“Fair enough,” smiled the Katana. “You may inform them that I intend you no harm as long as you intend me none. I know you are well trained in killing and I would not have left my Monitors outside the door if I thought I needed to fear you.”
“Thank you,” Cherri sighed. “As long as we are trading information,” she grinned, “can you tell me if Master Malafar is being held in your mage block?”
“Master Malafar?” questioned the Katana. “Here? That is not good news. Is he Sakovan?”
“No,” Cherri replied, “but we think his capture is related in some way although we do not know how. Why are you so concerned about him?”
“I will have an answer for you right away, Cherri,” frowned the Katana as he fidgeted on the bench. “I am concerned because Master Malafar is probably the most powerful mage in Omunga. I have been wondering who would kidnap him and why, but if he is in our mage cells and the culprit is someone high up in my government then I fear I know the answer. The only reason for such a coincidence is to assassinate me.”
The Katana slapped his palm on the bench and the door flew open to admit the two Monitors. He issued terse orders and the Monitors disappeared.
“You must excuse me, Cherri,” the Katana said as he stood up. “I must return to the celebration and feign illness until this matter is resolved. My Monitors will safeguard me until I find out who is behind this. If you must reach me, tell the Monitors to ask me for your admittance. You are the only person I will admit so do not betray me.”
Cherri rose to offer her assurances that she would not betray him, but the Katana was already on his way out the door.
***
“Greetings, Master Malafar,” smiled Alazar. “I have your release processed. All it needs it the Katana’s signature and we can have an audience with him right now.”
“Thank you Alazar,” the mage replied as he rose off the musty bed. “I appreciate the efforts you have put forth on my behalf. I never thought I would live to leave this place.”
“But I have told you all along,” protested Alazar.
“I fear I did not believe you at first,” sighed Master Malafar. “So many lies. So much deception. I am afraid I painted you as the villain in all that has happened. I hope you will forgive me,” he added as he stumbled into the table.
Alazar’s brow started sweating as he watched the groggy mage try to walk. Perhaps he had used too much drug or administered it for too long a time, he thought. If the old mage did not kill the Katana, Alazar would be in grave trouble. “Let me help you,” he offered.
“I am all right,” Malafar responded. “I am just still tired I guess. I never seem to get enough sleep.”
“There is a celebration going on tonight and the Katana is in attendance so we must hurry,” encouraged the First Minister. “I do not wish you to have to spend another night in this cell. Try to concentrate.”
Master Malafar did try to concentrate. This was the chance he had been waiting for and he would not get another. Reaching back to the early days of his magic lessons, he concentrated on his tutor’s face and mentally repeated the lesson. His step steadied and his mind cleared somewhat as Alazar led him out of the cell. He allowed the First Minister to lead him like a child as he focused on his lessons in concentration. He was only peripherally aware of moving through the corridor and the door leading out of the mage block. He sensed, rather than felt, the stairs as they climbed, all the time rehearsing his lessons. He opened his eyes and found the torches lining the stairs too bright. He squinted, but everything was still a blur to him.
Sounds penetrated his mind as he left the stairs and they intermingled with his lessons becoming a jumble of sounds that made no sense. Pinwheels of color paraded through his squinted eyes as figures floated before him and dashed away. He was aware of footsteps now and the voices were louder, hundreds of voices competing to be heard. A woman’s laughter and his mind flashed back to Rhodella. Tears welled up in his eyes obscuring his sight further. A man’s boastful banter and he saw Master Caulder stretched out on the floor dead. A young girl’s giggle and he saw Lyra sneaking off to play with the boys. Lyra. Sweet young Lyra. Had they killed her too? Why not? They killed everyone. Little girls weren’t meant to die! No one should kill little girls. Only a monster could do such a thing. A monster. A monster that deserved to die.
He was suddenly aware that nobody was holding his arm now. He wiped the tears from his eyes. People. There were people all around him. Some were staring at him. Others took no notice. Fine people. Rich people. They were smiling, having fun, enjoying themselves. Why? Rhodella was dead. Lyra was dead. Everyone was dead. He twirled around, unsteady yet on his feet. The room was familiar to him. He had been here once. Long ago. Yes. When Alfred invited them to a reception given by the Katana. The monster. The monster who killed Alfred. The Katana. Must concentrate.
The room slowed down and Master Malafar sought his bearings. He could see the people clearly now. So many people. The Katana’s platform. There it was. He moved closer. It was empty. The monster was gone. His chance to avenge Alfred was gone. And Rhodella. And Lyra. Gone. He twirled around again looking for Alazar. People were staring at him now, but he did not care.
The door at the back of the Katana’s platform opened. A figure entered with four Monitors. Monitors like Alfred. The figure was covered in white and gold. The monster. Malafar’s eyes narrowed on the figure shutting everything else out. Concentrate. Remember the shields. One chance. Concentrate.
Master Malafar raised his hands and pointed at the monster in white and gold. Concentrate. He delved deep inside himself and shut out the entire world except the tiny figure on the platform. He felt the power surge through him with the invigorating tingle he had not felt in years. Since Alfred died. Thunder clapped through the room and people screamed. A bolt of lightning flashed down and struck the monster. Flashes erupted all around the white and gold demon, tendrils of lightning flashing from one side to the other, and Master Malafar sneered as he saw the shields. Holding the Lightning spell, the old mage cast another spell and a high-pitched screaming honed in on the demon, battering the shields with a constantly rising frequency that drowned out the screams of the people in the room.
Master Malafar was aware of others on the platform now as bodies tumbled to the floor and writhed in pain. Monitors were running, but they moved in slow motion, their feet inching through the air as they ran. Still the demon stood. The lightning crackled again and the Master mage smiled as he saw the shields smaller than before. They were shrinking. Now they would shatter. Master Malafar cast another spell and the wind roared towards the platform. An icy wind that formed a frost on everything it passed. The wind struck at the demon and encircled him, his shields turning white and obscuring the monster inside.
Again the mage called up his power and felt the skin of both arms ripple as his hands curled into fists of death. Master Malafar released the power from both fists and sent the force hurtling towards the frosty cocoon on the platform. He smirked with malicious glee as the Katana’s shields shattered with deadly ice missiles flying off into space. The monster. Exposed.
The old mage saw the horror on the Katana’s face as their eyes met. “For Alfred,” Malafar snarled as he sent another force bolt screaming towards the demon. “For Rhodella,” he screamed as he unleashed another before the first even struck home. “And for Lyra,” he cried as he watched the monster’s body explode into a thousand bits of flesh.
Master Malafar’s legs wobbled and he felt the searing pain in his back as he sensed the magical projectile slamming into his body. He felt himself flying through the air and slamming down onto the floor face first. His reward. He knew he was going to die now. Another magical projectile screamed over his head as he still slid along the floor from the force of the first projectile. Without thinking, he flicked his wrist and a blinding flash of light erupted and the screams grew louder around him. The pain in his back burned with fury and he could see nothing. There had been no time to shield his own eyes and he was blinded like the rest. It didn’t matter. He knew he would die. It would just take them longer to get him. Long enough for him to say goodbye to his loved ones, he hoped. To Alfred. To Rhodella. To Lyra. He would join them soon.