Chapter 33

My combat training took over as adrenaline flooded my system. The world seemed to slow down as I quickly assessed the situation. The orc rider was frozen in momentary surprise at the bizarre scene before him, but he’d be charging at us full tilt once he’d processed things. Virgil was down, clutching the side of his head. Zack’s right arm was almost free, as the Spectral Web I’d used to bind him dissipated into sparkling, magical dust, but he wasn’t in any position to fight off a mounted orc.

I’d frozen up a few times when we were fighting the Holy Brotherhood back in Japan, but back then I’d been forced to fight friends and teachers who had turned out to be traitors. Who wouldn’t hesitate?

Orcs, though? Oh, I knew what I wanted to do with orcs. Mr. Maki and my other teachers had trained me for that for months.

“Magic Bolt!” A blue sphere of energy flew from my hands, slamming into the green-skinned giant’s armored gut. He flew off his steed for the second time that night, but this time his foot was caught in his stirrup, sending the poor Macrauchenia splashing into the muck with him.

I’d put a good amount of magical energy into that bolt, so it was a shock when the orc stumbled back to his feet, hurling curses at me in Demonic. “What? I’ve seen that fly straight through people before!”

“First mistake was thinking of orcs as people,” said Virgil. The devil hopped to his feet, even as he babied his swelling right eye. “They’ve got a hide like a bull; they can take blunt trauma like that all day.”

The orc raised a conch to his lips to sound the alarm, but Zack surprised us all by bull rushing the monster, leaping over the fallen Macrauchenia to smack the horn from his hand.

Fury burned in the orc’s eyes, and Zack was knocked to the ground with a dismissive backhand. His eyes rolled into the back of his head as he slammed right into a tree. He didn’t fall to the ground right away, the branches holding his limp arms up like, well, a scarecrow.

I should have cast a follow-up spell, but my hands rushed to my mouth instead. “Zack!”

Virgil wasn’t much bothered by Zack’s fate. “Firbolg!” The orc’s thick skin and long, scraggly hair were too wet to light up, but his metal cuirass turned bright red at the sudden heat. He let out a shriek of agony as a wave of steam wafted off him.

Finally getting over my shock, I positioned my fingers in an unfamiliar spell. If the orc could shrug off blunt trauma, I’d picked up just the thing from training with Yukiko and Soren. Runes flew about my hands, the golden energy coalescing into a pointed cylinder as long as my arm.

“Celestial Arrow!” This time, my aim went higher, cutting off his pained cry as it went through one side of his throat and out the other. The orc collapsed to the ground with a wet gurgle.

The Macrauchenia rolled to its three-hooved feet, Virgil rushing over to calm it. Virgil was a slender boy, and seeing him next to the draft-horse sized trunked animal made him look all the smaller. Taking ahold of its bridle, Virgil wrestled its head still, running his free hand along its long cheek.

“Ruhigar, ruhigar,” he cooed. It was strange hearing the harsh Demonic language being used to soothe, but the curly-haired devil was full of surprises.

The creature’s wild eyes calmed as it wrapped its trunk around Virgil’s head.

Zack managed to right himself, rubbing his aching head. “Remind me not to try boxing with an orc again.” I went over to Zack and did what I could to support him.

“You may not have a choice,” grumbled Virgil. “We kept him from raising the alarm, but there aren’t that many orcs on the island. Somebody’s going to notice Yanus missing, and the Master isn’t going to rest until he knows why.” He cast a piercing gaze at Zack. “They’re going to notice that knot on your head, too, and you’re going to be the prime suspect.”

“I don’t see how,” said Zack. “Yanus there hit like a dang gorilla!”

“Stronger than that, actually,” he said, “but they don’t have to have firm proof. Orcs are extremely tribal, and he was their captain. Somebody’s going to pay, and the torture’s going to be messy.”

My blood went cold at that. “Torture?”

“It’s the easiest way to get a confession,” said Virgil with the same unbothered tone as I’d mention that there was no milk in the fridge. “I’m afraid it’s going to be a short-lived reunion with you and your boyfriend.”

Zack stiffened. “Wait a tic. Rose, why are we talking with a devil like this?”

Virgil barked a cruel laugh. “You’re just noticing? Yanus really did ring your bell!”

“Virgil’s a friend,” I said, shooting a cross look at Virgil. He wasn’t helping anything. “He found you for me, and he gave me a tour of the parts of the island I’m not allowed on.”

“F-friend?” Virgil’s face flushed a bit at the f-word. “Wait, that isn’t going to matter. We have a dead orc on our hands, and a human who was last seen in my company going the same way he was.”

“It seems easy enough to me,” said Zack. “You devils don’t care much about the lives of the lesser demons.”

“That’s true back on the mainland, but there’s only a handful of orcs left in the Master’s forces. Why do you think he wastes time on you humans? Trust me, he’s going to notice.”

“We already have a ticking clock anyway,” I said. “Virgil, do you want me to do something about that black eye? I know some healing magic.”

The devil pursed his lips thoughtfully. “No, I don’t think you should. I need some evidence.”

“I could use a touch of that,” said Zack.

I shook my head. “Unfortunately, that won’t work. Healing magic requires the recipient having magical energy to manipulate.”

Virgil threw his head back, showing me real anger for the first time. “Hellfire and damnation, we aren’t even risking our lives for another wizard? I thought we’d be getting some real backup! What good is this Zack, then?”

“He proved we can reach these people,” I said. “They’re still in there, magic or no. They can help us.”

“Unless your plan is to make out with and cry over every one of them, that isn’t going to matter,” said Virgil. “You realize this is pretty well hopeless, right? Two magical users and a normal human against an entire island of loyal zombies, orcs, and the Master to boot? Bah, the Master was right, human women are nothing but trouble.”

“I’m getting bloody tired of hearing that all the time,” I said, jabbing an accusatory finger at Virgil.

Virgil had the decency to look guilty, at least. “My apologies.”

“I’m not so useless. I gave you a nice shiner, yeah?” said Zack, rearing up to his full height.

“Only because Yanus… you know what? Never mind.” A wicked smirk played across his lips. “Enjoy your little victory while you can. You’re going to have to watch yourself, human. You’ll need to pretend you’re still good and ensorcelled, or else you’re going to get another dose of the Master’s magic.”

Zack’s face drained of color. “Do I have to go back there?”

“Yes, if you don’t want to be part of the manhunt. If you play along, though, I think I know how to cover for us.”

Zack frowned, but nodded. “I can’t believe I’m working with a devil.”

“Virgil’s not so bad, besides that last outburst” I said, which earned me sour looks from both men.

“I’ll ignore that insult, since you meant well,” said Virgil. “Rose, you’d best get back to Haven if you’re going to get any sleep. We’ll meet you at the rocky hill tomorrow night after sunset, Our Father Below willing.”

“I don’t think he’d approve of you putting your neck out there for me,” I said in a teasing tone.

“Probably not,” he admitted. “Still, He’s bound to like me more than The Enemy, and I’ll take whatever help I can get.”

I nodded. “Tomorrow night, then.” I couldn’t resist giving Zack a hug goodbye, though I spared one for the jealous Virgil, too. He’d more than earned some kindness; it might have been the first time he’d really known it. “You both take care of yourselves, alright?”

Virgil chuckled nervously; I think my sudden closeness caught him off guard. He was oddly cute like that. “W-well, I’m sure I’ll be fine. The Master doesn’t exactly have anyone else to keep his damned fabricata running, now does he?”

“I’ll play along, too.” Zack gave me a thumbs up, which made Virgil’s eye twitch for reasons I couldn’t fathom.

We separated then and there. The way Virgil had phrased things made me nervous. ‘Our Father Below willing.’ There’s were an awful lot of “ifs” thrown in there. With only two days left until my pending pairing with Kumar, I didn’t have time for any uncertainty. Not because I was going to let Kumar so much as touch me, but because at that point, it would be obvious I’d broken my conditioning.