Death and Honor: Book 1 of 2 by James Wisher Page B

streaked into the clearing, exploding a few yards from them, the heat scorching Jeremiah’s legs. When they were out of the clearing Kiera put her arm across him and a tingle pass through his body.
    “I’ve made us invisible,” she whispered in his ear.
    A tall, gaunt figure walked into the clearing, a voluminous black cloak swirled around him. “Come out, come out, little druid.” The figure looked in their direction and a chill ran through Jeremiah, its eyes were pits of swirling flame. The glow from its burning eyes revealed a face so emaciated it resembled a skull with paper glued to it.
    “That’s the alchemist I stole the fragment from,” Kiera whispered in his ear. “He’s been hunting me ever since. I thought I lost him far from here.”
    “Perhaps he followed me,” Jeremiah said.
    “No, I was far to the east of Three Streams when I left him behind.”
    The alchemist held out his hand, the flesh charred and blackened as though burned in a fire. A ball of flame appeared above his hand and he flung it at random into the forest. It detonated well to their left.
    “He’s going to find us eventually,” Jeremiah said.
    He felt as much as heard Kiera’s sigh. “I never dared fight him. His powers make any battle between us a grim prospect for me. Maybe together we have a better chance.”
    “What do you want me to do?” Jeremiah asked. He had no doubt the abomination in the clearing needed to be destroyed.
    “I’ll circle around and draw his attention. When I leave, you’ll become visible. Don’t worry he still shouldn’t be able to see you with all this brush. As soon as he turns away you have to attack and keep attacking. As long as he can’t concentrate he can’t use his powers. Hesitate and we both die.”
    “I’ll be ready.”
    She moved away to the right, slipping silently through the forest. Another fireball exploded, this one far enough away he didn’t notice the heat of the explosion. The seconds ticked away, punctuated by an occasional explosion. If she didn’t hurry the monster would hit one of them by accident.
    Something thunked and the alchemist turned and flung another fireball. The moment it looked away Jeremiah scrambled to his feet and charged, drawing his sword as he went. The alchemist spun around, arm raised to block Jeremiah’s sword.
    Vibrations ran down Jeremiah arm when his sword struck and instead of the monster’s arm falling to the ground his sword bounced off like he’d struck an iron bar. The alchemist snarled and batted the sword away. Jeremiah hacked at him again, not giving the creature a chance to think.
    The alchemist blocked each swing like his razor sharp blade was nothing more than a child’s toy. Jeremiah gave up all pretense of skill and rained blow after blow down on the alchemist, anything to keep him distracted.
    The alchemist took a step back, snarling. Perhaps it was weakening. That thought sped strength through Jeremiah’s tired arms. He put everything he had into an overhead chop. The sword bit and the monster’s arm fell to the ground. Roaring more in anger than pain the alchemist struck Jeremiah with his other hand, sending him flying halfway across the clearing. The air burst out of his lungs on impact. Not allowing himself a moment Jeremiah scrambled to his feet, just in time to see the alchemist bend down, pick up his severed arm, and touch it to the stump. In a burst of flame the severed arm reconnected and the alchemist made a fist with it just like Jeremiah hadn’t lopped it off a second before.
    How could he beat such a creature? The answer appeared when Kiera’s scimitar struck the side of the alchemist’s neck, half decapitating it. Jeremiah raced forward and hit the other side, the creature’s head fell to the ground. The body fell limp to the ground a few feet away. The monster’s eyes still glowed.
    “Is it over?” Jeremiah asked.
    “Over!” the head shrieked. “You think you’ve won? Pathetic mortal you’ve won