Chapter 61
Struck Opal collapsed to the ground and began to hyperventilate. The energy that poured out of her through such a powerful spell and the shock of seeing her attack on Mustaffa fail, despite its effect on his men, had devastated her. As she lay on the ground, her heart pounded, and she gasped for air.
He cannot be harmed by magic, she dimly realized. Blinded by the rage that had built inside her for days, Opal had forgotten the warlord’s magic-dispelling amulet.
“Now! Use your spell to transfer her magical essence to us!” Malek yelled to Dusk.
It had seemed Malek’s treacherous machinations had come to fruition. Four jagged beams of black energy emanated from Dusk’s hands, struck Opal’s chest, and latched onto her like wiggling leeches.
“You’re too powerful to control, Opal, so you left us with no other options, right, brothers?” Malek said.
“Steal her powers and destroy her,” the nameless mage answered.
“I was on the cusp of becoming the most powerful archmage in the history of the High Council! And you, a mere student, dared to ruin me!” Malek leaned toward her. “Today, I kill you for embarrassing me!”
“Yes, I yearn to taste her youthful lifeblood first,” Dusk cheered. “Stay your hand until I have had my chance. My fill…”
“You destroyed the High Council, Opal! You did!” Malek spat at her. “We gave you the knowledge to use your powers, and you turned them against us!”
“Now your boundless energy will be ours.” The nameless mage shook with excitement. “We will be reborn!”
Opal’s head began to spin. Not even the chilly autumn air could cool her fever. Weakened, she tipped over onto her back. Her legs felt like mush; nevertheless, she tried to use them to push herself toward the ledge of the hilltop. As Dusk blasted her with the next stage of his spell, Opal reached out to Karn with her mind, but once again she felt the enchanted amulet dispel her magic.
I have failed you. I failed myself.
Dusk’s evil spell pervaded Opal’s body. She felt it reach into the deepest core of her soul and siphon the magical energy from her, but the magic worked slowly, and it would take some time before she was fully drained of her powers.
Look at them, my energy surging through their bodies; they look intoxicated. Bastards.
It reminded Opal of how she felt when she had stolen the life from Karn’s wife. It was enthralling. And before it ended, it washed away all the other physical sensations. She understood both sides of the spell now; and for a moment, Opal agreed that she deserved just this.
As she lay there, helpless, her eyes grew dim. She felt her life slip away as a cold numbness took over. As her world went black, she heard a faint murderous cry. At that moment, just before her senses faded, she heard Sadok, the mage-hunter, yell an order.
His archers launched a volley of arrows at the three old mages before he charged in, wielding his polearm. Ensnared in their own spell, the mages were unable to defend themselves enough as Sadok swung his polearm with precision. He sliced open and gored Dusk, first. The old mage coughed dark brown blood down the front of his robes as he gripped his belly.
Opal watched two arrows strike Malek, one deep in his shoulder, the other in his thigh.
When Malek looked for an escape, he came face to face with the student. Six arrows protruded from the man’s chest, and a seventh was lodged deep in his throat. He looked confused.
When the spell broke, Malek was free to move. Although the pain must have been terrible, he tried to flee and all but tripped over the body of his colleague.
Sadok lowered his arm and signaled his archers to fire a second volley at their target. Opal flinched as three arrows pierced Malek’s back in a neat triangle before a final arrow penetrated his other shoulder, deep in the muscle and bone. The impact knocked him to his knees, and he began to crawl in a last attempt to escape.
Sadok pulled Dusk’s body from his polearm with a foot and approached Malek. “Your time in this world is over, you sick abomination!”
Opal watched him, now reduced to a blur of shadows, raise his weapon over his head, aim, and then impale Malek through the back.