The Return of Magic: Part One Chapter Six: Another Assassination Attempt.

Casey weighed her options carefully. Plan A: Bash heads

Plan B: Die.

Casey was thinking the best way to go was definatly plan A. She cast a sideways glance at Landon. He smiled slightly. "Crazy Idea Time?" He gleaned

"Crazy Idea Time!" Casey agreed gleefully. A tall man stepped forward His skin was as grey as ash, his ears were long and pointed like an Elf's. He had long white hair that tumbled down to the small of his back, held at the end by a golden ring. His purple eyes were dark and cold as he stared out at the children.  His eyes fell on Avalon, and some expression sparked in his eyes, but it was gone too quickly for Casey to identify it. Then Casey saw the red embroidery along the lining of his black robes. "Look at the designs on his robes." Casey whispered to Landon. "No one else here has any decorations on theirs. I'll bet he's their leader."

The white haired man spoke in a commanding voice "Surrender now, you six. You are clearly outnumbered." 

Casey nodded to Landon. It had been agreed apon that they would use their magic only in a life or death situation where nothing else would work. This was most defineately one of those occasions. 

"Yes, we may be outnumbered-" Landon shrugged

"-But you are clearly outmatched!" Casey finished. Thick vines burst from the ground, sending most of the army of hostile Mages flying. Avalon, Ingred, and Iris all entered combat with varying levels of confidence. Lightening bolts flew, swards clashed, and Iris blew craters in the asphalt with powerful blasts of light (Hopefully they wouldn't have to pay for that.) Avalon was frying people with his lightening fingers (Casey made a mental note to ask him about that.) and she and Landon continued to wallop drothes of enemies with nature. All hail flower power. Then, with their attackers on the verge of retreat, a chilling voice sounded behind them. 

"You fought valiantly, young ones." It said. Casey whirled around in time to see the white haired man thrust his sward into Landon's stomach. "But now it's time for you to die!" 

Casey stood frozen in horror as the man twisted the blade deeper into her brother's gut. "Like the dog that you are!" 

Landon's face contorted in agony, then his eyes dulled and glazed over as the life left his body.

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As Casey and Landon's vines continued to wreak havoc, Avalon and Ingred were fighting back to back. a small legion of skeletons had joined the fray, more or less evening out their numbers. "I think now is a good time as any for you to learn to shoot lightening." He shouted over the sounds of battle. As if on cue a hostile Mage charged at Avalon and he shot him down with a powerful bolt of electricity. 

"I guess your right." Ingred agreed. 

"Focus you energy" Avalon instructed. He blasted another enemy across the lot. "Concentrate on your target an shoot."

Ingred did as he instructed and her hand was almost instantly alight with flames. The look on her face was so shocked it was almost comical. 

"Fire." Avalon stated impassively. "We can work with that. Try shooting it."

Ingred pointed her hand at a nearby Mage and string of flames shot from her fingers and the Mage was instantly alight in a purple inferno. He screamed in terrified agony, and Calemnvir chuckled. 'you know, I'm actually beginning to enjoy this. Tell her to do it again.'

Avalon put the poor soul out of his misery and electrocuted him. Ingred looked down at his burning carcass in horror. Avalon put a reassuring hand on her arm. "It's okay, you'll get better at it." 

Then Avalon heard a sound that sent him running across the lot. Casey's screams.

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The white haired man pulled his sward out, and Landon crumpled lifelessly to the ground, staining the concrete red with a slowly growing pool of his own blood. It took a moment for Casey to notice that the screams that filled her ears were hers. she fell to her knees beside her sibling, cradling his dead body in her arms, crying into his ruffled hair. She heard the metalic scrape of a sward being drawn above her, but she didn't look up. Casey buried her face deeper into her brothers hair, waiting for the final strike to come, but nothing happened. Instead she heard Avalon shouting something. A name? The sound of fighting ceased as Avalon and the white haired man faced each other. Casey barely heard what they were saying. She gently passed a hand over Landon's eyes, closing them. She didn't notice the army fading back into the night. She was jerked out of her stupor by the sound of Avalon's voice. 

"Casey, I need you to put Landon down." There was deep understanding in his tone, as if he knew what it was like to suffer. As if he had felt her pain many times over. Casey clutched her brother tighter to her, unwilling to give up her brother's body. Avalon gently laid his hand on her shoulder. she looked up at him. The emotion in his normally expressionless silver eyes surprised her. 

"Casey," He said gently. "Let him go." along with the compassion in his voice, there was also athourity. Casey laid her brother back down on the asphalt. Avalon knelt beside him, and laid his hands on Landon's chest, where his heart was. He was still for a long while, except for a slight tremble in his arms, then without warning, Avalon collapsed on top of Landon, for a sickening moment neither of them moved, then Landon's eyes fluttered open.