Michael Foster - She Who Has No Name

She fell just as Om-rah scooped past them and Samuel was racing to be beside her as the arch-wizard alighted on the next building. He thought the woman had been lucky but,as he helped her to her feet, she wailed and clutched at Samuel, for young Leopold was missing from her arms.

‘No!’ sheshrieked,as the terrible arch-wizard raised the screaming child to his excited mouth.

Samuel’s heart skipped, then a flash of magic and a spray of yellow fluid jetted up from between Om-rah’s shoulder plates. His beetle-like head plopped onto the rooftop and rolled down to where it fell on the street, chomping at nothing. Balten stepped out from behind the beast and pulled the crying child from its claws. Carefully, he scaled down to the street and came beside them. Lillith took the child from his arms and hugged the boy tightly, sobbing with joy. All four of them were sopping wet and the Empress was shivering. For the first time Samuel noticed how utterly freezing it had become.

‘Well,’ Balten said. ‘I’ve been waiting to do that for a long time.’

‘Is he dead?’ Samuel asked, for Om-rah’s body was still clambering around on the roof, feeling about with its claws.

‘I’m afraid I don’t have much magic left in me. I wouldn’t put it past him to grow a new head, so can you do the honours? I’d be much happier knowing there was no chance he could slip away and crawl under some rock to rejuvenate. Aim between the joints. It’s the only place he is vulnerable.’

Samuel nodded and called to his power one last time. It felt like someone was dragging a razor up his arm, but he managed to send out a tight beam of fire that screeched off Om-rah’s chitinous armour before finding the narrow articulation on the side of his body.

He intensified the potency and the result was spectacular, as the spell pushed between his plates of armour and slipped inside. There was immediately a hissing noise from within and yellow custard came boiling out the top of the arch-wizard’s shell. When the creature finally fell forward, his steaming hulk began to smoulder and his shell peeled back to reveal a set of vile, smoking organs. Samuel let his spell subside and,finally, Om-rah was still.

‘That will take care of him,’ Balten said, brushing his hands together and Samuel noticed that the tall magician looked unsteady on his feet. Samuel took him under the cover of one of the nearby buildings and let the man rest his legs.

‘You’re injured,’ Samuel said.

‘Just a tad. Eric seems to be mopping up the last of those wizards, so I’m hoping I can have a bit of a rest. I’m afraid I haven’t quite recovered from my time in captivity.’

They heard a clattering sound and Samuel looked back out on the street. He thought it had begun to rain, but,as the downfall increased,he saw there were pieces bouncing onto the street, and he realisedthey weretiny balls of ice.

‘Hail?’ Balten said, raising his head. ‘This is interesting.’

The ice continued to fall in varying-sized balls, bouncing about and gathering in clumps until the street was glazed white. The sound grew louder; under it was almost deafening and chunks the size of fists fell, crashing onto the rooftops.

‘What is happening?’ Samuel asked.

‘This battle will become something of a legend, Samuel-that is, if any of the Paatin live to tell of it. We’ve managed to upset things quite a bit, but they should settle back to normal soon. The weather can sometimes be affected by great magic, and defeating a thousand Paatin wizards is no small task.’

‘Empress Lillith,’ Samuel said, talking to the woman as she rocked the sobbing boy in her arms. ‘Are you injured?’

‘No, Samuel, I am well,’ she said, still sniffing and snivelling. ‘Thank you so much for saving us. I thought that thing was going to eat him.’

‘You are safe now. We will get you away from here.’

‘Where is my husband?’ she asked him.

‘He should be safely with Cang about now.’

‘Your husband?’ Balten said and it surprised Samuel that the man did not know everything.

‘Sir Ferse is the Emperor. Surely you knew?’ Samuel asked him.

‘I did not, but I see that some of this now makes sense. As I have said, Cang only tells me what he thinks I need to know.’

‘So it seems,’ said Samuel, ‘but we are not finishedhereyet. I still need to return and kill the sand witch and take her ring.’

‘Samuel,’ Balten said. ‘You can’t. She will surely be expecting you.’

‘I know now I can do it. I feel my own magic is returning and with the ring I am more powerful than ever.’

‘You’re in no condition to do much of anything, Samuel. You need to rest or you will just be throwing your life away.’

‘I cannot wait. She could do anything. I need to get her before she has time to prepare her defences.’

‘I can warn you, but I cannot stop you,’ Balten said solemnly. ‘We will be waiting in the Temple of Shadows. I will keep them safe with me there until you return.’

Samuelbeganto leave, butthe merest movement madehis muscles feelemptied of strength. The thought of even using his ring again made him feel sick. Balten was right; he had no idea how he would even make it back to the palace, yet alone defeat Alahativa, but there was no way he was going to give up now.

‘Samuel,’ Lillith said and she turned to him. ‘Thank you. Thank you both. You have saved us from that hideous thing. We will be forever in your debt. Words fail me.’

‘There is nothing to thank me for, Your Highness. I am no hero for saving you, but I would be a coward if I had not. Go with Balten. He will take you to your husband.’

She seemed pleased by the news and hugged her boy closer to her. ‘Please, be careful, Samuel. I hope I will also see you soon.’

Hurried steps sounded from the street and Eric came scampering in, wet and frozen from the rain and hail. His hair was full of ice and his cheeks looked pink and frozen. He scurried in under the cover to join them.

‘Finished already?’ Balten said.

‘Almost,’ Eric replied. ‘A few were left, but they gave up the moment the sky started pouring ice onto them and they fled. I think they thought enough was enough. I don’t blame them. A few of those pieces almost cracked my skull in. I take it everyone’s fine then?’ he said, looking to the Empress and her child.

‘They are. Eric, I’m going back,’ Samuel told him.

‘Where? To Hol?’

‘Yes. I want you to help Balten. Take them back to Cang and take care of them. I will join you there soon.’

‘I will come with you,’ Eric stated, but Samuel shook his head gravely.

‘No. While I would appreciateit ifyouwerewith me, I can act more freely alone. I can control the power of the ring better now, but I cannot unleash its full power if I have to worry about others. If I have to, I will destroy the whole palace.’

‘Very well, but if you get into trouble I will bring the others to save you. I don’t want to go back to Cintar alone.’

‘Agreed,’ Samuel said.

Thankfully, the hail had eased to a soft drizzle that was almost like snowflakes and he started out into the street, striding away with as much vigour as he could summon-at least, until he was out of view of the others. Out of the town he went, with his toes kicking the ice away before him. The hard part was done; now all he had to do now was defeat that infernal woman.

The surreal hills and fields of ice ended not far from Yi’sit and Samuel was glad to have his feet out of the cold and back onto the warm desert sand. It still contained some residual heat from the day and some feelingreturned tohis toes.

It was a long walk back to the city of Hol and Samuel drove himself on for as long as he could. Eventually, he realised the foolishness of what he was doing and allowed himself to sleep. Still, he woke before an hour had passed and set off again in the direction of the city. That small rest seemed enough, and he could scarcely believe that he had just fought to his last skerrick of energy. Regaining the ring seemed to have granted him more power than ever. His senses were now finely tuned and could detect the masses of people in Hol, even from so far away.