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sparkindarknessUm. Normal life falls apart, then. Damn, and I thought I was going to have some stability.
Most of the fumes had dispersed (or at least thinned) and most of the dust settled by the time I returned. Rick had managed to arrange some light and was running around with an oversized first aid kit treating the injured.
I coughed in the thick air and tried to survey the damage. I called my Necromancy again and laid its power over my eyes. Shades of death roiled over my vision, giving a macabre edge to everything I looked at. The wounded stood out, necrotic energies dancing around them - but only slightly. No-one was too badly injured. That was a relief at least. Or maybe a testament to Rick’s healing skills. And Misha, who I saw flitting from person to person, trailing empty bottles as she went. Some she had taken from the shelves, I didn’t begrudge her them. I was glad she was here, I don’t think I knew enough about various potions to counteract whatever strange effects inhaling the fixed fumes would cause. Of course, I don’t think she did either, judging by the way she kept flicking through books and consulting with Liam. I stared at Liam, suspicion blooming in my heart.
“I’ve called 911,” Rick said absently, concentrating on tying a bandage. “They should be here soon, though no-one’s too badly injured. Who was it? Did that fundamentalist group you tried to provoke take some direct action?”
I shook my head, still staring at Liam. “Not unless they are employing Magicians now. And looting magical goods. I doubt that is the work of religious fanatics. That Shadow-Touched you knew was among them. The one I humiliated in your coffee shop.”
“Marcus?” Rick’s voice rose in surprise. “I know he’s all Satanist wannabe, but this just doesn’t seem like him. I dunno, it’s too… too much action, not enough talk and show. He doesn’t get off his lardy ass for much, let alone this kind of risky shit. And if he did, he would so stop for some dramatic laughter, or something.”
I thought. I was remembering the wards on the people, the wards on the van. A Shadow-Touched
could make wards better than a Sorcerer, or so it was said, anyway. One of the advantages of the weakening arts. And maybe a gift from the Daemon that possessed him. Yes, that was it, that would explain how powerful his wards were. I shook my head angrily; no, it made not sense! The idiot was a Shadow Touched and he was Daemon Possessed but… this was the fool who plastered himself in runes that were inches from killing him. This was the fool who I defeated by turning his only wards against him. Even if the idiot was powerful enough to create the wards, he certainly didn’t know enough.
I frowned again, puzzled, when a shock shivered through my mind. I staggered, grabbing Rick’s arm to stop me falling. I felt the Undead I had sent out in chase. They had covered a vast distance, but I had no idea of direction, if it weren’t for the connection I had forged between them I would never have sensed them this far. I felt their fading triumph at the capture falling back and overwhelmed by shock and terror. I gasped for air in the grip of the reflected emotions, utter terror beat down on me for an instant before I felt the power hit them. It was like a hammer blow inside my head, it felt like it should have picked me up and flung me against the wall. The power hammered through my skull as the undead were blasted into nothing. A blast of pure destructive energy guided carefully by Necromantic skill and power.
I felt a mind. It had felt the Necromantic link I had forged with the Undead and it turned it’s attention to me. For a moment the mind brushed against the connection and I felt something old, cold and so terribly alien yet so incredibly familiar. I felt its amusement well forth. It slapped at me, a casual brush of Necromantic power to banish my presence from the underworld.
I jerked upright in Rick’s hands. I couldn’t see the ruined shop any more but I know my eyes narrowed. I smacked down the casual brush of power and anchored my consciousness firmly in place, determinedly looking for some clues to location. I felt the mind’s surprise, surprise so strong it was almost shock. Again he lashed out with Necromantic power to force me back. Again I countered with Necromantic shields to hold me in place, shielded and strong, drawing on the power of the Underworld to strengthen me. I countered with a lash of destruction, a fierce stab of Sorcery down that Necromantic link into the mind. The mind reeled, rippling with shock and horror - but not pain and destruction.
I staggered back against Rick as another wave of destruction flowed down the Necromantic link. Another wave of Sorcery, but this time aimed directly at me. My wards flared briefly and the link waved as the magic was disrupted. We both lashed out at the same time now, Sorcery to Sorcery, destructive power to destructive power, guided by equally careful cool hands of Necromancy. The powers splashed almost lazily against each other, they recognized each other and merged and fought, each pushing against the other, throwing out waves of pure destructive energy that must have caused chaos in the underworld around the collision. My wards flared, I could feel them burning agonizingly at my wrists, ankles and neck. They flared against the flow of power.
I fell, only Rick’s hands around me stopped me hitting the floor. The connection had been severed by my wards, cutting the flow of power abruptly. The shop reeled slowly back into focus. Instantly I concentrated on Liam and began to advance menacingly.
The Seer looked nervously behind him, just in case the angry Sorcerer was stalking someone else. No such luck. I narrowed my glare until it should have almost hurt to face it. I stopped only when I was standing close enough to loom over him. He was a few inches taller than me, but I still managed to loom most effectively. You don’t need height to loom when everyone knows you can reduce them to a fine salsa.
“You knew the attack was coming. That’s why you laughed.” I made sure it wasn’t a question.
Liam swallowed. “Yesssss… I knew. But I knew no-one was going to be severely hurt and there was nothing we could really do to stop it. Not without getting people severely injured anyway. Besides, serves you right for peddling Camaalis secrets in the middle of Concord territory!” He tried to sound defiant, but that little whimpering edge just kept hanging around. “You didn’t think the Concord were going to let you just set up in the middle of America without saying anything! Especially not after Europe.”
I frowned. “The Concord? They were Concord - you Saw this?” I doubted it, I really did.
“I Saw an attack by powerful magic users raiding you. I know they weren’t Camaalis. Who else is it going to be than the Concord?” He shrugged, it was a natural assumption.
“The Concord uses Sorcerers now? I thought that was banned under the treaty?” I filled every word with lashings of doubt.
Liam’s jaw dropped. A rare and wonderful thing to catch a Seer by surprise. Always to be treasured. “Sorcery?” He choked, gasping. “Are you sure?”
I gave him a withering look. “I aren’t even going to dignify that with an answer.” To suggest I couldn’t recognise my own power was more than a little insulting. Liam actually had the grace to look a little embarrassed, yet another rare and wonderful event. Certainly a day to mark on my calendar. “The Sorcerer was a Necromancer as well. What’s happening Liam? I thought there was only one Sorcerer alive today in the entire world - me.”
Liam sighed and seemed to sag as if his strings were cut. “I will explain. But it’s going to take a while and the police are here.”
Most of the fumes had dispersed (or at least thinned) and most of the dust settled by the time I returned. Rick had managed to arrange some light and was running around with an oversized first aid kit treating the injured.
I coughed in the thick air and tried to survey the damage. I called my Necromancy again and laid its power over my eyes. Shades of death roiled over my vision, giving a macabre edge to everything I looked at. The wounded stood out, necrotic energies dancing around them - but only slightly. No-one was too badly injured. That was a relief at least. Or maybe a testament to Rick’s healing skills. And Misha, who I saw flitting from person to person, trailing empty bottles as she went. Some she had taken from the shelves, I didn’t begrudge her them. I was glad she was here, I don’t think I knew enough about various potions to counteract whatever strange effects inhaling the fixed fumes would cause. Of course, I don’t think she did either, judging by the way she kept flicking through books and consulting with Liam. I stared at Liam, suspicion blooming in my heart.
“I’ve called 911,” Rick said absently, concentrating on tying a bandage. “They should be here soon, though no-one’s too badly injured. Who was it? Did that fundamentalist group you tried to provoke take some direct action?”
I shook my head, still staring at Liam. “Not unless they are employing Magicians now. And looting magical goods. I doubt that is the work of religious fanatics. That Shadow-Touched you knew was among them. The one I humiliated in your coffee shop.”
“Marcus?” Rick’s voice rose in surprise. “I know he’s all Satanist wannabe, but this just doesn’t seem like him. I dunno, it’s too… too much action, not enough talk and show. He doesn’t get off his lardy ass for much, let alone this kind of risky shit. And if he did, he would so stop for some dramatic laughter, or something.”
I thought. I was remembering the wards on the people, the wards on the van. A Shadow-Touched
could make wards better than a Sorcerer, or so it was said, anyway. One of the advantages of the weakening arts. And maybe a gift from the Daemon that possessed him. Yes, that was it, that would explain how powerful his wards were. I shook my head angrily; no, it made not sense! The idiot was a Shadow Touched and he was Daemon Possessed but… this was the fool who plastered himself in runes that were inches from killing him. This was the fool who I defeated by turning his only wards against him. Even if the idiot was powerful enough to create the wards, he certainly didn’t know enough.
I frowned again, puzzled, when a shock shivered through my mind. I staggered, grabbing Rick’s arm to stop me falling. I felt the Undead I had sent out in chase. They had covered a vast distance, but I had no idea of direction, if it weren’t for the connection I had forged between them I would never have sensed them this far. I felt their fading triumph at the capture falling back and overwhelmed by shock and terror. I gasped for air in the grip of the reflected emotions, utter terror beat down on me for an instant before I felt the power hit them. It was like a hammer blow inside my head, it felt like it should have picked me up and flung me against the wall. The power hammered through my skull as the undead were blasted into nothing. A blast of pure destructive energy guided carefully by Necromantic skill and power.
I felt a mind. It had felt the Necromantic link I had forged with the Undead and it turned it’s attention to me. For a moment the mind brushed against the connection and I felt something old, cold and so terribly alien yet so incredibly familiar. I felt its amusement well forth. It slapped at me, a casual brush of Necromantic power to banish my presence from the underworld.
I jerked upright in Rick’s hands. I couldn’t see the ruined shop any more but I know my eyes narrowed. I smacked down the casual brush of power and anchored my consciousness firmly in place, determinedly looking for some clues to location. I felt the mind’s surprise, surprise so strong it was almost shock. Again he lashed out with Necromantic power to force me back. Again I countered with Necromantic shields to hold me in place, shielded and strong, drawing on the power of the Underworld to strengthen me. I countered with a lash of destruction, a fierce stab of Sorcery down that Necromantic link into the mind. The mind reeled, rippling with shock and horror - but not pain and destruction.
I staggered back against Rick as another wave of destruction flowed down the Necromantic link. Another wave of Sorcery, but this time aimed directly at me. My wards flared briefly and the link waved as the magic was disrupted. We both lashed out at the same time now, Sorcery to Sorcery, destructive power to destructive power, guided by equally careful cool hands of Necromancy. The powers splashed almost lazily against each other, they recognized each other and merged and fought, each pushing against the other, throwing out waves of pure destructive energy that must have caused chaos in the underworld around the collision. My wards flared, I could feel them burning agonizingly at my wrists, ankles and neck. They flared against the flow of power.
I fell, only Rick’s hands around me stopped me hitting the floor. The connection had been severed by my wards, cutting the flow of power abruptly. The shop reeled slowly back into focus. Instantly I concentrated on Liam and began to advance menacingly.
The Seer looked nervously behind him, just in case the angry Sorcerer was stalking someone else. No such luck. I narrowed my glare until it should have almost hurt to face it. I stopped only when I was standing close enough to loom over him. He was a few inches taller than me, but I still managed to loom most effectively. You don’t need height to loom when everyone knows you can reduce them to a fine salsa.
“You knew the attack was coming. That’s why you laughed.” I made sure it wasn’t a question.
Liam swallowed. “Yesssss… I knew. But I knew no-one was going to be severely hurt and there was nothing we could really do to stop it. Not without getting people severely injured anyway. Besides, serves you right for peddling Camaalis secrets in the middle of Concord territory!” He tried to sound defiant, but that little whimpering edge just kept hanging around. “You didn’t think the Concord were going to let you just set up in the middle of America without saying anything! Especially not after Europe.”
I frowned. “The Concord? They were Concord - you Saw this?” I doubted it, I really did.
“I Saw an attack by powerful magic users raiding you. I know they weren’t Camaalis. Who else is it going to be than the Concord?” He shrugged, it was a natural assumption.
“The Concord uses Sorcerers now? I thought that was banned under the treaty?” I filled every word with lashings of doubt.
Liam’s jaw dropped. A rare and wonderful thing to catch a Seer by surprise. Always to be treasured. “Sorcery?” He choked, gasping. “Are you sure?”
I gave him a withering look. “I aren’t even going to dignify that with an answer.” To suggest I couldn’t recognise my own power was more than a little insulting. Liam actually had the grace to look a little embarrassed, yet another rare and wonderful event. Certainly a day to mark on my calendar. “The Sorcerer was a Necromancer as well. What’s happening Liam? I thought there was only one Sorcerer alive today in the entire world - me.”
Liam sighed and seemed to sag as if his strings were cut. “I will explain. But it’s going to take a while and the police are here.”
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(no subject)
Date: 2005-11-09 07:30 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-11-10 09:37 pm (UTC)I hope so. of course, I think it is going to get better in very bad ways.