Fall of the Spectrum

Chapter Twenty, Part Two

Worse still, what if she copied a specific soldier? One that just happened to be well-known within the army, one she failed to properly mimic?

"We'd better get back to our posts before Reeves has a conniption fit."

Gwen exchanged an anxious glance with Forneus. He inclined his head to one side, silently gesturing for her to listen.

"Shh! Not so loud, you idiot." Gwen experienced a moment of panic, thinking they must have been found out when the voice spoke again. "His shadows are all over the place. Do you want to get us thrown into the dungeons?"

"Sorry," said the other, "I wasn't thinking."

"Big shocker, there." The vanilla cigar smell tickled Gwen's nose once again, and she had to scrunch up her face to keep from sneezing. "You guys go on ahead. I'm just going to give the area one last sweep, then I'll meet you at the temple."

"You sure about that?"

"Yeah, what if the daemon turns up?" a new voice added, bearing what Gwen thought might be a cockney accent.

"Let 'im come." She could see the faint glow of the cherry on the end of the cigar before the smoker stubbed it out, releasing a hiss between his teeth. Had he just put it out in the palm of his hand? "I told you, I'm not worried. Now do your jobs, and get outta here. I have my own duties to perform."

The other figures did as they were told, moving away in twos with the barest of grumbles, each pair going off in a different direction to do whatever it was they were meant to be doing. Gwen took this moment to glance nervously between Forneus and the remaining figure, wondering just what they were supposed to do now.

"I know you're here," the figure said, without looking up. "I can smell you. Even with the storm hiding the stench of magic, the girl's flowery soap is a dead giveaway. You might as well come out and get it over with."

Forneus released Gwen's hand, and with an audible popping and a flash, he appeared on the ground, standing directly in front of the figure. "If you insist."

The figure just had time to conjure ether of his own before Forneus released a volley of fireballs at him, colliding with an invisible force Gwen couldn't quite make out, though she could see the barest ripple in the air wherever the embers struck.

"Is that all you got, daemon?" Gwen caught a glimpse of large, gleaming teeth when the demon sneered. "Why not call the girl out of hiding? I'm sure she could give me more of a fight than this!"

Indignation flared within Gwen, quelled just as suddenly when Forneus called down a series of thunderbolts, forcing the figure to dance backward in order to avoid them. He was so busy evading the bolts, he didn't see the orb of golden light gathering in Forneus's other hand until it was too late. Gwen only caught a glimpse of the figure's frightened expression before she was forced to shield her eyes, head tucked in her arms against the tree trunk as the light exploded in a shower of sparks.

There were sounds of a scuffle, followed by a thump and an audible groan. And then, nothing. Cautiously lifting her head, Gwen looked down, eyes widening at what she saw. The figure lay in a heap at Forneus's feet, completely still. Little pinpricks of light danced in the air and then dissipated, making the darkness seem more impenetrable than before.

"If no one heard that, then they're bound to have seen the flash of light," Forneus said. He appeared beside her in an instant, teleporting them both onto the ground in the next. "Our friend here is a mid-level demon crossbreed. It seems there's a fair bit of harpy in him." He nudged the figure with the toe of his boot, turning his head so that he was facing Gwen.

"It also looks like he's got friends who'd notice if someone switched places with him," Gwen pointed out, stepping deftly to one side in a vain attempt to get a better view. "Even if I could see him properly, we don't know that this will work."

Forneus held out his hand, summoning a gently-glowing orb into his palm. "Will this suffice?" he asked, darting a look over his shoulder. "There are footsteps approaching. We only have a few minutes before we're found out."

Gwen could see the figure perfectly now; from his close-cropped black hair, to the tribal tattoo peeking out from beneath his button-up plaid shirt sleeve. He was of medium build, not much taller than Gwen herself, with a slightly darker, middle-eastern complexion. And feathers. Thin, dark ones, covering his jaw like a silken beard and jutting out from the first knuckles on the backs of his hands.

"Whether I can see him or not isn't the point," she whispered. She could hear the footsteps now too, setting the hairs at the back of her neck on end. "Forneus, you heard the way he talked to the others. He's obviously well known, probably even respected. Even if I could fool them, how long before the Glamour wears off?"

"If you don't want to take the chance, I'll understand." Forneus hauled the unconscious figure up. "But if we're going to do this, we have to do it now. I won't be far. If something goes wrong, I'll come and get you. You have my word."

Gwen thought of Asclepius, of the kind smile he always seemed to have for her, despite his many cares as a Regulations Force commander. She thought of Lyka, of how much she'd taught Gwen about hand-to-hand combat. She thought of Astral, remembering the way his grey-green eyes lit up the first time he taught her about her Magic Sight, the way he smiled so readily and yet so shyly, the feel of his hand in hers as he led her to safety at Hikawa Shrine...

Could she really come this far only to turn tail and run at the last second? What if the others were here, and because she wasn't brave enough to do what needed doing, something bad happened to them?

I couldn't live with myself if that happened.

The transformation came quickly, wrapping her in a strange, bubbly warmth while she stared at the figure in Forneus's grasp, the guardian's expression melting into a mixture of relief and approval at what he saw.

"Oh, I almost forgot." He pried one of the figure's eyes open, giving Gwen a glimpse of the phosphorescent green of his iris, the vertically-slit pupil dilated in his unconsciousness.

Gwen focused on the eye, her vision becoming sharper as the transformation took effect.

Forneus looked her over and nodded. "Nicely done. Now remember, Gwen; I'll be watching. If anything happens..." He trailed off.

Gwen didn't need to ask why. A rustling sound reached her ears, coming from just on the other side of the copse of trees to their left. She gave Forneus a jerky nod, confirming that she'd be okay. Without a sound, he vanished, taking the figure along with him.

Leaving Gwen to face whoever had come to investigate.

*