James halts his forward movement and begins backing up as the man stops abruptly on the stairs when he sees him there. The guard does a quick scan and takes in the scene: James no longer in manacles, the cage empty with the door open and the dead body lying on the floor.
The guard begins hollering up the stairs as he draws his sword. As the guard continues down the stairs, more guards come through the hatch.
Holding the sphere before him, he calls forth the lone offensive spell by saying, “Incinerate!”
The sphere pulses and he can almost feel the magic flow out of it toward the approaching guard. The guard’s clothes, hair and it seems his very skin ignites in a fireball. Screams of pain erupt out of the inferno as the man stumbles around until finally coming to rest on the deck. The nauseating odor of burnt hair and flesh permeates the hold. Within the sphere, the glow has been greatly reduced.
James looks to the other guards who have paused on the stairs after seeing the fate of their comrade. They look to him in fear as they back up the stairs and return to the deck above. Voices can be heard arguing up there and though he can’t understand the words being said, he has a pretty good idea. The Ambassador wants the guards to come down and subdue him while they feel that’s a bad idea.
Finally a decision is reached as the voices become quiet. James glances over to where the girls are hiding and can see their faces peering around and over the barrels they’re hiding behind. Turning his attention back to the hatch, he waits.
The light coming through the hatch is suddenly blocked again by several men coming down the stairs quickly. Each is carrying a crossbow and as soon as they clear the hatch, quickly fire.
When he realizes they are sending crossbowmen down, he says, “Shield.” The sphere pulses and a translucent, shimmering shield surrounds him. The glow within the sphere diminishes still further until there’s only a barely perceptible glow.
The first bolt fired glances harmlessly off the shield surrounding him and he begins making his way toward the stairs. Two more bolts are fired in rapid succession and they too are deflected by the protective shield.
“Leech by a hundred,” he says and the closest crossbowman falls to the stairs and suffers the same fate as had the man before. When the other two crossbowmen see their comrade fall, and him advancing they beat a hasty retreat up the stairs, slamming the hatch closed. “Leech by zero,” he says when the crossbowman at last lies still.
At the base of the stairs, he glances back to the girls and says, “Stay down here. No matter what happens, stay down here.”
An ‘okay’ comes from the girls and he begins making his way up the stairs. At the top, he finds the hatch has been secured to keep him from escaping the hold and gaining the ship’s deck.
Leech, shield and incinerate as well as the degree to which it does those commands, i.e. by ten and by a hundred are the only commands which he had imbued the sphere with when he created it. And until he regains the ability to do magic, those are all that he has at his command. If he ever gets out of here, he’ll work on creating something which he can carry that will be more flexible in differing circumstances.
The sphere glows with stored power once again as he tries to figure out what to do. The longer he remains aboard this ship, the closer and possibly further into the Empire he will go. He has to act and act now.
Holding the sphere before him, he gazes at the hatch and says, “Incinerate.” Nothing happens. He really didn’t think that would work, the spell had been intended for enemies, not inanimate objects.
Coming close to the hatch, he tries to hear what’s happening on the other side, but other than muted voices in a language he doesn’t understand, he can’t tell.
“Shield by zero,” he says and the shield surrounding him disappears.
Returning down the stairs, he stares at the grisly sight of the burnt corpse and shudders. He hates what these people make him do. The girls have come out of their hiding place and are coming toward him. “Now what?” one of them asks.
“I’m not sure,” he says. “But I’ll think of something. Try not to worry.” Looking around the hold, he sees many boxes and other paraphernalia which is useful on board a boat. A spare sail, some rope and a box full of tools! If only the A-Team were here! Laughing in spite of the gravity of the situation, he begins rummaging around the box of tools.
He finally comes up with a small five pound sledgehammer and takes it with him back to the hatch.
“What are you going to do with that?” one of the girls asks.
“Smash through the hatch and see about getting us off this ship,” he explains.
“What if they won’t let us?” Gwynne asks him.
His expression turning grim, he says, “Then I’ll have to convince them.”
“How?” Daria asks.
James glances at her but doesn’t reply. Then he resumes moving toward the stairs and up to the hatch. The angle is awkward and his arms aren’t all that strong to begin with. Balancing himself as best he can, he swings the sledgehammer with all his might and strikes the hatch with a resounding thud. The other side of the hatch becomes quiet as he brings the sledgehammer back for another strike.
Wham!
He hits the hatch again and begins to hear those on the other side running around.
Wham!
This time he has the satisfaction of seeing a crack begin to form on one of the slats of the hatch.
Wham!
The crack widens and suddenly the hatch is pulled open from the other side. “Shield!” he cries out as three crossbows fire simultaneously. The sphere pulses and the shield forms just as the bolts are released, causing them to bounce off harmlessly.
“Incinerate!” he cries out and one of the crossbowmen bursts into flame, the other two turn and run. The one on fire begins screaming and falls to the deck where he writhes in pain until finally becoming still.
Still protected by the shield, he makes his way out of the hold and onto the deck. The Ambassador is there as is the captain of the ship. “You have nowhere to go,” the Ambassador says.
Stepping at last on the deck, James breathes the fresh salt air. It’s growing dark, the sun is just now beginning to dip below the horizon. He looks out to sea and can only see water.
“Let me and the girls off in a dinghy and I’ll let you live,” he warns the Ambassador. Just then, a guard comes up behind him and strikes with his sword. The sword hits the shield and flies out of his hand as it rebounds.
James glances behind him at the guard who’s looking at his empty hand in shock. “Don’t do that again,” he tells him.
Turning his attention back to the Ambassador, he says, “Well?”
“You’re not leaving this vessel,” the Ambassador tells him. “Whether or not we all survive is immaterial, you are not to be allowed to go free!”
“So be it then,” says James as he raises the sphere.
Chapter Thirteen
Miko and Paul stand at the bow of the ship, the wind whipping their hair and the salty spray misting them occasionally. It’s cold so they have their jackets pulled tightly. “Think we’ll catch them?” Paul asks.
“Hope so,” replies Miko. “If we can at least keep them in sight then we’ll be able to stay on their tail, possibly attempt to rescue them after they make landfall.”
“I’m worried about the girls,” he admits.
Miko can hear it in his voice. “It’s unlikely they will do anything to them,” he assures him for the dozenth time.
“We’re falling behind!” Dave’s voice reaches them from where he’s complaining again to the captain. He’s been an irritant the whole way and the general consensus is they’d all be better off if they just tossed him overboard.
The captain’s voice can be heard in reply, his tone saying he’s had about enough. “We are not falling behind. Now leave me alone!”