Sage (manxman)

Chapter 18 - Rising Tensions

            Eyeing as a brown-cloaked figure approached the roaring fire with two other brown-cloaked figures. “Great, more cloaks.” Ford sighed to himself. The tree removed their hoods; they were all elderly men-Nordic looking. Ford sensed that they weren’t human.

            One of them removed a book from his cloak and started to read something in ancient Swedish. The fire burst into a purple color and Ford stood up knowing he should do something. Two of the cloaked men pulled daggers from their robes and slit their own throats. The purple flame wrapped around them and pulled them in growing bigger.

            The man continued to read and Ford swooped down kicking the book from his hands. The flame swirled into the sky and into the third man. Instantly he became younger and he smiled with purple flames behind his eyes. A giant hammer appeared in his hand and as Ford swooped around to attack him the man smacked Ford with the hammer. Ford tumbled into a tree the branches breaking his fall.

            Ford spit out some blood and rubbed his lip, “So that’s how you’re going to play.” Ford leapt down and motioned his hands. A gust of wind sent the man flying back and grabbed the hammer from the man placing it in Ford’s.

            “Maybe someone just needs to break your magic weapon.” Ford snapped the hammer in half thinking it would take away the man’s power. He just created another hammer and threw it at Ford. Ford dodged it just in time. “Okay, so that’s not your weakness.” Ford created another gust of wind sending the man back into a tree.

        His eyes caught the book and he waved his hand wind carried it back to him.  Grabbing the book another hammer smashed into his chest sending Ford back onto the dirt. The hammer morphed into the purple flame, which wrapped around him forming a chain. The Nordic man his eyes burning purple held a purple flame in his hand. “You shall not ruin the summoning! Return the tome.”

Ford broke the chains and leapt up then shot into the air dodging a fireball that flew behind him. His wing flapped and he flew away. He needed a second to heal. Landing on a branch and resting for a minute he flew back to the field and the guy had disappeared.  Ford opened the book and flipped through the pages, it was very old and the words were in a language he did not understand.

***

            Levi, Ford, and Nina sat on the bleachers by the football field. Nina was writing in her notebook a rough draft of a story for newspaper. “Great, this is exciting. The whole year gone by and no good story. How am I going to get into a great college now?”

            “Didn’t you get a perfect score on the SAT’s?” Levi mentioned throwing a baseball up in the air and catching it.

            “Yeah me and every other honor student. I need to write that killer article. All I have is Carter and Angela are junior prom king and queen.” Nina shrugged and put her notebook down then lifted up her Tupperware with salad.

            “How do you know they are going to win? We haven’t even had prom yet?” Ford asked.

            “Cause, the blond white girl always wins. Plus he is the football star of Middleton.” Nina stuck out her tongue.  “Speaking of prom I need to go get a dress soon.”

            “Right, that is coming up.” Levi caught the baseball and looked at Ford. “You got anyone special yet?”

            “I don’t know if I can even go. I will probably have to patrol that night.” Ford frowned.