Sword Bearer (Return of the Dragons 1)

The sword swung swiftly, as of its own accord, to right in between the two beds. Ear splitting song poured out of its blade. Two beams of green light shot out from the tip of the sword that vibrated under my firm grip.

The beams hit my parents in the mouth.

NO! NO! NO! I heard the demon scream. The voice no longer sounded like my father’s. I heard a second voice then, HE IS ATTACKING US, MELFOR!

Carolina’s face materialized in front of me.

Now, Anders, the best we can do now is pull them out. Then I can help you try to neutralize them. Woltan may be of better help. Sing with me, Anders.

I opened my mouth to sing, and song erupted from my mouth: my whole body, my whole essence and aura vibrated now.

My parents’ mouths were open too, but not in song.

I almost stopped singing.

Little blue claws were groping their way out of my father’s mouth, and a little red foot stuck out of my mother’s.

My song seemed to join with the sword, pulling at the two creatures, sucking them out of my parent’s mouths.

I heard a word of power spoken next to me. There was a blue flash of light from Woltan’s mouth to the two creatures, surrounding them in two blue globes of light as they emerged. I could see them struggling, but one seemed caught by its blue hand, the other by its red foot.

The air was rife with the reek of gunpowder and sulfur. It burned in my nostrils as I watched the creatures crawl out.

So these were imps. And I had almost listened to them and killed my friends.

They were both around 12 inches tall, the size of a small baby, and the mouths of my parents stretched out unnaturally and grotesquely to birth them. It took all my best effort to avoid gagging again.

The red imp screamed. The scream hit the bubble that surrounded it, momentarily turning it purple. There was another nasty smell. Then, I heard its thoughts: Melfor, they have us trapped in these spheres, what can we do?

Her thoughts, I realized. The red one, coming out of my mother’s mouth was definitely a female demon.

The blue demon, Melfor, now fully emerged from my father’s mouth, scowled at us.

SHUT UP, Minifrest, you fool, he can hear us!

I wanted to lash out at these creatures, using their names for some spell to blast them into oblivion. But no demon would be stupid enough to reveal its true name, I remembered that much from my relatively useless tutor. Maybe, like Carolina, they had more names than I had thought, and perhaps each name had a bit of power in it.

The song continued to course through my sword, and through my mouth. I understood very little of what I sang, but I could see its power, and I added my hate and anger to it.

The spheres held as the two demons battered against them with word and blow and bite.

Carolina’s face was suddenly in view, small and to the side.

They are a bit weaker than I feared but I still can’t hold this up much longer. Once out of the spheres, they’ll expand and become enormous. I hope your friends are more powerf

ul than they look.

I stole a quick glance to the side and saw Kara and Kalle coming in through the open door and shutting it and bolting it behind them.

As if any door could contain a demon. But this door was covered in runes, so perhaps it would help a little...

I heard a noise, then, and looked back at the two demons squirming in their bubbles.

The blue demon Melfor’s eyes blazed red in anger. Minifrest though looked panicked.

Melfor grew large claws that gripped at the bubble. He tore at it and it felt like he was tearing my guts. Woltan must have felt something too because I could hear him grunt.

Then there was a ripping noise and the demon’s head popped out. It felt like a kick in the stomach, and I narrowly avoided doubling over in pain and surprise.