I guess magic is useful after all.

When my hammer burst into flame, my first instinct was to drop it. But when the fire didn’t burn my fingers, I was left to marvel at the power of magic. The precision of it all was astonishing. I couldn’t believe that magic could be used in such a way. I waved the hammer side to side, and the fiery field stayed with my hammer. As the thralls broke through the door, I stood ready to intercept them.

The first thrall caught my flaming hammer on the chin. It was slammed back through the door, bowling its compatriots down on its way through the opening. Beside me, Alverd bisected a thrall with a vertical slice, guaranteeing that it would not get back up and attack again. The remains of the thrall crumbled to ash as the fire engulfed them, littering the ground in grey.

Behind the two of us, Sheena and Kuro made ready to attack with spells. Two bright jets of fire shot past us and into the doorway, flooding into the hall beyond and incinerating the thralls. I saw more, however, shambling over the ashen remains of the others, still attempting to kill us. Even worse, I could hear the screeching of the demon coming from not far off. Whatever we were gonna do, we had to do it fast.

The demon yanked its way through the doors, mowing down a pair of thralls in its frenzy to get at us. But I was ready. I delivered a two handed blow to the demon’s body, stopping its forward momentum cold. I could hear bones snapping; the ribs of the monster were probably snapping like twigs. The demon screamed in agony, beating its wings wildly as it fell to the ground. With a herculean effort, I raised my hammer high and brought it down on the demon’s skull. The beast cried out. I struck it again, and its cries ceased. I struck once more, for good measure, and stepped away from the demon’s corpse. I turned my attention back to the task at hand, that of holding the door.

Alverd was still fending off thralls. But his efforts were flagging. Even though his opponents were slow and stupid, they were relentless, and eventually Alverd would tire and make mistakes. Soon enough, we would be overwhelmed. Even if we fled through the stained-glass windows and survived a four story fall, we would still have to escape the city itself. Albrecht’s circle was our only hope now.

I could just imagine Kertouli, Laspa and Mattigen just plotting as the thralls continued to stream in. They’d wear us down and then kill us all, and then take Sheena back to fuel the other Calamities. But I’d be damned if they took me down without a fight. As I dusted another thrall with my hammer, I whirled around to face my next would-be attacker.

But instead, the entire Palace began to shake. Like an earthquake, the tremor engulfed everything, causing cracks to form in the pillars and floor. Before I could react I had fallen to the ground. Rubble fell from the ceiling as the shaking grew in intensity. And suddenly, the ceiling gave way in its entirety.

Through the opening, I could see the Slumbering Calamity that Kertouli had activated. It had grabbed a healthy chunk of ceiling in its shiny hand, which it discarded absentmindedly by tossing it like a piece of trash. The mighty colossus reared back, balling its giant haymaker into a fist, and I knew what was coming. I dove for cover, though I knew nothing would stop such a powerful force.

The fist slammed into the Palace with a noise I could only describe as destruction incarnate. Debris rained down around me, drowning out my screams. When the dust settled, I dug myself out from the pile of rocks I was buried under and beheld a gladdening sight; the brunt of the attack had been stopped by a massive force field, in place of the wall that the Calamity had punched. But the field was flickering. It probably wouldn’t hold up against another attack.

Abrecht was still hunched over the circle, trying to activate the magic contained within. The circle flared to life again, but flamed out once more. He looked at his hand for a moment, then drew a dagger from a fold in his robe; with a quick motion, he drew it across his hand. A few drops of blood dripped onto the circle, and it began to glow steadily.

However, a voice coming from the hallway caught my attention. It was Kertouli. “This is your absolute last chance, Gerhalt. You see what the Calamity is capable of. Imagine what its brethren will do! We shall be unstoppable! All you have to do is turn Sheena over and we can still complete our plan! Do it now and I’ll spare all of your lives!”

It was a lie and we knew it. Kertouli would have us slain the moment we gave up. But what could we do against a five story tall behemoth like the Calamity? Kertouli’s golem had been one thing. But the Calamity dwarfed it on a massive scale. To stand up against such a monstrosity would require strength beyond human limits. And even then, where would one even strike to take down such a terror?

The Calamity punched the barrier again, and this time the shimmering field gave way with a shudder. The golem reared back, surveying its destruction passively. I knew what was coming. Pretty soon, Alverd, Kuro, Albrecht and myself would be splattered against the ground by the hand of the Calamity. I didn’t have anything to bring to the table at this point. I was helpless.

But Kuro and Sheena weren’t. With barely a nod between the both of them, they focused. Their eyes closed and they chanted together in eerie unison, their arms lifting slowly as arcane power flowed through their bodies and into their staves. Orbs of light began to from at the tips of their staves, coruscating in multiple colors, growing in intensity as even more energy flowed into them.

Then suddenly, the power surged into the Sword of Evros. Alverd didn’t even flinch as the power rippled and crackled along the length of the sword like living fire. Blue lightning and silver ice flashed and flickered as orange flame coated the blade; there were no words to describe the spectacle, even as I witnessed it with my own eyes.

And still, the two mages continued to chant. Finally, their chanting rose to the point where I could make out the words they were speaking, even over the wind outside. “Together we stand in this, our darkest hour. We call upon the three elements of nature that reside within all mankind to assist us in this our moment of dire need. Fire that sustains us, we beseech thee. Lightning that sustains us, we beseech thee. Ice that sustains us, we beseech thee. Come together and strike down that which no man can defeat with only the strength of his arm alone. Aid us now that we may triumph over any foe!”

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Alverd gripped the Sword of Evros tight with both hands, holding it back. The three elements blazed along its edge fiercely, almost out of control. When the Slumbering Calamity reached down into the hole it had punched in the ceiling to grab him, he swung up with his sword, meeting the Calamity’s outstretched hand.

There was a sound, a horrendous sound, like metal being rent by the claws of a dragon. I could see Alverd, still standing, being sandwiched between the ground and the Calamity’s hand, but still, he stood, trying his damnedest to resist. Bracing his legs, the Sword of Evros clashing against the Calamity’s fingers, Alverd kept trying to swing up and into the Calamity’s hand.

The three elements charged in the sword went wild, engulfing the Calamity’s hand in a show of dazzling destruction. Fire raced across the palm of the hand, ice coating the spaces between its fingers, lightning dancing from fingertip to fingertip. Slowly, slowly, the hand began to lose ground, being pushed back up by the sheer force of the power being unleashed upon it.

Alverd began to cry out. A scream of fury escaped his lips as the Calamity’s hand was forced further upward. Emboldened by his strength, Kuro and Sheena fed him more power, and I could see the sweat on their faces, the exhaustion in their limbs, as Alverd continued to fight the massive golem. It was a battle of wills, three opponents locked in battle against a construct with no fear, no anger and no mercy.

There had to be something I could do to help. I felt so useless. With only my hammer and muscles, I could not fight something as insurmountable as the Calamity. But when the golem tightened its grip, forcing Alverd back to his knees, I knew I had to do something. I ran to Alverd’s back and threw myself against him.

The pressure was instantaneous. Waves of magical force thrust down upon me like a hurricane. Breathing alone became a struggle. And yet, I still managed to throw my shoulder into Alverd’s back. I pushed as hard as I could. I had to brace him. I could feel my knees screaming in agony with every pounding wave, and I grit my teeth in exertion as I felt Alverd fight back against the Calamity.

But it was working. Again, Alverd turned the tide against the golem. With me to brace him, there was no fear of slipping up again. With one last herculean effort, Alverd completed a full slash with the Sword of Evros, unleashing the magical energy that Kuro and Sheena had empowered it with.

The magic surged up and over the Calamity’s hand, streaking along the arm. The three elements sizzled and crackled as they writhed up and over the arm, but as I watched, cracks formed all along the arm, starting at the wrist and spreading upward with frightening speed. Light began to shine through the cracks, adding to the visual chaos already taking place. Finally, the magic and the cracks collided at the golem’s elbow.

There was an explosion. Massive, loud enough to make my ears pop. All of us were floored by it. More debris rained down, but it was the dark brown of the dormicite that made up the Calamity’s skin. Looking up, I could see that the entire left arm of the Calamity up to its elbow was gone, and the golem was reeling in what looked like pain. Even with all the noise I could hear Kertouli from the hallway, shrieking a curse. I guess she hadn’t expected her ace in the hole to be susceptible to damage of such magnitude.

The explosion apparently had done something to Laspa, because the surviving thralls immediately fell to the ground, lifeless once more. Swords fell from loose hands and armor clattered as they all collapsed to the ground in useless heaps. As the dust settled from the aftermath of the explosion, we were left to catch our collective breath. The blast had also brought down the door, meaning that nothing was coming through anytime soon.

We had won ourselves a reprieve.

All of us stumbled over to Albrecht. Despite everything that had happened, the circle had remained intact and was now glowing steadily. Albrecht was nursing his hand, which was now covered in blood. But as we drew near, he fell to the ground. Sheena gasped and ran to him, pulling him up. Albrecht coughed, and smiled weakly as he stared up at Sheena’s face. His hand loosened its grip, and we saw the reason for his distress.

He had slashed his wrist. Blood was flowing from the cut in a veritable stream, and his face was pale. Kuro knelt down to examine the circle for the first time since he had entered the room, then recoiled harshly. “A blood circle? That’s ancient magic…there’s no other way it could be activated than by pure life-force. He did this on purpose. He knew all along this was a one-way trip…”

Albrecht coughed again, and his eyes focused on his niece. “I did it, Sheena. The circle should be ready now. You…you need to go now. Before Kertouli gets through that door.” He waved his hand at the circle. “You must leave me behind. I will destroy the circle on this end so that Kertouli cannot send pursuers after you.”

Sheena’s face was streaked with tears. “No, Uncle! You’re coming with us! I can’t believe you would do something so stupid! You didn’t need to use so much blood! Just stay still, I’ll use my magic to seal the cut…gods, Uncle, how could you do this?!” Sheena reached for her staff, but Albrecht caught her hand.

“No, my dear. That circle will only take so many people. I cannot risk it leaving you here. You have, for the first time in your life, friends, Sheena. Strong friends who will stand beside you when you need their help. I could only shelter you for so long, my dear. I regret that you will have to learn so much without me…but know that I will be infinitely proud of you as I watch from the world beyond.”

Albrecht looked at Alverd. “I entrust you with that which I hold most dear, knight. Take her away from here, as far away as you can. Show her all the wonders of this world, so that she might forget her grief. This is what I ask. Would you do that for a foolish old man?” Alverd smiled. “Aye, Milord. It would be my honor. I will protect Milady Sheena with my life. I vow this on my honor as a knight.” With that, Albrecht closed his eyes. “Good. Then please, stand in the circle. We haven’t much time.”

I hurried into the center of the circle, Kuro just behind me. Alverd practically had to drag Sheena with him, as she was crying out and begging Alverd to bring Albrecht with us; but Alverd said nothing as he gently pulled the distraught woman alongside us. Albrecht dragged himself to the edge of the circle, leaving a prodigious blood trail in his wake, until finally he turned and saw us all in the center.

“This is goodbye, but only for now, my dear,” Albrecht said. “We will see each other in dreams and memories. And I will be at peace, my dear. Never forget that. Please. Do not waste any more tears on me. Go. Be happy.”

Sheena only spoke one sentence. “I love you, Uncle.”

And with that, Albrecht slammed his hand down on the circle.

Light surged up from the edges of the circle, almost like the trap McFarlane had captured us in so long ago. It enveloped us, and I could feel a warmth wash over my feet as it flowed upward. The last thing I saw before the light passed over my eyes was Albrecht, now lying down on the ground, his body limp. And then, a blast of strong wind, stronger than any I had felt in my life, lifted me up. I squeezed my eyes shut.