Legacy of the Necromancer [Legacy, BK1 - Completed]

Chapter 7:1

The swirling vortex of the portal surrounded me and I was ejected out the other side, rolling in the dirt until something hard stopped my momentum.

I hurt. My arms screamed at me, the scars from my challenge weeks ago felt fresh on my skin and added to the painful wounds from the chains. I kept my eyes closed and tried to breathe. At first I couldn't hear anything, but then sounds started coming through. I heard bird song, frogs, and insects that weren't those of home or even from the grove close to Avery's house. I groaned. They sounded like I was somewhere much further away.

I shifted, putting my back against the trunk of the tree that had stopped my roll. I opened my eyes. We'd ended up in the Half-world.

The air was cooler than last time, but I still peeled off my hoodie to keep the humidity of the jungle from suffocating me. My vision blurred. As tired and exhausted as my Talent was, I wanted more than anything to focus on the back of my eyelids. But the thought of another beast coming across me like this was enough to push me to my feet.

I rubbed at my face and forced myself to concentrate. What needs to be first? The portal, got to make sure the portal was closed. Looking around I tried to see or sense it, but there was no sign. A weight lifted and I took a deep breath. Bright side: I didn't need to worry about the Witches now.

There were two figures on the ground between me and where I thought the portal must have been. Two? That wasn't right. I stepped closer and knelt down to the small, black shape. There were feathers scattered everywhere.

I reached for Poe and hesitated, afraid that I might hurt him. I sat in the dirt, looking for any sign of life in the bird. His breathing was slow and labored.

"Urgh." The other mound stirred in the corner of my vision. "What, where the hell are we?" John asked, pushing himself up.

I took a deep breath and tried to stay calm. At least I knew for sure he'd be safe from his family.

"It's another plane of existence, another world," I said absently, reaching for Poe. We needed to find shelter and help if we could. That meant I would have to move him anyway. I glanced back at John. "You don't look so surprised at what I said."

John shrugged and stood, moving closer to me. "I knew there were places like this, I just never thought I'd actually get to see one. Oh, man. Looks like the poor bird took the brunt of the spell."

"He's not just 'a bird'," I snapped, gathering Poe into the corner of my left arm, using my hoodie as cushion.

I took another deep breath and tried to focus on one thing at a time. "That spell, what was it?"

"A basic blast spell, I think. Fire magic really isn't my thing."

I smoothed down some of Poe's feathers that were sticking up at odd angles. A sound caught my attention from our right. Something moved through the underbrush, coming towards us. I stood quickly, putting myself between John and whatever was coming.

"What's that?"

"Something is coming." I held out my hand, pulling at the last dredges of my power. I watched the big fronds twitch and move, and finally part to reveal an old man. The same one who'd found me after the test. He was panting, leaning heavily on his knotted walking staff.

I breathed a sigh of relief, dropping my hand and power to cradle Poe more securely as I started to shake.

"Hasim," the old man said, bowing to me. "I felt the portal open and came as soon as I could." His eyes fell to Poe in my arms and he hobbled over. His hand hovered over Poe's still form. "Hasim, this is bad. What has happened?"

John stepped closer. "It took the full blast of a spell. I've no clue how it could have blocked the whole thing, as small as it is."

The old man took a good look at both of us and nodded. "Come, Hasim. You need rest."

He started back into the underbrush, not pausing to see if we were following.

"Can we trust him?" John asked.

I glanced around for my bag. I'd been wearing it when we were blown through the portal, but I didn't have it now. "I do. He's helped me before."

"Are you looking for this?" John picked up the messenger pack. The strap had ripped.

I reached for it, awkwardly shifting Poe in my arms.

John shouldered the bag. "I got it. Just lead the way, before we lose him altogether."

We followed the old man through the jungle as the afternoon sun beat down through the trees. We only walked for twenty minutes or so before coming upon a gathering of huts. It felt weird to be back. Why would Poe bring us here and not back to the Mansor's ranch?

The village was bustling, full of people moving between huts, cooking food, talking. Children ran and screamed and played, dodging the grownups and livestock with a practiced ease. I noticed that all the damage I'd seen here the first time had been mended.

As we walked through the center of the village people grew silent, staring as we passed. Then the whispering started, and the bowing. The word 'Hasim' was repeated over and over.

"Uh, what's happening?" John whispered. He looked a little unnerved by the attention we were attracting.

The old man looked back at John. "Your friend is Hasim. In your language, it mean 'Savior'. He conquered the beast that sought to destroy this village and saved us all."

"Not all," I said gravely, thinking of the girl who'd fought so bravely before I could gather my wits.

John quickened his pace, trying to keep even with me to see my face. "It's true that you saved them though? That you fought to protect them?"

I ignored his questions. I didn't want to know what he thought of me, or what the Witches had brainwashed him into believing about Necromancers. It was obvious he had some misconceptions about who we were, and what we really did.

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Surprise update. I had more ready than I thought I had! Woot! lol.  

7:2 will be out on 8/12. As always, track my progress through social media and on my blog at https://jd-indieauthor.com/