Barren Harvest

Danica tasted bile, her stomach rebelling at the thought of the man's touch, and the knowledge that her body would serve him long after death if he took her.

"For now, I have more important matters to attend to. I have worked too long and hard to waste this opportunity provided by sweet famine and despair."

The poor woman on the altar had slipped into unconsciousness again. The black wizard walked past Danica with a disturbing chuckle, and returned to his magic circle. Danica turned, her mind awhirl. She knew that she had to do something, but caged as she was, with her Art blocked only a few inches away, she felt helpless.

The man picked up his bone-handled knife and flashed a mocking grin at Danica. "The heart blood of a spirited virgin, taken from the source. Watch and learn what true power is."

He raised the dagger in both hands above his head, the point aimed at the woman's bare breasts. The dark flames erupting from the bones and skulls of his circle flared higher as he began a chant. The harsh, guttural words of the spell chilled Danica to the bone, and gave her the impression of a thousand spiders crawling over every inch of her flesh.

The bloody sigils scrawled on the sacrifice's skin took on a crimson glow as the necromancer's chant built toward a crescendo. Nearly resigned to watching the woman die as a precursor to her own fate, Danica suddenly heard her master's words, teaching her about the spell imprisoning her.

There is little hope of escape from the spell cage. You should have little trouble removing enchanted items or other dangerous weapons from anyone so captured, because the spell only prevents living flesh and magical power from passing through it from the inside.

Danica could feel the evil power of the man's magic growing. An experimental kick sent a small twig through the barrier of the spell, unimpeded. With little time to spare, she concentrated on her new ring, and began to cast a spell.

Caught up in the ecstasy of his ritual, and having little reason to fear her Art because of the spell cage, the necromancer ignored her.

Danica completed her spell, and the magic leapt into the ring. "Please," she whispered, praying to any god that would listen, and then hurled her ring outside the spell cage.

The ring passed through without incident, and Danica once again focused her senses on it before it even hit the ground. She released the magic contained within, and put every ounce of her will into the telekinetic blow.

The necromancer's chant immediately ceased, replaced by first a grunt of pain, and then retching. He collapsed behind the black altar, clutching his crushed testicles and vomiting. The black flames, the glowing runes, and the spell cage vanished as all of his consciousness focused on the acute pain between his legs.

The undead released the woman on the altar and stood. Danica nearly panicked, thinking that she had little hope of fending the walking corpses off in time, but recognized that they were wandering aimlessly — mindlessly. She hurried to the altar, and managed to lift the woman into a seated position.

The blonde was still unconscious, and as limp as a rag doll. With strength fueled by adrenaline and fear, Danica dragged the woman away from the altar, avoiding the wandering dead. A bony hand and a black sleeve appeared atop the stump.

With no other option, Danica kept dragging the woman away from the clearing, what little hope she had quickly vanishing. A second hand joined the first on the altar, and the necromancer's head appeared.

The two zombies collapsed at the same time, as though they were puppets with cut strings. In almost the same moment, she heard a battle cry, and saw a flash of something streaking from behind her.

An explosion of wooden splinters erupted from the altar, and the bone wizard vanished behind it once again. Danica turned her head and nearly sobbed in relief when she saw the old cleric of Heraklan clasp his magically returned mace. The cleric stood next to another elderly follower of the gods and her master, who held a wand crackling with magical power.

Danica dropped to her knees, her strength fleeing her. She managed to control her collapse just enough to avoid losing her grip on the woman in her arms. Her school master approached with speed belying his age, even as the other two men hurried toward the altar.

"Danica, are you hurt?"

She shook her head and reached for the belt of her robe. It took some effort, but she managed to remove the garment and drape it over the nude blonde next to her.

"Rapped that one about the head good, you did," one of the elderly clerics observed.

The silver-haired Heraklan chuckled. "Aye, and surely your god dispatched his unholy abominations with all due haste."

"What happened?" Danica's master asked.

"I... I was just..."

The elder wizard waved a hand. "No, on second thought, that can wait. Let us return first to the road, and then the wagon. We will speak there."

"I will guard their passage, if you will attend to these foul ones," the Heraklan asked the other clergyman.

When the priest nodded, Danica's teacher added, "We will send men to aid you as soon as possible."

Danica turned her attention to the awakening woman, knowing that the blonde would surely panic at first and need comfort before anyone could convince her to return to the road. A second later, a wail of terror proved her predictions true.

After the screaming and thrashing stopped, Danica helped shield the woman while she put on the robe, providing decency and warmth. Though Danica shivered in the lighter clothing that she'd worn beneath the robe, she felt the sacrifice more than worth it. The blonde was still in shock, and could offer no more than her name — Anita.

The old wizard began, "We should return to the road and..."

Danica felt the same thing that had silenced her master. The very air crackled with evil power, centered upon the black altar.

The nearby cleric jumped back and held up his holy symbol. His Heraklan companion raised his mace. Danica and her master both stepped in front of Anita. Danica had a spell chant already on her lips, and her master's wand glowed with power.

The dead necromancer once again reached for the top of the altar. This time, instead of hurling his mace, the Heraklan held it on high and beseeched his god in a loud voice. "Oh mighty Heraklan! I call upon your power to send this foul mockery of life to the hell it so deserves!"

The necromancer's corpse lurched to its feet. The undead creature's head hung limp from a broken neck, and the already horrible face was further disfigured from the deathblow of the mace. The zombie servants returned to a horrible semblance of life as well, rising from the earth. A tongue of flame erupted from her master's wand, and the undead bone wizard stumbled backward from the assault. Darts of magical energy leapt from Danica's fingertips, blasting away rotting flesh and brittle bone to halt the rise of one of the zombies.

"Heraklan!" the cleric cried out, and then hurled his mace again.

This time, a bright flash of holy power accompanied the weapon striking the necromancer's head. When Danica could see clearly again, the head of the corpse was simply gone, and the monster collapsed into a heap.

A second burst of magical flame from her master's wand left little of the zombies to rise again. The sound of rustling leaves and a snapping twig caused Danica to turn. She let out a yelp, seeing another walking corpse only a few steps away.

"Danica, look out!"

Before the shout even ended, an arrow slammed into the zombie with a flash of light. Blessed by Danica's magic, the red-fletched arrow blew away half of the rotted head and slammed the creature to the earth. It did not rise.

Jared ran up to her, the final enchanted arrow at the ready and his eyes meticulously scanning the surrounding woodland. "Are you okay?"

She nodded. Upset with him or not, she couldn't deny how good it was to see him. "I'm okay."

While the Heraklan checked to make sure the necromancer would not rise again, the other cleric declared, "We must remove the stain of this unholy altar. The veil between our world and that of the dead is nearly breached in this place."

"Danica and I will protect the students. Do what must be done, then follow. It is even more imperative that we organize the festival now."

"Me too," Jared interjected.

Danica had to agree with her master. Seeing the necromancer rise as an undead creature from the sheer evil power of the altar convinced her that the Harvest Festival was the only thing standing between the world and unimaginable horror.

She turned to the blonde, who now huddled sobbing behind her. "I know it's hard, but we need to get back to the road. My house isn't far from here. You'll be safe there. I promise."

Her words appeared to penetrate the fear in Anita's eyes, and the blonde rose unsteadily to her feet. As Anita stood, Danica looked down and saw her ring. She bent down and picked it up, amazed that she'd found it at all amongst the thick layer of forest detritus. Hoping it was a good omen, she slipped on the ring, and then took the young woman's hand to lead her back to the road.

♠~~~~Π~~~~♠

After seeing the other students safely to their homes, Danica placed the enchanted crystal into her surprised-looking pumpkin lantern, and couldn't help a brief halfhearted smile.

"Well done, Danica. And I do not mean the lantern, though it is truly an exquisite one."

She turned to her master and said, "But I failed. We would have never escaped if it weren't for you."

"You don't know that," he argued, "And we would have neither arrived in time or known of the young woman's plight save for your actions."

Danica changed the subject, feeling a little embarrassed by her master's praise. "Do you really think that a few pumpkin lanterns and a little extra food will convince people to have the festival?"

The old man smiled. "Oh, there is far more than that, my dear. I'm sure that some have already smelled the roasting venison and pork in town. We old men and women have little opportunity to do something worthwhile, and we are determined to make the most of this chance."

Danica glanced back at the house, in the direction of her room, where Anita was resting. Her mother had offered to watch over the shaken blonde woman. "Do you think she'll be okay?"

"Only time will tell. So are you ready to help us awaken the spirit of harvest?"

Jared stood off to the side alone. Though his face was unreadable, he glanced her way often.

"I think I need to talk to someone first."

The old man nodded. "I hope to see you, but know that you have done your part." He patted her on the shoulder, then went to join the two clergyman, who had returned from consecrating the ground around the black altar.

Danica took a deep breath and walked toward Jared. Though still not sure how she felt, she had come to one decision along the way. As she reached him, she said, "I'm sorry for how I acted."

He shook his head, his hand moving from his side a few inches, as if he wanted to reach out to her, but thought better of it. "No, I'm sorry. I should have talked to you before."

She squeezed the next words past a lump trying to form in her throat. "So, you're leaving?"

"I don't know. It's hard to pass up, but it's just as hard to leave." He sighed. "Danica, I have to ask you something. Are you hiding something from me?"

She couldn't help but wince, and felt the pain even more acutely when she saw his reaction.

"Is it someone else?"

Surprised, she said, "No. No. Never. Why would you think that?"

"I just know there's something. It's been bothering me for a while, but... I don't know."

Stricken with a chill of fear almost as disheartening as the one that had gripped her in the face of the undead, she sucked in a warbling breath and said in a weak voice, "I'm afraid to tell you."

"I'm afraid too. I don't know how we can go on if you can't tell me things."

She knew that he was right. More than once, she'd tried to tell him her secret, and he'd obviously caught on. Now, she had little choice. She was on the verge of losing him anyway, if she was reading his expression and the sound of his voice right.

"I'm... Gods, this is so hard. Jared, I'm barren. I can never give you children."

This time, he did reach for her, cupping her cheek in his hand. "That's it?" Seeing her brow furrow, he quickly added, "I mean, I know that's something big but, Danica, that doesn't change anything. I don't know if I even want kids. I know I don't right now."

A tear running down her cheek, she asked, "Really?"

He smiled, letting out a little chuckle. "Really. That doesn't matter. Danica, I love you."

"I love you too," she responded, her voice somewhere between tears and elation. She threw her arms around him, pressing her face against his chest, weeping tears of joy.

"And I'm not going anywhere. We'll find our way together."

Though elated, Danica knew that there was one more thing left to attend to. Now that she was no longer bearing the burden of her secret, she wasn't going to let anything else jeopardize the future.

"Yes you are. You're going to come with me to the festival."

♠~~~~Π~~~~♠

Standing next to her master, Danica looked around the square in dismay. Some few people — mostly friends and family of the students — had turned out, but most people simply looked out their windows in curiosity.

"It's not working. Nobody's in the mood," Danica said, and sighed.

"Ah, don't surrender so easily, Danica my dear." Her teacher pointed toward a table set up near the town center, where men were carrying roast pork and venison and putting it in place.

That aroused some curiosity, and drew a few more people from their homes.

Four men approached, grunting in exertion as they carried a water barrel supported by a wooden platform. The cleric of Heraklan who had earlier dispatched the necromancer was with them, and directed them to sit the barrel down near the well that served as the focal point of the town square.

"Don't you go breaking my barrel," One of the men cautioned, eyeing the cleric with mistrust.

"Nay, Goodman. Let not your heart be troubled." The Heraklan lifted his eyes to the heavens and said, "Heraklan, I pray for your blessing on this day of strife. Give unto me the power to provide that which these — your people — most sorely need."

Danica wondered what the cleric was praying for, and saw no evidence of anything happening. The Heraklan withdrew a large tankard from a pouch at his side, and dipped it into the barrel. This, he held out to the man who had warned him earlier.

"Have you gone daft?" the man asked. "If I want..." He stopped; his eyes going wide as he finally noticed the mug. Without further comment, he accepted the mug and sniffed. With a wide smile on his face, he took a long pull.

"It's beer. Damn good stuff, too," he remarked to the others who had aided him. "He turned the water into beer."

"Fetch me another barrel and we shall have wine as well — as much as any can drink," the cleric told the men. "Tell all you see that Heraklan provides for the Harvest Festival."

"Come on. Let's fetch us some cups and snatch another rain barrel," one of the men said, and then hurried off.

Movement in the corner of her eye caused Danica to turn that way, and she saw a group of old men with musical instruments coming toward the center of the square. More and more people were peeking out windows, and the promise of free beer was already pulling men away from warm houses.

Her master laid a hand on her shoulder. "The scent of food and the sound of music will call. However, I believe you are uniquely suited to lead the students in a call that will reach far and wide."

Furrowing her brow, not sure where he was going, Danica could only say, "Hmm?"

The old man chuckled. "Is there not a spell of which you have always been fond since your earliest days in my tutelage?"

She blushed, knowing what magic he was talking about. It was a spell she had learned early in her studies that sent tiny fireballs in a multitude of colors streaking from the fingers to explode some distance away into a cascade. The spell had little practical use, but Danica had always enjoyed it, and become quite adept at casting it.

"All magic has its purpose," the old man said, as if reading her thoughts. "Now is the time, Danica." He swept a hand toward the heavens above. "Paint the sky!"

Jared, standing behind her with his hands on her waist, leaned in to say, "You can do it."

Though still shaken from everything that had happened over the last couple of days, his words caused a swell of hope in her heart. To bring people to the festival was to stifle the power of evil, to prevent others from facing what she had endured, and to give hope to those who feared the coming winter.

She turned to look at Jared, smiled and kissed him. Then, she took a step away and lifted her hands, fingers curling into the starting position for the gestures of the spell.

Her master turned, waving at several nearby students. "Come, students. A lesson in magic and in joy. Join us."

Her hands dancing through the gestures, Danica spoke the words of the spell, and then thrust her finger toward the sky. She'd decided to begin with a brilliant white burst and a loud report, able to attract attention from afar even in the rosy hues of remaining daylight.

The whump of the pale fireball exploding into a fountain of brilliant white motes made her jump, and she saw several other people start as well. She might have overdone it, but it certainly would attract attention from far and wide. Orange, brown, and red fireballs followed — with much subdued reports — bursting over the town in a cascade of fall colors. At her side, other students cast the spell, adding to the display.

The musicians began to play. Wine and beer flowed freely from the cleric's blessed barrels. People with heaped plates of venison encouraged more of the townsfolk to stop watching and come outside. Slowly, but surely, the Harvest Festival kicked off, despite the odds.

"Well done, Danica," her teacher praised her. "Now, the most important part." He took a cup filled with wine from one of his white-haired friends and declared, "Make merry, and defy the darkness."

A traditional harvest song rang out from the musicians. Danica took the initiative, grabbing Jared's hand and leading him into the square. Couples responded upon seeing the pair, moving toward the music to join in the dance. Someone brought out a tub full of water and a basket of apples to foretell the future with the peels. Laughter and spirited conversation rang out from all around the square, growing louder and more frequent by the minute.

When the song ended, Danica and her love shared a kiss and a laugh before weaving through the gathering townsfolk. Upon reaching a less crowded spot, surprised murmurs caused Danica to turn and see an unusual sight. A well-appointed carriage with bright lanterns rolled up the road into the square. Everywhere, conversation quieted and eyes fixed on the unexpected arrival.

The carriage rolled to a stop at the edge of the square and the door opened. To Danica's stunned surprise, her father stepped out. She was too shocked to do more than stare as her mother, brother, and a man in fine clothing emerged immediately after.

Jared leaned in to whisper, "That's the landowner who offered me the job. He was down here hunting boar, because they don't have them up there."

"But what are my parents doing with him?"

"Search me."

About that time, Danica's father noticed her and pointed, gesturing for the other man to follow. As they approached, he said, "Someone here would like to meet you, Danica."