'This has to be a dream. The sickest nightmare imaginable.'
But Theo already knew it was real. The Levia burning bright and hot inside his body would never let him forget it.
That was really Sam. Sam beside the demon sniper, a black diagram beneath her feet. Her gaze blank and cold, the complete opposite of the always-smiling girl Theo knew.
How had this happened? All this time Theo had thought Sam lived about as far from this world of wizards and familiars as a person could possibly get.
But what if – his heart seized – he just hadn't noticed? Wrapped up in his own worries, busy studying spells, he might have easily missed any big changes going on in his best friend's life.
Guilt wracked him, cold and bitter. If he hadn't been so selfish....
"Theo! A spell!" Zenith's shout scattered his thoughts. Blinking, he saw his familiar advancing upon the sniper and Sam.
"Wait, Zenith! Don't attack!"
Zenith whirled toward him. "What do you mean?"
"That's...Sam." Theo's voice cracked upon the name. "My...my best friend."
"You mean the wizard?" Zenith glanced at Sam, whose expression remained unnervingly blank.
"I – I don't know what's going on, I don't know why she's with the Legion, but there's gotta be an explanation, so please – " What he was begging from Zenith, Theo didn't know. Only that a terrible image kept flashing in his head: Zenith's blade cutting Sam down with a spray of blood.
No. He couldn't let his familiar hurt his best friend. But what was he supposed to do then?
"Ri-i-i-i-i-ight." The sniper stretched and cracked a yawn. "Guess it's time for some introductions. I'm Melphi, of the Infernal Legion. This here's our latest thrall."
"Thrall?" Theo echoed.
A flash of movement from behind. Melphi whirled, a black orb spinning between his palms. A beam of darkness blasted from the orb, but Lodo and Darian jumped out of the way and landed on the wall behind Melphi.
Lodo turned and knelt down to help Meg up, but Darian remained facing Melphi. "So it's true. You do brainwash wizards to serve you."
"There you are, prince," Melphi sighed. "Don't suppose you'd make this easy and just come with me?"
Darian pointed her rapier. "Never."
"Ahh...worth a shot." Melphi scratched the back of his head. "Looks like I gotta fight all of you now, huh? How unfair. I've lost all my motivation."
"If you have, then surrender," Darian said, her mouth twitching.
"Wait!" Theo forced himself to his feet. "Are you saying he's brainwashed Sam?"
"That's how we roll. Can't get much done on Earth without wizards, you know," Melphi said. "But we're not gonna bow down to humans either. So...this way everyone's happy. Except the thrall, I guess. Can't please everyone."
With that, he sidled up beside Sam – whose shoulder he barely reached – and patted her arm. Sam didn't react any which way, remaining still as a statue.
The sight made rage explode inside Theo. "Let her go!"
He still didn't understand everything, but he didn't care. All he needed to know was that Sam hadn't chosen this. She might not even realize where she was or what she was doing. And while it horrified Theo, it also gave him a bizarre, gut-wrenching kind of relief. At least Sam wasn't really on the Infernal Legion's side.
Which meant he could save her.
"Ehh." Melphi blinked. "Do you know this thrall or something? Your girlfriend? Young love, how tiresome. It's enough to make me lose my motivation."
Theo was sick of hearing this demon complain about his lack of motivation. Gathering his Levia, he cast the strengthening spell. Zenith started when the diagram appeared beneath his feet, but took it in stride and charged for Melphi.
"Hey, protect me!" Melphi yelled.
Sam lifted her arm, painfully stiff as if an unskilled puppeteer was directing her. A black shield surged in front of Melphi, cutting off Zenith's attack.
But Lodo and Darian jumped in from behind, both of them aglow with scarlet strengthening spells. An enormous cat again, Lodo pounced upon Melphi.
The demon shoved Sam in his way. Lodo leaped back to avoid her and hit the ground on his side, giving Melphi enough time to take off down the corridor.
That coward! No longer thinking, Theo ran along the wall until he caught up with Melphi and jumped.
He crashed on top of the startled demon, slamming them both to the floor. Insane, he'd gone insane – his worst subject was P.E. – but he couldn't do nothing. As Melphi squirmed and thrashed, he tried to grab the demon's hair and cloak.
A fist caught him between the ribs. Stars burst in his vision and Theo lurched, letting go.
Melphi took the opportunity to slither away. He rounded on Theo with hands extended, a black orb spinning between them.
An icy wave of panic crashed through Theo's chest. If he took that point blank –
Azure flashed in front of him. Then he flew backwards, rolling to a bumpy stop a few feet away. Winded, he hauled himself up by an elbow to see Zenith crouched before Melphi, shield held out. Smoke curled from its front and bits of crystal hit the floor with little plinks, like raindrops.
Theo's heart clenched. "Zenith," he gasped.
Zenith didn't respond. Instead, he leaped to his feet and took off after the fleeing Melphi.
"Protect me!" Melphi yelled. A prickle of Levia, footsteps from behind. Sam was approaching with her hand raised, ready to cast the shield spell again.
"Sam." Theo stared into her eyes, desperately hunting for something, anything – some sign of the old Sam, the real Sam. But it was like staring at a stone wall.
'I can't give up.' There had to be a way to free her. Gritting his teeth against the pain in his ribs, Theo climbed to his feet. Sam still didn't stop.
So he ran in front of her, arms spread. "Sam, snap out of it! I know you don't want to do this, I know – "
Sam shoved him in the chest. Theo yelped as he landed on his rear. Without even glancing at him, Sam marched right on by.
Dimly Theo heard Darian's and Meg's shouts and Lodo's yowls. So they'd joined Zenith. Then he should come too, give Zenith his power, but he couldn't just leave Sam alone.
Besides, if he kept the wizard – the thrall – away from the demon, he might give his friends the advantage. So he got to his feet and ran after Sam again.
He grabbed her arm and tugged as hard as he could, making both of them stumble. Sam still didn't look at him; she kept trying to trudge forward like a zombie.
It frightened Theo, and only made him cling on harder. "Sam, stop! I'm begging you!"
Sam tried to jerk her arm free, but Theo grabbed her blazer sleeve with his other hand. "Sam!"
Finally, she faced him. Not that it was any relief, because her face remained blank as ever. Before Theo could react, she lifted her leg and drove her knee into stomach.
Theo let go, all the breath knocked out of his body. His mind was reeling. Sam had never hit him so hard before. Her punches and dope slaps were always more teasing than anything.
Despair hurt far worse than the blow, making his vision blur. Whatever brainwashing the Infernal Legion had used, it was powerful. What if it couldn't be undone?