25. Otto
Otto
I shivered in the predawn chill as I secured the last of our supplies. Glancing at Thal in his unicorn form, I felt a mix of determination and apprehension. When we’d left Wyoming, none of us knew the true purpose of the trip. We had more information when we left Elana’s, but even that was incomplete.
The Demon Sword was another stab at destroying the Great Ward. I had no hard evidence, but it was too coincidental this happened near the ancestral home of the unicorns. Like the last two attempts, this one was meant to kill either the old guardians or prevent the new ones from taking their place.
Whomever the mastermind, they must’ve spent decades planning their attacks.
The others were making their final preparations, their faces mirroring my own conflicted emotions. I’d suggested that Owen and Lysandor stay back to ensure there would be Southern Guardians, but Percy convinced me it would take all six of us to succeed.
I didn’t doubt his belief, but it didn’t ease my sense of dread. The chances of someone getting hurt on the mission was high. Having a backup plan to preserve the Great Ward was important.
Percy stepped out of the house carrying his saddlebag. He moved slowly and his aura was duller than it had been when we first met. Tossing the leather bag over Gio’s back, he paused to speak with his mate. He smiled at something they discussed, but it didn’t change his diminished state.
“Thal? Have you noticed any change in Gio?”
I expected Thal to examine his uncle, but he turned toward me instead. “Gio told me they’re tired but will be fine,” Thal said. “Holding back the corruption has been a drain on them both. The mage has focused his efforts on overwhelming this village. Percy took steps to prevent his home from being swallowed by the darkness.”
It shouldn’t be possible for Percy to use that level of magic without me noticing. They also shouldn’t have been so reckless to deplete themselves right before we rode into the enemy’s stronghold. “Why would they do such a foolish thing?”
“This is more than just a home,” Thal said. “Much like my grandmother couldn’t leave the castle, Gio said this place matters to our kind.”
I remembered their massive library and the other amazing things they’d created in that tiny place and could understand the sentiment. What they did was still problematic, but done was done, as Grandma Hollen used to say.
“We’ll need to make sure they do as little as possible until they’ve recovered,” I said.
Patting my neck to be certain I’d put my charm on it, I removed Thal’s pendant from my pocket. He ducked his head, nearly impaling me on his horn as I slid it over his thick neck muscles. The gray stone settled into place, its earth magic already surrounding Thal.
No one spoke when we moved out. For the third time, we took the road heading east. This time we weren’t going to turn around until we confronted the Demon Sword. I hoped we’d all make it back to the village.
W e left the relative safety of the village and I immediately felt the change. The corruption hung heavy around us, an almost tangible force pressing in from all sides. It was stronger than when we tested the charms a few days before.
Knowing more about the Demon Sword, the change didn’t concern me as much as it would’ve a few days ago. Jalen knew Percy and Gio were involved. He also knew their village had resisted the dark magic. It made sense the mage controlling the sword would concentrate his efforts in the direction of the village.
For the first hour, we rode in silence. The horizon had started to brighten when Lysandor and Owen drew us aside. They’d grown up a lot since we’d gotten back to the village and I was proud of them.
“There’s something pushing against our protective spells,” Owen said. “Is that the Demon Sword trying to corrupt us?”
The hint of concern in his voice reminded me he was still a kid who’d graduated college a few months ago. Keg parties had been replaced by demonic magic. Staying alive became the number one priority as opposed to getting good grades.
“Yes, but not us specifically,” I said. “The dark magic permeates everything around us. The spell doesn’t target anyone or anything. It tries to blanket the area and envelope everything within its boundaries.”
“Is it able to track us?”
“It shouldn’t,” I answered. “Unfortunately, we’re dealing with something we’ve never faced before, so I’m not sure our concealment spells will work.”
“How will we know if we’re compromised?”
From Owen’s concerned expression, I needed to work on my reassuring skills. “We’re not without our own resources. Remember, our enemy is a mage with the Demon Sword, not an omniscient god. We’ve got experience dealing with those kinds of beings.”
Owen visibly relaxed and he nodded. “Right. I can handle those.”
“Well done,” Thal said.
I wasn’t sure I deserved the praise but having calmed Owen, I moved onto a new topic. “I need you to stay close to Percy and Gio. They drained themselves making sure the village was protected. For the next day, let’s make sure they do as little as possible.”
“I wondered why they looked so tired,” Owen said. He leaned forward and rubbed Lysandor’s neck. “We’ll make sure to watch over them.”
The landscape grew darker and more twisted with each passing mile. What had once been lush forests and rolling hills now resembled a barren wasteland. The trees should have been full of nuts and fruit, but their branches were bare, reaching out like grasping claws. The ground itself seemed to pulse with malevolent energy.
As we crested a hill, I raised my hand, drawing the group to stop. A shimmering barrier of energy stretched as far as the eye could see in either direction.
“What is that?” Lysandor asked.
“A nuisance,” I said. “It’s a pale imitation of the one I used to slow Jalen and his unicorns.”
I dismounted, approaching the barrier cautiously. Despite my bravado, I couldn’t take this threat lightly.
“Do you sense anything out of the ordinary?” I asked Thal.
“Nothing you don’t,” he said. “Maybe we should examine it together?”
Thal reached out through our bond and I completed the connection. “Handsome and smart,” I said. “I should’ve thought of this.”
I let Thal guide our enhanced earth sense, like we did when we tracked our brothers. Using the new skills we learned, we delved deeper into the corrupted magic. We didn’t see anything, but before we stopped, I suggested Owen and Lysandor join us.
“Owen learned how to defend against demons and dark magic from Bart,” I explained to my mate. “My teacher wasn’t half as good as our brother. Owen might’ve picked up a few techniques I’d never been taught.”
“You don’t need to explain,” Thal said. “Besides, they can use the practice.”
A new consciousness slipped into our link. The presence was so tightly focused I had trouble finding were Owen ended and Lysandor began. Contrary to Thal’s suggestion, they’d mastered their new mate bond.
We studied the barrier with our mage stones at the ready. I held back and let Owen examine the barrier without prejudicing his opinion with mine.
“It's complex and faint, but there’s a trap hidden in the magic,” Owen said. "The mage used a variation of the standard energy wall you used during our escape, but he wove in a tiny addition.”
I held out my stone. “Show me what we’re facing.”
Owen preened a little and he was justified. I hadn’t seen anything, but the second he pointed it out, I saw what I’d missed.
“The moment we breach the barrier, we’ll be attacked,” Owen said. “It’s impossible to say where or what form it’ll take, but it will be aimed at us.”
I doubted the attack would be hard to block. The mage built it for stealth. If it had caught us unaware, however, it would’ve done serious damage. “Excellent work.” I gave him a fist bump and got a wide grin in return.
“Indeed,” Percy said. “Very impressive, nephew. Any ideas how we can get past without triggering the spell?”
Owen turned to me, but I shook my head. I had a couple of thoughts, and I was sure Percy did too, but neither of us understood the magic at play as well as Owen. “You’re the expert. Give us your thoughts first.”
The purple gem pulsed, bathing Owen’s hand in soft light. I marveled as his magic probed the barrier completely without making contact. When the light faded, he faced us.
“Dispersing the assault is the easiest solution, but it would alert them to our presence and location,” Owen said. “It would be better to create a breach without triggering the trap. If we do it right, we can let the mage know we’re here, but make them think we’re still on this side.”
It was ambitious, but if Owen could make it work, it would allow us to travel deep into enemy territory without being noticed. “I like it, but the devil is in the details. How will you do it, and what are the risks to you?”
“Don’t you trust me, Otto?” he asked.
Owen was too much like Bart. He cared more for others than himself. “I’m positive you can do it, but I want to be sure you won’t get hurt in the process.”
“Thanks for the concern, but I’m not suggesting anything dangerous,” he said with a smile. “Lysandor already made me promise to be safe.”
“Lysandor sends his gratitude for watching over Owen,” Thal said. “He also assured me Owen isn’t taking undue risks.”
Their bond had truly evolved, but Lysandor wasn’t a mage. “Excellent, but tell us your plan. Percy and I might be able to help.”
Owen laid out his idea, and it was unexpected. It was also brilliant. Percy recommended I assist my brother, to ensure the even flow of magic. This was similar to what Leo and I did to destroy the Klarin Pits.
“You’re a remarkable being,” Thal said. “He’s half your age, yet you take the supporting role without a whiff of resentment.”
It was false praise. As a young mage, I always wanted to prove myself. In a family of amazing mages being great felt ordinary. “It took me years, and a stern lecture from my mother’s mom to get to this place. My job as leader is to make sure we succeed, not prove I’m a better mage than Owen. He and I both know I’m not.”
“Another reason you’re a remarkable being.”
Owen showed me the spell and walked me through how I could help. He and I would channel clean earth magic from Lysandor and Thal, and he’d weave it into an arch. If Owen’s spell worked, the arch would divert the dark magic without breaking the circuit.
Once I was satisfied I knew my role, our mates touched us with their horns. Their innate connection to earth magic made it easier to access the uncontaminated power below the corruption.
Owen and I positioned ourselves a few feet apart. The breach would be wide enough for us to depart, but small enough not to stress either of us magically. Percy and Gio agreed to guard us and to go through once Owen said it was safe.
I’d never worked with Owen in the lead, but he didn’t hesitate to take charge. He wove strands of magic and floated them to me. My job was to act as an anchor and to move them as he directed.
As the spell took shape, the barrier began to flicker. Ripples appeared in the surface of the magic in front of us. Sweat beaded on my forehead as I accepted more energy from Thal. Across from me, Owen's features were set with determination.
When we’d covered the space between with our magic, Owen raised his mage stone and the lines we’d made stretched up, leaving an opening large enough for us to pass through.
“Now,” Owen said, his voice belying the effort it took to keep the connection stable.
Percy and Gio moved to the other side, followed by Thal and Lysandor. We’d reached the part of his plan where I needed to take charge. “Go,” I said. “I can’t hold the spell as well as you. I’ll set the last part.”
“Otto—”
I held my hand to end this. “I’m in charge. I deferred to you when I knew you were right. Show me the same respect.”
The look of shame on his face made me feel guilty, but I’d apologize when we were safely on the other side. Once he crossed over, I enchanted a stone with a spell I held at the ready.
“Otto!” Owen’s voice was tight with fear. “Hurry. I can’t hold this much longer.”
I turned and saw the strain on his face as the strands wanted to unwind. Finishing as quick as I could, I dove through the opening and rolled to a stop in front of Thal.
Owen’s arm shook as he allowed the gap to close. I jumped up, ignoring everyone’s questions and took a position opposite Owen. Our stones flared in tandem and we released the lines of magic one at a time.
When all trace of our work had been removed, Owen dropped his hands onto his knees and panted. His mate touched his horn to Owen’s shoulder and his condition improved.
A burst of energy pushed into me, and Thal’s touch renewed my flagging strength. I reached up as he put his head on my shoulder. “Thank you.”
“You did all the hard work. You and Owen.”
Rubbing the side of his face, I stole a moment to enjoy Thal’s presence.
“How long did you give us?” Owen asked.
I smiled at my brother’s perception. He noticed I’d changed the conditions of the spell. “Let’s start riding and I’ll explain.”
The corruption grew more pronounced as we rode. I explained the trigger was keyed to our distance from the barrier. The link between me and the spell would stretch until it snapped and set off a blast that would trip our enemy’s attack.
“Which is why I can’t give you a precise answer,” I said.
“That’s remarkable,” Owen said. “I never thought of that.”
“You had other spells on your mind,” Lysandor said.
W e’d been riding close to an hour when the thin thread of magic connecting me to my spell snapped. An instant later, the sound of an explosion, followed quickly by a louder one reached us.
The dark magic drained from around us and formed into a river that flowed quickly toward the barrier. The air shimmered with malevolent energy, as whatever the mage had planned for us took shape.
I spotted a ravine and directed us to make for it with haste. “The mage is going to redouble his efforts to find us once he realizes he’s been tricked,” I said. “We’ll be able to shield ourselves better there.
We picked up our pace and made it into the ravine just as an unearthly shriek filled the air.
Thal and the other unicorns pushed earth magic into our charms, as I strengthened our concealment spells.
A foul presence washed around and under us, leaving me chilled in its wake. I put my finger to my lips to keep the others quiet. Our foe was powerful, but I suspected he wasn’t very skilled. I tightened my hold on our spells and waited. As expected, the wave recoiled and rolled over us again.
Fortunately, everyone listened to my instructions and the mage learned nothing useful.
“What just happened?” Thal asked.
I took a moment to explain the surge of dark magic toward the barrier was the mage’s consciousness rushing to the location and drawing energy with him. The wave that struck us was a detection spell.
“It copies everything it flows over and compares the location of things on the way back,” I said. “The mage compares the two and hopes to find a significant change. Because we’re cloaking ourselves, they’d see something normal. But if we moved, that ‘normal’ would move as well, and that would tip him off.”
“We should get moving, ” Thal said. “Let us know if we need to stop to avoid detection.”
“He won’t try again,” Percy said. “The spell is simple but tiring. It’s also easy to defeat just by standing still. I suspect our mage knew he wouldn’t find anything but had nothing to lose trying to catch us unaware. Having failed, he’ll know we can recognize the spell.”
Leaving the small ravine, we pointed ourselves toward the mountains. We’d passed Jalen’s old camp and the mountains appeared larger and more ominous. Soon we’d stop for the night to rest before assaulting the stronghold. It made sense when we made the plan, but I wasn’t sure how much sleep I’d get this close to our destination.