Kaze asks "What is a Spellbound?"
Richter looks up, startled. Then he relaxes and lights a cigarette.
"That's right, it was before your time. During the War, there was a fellow who could absorb peoples' Powers. Not just their Powers, but their magic as well, so he got stronger by killing people. He killed a whole lot of people, and nobody noticed because it was a war zone. Well, the Grimnoir finally got him."
"He was called the Spellbound. I think it's because some of the big brains thought he couldn't help killing for Power, like he was compelled to do it. Anyway, someone else became Spellbound the moment he died. This one wasn't evil, but she still absorbed the magic of everyone around her when they died."
"I'm not up on all the details, but apparently the Elders wanted to kill this Spellbound, but Mr. Browning in San Francisco talked them out of it. She got real powerful and killed a space monster that was going to eat the Power -- I mean THE Power, the source of all our magic. Apparently it's alive, and it's alive because of this Grimnoir."
"Well, she got burned out by the effort, and she isn't Spellbound any more. Is there another one? Maybe. Is this tattoo-collector the new Spellbound? I don't know. But we killed one, and if we have to, we'll do it again."
He stubs out his cigarette on his heel.
"This all happened back in January of '34. About the same time the new Powers started appearing, as a matter of fact. Hm. Christine, when'd you get your Power?"
"After Christmas," she says warily. "I guess near the end of January."
"Uh-huh. And Nick, you've had your magic a lot longer."
Nick nods.
Kaze takes a few steps away from the group, surveying the site for advantages in the upcoming fight. She looks at Nick.
ReplyDelete"Would it be possible to use a blast of ice to interfere with his incoming flight?"
"Yes, I could. I made an aeroplane tumble in the War, by icing his wings."
ReplyDelete"But an airship is heavier than an aeroplane, as strange as that sounds. I could make him drop lower with ice buildup; if he comes low near the trees, I could probably make him hit them. But if he stays high, I can't affect him much. The weight of ice I could add doesn't come close to the lifting capacity of an airship."
"Of course, he can fly by himself now.... once he gets closer."
ReplyDeleteNick: "With bird wings? I can definitely make those harder to use, with a few hundred pounds of icing."
ReplyDelete"January, you say? There has been... an alteration in my powers since January."
ReplyDeleteBelle, still looking out the window, says casually over her shoulder, "Where would you like this airship blown? North? South? Into a mountain? The Atlantic?"
ReplyDelete