Scott’s invisibility spell was not typical. It was a flower.
Phil looked at the flower, then at Scott. “Seriously?”
“Seriously. Put it on.”
Phil tucked the flower in his belt, and he saw himself disappear. “Oh. Nice.”
Scott smiled, and tucked his flower in his pants. He disappeared as well.
“How do I see you?”
Scott touched Phil’s arm. “I’ll see you.”
Phil didn’t like the lack of control that left him, but he had to follow Scott’s lead. He didn’t like not seeing himself and gave everything a wider berth than he should have. Phil had the address and they weren’t far away from the place, so they walked into the hotel. They were in one of the large ballrooms.
Taking the stairs, Phil went to the third ballroom. DEMON Brothers guarded the doors. When one opened, he slipped inside. He moved along the wall where he could, avoiding people. All sorts of DEMON members crowded the floor, standing around the stage in the front. Phil was able to find a place against the wall behind a short cart, where no one was standing. He didn’t say anything, hoping that Scott found someplace to go. Unfortunately he couldn’t suspend himself from the ceiling, as his spell for flying also generated light.
At a seemingly pre-determined time, everyone turned and faced the stage. The lights dimmed, and a spotlight appeared. An Inner Circle Member came out.
“You all know why you are gathered here,” she said, without any introduction. She turned to look in the wings.
A bald man stepped out from the wings. He wore Inner Circle robes, and he walked with a stick. The stick was something new, but there was no mistaking the glowing green eyes of Thornblood.
“Servants of DEMON,” he said. “The Basilisk Orb has been found. It is among the Champions.”
There was a lot of muttering. Phil’s eyes went wide. They had lost the Basilisk Orb in a the late ’60;s, after trying to take over the world.
“Some of you among you must be chosen to enter the Champions, but not as DEMON. As heroes. You will sneak in and let us in.”
More muttering. Phil couldn’t believe it. They were actually going to walk into the Champions building and try to steal the Orb? It was suicide.
“In return, I ask for one thing.”
The group grew quiet.
“We will bring back Mol, the God of Death.”
Phil tugged at something at his collar that itched. When he did, the flower he wore fell out and fell into a sauce that was on the cart. He saw his arm, his legs.
Thornblood was luckily in the glare of the light. He was still going on, and everyone’s attention was on what was up front.
Everyone, except a Morbane. “Hey!”
The Initates and Morbanes around him turned. They started for him, and Phil shoved the cart, toppling it over. The noise attracted the front of the room.
He ran toward the doors, and as he did, he heard a scream and green bolts of magic hit a man. Scott was somewhere above them, firing bolts of magic to distract them to him.
There will come a time when he needs to be hurt…
Phil threw open the door. There was no way that Scott was going to get out.
“Hell,” Phil said, turned and attacked.
Chairs went flying. People ran at him. Scott called from outside, “C’mon, Phil, I’m out here!”
He had somehow taken out the Brothers, and Phil bolted out the door, slamming it shut. It wouldn’t stop them, but it would give him a moment’s time. He was able to get two steps before the doors burst open off their hinges and DEMON members spilled out into the hallway.
Phil sprinted to the top of the stairs and ran down them, DEMON after him. He felt the spells whiz past him, his own defense spells working overtime, getting hit and sizzling with expended energy. Someone touched him, and he saw his hand disappear. Then his arm.
He dashed out the glass doors of the hotel, and Scott pulled him to the right. He felt someone hug him tightly, felt Scott breathing heavily against him. He also felt the results of Scott’s use of magic. They stayed against the glass while DEMON members piled out into different directions. Scott whispered, “When they’re gone, we get out of here.”
Phil smiled. He didn’t mind where he was.