Magic Spawn Origins

Magic Spawn: Chapter 71

by Meredith Skye

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For years Haley's mom had made her come to "fighter practice" and learn sword fighting. And she had learned it; and sometimes she even enjoyed it. But none of the other girls at school knew sword fighting and some of them thought it was weird. So, when Haley had grown older, she began to resist her mom's passion for the medieval arts. She didn't want to be laughed at.

She never really thought it would be useful for anything!

Haley had joined the mysterious woman from another world, Ehina, in fighting the three skeletons on the platform in the necromancer's lair. And maybe Haley wasn't a great fighter, but she drew off the second skeleton leaving only two for Ehina to kill. So, already, she felt that she'd helped, even though she doubted her basic fighting skills.

But Ehina must have been thinking the same thing because in the next few blows she managed to finish off the first skeleton. "You shouldn't have stayed!" Ehina shouted at her. "You're going to die!"

"You're welcome!" Haley smirked sarcastically, as she kept her eye on the skeleton in front of her. To Anya, she yelled, "Keep behind me!" Haley had become fond of the stoic, quiet child, in her ridiculous steampunk vampire dress—not at all practical for running around in dungeons. She hoped Anya would stay safe.

These skeletons did seem tougher than those the others had fought earlier. Haley couldn't see that she was really doing any damage at all to it, just blocking it mostly from hitting her with its sword. That was something—at least.

This attack was crazy! At least Ehina was an expert sword fighter, but perhaps two skeletons at once would prove too much for her.

Right now, the two girls were holding their own in the battle, but if that third skeleton got a good blow in on Ehina, it could cripple her. Even now, it had caught up with Ehina and was flanking her.

That's when Anya rushed up, dagger in her hand and made an attempt to backstab it. Of course, the dagger was a thin blade and the skeletons were mostly made of bone, so there wasn't much to connect to. At least Haley had a mace, which was more of a crushing weapon than slashing.

At least, her mace would crush if Haley ever hit anything with it ....

The kid did manage to distract the creature from Ehina, at least for the moment. That might give Ehina the chance she needed to get the upper hand. Haley just hoped that Anya was a fast runner, because now the skeleton turned to stare at her. It lifted its blade and came after the young girl in the skanky red and black dress, who began retreating.

"Anya, be careful!" shouted Haley. A stupid thing to say ... as if Anya had planned to be careless! None of them had planned for any of this to happen.

In fighting her skeleton, Haley ended up close to the edge of the platform, enough to glance over the edge. The walls of the cavern they were in were all made of rough hewn stone. The platforms and walkways were built above a chasm, which was at least 100 to 200 feet deep. At the bottom, all she saw was a glowing, swirling mass of orange and yellow energy.

Whatever it was, falling down in the chasm must mean certain death. And of course — there were no rails. There never are in the strongholds of evil maniacs. Haley quickly dodged back away from the edge. Maybe she could push the skeleton off, if she could reposition herself just right.

Anya proved quicker than the skeleton and ran back down the hallway. She might not have many advantages but speed was one of them. Slowly, her skeleton followed her.