Chapter Twenty Three: War For West

    The light portal for West Michigan City was one of many in a long line, all with attendants and people waiting to use them. Imagine a circle, made of thick metal beams, with cylinder tubes hooking up to said beams. That's what a light portal looks like.

"Ugh. The light magic smells disgusting," I said while waiting for the witch to prime the portal. All but ours were busy. Wonder why.

Halina shrugged. "Smells fine to me. But hey, you're the expert."

"Fair point." The portal whirred up to life, and light powder dumped into the combustion chamber, and the light swirled into a bright yellow aura. The witch in her uniform came forward.

"It's ready," she said. "But I heard West was going under troubles. Are you sure you want to do this?"

"As sure as I am a fool." The witch obviously didn't care. She waved for us to come forward. The portal's width was that of about five people, and Halina and I stepped through together.

We came through the other side after what felt like an instant, but was truly a few minutes. Together we walked through and down the lone chrome steps. Another witch was there to greet us, a forced smile on her face. She motioned us to the side. "Welcome to West Michigan City. Unfortunately I must ask you leave back to Lake City. We are having difficulties now."

"Don't worry," I said casually. "I'm here to fix it."

The witch just ignored me, like nothing I could say would mean anything. Well, bolder words have been said by greater men and women, so I suppose she's not in the wrong. Leaving the building, the very cold wind ripping through the spiraling city, making me shiver. West has a Chicago feel, except magic was very, very rampant.

The city was quiet. Eerily quiet. Not a person in sight.

My nose lifted. "I suspect the shifters have began their attack. Stay by my side. And don't fall behind."

Halina zipped up her lovely winter coat, holding the Fearful Blade close. Her red gloves covered most of the knife. Using my nose, I went down a street. Truthfully, I've only been here a handful of times. They have a fun arena, where you can fight for money and practice.

Without seeing it, I felt the magic assault. Somewhere in the east. The courthouse was north. Oh, where to go where to go.

"Um, Ditto." A crash and a car went flying a few streets down. Five shifters appeared, a few grey, a few normal. They were destroying anything in their path.

"We must go. This is the edge of the south city. Whatever heroes are defending will be close."

I started to run, Halina not only passing me, but not even trying. "I told you. I like running. Keep up old man."

"Blah."

Power surged close by, that of only a Big Boy. More explosions sounded off in the distance, and I could feel the shifter pack moving. God, their numbers were larger than I thought. Rounding, we came to a group who stood before at least thirty shifters. Most undendings.

I saw other shifters running past between buildings, going to find more stuff to destroy and kill. We got to the group, a mere five heroes. Including a Big Boy.

The shifters were keeping their distance, yet many flew overhead. Super shit.

Two pairs of eyes locked on to me. A young looking warlock.

And someone I did not expect.

"Who the hell are you two?" The witch asked, a much larger woman, black, long flowing hair. She motioned to the threat. "You helping?"

"Er-yes Ma'am." Holy shit. Holy shit. Halina pointed to the shifter's behind us now. I didn't care. "Fran. Fran Heckler. The Winding Torch. Fuck. Number Seven."

"Wait--who the fuck are you guys?" the warlock asked, but his authority didn't matter next to this Big Boy. Almost nothing did.

"I'm Ditto Night. The Man Who Dies for Fun. Don't mind the girl. But please protect her." The Hidden looked quizically back and forth.

"Um, never heard of you."

"Yeah. I get that a lot." I faced Fran, shivering from her absolute raw power. "What we working with? How many heroes?"

"About twenty technical heroes," she said easily. "The rest are warriors in training."

"Estimates on the shifter army?"

Fran shrugged. "Something around six hundred."

The shifters were starting to make up their minds. I pushed Halina. "Get to that building. Stay inside."

"No," she shook. "I'm staying by you."

"Halina--" But time was up. Shifters on all sides started their attack. I drew Ever Heart, and without missing a beat, raised a hundred wolves, giving them some extra teeth.

"Everyone!" I yelled. "The grey ones can only die from decapitation. Otherwise they regenerate. Aim for necks."

I think the older fae looked the most surprised. His open mouth wanted to speak, but I got there first. "Yes I raise the dead. Yes, I'm aware of what it means. Now fight! Defend your city! FIGHT!"

Fran removed the spear off her back, the brown shaft matched by a charcoal colored head. "Heather, Sam, to the right. Jean and Grant behind. Ditto with me."

The witch began to swirl her spear as her meager force listened. Fran's spear began to glow, and fire wound up around it's head. Together me and her faced thirty odd shifters, now only a few yards away.

The start of war. Oh, how much I'll enjoy this.

Grinning, Fran thrusted her spear, and I kid you not, the thin line of red fire magic wiped out half the pack without much a sound. Nothing but smoldering hair remained.

My own pack engaged the enemy, snarls coursing through the air. I activated the magic laid within the masking tape. A small grey bear greeted said magic, a cloud of pure death, suffocating it's lungs of oxygen. It died, but who cared. More shifters came barreling down upon us.

Everything was going so fast. Black energy ran through my arm and into various shifters, Ever Heart taking a head off before I was tackled by an ape. It raised a huge fist, one that would most definitely kill me. The spear cut its chest open, and I pulsed death into it. Undead wolves did battle and distraction while Fran helped me to my feet.

"I need you alive Necromancer." Her spear sent five round balls of energy into the sky sending big birds down to earth. Halina was a few feet away, swiping at anything that got close. I put Ever Heart into a tiger, it clawing across my stomach, blood swelling up. It roared, and another huge cat leaped at me. One, the Deadly went into it's gut, but the thing was unending, refusing to die like the tiger. More shifters emerged, destroying my wolven amy.

Sighing, I decapitated both the tiger and cat at once, and grabbing a kangaroo - yes, it's not out of place - removed it's life essence into myself, healing my stomach. Not my clothes though.

I breathed, eyeing my surroundings. Shifters were still coming while my new comrades fought. Smoke was rising in other parts of the city, fires burning from the destruction. Halina was close to Fran, who wound up more orange energy, taking down shifters that got right back up.

Staring at Ever Heart, I raised tigers and bears now. Hearing a scream, the one named Jean, a pretty looking witch, got her side sliced open from a pack of coyotes. I sent my army there, trying to help. Who knows how good it will be to her though.

You know, while I'm doing it, I raised another large force, and sent them off into the city. Programming them to attack anything grey and alive, this should help the other heroes.

Turning away, I joined Fran again at the front ranks. She was doing her best, but there were too many unendings. Actually, I think Fran could do this all day. The others would be long dead though. A swarm of chipmunks scurried up onto my leg as I got hit by an antelope, catching a horse on the neck while tiny teeth gnawed through my jacket.

"Fran! I could use some assistance!" I batted some off, my swords knocking many off, before pin-sized light hit each one. That is the power of a Big Boy. A huge zombie bear crushed a small dog, only to be shattered apart from an elephant.

Ugh. Lifting my blades, at this point with rather weak arms, I cut down more shifters, some rising, some not, and jumped. Ever Heart pierced the charging elephant's' side, but it went running into a building, and I had to let go, my sword still in its body. Something hit me from behind, hurting immensely. Tumbling over, the antelope charged. I pulled out my gun.

Three bullets ended that for now.

I removed a few vials with my liquid ghosts, tossing them to the ground. The angry spirits screeched, chasing after my instructions. My mouth was dry. I was wearing out.

The shifters were starting to finally retreat, realizing they wouldn't be able to defeat Fran. That's when I stiffened. Ice magic was close. Real close. Spotting the elephant, I got in it's way, and my death cloud tore it apart.

I removed Ever Heart from the carcass, and joined the surviving defenders.

Fran, Halina, Grant, and myself all remained. Jean, Sam, and Heather were dead, lying face down and bloody. Dozens of bodies laid out among the destruction, staining the world red. Oh it tasted so good. The death of the fallen. A necromancers greatest wish.

Grant wiped away his tears, the fae smelling of fear and emotions. Gah, whatever.

Halina had a few scratches, as did Fran, but me and Grant had it worse. My clothes were tatters, covered in my and other's blood. Grant's arm was hurt real bad, clutching it tenderly. I swear I saw bone.

Fran touched his arm, and muttered a spell. The bleeding stopped, and his skin recovered slightly. "You'll need serious attention soon."

Grant nodded, snot coming out his nostrils. I felt terrible. My body was in serious pain. Reaching into my bag, I pulled out a metal flask with a black rose on it. I drank a good gulp. "Got some Feel Good juice. Literally. Anyone want a sip?"

Fran grabbed the flask, and took a deep sip. "Ah. Good stuff. We must find the others now. The fight's not over." She slapped my back. "You did well Necromancer."

Grant whimpered. "But what about my friends?"

I raised everything around us. "It's too late for them. Time to keep going."

He reeled, as though not accepting my words. "How can you say that? They were great people. And now they're under your ghastly control."

The fae was but a teen, which was impressive for gaining the hero status. He seemed upset, angry. I sighed. "Boy, you are young. But for a necromancer, death is apart of my life. And if you ever become a Big Boy like Fran here, well, you learn not to be sentimental."

"Actually, I prefer Big Girl," Fran said, gesturing to herself.

Shrugging, I said, "If you want to be a Big Girl, you learn to not be to sentimental."

The witch began moving north, towards the smell of ice. I sent my army on the march. Grant persisted though, bugging me with his voice. "Can't you at least not use my friends bodies? It's disrespectful and they deserve better. They didn't die for you to use them."

I was beside Fran, Halina falling back a little. She put an arm around the boy. I grunted. "They knew the risks. And they simply got the short stick."

"They died!"

Oh, now the boy was angry. Fran said nothing. But as if I cared that they died. I didn't know them, never met them. I'm not to blame for their deaths.

"Listen," I said softly, not turning around. "A lesson of being a hero is that sometimes they die. War is no exception. Not now. Not ever. Don't be mistaken about the fame and glory. I've seen good men and women lose their lives. You taste that on your tongue? It's the truth striking."

He was bawling, tears flowing, Halina looking away. What does he want me to say? They died heros? Died protecting the good people? They were brave? Villains don't care about a protectors life. War doesn't. Other heroes rarely do. Big Boys definitely don't.

I think Fran was getting annoyed, but Halina scoffed, wanting me to say something helpful. Sighing, I added, "Look kid, your friends aren't done serving their city. Neither am I. We must do what is needed. You want to be a great hero one day? Then find it in your heart to let go. It takes cowardness to be courageous. The battle isn't over. So time to grow up."

The fae didn't respond, so maybe I gave him something to think about. We turned down a long street, and Fran looked up. "You feel that?"

The ice magic was replaced with nature, and wilderness. "Oh no. A shaman. We must be getting close to the final battle sites."

I saw shifters run past down distant roads, heading towards the same place. Few citizens stuck their heads out to watch, wondering what the outcome would be. More explosions and magic erupted, not far ahead. I cracked my neck. "Damn I'm sore. I should've stretched first."

The witch adjusted her spear. God I'm so jealous. "This doesn't make sense. Shifter packs don't just attack cities. And shamans don't usually help."

"It's a test," I said. "Nothing more."

"What?" Fran seemed confused. "What kind of test?"

Well, I was going to say more, but we came upon the raging battle. We were up on a hilled street, looking down upon the troubling scene. Shifters and the lone shaman were besieging the line of heroes and newly formed City Watch, the warriors in training, a grand total of about thirty in all. I suspect only six or seven real heroes.

The shaman stood behind her army, unleashing torrents of green magic, forcing the line back. I watched as more defenders went down in a panic, blood misting the air. My dead wolven were, well, dead again. Then I spotted her. Celen farther up than the shaman, using her own ice and snow.

I faced the fae. "Can you still fight boy?"

He held his shield with his bad arm, and lifted his curved sword in his good one. He gave a solemn nod. "Yes. To the death."

I smiled. "Fantastic."

"I'll engage the shaman," Fran said, hoisting up her spear.

"I got the ice fae. She's mine." I then shattered the door to the convenience store beside us. "Halina. You stay here, and do not leave for anything. I refuse to lose more good soldiers this day."

Maybe it was what lied below, and the previous battle, that made her weakly nod. Halina gave me a hug, whispering in my ear. "Please. Come back."

I've made a lot of weak promises in my life. Broken many, failed many. But this was with my most strongest voice. "When this is done, we'll go get ice cream. I swear."

She broke away, wiping at her cheek, then stepping over broken glass to hide with the store. Rubbing my shoulder, I said, "Fran, what say you? Should we give them a welcoming gift before entering the fray?"

The witch finally smiled. "With pleasure."

Her spear crackled, releasing huge bolts of dark red lightning down upon the shifters. I let my army go, sprinting towards the warm flesh they oh so love to chew on. Using my blood, I wrote on One, writing a modern day spell used by construction Hidden. Only more jacked.

Grant looked both impressed and scared. "I.....oh my."

But we were already moving, going down the hill. One flicked the pavement, sending huge chunks of black and grey stone raining, crushing multiple shifters. The shaman, hooded and holding a large wooden staff, twisted and maniacal, turned her attention to us.

As did many, many shifters.

Celen also turned, and I couldn't see her face, but she backed away. Fran ignited the battle, fire and light consuming all in her path. The shaman let her magic flow into her brethren, making them stronger and faster.

But it did not matter. While Fran got close to the shaman, letting the other heroes recover and regroup, and my own soldiers clashing, I walked straight into, well, everything.

Now, I've never considered myself a very - how you say - wise man. I barely consider myself smart. Yet I when it comes to near death experiences, there is no better candidate for the job.

Ever Heart and One became instruments of slaughter, my gauntleted hands not slowing. I split open a small looking cat's head wide open, death cloud magic torturing an unending monkey, both blades cutting tendons and bodies. I made a trail of pain and ash, sending shifters scurrying with the scent of death. They continued to get near me, but I didn't stop. Celen never left my vision.

Magic flew, with the heroes on my right, shifters on my left. A cheetah and hawk unending killed a poor witch, sending limbs in my direction. I raised necro-circle after necro-circle, black smoke rising from each, gaining control of the dead. More chair-sized pieces of pavement smashed whatever I pointed One at. The world got increasingly hotter from Fran's burning fire.

Breaking through the final shifter in my way, I stood before Celen, the fae's blizzard abruptly stopping as she glared. She too was more casually dressed, as though victory had been certain. "It seems that even an army cannot stop you. But you are alone now, and I am more than enough."

"Alright Aid. I suppose that's why you smell like fear. Are you afraid? I do hope so."

Celen unleashed her boring magic, the temperature plummeting low, frost forming over the ground. But necromancy isn't a magic that believes in justice, peace, or overall good things. I muttered a spell, and I felt the sharpie runes activating. A spell I designed myself took shape, ripping stone off the street, swirling and melting it, and adding a hint of soul - okay, more like lots of souls - from the battle behind me, my liquid stone apparition screamed. Like if one were to torture a boulder. It flew into the ice, dissolving the storm, still screaming as arms sprouted out of the black ghoul, tackling Celen.

The fae cried out, "Sister Heart! Protect me!"

I turned. A huge grey mountain lioness jumped over foe and friend alike, roaring as she landed in my way. And I gotta say, lion eye-liner was on fleek.

My ghoul was able to break Celen's leg before her wings manifested and blasted apart my good work. Sister Heart growled, intent on not letting me pass.

Very well. If that's how it's going to be.....

Let's have a little fun why don't we?