Alright. I need to think!

  Glancing around, he realized he was close to the hut where Emi and Grendel were sheltering; he could see the trail that led to it.

  Chewing his cheek, he reached into his pocket and took the Imaginatum Stone in his palm.

  It reacts whenever I get an image of the rifle in my mind. There must be a reason for this; I’m close to discovering something, I know it.

  Still holding the pebble, he took the shell casing in his other hand. He held to his nostrils and took a whiff of its metallic odor. Again, this invoked a vivid memory of the rifle.

  Suddenly, a chorus of throaty shouting and cheering rose up from the hill. But it was the wrong side.

  The coarse sound of their voices left no doubt that it was the Skrillings.

  Tex’s heart sank as the rallying cry drifted through the air: KDAR TOL! KDAR TOL!

  They must have taken the hill, or at least stormed past the defenses.

  Tex’s heart just about jumped into his throat. At the same time — when his agitation heightened to the point of snapping his mind — he felt something materialize in his hands.

  A rifle.

  Looking down in amazement, he saw that the blue light of the Imaginatum Stone had grown into the shape of his old rifle.

  With a quick movement of his hands, Tex aimed through the bushes at Kdar Tol, and pulled the trigger.

  Nothing happened.

  Need some ammo! But what am I supposed to use, ghost bullets?

  The shouts and trampling feet got closer as a number of Skrillings came running up the path into the village.

  More than a dozen of them came rushing over the grass towards him. Some of them broke off and followed the trail towards his hut.

  Towards Emi and Grendel.

  Forgetting the Imaginatum gun, Tex sprinted out of the trees onto the trail that led towards his hut.

  Even if the entire world was falling around him, there was no way he was letting any Skrillings get to that hut.

  But as soon as he stepped onto the trail, Kdar Tol’s invisible hand gripped him again, stabbing him with a thousand jabs of pain.

  He felt himself being lifted into the air. Then the ground rushed towards him.

  At the same time, lightning jolted him, shocking him so badly that he didn’t even feel the ground when it smashed into him.

  Tex painfully lifted his head and saw the Skrillings watching him gloatingly. Then they turned and continued going down the trail towards his hut.

  With his last ounce of strength, Tex turned his head and saw Kdar Tol stalking towards him.

  Chapter sixty-five

  TEX FELT SOMETHING in his hand. The shell casing. He gripped it, evoking the memory of his rifle.

  He still clutched the Imaginatum Stone in his other hand.

  Yes! Concentrate. Bring it back.

  The ghostly rifle returned to his hands. But he had the same problem as before: what was he supposed to do with an unloaded ghost gun?

  Through a clearing in the trees, he saw the Skrillings running up the path towards the hut.

  There was a pile of stones nearby. Most of them were small, but it felt impossible to push them. He barely had enough strength to lift his head.

  However, when he reached out with the tendril of his mind and got underneath the rocks, the ghost gun almost seemed to sing to him.

  It was like it was hungry and it wanted Tex to feed it the rocks. He pushed some of them off the ground, essentially just chucking them towards himself. That was all he had strength for.

  About 10 stones rained down. Some of them thumped onto the grass nearby.

  But most of them shot towards Tex and stopped in the air beside him, sort of clicking into place. Seven of them sat in a neat row, suspended in the air.

  So, this is the magazine!

  Tex frantically pushed more rocks, watching them click into the ghostly magazine. Once it was full, the gun seemed to hum in his hands.

  It was satisfied.

  Tex rolled onto his back, turning the gun towards Kdar Tol. He flicked the switch to automatic and pressed down on the trigger.

  The stones shot through the air as fast as bullets, making rapid, metallic clanging sounds as they collided with the Necromancer’s armor.

  That sound was a hallelujah chorus to Tex’s ears.

  Kdar Tol staggered slightly, and Tex could sense his surprise. His armor was dimpled with dents.

  Encouraged, Tex used a boost of adrenaline to push himself into the air. He didn’t get very high before gravity pulled him down again, but at least it got him back on his feet.

  Kdar Tol raised his hand and sent a lightning bolt, but Tex was already darting behind a tree, stumbling to the ground as the leaves and branches exploded into flames.

  He scrambled back to his feet and charged deeper into the bush, shoving ferns aside. Circling back, he reached another part of the trail, out of Kdar Tol’s sight.

  Bursting out of the trees with his gun at the ready, he looked across a clearing and saw the Skrillings rounding a corner towards the hut.

  With his Dirt Magic, he pushed three dozen rocks into the air through the air. They flew towards him, and 30 clicked into place beside him.

  With a full magazine, he wearily aimed the magic gun.

  Using rapid fire, he started shooting behind the Skrillings and swept over them. Three of them collapsed onto the ground, but the others bolted, disappearing behind the trees.

  Tex suddenly shivered as icy air drifted over him, and he sensed a shadowy presence behind him.

  Turning around, he beheld the creepiest sight he’d ever seen.

  Kdar Tol had been lurking right behind him, as silent as a shadow. He hovered closer, with a secretive air, like a mosquito floating down to suck someone’s blood.

  His right hand was bare — the gauntlet had been removed — and his long fingers were reaching for Tex’s head, trembling.

  Tex stumbled back, his mind reeling with the sickening realization of what had almost happened; the Necromancer was trying to suck out his soul.

  Gasping with revulsion, Tex pulled the trigger, firing the three remaining stones. Two of them drummed against Kdar Tol’s armor, ricocheting.

  But the third one cut through.

  Tex heard an inhalation of surprise. The Necromancer stepped back. The delicate fingers of his bare hand brushed over the jagged stone that stuck out from his armor.

  Tex stared at it, amazed.

  I was right! His magic couldn’t stop a bullet!

  Tex’s mind went straight to the three Dargild stones in his pocket. Dargild was harder than stone; If a rock pierced Kdar Tol’s armor, a chunk of Dargild would go through easily.

  Tex stepped back, trying to put more space between them. Clutching the Imaginatum Stone in his fist, he tried to worm his way into the pocket inside his animal skin.

  The Imaginatum Gun still hovered at his side. It seemed he could keep it materialized without much effort now.

  Tex glanced at the stone in Kdar Tol’s breastplate. “I’m sorry,” he said, attempting sarcasm. “Did I ruin your armor?”

  It was his old habit when he got in a fight: get inside your opponent’s head. Make him lose his cool.

  Kdar Tol dragged the gauntlet back onto his hand.

  Tex shoved his fist deeper into his pocket, taking a Dargild stone between his thumb and index finger while still clutching the Imaginatum Stone.

  Then, with sudden speed, Kdar Tol grabbed the hilt of his sword. Steel rang out as he unsheathed it. In the same instant, Tex pulled out the Dargild, tossed it in the air, and watched it snap into the chamber.

  He squeezed the trigger. Kdar Tol raised his sword.

  A metallic clamor jangled in the air deafeningly, resounding throughout the entire village.

  Everyone heard the sound.

  Half of the glistening blade fell to the ground. Kdar Tol’s sword had been split in two.

  The Necromancer held the broken blade before his facemask.

  Tex bolted into the trees, pushing slightly off the ground to increase his speed. Lightning flashed. Flames enveloped the branches behind him.

  Crouching behind ferns, Tex tried to spot Kdar Tol, but there was too much vegetation.

  He fingered the two Dargild stones in his pocket, considering what strategy he should take.

  Two competing ideas came to mind.

  On the one hand, he could fire the two remaining Dargild stones right away. He was not going to win a protracted battle with Kdar Tol. The longer it lasted, the more the scales of probability tipped in the Necromancer’s favor.

  But, on the other hand, maybe the “spray-and-pray” approach was unwise. There was no guarantee he could recover the Dargild once he fired it; Kdar Tol may well snatch it up. So it was best to assume he had only two shots left. They had to count.

  It was a coin toss, really, but Tex decided to go with the first option — at least for the next round. Take the shot.

  Then, as soon as you pull the trigger, load the magazine with stones.

  That was the plan.

  Dropping a Dargild stone into the magic rifle’s chamber, he stalked forward, trying to peer through the bush.

  But before he could spot Kdar Tol, a violent wind shook the trees and ferns. Lightning lit up the forest, crackling from tree to tree.

  A wall of flame rose up in front of Tex. He pushed off the ground, leaping over the flames. Branches scratched his arms. Fire singed his legs.

  Crashing through smokey branches, Tex landed heavily on the trail.

  The grass swayed, and leaves swirled around. The air sweltered with heat.

  Tex turned and saw Kdar Tol behind him — a towering black shape, electricity crackling around the horns of his helmet.

  But the form stepped back in surprise. Not only was The Necromancer angry, he was afraid, too.

  Tex took aim and pulled the trigger. At the same time, Kdar Tol’s arms flew up, sending forth a pulse of icy blue light. Time seemed to slow down as the Dargild stone approached Kdar Tol’s breastplate.

  The Dargild glowed purple, pulsing like a star. It almost seemed to come to a stop. Tex bit his lip, worried that the Necromancer would again evade the shot.

  But despite seeming to slow down, the stone crashed into the armor.

  Tex watched the stone piercing the metal in slow-motion. Kdar Tol squirmed as if he wanted to jump out of his armor — but it seemed he, too, could only move in slow-mo.

  This only lasted a moment. Everything went back to normal, the Dargild was lodged in Kdar Tol’s breastplate.

  Whatever trick he’d pulled, it had probably prevented the Dargild from passing through his armor and plunging into him.

  Still, The Necromancer seemed to panic.

  Tex heard a muffled cry as Kdar Tol’s gauntleted hands scrambled over his breastplate, the stubby armored fingers struggling to get a grip on the stone.

  He did not seem as gigantic now. Though still imposingly tall, he no longer appeared like a titan.

  Tex gathered stones, pushing them into the air and watching as they came pouring into the magazine.

  Kdar Tol beat upon his breastplate, finally dislodging the stone. It fell onto the trail at his feet. He scrambled backwards as if he was trying to escape the Black Death.

  Tex could hear his labored breathing behind the mask. Wisps of smoke curled out from the holes in his armor. Had the Dargild pierced his flesh?

  It must have!

  Tex raised the gun, but before his finger could squeeze the ghostly trigger, Kdar Tol ran forward with a shocking burst of speed.

  Tex only had time to fire one round before the gauntleted fist smashed into his face.

  That fist was a wrecking ball. Everything went blank, and Tex was vaguely aware of something smashing into him from behind.

  That would be the ground.

  His head spinning, Tex opened his eyes to find that he was lying under a tree some distance down the path. He struggled to keep his eyes open.

  That is one hell of an arm.

  But why did Tol suddenly go for a close-range attack? Up to that point, he’d opted for long-range. Was it simply because he panicked?

  Or was it because he was running out of jam and he needed to conserve his power?

  Tex didn’t have time to think about it further. Through half-closed eyes, he saw the Necromancer charging towards him like an angry rhinoceros, brandishing his broken sword.

  It was a sobering sight.

  Snapping back to his senses, Tex realized the Imaginatum rifle had disappeared. He still gripped the shell casing in his right hand.

  But his left hand was empty. Shit! Where did I drop it?

  He groped the ground, frantically searching for the Imaginatum Stone.

  It could be anywhere!

  Stones were scattered around him; the ammo he’d loaded into the magazine. But the magic stone was nowhere in sight.

  Kdar Tol’s boots thumped the ground as his towering form loomed over Tex. A sickly sweet burning smell filled the air; smoke continued to curl out from the jagged holes in the breastplate.

  Kdar Tol raised the broken blade in the air and thrust it towards Tex’s neck.

  Chapter sixty-six

  TEX ROLLED ONTO his side. The broken blade plunged into the tree. He scrambled out of the way as Kdar Tol jerked the sword out of the bark.

  There was no time to search for the Imaginatum Stone. There wasn’t even time to get to his feet. Tex mustered his last reserve of strength to push all the nearby rocks into the air.

  Kdar Tol lurched around and kicked Tex’s face with his boot. But not before Tex pushed the stones down towards the Necromancer as hard as he could.

  Tex’s head jangled from the kick, but he heard the rocks drumming against Tol’s helmet.

  One of those rocks was the size of a bowling ball; it crashed onto the top of Kdar Tol’s helmet. The Necromancer stumbled from the blow.

  Tex struggled to get up, frantically scanning the ground for the magic stone.

  Staggering to his feet, he traced his eyes over the trail in the direction he’d come from, searching around the spot where Tol’s fist had sent him flying.

  He couldn’t see it anywhere.

  He searched with his Dirt Magic, too. Tendrils of his mind felt around, as well, connecting with various stones.

  But that was useless; he didn’t know any way of distinguishing the Imaginatum Stone from any other stone.

  The Necromancer’s boots stomped the ground behind him. Tex lurched forward, evading a swing of the broken sword.

  The smell of burning flesh came to his nostrils again, and he heard a tortured groan inside Kdar Tol’s helmet.

  He’s hurting badly!

  Still, Tol charged forward again with frightening speed. Tex landed a kick to his leg, but it felt like he was kicking a telephone pole.

  The sword blade sliced Tex’s forearm, sending an explosion of red mist into the air. A gauntleted fist followed. Tex tried to dodge it, but it clipped him on the chin.

  He felt his legs buckle. The reality of the situation came crashing back. The only reason Kdar Tol was hurt was because of the Imaginatum Stone. If Tex didn’t recover it immediately, it would be over.

  He pushed off the ground, flying backwards, buying himself a few seconds of time. He landed some distance off the trail, deep in long grass. Stumbling onto the ground like a drunk, he propped himself up against a tree.

  Kdar Tol stomped towards him. Tex’s arm throbbed with pain, and the blood trickled down his fingers.

  Shit! Where is that goddamn stone!

  Almost in response, Tex sensed the stone’s smooth surface, its cool blue light. It was faint, but he was picking up a signal from the stone.

  Maybe he could distinguish it from other stones!

  Kdar Tol suddenly flung his sword. Tex lurched away as the broken blade cut into the bark of the tree behind him.

  Slipping behind that tree, he stumbled into the ferns, trying to reconnect with the signal from the Imaginatum Stone.

  With Kdar Tol crashing through the bush behind him, Tex hurried through the trees, pushing palms aside.

  Again, its cool blue light came into his mind. It was extremely vague, but he at least had a sense of which direction to look.

  Hoping he’d be able to recognize it with his Dirt Magic, he sent out a tendril of thought, swooping over the ground, groping every rock.

  Finally, he came upon one rock that radiated a strange sympathy. It seemed to call to him.

  It felt like it was on the opposite side of the trail. So Tex took a sharp turn, bursting onto the trail.

  Kdar Tol stood waiting.

  This was a mind-fuck. Tex had heard Tol right behind him. Now he was waiting in front of him?

  This caught him off guard, and he ran right into Tol’s fist. He felt himself toppling onto the ground. As he landed, the back of his head connected with a large rock.

  For a second, he blacked out. But gave his head a shake.

  Then, almost by habit, he reached out with his mind and connected to the rock behind his head.

  It was a sizable chunk of stone, and most of it was buried. Moving his head out of the way, he gave the stone a slight push, loosening the dirt around it.

  Tol swiftly followed up with a kick.

  Tex rolled out of the way and pushed the stone with all the force he could muster.

  Which wasn’t a lot, given his exhausted state. But it was enough to toss the rock into the air. It bashed Tol’s helmet, sending him staggering backwards.

  This bought a few seconds, but that was all Tex needed to recover the Imaginatum Stone. Though it was buried in the grass on the other side of the trail, there was no mistaking where it was at this point.

  Tex felt the occult sympathy between himself and the stone. He pushed the stone into the air and then pulled it towards him.

  It zipped into his hand.

  At the same time, he pushed several dozen stones into the air.

  As soon as the Imaginatum Stone slapped into his palm, Tex squeezed the shell casing, still in his other hand, and brought the memory of his rifle to mind.

  The Imaginatum gun returned quickly. As soon as it materialized, the stones poured down and loaded into the magazine.