and Alexander could hear bones in the corpse’s left hand break from the impact. The guard turned with a grunt from the force of the blow, leaving his left side exposed. The man that was not a man drove his sword into the guard’s ribs but this time he didn’t pay any attention to his kill. This time the man that was not a man was looking straight at Alexander.
The thing sprang into a headlong sprint. Alexander and Abigail drew their swords almost as one. Lucky pulled a small clay pot out of his bag. The man that was not a man drew closer and Lucky prepared to throw his clay pot, when a blindingly bright ray of argent light stabbed down from the second-story balcony of Valentine Manor.
Bella Valentine stood on the balcony, wreathed in golden light and flanked by a half dozen archers. She was an accomplished witch. Her mother had been a sorceress and had taught Bella about magic from an early age. From her outstretched hand she directed her magic down on the man that was not a man. Her light revealed the creature’s true nature for all to see. The ugliness of its form was only exceeded by the ugliness of its nature.
The man that was not a man screamed in pain and flipped over backwards, retreating from the light. He regained his feet and shot Bella a murderous look as he snarled and keened in pain. Half a dozen arrows peppered him without any visible effect.
Duncan and Anatoly burst into the courtyard flanked by a dozen of the house guard.
Lucky didn’t hesitate. He threw his clay pot with perfect accuracy. It hit the man that was not a man straight in the chest. The clay pot shattered on impact, splattering magical liquid fire the color of free-flowing lava that ignited everything it touched.
Flame quickly engulfed the possessed corpse. He shrieked again and fell as the fire consumed him. Alexander thought he saw a shadow rise up out of the flames, but dismissed it as his father and Anatoly came up around them.
“It’s time to go. Get your horses.”
Duncan Valentine was all business. It had been many years since his house had been attacked and he was fighting mad. Alexander and Abigail knew better than to argue. They made straight for the stables while Lucky went to get his wagon. He never traveled light.
Before Alexander could reach the stable gate, he heard the shriek again. He whirled to see the house guard who had been speared in the belly standing with his guts hanging out of the fresh wound. He was looking straight at Alexander.
From the balcony, Bella called out, “Zombie demon!”
She cast another ray of blinding argent light at the newly animated corpse. It screamed and gibbered as it leapt back out of the light, looking for a way to get to Alexander.
Alexander didn’t know what a zombie demon was but he could see that his father and Anatoly did. They began barking orders at the growing number of house guard in the courtyard. Duncan grabbed Anatoly by the shirt and said something to him before turning to face the demon in his yard.
Anatoly turned and ran straight for Alexander and Abigail. “Get your horses! Right now!” he bellowed as he ran toward the stables. Lucky came out from behind his workshop driving his wagon fast. Anatoly barked to Lucky, “Head for the gate!”
Alexander and Abigail emerged from the stables mounted on their horses and saw the fire in the yard. Duncan Valentine was ordering his men to use fire against the attacker. Bella’s light was effective at corralling the creature but couldn’t kill it. Fire had felled the first possessed corpse. Duncan clearly figured it should work again.
Anatoly mounted his big warhorse quickly and motioned for them to follow Lucky, while he positioned his horse to block the zombie demon’s view of Alexander. Already three of Anatoly’s men had fallen. He looked back and heard Duncan shout, “Get them out!” Anatoly nodded once, turned away from his best friend, and urged his horse into a gallop.
He found Alexander and Abigail
The thing sprang into a headlong sprint. Alexander and Abigail drew their swords almost as one. Lucky pulled a small clay pot out of his bag. The man that was not a man drew closer and Lucky prepared to throw his clay pot, when a blindingly bright ray of argent light stabbed down from the second-story balcony of Valentine Manor.
Bella Valentine stood on the balcony, wreathed in golden light and flanked by a half dozen archers. She was an accomplished witch. Her mother had been a sorceress and had taught Bella about magic from an early age. From her outstretched hand she directed her magic down on the man that was not a man. Her light revealed the creature’s true nature for all to see. The ugliness of its form was only exceeded by the ugliness of its nature.
The man that was not a man screamed in pain and flipped over backwards, retreating from the light. He regained his feet and shot Bella a murderous look as he snarled and keened in pain. Half a dozen arrows peppered him without any visible effect.
Duncan and Anatoly burst into the courtyard flanked by a dozen of the house guard.
Lucky didn’t hesitate. He threw his clay pot with perfect accuracy. It hit the man that was not a man straight in the chest. The clay pot shattered on impact, splattering magical liquid fire the color of free-flowing lava that ignited everything it touched.
Flame quickly engulfed the possessed corpse. He shrieked again and fell as the fire consumed him. Alexander thought he saw a shadow rise up out of the flames, but dismissed it as his father and Anatoly came up around them.
“It’s time to go. Get your horses.”
Duncan Valentine was all business. It had been many years since his house had been attacked and he was fighting mad. Alexander and Abigail knew better than to argue. They made straight for the stables while Lucky went to get his wagon. He never traveled light.
Before Alexander could reach the stable gate, he heard the shriek again. He whirled to see the house guard who had been speared in the belly standing with his guts hanging out of the fresh wound. He was looking straight at Alexander.
From the balcony, Bella called out, “Zombie demon!”
She cast another ray of blinding argent light at the newly animated corpse. It screamed and gibbered as it leapt back out of the light, looking for a way to get to Alexander.
Alexander didn’t know what a zombie demon was but he could see that his father and Anatoly did. They began barking orders at the growing number of house guard in the courtyard. Duncan grabbed Anatoly by the shirt and said something to him before turning to face the demon in his yard.
Anatoly turned and ran straight for Alexander and Abigail. “Get your horses! Right now!” he bellowed as he ran toward the stables. Lucky came out from behind his workshop driving his wagon fast. Anatoly barked to Lucky, “Head for the gate!”
Alexander and Abigail emerged from the stables mounted on their horses and saw the fire in the yard. Duncan Valentine was ordering his men to use fire against the attacker. Bella’s light was effective at corralling the creature but couldn’t kill it. Fire had felled the first possessed corpse. Duncan clearly figured it should work again.
Anatoly mounted his big warhorse quickly and motioned for them to follow Lucky, while he positioned his horse to block the zombie demon’s view of Alexander. Already three of Anatoly’s men had fallen. He looked back and heard Duncan shout, “Get them out!” Anatoly nodded once, turned away from his best friend, and urged his horse into a gallop.
He found Alexander and Abigail
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