“To answer your question,” he thought, “it’s a cross between a brain and the control nodule that helps the tentacles pick their targets for the bone spears. It’s not quite sentient it just reacts to things around it. So, all we do is tell the nodule what we want it to do, and it’ll relay the commands to the undead that it controls.”

  “That’s genius,” I thought. “Let’s give it a try.” I willed bloodmist around me and focused it into a spell. I cast out another pulse, commandeering all the undead within fifty paces. I could feel the presence of thirty more undead awaiting my orders. “What do I do with these?”

  “Just focus on the nodule and tell it what you wanted to do.”

  I held the image of the nodule in my mind. I could feel its intent. Awaiting my command. “Take these thirty undead from my control.”

  “Acknowledged.”

  The burden of coordinating the thirty undead minds suddenly vanished. Yet, I could still feel them as if they were standing next to me.

  “Great job, Oswald. That is incredible.’

  ‘Thanks,” he thought. “What do you want to do with our new army?”

  “Great question,” I thought. “For now, let’s gather them up and make sure they don’t cause any trouble.”

  “Zero, we’re heading back,” I said.

  “Acknowledged. Disengaging battle mode.” His arms melted back into hands, and the streams of fire from his back vanished. We walked back toward the village. We towered over Zero, but he didn’t seem to mind it one bit. I instructed our undead army to move to an empty field and sit.

  “I will replenish my energy,” said Zero. “If you have need of me, simply call my name, and I shall awaken.” He sat, and his eyes went dark. His backpack split, and dark glass panels extended out from him, catching the rays of the sun.

  That was impressive,” said the militia leader. “What about that group of undead over there?” he asked.

  “Those are ours,” said Oswald. “We’re saving them for tomorrow.”

  “Yours?” he asked. “What do you mean?”

  I sighed. “Ours. As in, we took them from the necromancers.” I stared at the man and his dumbfounded expression. “Why is it that you adults think yourselves so high and mighty and superior, yet you never seem to be able to grasp simple concepts?”

  “Simple?” he scoffed. “How is this at all simple?”

  “Let me make it easy,” said Oswald. “We’re necromancers.”

  The militia leader and several men closest to us gasped. “If that’s so, then why are you helping us?”

  I shook my head. “Not all necromancers are evil. Just like not all priests are good.”

  “That makes sense.” He nodded. “What happens now?”

  “Now?” I asked. “We wait.” I let out a long yawn.

  “You two look exhausted. Will you be all right?”

  Oswald shook his head. “It’s that we’ve never held the construct together for so long. And the main fight isn’t until tomorrow. This is going to be rough.”

  “So, what you’re saying is it takes power to keep this—thing intact?”

  I nodded. “It’s definitely a drain. We likely need to eat.”

  “I’ll send for food,” said the militia leader. “All the men are probably hungry. We will take turns patrolling.”

  “Thank you,” I said. “That would be most helpful. I doubt we could walk this thing into the tavern.” Oswald and several of the men around us laughed.

  The militia leader chuckled. “Yes, well, I do believe the barkeep would have some very choice words to say about it if you were to show up on his doorstep with this monstrosity.” More laughter spread through the gathered warriors. He turned to a nearby man. “Go. Send some runners to the tavern. We need food and drink out on the battlefield for all who have gathered.” The man nodded once and took off at a sprint.

  A bolt of green lightning slammed into our bone shield and was reflected off into the distance.

  “Huh, do you suppose they will keep that up all night?” asked the militia leader.

  “Maybe,” I said. “It does take a lot of energy to throw around spells like that.”

  He scoffed. “It’s a shame you can’t just grab the lightning and send it back exactly where it came from.”

  “I’m sorry, what was that?” asked Oswald.

  “Oh, I mean I just—”

  Oswald chuckled. “You, my friend, are a genius.”

  “I am?” he asked.

  Oswald nodded. “Indeed. Give us a few minutes.”

  He began to alter the construct. I could feel things happening. Things were changing. New pathways were being formed. Pathways I did not understand. And then the tentacles themselves changed. The pathways connected into the lower stocks and into the control nodules for each of them. Another lightning bolt slammed into the bone shield. This time, however, I felt the energy absorbed into the construct. The pathways lit up like a sea of molten lava flowing down a mountainside. It coursed and followed the channels into the tentacle.

  The tentacle whipped around back in the direction the lightning bolt had come from. For several moments, there was a loud whine from the tip of the tentacle as it began to glow a sickly green. The glow was followed by an earsplitting shriek. A bolt of green lightning erupted from the tip of the tentacle and zipped across the distance from us to the target. Somewhere off in the distance, someone screamed. It was cut off half a moment later as a lightning bolt detonated everything in the area around it.

  “By the Caretaker…” said the militia leader.

  Several others swore.

  “Damn, Oswald, you’re getting pretty good at modifying this thing.”

  “Thanks. I’m pretty shocked myself. It makes me wonder what other neat things we can make this thing do.”

  “Can you make it smell less?” somebody asked from the crowd.

  Laughter ran through the whole camp.

  Oswald scoffed and yelled, “As soon as you tell me how, I’d love to. If you think it’s bad out there, try sitting in it.”

  More laughter came from the camp.

  “We could hang some incense or flowers around your neck if it helps,” said another, which was followed by even more laughter.

  The food had just arrived. Men began to separate and ration the food to as many people as possible. Plates were handed to us as well as a large pitcher of orange juice.

  “The barkeep figured since you’re using blood to power your magic that orange juice would probably be the best drink of choice.”

  “Thank you,” I said. “That was very thoughtful.”

  Another bolt of lightning hit the shield. The earsplitting whine drowned out conversations for several moments before annihilating another necromancer off in the distance.

  “You’d think they would’ve learned from the first two times,” said another man in the crowd.

  “Nah, they seem pretty stupid if you ask me,” said another.

  Again, everyone laughed.

  We spent the rest of the day doing maintenance on our equipment and generally getting to know those around us. The prejudice of our age quickly vanished as we traded stories. Night fell without issues. We took another meal on the field and tried to sleep. Surprisingly, there were only a few probing attacks during the night.

  “What if they don’t arrive in time?” asked Jonah, the militia leader.

  “They’ll be here,” I said. “I know they will.

  We watched the sun rise. Zero had alerted us when the enemy army had crested the horizon in the dark. As the enemy finished gathering into ranks, a contingent of riders on horses and camels came up our rear ranks. Ulrich, his armor gleaming in the morning sunlight, led the pack. Cheers erupted from our gathered militia.

  35

  Ulrich

  I grinned. “Looks like we made it just in time.”

  “Aye,” said the barkeep from Junktown. “Let’s smash some undead to bits.”

  Cheers erupted throughout the gathered cohort.

  “How?” asked Cristof. “How did you get so many so quickly?”

  I looked up at the gigantic monstrosity Cristof and Oswald rode in. It looked like some monster out of nightmares. I shook my head. These kids—always full of surprises.

  “Easy,” I said. “Sigurd had a spell that could send messages to the surrounding villages. Normally he used it for trade, but Katrina convinced him it was in the best interest of the trade merchants that the port city did not fall.”

  “Huh,” Cristof and Oswald said. The monster they rode in shrugged.

  A roar echoed up and down the enemy ranks. We watched as they prepared their formation to march.

  “Is everyone ready?”

  “Initiating battle mode,” said Zero as his arms melted into an axe and shield.

  We’re ready,” said Jonah.

  “The undead are ready,” said Oswald.

  Cristof grinned at me. “Care to make another wager?”

  I grinned. “It’s not going to be like last time.” I nodded. “You’re on.”

  The boys grinned back at me, a mischievous look in their eyes.

  Oswald chuckled. “You have no idea just how right you are.”

  Motes of green flames started at the monstrosity’s wrists and extended up their arms. Within moments, the entire thing was engulfed in a green flame. Lightning arced all over their body. A strong wind blew from them in every direction, and the power made the hairs on my arms stand on end.

  “Ready!” they said. The sheer power behind that one word cracked the packed sandstone they stood on.

  “I’ve never had such friends that I felt the need to push myself beyond my limits in order to keep up.” I smiled. “In fact, I’ve never felt the need to keep up. With anyone.” I willed every ounce of power I could muster into my muscles. My instincts. My blade. “But you two… You two make me want to push well beyond my limits just to see what’s there.”

  The two teenagers grinned at me as their construct’s chest closed around them. Pebbles at my feet began to quiver. My cape billowed with an unseen wind. I closed my eyes and willed more power to my command. Somewhere deep inside of the recesses of my mind, something let go. I opened my eyes. The pebbles had begun to lift from the ground and float in midair. The ground shook.

  “Friends!” I bellowed. My voice echoed across the land. I held my sword high above my head. “To me!” Red lightning and blue flame engulfed the blade like a brilliant shining beacon. Cristof and Oswald lifted a tree-trunk-thick arm to block their eyes from the brightness of my blade. Zero, unfazed, simply looked on with interest.

  A hundred angry souls screamed a battle roar and chased after me as I charged headfirst into the oncoming horde. Cristof and Oswald’s construct walked leisurely beside me, keeping up with my full sprint. To my other side, Zero did the same. The ground shook with each lumbering step of the two giants.

  “Go for the big ones,” I yelled. They nodded and broke off at opposing angles and engaged the enemy. Undead ran toward the construct and met a sickly end as they were pounded beneath giant feet. My stomach turned as I watched the remains splatter between their toes and be absorbed into the construct. Zero, on the other hand, used a huge bladed axe and shield to slice or smash anything that opposed him.

  I turned my attention back to the matter at hand. Three shadow Demons rushed straight toward me, blades of pure black raised high overhead.

  “Ready for your last lesson, pretty boy?”

  I nodded to Katrina.

  “Never, ever, let them see you bleed. It’ll make the enemy fear you more if they think you’re unkillable.” The new gem on her sword glowed for a moment. A crackling blue aura engulfed her blade. She nodded once and charged forward, scattering the three shadows. I charged in right behind her and forced two of them to focus on me so that she only had to deal with a one-on-one fight.

  The fight dragged on for what felt like hours. I could feel the energy of those around me beginning to falter. Even Zero was slowing. And yet, the enemy kept coming. I blasted another group with lightning before slashing a necromancer’s head clean from his shoulders.

  As more shadows closed, a ball of fire brighter than the sun flew overhead. It slammed into a group of necromancers. At the moment of impact, all sounds vanished. The world turned instantly white. When I could see again, a blast of wind hit us, and the ground shook so violently that even Zero lost his footing and fell to the ground. Only Cristof and Oswald managed to keep standing as they had used their many tentacles to brace themselves upright. A gigantic crater was the only thing left of the enemy in the blast radius.

  Ally and enemy alike froze, looking for the source of the fireball. A young girl, maybe the same age as Cristof and Oswald stood atop a nearby hill. The enemy ranks took several steps away from her.

  “Kill the fire mage!” bellowed a woman from the enemy ranks. The girl looked toward whoever had shouted the order and slowly lifted her palm toward her. The enemy panicked and began to scatter. A flash of light later, another giant crater was added to the battlefield. This time, I had shielded my eyes. I looked up to see her running down the hillside toward us.

  “Cristof?” she called. “Oswald?”

  “Hiya, Ashley,” said Cristof.

  “Hello,” said Oswald.

  She shook her head and grinned. “I knew you two were still alive.” She turned to me, and her eyebrows shot up. “You found the prince? That’s great!” A blast of green lightning slammed into the constuct’s bone shield. One of the tentacles snapped up and fired it back wherever it had come from. Without looking, Ashley raised a hand behind her and sent three miniature comets flying into the enemy ranks at random. Undead, spiders, necromancers, and shadows screamed in agony.

  “What are you doing here?” asked Cristof.

  “Looking for him, mostly,” she said, pointing at me.

  I chuckled. “Wow, aren’t I the popular one.”

  She smiled, curtsied, and turned toward the enemy. “I didn’t see any more over the rise when I arrived.”

  “That’s good,” I said. “Looks like the enemy is regrouping to continue the attack.”

  “Let them come,” said Jonah. “We’ve enough power to take them on.”

  “I do not believe that we will have a choice in the matter,” said Zero. “The enemy is advancing.”

  Sure enough, the enemy contingent broke out into a run.

  “Halt!” bellowed someone. His voice rolled across the battlefield like thunder, making the ground shake. “Halt at once!” The enemy skidded to a halt and looked around. D’rorthar appeared ahead of our defensive line. “Hear me. I am D’rorthar, descendant of The First.” He looked around at the gathered shadows. “You are Nephilim!” he bellowed. “Born of Angels and Demons!”

  I turned to Cristof. “What’s going on?”

  He shrugged. “No idea. Never seen them act like this before.”

  D’rorthar lowered the intensity but not the volume of his voice. “You have a choice. You do not have to follow Az’geneth blindly like a puppet obeying the string pulls of his master.” He looked to his feet and hesitated a moment before looking back up. “Brothers. Sisters. I beseech you. Do not idly throw your lives away. There are other ways to reestablish our culture.”

  “Such as what?” asked a random shadow in the crowd. “We have heard these words before. Would you have us beg these mortals for hospice and asylum?”

  D’rorthar turned to address the speaker. “The Sword Bearer is familiar to me. He would hear my words. I have but to ask for his help, and it would be given.” He let his words sink in for a moment. “What say you?”

  There was a long hesitation across the entire battlefield. No one moved. Not even the necromancers. When the chaos finally broke out, it was swift and brutal.

  Many shadows whirled on the undead nearest them and cut them to ribbons. The spiders reacted quicker, but were still cut down. Even the necromancers turned on each other as infighting rippled through the assembled mass.

  When the dust settled, most of the shadows still stood. As did five of the Blackhand cultists’ necromancers who had cut down their cohorts. All of them turned toward D’rorthar and took a silent knee. Nothing stirred. Not even the wind.

  D’rorthar turned to me and bowed. “From prince to prince, would you accept a truce?”

  I bowed back. “Yes. I believe that would be in everyone’s best interest.” I extended my hand toward him. He looked at it quizzically for several moments.

  “You are most wise and generous as my sister has observed.” He grinned and took my hand. “Lilith speaks highly of you.”

  “Lilith is your sister?” I asked.

  D’rorthar nodded. “Indeed. I will take my newfound forces there.” He looked slowly around the battlefield. “I have many more groups to rally to my banner, but I believe we can bring peace between our peoples.”

  I arched an eyebrow. “Is that the big secret you were hiding?”

  “It is.” He smiled. “But before that can happen, I must gain the loyalty of as many of my brethren as possible.” His smile faltered. “For as long as Az’geneth controls them, there can be no peace.”

  I grinned. “I hope we know what we’re doing.”

  “As do I.” D’rorthar bowed to Ashley. “Mistress of flame. I bid you greetings.”

  “D’rorthar,” she replied. “If this is a trick, I swear I’ll scatter your ashes to the winds myself.”

  “As would be your right,” he said. “Please send word to Abalonious of what has transpired here. Let him know that the time for us to form an alliance will soon be at hand.”

  She arched an eyebrow. “You’re actually serious?”

  “I am.” His face set into pure determination as shadow began to engulf him. “We shall stand shoulder to shoulder when the Sword Bearer crosses blades with Az’geneth, Devourer of Worlds.” A shadow spread across the battlefield, consuming all his forces. And just as quickly, it vanished, taking everyone with him.

  “Huh,” said Cristof.

  Oswald shook his head. “Definitely not something you see every day…”