Hunting an Angel

Artifacts of the ur Caane by Jake Kerr Season two, The Coat of Invincibility, episode thirteen, Hunting an Angel. Mister Alee pulled me aside as we prepared to leave the next morning. Tommy, I know that I can be frustrating, and that perhaps you and Naomi think of me as too careful or even fearful. But I have good reasons. You have seen a lot and done so much, but you still don't know what kind of things that people are capable of, or the forces that are arrayed against you. He put his arm on my shoulder and squeezed. I just worry about you. I nodded. I understand, but will be okay. You've seen how powerful Naomi is, and while the staff is limited, I can still surprise people with it. I tapped the cane on the floor, but mister Lee didn't reply, I'll be careful at that. He let go over my shoulder and patted me on the back. That's all I'm asking. As we shuffled into a sedan that was to drive us to the Magicians and the Angel of Saint Petersburg, I thought of mister Arlee's history. He had been the eyes for my grandfather pointing out illusions and risks as they fought during the Great War. He saw risk and danger where others did not. No wonder he was worried about me and my friends. I watched mister ar Lee as the car rumbled over roads pitted with holes and rocks. His eyes constantly darted left and right. His brows would furrow, and he would squint as if he perceived something we could not, But then he would move on and look elsewhere. It suddenly struck me that perhaps I had not paid as much attention to mister ar Lee as I should have. If he saw threats where others didn't, what kind of life would that be? One full of stress, fear, and concern. Maybe I was finally starting to understand him. He just looked at the world differently. The city of Leningrad was beautiful, but torn with the wounds of war. I knew that it had been a major part of the Soviet Revolution, and it appeared to be preparing for the onslaught of the Germans. Troops were everywhere, and a trip that ur Katie said would normally not have taken long took us hours, as we had to drive around streets with tanks checkpoints and lines of soldiers. Our Katie sat up front with the driver that we had found at the hotel. The man looked nervous, but seemed intent on getting us where we were going. Miss darl and Naomi sat on either side of me, neither seeming much interested in the other. A few hours after we left, Ur Katie looked at us over his shoulder. There is a warehouse nearby. We are to meet at the front, and then hopefully we will be taken to the angel. The comment increased Miss Darlee's irritation. And then what do we do? Tell this woman to just give us artifact? May I remind you that we can not harm her? Mister Alee shook his head. I have lived this with Declan time and time again. March in without any kind of plan, destroy anything that looks suspicious, and then hope it all works out. That's my kind of plan. I like it. R Katie just shook his head. No, that is not the plan. It's just that there are too many unknowns. How can we plan when we don't know what we are facing. We need to be nimble and prepared for anything. I had to admit that Our Katie seemed to know what he was doing. I didn't necessarily like that. Naomi often paid more attention to him than me, but in terms of us needing a mission leader, he was the best thing that we had. I'm ready. She opened her palm and started casting the small light spell she showed me earlier, the ones she said, calmed herself. I can't disagree with your logic, arkad but let us at least agree to go slow and be observant. We should also have a plan for retreat. Mister Earlee looked at the driver ode he turned to him and said some words in Russian. The driver shook his head and said yet no one said anything. But I didn't need a translator to note that there wasn't going to be any escape plan. I looked at mister o Lee, who seemed pained, and then at Arkadie, who actually looked unhappy as well. Naomi was ignoring everyone as she pushed her blonde hair behind her ears, cracked her knuckles, and began casting the light spell again. The car made a sharp turn to the right, and the tires crunched over gravel. Up ahead were three large buildings with middle walls that looked like flimsily constructed warehouses. The walls were bent in spots, exposing a dark interior, and the second floor was lined with large windows, many of which were covered with plywood. We drove up to the middle warehouse, which had a huge set of closed doors facing the road. As the car stopped, the driver looked around nervously and then said something in Russian. We're here, ar Katie opened his door. Naomi then opened her door and practically leaped out of the car. Before I had even slid out of the car. She was making movements with her left hand. The four of us stood facing the warehouse behind us. The car backed up and turned the drive away. So what next they are to meet us? Here? Are we early? They didn't provide a time, They said, just to be here in the afternoon. I was under the impression that this was a base for their operations and that they had someone here all the time. Tell me what you see. There is a large two story warehouse in front. Of us, Yes, that is not an illusion. To the left is a road leading between another warehouse that is behind us, and to the left it is paired with another warehouse behind us. To the right there is a parking lot with a few small trucks to the right, beside the warehouse in front of us. Behind it is a fence. Mister Alee breathed out, good. There are no illusions. That is a good sign. A horrible screech phibi air and the large sliding doors in front of us parted. There was nothing but darkness behind them, but I could make out a group of men walking out. They were in plain gray uniforms without any markings. One of the men pointed at us, I don't like this. The men crouched down and with a dizzying speed, unleashed a flurry of detonations at us. I dove to the ground instinctively. As mister Ali flinched. I heard a few thuds, followed by Naomi shaking her head, her hair flying in a mist of yellow around her head. Did those idiots not think The first thing I would do is cast a shield. Holding up her hand, she launched a detonation at the group of men, who couldn't seem to understand how we were still standing. They scattered as the spell flew toward them. It exploded on the ground, tossing a few of them backward and in the air. No shield spell. This won't be a challenge at all. Naomi looked positively giddy. There were about ten men that I could see, several of whom ran back to the warehouse while the rest moved to surround us. Two of them were casting what looked to be shield spells. I think they're casting shields. I walked next to Naomi. She was looking around, presumably picking her next target. She had the same kind of smile on her face that I saw on my grandfather during the attack on the Persian Garden restaurant. It won't help them, Naomi said it as a statement of fact, and there wasn't a bit of pride in her voice. Okay, d we could use a quick illusion. The Russian was already focused on the movements of his body. I thought of using the staff, but what could I do? Even putting everything in darkness seemed to be more problematic than helpful. We needed to see what we faced. There was a rumble, and I looked over to see a tank approaching from the road to the left. A tank. Naomi turned and launched her spell at it. There was a whoosh and then a large explosion. It wasn't the hammer of jam sheet. In fact, I didn't know what spell it was, but it appeared to be a more powerful version of the detonation spell. That was an illusion. They are trying to distract us. Mister Hallie pointed. The magicians in gray had flpped back into the warehouse. Where are you Angel, come out and play. Hush, Naomi, we need to know what we are facing. We all looked around. I had turned my head for an instant, but in that time, Naomi had started walking toward the warehouse. Naomi, No, we need to walk together. Stay there, You're protected by a good shield. I'll find this woman myself. Naomi, I stopped. I knew that there was nothing I could say that would change her mind. She walked straight ahead. A whistling sound came from the left, and then a huge explosion shook the ground. I was thrown back, along with our Katie and mister Ali. The wind was knocked out of me, and as I struggled for breath, I looked over to Naomi. The ground she stood on was unharmed, while the ground around her was charred with a deep hole. To her left. Naomi was coughing and brushing dust off her pants. Timpok like she was bleeding from her forehead. Naomi, are you okay? She turned to me, a grim smile on her face. I hate technology. She lifted her left arm, brought her right arm around, and then extended them to the warehouse to our left. A massive column of flame shot out and filled the entire front of the building. Oh, Katie, are you okay? I turned to see how everyone was. Mister Lee was covered in dust but seemed otherwise find I looked at our Katie, who was kneeling with his head down. I couldn't tell if he was hurt. He said something that made no sense. I was concerned that he was dazed, and took a step toward helping him. He looked up. I held the illusion we are butterflies. Butterflies. I looked at Arkadie and then mister a Lee. They looked a little shaken up, but otherwise okay. It is an illusion, Tommy. We appear to be butterflies to those looking at us. We will hopefully be small enough that others won't notice us. But what about Naomi? She had walked around the crater that the projectile had blown in the ground, and was marching toward the left warehouse. We are not strong enough, Tommy, is she? Mister Ali didn't reply as Naomi brought forth a series of debtonations that blew holes in the warehouse. Angel. I know this won't hurt you, but you don't want me to hurt your men, do you. Naomi cast some deat nations at the roof of the warehouse, and it started to cave in. I was in awe. She was an angel of destruction. The warehouse was being obliterated by her barrage of spells. There was a wish from the right, and I turned in alarm. The men in gray had returned and were casting powerful offensive spells at Naomi. She didn't even look back at them. She pushed the palm of her hand toward the men, and they all just flew backward, falling and then skidding across the ground away from her. The Jin's breath. That spell was lost to history. Very few know it even existed. A howl of buckling meadow filled the air, and the warehouse collapsed. Naomi stopped in the middle of the road. I watched her from behind. Her hands moved in a blur. The energy pushed back on her hair. Each hand flickering behind her head. No one emerged from the warehouse. One of the mital walls twisted and fell inward. Naomi turned and faced us, and then looked to her left and then to the original warehouse. She was standing in the middle of the road that led off between and then behind the warehouses. Now don't you prefer to have us on your side? Angel, Naomi looked around. You don't want us against you. Glancing over at us, she shook her head. I'm guessing that the attack from this warehouse was a diversion. She knodded over her shoulder at the warehouse she had just destroyed. She pulled up the black ball of energy that I knew was the mighty hammer of Jamsheet. I wonder if I should just explode that one. She motioned toward the center warehouse and see. If we can extract her in the coat from the rubble. She had an intense look on her face as she stared at the warehouse, with her eyes glinting in the sunlight. She looked amazing, beautiful and powerful. I had even forgotten how powerless I was. I didn't need to be the archmage. I just wanted to fight next to her. Naomi look out for the truck. Naomi was about twenty yards from us, and as I looked around, I couldn't see a truck. My eye caught a rather sad and bedraggled dog limping toward her along the road, but there was no truck. Naomi looked around, confused, not seeing anything, She focused on the original warehouse, calling forth the hammer of Jamsheed. Mister dar Lee took off, running toward her. There is a large truck coming towards you. It is too big. Your shield won't protect you. He shouted between breaths as he ran toward her and the dog. Naomi appeared to be so focused on her spell that she didn't even notice mister Earlee calling to her. I knew exactly what was happening, even though I couldn't perceive it. We were all fooled by the illusion of a dog, but mister Alie saw the reality. Naomi moved. She turned to me, looking like she didn't understand why I interrupted her. Alarmed, Naomi braced herself for the collision as she noticed Miss sutter Lee barreling toward her. He reached her a few seconds before, the dog, knocking into her with the full force of his compact and muscular body. Naomi flew backward while the unseen truck slowed as it ran into her shield. Mister Lee struggled to get to his feet as the limping dog appeared to almost grind its way forward, tearing its way through Naomi's shield. No, the air shimmered and mister Lee was knocked backward by the small dog. Some element of reality must have disrupted the magic, and as I looked at mister Alie lying on the ground, the illusion of the dog was replaced by the reality of a transport truck with huge wheels heading toward Arcady and me. The shield had slowed it down and we were able to dodge the truck. It passed us and then made as if to turn for another attempt. A series of explosions to my left knocked me to the ground. I pulled myself up to my arms and knees to see the truck not just a mangled mess, but actually melting under the intense heat from the flame emanating from Naomi's hands. I scrambled up and ran to mister Ali. Mar Katie right next to me. By the time we got to him, Naomi was already on her knees leaning over him. I looked down to see mister Lee's neck twisted in a way it shouldn't. I couldn't breathe. I closed my eyes and tried to focus, but all I could picture was a small dog, and then a truck, and then mister Arlee's broken body. I tried to speak, but no words came out. Don't move, I have a strong shield around you. I looked up, but couldn't see much through the tears that blurred my vision. I saw her blonde hair a shimmer of light, and then she strode off behind me. Before I could turn to see what she was doing, I felt the pressure of Jamshet's hammer being cast press against my chest. The spell hit the warehouse in front of us, and the meadow exploded into shards. Where are you show yourself? She shot detonations at the pile of rubble and metal, just to underscore her. They exploded into clouds of dust. Naomi stopped. She ignored him and looked at the third warehouse, the one that hadn't had any activity. She called forth the hammer of Jamsheet Again, Naomi, she cast the spell, and again, the entire warehouse exploded in front of us. The force knocked me backward, leaving me coughing and a little dizzy. She is not here, Naomi finally looked at Arkadie. Her face was red and wet with tears. Her hair was wild and covered half her face. What these were Germans, Naiomi Nazis? I looked at the wreckage all around us. This was a trap set by the Germans. How did they know we were here? What did they want with us? Sheermans, Yes, we must go. The army will be here soon. It may already be too late. Our Katie looked down the gravel road that led to the warehouse complex. I looked down at mister Ali again. His eyes were closed and threw a hair in his robe. I could see his chain armor. The image struck me so hard I fell to my knees. I finally understood him. He hid it from nearly everyone, but he had committed his life to protecting others, my grandfather, magical creatures, me and Naomi. He had never chosen the path that would help himself, only the one that would help others. I started to sob and couldn't stop. Our Katie pulled on my arm tell me there will be time to morn later. I will hide us with an illusion, but we must go. We don't know if they will have someone with the eye. And with the mention of someone with mister Earlie's talent to see through illusion, I felt myself just go numb. I pushed away Our Katie's assistance and stumbled forward, using the cane to support me. We passed troops and vehicles rushing toward the warehouse complex. I didn't know which illusion hit us, and I didn't care. I didn't know where we were going, and I didn't care about that either. At some point, we stopped and our Katie led us to a shed behind a large house. We'll rest here. We can decide on our next move tomorrow. As Our Katie looked around for something for us to sleep on, Naomi walked over and touched my arm. I looked up at her face. Her eyes were drawn and bloodshot. She looked exhausted. I was going to tell her to rest after casting so many spells, but she pressed her finger against my lips and shook her head. I'm so sorry, Tommy. She threw her arms around my neck and started to sob into my shoulder. I held her, feeling her body shake with each SOB. I'm sorry, so sorry, she whispered it over and over. I didn't know what to say, so I just held her. Eventually she pulled back and turned away from me, saying nothing else. She ignored the various rugs and tarps that our Katie was laying out for us to sleep on, and curled up on the cement in the corner. The podcast Alchemy production H