Just Cause Universe 2: The Archmage (28 page)

As a troll lifted her triumphantly in the air, Sally caught a brief glimpse of the
Rita
as Ace lifted it clear of the combat zone
. As the bomb bay doors closed, she saw Jason being restrained by Stratocaster and Switchboard, tears of fury and frustration running down his face as he tried to reach Sally one more time. She tried to smile at him, to let him know she’d be all right, but it was such a brief, fleeting instant that she didn’t know if he ever saw. She knew her friends would eventually come for her the way they had for Jack. Right now they were outnumbered and wounded and this was for the best.

The
Rita
lifted straight up into the air as Ace opened the jet nozzles to full. It rose like a balloon, but it was the wrong shape and the wrong color. Sally spared a moment’s reflection to wonder about her sudden obsession with balloons. Then somebody threw a heavy blanket over her and she was spun around and wrapped up like a burrito. The foul stench of the thick cloth assailed her nostrils and made Sally’s stomach churn. She couldn’t move and could barely even breathe as she was carried.

For a moment, the person held her perfectly still and Sally wondered if she was about to be released. Then she felt a sudden jerk followed by a rolling, twisting motion, and she realized she was airborne, probably being carried to the castle at the mountain’s summit by a dragon or other magical beast.

Just when she didn’t think she’d be able to take it any longer, she crashed down onto a hard surface. Hands spun her around to unwrap the blanket from her. She tried to get herself under control so she’d be able to act if the moment called for it. With any luck, she’d be able to move against the Archmage directly if he chose to gloat over his latest capture.

Except she couldn’t move at all.

She was made to sit in a high-backed chair by two women whose waitressing outfits had been modified into dancing-girl costumes. They stood patiently to either side and behind the chair in which Sally was held fast by unseen forces.

“What a marvelous present your rulers have made to me.” The Archmage stepped out of the shadows.

Sally strained against the invisible bonds but couldn’t move even a fraction of an inch. She wished she could float away like a helium-filled balloon.

“I’m keen to know what you hoped to accomplish by your foolish attack.”

Sally could do nothing but glare at her captor. Unable even to blink, her eyes began to water, which made her furious because it looked exactly like she was crying.

“What, tears already, my dear? But I haven’t even begun to torture you yet.” His mocking laughter echoed throughout the chamber

One mistake
, thought Sally in her fury.
O
ne slip and you’re mine
.

“But wait… I’ve thought of an even better use for you than torture. As I’m sure you know, I recently lost the General of my armies.”

He loves to hear himself talk
. Sally was reminded of an old bit of Mafia wisdom she’d read somewhere.
Let a man speak; when he is finished, let him speak some more
. Sooner or later he’d talk too much, say the wrong thing, and then she’d have him.

“I’m somewhat familiar with your exploits.” The Archmage flipped a hand idly and an internet browser window opened in midair. Sally was astonished to see her personnel profile from the Just Cause central computer displayed. “I suspect you’re more powerful than even you believe. Certainly you’re the most powerful member of your pitiful little club.”

Sally couldn’t believe what she was hearing. He
had
to be playing her somehow, trying to get inside her head. All blond jokes aside, she tried to make her mind all empty, like a balloon.

“You’ll make a fine addition to my forces, suitable for command.” Wolfgang
Frazier
stepped closer to her and looked her over in a way that made Sally’s skin crawl. “And yet… you’re so very beautiful. Perhaps you can serve me in
other
ways as well.”

A horrible gnawing sensation filled Sally’s belly. She wished for control of her mouth for just one second, long enough to spit in his face.

“It can be lonely at the top. Ruling the world isn’t nearly as fun without someone to share it with. At some point, I’ll need to provide an heir. Or two. Or more. Because even
I
can’t live forever. At least, not yet. Perhaps that will change when I take Stratocaster’s magic.”

Still paralyzed, Sally could do nothing but think an unending string of profanity at the Archmage.

Frazier
laughed at himself. “Ah, but I
do
go on, don’t I? I suppose I’ve been cooped up here for too long without true companionship. Well, except for my faithful Seth, of course. Seth?”

“Yes, my Lord.” The older man that Sally remembered from her last time in the Archmage’s castle stepped from the shadows, a simple wooden flask clutched in his hand. She was
positive
that she didn’t want whatever was in that flask. Seth passed it to
Frazier
, who gestured at Sally.

Unable to resist, Sally felt her head tilt back and mouth open. Her tongue pressed downward to open her throat.
No no NO!!
s
he screamed in her mind as the Archmage brought the flask over her lips. He upended it and Sally felt the horrible burning liquid slosh down to her stomach. She wanted to gag and vomit it back out, but even her internal organs seemed to have been paralyzed by
Frazier
’s magic.

She felt the energetic liquid quiver in her stomach like a living thing. It seemed to stretch out beyond her stomach and sent tingles down her limbs all the way to her fingers and toes. It frightened her that the sensations weren’t unpleasant. It felt as if she relaxed like in the moment right before falling asleep. Shreds of her resistance leaked away like air from a punctured balloon. Something important hovered on the fringes of her memory, something about balloons, but she couldn’t focus on it, and then it went away.

The Archmage bent down and looked deeply into her eyes and Sally felt her heart fill with love for him. She would lay down her life in an instant if he requested it. She would lead his armies, bear his children, be his anything and everything.

“How do you feel, my dear?” he asked her, and she found she could move again. Why had she been unable to before? She couldn’t remember. It certainly wasn’t important now that he was here and had freed her.

“Wonderful, my darling.” She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him deeply.

Chapter Seventeen

“The difference between false memories and true ones is the same as for jewels: it is always the false ones that look the most real, the most brilliant.”

-
Salvador Dalí
 

August, 2004

Rugby, North Dakota

Sally wandered through Wolfgang’s castle. She felt a little lost and disconnected without the love of her life beside her. He was busy preparing the next batch of conscripts. He had explained to her how he was bringing peace to the troubled lands beyond his borders, a mile at a time. His forces worked very hard to keep from killing the innocents from the enemy army. Instead, they fought to capture them and bring them to the sanctity of the castle, where Wolfgang labored to free them from their conditioning and make them free-thinking individuals willing to fight for his cause.

The enemy had been camped outside the castle for as long as she could remember. Wolfgang was constantly reminding her of the dangers they presented, with their guns and jets and tanks and missiles. He was careful to fight them with weapons of old, using troops he’d pulled from the very bones of the earth itself. The conscripts he brought into his fold were more than happy to lay down their previous masters’ weapons of war in favor of the swords and bows that Wolfgang preferred.

Her love had spent a day carefully measuring her for a suit of armor that would protect her when she led her first assault on the enemy host. She had thrilled to feel his hands on her skin, and wished desperately he had time for more attentions. Unfortunately, his duties often called him away before she could do much more than buss him across the lips. And it was his manservant Seth who came to remind him of those duties, usually giving her an evil glare as he passed her.

She didn’t like Seth; and she knew he hated her with a passion she didn’t understand.

The clock in the great hall chimed and she knew it was time to eat. She walked through the corridors toward the dining room atop the tall central tower of the castle. Her thoughts seemed very cloudy these days. She found it difficult to recall details of the past. As far as she knew, she’d always been part of the Archmage’s entourage. Or perhaps she was one of the converted, a soldier from the barbarian army beyond Wolfgang’s magical wards. Perhaps he’d freed her from her slavery. Unbidden, images of brightly-colored floating spheres filled her mind. This happened frequently, and the illusions were real enough that more than once she found herself reaching out to touch them even though they weren’t present.

She didn’t understand why she kept seeing them. They certainly weren’t anything she’d seen in the castle, or from the army beyond. Wolfgang hadn’t cast any spells that showed her such things. Deep in her mind, in the part that occasionally screamed wordlessly at her and gave her the nightmares, she knew there was something
very
important about those floating spheres. And yet, she was loath to mention them to Wolfgang. She didn’t want him to think there was something, well,
wrong
with her. She strove to be perfect for him, because she loved him so much.

Every so often, it seemed that the world around her stopped moving altogether, and she found herself wandering through a castle populated by statues instead of people. When this happened, she would run from room to room, searching for her love in the hope he could help her regain her sensibility. Once she’d found him and he was just as frozen as everyone else, and it terrified her. Seth eventually found her, huddled in a corner of a disused chamber, moaning and crying since she thought she’d somehow lost everything. It was like the nightmares that tormented her constantly. Every night she ran in great terror from beings that sought to murder her; a dog-faced man, a bolt of lightning shaped like a woman, a walking pillar of strength, a vicious clawed harpy, and the Musician

The Musician was her greatest fear, but he was also Wolfgang’s obsession. He was training her for the mission to bring the Musician back into the castle. The Musician directed the enemy army’s attacks on the castle, and Wolfgang explained to her that his capture would result in the end of the war. She nodded as she brushed away tears she didn’t know had escaped her eyes, and smiled at him.

Lunch was, as always, a repast worthy of kings and emperors. Wolfgang sat down wearily at the head of the table. Seth moved to his side quickly and gave him a vial of a cordial to help his strength return. Sally knew her position was to wait until Wolfgang had been served and began eating before seeking her own nourishment. The food smelled wonderful, and looked incredibly delicious, but somehow her appetite had waned of late and she could barely stomach even a crust of bread.

Wolfgang loaded up a plate with meat, potatoes, cheeses, and succulent vegetables, and filled a great flagon with his favorite spicy wine. He looked down the long table at Sally and smiled. “You look as fantastic as ever, my dear.”

“Thank you, my love.” Her heart swelled with joy as feelings welled up inside her to push aside even the constant images of balloons.

“I have good news,” said Wolfgang. “I’ve completed your armor. You’ll be able to lead the troops tomorrow.”

Sally’s breath caught in her throat. Was she really going to be able to
prove
her love for the Archmage at last? “Oh,
Wolfgang!
” she cried. “That’s
wonderful!
”

He allowed himself a condescending smile. “Yes, it is rather special, isn’t it?”

“Might I try it on tonight before bed?”

“Of course. We should make sure everything fits.”

“And perhaps later… I could join you in your chambers?” Sally asked hopefully. She had yet to be allowed in to spend any time with Wolfgang without his retainers present. She wasn’t sure why, but it was certainly for her own good.

A new, unholy glint appeared in the Archmage’s eyes. “Yes, I think that would be satisfactory.”

Seth sidled up next to Wolfgang. “I don’t think that’s wise, my Lord. Let her prove herself to you first before you risk being alone with her.”

Sally glared at Wolfgang’s aide.
How dare he?
 

The Archmage sighed and drained his cup of wine. “Yes, you’re right, I suppose. I can always trust you to have my best interests at heart, can’t I, Seth?”

Seth lowered his eyes. “I exist to serve you, my Lord.” Sally heard a slight cynicism in the man’s voice, but it was apparently lost on Wolfgang.

They finished eating in silence, Wolfgang lost in his thoughts and Sally daydreaming of herself in his armor.

Soon the meal was finished and the servants began clearing the table. Wolfgang wiped his mouth fastidiously with a napkin and stood. “Come, Salena.” He held out his hand to her.

She was by his side in a flash and tucked her eager arm inside his. He led her through the castle to his workshop. She caught occasional glimpses of Seth behind them in the shadows. His quiet stalking made her a little nervous, as if he awaited an opportunity to slip a dagger in between her ribs. She swore to herself resolutely that he’d never get the chance.

The workshop was brightly lit by torches along the walls. Her suit of armor floated without any apparent means of support over a raised platform in the middle of the workshop. Her breath caught in her throat as she took in the beautiful creation.

The necessity of her freedom of movement and speed had guided the armor’s design. She wouldn’t be overly restricted by the overlapping plates of cerulean blue armor trimmed by ebony chain mail. “Oh,
Wolfgang!
” she said. “It’s
beautiful
!”