Magic Spawn Origins

Magic Spawn: Chapter 15

by Meredith Skye

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There wasn't any time to lose. Rian practically ran down the street towards their house, as fast he could in the dark and gloomy fog.

Kyran followed obediently, his expression hard to read, as usual. Rian could never gage his mood; emotions rarely registered on his face.

Home was maybe a ten minute walk, probably less. Rian quickened his pace, but then Kyran had a hard time keeping up. The ten year old's legs were too short.

Street lights were out along the road, leaving it dark. Rian slowed down some to be sure of his path.

"Look, up ahead," said Kyran.

Ahead in the black fog, maybe 30 feet away, they saw the outline of three creatures walking in the road. Skeletons, by the look of it. Their bones glowed in an eerie iridescent manner. Rian's heart beat faster. Had they already been to the house? The turn off was just ahead.

"More skeletons!" whispered Rian.

The things moved slowly towards them. But the closer they got, Rian realized that these skeletons were very short.

And they were each carrying bags. Pillowcases, in fact.

Trick-or-treaters.

Now Rian felt like a dunce. "Hey, who are you?" he demanded.

"We are your doom!" said the voice of a young boy.

"Oh, it's just Roger, Scott and Todd ... from school," said Kye, disappointed.

"Didn't mean to give you a heart attack," said Roger, the one in front, pulling up his mask.

One of the boys behind him tapped him on the shoulder. "Crap, it's Kyran's big brother. Don't make him mad!" he whispered.

"Yeah, you don't want to see me mad," said Rian, leaning forward a little. He didn't have the patience to put up with these kids right now. He was worried about his mom. If this necromancer had attacked his father ten years ago, then perhaps he knew where the house was. "Have you seen anything unusual that way?" Rian indicated the way they'd just come from.

"Yes," said Todd, the tall one in the back. "First, this weird fog came over everything. Then, as we were walking down the road, we saw something like a ghost."

This had Rian's attention.

"It's face was pale white, and so was its hair. It looked like death."

"Where?" demanded Rian.

"Right behind you," said Todd, pointing to Kye. The three kids laughed.

"Not funny," said Kye, his eyes turned a tinge of red.

"Wow, now his eyes are glowing."

"No, they're not. Scram you kids," said Rian waving his sword at them.

"Freak," Scott yelled at Kyran as he and the others ran past.

"Leave my brother alone, you stupid little twits!" Rian yelled after them as they vanished down the road.

Brats. He didn't have time to chase them down right now.

The trees towered over the narrow. The night had turned chill, which only made the pervasive darkness feel that much deeper.

For a moment, Rian thought he saw movement in the trees. He stopped, drawing his blade. Kyran caught up to him and glanced around but kept silent.

Perhaps it was nothing. "Let's go," he urged his brother, quietly. Better to be safe than sorry. They both ran.

Perhaps a twig snapped or the air currents shifted slightly, but Rian sensed something and turned just in time to see a cloaked, hooded figure bearing down on him with a long steel sword.

Rian stopped, dodging the blow. He drew his own sword swiftly.

Was this the necromancer?

Rian launched an attack, hoping to catch his assailant off-guard, but the other skillfully blocked Rian. Then he shoved Rian back, causing him to trip over a branch and fall. He expected another blow. By the time he turned to look at the figure, it had stretched out an empty hand at him. In the palm, a dull orange light began to glow.

Was this magic?

To the figure's consternation, the light died. For a moment, the figure hesitated. Meanwhile, Rian scrambled to his feet and launched himself at the hooded man. He aimed a blow at his head and the shot would have been good but the figure twisted away, catching only the flat of the blade, but it was enough to knock him back, maybe stunning him.

Rian didn't wait to find out, he grabbed Kyran's hand, who stood there dumbfounded, and they ran. After sprinting for a few minutes, they reached the road near their house. Afraid he'd led the assailant home, Rian swung around to face the attacker, but no one had followed them.

The night was dark and still.

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