Camellia never got the chance to respond to Adalhard.

In the sky, she saw dragons and other flying beasts. She and Adalhard ran the last stretch to the shuttle. Camellia was slow in the afternoon sun, but Adalhard took her hand and pulled her along. They just made it.

Across the plains, Camellia saw Eva and Sten run. They used their synthetic speed, but they didn’t quite make it before the cultists landed and tossed a spell over the battleground.

A trap spell circled the shuttle, mages, and Rooks’ small crew, keeping everyone inside. The only people left out of the spell were Eva and Sten, and Meladee and Benham, who played by the seashore.

Rooks grumbled, “Serves us right for taking our time. Everyone, into the shuttle.” She looked for the separated crew members: Eva, Meladee, Sten, and Benham. Rooks exhaled a long breath. She caught Camellia’s eyes. “Can we get out of this?” She gestured to the spell overhead and all around.

Camellia opened her mouth to speak but paused at the sight of a great, yellow dragon, probably not a magical creation but a real one.

The dragon flew close, clutching a crate in its claws. It dropped the crate, with a soft boom, and cultists streamed out, surrounding the trap spell. Above, more cultists rode gargoyle-like creatures and headed for the Bardiche.

Camellia tore her eyes from the sky, remembering that she should answer Rooks’ question. She found the Commander no longer interested.

Rooks pulled out her com. “Rooks to the Bardiche.”

The com remained silent, lacking even the buzz of static.

“Rooks to Bardiche.” Rooks growled. She stowed her com. “Everyone, get in the shuttle. We’ll try to collect our missing members.” Rooks looked at the magical barrier. “I’m guessing we have to wait for this spell to dissipate. We can’t take off till it’s gone, right, Camellia?”

“Right. But, I think they might be able to walk through.” Camellia pointed at the cultists.

She wasn’t sure, but their enemies strode over, not at all concerned about the barrier.

Rooks sighed. “Wonderful. Alright, if you can’t fight, get inside now. And, someone get the shuttle running. If you can fight, form a semicircle with the shuttle at our backs.”

A handful of crew members ran inside.

“Camellia, I mean you too.” Rooks gestured to the shuttle door.

Camellia drew her sword. “I’m armed this time.”

“What you are – is impaired,” Rooks said. “I’ve seen a sample of your daytime. This is going to be an afternoon battle.” Rooks pointed at the sky.

“It’s summer,” Adalhard added. He grabbed Camellia and pushed her towards the shuttle door.

The crew formed a semicircle around her, and Camellia watched her view of the coming battle disappear behind everyone’s backs. Camellia pushed back but found Adalhard too strong.

“Camellia! Leaving already?” Alastronia shouted from the edge of the trap spell. “I thought we might talk.”

Camellia froze. Alastronia sounded well, too well for someone who had played with the Obsidian Mirror mere months ago.

Rooks turned to Camellia and beckoned her forward. Adalhard, who had been about to pick up Camellia, stopped.

“Well?” came Alastronia’s voice again.

Camellia joined the line, staying just behind Commander Rooks. She looked over the taller woman’s shoulder.

Camellia longed to speak with Alastronia about the mirror, but she also wanted Alastronia to avoid the subject. If Camellia had to explain the mirror to Adalhard and Rooks, how could she make it sound okay?

The answer was she couldn’t. There was no way she could make mirror gazing sound like a normal activity.

“Call the Bardiche,” Eva said.

“The Commander will have done that.” Sten fingered his com but didn’t use it.

Eva ran, and Sten followed. Both held every weapon they owned. Sten had a small gun. He also carried Eva’s large gun, tuned to a less explosive setting. Eva held her staff and her small revolver-styled weapon. Considering three of their four weapons belonged to Eva, she felt ready to label Sten a pacifist.

Cultists turned to face them, commanding an army of puppets and summoned beasts. Eva and Sten stopped.

“Just call the Bardiche.”

“Are we calling for help?” Sten asked. With narrowed eyes, he watched the ship.

Airborn beasts headed for the Bardiche.

“No. I just doubt Rooks can call out of that.” Eva pointed to the top of the trap spell. It looked like a bubble, shining in the midday sun. “Call before these monsters are on top of us.” Eva fired into the crowd.

Only three cultists commanded it, but all were mages.

“Sten to the Bardiche.”

“Yes?” his com asked.

“You have cultists headed your way. They’re riding flying beasts and will land on the Bardiche shortly. Can you get in the air?” Sten asked.

“Not that quickly. We’ll shoot them down. Thanks for the warning, Sten.”

Sten stowed his com and redrew Eva’s huge gun. He fired it into the horde and watched as puppets flew into the air, arms and legs akimbo.

“Hit the cultists,” Eva said.

“But, they’re people.” Sten paused.

“You hit them at the ball.”

“I didn’t kill them.” Sten looked between Eva and the approaching monsters.

“Hit them, or I will.” Eva twirled her staff and caught an ape-like gargoyle mid spin. She tossed it back to the horde, hitting other early chargers. “Sten. Those are mages. We have to hit them to stop them. Or, these monsters keep coming.”

Sten fired for the mages, and the huge gun generated a cloud of smoke as well as flying puppets and beasts. When it cleared, the mages advanced a few steps, unharmed.

“Too late.” Eva shook of her head. “They have magical protection. Just hit the monsters. We’ll wait for opening.”

“Gladly.” Sten fired both guns into the group.

He avoided Eva each time she stepped forward to meet the beasts and puppets in their charge.

Eva now knew what purpose the attack in Groaza served. Rooks had been right. The cultists must have planted a spy or magical tracker. How else could they know about a secret stopover in Tagtrum?

Meladee watched as the beasts flew for the Bardiche. With her feet planted firmly in the surf, Meladee faced the far-off ship and began a giant protection spell.

She took a deep breath, and a circle of shimmering white drew itself around her feet. Three-rings strong, the circle sailed over the wet sand and under the small waves. It reappeared out in the water, but Meladee couldn’t see it, until the spell went off. A protection spell flashed white around the Bardiche.

“Uh, Meladee. We have cultists headed for us,” Benham warned.

“Yeah, I know. Let’s just see if that shield worked. It’s a big object to protect, but I modified the spell to be more of a shell and less a bubble.”

Meladee watched as the beasts landed on Bardiche’s top. Hard talons crashed into the bridge, and Meladee’s shield spell zapped into view momentarily. The bird monster tried again, picking at the magical coating, but Meladee’s spell always materialized under its claws.

“Don’t know how long that will last, but at least they have time.” Meladee dusted off her hands, brushing sand from her palms.

“Can they still shoot through it?” Benham asked.

“Yeah, most magical shields allow for that. Would be pretty shitty if they didn’t. Makes ‘em weaker thought.” Meladee turned to face the approaching cultists.

Benham drew his gun and turned as well. “We need to get away from the water, but it might be too late now.” He fired.

“Relax. I brought my toys this time.” Meladee pulled the bell from her short dress’ pocket and removed the paper from around its tongue. She rang the bell hard.

Men of sand climbed out of the ground, both wet and dry.

Meladee grinned. “They’ve got an army. We’ve got an army. No worries.”

Benham paused. “What…? You have a magic bell?”

“They won’t last too long – being made of sand. The great news is that I can ring the bell a bunch of times. Sand just replenishes itself instead of leaving a hole, so we’ve got a lot to work with here.” For a time, Meladee stowed her bell, stuffing paper into the tongue again. “Now, for some summons of my own.” Meladee closed her eyes, and her dragon and basan rose from the beach.

“I wanted to thank you for that little dream you gave me. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything so horrific in my life,” Alastronia said.

Camellia sighed. The first words out of Alastronia’s mouth just had to concern the mirror. At least now, Camellia could see that Alastronia looked pretty rough. She’d worried the woman came away from the mirror unscathed.

Alastronia’s eyes were red rimmed, with dark circles below. Her black hair blew in stringy clumps, tossed by the wind. She seemed thinner but then, she’d always been thin.

Camellia didn’t answer.

Alastronia continued, “It just keeps coming. I can’t go more than five hours without some kind of apparition from my dream. You should have applied to my Order. You’d have been much better than Meladee.”

Camellia called over Rooks shoulder, “Anything you saw in that mirror is of your own making, so I guess you should congratulate yourself. I wouldn’t be surprised if what you saw is how others see you!”

Rooks and Adalhard exchanged a glance.

“How I would love to kill you, but Ah’nee’thit would be displeased. I can’t say I blame our infant god. I can see you’re bad enough to be our priestess,” Alastronia growled.

“Ah’nee’thit is asleep,” Camellia said.

“Yes, but we can still hear it if we listen closely, and it insists on you!” Alastronia pointed through the trap spell. She stepped over it, releasing her horde of cultists, snarling summons, and blank-faced puppets.

No one had time to push Camellia into the shuttle. She could participate after all.

Eva drew a wolf close, taking advantage of its latch on her staff. She pulled her staff to her chest, and the wolf came with it. Eva shot into its head. The beast went limp, and Eva shook her staff free, only to catch several more wolf monsters along its length.

A few smarter beasts tried to circle around to Eva’s back.

Sten shot them, and Eva shot the beasts that held her staff prisoner.

“Can you electrify my staff?” Eva asked.

“Electrify your staff?” Sten parroted.

“Yes, so I can kill them with the charge.” Eva killed the last wolf and used their bodies as a barrier while she smashed a group of approaching puppets.

“Let me see.” Sten stood back to back with Eva. With one hand, he fiddled with his gun, fingering the power source free. With the other hand, he used Eva’s large gun to keep the monsters away. “Alright, these wires should fit your needs.” Sten held the dismantled gun and offered it to Eva at his back.

She glanced at the offering but couldn’t take advantage as she continued to bludgeon puppets with the uncharged staff. A wooden and disembodied hand flew past Sten. Eva watched its arc and cringed as the hand bonked an angry bear on the head. The beast became angrier and charged.

Sten fired into the attackers, sending sprays of sand and dirt into the air as well as shards of wood and tufts of fur. The bear came through, too fast for the shot and latched onto Sten’s leg.

“For the love of…” Sten sighed. He shook his leg.

The bear held on, trying to chew through the space-age material of his pants.

Eva touched her staff to the exposed wires, still held steady by Sten. Her staff drank the power, and Eva jabbed it into the bear’s butt. In an instant, the beast let go.

“Thank you,” Eva said before Sten could thank her.

Eva swung her staff, connecting with several beasts. She sent electricity through all.

Sten checked his broken gun, probably hoping to see it still had a charge left.

Eva doubted it. She had most of the charge, and to use it well, she needed to find a space away from Sten. She left his side.

Eva traveled over the battleground and spun her staff as she moved. She left the bodies of beasts in her wake. Eva saw them fizzle and collapse into nothing. The dead creatures unsummoned.

The puppets didn’t disappear so neatly. Eva hit them, and they blackened under her staff’s charge. Some sparked, but they fought on.

Sten picked up a puppet’s arm and followed Eva. He bashed the puppets left in her wake and shot them point blank with Eva’s massive gun. He tucked his own empty gun against his side.

“Where are we headed?” he asked.

“To the others,” Eva called.

A dog-like gargoyle flew overhead. Eva jabbed upwards and hit the thing mid-flight. Electricity danced over its skin. It veered out of control and crashed to the ground, reminding Eva of a fighter plane’s attack gone wrong.

Eva looked ahead and saw the horde. The shuttle just poked above the attackers.

“Ah, I see now. We can’t defeat all these. We hope to escape.” Sten glanced to his left.

A man of sand stormed past.

“What?”

Eva raised her eyebrow. “We may win this battle yet. Don’t hurt the sand men. They’re of Meladee’s making.”

The sand men weren’t Meladee’s best use of the bell, but here by the ocean, they were the only choice.

Eva rushed to Sten’s side and eyed his exposed gun. Eva wondered if it might have power after all, considering how he had pointed it away from his person. She tapped her staff to the wires, and the staff pulled more power.

Recharged, Eva sped ahead and ducked the swinging arm of a giant. She slid underneath and tapped a cultist with her staff. The mage fell to the ground, a staff shaped burn emblazoned on her arm.

Sten’s jaw dropped in shock, and a man of sand exploded around him, bitten by a giant snake.

“Eva, you…”

The snake reared for Sten, and Eva spun back to assist him. Sten got Eva’s gun up in time and shot the snake, but the skinny beast dodged, opening its jaw wide. It stabbed, teeth first for Sten, only to be pulled back and chomped in half by Meladee’s basan.

“Meladee’s,” Eva said. “We have to take out the mages if we want this to stop. They just keep calling more.”

“That was a person, under the influence of an alien creature. You killed her.”

Eva took Sten’s arm and pulled him along. “You can knock them out with the puppet arm if you don’t want me to kill them.”

Sten nodded. “I think that’s for the best.”

The basan followed, and with Eva’s help, herded a fleeing mage towards Sten. Sten promptly rendered the young man unconscious.

“Where do you come up with these things?” Benham asked.

Meladee grinned. She loved to delight him with her creations, though maybe confuse was the better word for this occasion.

Benham proved to be easier to impress than any man she’d had. Of course, most of her men had been mages, so regular magic didn’t cut it with them.

Benham stood at Meladee’s side and aimed his small gun ahead. Benham’s shots picked off beasts, staggered the puppets, and downed the occasional cultist. But, Meladee’s magic did the bulk of the work.

“Listen, once they realize that they left me out of the trap spell, they’ll be all over us,” Meladee said. “We need the best beasties we can get.”

Waves crashed over the back of her knees, but she focused on her spell. A new monster formed of nearby seaweed and crawled over the ground to their opponents.

“This is the best we can get?” Benham flung a hand towards Meladee’s menagerie. “I’ll admit the ice nymphs with swords are pretty…”

“...Hot,” Meladee finished for him.

Before them, ice nymphs formed a protective ring, cutting down anyone in their path.

“Listen, they were so good, I decided to experiment.” Meladee looked at her peanut brittle man, who surprised her with his brutal and crackling attacks. “Aright, I ran out of ideas. A mage has to have some creativity, and sometimes, that means weird stuff.”

Meladee’s more useful beasts wandered further afield. The ice dragon protected the back of Rooks’ shuttle, ensuring the cultists could not break in from the opposite side. Still, they had the shuttle trapped, chained to the ground with golden links of magical energy. The original trap spell had long since fizzled away.

By the shuttle, Meladee’s ice dragon roared and spat icey flames over some cultists, freezing one from head to toe. Other beasts of Meladee’s prowled the beach. Ice wolves and great cats pounced on puppets and broke them. One cat grabbed a cultist and raked its back feet over the woman’s abdomen.

Meladee winced. “Shouldn’t be a cultist if you don’t want to die.”

“I’ll say.” Benham held his gun at the ready but had no one to shoot. “Is everyone here a mage?”

“Pretty much. Remember, they caught all of the AAH crazies. Now, shush, I need to cast something else.” Meladee grew quiet and conjured a new spell.

A magic circle flared near her dragon. Giant stalagmites of ice formed a craggy landscape to further protect the shuttle. Puppets shattered on the ice. Meladee’s dragon climbed atop the shards and roared its dominance.

“And, for my next trick…” Meladee turned and looked at the Bardiche. The ship struggled to pull out of the water, and the same golden chains bound the ship to the ocean floor. “Holy…”

Meladee watched as the Bardiche’s gun shot at the beasts and cultists that roamed over its hull. Her shield spell, long gone, could no longer prevent damage to the windows or metal. Thankfully, the Finial didn’t believe in many windows, and the cultists worked hard to find ways inside.

“Meladee, we should move,” Benham warned.

Two of their ice nymphs lay on the ground, and Meladee’s new seaweed monsters barely entrapped the puppets that fought to break through.

“Not yet. Got to help our ride.” Meladee closed her eyes and reimagined her shield spell.

She added symbols to the second ring, hoping to extend its time of activity. The circle flashed under the water, around her feet. It disappeared with the next wave and sent its protection to the Bardiche. Monsters and cultists gave a collective shout as they found a new shell around Bardiche’s hull.

“Great, but I don’t know what we’re going to do.” Benham shot between Meladee’s seaweed monsters at a stack of puppets ten feet tall.

“Oh shit!” Meladee created a shield in the shape of a roof above their heads. “Come on. This will move with us.” Meladee grabbed Benham’s arm, and picked her way through the water, wishing she hadn’t discarded her shoes.

The puppet tower crashed over their magical roof and fell into the surf.

Camellia waited just behind the line and watched.

Commander Rooks fired into the cultists, until they came too close. She pulled a short, electrified sword and prompted her men to follow. Now, they shocked their opponents and cut them to pieces. Unfortunately, the only nearby targets were beasts and puppets.

Adalhard and Cernunnos leant their assistance. Both anthropologists possessed large weapons, and proved to be just as proficient in hand to hand combat as Rooks’ people. In some case, more so. That surprised Camellia, but she supposed her colleagues had more opportunities to use their swords than Rooks’ officers. Raiders and pirates often targeted archaeological digs and shipments. Even Camellia, who avoided most fights, had decent sword skills. She imagined male anthropologists avoided fewer fights. She knew Cernunnos did.

Cernunnos’ mace smashed puppets to splinters. Adalhard’s sword cut through the beasts, igniting to burn meat and fur. The smell of cooked meat and burning fur assailed Camellia’s nose. One she liked; the other she didn’t.

Camellia stood trapped in the center of their defense. She held her wind sword and searched for a way to help, but aside from the occasional infiltrator, no one else met Camellia’s blade. She guarded the shuttle door with her lonely saber.

As Adalhard stabbed a small, many-legged pig monster, he looked at the castle. “Why don’t they help?” he spoke in his limited Ganden.

“Would be nice,” Rooks said. “Speaking of our mages? Where are the ones we met?”

Cernunnos nodded to the shuttle. “Catatonic. We dragged them into the shuttle.” His Ganden had improved more than it had any right to.

Some distance away, Alastronia laughed.

Camellia gazed at a point beyond Rooks. She listened to the ring of Alastronia’s mirth. “She froze them. That’s probably why she’s laughing.”

“Froze them?” Rooks asked.

“She poisoned them and then, she cast a spell before she attacked. So, the mages couldn’t come to our aid. It means she had time to prepare, and she knew we would be here.” Camellia guessed that their efforts to safeguard their takeoff were not enough.

“Just great.” Rooks cut a walking fish, filleting and cooking it with her short sword. “We may lose this.”

“How many cultists are there really, Camellia?” Cernunnos asked.

“I don’t know.”

“Use your cultist connection.” Cernunnos smashed the skull of a half-pig, half-wolf monster.

“I don’t have that! Otherwise, I’d be helping them.” Camellia stabbed a monster, about to bite Cernunnos’ ankle.

“Telepathy?” he added.

Camellia shook her head. “I don’t dare. It may be too sunny, anyway.”

Adalhard cut a puppet in twain. “Go aboard the shuttle.”

But, Camellia did not obey.

A break in the enemy’s line formed where Cernunnos and Adalhard worked alongside Rooks’ stronger fighters. Camellia spotted it, and from the way Rooks glanced over, Camellia bet the Commander did too. The land in that direction stood almost clear, all the way to the castle.

“Get ready to move!” Rooks ordered. “We have to leave the shuttle.” Rooks looked back at the sealed shuttle.

Camellia followed the Commander’s eyes and saw the gold chains. The shuttle’s door had closed long ago. Now, she heard the shuttle strain against its magical bonds, trying to get away with its less capable passengers. At the shuttle’s back, Meladee’s dragon stood guard.

Camellia looked back to Rooks. The Commander also studied the dragon.

To the ice blowing beast, the Commander called, “Hey.”

The dragon looked around and spotted Rooks.

Rooks continued, “We’re about to leave, guard the shuttle.”

The dragon looked at her with mean, narrowed eyes, but moved to straddle the shuttle.

To her men, Rooks said, “To the castle. Cernunnos, Adalhard, lead us through.”

The male anthropologists advanced. The entire group charged after them, and Rooks’ team fled for the castle. Their retreat would be long, and Camellia started to fall behind. Rooks grabbed her arm and tried to keep Camellia beside her. Camellia appreciated the gesture, but secretly, she wished Adalhard would just toss her over his shoulder and take her along. That would be one for the photo albums.

Behind, cultists, their beasts, and their puppets followed, only to be intercepted by sand men. Camellia felt glad of Meladee’s bell. Ahead, a line of fire blocked their path, and new beasts shimmered into being. Rooks and Camellia got cut off from the main force.

“Shit. That’s what I get for looking after you. Should have ordered someone to carry you instead. Better yet, you should have gone in the shuttle.” Rooks shot three beasts before they could advance.

Camellia felt the complaint was valid. “Sorry,” she said. She should have hidden, but then, she’d be in the shuttle, stapled to the ground with magic chains.

All around, Rooks’ crew fled from magic beasts or found themselves entrapped by spells. Camellia spotted a few creations that looked distinctly like Meladee’s work. The beasts came to the aid of their allies, definitely Meladee’s.

“We need to take out these mages.” Rooks’ eyes tracked a snake that chased two of her men.

“If you let go of my arm, I can put my wind sword to use,” Camellia said.

“By all means.” Rooks dropped Camellia’s arm. “We seem to be forgotten for the moment.”

The battle devolved into chaos all around them, but Rooks was right. They found themselves in a calm spot.

Camellia checked the instructions of her sword and performed a flourish. A whirlwind twisted after the snake and picked it up, pulling it off Rooks’ crew.

“How long have you had that?” Rooks asked. “It’s…” Rooks never finished her sentence. She shot into the horde, aiming for beasts. Four spindly creatures fell alongside a giant boar.

“I’ve had this for ages.” Camellia performed a second flourish and a massive whirlwind picked up the entire force around them. It whipped outwards from Rooks and Camellia, leaving them at the eye of the storm.

Rooks stopped and watched the puppets, beasts, and a couple of cultists ride the winds, carried high into the air.

Camellia watched the storm too. “I only use that one when no one I care about is close, except you of course.” Camellia nodded at Rooks. “But, you’re here with me, in the eye of the storm.”

At the whirlwind’s center, Camellia and Rooks waited.

“So, about this mirror?” Rooks said.

Rooks could understand more Groazan than she let on. Alastronia and Camellia had argued in Groazan.

Slowly, Camellia turned and faced Rooks. “It’s an ancient artifact.”

Rooks alternated her gaze between the whirlwind and Camellia. “Very descriptive. I know exactly what to picture.” Sarcasm dripped from Rooks’ words. “What does this mirror do?”

“It’s just a little thing.” Camellia averted her eyes. “I showed it to Alastronia, and she got trapped inside a dream of her own making and had to solve problems to get out. I wasn’t sure she would experience the nightmares or the hallucinations that follow, but it appears she did.”

Rooks opened her mouth to speak, but the wind began to die. Rooks readied her gun.

“I did indeed play with that mirror of yours,” Alastronia called, from beyond the swirling dust and enemies. “And you can be assured I got the full experience.” Alastronia walked through the fading whirlwind, surrounded by a plethora of puppets and a handful of beasts.

The wind faded, and Camellia saw an open battlefield, strewn with the remains of puppets and dazed beasts. Far off, a battle raged, centered on Eva and Sten. Towards the castle, Adalhard and Cernunnos as well as most of Rooks’ crew fought their way back to Rooks. By the sea, another tight battle raged. In Camellia’s circle of destruction, only they and Alastronia’s small army stood.

Commander Rooks didn’t wait for Alastronia to speak again. She fired. The bolt reflected and went astray.

“I may not be a battle mage, but a good shield spell is not beyond me.” Alastronia smiled. She looked from Camellia to Rooks and back again.

Camellia performed a flourish. Several small whirlwinds left her sword’s wake to twist and turn towards Alastronia.

Alastronia took cover. Her puppets formed a makeshift hut of their own bodies, and beasts stood guard. As the whirlwinds sailed through their ranks, puppets and beasts stripped away, but most remained, sheltering their leader.

A magic circle appeared around Rooks feet. Both women looked down, but only Camellia recognized the four-ringed monstrosity as an Agaric creation, complete with snaking runes.

Rooks tried to exit the spell, but it stayed trained on her.

“Rooks!” Camellia reached for the Commander.

The spell completed too fast for either woman to do anything more.

Rooks fell to her knees, and Camellia put an arm around her. Rooks looked ashen, lacking any kind of luster to her skin. Her curly hair fell out of her updo and felt dry to Camellia’s touch. Rooks fell into Camellia, and Camellia struggled to pull the Commander close, hugging her tight.

“That’s a little wasting spell I wrote a couple of years ago. For people who refuse to pay their bills.” Alastronia stalked closer. “It’s takes a little while and gives them a chance to change their minds.” Alastronia smiled. “Just in case you’re wondering, the bill was yours.”

“I never asked for a damn thing from you. It’s you who owes me.”

“Oh?” Alastronia’s mouth formed an O of surprise.

“You got a trip into the mirror.”

“Ha! We both know what that’s like.” Alastronia grinned. “No, I don’t owe you for that. In some twisted way, do you like it?”

Camellia didn’t answer. Alastronia wanted payment from Camellia. She assumed that Rooks had some attachment to Camellia, and Camellia supposed she did. She’d begun to consider Rooks a friend. What could she give to Alastronia instead of a new friend?

“I’ll pay you with something else.” Camellia bowed her head. “I’ll come and play priestess, if you just remove this spell. And leave the rest of them.”

“I may accept such a payment.” Alastronia stroked her cheek and brought her hand to her chin. “Then, again, you owe me for both the mirror and what you’ve put me through. So, I’ll need two payments. Priestess is one. The Commander of your forces is another.”

So much for that.

Camellia hugged Rooks and watched her eyes drift closed.

Meladee tired. She didn’t know what spell to cast next. She and Benham fled through the water, with Benham and his small gun leading the way.

“Hey, we’ve got some help!” Benham shouted.

Benham pointed and Meladee saw five of Rooks’ crew running toward them. The men and women used electrified swords to cut their path. A couple shot ahead and behind.

“Over here.” Benham waved.

“Great.” Meladee ran out of the water and onto the sand.

The grains stuck to her feet as she tried to reach Rooks’ crew. Meladee continued to run, making sure Benham kept up.

Finally, she thought of a good defense spell. She conjured a circle, flickering in blue around her person. Runes in the circle jumbled about as Meladee organized the magic. The circle stabilized and followed Meladee to Rooks’ crew. It flashed out of existence just as she met them.

“Hey wait here.” Meladee put a hand on Benham’s arm. She grabbed the leader of Rooks’ fleeing people.

The rush of water assailed their ears, and Meladee’s spell drew water from the ocean, swirling it into a shield around her and her group.

“What’s happening?” Benham asked.

“Nice spell, isn’t it? I got the idea from Camellia’s wind sword. Also, all this useless water should do something to help out.” Meladee reached for an officer’s com. “I need to borrow this. Thanks.” She snatched the com. “Hey, Bardiche?”

The com crackled and answered.

Meladee plugged one ear to block out the sound of rushing water. “Can I talk to Inez and Eder?” Meladee waited only a moment before she heard Inez’s voice.

“There are cultists all over the ship. Thanks for the shield spell by the way. Eder is renewing it now.” Inez sounded dim and far away.

“Great. Make sure you don’t make it reflective on account of the ship’s guns.” Meladee still pressed her hand to her ear.

She issued the warning, but she expected the Ferrans already knew. They were accomplished spell writers, but in a battle, even good mages made mistakes – like peanut brittle men.

“Of course.” Inez sounded a bit annoyed. “Are you guys okay?”

“Nah, not really. But, listen, we’d be better if you could lift the freeze spell off the castle. The mages are trapped inside.” Meladee glanced at the water around her.

It thinned.

“So, what kind of freeze spell? Ice or…”

“Their bodies are under Alastronia’s control. They’re standing like statues in the castle. Or sitting, or whatever they were doing when she told them to keep doing it indefinitely. Just dispel poison…”

“Uh, Meladee, your spell is wearing off,” Benham warned.

Beside them the water shield sunk and grew quiet. Rooks’ crew opened fire on the waiting beasts and stabbed a couple of wet puppets, with their electrified swords.

“...make it a very complicated spell,” Meladee continued. “Five rings at least. Cover all aspects of poisoning. You guys are good spell writers. Figure it out.” Meladee deactivated the com and cast a quick, two-ringed spell.

The yellow circle blazed into a lightning bolt that moved from puppet to puppet and creature to creature, hitting all in their vicinity. The beasts fell and died. The puppets merely staggered but became easy targets for Rooks’ crew. Two puppets stood stock still.

“Uh oh. Leave those two alone. We have to go.” Meladee grabbed Benham’s arm and ran.

Rooks’ crew followed. Meladee glanced back to see the puppets wake to reality. They started to destroy members of their own horde.

“They turned on the others,” one of Rooks’ crew reported.

“Yeah, they just realized that they’re people’s souls trapped in wooden bodies.” Meladee pulled ahead of the group and took her bell from her pocket. “I’d be pissed if I were them too.” Meladee rang her bell.

Sand men, as well as men of dirt, popped up from the ground. The men linked arms to form a wall and blocked enemies from the traveling group.

“Are we rejoining the main group?” Benham asked.

“Yup.” Meladee spotted Alastronia, towering over a fallen Rooks and Camellia. She detoured.

“Hey, Mel…” Benham asked.

Meladee didn’t know for sure, but she bet he was surprised to find Meladee gone. With no choice, he should follow Rooks’ crew to the others. She didn’t hear his footsteps and trusted that he headed to safety.

She headed to Alastronia.

Camellia cradled Rooks with care, trying not to damage her dry skin or brittle hair. The Commander still breathed, but she sounded weak.

“That payment is almost rendered, so we’ll move on to you next.” Alastronia pulled a small box from her pocket and wiggled it. “I happen to have an infectant right here.” Alastronia spread her hands. “I just have to give it to you, and you’ll be our priestess – finally. You’ll do your job, and we’ll free Ah’nee’thit. In fact, everyone here is going to help.” Alastronia held the box on her palm and, with her other hand, reached for the lid.

Camellia looked down at Rooks and listened to her shallow breath fade. Camellia reached for her sword and placed Rooks on the ground.

“Don’t get up, Camellia. I’ve got this.” Meladee strolled into the small battle.

Camellia’s heart soared. She tried to find her voice. In the meantime, she gestured to Rooks.

Alastronia backed up.

“Meladee! Rooks needs help first,” Camellia called.

Meladee seemed to have the spell prepared. A four-ringed circle appeared around Rooks. The wasting spell had been curved, but this spell was jagged. Four rings shrank to the center and into Rooks. Meladee’s magic lifted Alastronia’s spell, and Rooks drew a shuddering breath. She started to regain her vibrancy and lifted herself on weak arms.

“You could have killed me instead of saving her. Now, I’ve had a chance to get a good shield off.” Alastronia did indeed stand behind a shimmery shield of strong magic.

Puppets advanced on Camellia, Rooks, and Meladee. While the Commander struggled to kneel, Camellia scooped up her sword and cut down every enemy that approached.

Meladee conjured a shield of fire, centered on herself. Any puppet that touched the mage blazed into fire. Unfortunately, many got through the shield, and Meladee shot them with her magic gun.

“Hey, Camellia! A little wind?” Meladee shouted.

This time, Camellia didn’t need to read the instructions on her sword. With her flourishes, Camellia conjured little whirlwinds and sharp gusts. She blew the puppets off of Meladee and kept the flaming wood away from Rooks.

Alastronia staggered back. She seemed more tired than she’d started.

“Been sleeping well?” Meladee asked, afire.

Alastronia glared. “You know I haven’t. It shouldn’t be a problem, but I find myself at a disadvantage just now.” Alastronia cowered behind her spell and drew a magic gun.

“Oh,” Meladee scoffed. “So, now magic weapons aren’t beneath you?”

“They never were.” Alastronia pulled the trigger on her gun. Her spell fizzled on Meladee’s shield.

Meladee shrugged. “You’ve got to wait.”

Alastronia growled, “So do you.” She pointed to her own shield.

“Nah, see I don’t have to.” Meladee ran to Alastronia. She drew a short dagger, dispelled both shields, and stabbed Alastronia in the gut.

Alastronia fired her gun, but Meladee had already grabbed ahold of Alastronia’s hand and aimed the gun at the sky.

Alastronia fell, and Meladee took the gun and tossed it clear.

“Good riddance.” Meladee cleaned off her dagger. She shook slightly.

“Meladee, that was wonderful,” Camellia said.

“That was pretty satisfying to see,” Rooks’ voice sounded hoarse. “How long till I feel like myself again?”

“It can take a while.” Meladee blew out a long breath. “That was pretty scary. Touching that bitch is my least favorite thing.” Meladee walked to Rooks’ side. She knelt by the Commander. “Here, let me see if I’ve got some healing magic left in me.”

While Meladee tended to Rooks, Camellia looked at the battle. The cultists’ and their efforts lay in ruins. The mages’ castle remained quiet. Camellia searched for their friends. She spotted Eva and Sten, still fighting with a circle of crew members to help. She saw Adalhard and sighed with relief. Cernunnos, Benham, and the rest of the crew stood by her favorite colleague. They picked off beasts and captured still living cultists.

Camellia looked to the shuttle and found Meladee’s dragon and basan using it as a kind of hangout. The dragon sat on top, and the basan plopped itself to the side. The chains had gone from the shuttle, but the creatures unknowingly kept it in place.

Finally, Camellia’s eyes sought the Bardiche. It still struggled to break free of its chains, but crew with jet packs and a few fighter ships sailed around, destroying cultists and their gargoyles. Camellia wondered if they would fly inland and help out once they’d taken care of their very active hoard. But, from the look of things, Camellia and the others should be helping them.

Camellia turned a circle and admired clear skies. “Wait, what is that?” Camellia pointed to a small object.

“I can’t look right now,” Meladee said.

Rooks looked. “I don’t see anything. Oh, now I do. What is it?”

Camellia stared and watched as it flew lower and came close. Camellia stepped back, worried that the object came their way. It arrived, stopped over Alastronia, and shattered.

Meladee whirled and swore. “I forgot the mask!” Meladee hopped to her feet and started a spell of protection.

Camellia readied her sword, and Rooks, still on the ground, picked up her gun.

When Camellia next looked at Alastronia, she found the woman on her feet, head tilted awkwardly to one side.

“Meladee.” The air around Alastronia seemed dim. “That’s the first time I’ve used my mask.”

“You don’t have a second one, right?” Meladee asked from behind their shimmering shield.

Alastronia just laughed. “You know we can’t do that. One mask at a time.”

Alastronia approached, and Camellia studied the woman. Gone were the red rimmed eyes and dark circles. Even Alastronia’s hair seemed less scraggly.

“She’s probably going to be a bit stronger,” Meladee cautioned. “And…” Meladee didn’t finish the thought. She stared to the side of Alastronia.

Camellia followed Meladee’s gaze. A bottle at Alastronia’s side waved small tentacles.

“The infectant,” Camellia said. “She seems to have control over it.”

“We are so fucked…”

Camellia wished for her Obsidian Mirror, but she hadn’t brought it. It wasn’t the kind of thing you carried around, unless you carried everything around. Camellia’s heart pounded.

Meladee called her dragon and basan. They streaked through the sky. The shuttle could take care of itself, but Meladee questioned her own ability to affect a successful self-defense.

Leftover dragons and beasts intercepted Meladee’s creations.

Damn.

Rooks opened fire on Alastronia, not hitting her.

Meladee began another spell, three complicated rings. She shook and tried to get her spell in order. The symbols just wouldn’t find their places.

“Stop that,” Alastronia complained. “I know you’re trying to influence me. It won’t work.”

The hell…? I’m not doing anything. Meladee glanced at Camellia.

Camellia focused on Alastronia, and a dim whisper floated over the air. Camelia didn’t move her lips.

Oh…

Alastronia growled and stopped moving forward.

Meladee felt a glimmer of confidence return. Camellia would help her. She didn’t have to deal with Alastronia alone.

Meladee’s spell went off. She dispelled Alastronia’s protections yet again.

Meladee started a new spell, a simple thing of two rings, but Alastronia moved too fast.

A single ring hovered in the air, aimed at Meladee and her friends. It disgorged balls of fire.

Meladee needed a fast spell. She settled on a single ring of protection. It flashed a small, circular shield into being and caught all of the projectiles. They bounced back at Alastronia.

Alastronia got her own shield in place. The balls of flame bounced away. Some lit the dry grass, and a few fires smoldered nearby. They remained small, but they gave Meladee an idea.

Meladee cast a three-ringed spell. Its circle of ice blue surrounded them all. It never went off. It died were it sat.

“No, no.” Alastronia wagged a finger. She’d performed a direct counter and canceled out all of Meladee’s symbols.

Meladee couldn’t do that. She didn’t think Alastronia had the skill either, not before.

Alastronia smiled. She conjured a new shield and drew closer. She wore the expression that always accompanied a user of the mask. She’d gone. A new Alastronia was here to stay.

Meladee took a step back. Her mind went blank.

“You want to blow all your troubles away, Meladee. Or outrun them.” Tentacles waved around Alastronia. “You have to realize that it’s better to SMASH them! Leave nothing to trouble you again.” Alastronia and the tentacles could just about reach.

To Meladee’s surprise – and Alastronia’s – the tentacles did not reach for them. They wrapped around Alastronia’s arm.

“What?” Alastronia tossed the bottle, but it went nowhere. The tentacles hugged her arm and kept the bottle at her side. “Dammit, High Priestess.”

Meladee didn’t wait. She would smash her troubles alright, but first, she had to get that shield off of them.

Meladee conjured two circles on top of each other. The first dispelled Alastronia’s shield. The second followed quickly and dropped a heavy box atop Alastronia.

Smash was the word.

Meladee exhaled. “I’d like to see her get up from that.”

“You killed her twice. I think that’s enough,” Camellia said.

“Yeah, I hope so.” Meladee shot Camellia a sidelong glance. “So, uh, when did you learn to control tentacles?”

“Oh, they didn’t have much of a mind. They were animalistic, easy to do, even in the sun.” Camellia glanced up at the sky, somewhat surprised.

Meladee nodded. “If you ask me, it’s all that practice.”