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The Book of All Things: Chapter Twenty

On the morning of the Calamityville Challenge, Katie arrived at Dean Widdershins’ office precisely at sunrise, as ordered. As she entered, Widdershins and three of the Magi glanced up from the map that was laid out across a nearby table. Only Widdershins gave her a welcoming smile.

“Ah, Katie,” Widdershins said, slipping out from behind the table. “You have excellent timing. We were just finalizing the security measures for the event. Help yourself to some tea.”

Katie thanked her and poured herself a cup of honeybrine tea, being careful to strain the honeyfish from the bright yellow liquid before sipping it. The delicate brew almost immediately dispelled the haze of sleep-weariness from her brain.

“The place looks different since the last time you were here, doesn’t it?” Widdershins asked as she glanced about the room.

Katie blushed as she remembered the disastrous experiment with the oxyphant. “I’m sorry I never apologized for the mess I made,” Katie said awkwardly.

Widdershins laughed. “Don’t worry about it,” she said. “It was nothing that a little magick couldn’t fix.”

Crossing to the table, Katie studied the map, which showed every detail of the tiny village of Calamityville and its immediate surroundings.

“We need to make every effort to ensure that our security measures remain undetected by the local inhabitants,” Lucinia said, more to herself than to the rest of them.

“Why?” Katie asked, frowning.

“Calamityville is located in an extremely remote area of Odyssey,” Widdershins explained. “The people there are a bit behind the times, you could say. They know almost nothing about the world at large, tend to keep to themselves, are superstitious to a fault, and have no clue whatsoever as to why their town is beset by a host of seemingly random disasters each year. As a result, they react in a most interesting manner.”

“Which is…?” Katie asked.

Kurza barked a humorless laugh. “They react unpredictably,” she said.

“Which makes Calamityville an excellent testing ground for our up-and-coming heroes,” Leorge said.

“Which is why we go to great lengths to ensure that the Calamityvillians never catch on,” Lucinia clarified.
“Hence the security measures,” Kurza added.

“But why go to all this trouble when there are hundreds of towns a lot closer than Calamityville to use as testing grounds?”

“Haven’t you been listening?” Kurza snapped. “No place else in Odyssey has the levels of pure unpredictability that Calamityville does. The majority of Odyssey is used to being attacked by one villain or another on an almost daily basis. As a result, the citizens don’t act as unpredictably as those who live in more remote places.”

“Got it,” Katie said, making a face at the top of Kurza’s head.

Widdershins sucked in her lips to curtail a laugh.

“So when does the contest begin?” Katie asked.

“Soon,” Lucinia said without looking up from the map.

“We are waiting for Gheanna to give us the go-ahead,” Kurza said. “She’s establishing the security boundaries around Calamityville as we speak.”

As Katie eyed the map, a pulsing green line suddenly appeared and began to trace the perimeter of the town.
Noticing it, Widdershins turned to Katie and hastened her over to the office door.

“We don’t have much time,” she said, “so you’ll need to listen carefully as I go over the rules.”

“I’m all ears,” Katie said seriously.

“First, each contestant is assigned a chaperone; I will be yours. If at any time I give you a command to desist or retreat, you must obey it. If you don’t, you will be disqualified.”

“Understood,” Katie said with a solemn nod.

“Second,” Widdershins continued, “each contestant will be pitted against an instructor from the school. At no time will you attack or otherwise cause harm to the instructor assigned to you. This, also, will result in disqualification.”

“Which instructor is to be my opponent?” Katie asked.

“Praelector Evanesce from the Magickal Techniques department.”

Katie nearly choked on her tea. Praelector Evanesce was one of the best sorceresses employed by the school and rumored to be utterly indomitable on the practice floor. “Pitting a freshman against a senior-level instructor hardly seems fair,” she said.

Widdershins’ smile was almost cruel. “There is nothing ‘fair’ about the Calamityville Challenge, Katie,” she said. “Remember that.”

Katie nodded.

“Third,” Widdershins went on, “your mission, besides defeating Praelector Evanesce and staying alive, is to protect the lives and property of Calamityville’s citizens. Points will be deducted for every building that is destroyed, and if a citizen is harmed…”

“I’ll be disqualified,” Katie finished.

“Correct,” Widdershins said. “Do you have any questions?”

“To what extent can I use my Shi’ar powers?” Katie asked.

“To any extent,” Kurza answered from her place at the table. “This is, after all, a test. But whatever you do, try not to reveal your Shi’ar identity. We don’t want the whole world knowing what you are.”

“And make sure you keep The Book of All Things well hidden,” Leorge added. “We don’t want news of that to get out, either.”

“Did you bring it with you?” Widdershins asked.

“Oh, don’t worry, I’m here,” the book’s muffled voice answered from within Katie’s backpack. “I’m here, I’m cranky, and I’m tired of riding in this insufferable little sack! But thank you for asking.”

Katie gave the backpack a stiff nudge with her elbow. “You’re supposed to keep quiet whenever you’re in there,” she growled.

“Hmph!” the book replied.

“Whatever you do, keep it safe,” Widdershins said to Katie. “Oh, I almost forgot.”

A blue-and white spell flashed from Widdershins’ fingers and settled into Katie’s throat. “That’s a gag-hex,” Widdershins explained. “It will prevent you from revealing the true nature of your business to anyone in Calamityville. It’s a necessary precaution that is required of each contestant.”

Katie rubbed at her throat to dispel the odd, tingling sensation in her vocal cords.

Sucking in a deep anxious breath, Widdershins took Katie’s hands in hers and said, “Are you ready?”

“She’d better be ready,” Kurza said. “Gheanna has just sent the go-ahead that the security perimeter is established.” Stalking to the window, she leaned out and sent a concussion hex rocketing into the sky. A second later an enormous explosion sounded far overhead, rattling the ceiling and sending rivulets of dust streaming from the rafters. “The Challenge has officially begun.”

“Time to go,” Widdershins said, opening the office door.

Crossing the threshold, the two of them emerged into a darkened forest through a special gateway-spell that had been cunningly placed between a pair of colossal trees. Without hesitation, Widdershins struck off into the forest following a trail of conspicuously placed buttercups.

“It’s Spring,” Katie said incredulously. “But how…?”

“Time randomizer spell,” Widdershins answered. “In order to ensure the pure randomness of the event. Calamityville is about a mile to the north. Hope you’re up for a hike.”

“Why did the door place us so far away?” Katie asked.

“Because we can’t risk letting the locals see us arriving,” Widdershins answered. “You need to remember, the people in these parts don’t use magick. They barely even know what it is. How do you think they would react to us if we were to just pop in out of thin air.”

“Unpredictably?” Katie quipped.

Widdershins laughed. “That’s putting it mildly,” she said.

“So where are we meeting the others?” Katie asked.

“Nowhere,” Widdershins said. “Each team is on its own from here on out.”

“Then how will we know when it’s our turn?”

Widdershins raised her hand so that Katie could see it. Of the four inverted rings resting on her fingers, only one was upturned: a brass-banded ring with a tiny ruby facet.

“This ring has been enchanted to vibrate when it is time for you to engage Praelector Evanesce,” Widdershins said. “As you can see, we have everything covered.”

Satisfied, Katie trudged along the trail, losing herself for a time in the forest’s majestic beauty. This was exactly the sort of place she had long dreamed of visiting, a place perched upon the rugged edge of the unknown, exotic in its location, alluring in its promise of adventure. Even the air, which was cool and pungent with the scent of green growing things, seemed untamed.

Smiling to herself, Katie toyed with the idea of spending a few years exploring the Outlands once her education was finished. It was here in the half-civilized wilds that young heroes truly made a name—and in some cases a legend or two—for themselves, her mother being no exception. The stories her mother had chronicled during her time in the Outlands had filled a dozen journals, each one telling of the exploits of the legendary Aleta Frost, the silver-haired adventurer who feared no foe—great or small. Glancing around, Katie could understand why her mother had been lured out here, and there was nothing in the world she wanted more than to follow in her mother’s footsteps, carving her own mythic niche in the hearts and minds of those she saved.

The trail of buttercups ended abruptly at the edge of a low ridge overlooking Calamityville from the South. Here, too, marked the end of the forest and the beginning of a vast meadowland that stretched for miles in all directions. The town looked tiny and vulnerable amid all that open space. Katie could scarcely imagine anyone wanting to live here, but the fact that the town was thriving spoke to the adventurous and pioneering character of its people. It was just the sort of fortitude she admired.

As they struck out across the meadowland, Katie fell into step beside Widdershins.

“So,” she said. “Where was Dame Lizbet this morning? I was surprised not to find her in your office, bossing everybody around.”

Widdershins gave her an irritated look. “She said she had sudden business to attend to elsewhere,” she said, adding, “Why the sudden interest?”

Katie shrugged. “No reason,” she replied, trying to sound nonchalant, though inwardly she cheered. If there was any doubt in her mind that Lizbet was Notorcia, this news had dispelled it. It was quite clear to Katie that the “sudden business” Lizbet had to attend to was in fact her imminent attack on Calamityville.

Widdershins studied Katie closely. “Is there something you’re not telling me, Katie?” she asked.

“No,” Katie said a mite too quickly. “I just…find it odd that she would miss the opportunity to see me test my powers after all the trouble she went to just to get me elected as a participant in the challenge.”

“Yes, that is a bit odd, isn’t it?” Widdershins agreed, frowning. “Well, don’t let it worry you. As far as I’m concerned, the farther away Lizbet is, the better. You just make sure you focus on winning the event.”

Katie nodded. For a moment she considered telling Widdershins her suspicions about Lizbet, but she had a sudden fear that the woman would panic and cancel the challenge, which was something that Katie definitely did not want to happen. This showdown was her one chance to face Notorcia, to punish her for killing her mother, and there was no way she was going to miss it. No, this was not the time to tell Widdershins anything—later perhaps, but not now.

They entered the town through the south gate without challenge and moved quickly along its rutted streets to a little tavern on the edge of a wide central square.

No one noticed them as they entered, which Katie took for a good sign. The dozen or so people seated at the tavern’s tables seemed more interested in their morning meals than anything else, although from time to time more than a few of them kept glancing nervously over their shoulders at nothing in particular. Who could blame them, Katie thought, when they lived in a place where catastrophe struck with an even greater degree of unpredictability than the weather?

“Can I get you ladies anything?” a stoop-shouldered old man wearing a greasy apron asked as they seated themselves near the front windows.

“We will have two mugs of your excellent peppermint nog,” Widdershins said.

“A fine choice, madam,” the man said, scribbling the order on a pad of wrinkled parchment. Giving them both a gap-toothed smile, he vanished into the crowd.

Katie settled back into her chair and stared out the window at the square. Aside from a massive column of stone etched with ancient runes and a row of well-used stockades, the place was practically empty.
“It seems a bit cramped for a contest floor,” Katie muttered critically.

“That’s what makes it challenging,” Widdershins replied.

As the waiter returned with their nogs, someone in the far corner shouted “Look there!” and pointed at the five Lizardling warriors marching into the square. They were beating their tails against the ground so hard the impacts caused tiny ripples in Katie’s drink.

“Not today,” the waiter sighed irritably.

“What do you suppose those things are?” a man asked in a frightened voice.

“Walking lizards, can’t you see, ya great pillock?” someone replied.

Katie leaned across the table, tugging on Widdershins’ sleeve to get her attention. “Whose test is this?” she whispered.

Widdershins pointed out the window in reply.

Turning in her seat, Katie saw Bazil Buckthorn emerge from a bakery on the opposite side of the square. He was dressed handsomely in jade-colored armor, with a blackthorn cudgel strapped to his back like a sword. His mouth was dusted with what appeared to be white frosting, and his grin was infectious.

Bazil pounced upon the Lizardlings before they turned to attack him, whipping out his cudgel and cracking them in the knees as he danced among them. By the time he retreated to gather his energies, two of the five Lizardlings were down, nursing broken knees, while a third was retreating from the field of battle, dragging a wounded leg behind it.

But Bazil’s triumph was short-lived.

A sixth Lizardling, who had been hiding in the shadow of one of the buildings, darted suddenly into the open and smote him on the helm with a savage downward thrust of its tail. Stunned, Bazil staggered over to the stone pillar and ducked behind it. As the Lizardling pursued, the Leprechaun spun round, raised his gauntlet and shouted something too faint to hear. The gauntlet leapt up to strike him, but at the last second, Bazil ducked, and the gauntlet smashed squarely into the Lizardling’s midsection. Gasping for air, the creature staggered back against a stockade, giving Bazil the chance to dart in and lower the locking arm around its neck, trapping it soundly.

A smile leapt briefly onto the Leprechaun’s face only to leap away just as quickly as the remaining pair of Lizardlings began to circle him.

Smashing their tails against the ground and hissing at him through their long, pointed teeth, the creatures sought to corner him against the stone pillar, but Bazil, seeing the shape of their plan, was too smart to fall into such a trap. With a cry, he charged them as before, lashing out at their kneecaps with his cudgel.
This time, however, the Lizardlings were ready. With stunning speed, the foremost Lizardling leaped over the slashing cudgel, spun in midair, and smashed Bazil in the back with its tail, sending him cartwheeling through the air. The second Lizardling raced across the square to intercept the speeding green missile and returned the hapless Leprechaun to the other Lizardling with a vicious swat of its tail.

Katie watched helplessly as the two creatures batted Bazil back and forth across the square like a tennis ball, sometimes bouncing him off a building, other times the ground, to make the shots more challenging to return. It was a terrible thing to watch, and Katie flinched at the sound of crunching armor each time a Lizardling jump-smashed the little Leprechaun.

But battered though he was, Bazil still had some fight left in him. In a move that looked too desperate to be planned, he latched onto one of the Lizardlings’ tails and allowed his weight to drag the creature off balance as it followed through with its swing. The creature crashed to the ground with Bazil atop it, unable to deflect the vicious blows the Leprechaun was dealing to the back of its head with his gauntlet. Within seconds, the creature lay motionless at the edge of the square, beaten thoroughly senseless.

The remaining Lizardling, casting about for help and finding none, retreated at once from the field of battle, leaving Bazil the victor.

Katie gave a silent cheer as she watched the Leprechaun limp from the square and vanish down a side street. Seconds later, the Lizardlings vanished as well, melting into the air like vapors.

“Isn’t it odd that there’s always a hero to fight whatever creeps into the village?” Katie heard a man ask.

“It’s as if they’re divinely placed and waiting to protect us,” said another.

If you only knew, Katie wanted to say.

“At least your windows didn’t get smashed this time, eh, Gawdring?” someone said.

The man with the greasy apron harrumphed. “The mornin’s still young,” he replied. “Remember, these catastrophes always come in fives.”

“I’ll wager ten gold pieces that your windows make it this year,” a man shouted from the bar.

“I’ll wager ten against,” said someone else.

The next event pitted Stanis Cadmere against a giant, pustulant sligworm, which swallowed him (along with the blacksmith’s shop in which he had been cowering) a mere ten minutes into the match. When he was finally extracted from the creature’s second stomach a half hour later—an event so disgusting to watch that cries of “Uugh!” and “Eeew!” filled the tavern—the would-be hero looked utterly mortified, and more than a little sickened, by the experience.

In the third match, Casey Magwin faired no better against a pack of vampiric wolves, although he did manage to dispatch half of them with his bare hands before being overwhelmed by the surviving members of the pack. By the time he was dragged to safety, the wolves had drained so much of his life essence that he looked like a pale, puckered prune.

Donnella Snoot by far had the best turnout, soundly defeating a manticore in the fourth event by hitting it with a hunger hex that made the creature so ravenous it dropped dead within seconds of swallowing its venomous tail. Her arms raised in victory, Donnella circled the square while the spectators showered her with cheers and shouts of adulation.

But no sooner had Donnella vanished into the alley when an enormous woman appeared in front of the tavern. Except for her arms and legs, which were bare and noticeably muscular, every inch of her twelve-foot frame was decked in gold and alabaster armor. Upon her head rested a winged, open-fronted helm that starkly accented a face that was both beautiful and severe. On her left shoulder she wore a shield in the shape of a lion’s head, and in her right hand she bore a bejeweled spear that looked as deadly as it was long.

The Valkyrie stared through the tavern windows directly at Katie and met her gaze with grim determination. “Come out, Katie Frost!” she bellowed in a voice so resounding it shook the walls. “I have been summoned to conduct thy soul to the underworld.”

Widdershins leaped from her seat, her face pale with astonishment.

“This wasn’t what Praelector Evanesce had planned!” she said. Gathering her coat into her arms, she turned and gestured for Katie to follow her. Together they slipped out of the common room and into a hallway leading to the kitchens. There Widdershins halted and reversed one of her rings so that its milky white stone faced her.
“Praelector Evanesce, what is the meaning of this?” she said in a harsh whisper.

The stone cleared almost immediately, revealing a miniaturized image of Evanesce’s youthful face. She looked perplexed and more than slightly apprehensive.

“The Valkyrie is none of my doing,” the woman answered with a curt shake of her head.

“Then who…?” Widdershins began.

“Notorcia,” Katie whispered, interrupting.

Something hard and very sturdy struck the roof of the inn, cracking windows and springing doors. “Come out, Katie Frost!” the Valkyrie shouted. “Do not make me tear this dwelling apart to get at thee!”

Widdershins face paled even further. “Stay here,” she commanded.

“Where are you going?” Katie said as the woman stalked down the hallway toward the front door.

“To dissuade that Valkyrie from taking you,” Widdershins replied.

“You can’t,” Katie said, running after her. “It’s too dangerous.”

Reaching the door, Widdershins spun to face her. “Don’t worry,” she said. “I know my way around Valkyries. But just in case I am unsuccessful, as a precaution I want you to transport back to Derring-Do immediately.”

“But if she hurts you…” Katie blurted.

“You’ll do nothing!” Widdershins snapped. “You can’t fight a Valkyrie, Katie. She’s too powerful—even for a Shi’ar.”

“But I have The Book of All Things…” Katie protested.

“The book will not avail you,” Widdershins said. She gave Katie a stiff push backward. “Now do as I command. I mean it.”

Hurt, Katie watched the woman turn and slip out the door.

“What’s going on?” the book’s muffled voice demanded.

“Trouble,” Katie answered distractedly.

“Really? I hadn’t guessed.”

“I don’t suppose you have a few spells that can help me defeat a Valkyrie.”

“Several,” the book said.

“Then get them ready,” Katie commanded. “I think I’m going to need them.”

Peering through the door’s shattered window, Katie watched Widdershins halt before the Valkyrie. She looked like a child’s doll in comparison to the demi-goddess; her head barely reached the height of the Valkyrie’s knees.

A hush fell over the crowded common room as the spectators bustled forward to eavesdrop on the exchange.
“Thou are not Katie Frost,” the Valkyrie said.

“No, I am not,” Widdershins replied. “I am her guardian, and I demand to know the reason behind your purpose here.”

The Valkyrie rested rigid fists upon her hips. “Her soul has been offered to the Valkyries,” she sneered.
“Offered by whom?” Widdershins insisted.

“By the witch Notorcia.”

Widdershins took a step toward the Valkyrie. “You know full well that you can’t seize a person’s soul without her willing consent! Notorcia…”

“…has given her consent,” the Valkyrie said gravely.

“This is preposterous!” Widdershins cried. “Katie’s soul is not Notorcia’s to give! I demand that you leave this place immed…”

“Enough!” the Valkyrie bellowed. She raised her spear and blasted Widdershins with a vicious warding hex that sent her wheeling through the air.

Horrorstruck, Katie watched Widdershins’ body strike a nearby building and collapse into a motionless, smoking heap upon the ground.

Rage crumpled Katie’s hands into fists.

Calling upon one of the oldest spells recorded in The Book of All Things’ memory, Katie kicked open the door and hurled a thunderclap at the unsuspecting Valkyrie. A pocket of dense air formed around the demi-goddess, collapsed, and then exploded with such force that the concussion tore most of the armor from off her body and sent her sprawling.

The spectators roared their approval, but Katie did not rejoice in it. This was a fight to the death—most likely her own—and death was nothing to celebrate. Readying a second spell, she stood and watched the Valkyrie struggle to her knees.

“She’s not an easy one to kill, is she?” Katie muttered.

“It isn’t like you’re swatting at flies, you know,” said the book. “She is a Valkyrie, after all, and Valkyries are very closely linked with the Source. They’re more powerful than any sorceress, even a Magi. It may take a few spells to finish her off. In the meantime, why don’t you let me out of this infernal bag?”

“So you can run off and hide somewhere?” Katie said with a wry smile. “Not on your life. This is a trap, in case you hadn’t guessed.”

The Valkyrie, bruised, bloodied, and dazed by the surprise attack, staggered to her feet and blinked down at Katie as though startled.

“How dare thou strike me!” she said, gasping for breath.

“And how dare you strike my friend!” Katie returned vehemently.

The Valkyrie wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and glanced at the smear of blood that came off. “The witch told me ye were powerful,” she said. “I, Voxalla, daughter of shield and spear, have not faced an opponent such as thee in a long, long time. It will be a shame for me to kill thee, Katie Frost.”

“If you can,” Katie said, and immediately fired off another spell. This time, gouts of green fire shot from her fingers, burning the very air as they raced toward the demi-goddess.

But to Katie’s immense disappointment, Voxalla deflected the spell with her spear and countered with a volley of lightning, which shot from the tip of her spear so fast Katie barely had time to shield herself.

While the lightning crackled harmlessly around her, Katie struggled to balance the task of maintaining her hold upon the Source and sifting through the book’s store of spells for something to use. It was difficult, but she was capable.

Katie selected a third spell and deflected the lightning strike back at Voxalla, pumping massive amounts of raw magick into the counterattack to quadruple the force of the blow.

Voxhalla gave a cry of surprise as her own lightning flung her across the square and pitched her through the roof of the town’s butcher shop, destroying the structure completely and forcing the people gathered in the buildings on either side of it to flee for their lives.

Katie scarcely noticed—or cared, for that matter. She sank to her knees, gasping with exertion. “That spell took everything I had,” she gasped.

“Of course it did!” the book cried. “You’re going about this fight all wrong! You can’t possibly defeat that woman as you are. You have to morph into your true form! Nothing will tire you, then! You’ll be pure energy!”

“The Magi said I shouldn’t reveal my true form….” rasped Katie.

“Given the circumstances, I don’t think you have a choice.”

Katie watched the Valkyrie struggle to extract herself out from beneath the mangled ruins of the butcher’s roof and solemnly nodded her agreement.

A loud, collective gasp exploded from the surrounding buildings as Katie embraced the pure, unrestrained power of the Source. Her body melted into a nimbus of exceedingly bright light, and her weariness was replaced by a wellspring of energy so vast it seemed nearly inexhaustible.

Katie willed herself afloat with a thought and faced the Valkyrie as she climbed to her feet. Voxalla’s face was purple with fury, but when her gaze fell upon Katie’s transformed essence, her entire body stiffened in shock.
“Thou art a Shi’ar!” the woman whispered in awe.

Katie hovered closer, readying an earth-shattering hex so powerful it was bound to obliterate the Valkyrie if it struck her. Voxalla’s eyes widened as she read the magick emanating from Katie’s hands, but she did not back down. Instead, to Katie’s surprise, she raised her spear and goaded Katie with a defiant grin.

“I’ve faced thy kind before,” she bragged. “Their souls even now grace the lofty halls of the Aerie of Souls.”

“I thought I recognized that voice,” said The Book of All Things matter-of-factly. “If that’s who I think it is, that’s no ordinary Valkyrie you’re facing, but the daughter of Queen Zephyra herself. When the world was young, she defeated two of my most brilliant Shi’ar! Now would be a good time to transport back to Derring-Do, I think.”

“I can take her,” said Katie.

“And she can take you, too!” replied the book.

Katie released the spell and sent it hurtling at the Valkyrie with such speed it appeared to blur.
Despite her injuries, Voxalla’s reflexes were just as fast, and she repelled the spell with her spear, sending the sizzling burst of magick back at Katie, striking her full in the chest.

The spell detonated like a massive fireworks display, dispersing Katie’s energies in a blast so fierce that for one terrifying instant she felt as though she was about to fly to pieces. As if from a great distance she heard The Book of All Things cry out, and then the weight of the backpack on her shoulder gave way as she was flung to the ground.

For a moment, all sense of time and place abandoned Katie as she struggled to counteract the spell. But the living essence of the Source raced to her rescue and absorbed the spell’s destructive energies before they could overwhelm her, giving her the strength to charge the Valkyrie headlong and seize the woman’s outstretched spear. With both hands clamped around the enormous weapon, Katie began to channel every shred of the Source’s energies into its core.

“What are thou doing?” Voxalla demanded, wide-eyed with terror. She struggled to release her hold on the spear, but her hands, like Katie’s, were stuck fast. “Let go! This weapon is made of godwood! If ye destroy it ye will destroy us both!”

“That’s a risk I’m willing to take,” said Katie.

Voxalla’s face paled as she read the determination in Katie’s blazing eyes. “Thou art mad,” she said in a small, helpless voice.

“No,” said Katie. “I’m fearless.”

An earsplitting squeal issued from the spear as the Source-energies began to feed back on themselves. This was followed by an ominous pulsing vibration that rippled through their hands and shook the very ground upon which they stood.

In a fit of panic, Voxalla bent and slammed the spear’s golden tip against the paving stones in an effort to dislodge Katie’s hands, but the attempt went unrewarded.

“Enough!” the Valkyrie pleaded. Her voice was shrill with terror. “I will renounce the claim upon thy soul if ye will only stop!”

“You were never after my soul,” Katie said, grunting with exertion. “You were using the threat as a ploy.”

The spear thrummed even more, rattling their bones almost to the point of shattering.

“Then thou will have my allegiance!” cried the Valkyrie. “Yea, and the allegiance of every Valkyrie in the Aerie of Souls!”

“Swear it,” Katie commanded, “on your honor.”

“I swear!” Voxalla cried. “Just stop what thou art doing before ye destroy us both!”

The spear vanished in a flash of light that outshone the sun for the span of a single heartbeat. A split second later, an enormous explosion could be heard rumbling across the distant planes, shaking the earth and rattling the foundations of every building in the village.

Katie released her hold on the Source and allowed her Shi’ar form to dissipate. Assuming her normal form felt a little like slipping into a pair of jeans that were a size too small, and she unconsciously shook herself, as if this would make her skin fit better. Her eyes narrowed suspiciously as she watched the exhausted Valkyrie struggle to regain both her breath and her dignity.

“Where is Notorcia?” Katie commanded.

Voxalla shook her head, sending droplets of sweat the size of fat raindrops pattering down around her feet. “I don’t know,” she said. “I was to keep thee distracted so that she could seize some ratty old book…”

“The book!” Katie cried, suddenly remembering. She cast desperately about the square for sign of her missing backpack and saw a dazed Widdershins stooping to retrieve it from the ruins of the butcher’s shop window. Katie rushed over and swept the backpack into her arms, then slung her arms around Widdershins and gave her a back-cracking hug.

“I’m so happy you’re alive!” cried Katie. “I thought that lightning blast had killed you, but you were only knocked unconscious!”

Widdershins looked furious. For a moment her mouth worked as though she were struggling to hold back some particularly ruthless comment, but after a few seconds she managed to growl, “I thought I told you to transport back to the college?”

Katie recoiled from the heat of the woman’s words. “I’m sorry, Aunt Aggie, but I…”

Widdershins chopped the air with her hand, cutting Katie off. “I don’t want to hear your excuses,” she said. “You were told to protect The Book of All Things, yet instead you leave it laying around like so much trash while you go off to pick a fight! I am sorely disappointed in you, young lady.”

“Yes, sorely disappointed,” echoed the book.

“I did what I had to,” Katie said brusquely, standing her ground.

Widdershins eyes narrowed. “Yes,” she said. “But sometimes, doing what you’re told is a wiser course of action.”

Widdershins motioned Katie toward the alley at the edge of the square with a jerk of her chin and fell into step behind her.

As she passed the Valkyrie, Katie saw Voxalla give her a wink of encouragement. “Thou art a worthy opponent, Katie Frost,” she said. “If thou art ever in need of aid, the Valkyries stand ready to fly to your side.”

Katie nodded her thanks and slogged toward the alley in silence, puzzled as to why Notorcia—who had obviously gone to great lengths to arrange to have a Valkyrie make a false attack on an innocent student—hadn’t appeared to claim her prize. Was she frightened off my Katie’s display of powers? Perhaps, Katie considered. But since Notorcia was herself a dark Shi’ar—and one with far greater powers and experience than Katie—that explanation seemed absurd. No, something else had happened, something that Katie had missed entirely. But what was it?

Before reaching the portal door at the end of the alley, Katie had decided that it was time to turn the tables on Dame Lizbet and do a little spying of her own.

Copyright © 2008 by Kevin Scott Munnings
“The Book of All Things” ISBN-13: 978-1-4276-1874-0
All Rights Reserved