Kael, holding his side, retrieved his daggers from the pile of ash. He opened his mouth to say something, when the sound of drumming feet echoed up the stairs.
'Don't let them reach the top.' Killburn shouted.
The sound got closer and closer, until there was a "shlick" of the trap going off and a troupe zombies started their ascent of the stairs, one apparently unconcerned with the bolt protruding from his calf. Tattered clothing hung from the zombie's gaunt frames, some wore Police uniforms, others were in farm labourers overalls. Killburn, Isabelle and Shae lined up at head of the stairs, while Kael and Tom hung back. The first line fell easily, but the second just stepped over them and kept coming. The stairs were now full and still they came. One nearly got Killburn, but Kael snaked forward and skewered it through the eye. The defenders were chewing up the horde, but they were getting tired, it was only a matter of time. They were starting to get pushed back from the top of the stairs when the floorboards behind them began to bulge upwards. When they could take no more, the floorboards split, bursting in to splinters and leaving a ragged hole in the floor through which rose a vampire demon.
'Who dares enter my domain and slay my daughter?' The demon demanded.
'What are you doing here?' Countered Tom.
'You shall find out after you die, human.'
The demon attacked, swiping its large, clawed hands at Tom, who rolled out of the way. Isabelle swapped with Kael and started firing holy spells, but they grounded themselves on a magical shield around the demon. She charged it, swinging her sword and jumping the hole in the floor. The demon caught her mid-air, but she brought her sword down on its wrist, slicing cleanly through. There was a screech of pain and Isabelle ducked as the other arm came around. Tom ran in to the fray as well, slicing at the demon's exposed skin. Then there was a beat of massive wings and both Isabelle and Tom were knocked back. Tom skidded to a stop against a wall, but Isabelle fell through the hole, her hands found purchase at the last second and she hung there. Seeing the demon advancing on Isabelle, Killburn went to her aid, only to be flicked aside by a wingtip. The demon picked Isabelle up and brought her up to its face, looking her in the eye as its arm regenerated.
'Now you die, human.' It said.
The demon opened its mouth to bite, but a spear of sunlight caught its cheek. With another scream, the demon flinched backwards. Tom looked around to see Isabelle's sword lying on the floor in front of an open door. The ray of light had come in through the window and was shining off the blade.
Tom got to his feet and started blowing holes in the walls and ceiling using magic missiles. The demon whirled as it dodged the daggers of sunlight. One caught the hand holding Isabelle and she was dropped to the floor. Once the demon was caged by sunlight, Tom walked up to it.
'Now.' He said, breathing heavily. 'Why are you here.'
'Uh, a little help.' Kael said, punching a zombie in the face. Killburn and Isabelle returned to the stairs to help in the fight.
The demon looked around for an escape route, it started to smash the floor boards.
'You have not seen the last of me. The Archmage was right - you could not resist the temptation to meddle. You're curiosity will be your undoing.'
The demon was almost through. Tom raised his arms and started to mutter under his breath. Outside, more stonework fell to the ground, bricks ground against each other and slowly, but with rising momentum, the top of the mansion began to twist off. Inside, the demon disappeared through the hole just as Tom flung the roof in to the garden, exposing the first floor to the morning sunlight.
On the stairs, the last of the zombies was beheaded and the exhausted defenders tried to catch their breath. Tom looked at the new hole.
'We need to go after it.' He said.
'We need a rest, lad.' Killburn managed, between breaths.
When their panting had subsided a little, they picked their way down the stairs over the corpses. Below the hole in the first floor was a hole in the ground floor where the demon had smashed through in to the cellar.
'There must be a door somewhere.' Shae said.
Following the muddy tracks of the zombies, the party found an open door in the kitchen which had previously been locked shut. Killburn led the way, descending in to the murky depths. At the bottom was a long corridor lined with empty cages, they could see a faint glow coming from behind a door at the end of it.
The group kicked in the door and found a teleportation circle ringed with candles. The runes on the floor were already smoking as they dissolved in to the aether.
'I know that part.' Tom pointed to the runes at the top of the circle. 'It's the sign for Illumare.'
'Bugger.' Said Killburn.
'It knows about me.' Tom was in shock. 'It's going to tell the Archmage.'
'There's nothing we can do about that now, lad. We'll just have to make better time to Oesterin.'
The walk back to the horses was made in silence, with only the spitting of burning timbers punctuating the still morning air. Tom had thrown a few incendary spells around as they were leaving to ensure no more evil could be done in the mansion. They rode the horses a hard as they dared, reaching Larkhill in the middle of the afternoon. Killburn took them to the inn that had been pre-booked by messenger, The Wolf's Head. The owner was surprised to see them so early.
'I was told you would be here in the evening.' He said. 'We've had no chance to buy in the supplies you requested.'
'Best get a move on then, hadn't you?' Killburn growled at the man.
The man almost replied, but seeing the expression on the rest of the party's faces made him pause.
'Right away, sir.' He scurried off out of the door.
They ate and drank briefly, stopping only long enough for the owner to return with the mountaineering supplies. With Tom's secret out, it had been decided that they would get as far in to the mountains as they could before evening fell and they would be forced to stop to make camp. The horses were left behind; Larkhill was at the base of the foothills and the path onwards was only wide enough for pedestrians. A few hours after leaving Larkhill, Killburn called a halt to pitch the tents. He stood with Tom, looking back down on to the plains and Harrowden in the hazy distance as darkness fell.
'Two more days to Oesterin and then five to get home.' Killburn said. 'It's going to be tough on the way back, maybe we'll ride overnight to shorten it a little.'
'What is the Archmage going to send after me?' Tom asked, numbly.
'Depends on how much of a threat you're determined to be, lad.' Killburn looked at the young man next to him, then slapped him on the back. 'No good moping, lad. What will come will come, and we'll see it off like we do.'
Even Killburn's false joviality couldn't raise Tom from the pit of dispair he was currently in. He couldn't help but have nightmares of being blasted from existence by the Archmage.
At about mid-day on the following day, the party came across a small collection of huts. Some were burnt to the ground, others merely had their doors smashed in. There were bodies everywhere. Shae raced ahead, swearing and crying.
'This was my village.' She screamed. 'What's happened to my village?'
There was a faint noise from one of the huts that was still intact. Shae ran to it and then threw up at the sight inside. A man, covered in blood and gore, was lying on the floor of the hut. When he saw the group, he struggled to sit up. Isabelle went and craddled his head.
'Don't try to get up.' She soothed. 'Can you tell us what happened here?'
'Fal-falnir.' The man whispered. 'Falnir attack.'
Isabelle looked up at Killburn.
'Falnir?'
'Dragons.' Tom said, puzzled. 'Falnir is a type of dragon, but they haven't been seen in an age.'
He closed his eyes, re-reading the pages of the history book off the back of his eyelids.
'They're not born dragons - they used to be human, but magic changed them.'
Tears were streaming down Shae's face.
'What of my family. Kevan, what happened to them.'
Kevan focused on Shae.
'Shae.' He strained. 'Shae they... Your family, they...'
He coughed, blood spraying from his lips.
'They're Falnir.'
The effort seemed to drain the energy from Kevan and he fell back against Isabelle. Shae was crouched from the pain of crying so hard, her sobs came in erratic whoops. Kael put his arm around his partner, comforting her as best he could.
'He's unconscious.' Isabelle said, standing up. 'And not long for this world.'
She joined Tom and Killburn.
'What do we do?' She asked.
'We don't know how many dragons there are and we're already in a race for safety.' Killburn said. 'We can't stop, even if it is Shae's family.'
Tom's face was stern.
'We can take an hour to bury the bodies.' He said. 'It won't make a difference.'
'I don't know, lad.'
'Killburn, I promised Shae we'd stop in and see her family. If you want to take me out of here without at least burying her village, it'll be on your shoulder.'
Killburn nodded.
'I suppose an hour won't matter.' He conceded.
Half an hour later, Kevan awoke. Tom noticed the noise and went back to the hut.
'They went East. The three went East.'
'How were they changed?' Tom asked, urgently.
'Warlock from Snohode. He came for... for...' Kevan died, his last rasping breath condensing in the increasingly chilly air.
'I think we can save Shae's family.' Tom said, emerging from the hut.
Shae looked up at him sharply.
'What?'
'They were changed by a warlock; that means natural magic and natural magic is always balanced, which means the spell is reversible.'
'I don't know about that, lad.' Killburn said.
'Look.' Tom stood firm. 'I know you're charged with protecting me, but if the Archmage wants me dead then I'm dead. At least this way I get to do some good before I go.'
'Don't speak like that.' Isabelle said. 'Like it's all a foregone conclusion. You don't know what the Archmage will send, we might be able to fend it off until you can become more powerful.'
'What do you need to do?' Shae was standing, wiping her red eyes and looking determined.
'Kevan told me that the warlock lives on Snohode.' He paused, looking down. 'They were his last words. We need to see which spell he used to change your family, then I can come up with the anti-spell.'
'Well what are we waiting for?' Shae demanded.
Killburn didn't look impressed.
'We'll bury the village, lad, but the warlock is out of the question. We don't have the time.'
'I'm going up that mountain with or without you.' Tom said, digging his heels in.
'Stubborn little brat.' Killburn said softly. 'Thought that part of you was gone.'
'Are you coming or not?' Tom asked.
'I swore an oath to protect you.' Killburn said, walking up to Tom. His fist flew fast, knocking Tom unconscious. 'And that's what I intend to do.'
'Wake up.' Shae was lightly tapping Tom's face.
It was getting dark and the others were setting the tents up.
'What happened?' Tom said, groggily.
'Killburn knocked you out and had us carry you.' Shae explained. 'We're about six hours from the village, but only two from Snohode. Were you serious about saving my family?'
Tom shook his thoughts back in to order.
'Absolutely.'
'Then let's go.'
They slipped away through the boulders and started up the track to the white mass of Snohode. Just over an hour later, a light in a cave below the peak became visible. Tom and Shae made their way to it, eventually leaving the track and skirting around to get a better look as they approached. There was a fire in the mouth of the cave, illuminating a hunched figure on a stool. They were within thirty feet when it called out to them.
'Who's that, then? Come forward.' The voice was oddly controlling, and they found themselves obeying without thinking.
The figure beside the fire stood, revealing a tall, but thin man. A straggly grey beard reached nearly to his navel and his hair grew in dreadlocks half way down his back. His baggy black robes were ragged at the edges, and on his head he wore a ram's skull.
'Your names.' He ordered.
'Shae.' Said Shae.
Tom resisted speaking.
'Interesting.' The man said. 'Why won't you answer, boy?'
'I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours.' Tom replied.
The warlock smiled.
'Someone who knows the power of names.' He said.
'You made my friend's family in to falnir.' Tom accused. 'Why?'
'Is this your friend?' The warlock gestured at Shae. 'Maybe she would like to join her family.' He started to mumble under his breath and Shae doubled over in pain, crying out.
'No!' Tom made his own incantation and put up a magical barrier around Shae.
'To late, mage.' The warlock scoffed.
Shae's skin began to darken and she grew in size, ripping through her leather armour. She was down on all fours now, her shape changing. A tail and wings grew out of her until she was a dragon about the size of a house.
'A fine beast.' The warlock marvelled.
'Why?' Tom shouted at him, panicking. 'Why are you doing this?'
'Because the Archmage is searching again.' The warlock explained. 'I need the protection.' An idea struck him.
'The Archmage seeks you!'
Tom's hastily conjured shield took the brunt of the lightning attack that the warlock unleashed and he retreated behind a boulder.
'Bring him to me.' The warlock commanded Shae.
The dragon nimbly hopped from rock to rock, like a cat chasing a mouse as Tom ran in fear. It was a futile gesture; Shae easily out paced him and scooped him in to one of her forepaws. He tried to struggle but was taken inexorably back to the cave. Something inside Tom's mind snapped and he suddenly wasn't afraid any more. With his thoughts calm, Tom started to think and chant some incantations.
'The Archmage will leave me be if I deliver you.' The warlock smiled.
Tom changed his skin to ice and Shae dropped him, yowling at the freezer burn. Walking towards the warlock, the ice snapped and crumbled off of Tom. The warlock's attacks bounced off his shielding aura, grounding harmlessly on the mountain. When he got toe to toe with the warlock, Tom could see the fear in the man's eyes.
'What spell did you use?' Tom demanded.
'I'm not telling y...'
Tom slapped him, knocking him backwards over his stool. Now the warlock was visibly shaking.
'I won't tell, no matter...'
Tom clicked his fingers and the stool burst in to flames. The warlock yelped as a spark landed on his bare hand.
'I, I...'
Tom advanced slowly but surely until he was standing over the warlock, who had his back to the wall.
'Please don't hurt me.' The warlock pleaded. 'I used the rite of sahkteen.'
Tom clicked his fingers again and the warlock was cocooned in his robes. He turned to Shae, who was watching him with interest.
'I think I know how to do this. Hold on.'
Tom reached in to his memory and pulled out the details of the rite. Then he looked around in the warlock's things until he found a black feather which crackled with electricity, a vial of almost black blood and a bag of herbs. Just as Tom was about to begin, the three other Falnir landed around the cave.
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