Marcus and James came upon the scene a few moments too late to help, but just in time for the answers they so desperately wanted.  Marcus could hear Maeve shouting “Kill him! Kill him now!  If he dies the spell dies with him!”  Gunfire was echoing all around – shotguns, pistols, and other weapons, as well as the screams of the injured and dying.  And then suddenly, there was a pillar of brilliant light, bursting from the ground up to the sky, with the sounds of thunder, and coiling clouds wrapping around the strange, obviously unnatural light.

 

            James drew his gun.  “That can’t be good.”

 

            “Probably not, but I’m not leaving till we know what’s going on.”  Marcus motioned for James to follow out of the scrub and brush.

 

            “Me either, dammit.”  James said, following.  “This just reminds me of that movie with the Ark – you know?”

 

            “Let’s hope it doesn’t end the same way, then!”  Marcus added as he crested a small rise, where he and James could see the battlefield. 

 

Vargas and a snake-man were standing behind what could only be described as a force field, while two men armed with swords and axes were trying to get at them.  Maeve and Erica were standing apart from the chaos, and four men and women – probably the hired guns – were engaged in a gun battle with the rest of the biker gang.  There were injured on both sides.  Erica grunted in pain, looking hurt – and a bolt of silvery light flew from her hands, hitting Vargas’s force field – which dissipated instantly.

 

“Holy fucking Christ!”  Marcus said, his jaw dropping.

 

“Tell me about it. Christine was telling the truth.  Magic’s real.” James replied.

 

“That means Vargas is trying to destroy the world.”  Marcus said, cocking his gun.  “What the hell do we do?”

 

“I say we follow Maeve’s instructions.  Cause, I don’t know about you, but I keep my stuff here.” James said.  “That little shit killed my brother.  It’s payback time.  Sorry bro – I don’t think I’ll be arresting this one.  My bad.”

 

            Marcus nodded.  There was a time to cling to law and order – but if Christine’s story was correct, then if Vargas succeeded, human civilization might come to an end.  It was time to try and save the world, and damn law and order.  “Follow me!”  Marcus charged, and James was hot on his heels.

 

            Marcus could see that Maeve’s and Erica’s companions were trying to attack Vargas – and saw the shield of fire that laid Sir Andred low…  How can we fight against that?  He thought.  As he and James ran, they saw Erica reach Sir Andred, and take him to the water and submerge his arm, and they saw Kai kill Gaius.  Just as the bikers began to burst into flame, they heard Vargas scream his victory, and stopped in terror as they saw the terrible, impossible figure emerge from the waterspout.

 

            A goddess?  I can’t believe it!  I must be crazy!  Marcus thought.  James didn’t pause, and instead fired off two shots at Vargas, one of which seemed to spin him around as it struck – but then paused himself as he too saw the immense, impossible being.  Nothing in their life had prepared them for a moment like this, and for a moment, they simply stood in awe and in fear.

 

*           *           *

 

            Vargas looked up at the reborn goddess in adoration.  “Mother!  Your once-Mate Hrask wishes to apologize for his past misdeeds, and begs you to return to him!  His strength, through me, brought you back from the grey lands.  Please Mistress, will you not speak with him once more?”

 

            Tiamat looked down at the carnage occurring at her feet, and smiled.  I hear you, my child, Tiamat said.  I will save your life, and we will return to Mercia, and speak with my Husband.  Although his betrayal was grievous, it was many millennia ago, and I find I miss both him and my true home.  You will be well rewarded, my loyal servant.  Tiamat’s voice sounded like thunder, and all those mortals assembled below quaked in terror, save Vargas.

 

            “What of these Askelinians?”  Vargas asked  “Shall they be allowed to live?”

 

            Tiamat studied the humans arrayed before her.  I care not – what can they do to harm me?  Come to me, Vargas Elm.  Your destiny as the Chosen of the Gods of the Hoard awaits.  You will be our general, to wipe out and enslave the human filth that displaced us so long ago!  Let them understand their true station!

 

            Vargas knelt.  “Yes, Mistress.  It would be my great honor.”

 

            Tiamat held out her hand, and Vargas started as he felt himself levitate upwards towards her open palm.  Within a moment, he was nestled within her hand, safe.  Tiamat paused, and surveyed the town of Ogden, and the nearby Salt Lake City.  For those whose gods tried to slay me, I will in return bring you death and destruction.  Let my children return to this land once more, to plague mankind anew!  Let their purging fire be a reminder of my vengeance!   Tiamat raised her sickle to the sky and began intoning words – words Vargas could not identify, even with his translation amulet.  The waters of Great Salt Lake rippled, and then went calm. 

 

            It is done. Tiamat said, in her deific booming voice.  This world will feel the sting of my vengeance.  Come, Vargas.  We shall return to Mercia, and our destiny.  She paused and gave Earth one last look.  I hope I never see this wretched place again.  She raised her glass and starry sickle, and cut – cut a hole in reality.  Beyond was nothing but darkness.  She stepped within, and both she and Vargas Elm were gone.

 

*           *           *

 

            Erica stirred, groaning in pain.  She felt a knot on the back of her skull the size of what seemed like an orange, and brushed away dirt and debris.  Looking around, Erica realized she was in a fairly deep hole, probably wrought by the coming of Tiamat.  Sir Andred was lying in a puddle of muddy salt-water a few feet away, moaning in terrible pain and clutching at what remained of his arm.  Something else – a scroll tube made of jade and studded with gemstones, was partially buried in the muck as well – but Erica ignored it for the moment and ran over to her wounded friend.

 

            “Sir Andred!  Can you hear me?”  Erica cried.

 

            “Aye.”  Sir Andred replied through gritted teeth.  “I don’t think I’m doing well, lass.  Did we kill Vargas?”

 

            “I don’t know.  Tiamat’s gone – I don’t know if he died or not.”  Erica looked at Sir Andreds burns and could tell that without magical healing, he would at the very least lose his arm – maybe even die.  The flesh was scorched right down to the bone in some cases.  It looked vile.  “Is there anything I can do to help you?”

 

            Sir Andred gasped a bit in pain as he tried to sit up, and clutched his burnt arm with his good one.  “I don’t know, lass.  Maybe.  If you can channel the power of your Inner Light, you might be able to heal my wounds, and the others as well.  I don’t know if you’re ready.”

 

            “I’ll try!  I’ll try!”  Erica said, panicked a bit – she suspected how bad the others must be as well.  “What do I do?”

 

            “Let out your inner light, Erica.  Let it out and try to feel it with your mind, see if you can touch its power.”  Sir Andred began.  “When it does – when you can touch it – reach out your hand, and pray for my arm to be healed.  If you’ve done it right, and remain in Askeline’s favor, it should work.”

 

            You will always be in my favor, child.  The words echoed through Erica’s head.  You are not alone, Erica.  I am with you.  I will show you what you must do. 

 

Erica nodded, and knelt near Sir Andred.  The voice of Askeline within her was soothing and comforting, rather than terrifying like when she suffered from what she thought was schizophrenia.  “Yes.”  Erica concentrated, and slowly found the ‘happy’ feeling in her chest, and pushed it outside her.  Again, she felt colder, and could see the radiant glow of it fill the dirt hole she and Sir Andred were huddled inside.  She reached out with her mind’s eye, and tried to touch the halo, and felt her arms – her real arms – stretch out almost in supplication.  She touched the halo, and felt a shock as a mixture of feelings washed through her.  She felt serene, and calm – but she also felt like her mind was on fire, like when she was learning magical words with Maeve.  She could almost hear something – maybe Askeline herself – whispering things to her, and she felt strong as strength of limb and strength of purpose flooded into her body.

 

“That’s it,” Sir Andred said.  “Now pray!”

 

Erica laid her hand on Sir Andred’s burnt arm, and prayed.  “Dear Askeline, heal this man’s suffering and take away his burns and injuries that were gained in your service.  Let him rise to fight against your enemies another day!  Heal his flesh, and restore strength to his limbs, so that he may raise his sword in your honor once again.”  Erica didn’t know where the words she spoke came from – the closest she could surmise was from within herself, although she didn’t know if they were truly her words, or the words lent to her by Askeline’s presence.  In the end, it didn’t matter to her where they came from.

 

Sir Andred gasped as magical healing energy washed into his arm, soothing the numbness and taking the edge off of the pain he did feel.  Sir Andred had been healed many times before – both by mages and priests, and the healings priests did always felt different – colder and cleaner.  Mage healing with Body magic felt dry and itchy, and was slower.  This was different; it simply took the pain, and made it feel better. 

 

            Erica watched Sir Andred’s arm heal, going from burnt and red to soft pink, to growing skin and muscle back onto bone, to even the fine hairs on his forearm regrowing.  It’s a miracle!  I can heal!  Oh my God!  Erica knelt in stunned disbelief.  I did it, she thought, a little afraid to deal with the full implications of what exactly that meant at the moment.  I healed him.

 

            I knew you would, my daughter.  A voice said from within.  You must rise and help your friends – they lie stricken on the field of battle.  The voice paused a moment.  One thing first, my darling Erica.  Pause and retrieve the jade scroll.  You may need it before what has happened this day is resolved.

 

            “What is it?”  Erica asked aloud.  “Why is it Important?”

 

            Just take it for now, Erica.  The voice said.  I will tell you when you are ready.

           

            “Erica?  Who are you talking to?”  Sir Andred asked, looking astonished at his newly healed arm.

 

            “I think it’s Askeline, Sir Andred.”  Erica replied.  “Just a minute – I’ll be right back.”

 

            Sir Andred waited quietly until she dug up the jade scroll tube with her hands, and placed the muddy jewel into the Kevlar jacket, tucked into a pocket safely.  Just handling it sent sparks of electricity jolting and shimmering up her arms towards her shoulders – but it didn’t look like it bothered Erica, if she even noticed.

 

            Erica came back to Andred.  She looked and felt a bit confused and numb.  “I’m not sure what this is, but it’s Important.”  She said.  “We need to get out of this hole and help the others – Askeline said they were hurt.”

 

            “Aye.”  Sir Andred said, proudly.  “You did well, with the healing, Erica.  Most can’t do as well with practice.”

 

            “I suppose.  It’s a feeling I’ve been getting used to – and I don’t want to get a swelled head.  I don’t feel all that special, Sir Andred!”

 

            “Perhaps, lass. But whether you feel it or not, the facts are proving otherwise.”  He moved to the side of the earthen hole, and cupped his hands like a stirrup.  “Climb out and help the others – I’ll be along shortly.”

 

            Erica nodded, and used Sir Andred’s strength to catapult out of the hole.  As she went to find the others, Sir Andred stayed behind a moment longer. 

 

            “You failed again, old man.” Sir Andred muttered to himself.  “Vargas escaped – and you failed the angel again.  Perhaps I’m too old for this.  Perhaps I lack the conviction needed.”  He mused quietly for a moment, then shrugged his shoulders and tried climbing out of the hole.  It matters not, he thought.  While I have strength in my body, I will serve the Twins to my dying breath. Vargas will die by my hand, even if I must follow him to the ends of Mercia, ‘till the day of Glory. It is my duty, and my honor.

 

            Erica surveyed the battleground, and looked astonished at the destruction wrought by Tiamat’s arrival.  The scrub grasses near the lake were on fire, next to the burning corpses of the bikers and the astonished states of Marco and Duri’s people.  Some of them were injured too, a part of her brain told her.  Kai lay unconscious nearby, burned and half-buried by rocks, and Maeve lay senseless a dozen yards away, looking mostly unhurt.  The detective that chased her out of the Neilson Clinic – Marcus Drake, and his partner, weren’t far away, and were staring at her, jaws agape.  In fact, everyone was staring at her.  Oh shit, she thought.  The Halo!  Dammit!   She almost felt mild laughter echo through her mind - Askeline’s chuckle of amusement at her stress.

 

            Ignoring them, she ran over to Kai.  He had burns on his face, and chest, and his head looked like a few rocks had hit it when the ground was dislodged.  Oh Kai!  Erica had only felt like this a few times before – and the emotions it summoned from within her confused her and frightened her.  She felt scared he wouldn’t be okay, and scared she wouldn’t prove skilled enough to save him.  She loved him, and the thought of losing Kai was terrifying.  Please be safe, Kai!  She held out her arms, and prayed in supplication once more – and as before, the injuries faded, leaving Kai groggily waking up, much restored. 

 

            “Kai, are you okay?”  Erica asked.

 

            “Umm… I think so?  Am I still on fire?”  Kai shook his head, knocking some of the dirt and smaller stones off of it.  “Nevermind – I can’t be.  Can you help me up?”

 

            “Of course.”  Erica said, smiling.  “I missed the end.  What happened?”

 

            “I don’t know.  I was introduced to a rock.”  Kai smiled at Erica.  “You look okay.  How’s Sir Andred?” 

 

            “He’s okay now too.”  She gave Kai a hug, and Kai returned it with strength.  They stayed that way for a few moments, then broke apart.  Erica smoothed her skirt a bit, and looked around.  “Where’s Maeve?”

 

            “I don’t know.”  Kai replied.  “Last time I saw her, she was over that way,” he said, pointing.

 

            Erica and Kai walked in the direction Maeve was last seen, and found her, lying on the ground unconscious, her head twisted at an unnatural angle.  Thankfully, she was still breathing.  “This can’t be good.  Kai, see if any others need help, okay?”

           

            “Sure, hon.”  Kai left, and started to move out amongst Marco’s men and women.  Erica knelt next to Maeve and began, once again, to pray.

 

            “Mother, heal this woman, thy servant and allow her to take the fight to your enemies once again.  Salve her wounds, and heal her sundered bones – let her feel the wind on her skin, and the ground beneath her feet.  Let her rise, so that she may follow your path.”  Erica felt the surge of power wash through her once again, and saw with some surprise, Maeve’s head slowly move back to its correct position, and color return to her washed out complexion. 

 

            “Urg… let’s not do that again, shall we?”  Maeve groaned – and then stopped as she felt herself moving her arms and legs.  I can move again… Erica healed me!  She keeps surprising me, that one.  “Thanks’ Erica.  I wasn’t doing too well.  Without your help, I wouldn’t have made it.”

 

            “That bad?”  Erica asked, suddenly afraid.

 

            “Yup.”  Maeve said a bit grimly.  “But I’m okay now – so thank you.”  Maeve sat up, and shook a bit from dizziness.  A few moments later, she got to her knees, and Erica helped her stand.

 

            Erica looked about as Maeve tried to right herself, and could see a dozen eyes watching her.  Feeling more than a little self-conscious, she turned towards them.  “What?”  She asked them.  “You’ve never seen a Halo before?  Jeez.”

 

            Some of Marco’s people crossed themselves, and fell to their knees; Duri was one of them.  Marco didn’t know what to think.  James’s mouth was opening and closing like a fish out of water, and Marcus just stared. 

 

Kai called out to her.  “Over here, Erica!  More injured!”

 

God damn, I feel like a heal-bot.  Erica joked.  “Coming!” 

 

            Erica walked through the small mob, and over to where Kai was helping two people to her.  One was a woman – Sarah, who had rallied at her speech earlier, and a friend of hers, Rick.  Sarah was clutching a bullet wound in her shoulder, and Erica could see bit’s of bone through her fingers.  Rick had a bleeding leg, where his vest hadn’t caught a biker’s bullet.

 

            Erica paused.  “Will you let me help you?”  She asked.

 

            Sarah nodded, and so did Mike.  “What are you?  Are you a saint?”  Sarah asked.

 

            “I don’t really know, Sarah.  Maybe.  I talk to a goddess a lot, and one day I woke up with this.”  She said, pointing at her Halo.  “It can be pretty inconvenient at times, so I try to keep it hidden.”

 

            “What’s your goddesses name?”  Rick asked.  “Have we heard of her?”

 

            “Her name is Askeline.  She’s like the three-fold moon goddess in pagan worship and Wicca, I think.  I’m not a Wiccan, so I’m not sure.  How she and I met is a long story.”  Erica knelt next to Sarah, and touched her shoulder.  A few muttered prayers later, Sarah’s wound was healed.  She repeated the process on Rick.  Erica was going to say something else, but there was an immense groaning sound, from out in the Great Salt Lake.  “What was that?”  She asked.  She almost could ignore Sarah kissing the hem of her dress.  Rick looked astonished as well.

 

            Marcus looked out at the lake, and told her.  “The… Tiamat took Vargas and went away – back to Mercia, I think.  Before she left, she pointed out there,” he said, indicating the lake.  “She said her children would come back to plague mankind.  Are we in trouble, here?”  he asked.

 

            Maeve looked out towards the salt lake, and saw the surface ripple once again, as if from a great force, or from something immense moving beneath it.  “Yes, Marcus. We’re all in trouble.”  She once again felt the despair that washed over her at her moment of defeat.  Tiamat was returned – and all of Mercia would burn in the fires of war.  I need to get home!  I need to get home to warn someone… anyone! 

 

            The heroes and friends stared at the lake, wondering what would happen next.                                                                                                 

 

*           *           *

 

            In the Mariana Trench, something stirred and awoke… It’s mistress called for it, and it hadn’t eaten in what seemed an age.  It left its underwater cave, and began to hunt.  Perhaps a whale or two would sate it’s appetite?   Deep in the San Andreas fault, a similar creature awoke and began to tunnel to the surface. 

 

            In the Carpathian mountains, deep in an unexplored cave, something stirred and woke, for the first time in five thousand years.  Its roar reached the nearby villages, several miles away.  Some of the older folks, who remembered the legends, began to cry.

 

            In the mountains of Japan, and the hills of Mongolia, things began to move, and to rise up – things long thought forgotten by modern man.  Human machines registered them as minor earth tremors – but the machines were not built to detect what was coming.

 

            In dozens of places across the world, creatures mankind had long called ‘enemy’ began to wake, and emerge from the hidden places where they had lain asleep for centuries, and in some cases millennia.  They woke to find the world they knew gone, and millions upon millions of humankind crawling around their world like a swarm of ants. 

 

            In Utah, beneath the Great Salt Lake, deep in the sediment at the bottom of the lake’s waters, something stirred.  At first it was slow to wake – waking was always hard, but this time it had slept for what seemed an eternity.  He could hear it, though – the call of his Mother.  He stretched, and valley’s cracked and ripped apart.  He stood, and dislodged tons of debris.  Salt water washed over its long, reptilian form, it’s wings, and it’s face.  It was good to be awake, it thought. It could still hear his mother’s final command – destroy the humans, and show the world their anger.  It roared underwater, the sound echoing like a powerful groan.  I hunger, it thought once more, and began to swim for the surface.

 

*           *           *

 

            Erica watched with the others as it broke the surface of the Great Salt Lake…  A dragon, fully three hundred and fifty feet long, with huge wings propelling it out of the water like a living missile.  It was fast – its wingspan was about three quarters of its length, and the wings were strong.  It was covered in thick, white scales that looked like polished marble, shiny and reflective.  Its roar was loud – almost as loud as a jumbo jet taking off, and twice as frightening.  The dragon flew several hundred feet up into the air, and circled.

 

            “Is that a dragon!?”  She yelled.

 

            “Yes.”  Maeve said, grimly.  “Thank the gods it’s not a huge one.”

 

            “They get bigger?!”  Erica squealed in fear. 

 

            “They can – legends on Mercia say the largest one was one hundred and seventy five yards long.  It died over three thousand, five hundred years ago.”  Maeve looked terrified as well – and anything that terrified Maeve, terrified Erica even more.  “It took the twelve heroes of legend, and three armies to slay it.”

 

            “So on a scale of zero to ‘we’re fucked’,” James asked.  “How bad are we?”

 

            “We’re beyond fucked.”  Maeve said.  “I’m not sure any force on this world can stop it.”

 

            “I don’t believe that!”  Erica said.  “We have weapons you can’t even imagine.  Missiles, hell, even nuclear weapons if it comes to that...”

 

            “And how many millions will it kill before your government tries them?”  Maeve asked.  “These things are nearly indestructible.  I have no idea what to do now.”  Maeve stared at the beast, looking defeated. 

 

Sir Andred looked angry – either at it or himself, Erica couldn’t tell.  Kai looked scared – as did Marco’s team and Marcus and James.  If I don’t rally them now, everyone is going to give up, Erica thought.  They’ve already given up.  We have to do something, even if it’s just trying to get out of the area alive!  Erica steeled herself, and took charge.

 

“Marco!”  She called.  “You’re people have done enough.  Get everyone you can out of the city, and to safety!  I’ll remember my promise to Harlan, I swear.  Thank you.”  She barely noticed Marco grabbing his people, and getting them to retreat.  “Marcus, you and your partner need to coordinate with police and emergency services to evacuate the city – that thing will cause incredible damage.  I don’t care if you lie – say there’s a nuke in Odgen or something – just get people out of the city…  I’m sorry, by the way, for the demon killing all those people.  It was trying to capture me.  The only reason I’m alive is ‘cause I ran – and I guess the same for you, ‘cause you chased Maeve and I.  Take care of yourselves.”

 

“Wha… what are you and the others going to do?”  Marcus asked.

 

“We’re going to kill the dragon.”  Erica said.  “All of us, we’re going to kill it, right now.”  Erica could feel the conviction in her – she knew it was right, that she was making the right decision.  She wasn’t sure HOW she knew, but… it felt right.

 

“Are you fucking kidding me?”  Maeve replied, in shock.

 

Sir Andred nodded.  A fitting end, he thought.  We shall die like heroes.

 

Kai simply stood nearby, and took her hand, squeezing it.  “Are you sure about this, Erica?”

 

“Yes, Kai.” She said. “I’m totally sure.”   

 

“What do you say, Maeve?”  Kai said, trying to encourage his old friend.  “Not many people back home will have done this, eh?”

 

“You’re all insane!”  Maeve said, then grinned.  “And I guess I am too, cause I I’ll help where I can.  You’ll need it, trust me.”  Maeve looked about.  “Gather what weapons you can – we’ll need everything we’ve got against that creature.”

 

“If it helps, Maeve, I have Vargas’ hand with his Black Ring.”  Sir Andred said.  “And he seems to have dropped the ancient staff that lets him teleport away from us.  There was this chalice as well.  I thought they might be Important, too.”

 

Maeve grinned.  “Good job, Sir Andred.  They might come in handy.”  As she took the Black ring from Sir Andred, she realized this was the second ring she’d taken from Vargas.  Maybe I should start a collection?  There’s only eight left to get the whole set.  She turned to Erica.  “So what now, boss?”

           

            “Me, boss?” Erica replied, surprised.  “I guess we get the car and get as close to the dragon as possible, and try to take it out. Will your spells harm it?”

 

            “I don’t know, kiddo.”  Maeve said, seriously thinking. “They might distract it – but I doubt they’d harm it.  Best I can say is ‘maybe.’” 

 

            “We’ll think of something.”  Erica said.  “Let’s go.”

 

            They ran for the car, leaving Marcus and James amongst the scattered and burnt bodies. 

 

            “You know, we should warn Joanne as quickly as we can.”  James said, breaking both him and Marcus out of their shock.  “We need to go, now, Marcus.  Then try to keep the damage this thing is going to do to a minimum.”

 

            “How?!”  Marcus asked.  “It’s as big as Godzilla, for fucks sake.  I’m not sure we’ll be able to do a damn thing to it.”  He stared at the kaiju sized dragon as it flew towards Salt Lake City.  “Damn it, you’re right.  We need to alert Joanne.  Get back to the car – we’ll get the local PD to deal with the scene here.”

 

*           *           *

 

            The dragon wheeled and turned in a slow arc in the air, taking in fresh breaths of surface air for the first time in so long, it couldn’t actually remember.  It could smell humans, though – millions of them.  The air literally reeked of them…  There were more of them to the south west…  It turned and flew, heading towards Salt Lake City.  With the speed its wings propelled itself at, the dragon would only take about 6-7 minutes to reach the city.  Maybe less.   It roared again, and headed towards the city.

 

*           *           *

 

            As everyone piled into Erica’s SUV, her mind was already working on overdrive. “Maeve, while I drive, I need you to try and figure out how to activate the power of that magical staff – we might need to teleport somewhere, really fast.”

 

            “Okay, Erica.”  Maeve said, climbing into the back seat. 

 

            “Sir Andred, I need to know what the Inner Light can do for me – you said it can be used as a weapon. I need to know all of it, right now.”

 

            “You got it, my friend.”  Sir Andred said, smiling.

 

            “Kai?”  Erica asked.

 

            “Yes, hon?”

 

            “Can you sit up front and help me from panicking?  I need someone to act as lookout too.”

 

            “Sure thing, Erica.  I’ll always be there for you.”  Kai got in the passenger seat. 

 

            She squeezed his hand.  “Thanks, Kai.”

 

Everyone buckled up, and in seconds, Erica gunned the engine and they were racing back towards Salt Lake City. 

 

Erica got the car out to the highway, and sped south, accelerating until the car’s speedometer read at least 200 kilometers per hour – about 120 miles per hour.  She controlled the car well enough, and traffic towards the city was light, but her threading in and out of traffic was making her Mercian friends a bit ill, and Kai had gripped his door handle so hard, she thought she heard his knuckles crack.

 

“We’ll be in the city in less than ten minutes at this speed, Sir Andred.  What do I need to know?”  Erica asked. 

 

“Do you remember how you touched the power of the Inner Light to heal?  It flowed through you and into your patient?”  Sir Andred began.  “It’s similar, but not the same.  When you reach for the Inner Light, you must use all your strength to grasp it and hold it in check, so that you direct the power at only your chosen foe, and not everyone around you.  If you control it properly, I’m told you should be able to shoot beams of divine, purifying light.  If you don’t, you may hurt yourself or others around you.  I have never seen the Inner Light before you, Erica – and I’ve never seen it wielded as a weapon, but I am sure that if anyone can figure out how, you can.”

 

“So it’s basically ‘figure it out for yourself’ all over again?”  Erica said with a wry chuckle.  “Typical.” 

 

Sir Andred looked bashful.  “Sorry, my friend.  There isn’t a great deal known about the Inner Light.  Those who possess it share only the littlest pieces of information about it.  I don’t have much more I can tell you.  My apologies.”

 

“No worries, Sir Andred.”  Erica called back.  “I’m getting used to figuring stuff out for myself. It’s a good habit to get into, I think.”  She smiled.  “Not that I want the magic lessons to stop anytime soon, Maeve.”

 

Maeve grinned.  “Yeah, well assuming we’re not dead later today, I promise they’ll keep going on my end.”

 

“Yeah, not dying today sounds like really good advice.”  Kai laughed.  “Not to alarm anyone, but I think that dragon is going to get to the city before we do.”

 

            “Yeah,”  Erica said.  “I can see that.  Oh crap – it looks like we picked up a cop, too.  I guess I’m speeding?  Reckless driving, maybe?  Just great.  Maeve, can you deal with him when he catches us – I’m not slowing down, and I’m not pulling over.”

 

“Sure – no worries, Erica.”  Maeve said.  “Want me to lose him right now?”

 

“Save your strength.  We’ll need it.”

 

Erica drove as quickly as she dared, but Kai was right – the dragon would reach Salt Lake City before she and her friends did.  She could only guess at how many lives would be lost.

 

*           *           *

 

            Ned McIlroy had been a pilot for twenty seven years, and he’d never had a night like tonight.  His plane, Delta flight A32, and four others had been circling what seemed endlessly, waiting for ground control to clear off a mess on a runway needed to land.  “Repeat, tower control, this is Delta flight A32. We are running low on fuel.  I estimate we have no more than 22 minutes remaining.  Please respond, over.”

 

            “Hell of a night, eh, Chad?”  Ned asked.

 

            “Tell me about it, Ned. If they don’t let us land soon, we’ll all be dropping out of the sky anyway.”  Chad looked away for a moment to his console.  “Hey Ned, call the tower – there’s something low and slow from the north coming right for us, at 8000 feet and climbing.  It’s big.”

 

            “Roger that.”  Ned answered, and called the tower... and saw something impossible in his cabin window.  “What the fuck is that!”  He yelled, reaching for the radio… He never got a chance.  The dragon landed on the fuselage of the 737 airplane, and ripped off its left wing with one solid bite, before launching itself at another jumbo jet.  The 114 passengers and crew of Delta flight A32 crashed into runway 4 about 8 seconds later, exploding on impact.

 

*           *           *

 

The dragon destroyed three large jets, and fire rained from the sky as burning jet after burning jet fell to the ground, some having their wings torn off by the dragon’s jaws, or having their fuselage shredded – and exploding, due to the pressurized cabins – from the dragons razor sharp claws.  One plane flew into the path of its acidic breath, and the plane tore apart in mid air, and pieces of it and passengers rained down on the airport below. 

 

            Then, the dragon saw that the skies were empty above the city, and it roared its pleasure!  It wheeled and banked, and headed towards the city itself.  The humans need to be punished… it thought.  Mother said so.  It considered just melting the city with its dragon-breath, but it began to feel something else.  It was hungry… and there were so many people down below.  It dove towards the ground, landing in what looked like an open square, crushing park benches and light standards beneath its bulk.

 

            All around it were screaming, terrified people.  Good, it thought.  This is your natural state, humans.  To live to serve us!  It grabbed a city bus, and tore off the roof with one of its talons, and people within screamed in terror for what few seconds they had left, as it devoured them in great huge gulps and swallows.  The Dragon furled its wings, and stalked the streets of the city, attempting to feed.

 

*           *           *

 

            Jonathon Winter, call-sign ‘Darmok’, flew past the MUTO at MACH 1.1, over the surface of Salt Lake City.  His wingman, Tony Mestizio, call-sign ‘Jalaad’, was hot on his heels, about 40 yards off his left wing.  Their F-35B’s were top of the line, and both Darmok and Jalaad were eager to prove the pundit’s wrong – the plane’s reputation of ‘can’t steer, can’t dodge, and can’t run’ was about to be tested.

 

            Darmok could see the creature below – it was immense – at least 350 feet long, probably more, and it was causing havoc in the streets below.  Several smaller buildings had been reduced to rubble, and local streets were blocked.  The creature – Darmok could only call it a ‘dragon’, like from myth – was razing a section of the city, and devouring people.

 

            “This is Eagle-one to base; the MUTO is in my sights.” 

 

            Jalaad joined in. “This is Eagle-two to base; ready to fire.”

 

            “You are clear to fire.” Base replied.  Hills AFB had gone on alert the moment a bright pillar of light filled the sky near Ogden less than twenty minutes ago, and an earth tremor ripped through an area near the lake.  A lot of Officers for the nearby military bases made their home in Ogden – it was crawling with military people at the best of times.  Now it looked like an armed anthill.

 

            “Here goes!”  Darmok’s thumb depressed the firing button.  “Missiles away!”  He could hear the same coming from his wingman.  Whatever the hell you are, you’re about to get blown into chunky salsa, he thought.

 

Four Brimstone missiles launched from the two F-35B jets streaking above, and flew towards the feasting dragon.  Their approach had not gone un-noticed.  The dragon whirled and roared as the first missile hit it’s torso, exploding in a giant ball of flame.  The next missile missed, striking a civilian building behind it, atomizing it instantly, and raising a pillar of flame.  The other two missiles streaked in, striking the creature as well, covering the immense beast in a wall of fire and blast damage.  The Dragon disappeared from view, possibly buried in rubble, or obscured by the debris cloud.

 

“Did we get him?”  Jalaad called out.  “I can’t see shit.”

 

“Negative… I can’t see the MUTO either.  Coming around for another run.”  Darmok banked his F-35B and came around to make another sweep, followed by his wingman.  Their radio’s chattered that attack helicopters and F-18 Hornets were on their way, and the national guard south of Salt Lake City was mobilizing as they spoke.

 

*           *           *

 

The Dragon hurt, which was something new.  It hadn’t felt pain in over five millennia, and it had been unwelcome even then.  It realized it didn’t particularly like pain – but it like being challenged less.  Those insignificant ants think they can fly?  It thought.  I will swat their iron birds from the sky!  It could tell its wounds were minor ones, but it irked the great beast that men could injure him at all.  How dare they?!  It would make them pay for their temerity!

 

The dragon shook off the rubble, and burst into the air!  The two iron birds were very fast – so it tracked one until it came around to attack once more, and it breathed a cone of caustic acid into the plane’s flight path, a cone 240 feet long and 120 feet wide, capable of melting concrete and dissolving reinforced steel.  The iron bird flew through the acidic cloud, and began to come apart in mid-air – and a man ejected from the jet, only to be snatched up in the dragon’s jaws and devoured.  It roared in triumph!

 

The other jet released two more missiles, and shot little tiny stings at it – and again there were two large explosions, and the dragon received two minor injuries.  Their weapons can hurt me, it thought.  But only barely.  I will stop this annoying bird, then destroy the city.  Then I should rest and take stock of what the world is like after my sleep.  The dragon could see the jet would easily outdistance it… so his claws and his breath weapon, although powerful, were rendered somewhat less useful.  No matter, it thought.  Dragons are more than giant beasts of destruction; we are the source of magic.  It spoke a word, and three lightning bolts arced from the sky, downward to strike Eagle-one; it exploded in mid-air, debris falling towards the city below.  These ants are beginning to tire me, it thought.  It is time to show them the meaning of terror.

 

*           *           *

 

Erica yelled in fear as another car barreled past her, coming on fast.  “Everyone’s driving the wrong way!”  She said, trying to avoid a collision with a driving madly fleeing the city, going north in the southbound lane.  Much of the other traffic had stopped, and Erica’s was the only car still heading towards the city – you could see jets firing missiles at the immense creature that had landed and begun to destroy the city, but they were having little effect.

 

“They’re trying to get away from it, like we should be!”  Maeve yelled.

 

“I think it’s flying to the east!”  Kai said.  Near that gigantic church we saw on the drive up.  You know, the Mormon Temple.”

 

            “Of course it is…” Eric sighed.  “Let’s go – I’m getting off this highway before we get killed.”  She maneuver the car off the highway at the next stop, only narrowly avoiding three other cars headed the wrong way.  Erica’s mind was focused, but a lot less on driving, and more on a plan – any plan – to try and harm the Dragon.  Maeve said spells aren’t likely to hurt it much, and the last time a dragon was killed was the Age of Legends.  But Maeve said my zappy spell was from the Age of Legends too…  I wonder if it would help?  Erica couldn’t help but think of the ray of magic she had fired at both the demon and Hierarch Donal Blaine to such excellent effect.  Could the dragon resist that?  What do I do if it can?   Her mind worked furiously for a solution.

 

            Maeve, realizing that Erica was not talking at the moment, took control.  “Kai, Andred – I think I’ve got this staff’s magic figured out – we should be able to use it to teleport, like a portable Moon-Gate.”

 

            “Seriously?”  Kai asked.  “Magic like that hasn’t been seen since…”

 

            “Since the Age of Legends, yeah, I know.”  Maeve grinned.  “I’m glad Vargas left it behind.  There’s so much chaos, it’ll be a lot easier to get back to Erica’s home with this than having to sit in this damned car for three more days, or worse, be arrested and taken prisoner.”

 

            “Can it get us close to the Dragon?”  Sir Andred asked.

 

            “It can, if you want to suicide, Sir Andred.”  Maeve replied.  “Mortal weapons can’t penetrate dragonhide.  You need enchanted weapons, at least.”

 

            “Well, then what can we do, if Kai and I are useless for the moment?”  Sir Andred said in a bit of a huff.

 

            “Guard Erica with our lives.  I’ll be our escape route when things go bad – and they will – and I’ll protect us with illusions while we try to figure out what to do.  If it can’t see where we are, it probably can’t do too much to hurt us, right?”

 

            Kai snorted.  “I heard Dragons could see and hear so well, they could practically see the invisible.”

 

            “Not helping, Kai, really!”  Maeve yelled.  “Do you have a better idea?”

 

            Kai shook his head, and Erica drove over some debris on the road, which catapulted the SUV into the air, and everyone slammed against the ceiling, and the car nearly wheeled off the road before Erica could gain control again. 

 

            “Sorry!”  She yelled.  “We’re almost there.”

 

            “You have an idea yet?”  Maeve asked.

 

            “Yeah.”  Erica replied.  “I think I do.”

 

            Askeline, she asked her thoughts, and the inner presence she often felt within her.  I don’t know if you can hear me, but I need some advice.  Can I empower my unbinding spell that disintegrates creatures with the power of the Inner Light?  It might be the only thing I can do to stop this thing.

 

            Erica didn’t feel any mystical insight, nor forthcoming advice.  I guess I’m on my own, again.  Let’s do this.  She drove the car into the temple square, to see the dragon perched on the Salt Lake Temple, like some sort of reptilian King-Kong on a tiny more ornate world-trade center.  It was breathing its acidic breath on attacking helicopters, and was winning – their weapons were having little to no effect on it, and the structure of the church itself looked like it was crumbling.

 

            “Maeve – can you get us out of here with that thing?”  Erica said, pointing to the staff Maeve carried.

 

            “Yes!”  Maeve said, obviously scared being this near the dragon. 

 

To be honest, Erica was terrified herself – and didn’t know how she was still functioning.  I guess I am because I have to.  I know I can stop this thing… I know it!  She got out of the car, and strode a few steps away from it.  “I’ll need someone to catch me when I fall.”  Erica said.

 

“Wait!  Erica!”  Maeve said.  “Be careful!”

 

“I’ll do my best.”  Erica turned towards the dragon – it was paying her and her friends no mind, instead being harried by a dozen attack helicopters.  Let’s see if I’m right.  If I’m not, I have no idea what to do…

 

Erica felt more than saw Kai step up behind her, to support her, and she smiled. It’s good knowing he’s there for me, she thought.  Erica concentrated, and entered her Nairya – her battle trance – and began to reach for the Inner Light.  It was strange, she thought, balancing the empty mind of the Nairya, while hearing the music and feeling the glow of the Inner Light.  They were almost incompatible, but Erica thought she could make it work.  She began to gather her power, summoning as much strength as she dared to, while still trying to avoid harming herself, and then bolstered that power with the strength of the Inner Light.  A radiant white-green glow began to build on her fingertips… along with a painful pressure in her head that radiated from behind her eyes to her ears, and echoed like the worst migraine she’d ever had in her life.  This was going to hurt.

 

Kai looked concerned.  “Erica, will you be okay?”

 

“I think so, Kai.  Besides, we don’t have a choice – we HAVE to do this.  I promise I’ll explain why later.”  Erica answered.  “It’s the only way.”

 

            “Okay, then.” He said.  “I trust you. Do it.” 

 

            Erica gritted her teeth, and gathered more power, aiming at the dragon.  She took sight, aimed – and muttered quietly to herself “I’m firing my laser!”  A scintillating beam of greenish-white energy, wreathed in pure white light streaked from her hand, out towards the white scaled dragon on top of the Temple of the Latter Day Saints.  It looked like a solid beam of energy, that didn’t stop for ten long seconds, burning into the creature inch by inch.

 

            The Dragon screamed in agony – pain like this it had never felt before!  It burned!  It hurt!  It needed to escape!  The dragon lifted off from the Salt Lake Temple to flee and recover from its wounds, but the beam, directed by Erica tracked it and followed it, shearing off its left wing and burning a hole completely through its torso around the chest.  The Creature screamed and fell, and impaled itself on the uttermost spire of the temple, which immediately collapsed under it’s great weight. Debris rained down, and a minaret of the great temple separated from the building and fell, crushing Erica’s armored SUV completely beneath it.  The temple itself caved in, utterly destroyed – and the dragon was left on the ground and the rubble of its remains, bleeding from the massive, mortal wound in its torso, and a great steel and stone spire pierced through its heart.  It shuddered once, and died. 

 

            Erica screamed as the beam fired from her hand – it felt like every part of her was on fire, from her toenails to her tips of her hair.  She could feel the magic – see it visually in a way she never had before – but she could see the Inner Light too, and hear celestial music.  All around her she could feel shadowy images – of people and beings that were observing her – and she felt as one with them.  She couldn’t explain it – but she knew she had nothing to fear from them – perhaps other than failure.  The magic roiled within her, seeming to recoil from the Inner Light, like it and the magic fought each other.  Erica wasn’t sure how she did it, but she was somehow able to hold on to her control – and then it was over.  The dragon fell to the ground, and as it did, Erica fell too. 

 

Kai caught her gently, and picked her up in his arms, unsure of what to do next.  He was panicked with worry… the last time she tried this spell, she nearly died – and this time, there were no healers to help her get better.  “Maeve!  Is she okay?”

 

Maeve came over, and took a look at Erica.  “I don’t know, Kai.  We’ll have to trust her in this.  We need to go – it’s not safe here, and there are soldiers coming.”

 

“The soldiers are here, Maeve.”  Sir Andred said.  “They’re surrounding the dragon, but they’re also surrounding us.  I think it’s time to go.”

 

“Agreed.”  Said Maeve.  “Gather close.”  Maeve took the ancient staff, borrowed from Gaius and Vargas Elm, and channeled her power within it, trying to activate its magic. 

 

The soldiers readied their weapons, calling out “Halt!”

 

Maeve looked at them with a mercurial smile on her face.  “How about no?”  She activated the magic of the staff – and in an instant they were gone.