ANGEL OF JUSTICE (2014 revised)

Chapter Twenty Seven - Transformation

Transformation

"He is with us once more."

The wizard, Arc paused in his pacing and turned to the bed in the middle of the room. "Thank the Goddess, Serenity; I thought he was lost to us all. I didn't fancy a trip to the Death Halls to beg Delnor to release him."

Serenity looked up from where she sat at Josh's side, dressed in a flowing robe of shimmering green, her long black hair piled high and held in placed by diamond clasps. Her emerald eyes sparkled with great power as they studied the old wizard.

"He was Arc, but now he has found his way back from the Death Valley."

Arc frowned then chuckled lightly. "You vixen, you helped him didn't you?"

Serenity smiled and after a thousand years, Arc still found the effect dazzling. "I was allowed one small concession as long as I did not use my powers in any way to aid his journey. All I did was stand there and called his name. If Josh had not the courage to face his fears, even with my powers I could not have prevented him from entering the Halls of the Dead."

"Thank the Healing Goddess for that."

"After giving up my family and friends it was a small token of thanks on the Goddess's behalf. Arina mentioned at the time of my ascension in Talen's caves that one day she would grant me a favour, I think that has been fulfilled now."

Arc looked down at Josh's bandaged and pale body. Shaking his head he took to pacing up and down the room again, his blue robes swishing as he walked.

"I still can't believe we nearly lost him! Only moments before the attack I told him to relax because the enemy could not possibly enter your lands because of your powers! Can you imagine the prophecy being turned on its ear if he died?"

"There was nothing you could have done, Arc. Neither of us knew Charaz could shield assassins and transport them into my lands. The Books of Magic and Knowledge have enabled him to become an even greater threat than we imagined. Whether we had knowledge or not, I don't think we could have prevented that attack from happening. It was planned too precisely and happened too quickly."

Arc paused for a moment and met Serenity's gaze."Still if we had known, I swear we could have acted sooner and prevented it from happening."

"Arc, you have saved many, many more lives than those lost."

"But the lad almost died!"

"But he didn't!" Serenity replied quietly.

"Do you have to talk as if I'm not here, wizard?"

Arc walked over and sat at Josh's other side, his ancient face alive with relief. "It is about time lad, you've had us worried sick for days."

Josh opened his eyes and blinked against the light. "Don't go trying to show you care, old man. Now where am I and where are my men? And what the hell happened?"

Arc winced. "You are with Queen Serenity, the High Priestess of Healing who saved your life and my good self. Most of your men are still camped in the valley waiting for your orders. The more seriously wounded are here in the temple while another unit of guards are camped outside with the second deployment of Dreamurian warriors ready to escort you when you are well enough to continue onto Port Garnet to get the rest of your reinforcements. So, do you remember anything of the attack by the assassins?"

The brief pieces of the attack before he was struck down sprung to mind. Josh retold them of how the air had shimmered and almost instantly black clothed men with black bows had started firing upon his men. He had given orders for them to shield up before his world had turned black.