War For The Oaks Part 48

... where the Bodach holds up a pistol crossbow to catch the light. Eddi's music and magic falter. The Bodach aims the crossbow at the crowd, sweeping back and forth.

Stuart looks questioningly from the Dark Queen to the Bodach. The Pooka yanks at the cord at his wrist, but it holds.

POOKA.

You swore the audience would be safe!

BODACH.

They are, the little ants. But those who serve them?

The Bodach targets a waitress with a tray of drinks. The Pooka lunges, but the glowing cord pulls him up short.

The Bodach's finger tenses on the trigger.

The Bodach's arm is knocked upward. The crossbow bolt smashes into the light grid over the dance floor.

A fountain of sparks rains down and adds to the illusions.

The Bodach struggles against the grip that spoiled his shot. It's Stuart's.

MIST AND LIGHT collect and swirl around Eddi. She hits three rising chords and flings her arm out as if tossing something to the audience. They reach to catch it.

The light sweeps out over the dancers. It descends, curls around them in ribbons. Dancers GASP and LAUGH in delight.

The Bodach slugs Stuart left-handed, then swings the crossbow at him. Stuart blocks it with his forearm, then grabs the Bodach by the throat. They fall against the rail.

The Queen of Air and Darkness stretches out both arms. WIND slams into the net of light and shreds it.

The air is full of weird, inhuman SCREAMS. In the crowd, several dancers stumble. The stage lights dim.

Stuart glances at the stage. The Bodach draws both legs up and kicks Stuart off of him.

The Bodach raises the crossbow... and shoots Stuart.

For a moment, Stuart stands, looking down at the shaft quivering in his chest. Then the shaft turns to smoke.

STUART.

(to the Pooka) Tell her I'm sorry.

Stuart sags forward. With his last strength, he shoves the Bodach, knocking him back within reach of the Pooka.

Stuart's body WRINKLES, SHRINKS, crumbles into POWDER.

The Pooka's free arm closes around the Bodach and pins him. The crossbow falls. The Pooka lifts the Bodach off the floor.

The dancers who stumbled are caught by those next to them, in rhythm with the music. The people on the floor aren't just dancing-they're all dancing together, all GLOWING with the same light as the band.

Eddi turns toward the empty spot onstage and sings to it. LIGHT begins to swirl there, suggesting a fourth figure- -indistinct at first, but growing steadily clearer, more human-shaped...

Until w.i.l.l.y seems to stand in his usual place, gazing down at his guitar in concentration. With a final flourish, Eddi adds w.i.l.l.y's characteristic guitar riff to the mix.

The entire audience is dancing, singing along, matching Eddi's movements, too caught up in the moment to question what they see. The room throbs with a sound like an approaching jet engine under the music.

The Pooka holds the Bodach in the air above the dance floor, as if to drop him.

BODACH.

End it, then, boot-licker!

The Pooka is tempted, but he shakes his head.

POOKA.

It's not mine to end.

The illusion of w.i.l.l.y begins to GLOW, becomes a column of LIGHT that streams upward... and is gone.

Instruments fade out of the song, until all that's left is Eddi's voice, then her guitar... and silence.

The room is still.

Then the audience begins to CHEER as Eddi lifts her gaze to the Queen of Air and Darkness. The Queen's defeat shows on her face.

The Pooka sets the Bodach on his feet. The Bodach scrambles out of reach. The Pooka snaps the cord around his wrist.

POOKA (CONT'D).

Now, it is over.

As the Pooka starts toward the stairs, the Bodach leaps at his back. The Pooka turns.

The Queen of Air and Darkness makes a sharp motion. The Bodach, gagging, is drawn back to her as though on a leash.

QUEEN OF AIR AND DARKNESS.

(to Bodach, and to Eddi) Our sworn word will bind us though the earth swallow us up.

The Queen of Air and Darkness slowly makes a fist. The Bodach has time for a m.u.f.fled SHRIEK before his body WITHERS, collapses in on itself, TRANSFORMS into a few old concert flyers on the floor. They crumple, tear, blow away.

The Queen of Air and Darkness leaves, pa.s.sing the Summer Queen without acknowledgment. The Summer Queen nods at Eddi-a salute to an equal.

The audience presses toward the stage. The band is jubilant. Eddi is laughing and crying.

The Pooka arrives at the side of the stage. Eddi reaches for him. He swings her off the stage into his arms.