The Heroes' Guild

“Great and Esteemed Queen of Mineria,” Singe said as Skylar stood behind him, “A Dark Mage is presenting a threat to all of Magek’s fauna, including many Sea Serpents. We have discovered at least one of the Seven Weapons can disrupt his influence, and believe Rinjor’s Trident may have a similar effect. We ask for a chance to wield it only until the threat has passed, then return it to its rightful place under your care.”

“You ask for much, Knight of Six Kingdoms,” Queen Marina said, “But your reasoning is fair. You may both attempt to wield the trident, and if it favors either of you, claim it as your own. You are both children of Mineria, though you may live elsewhere.”

“Thank you, your majesty.” Singe and Skylar both bowed.

“Though next time, Elementals, I would have your highest-ranked member speak to me if you wish to show proper respect.”

That bruised his ego a little.

“We will keep that in mind, your majesty,” Skylar said.

“Thank you, Princess Ariana.”

The Queen looked past them.

“Tessa.”

The Court Wizard of Mineria stepped closer to the throne, unable to hide a grin as she watched Singe. He did his best to hide his smile at seeing his mother.

“Guide the Knight of Six Kingdoms and the Ember Phoenix to the Trident. See if either of them will be accepted as wielder.”

Tessa bowed, then walked out of the throne room, gesturing for the couple to follow.

John Woe, now uncovered by Tarot’s cloak, with brown skin and a tall figure actually visible, took a deep breath before removing the card labeled “Lady of Darkness” from his deck.

“Scuro,” he called, “I summon you to answer some questions.”

The image from the card began to swirl as shadow with Sarah’s face appeared. Johnny took a few steps back.

“So,” his cousin Wisteria said, now recovered from the paleness of Gamble, wearing a more sensible pair of jeans with a thick blouse, “What was that creature if not a spirit?”

“And how were you able to heal it?” John added.

“The creature I do not know,” Scuro admitted, “Though it looked like the Chimera of legend.”

“Good to know we weren’t crazy on that front,” Wist said.

“I didn’t heal it, but rather absorbed the darkness into myself, though it isn’t ordinary darkness.”

“Neither is yours,” Johnny noted.

Scuro remained silent. It was only a few years ago when she’d actually had a host, and could act without John ordering her. If only he didn’t have to summon her so regularly.

“How was it different from ordinary darkness?” he asked.

“Darkness is simply the absence of light, and unless interfered with, will absorb any light that comes near it. This darkness was an absence of power, and presumably absorbs it in much the same way.”

“You don’t know?” Wist asked, “Then how are you so sure it’s an absence of power?”

“The darkness is familiar, but not from an opportunity for knowledge. My former partner had an ally with this ability.”

“All-The-Greats Uncle has allies that aren’t spirits?” Wist’s eyes flicked about as she tallied something.

Scuro nodded.

“Why have I never heard this?” John asked, “I know I haven’t asked, but Sarah would have told me.”

A brief sadness appeared on Scuro’s face.

“Sarah was not my host for long, and this is the first time I’ve been aware of my partner’s allies since returning.”

Johnny almost crumpled the card in his hand, but thought better of it.

“So you didn’t mention it because you didn’t know if he still had these allies?” Wist asked.

Scuro nodded.

“What was this ally called?” Johnny asked.

“All that was known of him was that he suffered from this same curse, so he was named for it: Dark Magek.”

“Is he the only person who could do this?”

Scuro shook head.

“There have been other dark mages, but he is apparently the most dangerous. He interfaces more directly with the origin of the curse.”

“How low are the odds we got a less dangerous one?” Wist asked.

“You would know better than I, Lady of Luck.”

“Is there anything else it would be useful for us to know?” Johnny asked.

“Dark Mages were all mages originally, and mages have their own methods of dealing with them.”

“What methods?”

“I know they exist, but not the specifics.”

It would be unwise to confront something dangerous that wasn’t even in their purview, but if this Dark Mage was an ally of Chiaro…

“Can you find this Dark Magek through your domain of shadow?” Johnny asked.

“I believe so.”

Brit grabbed Bree’s hand, letting the radiation suffuse her. Strength, Flight, Speed, and Glow. That should let her safely catch the kaiju’s attention.

She flew forward slow enough for Bela to make an opening in the forcefield, then jetted toward the monster.

“Hey!” she yelled, louder and deeper than she’d been with the microphone before.

The monster turned to her, but its eyes looked dead. It made her pause.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” she asked under her breath, though still louder than she would have liked.

“What’s going on?” Bree yelled. She and Bela were coming closer on a large disc-like forcefield, not that Brit could actually see it.

Before Brit could answer, the monster swatted at her. She held her ground—air?—causing the monster to fall on its side.

“That was solved quickly,” Bree commented.

“Don’t be so sure—” Bela insisted.

The monster got back up, looked at Brit, then looked away as it walked toward the crowd.

“How well do you think your forcefield’s going to hold?” Brit asked.

“Not well enough,” Bela said.

Brit could grab it maybe, throw it somewhere, but who knew how many people that could hurt? Plus she’d actually have to get a grip on it. She had larger hands than her friends, but not that large.

They observed helplessly as something like mold seemed to be growing on it. Brit climbed down and tried pulling it off, but it just felt cold on her hands without moldy texture, without any texture really.

“This is weird!” she told the other two.

Bela held a hand out, and the substance moved around an invisible forcefield without leaving the monster, which didn’t react.

“I don’t think we’re hurting it,” Brit noted.

“Maybe we should.”

Bree held out a hand, blasting the thing with UV radiation.

Some of the black stuff disappeared, showing red underneath. Then it returned.

“You may have given it a sunburn, but it worked for a minute.”

“If I remove the audience’s forcefield,” Bela looked down, “And ours, I might be able to hold it still.”

“And expand Bree’s radiation.”

Bela nodded.

Brit grabbed the others so they could safely fall, setting them on the ground as Bela reached forward again. Bree shot UV radiation at the invisible field, causing it to glow like Brit was.

Brit flew up to watch the creature, which now had black spots instead of being covered in the substance. It seemed to be shrinking now too, closer to the size of a Great Dane than a house. Its scales were a deep, bright red, glinting like rubies in the light of the forcefield.

After a few minutes, Brit dropped into the middle of the forcefield. The creature raised itself up, revealing that none of the black stuff seemed to have hidden under its chest.

“I think we’re good!”

After a minute or two, the light started to fade, and the forcefield came down with it. The dragon, because it had to be a dragon with wings and scales like that, stretched before resting in the grass, which started smoking against its chest.

“Let’s hear it for the Radi8s saving our fucking lives!” the The Blah Guard’s frontman said, “This set is dedicated to you, ladies!”

The crowd cheered as the music started blaring again.

“It’s kind of cute when it isn’t walking menacingly toward a crowd of people,” Bree noted.

“That was exhausting,” Bela said, “I haven’t used my powers that much since high school.”

“Must be nice,” Brit whispered, “Having powers that take active work instead of accidentally making you the loudest person alive.”

“Or strongest,” Bree added, “Or fastest, or let you fly.”

“Turn you into a glowstick,” Bela snickered.

“Gamma radiation wasn’t really necessary,” Brit agreed.

Bree shrugged. “I thought it would make for a better distraction.”

Brit did her best not to growl. Until she processed the rest of the UV radiation, her voice would remain louder than the band. She flexed her hand to get a feel for the strength of the sinew. She wouldn’t be back to normal anytime soon.

“I need to be in a very dark room for awhile,” she whispered.

“We’ll take you to the trailer,” Bela said, “Maybe Bree could pull some radiation off of you too.”

Bree shrugged again.

“That was an inadvisable choice,” a man said behind them, “Mortals aren’t meant to interfere with the affairs of mages, even cursed ones.”

The girls looked at the dragon.

“That’s a cursed mage?” Bree asked.

“A victim of one.”

“Then didn’t we help?” Bela asked, “Because it seems fine now.”

Brit finally looked up at the mage. He looked middle aged, with blond hair and paler skin than made sense for someone in this area, and wore armor like he had wandered from an SCA event.

He warily moved closer to the dragon, reaching a glowing hand out.

When he touched the dragon without anything seemingly going wrong, he turned a glare toward the three of them.

“Do not expect such luck on a second attempt.”

In a flare of light, the dragon and the mage disappeared.

“You’re welcome,” Bree insisted to the air, “Asshole.”

“Dark room,” Brit reminded the others.

“On it.”

“You know,” Val commented from the back seat of the jeep, “When I heard we were going to search the canals, I hoped it would be Venice, Amsterdam even.”

“Cousin Clive swears these are better maintained,” Viktorya offered, “But Clive may just be a nationalist. He still hasn’t forgiven me for being American, or marrying an American, or having an American child.”

“I’m a nuisance!” El revealed proudly.

“The best nuisance,” Val assured.

“Why are we searching the canals?” Jon asked.

“We’re looking for someone, but he won’t come to—stop!”

Before Jon could park, she was out, waving down a narrow canal boat.

“Hail, Evil the Water Master.”

The boat stopped more suddenly than the car. A man stepped into view on the deck.

“What did you call me?”

“No need to worry about your identity,” Viktorya assured, “I’m an oracle.”

Evil took a glance at all of them as Val and Jon stepped out of the car. El followed a bit after, trying to stand a little prouder.

“What business does an oracle have here?” he asked, “And who are your companions?”

“Jonathan, Valentina, and Eleanor Hunter. I’m Viktorya, and my business is to help you.”

Evil scoffed.

“Oracle or no, I cannot allow civilians on this mission.”

“We’re not exactly civilians,” Val said awkwardly.

“We’re ex-military,” Jon then pointed at Viktorya, “She’s a former assassin.”

“What of the child?”

“I’m unstoppable.” El said in a serious tone.

“We can hold our own,” Viktorya assured, “And you’re not going to find that portal without my help.”

“How did you—”

“Oracle, of the Admoni line.”

At her mother’s surname, the master stepped back, then built a bridge of water for them to join.

“Why does your mother’s family carry so much weight?” Val asked.

“The Admonis used to advise the Sylvans,” Evil said, “Hell, they’re partially to thank for the family being Sylvan and not Tiadruan.”

“The point is he knows I’m not kidding when I say he needs me to find the portal.”

“Shall you guide me directly?”

“Not yet,” she searched the treeline, “We have one more stop.”