Wizard Dawning (The Battle Wizard Saga, No. 1) (19 page)

Emptiness opened in the pit of Sig's stomach. "I didn't think getting the rest of my powers was important. All I can do is change forms. I've tried and tried, with Grampa and by myself, to perform other magic. Nothing happens.

"I'd like to observe you change."

Sig felt uncomfortable demonstrating in front of people he barely knew. It seemed like showing off.

Arthur winked at Rick as he said to Sig, "You show us a change and we'll demonstrate our capabilities."

"When do you want to do it?"

"There's no time like the present."

"Ok. In the family room, there's more room."

Meredith led Arthur and Rick into the family room where they all took seats. Sig stood in the middle of the room and raised his hands in a shrug. "Just change?"

"Whenever you're ready."

He grasped his amulet and muttered "Aðalbrandr" and the familiar feeling washed over him. He heard a rumbling growl as the world around him shrank.

He turned toward the sound. Rick crouched in front of the couch. His amber eyes glowed as he growled through bared teeth.

Arthur raised his hand toward Rick while staring intently at Sig. "Relax. It's all right." Rick reseated himself tensely on the edge of the couch.

Arthur stood and walked around Sig while shaking his head. "Thorval talked of your size, but he didn't convey the full impact."

From his new viewpoint, Sig could see where Arthur's hair had thinned on top. It wasn't evident at his normal height.

Arthur stopped in front of him. "You're at least a foot taller than Thorval and much more heavily muscled—maybe half again as wide." He turned to Rick. "Do you think the Bears could use him on the defensive line?"

Rick snorted a laugh and appeared to relax marginally.

"Fat chance, I've already checked. I thought if I didn't ever get the other magic, I could at least use this body to play sports. But, the NBA, NFL, and all other sports leagues have outlawed magic. The only thing open to me is a freak show act."

Arthur shook his head at Sig. "There has to be more than that. I sense enormous magical power. It's as if your skin shimmers with it, but. . ." He reached out and traced Sig's form, hands inches from Sig's skin. Then he dropped back into his seat continuing to stare at him. "It seems pent up."

Arthur blinked and then looked at Rick who had calmed down. "Well, he's shown us his, now it's our time to show him ours."

Meredith stood. "Is this when I should be leaving?"

Arthur waved her down. "Please. I think you'll want to see this."

He nodded to Rick as Meredith resettled herself in the chair.

Rick stood and looked at Sig. His amber eyes glowed, flaring almost neon yellow. He blurred, as if enveloped in smoke. He appeared to fold in upon himself and then expand in different dimensions. Bones clicked and tendons popped. Rick moaned once. It looked painful.

The blur clarified. Where a muscular young man had been, there now stood an enormous wolf. Over four feet tall at the shoulder, its fur was the same medium brown and its eyes the same amber as Rick's. The baggy athletic sweats he'd been wearing lay piled at his feet. Sig realized they were tear-away like basketball players wore.

The wolf stood as if it owned the room. Its head and eyes moved slowly between Sig, Meredith, and Arthur. It sat and nodded its head while staring at Sig. Sig waggled the tip of his sword and flexed his muscles.

Arthur chuckled. "Alright, before either one of you decides to mark your territory, why don't you change back and have a seat?"

Sig clutched the amulet and muttered "Koma aftur." The wolf picked up the clothes in his jaws and trotted out of the room. Moments later, Rick returned in human form and sat on the couch.

Sig sat on the hearth. "That's a big wolf."

"Yeah, we'd make a good pair at a Halloween party—a boy and his dog—supersize."

"Have you been a werewolf long?"

"All my life. My mother and father were Weres. It's inherited."

"I guess we're both members of the lucky sperm club."

Sig stuck his fist out and after a hesitation; Rick bumped his fist.

"I'd like to look at the farm across the street today. From what you've described, it should be interesting and there may be important clues about your attacker," Arthur said.

"What do we need?"

Arthur smiled. "With a wizard, a werewolf, and a Battle Wizard; I think we have everything we need."

Rick sprang to his feet. "Let's get after it."

Arthur stood and smiled at Sig. "You'll get used to his impulsiveness. It's characteristic of the werewolf. Nevertheless, if you want something done—you know where to turn."

He'd remember that. It would be nice to have a real life action figure around.

Rick led the way out, but stopped on the porch. Flames engulfed the roof of the barn across the road and flared from the windows of the farmhouse that stood 100 foot beyond.

"We have to free the animals!" Rick said.

Sig grabbed his arm, "We set them free. I don't think anyone has been around to put them back."

"Someone set the fire."

Meredith, Sig's mom, who had followed them out to the porch turned back to the house. "I'll call the fire department."

†††

That afternoon Sig, Arthur, and Rick approached the ruin. The barn roof and walls had collapsed into a charred and blackened heap. Half of the farmhouse remained standing.

"I guess there isn't much to examine now," Sig said.

Arthur gave a grim smile. "I want to examine what someone tried to conceal with this fire." He strode across the road and vaulted the fence. Sig and Rick followed.

The tall wizard walked to the edge of the barn remnants and raised his arms wide. Muttering incomprehensible words, he brought his palms together before placing the edge of his hands against his forehead. He stood like that for a moment, and then shook his head. His lips curled as from a nauseous smell.

Rick looked concerned. "What did you see?"

"Dark magic."

"Used here?"

"It has been used and is still active. Can you see the aura rising and enveloping it?"

"I'm a werewolf. I don't do that."

"I see heat waves rising," Sig said.

Rick looked him. "The fire is out. What does it look like?"

"The air shimmers over what's left of the barn. There are faint shades of purple, red, and green."

Arthur looked sideways at Sig. "Yes, that's what I see when I use magic to view it on the second plane."

"What does it mean?"

"I don't know, Rick. Sig, what you described before has the characteristics of a sorcerer's circle inlaid in the floor of the barn."

"What can it do?"

"It opens dark portals to other dimensions. What we're seeing may be residuals from what happened here. I hope to hell that it wasn't left open."

Rick reacted to that. "Hope to hell? That's not funny. If it is a black sorcerer's circle, that's what's on the other side of it."

"Let's look at the farmhouse. There is more remaining to inspect." Arthur led the way and Rick followed closely.

Sig paused to examine the barn before he hurried to catch up. He had an uncomfortable feeling. Evil smells came more frequently since Grampa showed up. He could now discern differences, like Mom talked about with wine aromas. However, these weren't pleasant.

Halfway to the farmhouse, cracking and tearing sounds from behind made him stop and look back.

Expecting to see the barn collapsing further, instead, he saw charred beams thrust upward to tumble aside as a horned head on a long sinuous neck shoved through blackened wreckage. Pieces fell from the head as it rose twelve feet into the air. The neck undulated as the creature's body slithered over beams and pushed roof panels aside. It moved away from them. Sig hoped it would keep going.

Arthur muttered "Basilisk". It halted and swung its dragon-like head in their direction. Gapping jaws revealed dagger-like fangs.

Arthur shouted, "Get behind me. Its gaze is deadly!" He motioned with his hand in the direction of the Basilisk and a large opaque shield formed, hanging in air in front of them.

Hidden behind the shield, Sig heard a rumbling hiss. Over the top of the shield, wings spread upward from the Basilisk's head as it reared higher. Crunching and grinding sounds signaled that the monster slithered across the rubble toward them. It drove its head at them, slamming the shield into Arthur. He fell backward, into Sig and Rick. They fell and the shield dropped on them. The horned head drew back for another strike.

Sig grabbed his amulet and growled, "Aðalbrandr." As he grew, he grasped the shield and stood, raising it to continue shielding them from the basilisk's eyes. Arthur lay unconscious at Sig's feet. Rick, in wolf shape, crouched beside him growling.

The basilisk struck, but a nine-foot tall battle wizard now wielded the shield. The basilisk bounced back and lunged again. Sig pushed against the shield, lifting the horned head higher. Holding the shield with his left arm, he unsheathed his sword and hacked at the scaled body.

Aðalbrandr struck sparks as it bounced back, knocking chunks from the armored scales, but doing little damage. The beast drew away and then, with a roar, slammed into the shield again, pushing Sig back. He slashed and stabbed at the creature, but his sword rebound with every stroke. A quick glance revealed that Arthur was still unconscious and Rick was gone.

The next time the basilisk struck, Sig angled the shield. The beast's head slid to the side, and smashed into the dirt two feet from Arthur.

Sig threw the shield on top of Arthur and grabbed a horn as the basilisk's head climbed again into the sky. It dragged him into the air. Using that momentum, Sig swung up behind the head.

He clung to the horn while his legs tightened to grip the brute's neck like a bronco rider. The basilisk whipped its head back and forth to dislodge him. Holding on only with his legs, he shoved Aðalbrandr underneath the steely scales, seeking a vital organ. The giant creature thrashed more violently, then shrieked, and slammed back into the ground on top of him.

Almost dislodged, Sig grabbed the horn again and clung tenaciously as the beast crashed into the ground. Between crushing slams, Sig stabbed under the armored plates. He felt a full body migraine coming on.

Finally, a collision with the ground knocked Aðalbrandr loose. Sig grabbed both horns and pulled the basilisk's head back and up, trying to break its neck. Head dragged skyward; the basilisk stopped slamming him to the ground.

Now that he had it, what was he supposed to do with it?

He couldn't break its neck and he couldn't hold on forever. His arms ached and the monster continued to pull and weave back and forth.

Rick shouted, "Let it go, let him look down!"

Sig looked around the writhing head. Rick stood below with a large square mirror in his hands, which he thrust toward the basilisk.

"Free his head."

Sig let go of the horns and threw his arms around the neck.

The monster's head swung toward Rick.

It ceased moving. Sig felt the neck harden. It teetered before it tilted, gained momentum, and struck the ground with a resounding crack. Sig somersaulted off, grabbed Aðalbrandr from where it had landed, and rolled to his feet, just in time to see the basilisk crumble into rubble.