Myths and Gargoyles by Jamie Hawke (interesting books to read in english txt) 📕

witch sprang to life amid all manner of new defensive spells. Her empty eye sockets stared at me, fingers moving as if pulling strings, and I felt my body cede control to her.

Riland slammed a hand to the floor and she started to sink, but resisted his spell that should have sent her to the Dark Lands. Aerona and Kordelia began their assault. Steph joined in with her wraith knights, and soon we left behind a pile of green goo that had once been an old witch. As we descended, a sort of haze of purple and orange covered us. I realized at once that it was a magic cloud that would have caused us to see our worst nightmares, if it wasn’t for Ebrill’s amplification effects on Shisa’s protective magic.

Three more witches entered then, likely assuming we were already in a state of delirium, and moved their hands as one, chanting.

Fuck that, I wasn’t about to let them finish their little spell. A remnant raised their companion from the goo and sent her after them, while I summoned my staff and the Liahona, taking out the first, spinning to almost get the second—but Aerona hit her first with a blast of light that sent her head flying. Instead, my attack hit the third, frying her to ash. At a frown from Ebrill over the use of the Liahona, I dismissed it but was glad to see that I had leveled up to Mage ten. My screen popped up, showing:

Level 10 MAGE

Statistics

Strength: 30

Speed: 27

Luck: 25

Charisma: 23

Mana: 890

New Spells

Gorffwys (sleep); Frost Footing; Ice Wall; Ice Claw; Frost Bite; Flurries; Freeze; Frost Remnant, Carreg (stone skin)

New Magic Type

Access to Avalon

Rune Magic

Apparently, I had a new spoken spell. I looked forward to trying it out.

Pushing on, we burst into a room that I recognized at once, faced with a person I hadn’t hoped to see anytime soon but wasn’t surprised by.

“Fatiha,” I said, bracing myself. She stood at what appeared to be a gong, various magical artifacts adorning her to the point that I could have mistaken her for an ancient soothsayer or witch doctor. Bones, gleaming daggers, necklaces with jewels that seemed to be alive and watching us. No doubt, she had been busy.

“You’ve returned,” Fatiha said. “And… come for my slave?”

With a wave of her hand, Megha appeared on the ground between us, head bowed and held by metal, barbed restraints. Even without moving, the metal was cutting into her, crimson blood tracing her wrists.

I lunged to kneel at her side and try to help, only my hand went right through her. A quick scan showed this wasn’t her at all, but a magical projection.

“Always the simple one,” Fatiha said, laughing.

“We kicked your ass last time,” I growled, standing and staring her down. “What makes you think you have a chance this time?”

“I’m impressed you found me,” she replied, eyes roaming over me as if looking for my secret. Her eyes froze, then lit up. “You have her…? How?”

My gaze moved to the stone that had lit up on one of her rings. I assumed it gave her insight, maybe even some sort of mind-reading power. She wanted to know how I had managed to find Glitonea and capture her, and I wanted to know how in the hell she had managed to obtain all of these magical artifacts in a matter of a couple days.

Again, her eyes lit up and, and she smiled. “An even trade. See, one of my jobs for dear Gertrude, bless her soul, was to be the one to track down such items. It should come as little surprise that I didn’t report in all that I found. Having found her and brought her up, helped her while tricking her to not realize it was me… I realized I could play both angles—go in search of you all,” her eyes moved to Aerona and the other gargoyles, “while also working to find what I needed to bring back my people, my armies. And also, to learn what Gertrude’s plans were, to infiltrate the Order. It is done, and Gertrude is dead. Soon, you will join her.”

So, that was it. Reading thoughts. That could be problematic when it came to exchanging blows. I nodded, then indicated the runes and the arrow. As her eyes lit up, I knew no words were necessary.

“You’ve become a rune master,” she said, arching an eyebrow. “That’s very… convenient for you, considering.”

“Ah, so you’re aware of what’s to be found down in our house’s foundation.”

She gave a subtle nod.

“Rune master might be a stretch,” I admitted. “But I believe I know enough, and that we have enough power, to see that your plan never comes about.”

“Enough of this,” Aerona growled and she moved as I had never seen her move before. Horns lighting up with fire, skin glowing, she was on Fatiha in a flash, with claws extended and flames bursting forth from her hands.

Fatiha thrust a hand in the air but was caught with the first swipe before vanishing, everything going black but for the light coming from our side.

“You… mortals,” Fatiha’s voice echoed from around the room, flashing images of her appearing in the darkness. “I’ve risen above you, don’t you see this? Why attack a god when you should be bowing?”

“Go to Hell,” I shouted, sending out a barrage of ice attacks and shouting stun and other spells. She dodged, deflecting them and sending counter-curses that Shisa helped absorb, although one hit and his crack from before grew worse, making me shout for Ebrill to do what she could for him.

“He’s not like us,” she countered. “It’s not like I can heal him, exactly.”

“Do what you can,” I said, running over to Riland and hoping we could work to trap our adversary in the Dark Lands.

Our attacks were no match for her with the magical artifacts, though. Nothing we did worked. This wasn’t the way.

I had the Liahona and my staff, aiming at her, and it all