The Commission - 16
by Anthyrax
Chapter 16 Might and Magic
Grim shouted a warning to Caredoc, and drew his sword. Good thing he thought to bring it he decided. Only a magical blade had the slightest chance against one of the Godlings approaching.
The spell the six were casting had now become a bright ball of energy, and beams of light were starting to shoot out in a six pointed star that reached the edge of the transformed college campus. But they needed more time.
Caredo stepped forward and snapped his fingers. Instantly a sword appeared in his hand and he smiled. The Auditor took form as it reached him, becoming a man now too. A tall men with black eyes and dark olive skin and he pulled out a sword of his own.
“This is not your world Caredoc, why are you here?”
“I made a deal Shulmugush, and besides, you aren’t taking very good care of this one.”
Both of the gods stepped towards each other, their swords in an en garde position.
“It is our fief to do with as we see fit, and the Drakons made us an acceptable offer.”
As he spoke, Shulmugush attacked, and a blur of movement resulted as the two gods fought. It was too fast for Grim to follow, but he saw another was approaching.
“Well shit, this isn’t getting any better.” Grim cursed, “Gavin, how soon?”
But Gavin was unable to answer, he couldn’t stop the spell now and breaking his concentration would be disastrous. He was doing his level best to shore up the girls while Hans channeled their power into the spell. If he stopped, the spell would suck all of their life energy, and they would be lost. He could see how hard they were concentrating, and he could feel them weakening. It had to be now, or never.
The new shape took form, and became a 9 foot tall blonde man with an immense hammer.
Grim knew he had only one chance. Crossing swords would simply be suicide, and he had to stop him. The God was already approaching Hans and getting ready to strike!
The critical moment gave him a desperate concentration. Grim hurled his sword, throwing it at the God, the bright mithril glowing blade spinning end over end as the short sword hurtled at him. At the last moment, even as he swung his hammer at Kim, the blade struck him, directly between the eyes.
A brief scream and the God was gone in a bright flash of light. At that moment, the gate opened, and the world became a glowing field of dark and light.
It seemed to last forever, but it was over in an instant.
When Grim was able to open his eyes, he saw Caredoc stab Shulmugush in the chest, and another scream and explosion marked the destruction of yet another of the Auditors of this world.
And the college campus and all of the statues were gone. Instead, a small keep with the flag of the Foreign Legion of Shiron flying from the flagpole on the highest tower stood instead.
And Hans was down.
And so were all four of the girls.
Grim wanted to be sick, but he ran over to Gavin who was trying to help Hans.
“What happened to the girls?”
“The spell sucked them down further than it should have. I had to shift power from protecting them to make up for when Hans went down. Check them please?”
“How is the Prince?”
“Looks like his ribs are smashed, and so his is right arm. But he should live I think.”
Grim checked each of the fallen women. They were breathing, but only just. Only Cheryl was conscious, and she was struggling to speak. Grim leaned over to her so she could whisper.
“Potions. In my pack. Hurry. Give them to Kim first……..” and she was out too.
“My Lord Caredoc!” Grim called as he reached for her pack, “Can you help us?”
But he was gone.
Grim cursed, and pulled out several potions. Several were green colored, one was colored amber, and several others were yellow.
“Ok, which one?” he mumbled.
Shrugging, he opened a yellow one. It smelled vaguely of lemonade.
“Well, I will try this one out, Cheryl wouldn’t have anything deadly in her pack” he thought to himself.
Reaching over, he raised up Kim’s head and put the potion up to her lips. Tilting it back, he gently feed it to her. In moments, he noticed something. Instead of bringing her out of her coma, instead, she seemed to be stiffening. In fact, her skin was becoming very shiny and he cursed.
“Well shit. Sorry Kim, looks like that one was for creating mannequins. Oh well, at least you can be brought back later.” He said sheepishly.
Moments later, Kim had taken on a decidedly plastic look and even joint lines were beginning to appear.
Gavin, hurriedly trying to bind up his Prince’s ribs so that they wouldn’t shift and puncture a lung, didn’t have time to pay attention.
“How is it coming over there?
“Umm, well, Cheryl told me to give them all potions. She passed out before she told me which ones. I found out that the yellow one makes humans into mannequins though.”
Gavin shook his head in disgust. He couldn’t really say anything though. He didn’t even know Cheryl could do that anyway. “Try one of the other ones. What colors?”
Grim told him and Gavin nodded. “Well, better hope it’s the green one then. You should probably work on an apology speech too. Kim has a temper.”
Grim smiled briefly, and went over to Michelle. She seemed the palest of the three, and her pulse had been the weakest. Better try her next.
He lifted her head and poured the green potion into her mouth. It smelled amazingly like strained peas, which figured. Generally things that were good for you were disgusting to drink or eat. “Must be the nurse in her Michelle” he said, looking over at Cheryl, “those healing potions she made smelled and tasted like cod liver oil.”
Michelle opened her eyes as her color returned. The awful feeling of emptiness was gone. It was like all of the energy had been sucked from her, and now she was feeling only tired now. A big improvement.
“Did it work?” she asked, and then looking around, she saw Sarah, Cheryl and Kim laying on the ground.
“Quick, the green potion. Give it to them please?”
A few minutes later, all three of the girls were awake and they noticed Kim who had finished her transformation. She was a very lovely mannequin though.
“You used the yellow one didn’t you?” Cheryl asked sweetly, while Sarah and Michelle glared at him.
“Umm, yes. Well, you didn’t say which ones. I don’t remember you ever mentioning you could make anything but healing potions sweetheart.” Grim said a little defensively.
“Oops. Sorry. So I didn’t.” Cheryl replied, color going to her cheeks as she blushed. Michelle and Sarah turned their glares over to their redheaded friend, before finally smiling as the humor of the situation finally reached them.
“Oh well, at least she gets to rest some.” Michelle said with a chuckle.
Sarah just shook her head and stood up.
“Wes honey, are you ok? And how is the Prince?”
“He is in bad shape my darling. Cheryl, do you have anything left for a spell?”
“Not much. Here, let me examine him.” Cheryl moved over to the Prince, and began assessing his wounds. “Looks like internal bleeding, all of his ribs of his right are smashed and a multiple fractures on his right arm too. Shit, I don’t have enough. Where is Caredoc? Can’t he help us?”
Grim looked over at his friend curiously. Where was Caredoc?
“He is making a deal with the local gods here. The ones that were Auditors here before the transformation. They will be gods now. In fact Grim, you kind of made a vacancy. That was the local god of war you just took out. That blade was the one that King Germanus gave you isn’t it.”
Grim nodded. “Yes, a special blade he said, but he never said exactly why.”
“That is the one he killed Grumash with back on Shiron. You know, the Goblin God.”
“Shit.” Was all Grim could come up with.
Michelle walked over to a black pile of soot and ash where a short sword was sticking in the ground. It had a vaguely human outline, and she spit on it before she kicked it into cloud with her feet.
Cheryl, thinking for a moment, looked over at Kim. “You know hon, I still have a yellow potion left. We could use that on him.”
Gavin grinned and Grim chuckled.
“Now how was that for irony” Sarah thought to herself with a smile. Looking over toward the keep, she saw what looked like a company of mounted knights on horseback approaching on horseback.
“Wes honey, I think your troops are here.”
“Well, better hold off on the potion. Princess Gabrielle is leading the way. She might not think it’s funny if you change her father into a mannequin Cheryl.”
“Oh I don’t know, she had a pretty good sense of humor I thought.” Cheryl said ironically.
“Lets not tempt fate ok?”
“Yes dear.” She replied, a voice in a sarcastic sugary tone that lovers reserve for their mates when they were teasing them.
Michelle smiled, the first time all day. She was relieved. They had survived and for once, Gavin wasn’t hurt.
“Thank god indeed,” she thought with relief. Her eyes met Sarah’s and they locked. She could see the same thing in her friend and competitions eyes.
“Well sister, what do we do know?” she whispered.
Sarah only shrugged helplessly. Nothing had changed. They were still in love with the same man. It would have to be enough. Still.
The two rivals, went over to their now plastic friend.
Kim lay where she had been set down by Grim. Her skin was flawless plastic now, and her eyes were closed. Sarah stroked her cheek and whispered in her sculpted ear.
“Just relax Kim. We will wake you soon enough.”