Wizard's Sword (The Battle Wizard Saga, No.2) (6 page)

The Professor looked at Rick levelly for a moment while he considered the question. "I expect his legions would be with him if he arrived here on his own recognizance. However, if a Black Mage summoned him, he is most likely here by himself. Controlling even one demon lord takes enormous power.

"Since he′s here, can′t he just call on his demons?"

"He can′t if he′s being controlled by someone else. It appears we′re in luck."

Sig, back to his human self, turned to them and let the curtain drop. "In luck? Have you seen my truck? What am I going to tell the insurance company? 'Some dude on a wolf tried to slice it in half while I occupied it. In fact, I think I′m lucky he didn′t carve me up."

"Be happy you will be able to talk to an insurance adjuster and not to Samael, the angel of death."

Sig face paled. "That puts a different perspective on it. But, if we don′t have a visit from this Sam guy, I still need to come up with an explanation."

"Why don′t we wait to see if he brought his thirty legions? If he did, your truck′s damage will be moot."

Rick frowned, "So, he has thirty demon legions at his command. Shouldn′t we be looking for a place to hide, preferably under a rock, or lots of rock? Under Cheyenne Mountain may be a good place to start. "

"OK, my truck′s not important; got it. Nevertheless, he′s out there. How are we going to get out of here when he′s out there with his thirty legions? Only the magic wards have stopped him. What if they fail against his legions?"

"Again, I don′t believe his demon host accompanied him. Further, few demons are more dangerous to summon than Andras. Controlling a pack of rabid dogs would be far easier. If the summoner plans to stay alive, he will have to send him back soon."

"The guy in the feathered helmet is a real badass, huh?" asked Rick. "Are your wards strong enough to keep him out?"

"The wards appear to be holding, but time will tell. That′s not a helmet. In his earthly incarnation he has the head of an owl, rides an enormous black wolf, and bears an invincible sword."

"Invincible? It wasn′t invincible. He was really good with it, but not invincible," Sig said.

"Perhaps, it seemed that way, because you also bear an invincible sword. That raises the age-old question; 'What happens when an immovable object meets an irresistible force?′ Perhaps now we know. It depends on the wielders."

"C′mon Professor, you′ll make his head swell."

"Ah, but the larger the head, the easier it is to lop off."

Sig looked between them and felt uncomfortable. Were they pulling for him or viewing him as a science experiment?

Sig and Thor walked into the great room where Mom waited.

They spent a restless night observing Andras and his wolf patrol the fence line. Sig finally fell asleep while watching from the porch swing. Rick stayed awake and reported that there were no sightings after four o′clock in the morning. At dawn, Sig and Rick assumed their supernatural forms to patrol the perimeter, inside and out. The demon marquis and his wolf had left the building.

Back inside, the Professor remarked on how quickly Rick had healed from his wounds.

"As you know, professor, we Weres can take a lot of damage because we heal quickly. Of course, we can′t heal a large caliber bullet in the head or heart$mdash;silver or not. However, this time I healed quicker than usual. Maybe it′s because the wolf wasn′t real. It didn′t smell or act like either a Were or a wolf. I don′t know what it was."

"The wolf apparition you fought is part of the demon Andras, not a separate being. It is part of his earthly façade."

"So I wiped the street with a façade? Damn, I thought I had really accomplished something." Rick frowned.

"Au contraire, you battled and defeated one of the marquis of Hell," the Professor said with a smile.

"Defeated is a strong word. He did squeal and escape from me and then they ran, but when they came back – we ran."

"Nevertheless, I am impressed."

Sig watched the exchange and wondered if they remembered that he participated in the battle.

"Let us hope that they′ve left this realm. Calling a demon of such power is fraught with danger. The longer the binding on Andras lasts, the more dangerous he becomes to the caller. Should the bonds controlling the demon fail, he′ll turn on and destroy his master. It is constantly probing the boundaries of the summoning for an exit.

"A demon marquis takes tremendous insult from being controlled. It won′t just be bad for the master; it will release an affronted demon to terrorize this dimension."

"Don′t demons terrorize us all the time?" Sig asked.

"By the strictures placed on them, they must be invited into our world. The invitation rends a rift in the curtains separating dimensions, allowing them passage. Yes, they do perform mischief constantly, but their interference is frequently of influence, not physical dominance. For that, they must be in our demesne."

"So demons can only actually be in our world for a short time?"

It depends on the demon. Lower order demons; Foliots, Djinn, Afreets, and the like can be controlled much more easily and for longer periods. Dark Wizards use them frequently, some even treating them like familiars. Higher ranking demons such as Andras can only be controlled for short periods and even then, at great risk."

"So a demon like the one that is devouring Grampa Thor′s magic can stay in this world for a long time?" Sig asked.

"Yes, unfortunately they can remain and perform their minor evils." The Professor looked morose and then gave Sig a grim smile. "Thank goodness, access by the terribly powerful demons is constrained. However, they have been known to create great damage. Have you heard of Chernobyl?"

"The Russian nuclear meltdown? A demon caused that?"

"That, the Inquisition, the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand that resulted in World War I, the explosion of Mt. Saint Helens, and many other aberrations can be laid at the feet of demons of great power. Some were guided by Dark Mages; others happened when a demon broke its yoke and roamed freely before being drawn back."

"If I understand what you′re saying, and I don′t always," Sig said wryly, "if the bonds are slipped, Andras will wreak havoc in our world. We have to stop him. Rick and I fought him to a draw before we had your help. With your help, we can send him back."

Professor Herman nodded. "Spoken like a true Battle Wizard. There are forces that will eventually compel a demon to leave, and we can lend our assistance. They are unable to remain here permanently, but they cause great damage and misery during the time they remain in our world."

"The demon that′s eating Grampa′s magic, is he like Andras?"

"No, your great-grandfather′s demon is much more mindless and far less powerful. It is more appropriate to compare that demon to one of Andras′ minions, a specialized foot soldier."

"So I can′t hope that it will be drawn back into hell?"

Professor Herman pursed his lips and shook his head. "No, the same bindings that control it also hold him in this dimension."

It would have been too good to be true. "What should we do about Andras?" Sig asked

"I surmise that he left our world, but if not, for the time being we should stay together. The three of us jointly should be able to vanquish him if he attacks. Let us travel collectively to the university today. I must leave now. I arrived home late yesterday because I had a departmental funding meeting with Professor Heathcoat. We scheduled our follow up meeting for this morning."

Rick snorted, "Is he still trying to steal our funding? Can′t he see what we are accomplishing?"

Professor Herman replied dryly, "It is my job to elucidate our accomplishments. I can′t do that if I don′t meet with him this morning."

Sig looked out the window at his truck sitting broken and crumpled in the driveway. "That sounds like a good idea. I don′t think I′ll be driving anywhere from now on. I still don′t know how I′ll explain that mess." He gestured dismissively at the window.

The Professor walked over to stand by his side. He surveyed the trees in front of the house. "Can you pull your truck over past the parking area near that large tree with the split trunk, the one with the charred bark?"

"I′ll try."

Sig got the truck started and pulled it forward. A cacophony of scraping and squealing sounds accompanied its movement. He parked the truck near the charred tree and loped back. The Professor met him halfway. "OK, professor, it′s out of the way over there."

"This will take a bit of precision, unlike the fire balls tossed about last night." Professor Herman rubbed the large ring he wore until it glowed. Raising his arms above his head, he made a thrusting motion at the tree and a lance of fire sprung from between his hands and flew at the tree. The side of the tree nearest to Sig′s truck caught fire. While the trunk charred and blackened, he guided the thin lance of fire back toward the middle of the tree.

The fire ate through the trunk. With loud cracking and popping, the tree started to lean.

He gestured with his fingers, as if signaling the tree to move in the direction he indicated.

It tilted further and Sig realized it would land on his truck. It crashed down, flattening the cab with a resounding smack. Glass sprayed from the impact.

Now Sig′s truck was ready for the scrap pile. His shoulders slumped.

The Professor clapped his shoulder. "Now you will have something to explain to the insurance adjuster. Lightning struck the tree; it fell and crushed your truck. This way it won′t add an incident to your driving record. Problem solved." 

Sig looked up at his smiling face. "Except I′ll be bumming rides until I get a replacement."

"There is that. Come, let′s get to school." He gestured at his Maybach.

Sig glanced at it then back to the Professor. "Can I drive?"

"Surely you jest. Look how you treat your car."

Sig′s mouth dropped open. Rick howled with laughter as he climbed into the back of the Maybach. "Come on, it beats walking, something you better get used to."

Andras patrolled the circumference of the magic circle. His wolf lay across the only exit from the room. The Wizard glared at him from inside the circle and said, "I command that you return."

Andras responded with an ancient single-handed gesture, still in use today, and hissed. "Come out wicked one. Join me. Together we can defeat this Battle Wizard of yours." His huge owl-like eyes rolled back as if in ecstasy. "Think of the pleasure of driving a sword through his chest and ripping out and tasting his heart. I can make that happen."

"You failed. He defeated you."

Andras thundered, "Defeated me, he didn′t. He hid behind enchanted barriers. He wouldn′t finish the fight. Don′t think because you embrace black magic that you can insult me." His skin took on a deep red tone and smoke rose from his shoulders and head.

The harmonics in Andras′ shout sent shivers through the Wizard′s backbone. It sounded like a voice designed expressly to command demon legions. Through his growing fear, the Wizard reiterated, "I command that you return."

Andras purred. "I like it here. It is so pleasant, but I miss my legions."

"You are nothing without your legions."

Andras squealed and threw himself at the circle, pounding at the invisible force bubble with the flat of his sword. The circle bulged inward.

The wizard recoiled. Strain echoed in his voice as he demanded, "I am your master. You will leave this domain."

Andras′ contemptuous glance let him know that he hadn′t hidden the tremor in his voice. "Master, you call yourself," he sneered. "I will stay and eat
your
heart."

Shifting to a wheedling tone he said, "You must be getting hungry. I remember hunger, like talons in the stomach. Come out. I′ve prepared a wondrous feast for you." He waved his arm. The table against the wall creaked as it filled with roast pheasant, suckling pig, mounds of succulent corn, potatoes, casseroles, wines, and desserts of all kinds.

Despite the chill in the room, sweat ran under the Dark Mage′s ceremonial robe. "Are you angry that he escaped you?"