After the Battle

A blinding flash, a tearing roar, and physical blow of the shockwave raced across Orvma. Thousands of Xee were slammed together in the blast, blown for miles beyond the town. A great mushroom cloud of dust rose on the plain south of the city. The fireball did not enter the city itself, but Clee felt a searing wave of heat pass over him.

He had forgotten to ground himself, and he slammed into a wall across the street from the rampart. “Oof”, said Clee, and fell to the ground.

Above him the dragons tumbled in a sky packed with dead and burning Xee.

“Was that what I thought it was?” asked Corir.

“Hmmm. Nope,” said Skol. “No radiation. Just a massive kinetic displacement.”

“Is that possible for an air demon?”

“Apparently so. Thought only the aspect of Destruction gave a blast like that, but a non-nuclear explosion is apparently within their powers.”

“Nice trick,” said Corir.

“No it is not,” said Skol. “I begin to think this experiment has gone out of control.”

“They’re praising the LORD down there too.”

“Ah well, we’re not the Enemy. Can’t undo a mistake.”

“It’s a short term experiment anyhow,” said Corir.

“Time to end this one?” said Skol.

“Let’s try a pep talk,” said Corir.

“Vaan!” roared Skol.

The air demon apported. “Yes, my lord?”

“Fetch us the Necromancer!”

**************************************************************

Beyond the blast radius, the Xee queens turned south. The blast had been big enough of a hazard to trigger their instincts. They no longer sought the city of Orvma.

Their thousands of colonist Xee turned with them.

And the millions of escorting drones moved too.

**************************************************************

“They’re turning away!”

The people turned to look, not believing at first. Then they began to cheer.

King Jason, his ears still ringing, heard them. “Another miracle!” he breathed.

“Trumpeters!” he shouted. “Blow the royal salute!”

Above him the dragons soared back to the Temple. “Thanks friends,” King Jason said quietly. ’Runners! Tell all my captains to assemble the militia ensigns. We’re to have a conference and get this city cleaned of Xee. Create pyres by the serai. Attend to our wounded.

“And where’s that burned lad?” he asked, looking around the ramparts.

A soldier pointed behind them, at two figures rising through the air towards the Temple.

“He does get around,” muttered the King. Around him, the rams horns blew the royal salute, and the people below him cheered mightily.

************************************************************

Clee was borne by winds back to the Temple room.

“I know you don’t want my advice,” thought Ignatius.

“That’s for sure,” thought Pelena.

“But I remind you not to be manipulated,” thought Ignatius. “They are controlling creatures and servants of evil.”

“That’s for sure,” thought Danan.

“I’ll bear it in mind,” said Clee aloud.

“Necromancer,” growled Skol.

“A fine mess you’ve made of things,” said Corir.

’We saved the city,” said Clee. “That’s got to be good.”

“But you did it in the name of the LORD,” said Corir. “And that’s not what we wanted.”

“Why did you think to praise the LORD?” asked Skol.

“Orvma beat off the attacks of the Xee once before, and not with magic,” said Clee. “So I asked a priest for help.”

“Well, you have the power to put him aside forever,” said Skol. “Do so.”

“No,” said Clee.

“You defy us?” roared Corir.

“What more can you do to me?” wailed Clee. “You disfigured me, you killed all my friends. You gonna kill me now too? Again?”

The dragons said nothing.

Clee said, “You had some reason for giving me powers. You didn’t need me to save the city. I don’t know what your game is, but, if it’s not over, then get off my back.”

“Easy,” thought Danan.

Clee said, “I don’t know what your game is, but I’m saving humanity from the Xee. If you’re in agreement, we can work together. I don’t work for you though.”

“Insolent human,” said Skol.

“Yah,” said Clee. “But we can get along.”

Pelena thought, “Good for you! Take no commands from anybody.”

“Remind them how you can help,” thought Danan.

“Ask them why they oppose the LORD,” thought Ignatius.

Corir said, “You are an insolent worm. The most severe punishment I can think of, is to let you try to straighten your life out without our help.”

Skol said, “We can take off an arm.”

“Let the master handle this. You’re dismissed, Necromancer.”

“I haven’t finished,” said Clee.

“Argomath!” roared Corir.

The demon apported. “Yes, my lord?”

“Blow him back to the King. Let him explain where the Queen is,” said Corir.

Skol said, “Just because you have the aspect of Mind does not make you Master.”

“Don’t bicker in front of the lesser beings.”

The dragons began to hiss at each other as Clee was lifted off his feet and blown backwards.

“That went well,” thought Danan.

“We survived,” thought Pelena.

“They argue with each other. Interesting. I haven’t made a study of the hierarchy of the Others—“

“Good. Then shut up about it,” thought Danan. “Pelena? Do you have a message for the King that Clee should deliver?”

“No. Why?”

“He’s your husband!”

“Not anymore. ‘Til death do you part’. I’m a free spirit.”

“She’s technically right,” said Ignatius. “The very point once came up—“

“All right, but bend your heads around the fact that Clee’s got to deliver the bad news without getting executed,” said Danan.

“What’s that?” gasped Clee.

He looked to the east. A towering figure of light stood silently over the city of Orvma. It was a winged figure and held a blazing sword.

“Oh oh,” said Argomath. “That’s not evil at all.”

*****************************************************

The figure stood as tall as the noonday sun, and just as hard to look at. Everybody was shielding their eyes trying to look at it, just the same. It stood there silently for ten minutes, then vanished.

“What’s it mean?” asked the King. But there were none to tell him.

“Here comes the Burned Lad!” shouted a soldier.

Clee and Argomath came sailing over the rooftops. Clee dropped a short way to the floor of the rampart, and Argomath disappeared.

’Put a cloak on or something, boy,” said the King.

A soldier offered Clee a stained cloak. Clee draped it around himself, said, “There is something I must tell you in private, your majesty.”

“You have saved our city! I proclaim you an earl of Orvma!” shouted the King, to cheers.

“Thank him and insist,” thought Pelena.

’Your majesty does me honor. But I must speak with you privately,” said Clee aloud.

“A week of feasting! Starting tonight!” shouted the King.

“Bow,” said Danan.

Clee bowed. “Your majesty…”

The King gripped his shoulder, waved to the cheering crowd below the rampart, murmured, “Wave, boy. And get yourself bathed and clothed properly.” He released Clee, turned to leave.

“Tell him he smells and weighs a ton!” thought Pelena.

“What?” said Clee aloud.

“What what?” said the King.

“Say it!” thought Pelena.

“You smell and erm, you weigh a ton,” said Clee.

The King goggled at him. “What did you say? Who told you to say that?”

***********************************************************

The King paced the rampart and wept.

“Keep quiet,” thought Ignatius.

“I warned her about sorcery. I warned her it was no good,” said the King, staring at the Temple. Wrath contorted his face. “I’ll have those dragons roasted on a spit. I’ll take that Temple if it costs me every man in the Army. I swear by the—“

“Majesty!” said Clee sharply.

“That’s the spirit, lunkhead!” thought Pelena. “Avenge me Henren style!”

“Keep quiet, Pelena,” thought Danan.

“What?” said the King.

“We’re not out of trouble yet,” said Clee.

“Did she say that? Is that her opinion?”

“Err..no. She wants you to kill the dragons, in fact. I don’t know that’s such a good idea,” said Clee.

“You don’t? You’re a boy and she’s a queen!”

“Tell him, lunkhead!” thought Pelena.

“Tell him I vote not to kill the dragons yet,” said Danan.

“Remind him about the archangel hovering over the city,” said Ignatius.

“It’s two to one we don’t do anything against the dragons yet. There’s that archangel over the city.”

“Look boy, er, Necromancer. It’s been a long day. I need some rest, and I want you to get some too. Then, advise me. But only after consideration, you hear? I don’t want boyish foolishness,” said the King.

“I could, I’ve been up twenty-four hours,” said Clee.

“Well that’s right then. Come back to the Palace. We’ll walk,” said the King quickly. “Er, is she happy, where she’s at?”

“Fat lot he really cares,” thought Pelena.

“Don’t confuse the boy,” said Danan.

“Don’t tell lies just to make people feel better,” said Ignatius.

“Well, yes, she’s happy where she’s at. I mean she misses you.”

“So she’s not happy without me?”

“Warned you,” said Ignatius.

“Um, well, actually she’s kind of bitchy,” said Clee.

“Brat!” thought Pelena.

The King grunted. “Stay by me lad, in the years to come. We’ll hold this city.” He brightened. “And there’s the feasting to look forwards to!”

“I’d rather have a long sleep,” said Clee, and yawned.

So it happened that “the Burned Lad” wasn’t at the first night’s party. And his legend grew.