and I saw their power flow into him, compounding his power. They were almost too bright to look at and even the rest of our group must have seen that much power because they were shielding their eyes.

We heard a screeching of metal on metal even from outside and then I could taste the electricity feel the potential as the generator started spinning faster and faster. I could touch it and held it back using my power to let it build. It was painful but not as painful as the lightning bolt, but I believed it would be enough for what I had planned, especially if I could sustain it.

Fredrick murmured something and the group was suddenly hidden behind a pile of boulders. I blinked in shock, but then realized it was just an illusion like Celeste had used. It wouldn't fool any non-magic users though.

The pain was building inside me and my burns felt as if they were being held over hot coals again. The charms on my riding cloak started to glow. Sweat was beading on my face as the approaching enemy began splashing across the riverbed.

I held Anadele high, I could hear and taste a resonance in her with the thrumming electricity as I yelled, “Who are you, and what do you want!?”

The leader who was blazing with blinding red energy held a fist up and the approaching enemy came to a stop. He dismounted as did about half the rogues. I froze as I saw the bald man in studded leather armor. He was huge, and his eyes blazing red like a demon was exactly what I saw in my nightmare. This was him! I remembered the pain of the fire in my dream.

He seemed amused. “I girl, am the last thing you will ever see before you are sent to your maker. Where are the Duke and Duchess of Wexbury?”

I tried not to let my voice waver as the pain of holding back the electricity was almost unbearable. “I give you this one chance, I do not wish to harm anyone. Walk away now and I won't kill you all.”

The rogues started laughing as he smiled ruefully. “This is the best of Wexbury? The cowards send a little child to her death?”

I couldn't hold it any longer. As I let go of my blocks, I whispered, “I warned you.” I saw him lift a foot out of the puddle he was in and a look of shock as a tsunami of energy roared out of the crevice, blowing the hole wider. Man made lighting arced out and into me as I screamed. I was once again engulfed in raw energy that felt like it was burning away my very soul.

I thrust Anadele forward and a deafening raging torment of electricity arced out to hit the wet ground the enemy was standing in. I couldn't hear a thing through my own screams and the sound of electricity breaking the sound barrier in tremendous claps of thunder.

The enemy started thrashing and horses were toppling onto men. Everyone was convulsing. I knew this was a fraction of the power of a lightning bolt, but I held it for five eternities as I counted off the seconds. Then ten. My tears were burning my cheeks, I couldn't hold it much longer. I channeled every last iota of energy I could and thrust out Anadele one last time with a final effort. The very air tasted of electricity.

I glanced up and saw electricity coursing through the Monolith and with a tremble of the ground and a huge clapping sound, the Monolith cracked along its whole length. The lower half seemed to hang in the air a moment then fell in slow motion. The ground shook and I fell to my knees, losing my concentration as the roar of the collapse hit us like a shockwave.

I heard a screeching sound then an explosion from below as the bearings failed in the generator. The skin on my arms was bubbling and again I couldn't release my sword and could smell my flesh burning.

I tried to stand but stumbled and fell, my sword was knocked away, when it hit the ground. I stared at my hand, it looked like a burned claw and I attempted to flex it and was rewarded with pain, but it moved. I swayed to my feet and sighed in defeat. Poe was standing there, watching me with a shit eating grin on his face. He had some minor burns but nothing serious.

There was a sea carnage and bodies of men, women, and horses out there. I had killed them. But Poe stood with and about ten others gathered around him with virtually no burns. They must have had the power to channel electricity. I thought Poe might survive since we suspected he was Adept, but ten others? I was already dead on my feet. Now it was time to die for real.

Poe looked around and looked a little hesitant but then he started slowly approaching. “Nice try little girl, but I'm an Adept. Do you know what that is? Someone like you with hardly any of your own magic, could never take me down. You're nothing but a toasty critter now. Not even my men would want to use your body now with those disgusting burns.”

I pulled my little dagger from my boot and held it out, I swung it from side to side slowly, taking in the approaching enemy. Six men, four women. He laughed out loud and the others followed, “What are you going to do with that little thing? It is eleven to one child. Time to die.”

I smiled and I felt my lip crack and blood shot across my arm. Great, I was falling apart literally. I said with venom, “You may want to get some more men then, to make it fair.”

He laughed again as he drew his longsword from his back in a slow movement meant to intimidate, he was almost up to me now as I swayed on my feet. “You're delusional now. Just accept your end child. How do you think you could beat us now?”

I coughed up a little blood and gave him a wicked grin, “Because... we are Wexbury.”

He cocked an eyebrow. “We?”

Then Bowyn, Beth, Bex, Brenda, Fredrick and Lucia exploded from behind the illusion, with John hobbling behind. They slammed onto the enemy, swords flashing and magic slinging, leaving Poe to me.

He roared in fury and thrust his sword forward, I could taste the familiar magic from my dream. It was fire, he was burning me alive in my dream. I had to change the dream. Mother Udele had said a seeing was just one possible future. I had to change my future. I grabbed the corner of my riding cloak and whipped it up, holding it in front of me like a shield as a tornado of fire hit me from the tip of his sword.

I could feel the heat rising as the charms on my cloak started glowing brightly. Then he stopped and panted. I released my cloak, it had made the difference! I raised my arms in rage and all the weapons from the bodies of the slain started whirling around me. I sought out all the different metals I could taste around me and called them all to me. I could taste it all, even the metals in the earth around us and in the blood of all the people.

I charged at him and he held up his blade, roaring in rage, and like a wall had been raised, everything slammed into it and fell to the ground. I stood within striking distance of his sword and I would have paled if I thought I had much blood left unboiled.

He stepped toward me and I stumbled back. I felt something cool against my neck and my hand absently went to it. It was the little necklace with the small silver goat charm on it. Mother Udele said it was important in her visions of me. I looked at the man, he was an adept that eclipsed my power by an order of magnitude. How could a little magnesium charm possibly help me?

I thought again of Donovan's lessons about magnesium, and my eyes snapped wide as I yanked the necklace off. I held it out toward him. “Please stop. I don't want to kill you with this.”

He stepped forward and started to swing his sword as he asked, “How is that going to...”

I threw the goat at him as I dodged to the left and targeted what little energy I still had inside me at it as I closed my eyes tightly. Even through my eyelids the bright white light of burning magnesium almost blinded me.

I opened my eyes as the light died away and Poe was yelling and covering his eyes. If he weren't such a monster, I would have felt sorry about that little trick as I thrust my dagger into the side of his neck.

He took a step and stumbled, grasping his neck. Then he fell to his knees as blood pumped from his jugular. Then he fell face first to the ground. I fell to my knees. I looked around and only my allies were still standing. They were all looking at me in shock. Duke John said in a hoarse voice, “She killed an Adept.” He looked at the group. “With only a little knife.”

Bowyn was running to my side as I started to slump. I looked around at the grass fire that Poe's attack had started. It was more billowing smoke than fire as the grasses were green and well hydrated. My eyesight began to dim as I looked around the hazy battlefield. I felt something big and pushed Bowyn violently away from me as lightning struck beside me where he had been, sending me flying.

Five horsemen exploded from the smoke and they pulled back at the sight of the sea of bodies. The leader on his white stallion, was glowing a yellowish blue and my heart sank. If Raneth was here, then that meant Celeste was... I couldn't finish the thought. I backed slowly as the rest of my group started taking stances with their weapons. Raneth rode slowly up to Poe's body and then slid off his horse, pointing his sword at me.

Then slowly pointing his sword at each of our party, the big man hissed to our group, “Who killed my son!?”

His... son? Wait, they were both adepts and it seemed to run in families. Of course. And that would be why two rogue warlords would work together! The others dismounted to form a line beside their leader. Everyone was choosing targets. This was just like training in the courtyard. I saw our people moving slowly apart so their circles of reach with their blades didn't overlap.