Magpies and Magic II : The Great Escape

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FOUR

It took some encouragement, but Casper persuaded the three Crows and his entourage to return up the cave network to the castle in Ithaca. The Crows were happy to escape being underground where they felt particularly trapped. The entourage of Ogres and humans were so scared of the Crows and Casper that they overcame their fear of Stephanie’s forces.

As they returned to the castle itself, they found only a few Intacan crusaders inside. They were mostly plundering relics and were terrified when they saw four huge menacing-looking birds about to attack them. It took only a few minutes for those remaining crusaders to flee in a mad panic.

With the assistance of the Crows, Casper and his forces easily got themselves out of the castle. It was becoming clear to Casper that the Crows too had magical powers as many of the Dark Elven magical attacks on them seemed ineffective. The Crows viciously ripped the Elves to pieces, in an orgy of violence even Casper found distasteful.

Stephanie had left her forces to finish off Casper; without her assistance the combination of the Crows and Casper totally overwhelmed them. The Dark Elves found the magic-resistant Crows particularly hard to deal with. While they were used to the Barbarians harnessing Giants to nullify their magic, the sheer ferocity of the Crows totally decimated their numbers. For the first time, Casper saw that Stephanie’s forces were routed. She was nowhere to be seen.

Stephanie was away from her troops. Against the orders of the Pentagram Council, she was searching for something, a hexagonal steel key. Exactly like the very one that Casper had used to summon the Crows.

Malcolm slept for the first time in his cell. It was an interesting experience. Stephanie appeared to him again in his dreams.

“You know I can see through the eyes of the evil side of me when you are awake,” said Stephanie, almost casually.

“Really?” replied Malcolm.

“It is almost unbearable at times. She has committed so many atrocities. Casper was losing badly to her forces, but now things have changed. Somehow Casper has recruited the Hayland Valley Crows to his cause; they have tilted the war in his favour,” said Stephanie.

“So at least the Pentagram Council have some opposition,” said Malcolm.

“She had assumed she had won and was searching for an artifact, against their orders, though in their interests,” said Stephanie.

“Sounds intriguing,” said Malcolm.

“I am pretty sure she was searching for a hexagonal metal object like the one Casper brought into our nest that transported us here,” said Stephanie.

“Really?”

“Isomere called them the Power Keys. They already have one inserted in a lock near the Dark Pool, but there are places for four other keys: they think if they find all five then they will unleash the ultimate power of the Dark Pool,” said Stephanie.

“Sounds like we need to stop them; if they have one, and Casper has another, then where are the other keys?” asked Malcolm.

“They don’t know; it was rumoured Jonub took one out of Minaturia when he left and scattered the others across the world,” said Stephanie.

“So that is good, though I don’t fancy them increasing the power of the Dark Pool. At least Casper has the upper-hand now so that should stop them getting hold of his key for a while,” said Malcolm.

“Evil Stephanie has been summoned back to explain herself to the Pentagram Council, so I am sure they will launch a new attack,” said Stephanie.

“I need to get out of this prison soon then: the real question is how!” said Malcolm, who then promptly woke up.