Fire Within: Book Two of Fire and Stone (Stories of Fire and Stone 2) (45 page)

“Erizen, so help me, I will gut you where you sit,” Tseka threatened.

Erizen ignored the threat. “Look, I scried for Moloch and anything else I could think of that might betray him, and I found nothing. Then I set up spells that’ll let me know if anything sets foot anywhere near here, so really, all we have to do is wait. And since you’re not willing to get your freaky on with me, I found someone more willing. Until you scared her away.” Erizen actually looked irritated. Tseka clenched her teeth. Tseka stared at him with baleful eyes, and Erizen stared right back, his gaze unwavering.

“I don’t understand why Gretchen ever had anything to do with you when she had a choice not to,” Tseka finally said. “I respect her greatly, so I assume there is something that she knows of you that I do not.”

“Must be,” Erizen said. Tseka’s eyes narrowed.

“Sometimes I think you are too similar to the foe we face. You are—or were—one of the Dark Mage Lords.” Tseka knew perfectly well why they were allied with him now, but like Esset, she still had reservations even beyond how irritating she found the mage to be.

“You aren’t convinced of my allegiance?” Erizen asked.

“I’m not convinced of your character.”

Erizen shrugged. “Does that matter?”

“It always matters.”

“Many would disagree.” Erizen studied his fingernails.

“Many would be wrong.” Tseka had yet to look away. Erizen shrugged again, showing disinterest in the conversation. Silence fell between them for a brief time as Tseka studied him up and down. Erizen watched the bartender wipe the bar.

“What does Gretchen see in you?” Tseka asked.

“Ask her.”

“I’m asking you.”

Now Erizen met her gaze with humor in his own. “You think I know a woman’s mind? Let me tell you something, sweetheart, no man—at least no human man—knows the mind of a woman.”

“Nonetheless, you have an idea,” Tseka pressed. “You are too clever not to.” Pride, that was Erizen’s weakness, and she played the card boldly.

Erizen gave an annoyed huff. “Fine, if it’ll shut you up, it’s because she knew me when I was younger.”

Tseka waited, but no more came. “I will keep asking questions if you don’t tell me this story,” she threatened.

Erizen shifted in his chair. “I suppose I have to pass the time somehow.” He sighed, but then he began to talk. “As a boy, I had magical ability in spades, but my family was dirt poor and I had nothing else. I was untrained and stupid.”

Erizen paused and shifted again. He averted his eyes. “I wasn’t an only child. I had a little sister. When I was nine, bandits raided our village. My little sister was out playing and was trampled by their horses, and the bandits just laughed. I went crazy, but I didn’t have the training to use my magic to lash out at them. Instead I set half the village on fire while the bandits rode away unharmed.”

Tseka bowed her head, feeling pity for that poor child so long ago. Maybe, with this formative moment, there could be some understanding of who and what Erizen was, but she kept her silence and let him continue.

“After that, I left my parents and the village to find someone who could train me,” Erizen said. “The only person I could find was a blood mage. I needed the power to hunt down and take my revenge, and he was the only one who could teach me. Long story, he used me, I used him, and I learned from him until the day he forced me to kill him. From there I made my own way in the world, including joining the mercenary company that Gretchen was also a part of.”

Tseka was quiet until she was sure he was finished. “I suppose…I don’t entirely agree with your actions, but I can start to see your perspective,” she said.

“And here I thought I lowballed my age at nine,” Erizen said.

Tseka looked up and blinked. “What?”

“Nine isn’t too young to be believable?” Erizen asked.

“What are you talking about?” Tseka couldn’t help but notice that he seemed far too happy.

Erizen grinned. “You know, for all your tough exterior, you really are a bleeding heart. I’m sure the sappy summoner would have been just as gullible, but I’d wondered about you.”

“You made that up,” Tseka accused. Erizen gave a little bow.

“I thought it was as good a performance as it was a story,” Erizen said immodestly.

“You’re disgusting.” Tseka’s voice was muddled by a hiss.

“I’m sorry, I couldn’t resist,” Erizen said, raising his hands, placating. “Do you want to hear the real story still?”

“Will it really be the real story?” Tseka asked.

“No, but it’s another good one!” Erizen said.

That was enough for Tseka. She lifted her torso up on her coils, shoving a chair over in the process. For a moment, she considered striking him, but then she backed down.

“Tseh, you’re not worth it,” she hissed. She slithered back to the doors again. The fact that she had such a short temper just made her angrier, this time with herself, and she knew it would take more than a few minutes to calm down. Maybe she’d make a loop of the town. She’d have to put up with the stares from the townspeople, but she needed the exercise to work off this angry energy.

She took her spear with her, more out of habit than concern. It felt familiar and therefore comforting in her hands, and while it probably wouldn’t help against Moloch himself if he showed up, that didn’t mean it was useless in all situations. At the moment, she didn’t care that carrying it would make the locals even more nervous.

She held the metal spear horizontally, holding it high up the haft with the back end resting atop her coils. She found carrying the spear like that served two purposes; these bipeds were less likely to step on her coils, and it seemed to make them think she was less ready to attack them. The assumption was, of course, that they always thought she was about to attack them. That was why she didn't immediately pay any heed to the increasing tension of the people around her. It was only when a kind of vibration caught her attention that she stopped to identify the source.

Tseka lifted her weapon to plant the spearbutt on the ground as she scanned around, first at the people and buildings nearest, then further. Some of the townspeople were looking around as well, and a few were looking in a particular direction. Tseka followed their gaze and saw a dark cloud on the horizon—a very strange cloud. Tseka kept her eye on it as she began to slither back towards the Staggering Tankard. Something was wrong, and while she didn’t yet know what the cloud was, her instincts were telling her that it was very bad.

Tseka kept her face turned towards the strange cloud as she slithered back to the tavern. It swelled strangely. The wind was quiet and the rest of the clouds were still in the air, and this one seemed restless by comparison—it didn’t make any large movements, but it almost
twitched
; its borders were far from static and it was definitely growing. Tseka had lived most of her life underground, so she didn’t know much about weather, but judging by the attention the cloud was garnering from the townsfolk, she wasn’t the only one who thought it odd.

Tseka picked up her pace, even though it meant she had to watch where she was going. Warriors listened to their instincts, and hers screamed danger. She made it back to the tavern in short order and threw open the doors with the tail end of her coils; she didn’t bother looking in but kept her gaze on the fast-approaching cloud.

“Erizen! Get out here now!” Tseka pounded her spearbutt against the floor for emphasis. A few moments passed, but for once, Erizen did as he was told.

“What?” The mage glanced up and down the street idly, then noticed the tension and upward gazes. It didn’t take long to locate the object of interest. Tseka glanced at Erizen to see his grey eyes unfocused and she knew he was working magic. She turned her gaze back to the cloud, but a moment later she felt Erizen’s hand clamp onto her arm. Her vision zoomed in crazily and she swayed before she realized Erizen was working magic to allow her to see longer distances. Steadying herself, she looked towards the cloud again.

Had she been human, she would have paled, but Tseka’s scarlet scales could turn no other color. The dark mass on the horizon was no cloud—it was a swarm. Thousands of small, grotesque creatures flew en masse towards the town. They were hideously disproportionate, like insects that were all mouth and wings. Their eyes were tiny black specks above a mouth so full of overlong teeth it couldn’t close properly.

Tseka gasped when Erizen released her arm and her vision returned to normal.

“We’ve got to protect these people,” Tseka said as she darted into the street.

“Hey! Everyone listen! We’re about to be attacked! If you gather close to the tavern, we can protect you! Gather everyone to the tavern!” Tseka yelled to the nearest people. They looked at her nervously before hurrying down the street towards their homes. One man standing on his doorstep went inside and locked the door behind himself; Tseka knew that wouldn’t be protection enough against the swarm.

“Can you shield the whole town?” Tseka called back to Erizen, who was walking sedately to her side.

“Not for long. Not against that,” Erizen replied. He didn’t look as concerned as she would have liked, but at least he was cooperating.

“I’m not confident I can either,” Tseka confessed. “But how do we get these people to listen? They’re not going to listen to me. Can you show them? At least a few people to get them to convince others?”

Erizen frowned.

“That sounds very inefficient,” he stated.

“Erizen! This—” Tseka began to hiss at him, but he flapped a hand in an irritated, dismissive gesture. She nearly throttled him, but she managed to restrain herself, since he closed his eyes and was obviously trying to concentrate on a spell. She’d have to kill him later.

Tseka was studying the swarm again when she felt a wave of emotion wash over her—that was the best she could describe it. She felt a dose of fear and a sudden, desperate need to get to the tavern. Only when she looked over her shoulder at the Staggering Tankard did the compulsion dissipate.

“Oh good, it worked,” Erizen idly remarked as people began scurrying towards the tavern. Tseka decided to debate the ethics of tampering with emotions—and potentially free will—later and concentrate on how they might protect these people.

“My shields won’t be terribly effective against a concentrated swarm like that,” Tseka said aloud to the mage. “They’re strongest in the first second I create them. Sustaining them will be a problem.”

“So don’t,” Erizen said. “Create a shell over us, then create a second overtop it or underneath it. When one breaks, another will be immediately adjacent. I imagine it will take a great deal of effort and concentration, but it should hold the tide back.”

“And what will you be doing?” Tseka wanted to know.

“I’ll be trying to figure out what exactly this threat is and where it came from,” Erizen replied, ignoring her tone. “And how to stop it.”

People were still coming towards the tavern. Erizen’s spell was working well—all of them moved with urgency and some degree of fearfulness, but without panic. Despite herself, Tseka was impressed. Since she had nothing to do until either everyone was gathered or the swarm arrived, the Nadran warrior turned to the people.

“Go inside. Something’s coming, but you’ll be safe inside,” she urged them. Most of them stood outside the tavern, staring at the oncoming swarm. They blocked the way for those who did want to get through, and they were far too spread out. The smaller the shield Tseka had to make, the better, which meant she had to organize them.

“Go on, go inside. Calm and orderly now. Go on, inside,” Tseka repeated. She herded them like a collection of nervous sheep. They were mesmerized by the swarm like moths by fire, but when she came near they snapped back to themselves.

“Go on, go inside. You’ll be safe inside.” People shied from her outstretched hands even though she meant to touch them in comfort, but she used it to her advantage to steer them towards the tavern.

“Tseka!” Erizen called. Tseka looked back at him and was surprised to see the street was clear. Then she looked up and felt a chill run down the length of her spine and coils. The sky was black.

“Tseka, shields!” Erizen shouted.

It had begun.

Tseka threw up a massive, semi-transparent, scarlet mage-shield around the Staggering Tankard and small part of the street that she and Erizen stood on. The swarm wasn’t quite upon them yet, but they could see where it reached the town. The mage-shield tinted the world red, manufacturing a demonic haze.

The swarm descended on the first house and stripped it clean in a moment—every scrap of food or bit of cloth was devoured. Anything small or light was jostled and smashed around. Doors and windows caved before the onslaught. A loose horse galloped down the street towards the tavern, and an arm of the swarm darted out to engulf it. The horse screamed as its flesh was stripped from its bones in moments—the scream was mercifully cut short, but the horror wasn’t lessened. In a matter of seconds there was nothing but a few scattered, gnawed bones left behind. Elsewhere in the city they could hear other screams, and Tseka could only hope that those were the cries of animals too, and not people that Erizen had somehow missed.

Then the swarm reached her shield. Tseka had practiced with them a great deal, but nothing could have prepared her for the sheer force of the impact. They went through her barrier almost like it wasn’t there, but at least she was ready, and erected a second just beneath the surface of the first. Even so, it was mere seconds before that was battered out of existence as well. Their sheer strength in numbers and single-minded determination to get through the shield worked in their favor. Tseka created her new shields underneath the previous ones for a minute before realizing that she was losing too much ground too quickly. It was far harder, but after that she fought to create the new shield atop the old, without so much as a breath of air between the two before the old vanished. She forced the swarm back to the original perimeter a finger’s width at a time.