The Nekromancer - 18. Chapter 18

"You're holding it wrong."

Amnor Sen frowned as he watched Jakun. The paladin was helpless here, with his reach hindered by his weapon. And Jakun clearly had no idea how to use the bow he'd been given.

The amurrun strained at the weapon, his arms burning as he nearly pried the bowstring away from the arms of the weapon. He focused on Ivris, even as his arms shook desperately. With a cry, of pain and vengeance, Jakun let the string loose, screaming as it tore across his forearm and ripped the flesh away.

The cat dropped the bow, the arrow lost among a cloud of other missiles aimed sporadically at the dragon. There was a loud bellow of pain, Ivris finally damaged under the fire. The dragon redoubled his assault on the city, breathing icy vengeance on the ants that dared stand against him. All around, buildings froze and people screamed in terror, the city defences dwindling dangerously low.

Amnor Sen grabbed the bow before it could hit the ground. He winced at the sight of Jakun's arm, blood oozing from a burn after the bowstring's assault.

Grabbing a bandage, the paladin worked on the cat, knowing that his limited magic would only make the cat's injuries worse. It would take a while for Jakun to heal. But they didn't have a while.

"Try again," the elf urged, pressing the bow into the cat's palm.

"Amnor Sen!"

They looked around, Amnor Sen letting out a cry of relief as he saw Jeremy hurrying toward them.

"Are you okay? You're covered in blood! What happened to you?!" the elf demanded, throwing his arms around the human.

"Not mine," the cleric grunted as he was crushed in Amnor Sen's embrace. "Calm down, we have more pressing matters. That beast is killing everyone. This battle is hopeless. I think it's best we retreat and find reinforcements."

"No. This place is evil, but what kind of paladin would I be if I just let it freeze?"

"A living paladin, and a smart one at that," Jeremy pointed out. "I never thought I'd put smart and paladin together like that, but there it is…"

Jakun shook his head, watching the two argue. He was glad Jeremy was unharmed. The cleric didn't deserve to suffer for what the cat had done. And Jakun was not going to let anyone else pay for his mistake. He had what he needed. And if he lived through the next five minutes, he would use what he had learned.

'Anya, shield me please,' the amurrun said, moving toward a giant pyramid.

His claws extended, digging into little cracks as he scaled the large home. The cat moved swiftly up the inclined plane, a minute passing before he was standing at the top, nearly a hundred feet above the ground. He removed the bow from his back, pulling out an arrow nervously. Watching Ivris wheel through the air, Jakun flinched as the dragon emitted yet another cone of icy breath on the city below. A plan was forming in Jakun's mind, one that would likely end in his death. But he had to try at least.

'What in the Nine Hells are you doing?!' Anya hissed in his head.

"Finishing this. If I die…"

Jakun paused, realizing his death would mean Anya's death too.

'Well… hopefully those two below will avenge us,' Anya grumbled.

Jakun pulled at his energy, feeling a hint of it drain away as Anya cast a spell to shield him. Directing a finger toward the ravener flying through the skies, Jakun cleared his throat, before casting his own spell.

"Ivris! Face me you coward!"

The words were blown from his mouth, carried away on the wind. High in the sky, the dragon's head twisted, his eyes gleaming at the sight of the amurrun with the bow. He flew like an arrow, until he was hovering in front of the cat.

"I gave you a way to escape, you know. A way to live. And you call me a coward," Ivris chuckled, his eyes transfixing the cat. "Do you really think you can face me? Not half an hour ago, I had you laid bare to the world."

"I don't need to beat you. I only need to try," Jakun growled.

Ivris laughed.

"How noble of you. It will mean nothing as the gods toss you into hell for your necromantic ways."

Ignoring the dragon's taunt, Jakun pried at the bow again, an arrow fitted to the string. The weapon shook, barely pulled back to the cat's chin, and Ivris laughed.

'His eye. It's the only place.'

Jakun couldn't spare the attention needed to reply. He focused on the dragon's eye, an icy blue orb obscured by a heavy lid. The arrow shot forward, flying swiftly at Ivris' throat, and the cat's heart sank.

Suddenly the missile shifted, blinking up to slam deep into the orb. Jakun stared in awed revulsion as the eye erupted, goo flying in every direction.

Ivris' laugh stopped dead, replaced by stunned silence, followed by an agonized roar. He struck blindly, claws slapping Jakun off the roof.

Jakun screamed in terror as he fell, the ground rushing toward him. His hand grabbed at the pyramid's side, claws catching minuscule cracks in the stone. His arm snagged, his body wrenching as he slowed abruptly, barely thirty feet above the ground.

And there the cat hung, his arms aching, his lungs squeezing as his heart pounded in terror.

"Drop! We'll catch you!" Amnor Sen called up to him.

Jakun shook his head, his body laying nearly flat on the incline. A simple slide would likely see him safely to the ground at this height, but he didn't trust that. Suddenly, without the immediate threat of a dragon looming, Jakun realised… he was terrified of heights.

He felt Anya stirring, a string of arcane words passing through his mind. Grease formed on his fingers, Jakun slipping slowly from his perch.

"No…. No no no!"

He squealed as he fell, sliding down the building and into Amnor Sen's waiting arms. Safely wrapped in the elf's embrace, Jakun let the trauma of the past hour get to him finally, and he passed out.