Chapter 69

Mindy

’Punzel was protective of her pseudo-father wizard and disclosed little. I knew of his power on Ortharos, and his intent on destroying her people so he could rule. She supported this, I supposed, because of her feelings of abandonment. Her own family freely gave her to this evil necromancer and happily cut ties. I might be miffed too, at such treatment. I worried about the glazed look that took over ’Punzel. She instantly went into a hypnotic state at Liotte’s first words. Her hands dropped to her sides limply, and her gold-slippered feet moved in his direction.

“That’s it, dear child. Come to me, the only father you have known. Bring your sister too. The rest you may incinerate. They are of no use to us now.” Liotte’s voice was fatherly authority, with a hint of false affection.

I couldn’t believe we came this far to give up, and let an ORB incinerate us. I pulled my gun from my back holster and took aim at Liotte’s head. Max looked frantically for a weapon. He must have been relieved of his standard issue somewhere along his adventure. ’Punzel turned, her hand raised and a finger pointed at us. I shifted the pistol in her direction. My hands shook. If it came down to us or her, I would have to shoot, but I couldn’t believe this had to be the end. The bond we formed over the past few days was stronger than this, and I couldn’t believe my plea to not kill ORBs would end with me doing the very thing I protested and risked all for.

“’Punzel, don’t do this, you had a wicked upbringing, but don’t ruin everything we worked for, to go back with this creep! You have family here--you have us!” I gazed into her eyes, trying to figure out how to break the spell. I saw a glimmer of recognition flow through her as her face softened to a smile, and her hands dropped by her sides once more.

“You would be my family?” ’Punzel asked softly, longingly.

I saw the green lady fish in her bodice and throw something to the ground. Orange smoke danced around ’Punzel and formed fine ropes to bind her hands.

’Punzel’s face distorted into an ugly mask of hatred. She struggled but couldn’t release her hands. “Damned you, Phrysia! You know you are no match for my power!”

“No, I am not as powerful as you, but this spell will prevent you from becoming a puppet to the necromancer. You were not abandoned by me. We were both children and subjects of our elders. You need to let go of the past, and free yourself from the bondage you serve to Liotte,” the green lady pleaded.

Liotte looked perplexed and irritated. He waved his hands, chanting in some ancient Ortharian language that was beyond my ISMAT skills. Dread crept over the green lady’s face, and I backed up. I wanted distance between me and this Liotte character. I didn’t want to shoot ’Punzel, and who knew how long the orange rope would hold?

Grabbing Jim, I called to Max. He grabbed the green lady with what I recognized as besotted male protection. Nice to know that talk about his crush could be canceled. He obviously found a new outlet for his affections.

Sir Reggie was still standing near ’Punzel looking up at her like he had lost his soul mate. I took pity on the poor guy, but we needed to get clear of whatever was coming down the pipe. I reached out and grabbed him by the shirt scruff.

“Come on, lover boy, there will be time to save her when we take out this guy.”

I worried that my pistol wouldn’t be enough to kill a necromancer, and if he retaliated like a pissed off bear, I didn’t want it to include killing all the people I loved. The plan was to fall back and then strike. We reached the alley where we entered the parade route and stuttered to a halt. The dead staggered toward us. Skeletons and the newly dead with flesh rendered and maggots burrowing in and out. They crept at a snail’s pace, and that was the only good in this scenario.

“Zombies? You gotta be kidding me!” I yelled over my shoulder in warning and despair.

“Oh crap, not again!” Jim and Max said in unison, from behind me.

“He is a necromancer! Did anybody miss that point?” the green lady threw in sarcastically, looking exasperated. She shook her head negatively. “I’m out of spells.”

“So he can raise the dead, and control the flame-throwing princess,” I summarized, thinking. “How does he control her? Is it a spell, an enchantment?” I asked.

“I don’t know. He would have to have given her a potion or something that is spell-bound, but spells and potions expire. She couldn’t have been enchanted this entire time on Ortharos and then here on Earth without him attending the spell.” The green lady stood with her, hand touching her mouth and chin in thought. Her eyes suddenly widened. “It’s the amulet! Liotte has enchanted the amulet she wears, and that can control her forever. He is nothing without her and his undead army. We need to break the amulet and kill Liotte, then the undead will be no more!”

“Great, sounds easy enough, but how do you kill a necromancer?” I asked.

“You take off his head. Anyone have a steel blade?”