Shadow Dagger Ch. 10

Story Info
The Summer Festival.
20.5k words
4.83
36.9k
24

Part 10 of the 20 part series

Updated 10/26/2022
Created 02/06/2010
Share this Story

Font Size

Default Font Size

Font Spacing

Default Font Spacing

Font Face

Default Font Face

Reading Theme

Default Theme (White)
You need to Log In or Sign Up to have your customization saved in your Literotica profile.
PUBLIC BETA

Note: You can change font size, font face, and turn on dark mode by clicking the "A" icon tab in the Story Info Box.

You can temporarily switch back to a Classic Literotica® experience during our ongoing public Beta testing. Please consider leaving feedback on issues you experience or suggest improvements.

Click here

Note: Sorry for the delay in bringing you this chapter. But as you can see, this chapter is a BEHEMOTH! I really wanted to make this chapter special. I can't tell you how many drafts I went through until I was happy. So please leave comments or email me and let me know how I am doing. How is my writing? Am I keeping you intrigued? Please, constructive critism is welcome. I need to know my strengths and weaknesses. Thanks again to all my loyal readers!

Jon dove to the side and rolled across the tiles of the roof. He jumped back up and held his Shadow Dagger in front of him. He managed to catch his breath for a few seconds before a bolt of lightning shot across the roof. He grimaced and deflected the lightning with his dagger. The dagger glowed to the 8th rune on the blade. The lightning struck the tiles several feet to his left and exploded pieces of the roof into the air.

A shadow streaked across his field of vision as shattered roof tiles rained down around him. He whirled around with inhuman speed and deflected the dagger thrust from a Magi Victus. His protection shield cackled with energy as another dagger thrust met the shield at his back. He felt a good portion of his magical energy drain away.

Jon snarled viciously and slashed behind him. The Magi Victus was already gone. A fireball evaporated against his shield as he turned around to engage another Magi Victus. The man was hooded but Jon recognized his movements. He was attacking Vance, an older Magi Victus that he greatly respected.

"Damn you, Vance! We were brothers!" Jon spit at him.

Vance said nothing but continued his attack. Jon knocked his thrusts aside with ease but didn't press his advantage. He would kill Magi all day long but he was reluctant to kill his own brethren. His shield flared again as another Shadow Dagger attempted to penetrate his defenses. He turned away from Vance and sprinted across the roof.

Tremors rattled and cracked the tiles beneath his feet. He fought to keep his balance as a Magi attempted to collapse the roof beneath him. He bent down, placed his hand on the shifting roof, and sang his song of creation. The roof stilled as his counter-spell easily overmatched the Magi's. He quickly traced the path of the magic runes and disappeared, his legs taking him across the roof in seconds.

He reached the edge of the roof and didn't hesitate as he cleared the ten foot jump to the next roof. He rolled as he hit the roof and immediately jumped up, his dagger stabbing impossibly fast ahead of him. The Magi didn't have time to blink before Jon's dagger ripped through his shield and buried itself deep into his chest.

Jon kicked him off of his dagger and the Magi's body tumbled off the roof. A strong gust of wind suddenly attempted to push Jon off the roof but his shield held firm against the assault. He took a deep breath and scanned the roof for his assailant. A Magi needed a clear field of vision to attack his foe. He spotted movement behind a tall chimney. He manipulated the magic in his body and darted off toward the Magi.

He whipped past the chimney and lunged forward. A Magi Victus streaked in front of him and deflected his dagger as he attempted to impale the frighten-looking Magi. The Magi yelped and tumbled back, his knees hitting the edge of the roof. Jon snorted in amusement as the Magi flipped over backward and off the roof. The Magi Victus in front of him pressed his attack.

Jon found his opening and launched a swift knee into the man's groin. The breath whooshed out of his lungs. Jon slammed his fist across his temple and dropped him cold. He straightened up in time to see a group of Magi and Magi Victus land on the far side of the roof.

"There he is!" a familiar voice shouted.

Jon gritted his teeth and charged straight for them. He was immediately slammed by fireballs, lightning strikes, arrows, and daggers. He could feel his shield drain more of his energy at every blow. For the first time in many years, Jon was almost completely exhausted. He had more endurance than most Magi but even he had limits. Magic was both physically and mentally exhausting.

The spot of the roof he was standing on suddenly collasped. He used a surge of magic to jump clear and was immediately met by three Magi Victus. He met and parried as many blows as he could, but these were Magi Victus and they were very fast. His shield deflected what blows he couldn't catch.

The Magi Victus suddenly jumped back as a wall of flame shot toward him. He ducked his head and burst through it. His shield bent and almost broke against the powerful attack. He was just about out of energy now.

The Magi Victus jumped back in and pressed the attack. Jon was driven back to the edge of the roof as lightning fast moves came at him from every direction. Jon suddenly felt rage sweep through his body, giving him greater strength. The last time he felt this battle-lust was during the War of Gods. He had been broken then and had used that grief to fuel his fights. Now he was full of anger toward Sanje and what he had turned his brethren into.

"ENOUGH!" Jon finally roared. He felt more magic energy pour into him as he quickly cast the spell in his mind. Hundreds of jagged bolts of energy erupted from around his whole body.

The energy bolts slammed in and through each of the three Magi Victus' bodies. They were lifted into the air by the non-stop barrage of energy bolts that tore through them like paper. Jon panted in exhaustion as the Magi Victus slammed back to the roof, dead. He felt empty at the loss of both his magic and his brethren. The runes of his shield flickered.

Jon looked up in time to see arrows of flame fly right at him. He grimaced and covered his arms in front of his face. The arrows of flame slammed into his shield. He felt the rest of his energy drain away as his shield finally dissolved. A flame arrow shot through his left shoulder and flung him back.

His senses were dizzied as he hung upside down in the air and watched the ground rush up toward him. He stuck out a hand blindly and felt his right hand snag the edge of the roof. The force of his downward momentum tore his shoulder out of its socket as his body slammed into the side of the building. But his fingers held on tight to the edge of the roof.

His left arm hung useless at his side. He looked at his shoulder and had to swallow the bile that suddenly filled his throat. The sick stench of charred flesh assaulted his nostrils. Smoke still rose from the smoldering hole in his shoulder.

I never pictured this happening when I made my plan yesterday. Jon sighed. His plans always had the habit of not working out.

A shadow appeared above him. Jon squinted into the sun and tried to make out the features beneath the hood. He could sense the man's amusement as he lowered his hood. A boyishly handsome face smiled down at him.

"Sanje," Jon greeted him neutrally.

Sanje's smile turned into a snarl. "My, how the mighty have fallen. I told you I would see you dead, Jon. I believe this is goodbye."

Sanje brought his boot up and slammed it down against Jon's fingers.

***

1 day earlier...

Jon stood in the doorway and watched Evelyn carefully brush her shortened hair. She saw him looking in the mirror and turned around. "I hope you like the hair," Jon said.

Evelyn touched her head. "It's fine. I don't care what my hair looks like, as long as it helps me in my plans."

Jon cocked his head to the side. "And what plans are those?"

Evelyn turned back around and picked up her brush. "Don't play stupid with me," she said angrily, looking at him through the mirror as she resumed combing her hair.

"So you heard everything I told you," he said quietly.

"Your secret is safe with me, if that's what you're worried about." Evelyn sighed and put down her comb again. She turned around and faced him. "I don't know what I'm supposed to feel about you. You killed my husband. I want to kill you," she finished, hanging her head.

Jon nodded. "I will never deny that I killed your husband. And I will never deny your attempt for vengeance"

Evelyn lifted her head and waited for him to elaborate. He knew she was waiting for him to defend himself. He wasn't that stupid. Finally, she continued. "I also heard you blame Raynolt. What was it you said? That you were only the knife?"

Jon walked further into the room and sat on the edge of the bed. "Yes. I was merely the instrument of Raynolt's will." He glanced at her uncertainly. She stared down at her hands and fiddled with her thumbs. "I'm an assassin, Evelyn. You know I speak truth when I say Daminus' death was not personal. But for Raynolt..."

She sniffed and nodded her head. "The thought of taking Raynolt's life keeps the grief away. I will kill him. That is my plan."

"And after?" Jon asked quietly.

She laughed bitterly. "After? I haven't decided about you yet. And we both know there's no after. Your friend Berrick survived long enough to do his task, am I right?"

"Yes," he admitted. "He was a renowned blacksmith. He created a sword for me and then...died."

"Well, my 'sword' is Raynolt's death...and perhaps your death, as well. And as for 'after?' I will just...die, as well."

They sat in silence as each contemplated their own futures. Jon glanced at her. She was staring at the wall, almost exactly as she has done for the past month. But the wetness in her eyes let him know she was still there.

"You might find some meaning in your life, if you survive," he offered her.

She glanced sideways at him. "Let's not deceive ourselves. I'm dead and we both know it. Unless you know a good reason that will keep me alive?"

Jon looked down at his hands and kept quiet. Yes, there is something that will give you hope...but now is not the time to tell you. "No," he told her, hating the lie. But it was necessary; she was not ready to know she carried the hopes of the world on her shoulders.

Jon stood up. "I'm about to give Ashford one last lesson before the Summer Festival tomorrow. I'm going to teach him how to penetrate shields. Would you like to join us?"

Evelyn hesitated a moment before replying. "Yes...I think I will." She gave no further explanation.

Jon nodded and led her out of the room. When he walked into the living room, Ashford rose up from his seat. "Master," he said, bowing.

Jon shot a grimace over at Sophina, who smiled as she oiled her new sword. I'm going to have to pay her back for starting this 'Master' business. Still, he smiled slightly as he walked into the room.

Ashford's eyes flicked toward Evelyn, who stood awkwardly back by the hallway. Jon looked at Sophina. She had stopped oiling her sword and was staring avidly at Evelyn. Neither Ashford nor Sophina had spoken with her since she came back to her senses the night before.

"Hello," Evelyn said, nodding her head in greeting. She looked down at her feet and locked her hands together.

Sophina stood up quickly and wiped her hands on her breeches. She took a hesitant step toward Evelyn. "Evelyn? It's so very wonderful to see you up again."

Evelyn stared at Sophina, confusion painting her features. "Thanks...do I know you?"

Jon winced as he saw the smile drop from Sophina's face. "Evelyn...it's me, Sophina. Remember?"

Evelyn gasped and brought her hands to her lips. She lowered them slowly. "Sophina? What in the nine hells happened to you?"

Sophina blushed and looked self-consciously down at her body. She patted her head and mumbled, "I had a rough month. I had to die my hair for a disguise. And my body...well, I..."

"She almost died and I had to force her body to heal itself," Jon finished for her. He glanced meaningfully at Evelyn.

Evelyn nodded her understanding. "You must have been really hurt if the healing wasted away your body," she said sadly.

Sophina sat back down and stared morosely at her hands. Evelyn looked sadly at her and turned her attention to Ashford. "I can barely recognize you, Ash. In fact, I wouldn't have recognized you if I hadn't already realized that you were with us that...that night." Her voice choked up at the end and she turned her head away.

Ashford took a step toward her and then stopped. "I'm so sorry."

Evelyn wiped her eyes and waved his apology away. "It's ok, Ash."

An uncomfortable silence permeated the air. Ashford rubbed his bald head and looked down at the stone floor. Sophina held her sword in her lap and looked glumly over at Evelyn. Evelyn just looked lost. Another tear snaked down her cheek but she seemed unaware of it.

"Well, we sure are a happy bunch, aren't we?" Jon said lightly. Everyone stared at him before simultaneously breaking out in laughter. Jon was glad to see Evelyn chuckling. The mood lifted and everyone looked more at ease.

"So, are we having that last lesson?" Ashford asked, still chuckling to himself.

"Yes. Evelyn is going to join us in this lesson, as well. I'm going to give you two some pointers on how to penetrate shields."

Ashford looked eager. Jon glanced at Evelyn. She still had a lost look in her eyes but she did seem mildly interested. "Let's start with the basics. A simple 1st Tier shield spell is to shield you from all harm, correct?"

Ashford and Evelyn nodded. This was a basic concept for them but he wanted to establish a foundation that would make his lesson easier to understand. Jon noticed that Sophina was listening intently from her seat. That woman sure is fascinated with magic. He chuckled and turned his attention back to Ashford and Evelyn.

"Ok, so what is the difference between a 1st Tier protection spell and the 2nd Tier spell?"

"The 2nd Tier protection spell utilizes more complex instructions than simply saying, 'protect me from harm,'" Ashford answered quickly.

"Correct," Jon replied. He turned toward Evelyn. "Tell me, Evelyn, why is that important? Why is a 1st Tier protection spell not sufficient enough?"

Evelyn frowned at him. She appeared to consider whether he was mocking her with the simple question. When he just returned her look, she answered slowly. "It's not sufficient enough because it leaves too many gaps in logic. What does 'protect me from harm' mean? What part of your body are you referring to? What constitutes 'harm?' What kind of attacks do you want repelled?"

Jon nodded, pleased with her succinct answer. "What else?"

Evelyn took her time to organize her thoughts. "The spell also doesn't require too much magical energy to maintain. An offensive spell from a higher Tier is sufficiently powerful enough to blast through the shield. The weak magic of the protection spell is overwhelmed by the stronger magic of the offensive spell."

"Good, Evelyn, but not quite accurate. This is what today's lesson is about. How is a shield physically manifested?"

It was Ashford who answered. "Any spell is physically manifested through manipulation. We shape the spells with our fingers, or with our mind, and the result is magical runes that appear only to Magi."

"Magical runes," Jon said musingly. "What are runes, do either of you know?"

Ashford shared a look with Evelyn. Evelyn shrugged her shoulders. "The runes are the written language of creation. We vocalize the spell to bring it into focus and manipulate the written runes of that spell to physically manifest it."

"Good, Ashford. Language is always comprised of two parts: spoken and written. Even the God is not immune to this universal truth. His words shaped his vision and the letters of that language were the earth and all the life in it. Every single grain of sand is a rune."

Ashford laughed incredulously. "Are you saying we are runes?"

"Are we not?" Jon asked. "We are all a part of creation, aren't we?"

Ashford opened his mouth and then closed it. He frowned. Evelyn looked puzzled. "I never thought of it that way," she said slowly. "We use the magic of creation. If the God used the same magic, and he created us, then we are runes!"

"I'll be damned," Ashford whispered. His eyes glowed with the newfound knowledge. Jon knew he would easily grasp the next concept he was about to teach. Or at least he hoped so.

"A protection spell is more than spoken words," Jon continued. "Once cast, a set of runes cover your entire body. These runes are the physical manifestation of the words used to cast the spell. Evelyn, what you said earlier was only partially right. Spells that require more magical energy can rip through a lesser shield. But why waste all that energy when you can simply go around a shield?"

Ashford and Evelyn shared a blank look. "What do you mean?" Ashford asked.

"Think of runes as locks. Locks require a key shaped in a certain way, right?" Jon waited for them to nod before continuing. "One of the first things you are taught at the Emporium is that no two Magi cast the same spell in the exact same way, right?"

"The language of creation is too subtle and too varied to be cast the same way," Ashford confirmed. "Each word of the language can be pronounced differently and the runes can be shaped differently, just like writing a letter. Everybody's handwriting is different."

"Exactly," Jon replied. "So you partially understand the concept of shaping spells differently and still achieving the same result. Now, let's go back to my lock metaphor. You remember what I said earlier about 1st Tier protection spells?"

"I think I know where you're going with this!" Evelyn replied suddenly. Her eyes shone with the thrill of revelation. Jon was happy to see Evelyn set aside her grief for a few moments. "1st Tier spells are too vague to offer much protection and lack sufficient magical energy. But I think you are trying to say that it's the pattern of the runes that's important!"

Jon smiled. "A 1st Tier protection spell is a very easy lock to pick. You might think a 2nd Tier fireball can bypass the shield because it's more powerful; however, a fireball can also be manipulated to be the right-shaped key to bypass the shield completely, thereby losing none of its power.

"I'm lost," Ashford said. "What do you mean by the right-shaped key?"

"You can cast a 7th Tier protection spell, correct?" Jon asked. Ashford nodded, still looking unsure. "I bet you I can bind you with a 1st Tier Spell of Binding."

Ashford looked over at Evelyn, perhaps wondering if Evelyn also thought he was trying to pull a trick on him. Evelyn, however, tapped her lips in thought. Ashford looked back at Jon. "I think you're crazy," he finally countered.

Jon smirked and waved his hand toward Ashford. "Please, humor me."

Ashford shook his head incredulously but began casting his spell. His eyes glowed silver as he chanted and worked his fingers in the air. After a few moments, a set of glowing silver runes covered his entire body.

"There you go," Ashford said. "Try your best."

Jon focused on the runes covering his body. In moments, he memorized the pattern. "It's a good spell," Jon offered. "But it's also very sloppy in places."

Ashford snorted. "This spell has saved my life more times than I can count."

Jon shook his head. If Ashford had fought a Magi from Jon's time, he would have died from the first spell. Jon opened himself to the flow of magic and devised the precise spell of binding he wanted inside his mind. As promised, he only formed a 1st Tier spell but verbalized and shaped the spell in counter to the pattern of Ashford's shield. He waved his hand and released the spell.

Ashford's eyes bulged as the runes of binding wrapped around his body. His 7th Tier protection spell continued to surround him, untouched. Evelyn gasped beside Jon. Jon released the spell and Ashford stumbled forward.

"How...what...did you do?" he gasped.

"I bound you," Jon said simply. He turned to Evelyn. "It was a 1st Tier spell, was it not?"