The Heart of Alchemy by James Wisher (i like reading books txt) 📗

“Is that wise?” Adam asked. “Neither I nor Lilly have any experience fighting undead. Lord Valtan never instructed us how. We don’t even know any offensive spells.”

“Then we’ll learn together. My actions brought this mess on the city, and I have to do something to make it right. In two minutes, I’m going out there, with or without you two.”

Adam ran to wake his partner. Eddred left him to it and went down another door. He had barely knocked when the door opened, revealing the scruffy face of Uther of Straken. His chest was bare and it looked like he had just gotten out of bed.

“What’s going on now?” Uther asked. “I heard enough screams outside to do a torture chamber proud.”

“Undead in the city. I’m going out to fight them. Will you help?”

Uther snorted a laugh. “I’ve seen your bladework. All you’re going to do is get yourself killed. Let the city guards handle it. That’s what they’re paid for.”

He had a point about Eddred’s sword skills, but that didn’t matter, not tonight. “This is all my fault. I have to do something to help.”

“Then I’d best go with you. It’s not like I have the coin to pay for this room on my own.”

A little over two minutes later the four of them strode out of the inn into the now-silent street. Three bodies lay in pools of blood a little ways away. Chunks had been taken out of them, bitten out most likely.

“Where are they?” Eddred asked.

Adam and Lilly closed their eyes and a faint glow surrounded them as they wove the ether.

“I sense eight,” Adam said at last. “They’re spread out all over the city.”

“The nearest is four blocks north,” Lilly added.

That was enough for Eddred. He drew his sword and marched north.

The streets remained quiet for three blocks. The only people they encountered were those that dared peek out from behind their closed curtains. All he got was the impression of terrified, pale faces that sagged with relief when they saw Eddred and his companions instead of an undead horror.

They rounded a corner onto the fourth block and there it was. The gray-skinned creature stood in the center of the street, an arm dangling limp and half eaten in its right hand. Judging from the ragged strips of flesh dangling from its shoulder, Eddred guessed it had been ripped off its former owner. He shuddered at the strength that must have taken.

“We’ll try to slow it down,” Adam said. “What little I know indicates that you have to cut its head off to kill it.”

Eddred tightened his grip on his sword and glanced at Uther who nodded.

The two men separated and came at it from opposite directions. The monster watched them with its glowing red eyes, seeming untroubled by a pair of armed warriors stalking toward it.

Ether streaked past them and wrapped around the undead’s arms, legs, and chest.

It finally snarled and thrashed, tossing the arm away in its fury to escape.

“Hurry, Your Majesty,” Lilly said, her voice strained. “We can’t hold it for long.”

Eddred charged and swung with all his might towards the creature’s neck.

Despite the magic binding it, the monster raised an arm in time to intercept his strike.

The keen edge of Eddred’s sword slammed into the withered limb and barely cut it. He’d hit softer oak logs.

Uther hacked at it from the opposite side, carving a groove in its side, but doing no real damage.

The beast roared and swung its clawed hand at Eddred.

He leapt back, avoiding the blow.

Uther took up the assault, actually landing a slash to its neck that barely made a crease.

How in heaven’s name were they going to kill the monster when their weapons barely scratched it?

Eddred looked back at Adam and Lilly. “Can you two make our weapons more effective? We’re never going to stop it like this.”

“We can, Majesty, but not while binding the monster,” Lilly said.

“Then let it go. Uther! Fall back!”

Uther gave the undead beast a final, ineffective whack before disengaging and backing away to join Eddred. “Do we have a plan?”

“Adam and Lilly are going to release the creature and enhance our weapons instead.”

Uther winced. “I’m not sure that’s a good plan. Didn’t you feel how strong that thing is? One solid blow is apt to break bone if not kill us outright.”

“It’s the only way. Once they’re exhausted it’ll be free and we won’t have them to increase the potency of our blades.”

“Ah, hell. Fine, let’s go for it.”

“On three, Majesty,” Adam said.

The wizard counted down. On three, the ethereal flow shifted.

The instant it was free, the undead charged them.

It was faster than Eddred expected.

Uther stepped in front and swung his sword.

The monster raised its arm to defend. The bright steel struck home, slicing its arm off at the elbow.

No blood spurted and the beast didn’t even slow.

Taken off guard by its lack of reaction, Uther was too slow to defend.

A clawed hand sliced him across the chest. Twisted magic exploded out of the undead’s fingertips into Uther. The prince’s body went rigid as he collapsed.

The undead raised its hand to finish him off.

Eddred charged in and swung.

His blade bit deep into its neck, sending its head falling to the earth with a plop. The body collapsed a moment later.

Adam and Lilly hurried over.

“Are you well, Majesty?” Lilly asked.

“Well enough. Check on Uther.”

Adam did so. After a moment he said, “The wounds are shallow. We just have to wait for the paralysis to wear off.”

“Where’s the next one?” Eddred asked.

Lilly shook her head. “I’m not sure. That battle drained me. I doubt I have strength enough to enhance your blade again, much less bind one of those things. I think our night is over.”

“But there are more of them,” Eddred said.

“And there are others to deal with them,” Adam said. “Dying tonight will do nothing to help the people of this city.”

Eddred slumped to the stone street. Adam was right of course. Dying might assuage his guilt, but it