“Need to be closer,” James tells him as they continue toward the platform.
“Protect James,” he hears Illan say to the others. They then form a circle around him as he continues forward.
“The demon walks among you,” her words float upon the air from the platform. His mind suddenly begins to cloud as the magic from the globe makes its way into his thoughts.
At the foot of the dais, the innkeeper becomes docile as his struggles against his captors cease. Her eyes are directly upon him.
James calls forth the magic and pushes it from his mind, erecting a barrier which causes the magic from the globe to flow around him. It’s the same principle as the concealing spell he developed for hiding the Fire. Suddenly, he realizes the others with him have stopped. He almost runs into Jiron who was ahead of him.
“Jiron!” James says, as he shakes him by the shoulders.
Jiron turns his head and looks at him but his eyes don’t appear to really focus on him.
James summons a burst of power and erects shields around the others’ minds as well. Snapping out of their lethargy, they look around confused for just a moment before realizing what had almost happened.
“Thanks,” Jiron says.
James nods and takes the fore as he moves further toward the platform. Looking to Serenna, he sees her eyes locked on him. She’s aware of his presence.
Pointing to him, she cries out, “The demon has come!”
As one, the followers turn their attention to him. A growl can be heard coming from them as the throng closest to the stage closes off the aisle, preventing him from continuing further.
“Thou hast come to thy doom!” Serenna cries out. Magic crackles in the air and the prickling sensation suddenly spikes. “Kill him!” she screams to her followers.
“Ready!” cries out Illan as he draws his sword. The others follow a split second behind.
James looks at the people coming toward him, townsfolk and farmers, simple folk. When they reach the men protecting him, they begin to fall as swords strike out. Limbs fall to the ground, heads are separated from shoulders and still they come. Trusting to Illan and the rest, he turns his attention to the platform.
Serenna stands there, eyes blazing hate as she watches her followers being cut down like stalks of grain to the scythe.
From the corner of his eye, James sees the innkeeper fall to Jiron’s knife as he reached out for him. Anger suddenly flares up within his breast, taking a slug from his belt he launches it toward her. Before it comes close, he feels a surge of power erupt from the globe and his slug explodes before it even reaches her.
The pile of bodies surrounding the men protecting him is beginning to rise. The remaining followers who are trying to get to him have to step over the dead which allows the defenders to take them out more easily. From the tent opening, more of her followers enter as they join with those already attacking.
“James,” Jiron hollers as his knife takes a woman through the chest. Kicking her back into the ones behind her he continues, “Do something!”
The globe is the source of the power here. It’s going to defend itself and Serenna against whatever I try to do. Just then, the darkness within the globe begins to pulsate. A dark light seems to emerge from it and then suddenly, a shadow is standing next to Serenna on the platform. She appears to take no notice of it.
A shiver courses through him as the shadow turns its head in his direction. Dread fills him when he recognizes the shadow as being similar to the ones in that other world where Igor found him. He can’t even begin to imagine the ramifications of that.
Steeling himself, he summons the magic and unleashes a wave of energy. When the wave hits the shadow it appears to have little effect. Taking a step forward, it begins making its way directly toward him.
Crumph!
The ground under the front edge of the platform where the shadow stands explodes outward, causing the platform to buckle and break. Serenna cries out as she stumbles away from the pedestal and breaks contact with the sphere. As soon as her hand is no longer in contact with the sphere, the pressure on the shields around their minds disappears.
James stops maintaining the shields around their minds which frees up a lot of power and concentration.
The shadow remains unaffected by the explosion and continues toward him.
Crumph!
As the shadow steps off the bottom step, the ground once again erupts. Still not being affected by the blast, it continues on. Serenna is nowhere to be seen and the globe begins to pulsate again as another shadow disengages itself from the globe.
“Dear god!” Jiron exclaims when he finally takes notice of what’s transpiring upon the platform. Serenna’s followers begin losing the will to fight. Some continue unabated, while others begin wandering away as if lost in a daze. Still others seem to come to their senses and race from the tent.
The first shadow has now reached the followers who are standing dazed and confused. When it brushes up against someone, they cry out and fall to the floor as if they had the life sucked out of them.
Jiron stands his ground, attempting to keep his fear of the approach of the shadow from taking over and causing him to flee. Both knives, red with the blood of Serenna’s followers, are in hand as he readies himself to meet this new foe.
“James!” Jiron yells as he kicks a follower away from him. “The Star! Use the Star!”
The Star! Of course! Reaching into his shirt, he brings forth the Star which bursts into a blinding white light. The followers who are attacking suddenly break off as they shield their eyes from its brilliance.
“Stand your ground!” Illan cries as Qyrll was about to step away from the group and continue the attack on the dazed people. Qyrll glances to Illan and then resumes his place in the circle around James.
The two shadows emit a scream as the light from the medallion touches them. A slug flies from James’ hand and passes harmlessly through the first one.
They have no substance! They really are just shadows, but deadly nonetheless. Holding the medallion above his head, he begins moving toward the platform. The globe begins pulsating again.
Crumph!
The section of the platform upon which the globe’s pedestal sits suddenly explodes upward. Launched into the air, the globe leaves the pedestal and flies for several yards before hitting the ground. It rolls for a few more feet before settling to a stop.
“Jiron!” James hollers. “Smash the globe!”
“With what?” he asks.
“I don’t know,” he replies. “It’s the source of the power.” Keeping the medallion held aloft, he continues toward the first shadow. “But don’t touch it!” he warns.
Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Qyrll making his way through the crowd toward it. His swords out and ready but none of the followers seem to even take notice of him in their midst. Without Serenna’s will to control them, they’re nothing more than mindless zombies.
The shadows screech painfully as the light from the medallion burns into them. James almost imagines he can see smoke rising. Illan appears at his side and asks, “What is it?”
“Not entirely sure,” replies James. “Demon maybe. Encountered them once before.”
Fifer has joined Qyrll who has climbed up onto what’s left of the platform. Together they’re lifting the pedestal upon which the globe at one time sat. The second shadow appears to be moving in their direction but the light from the medallion seems to be affecting it so badly it can barely move.
They take the pedestal over to the globe and raise it high. Then they bring it down as hard as they can, smashing it onto the globe. With a crack, the globe shatters.
Kaboom!
The shattering of the globe releases a massive explosion which lifts them off the ground and throws them across the room. Followers fall to the ground, James and the others are knocked from their feet by the force of the explosion.