Prophecy: Tome of Magic

7. All Is Fair

Qui'hara had already engaged Andreegys and his little army by the time Lorelei arrived with Blair. The demoness was pitted against the only one who was her equal on the battlefield-Liam-and the two of them dove around each other in tactical dodges and powerful strikes. Nina was surrounded by a group of the upright corpses, using her own skill to hold them back as they lunged at her. That was the thing about the undead army-though they weren't particularly strong or hard to manage, in a large group they became difficult to outlast.

Still, she did her best, knocking one so hard in the face that half of its rotted skull split away and clattered to the ground, proving that not even that was enough to stop it. That also seemed to be a problem; they were already dead, so how were they supposed to be defeated? She didn't stay focused on that one for long, spinning around and facing her backside so that she could move the line, deflect those enemies farther away from her with a forceful kick. It never failed, whenever she found herself in battle she was always grateful for the training she'd been given.

"There's no way to kill these things!" At least she wasn't alone now, and she breathed a sigh of relief when she spotted Lorelei and Blair coming up to her, ready to help.

"What kind of dark magic is this?" The good sister was sickened to see how the old god had so carelessly desecrated the dead, and immediately she summoned her grimoire, beginning to flit through the pages.

"We don't have time for that," Lorelei scolded her as she leapt into the air, delivering a spinning kick that knocked a group of the undead over. "Get your head out of that book!"

"I think I have a spell for this!" Still Blair persisted, calling over the ruckus as she came upon the incantation she sought. Stepping back she began to recite it, hoping to return the reanimated to their rightful slumber with the Latin that poured from her lips with fluidity. Yet it became hard to concentrate when she heard the maniacal laughter from somewhere out of sight, clearly coming from Andreegys as he mocked her attempts to undo what he himself had set in place.

"You would have the nerve to stand against me?" His voice was ethereal, coming from the wind itself as she glanced around, any attempt to establish where he was.

"I am not afraid," she whispered, slipping it in between lines in her spell, knowing only he would hear it. Concentrating harder she continued on, noticing when the undead began to falter, to behave even more sluggishly than their rotted limbs would provide, and she was sure that she would be successful. But that was when the laughing stopped, and she grew alert, moving even further back.

"Boo!" He startled her, materializing behind her and ensuring that she tripped over herself trying to get away. Again he chortled, seeming to enjoy himself as he held out his hand, producing more wisps to revitalize his army. Then he took a step forward, looking down at her and piercing her with his silver eyes as an evil grin took his face. From the very particles of the air he gathered a blade, forming it in his hand before her eyes and hoisting it high above her. He didn't appreciate her using her considerable power against him, and he didn't feel like letting her stick around. "Like the sacrificial lamb, I will make of you an example for all the others. Where is your God now?"

It was almost poetic fate that his blade was caught before it could eclipse Blair's life, and she scurried out of the way as she viewed her savior. In only a moment Byrenion had appeared between them, and in his hand he held the weapon that Andreegys had crafted, turning it back into matter now as he beheld the other god. For a quick second they held a silent standoff, but Andreegys broke it immediately with a smile, reaching out and cupping his beloved's face tenderly.