Medice Ceres

Chapter 40

The Shaman flung another fireball with a turn of his wrist, laughing as he did. It struck the ground not far from Alden and Ceres' feet in a whoosh of light and heat. They jumped aside, shielding their faces from the rising flare with upraised hands. Alden bent down and slapped at a flame that erupted from his pants cuff.

The Shaman produced two more fireballs to replace the one he expended, seemingly drawing them from the faraway volcano. They swirled above his outstretched hands in a circular motion as he narrowed his eyes. "Surrender the Lady, and you may go on your way. Refuse and die."

Alden placed himself between Ceres and the Shaman. He turned his head to eye the bow and quiver of arrows attached to the saddle of his horse a few paces away.

The robed man shook his head with a sly smile. "Tsk, tsk. Unwise, young man. You would not make it. Oh, and Lady Ceres, try to call a Spirit and, well, your burns will be quite painful."

Alden turned to Ceres and whispered, "Can you send Pyr away?"

"Nay, not while she is linked to him."

Waithe growled as he stepped forward. "I have an offer for you, Shaman. Leave and we shall let you live."

"You try my patience, old man."

A line of fire raced along the ground from the Shaman. Waithe dove out of the way just before it reached him. While the Shaman's attention was on Waithe, Alden grabbed Ceres' arm and pulled her with him behind a large boulder. A fireball flashed red and yellow on the front side of the boulder, setting the grass and brush beside it ablaze.

Waithe ducked behind a large tree. Small fires started by the attacks began to spread in the dry foliage. He knew he had to act soon before it forced Ceres and Alden out into the open. Another fireball struck at the base of the tree as the Shaman laughed in a sick glee. Some of the flames circled the tree, scorching Waithe's arm. The horses spooked and ran past Waithe, but Alden's horse stopped close by.

Waithe called out. "Alden, have you any more of your blast jars?"

Alden replied. "Aye, one more. Right saddlebag."

The Shaman scowled. "I grow tired of this." He raised his arms and two more fireballs began to swirl above him, dancing around the Fire Spirit.

As drifting smoke from the fires obscured the Shaman's view, Waithe jumped out and sprinted the short distance to Alden's horse. He ripped open the saddlebag to extract the jar, also grabbing the bow and arrows attached to the saddle. With a slap to its rump, the horse galloped away. Waithe dove out of the way as another fireball whizzed past. As he rolled, he lit the blast-jar fuse from a patch of burning grass. He tossed the bow and arrows to Alden, then launched the jar. It bounced along the ground and rolled to the feet of the Shaman.

The Shaman smirked as he looked down at the sizzling device. "What toy be this? Some kind of--"

The explosion cut short his words, the sharp sound reverberating off the rocks behind him. He fell back and slumped to the ground. His body writhed as he put his hands to his injured face.

Ceres jumped out from behind the rock. She creased her brow and called out. "Spirit Pyr! Be gone!"

The Spirit disappeared with a fizzling pop. With no power to hold them up, the fireball that moments before swirled above the Shaman dropped, engulfing him in flames. Splintered cries erupted above the roar of the fire. Ceres froze in place as her jaw dropped, eyes glued as the struggling figure that soon stilled stilled within the fire.

Waithe yelled out as he drew his long knife. "This be not over yet!"

The four black-uniformed men that stood behind the Shaman hesitated, as if unsure what to do, then stepped forward with blades drawn. Alden notched an arrow to his bow and jumped out from behind the boulder.