by C. Swallow
It was pretty. It was strange. As if an illusion. I wondered if he would use it as a weapon against me.
Regardless, it was time for him to arrive in the next hour and I had a bad feeling yet again. The dark air he breathed seemed to cause my hair to stick on end. It threw my magic right off. Being in tune with nature, the night, the moon, was not something I had to try and achieve. Yet when Zarcar was coming near... it's as if I felt there was a picture I wasn't allowed to see and I lost sight of my own path.
A future I wasn't allowed to know, until everything came crashing down around me at once.
It starts with distant screams.
But first, I was pinning up my hair in my messy bed chamber, hoping the white dress I've chosen to wear is strong enough to withstand any physical attacks. I preyed to the moon that Zarcar wouldn't need to get that close to me. Would he hit a woman if he was losing on the magic front? I hoped he wasn't the kind to take his power and abuse it. Defeating me with magic, if possible, would be enough. Unless I simply wasn't aware of the monstrous things he was capable of.
My fingers curl into my hair as I look at the books around me, spread out and cluttering my floor between ribbons and dirty clothes I was yet to clean. That's when the shadow falls in from the open door way.
"I'm early."
I freeze, hands up in my curls still as my eyes jump to the mirror and see Zarcar's figure standing in the door way. Dressed in a black robe, hood pulled over his eyes... a metallic sheen already glinting from the light in my fire place.
Just as I'm holding my breath at his sudden appearance in my bed chamber doorway - I hear the simultaneous screaming from outside. Piercing, high pitched and filled with terror. It's not one woman. It's multiple. And it's coming from the Sun Tower to the left of my own residence.
I turn towards him and want to run past Zarcar to see what the hell is going on, but behind him is a group of personal soldiers. A small army. Maybe guards. Maybe not.
"What the hell did you do?" I ask, a lump in my throat as the screams go on, "What the hell is happening outside?"
I can't see Zarcar's eyes with the shadow of the black hood, but I see a small smile on his lips.
"Chyronex," he speaks, as if politically, "In my land, if certain orders aren't obeyed, people die. Often."
"What do you mean?" I ask.
"In any other case like yours, you would be set for execution," he finally raises his head and pushes back his hood, showing coal painted eyes. War paint. I remain silent and see the heads behind him, chins up and ears pricked as they listen intently to his words. When I look closer I see women in the crowd of the men. Familiar eyes. Downcast gazes. Upturned noses. These weren't soldiers cloaked in black - these were political leaders. Lords, ladies and such. People from Swendula, allies of Zarcar and his foreign army. They were here to witness something, "However, we reached a bargain."
"...did we?" I ask.
"I've allowed you to battle with me," from Zarcar's amused tone, he can barely believe he has uttered these words, "The outcome will be simple. I win, the tower is mine and you submit to my rule without question. Your life belongs to me. If you 'succeed'... well, you only asked for me to beg for forgiveness -"
"Stop distracting me. Who are the screams coming from outside?" I ask, cutting Zarcar off because I can tell from his strong drawl and eyes, unblinking, he is trying to divert my attention from the noises of terror stricken souls.
"Business," he explains, tightly and I get a strange sensation that he is being protective, until he adds, "Your sister witches of the Sun are being burned within the hour," he explains.
"No-!" I lurch forward and try to run past, but even as I get closer he simply holds up an arm and blocks me from running. His entire massive arm, hits my shoulders as I run into it, trying to duck but he simply moves his arm downward. I am already shaking all over, "Let me go! You bastard! Some of them are barely women. You burn children!" I can not control my rage but I can not get past his iron stance. I beat one useless hand to his chest and he simply grabs one of my arms, holding it up far enough that I have to stop struggling.
"Only those guilty of their crimes are being dealt with, no children burn," he is passionate about this, even though he doesn't seem to care for the other murder taking place, "If you do not fight me, you break the laws of this agreement and you're life is in my hands, regardless," he watches me force myself to calm down, just so I can jerk out of his grip and stagger back a few paces.
"...to the rooftop... just you and me..." I whisper, my mind racing with ideas on how I can save the innocent priestesses.
I could curse the wood and stop it from successfully burning, I could call on karma to act faster, hoping someone extinguishes the fire through guilt of lighting it. I just had to think of the right spell - all while fighting Zarcar.
"Fine, but they will stay here and be witness to the conclusion of our 'battle' when we're finished," Zarcar tilts his head as he steps to the side and holds out his hand, "Move!" he orders the crowd of leaders to part and I storm through quickly, gaining my swift feet - I run for the nearest window and the rooftop.
I hope to gain a few seconds head start.
It was all I would need.
So, I skip past scowling faces and lurch up onto the nearest sill - Zarcar in tow.
I put my feet on the slight architecture outside and hurry to the top. As I'm grabbing the stones before I lurch myself up, my neck tingles with the thought of being closely stalked without an inch of space.
When I turn, Zarcar is silently right next to me all the while, his fingers curling through the end of my white dress, swirling in the wind. It's harmless yet the small gesture is loud.
I've got you right where I want you.
That's what he was saying.
I pull myself up, my panicked blood helping me move more efficiently. I run to the other side of the tower and I look at the fires being lit in the absent moonlight in Swendula's city.
It was cloudy.
It is too dark for me to see where the priestesses are being held before they will be executed.
"Face me, Chyronex," Zarcar commands this, distracting me from thinking up a spell.
I turn because the warrior is now showing through in his tone. No longer high handed. Just calculating and preparing to win a small battle with a mere 'witch'.
"Who are you really?" I ask, "That you would do this to other magical beings, if you yourself are a sorcerer? You must have ordered their deaths."
"How I rule is not important. What is, is who I am to you - something you should care to know. I'm a sorcerer of the weather," Zarcar explains, "I assume you have never been educated so you know nothing about my land where we are haunted by Dragons. The ones to keep the mortals safe are those who kill the beasts and those who tame them. I have a few pet ones myself. Would you like to meet them?"
He is trying to divert my attention again and confuse me.
Besides, Dragons were not real.
I had never seen one myself.
"You play with my mind because you are sick," I explain, "My spells will overcome you and then when you are through - I will save the innocent women being led to the pyres."
"Then I suppose we will agree there are no rules in this battle between magics?" Zarcar asks, too innocently and with an all knowing tone.
"Yes. This battle starts now," I snarl this, gathering my spells of defence and attack to the forefront of my mind.
I wait for him to agree.
I don't expect him to look up at the sky and let out a hauntingly beautiful whistle. Like a song, except it just echoes like a curse of death through the misty air.
And then the fog starts to gather in, clouding in, in a dance around my tower roof top.
And my vision... it's quickly distorted all while I whisper...moonlight protect me, moonlight defend me, show me the right steps...
Sometimes you just have to ask for simple guidance to win.
Luckily for me, the moon a
nswers every time.
Even as the unthinkable happens.
Zarcar seems to blur out into the distance, stepping back, while two shadows step forward in his place.
My eyes are mystified by what I'm seeing; scaled, red drenched, crimson eyed demons approach me, the size of horses; wings broken and talons clicking on the stones.
Food? one of them speaks, like that of a devilish child, possessed by evil.
"No," I hear Zarcar even though I can't see him - but I know he is moving somewhere in the fog, "Just a toy. Make her submit."
Plaything, another horrible, grotesque noise sighs with pleasure through my head.
I had been preparing to fight Zarcar, but now a whole other dimension was involved.
And I had no idea how to defend myself from this kind of attack.
Chapter 5
Zarcar and I have begun our battle over my fate while I simultaneously hear innocent screams from the city. It is distracting and I can't decide if I should focus on Zarcar or saving the priestesses.
In other words, I was doomed.
However, now the battle had begun and I could do nothing but react on first instincts. It didn't help that I was surrounded by thick misty fog. I'm glad my first spell was to ask for the moon to guide me through my steps, so at least I have a tiny advantage in the beginning. I feel the wind force me to jump to the right as one of the horse sized demon Dragons, reaches down to try and nick at the edge of my dress.
The moon guides me into jumping at the right time.
It has both Dragons snorting flame in anger.
I duck from the fire, turning to run as the wind forces me to choose that direction next. As I head for my pot plants, I hide behind them while muttering.
"Dazzle their eyes with moonlight," I hold my hand up, "...dazzle them blind!"
It is a special spell I had gained, by raising my hand into a beam of moonlight - a flash of light will confuse Zarcar and his beasts momentarily.
Brighter than lightning, the warrior I'm fighting and his beasts get bedazzled in a luminescent burst.
They would be sightless for at least 30 seconds.
I look up and see the clouds moving in, and I don't doubt Zarcar has done something to bring in the overcast sky to block my moonlight.
I use my brief last opportunity to run to the edge of the tower and look down at the building of pyres.
"Misfortune for the flames, please!" I cry out to the moon as the last beams disappear.
I usually didn't have to do this, but my blood was sacred for a reason.
It was powerful.
I raise my hand and bite a small patch of skin until it bleeds so I can gather a droplet of blood on my finger tip. I hold it outright and suck in a deep breath. I blow out as I pray to the moon.
If the wind can carry my blood to the pyres - my curse of misfortune will land and stop the burning; or at least hinder the success.
It's only when I manage to blow the droplet of blood, that I hear two guttural growls behind me... and notice two other pyres set up on other streets that I missed.
"No!" I cry out as I'm jerked back and I hear my dress tear and rip.
I fall on my butt as one of the Dragons pulls me backwards, while the other Dragon leans in and opens it mouth - as if to burst me with flames.
Instead, a hot air which mirages from it's mouth, leaves its form and hits me in the face.
As I breathe in, I feel my head spin. For a moment I feel like I'm about to pass out, but then I regain my balance and blink until I can see again.
I feel a distinct feeling, a deep throb in my chest, as my magic seems cut off.
Just as I'm comprehending that, I feel a sharp talon at my back, tickling my skin before slicing down through the back of my dress.
"What in the moon? Zarcar!" I yell out in distress as I try to lurch away but the second Dragon runs a second talon down the front of my dress - ripping and ruining the front as well.
Embers leak from the scales of the excited blood red Dragons, which drip down onto the dress and start to burn the ends of the silk.
"Stop!" I try to crawl back and step on the burning material, but it just burns my foot and I whimper.
"Just surrender, Chyronex," I hear Zarcar waiting for me, so patiently.
It's majorly frustrating.
But then I smell smoke wafting up from the street and I start to panic, even as my ruined dress starts to burn.
"I will never surrender!" I scream back at him and try to regain my footing as I move back - but the Dragons snarl and spit at me, warning me not to run.
I freeze, trying to work out why my magic is still gone - until I hear a scream that's different.
A scream from the priestesses being pulled onto the pyre - to die.
"Will you call off the burning if I surrender willingly?" I call out, desperate and hopeful as the cry of pain from the priestesses echoes through the city, piercing my heart, "Please - Zarcar. This is barbaric."
"Dismissed," as Zarcar speaks this word, the fog and the Dragons mist away into another dimension.
I'm left on the rooftop with a burning, ripped dress and a bleeding palm.
Now, my magic feels present again, but only minimally. It feels damaged.
I turn my back to him as he starts to stalk toward me with a serious look which is an attempt to hide the easy victory off his face.
"Don't look at them," Zarcar, weirdly protective, tries to stop me but I am already limping to the very edge of the tower to see what trouble is being caused.
When I glance over the edge, I see the fires burning bright. Only one pyre doesn't burn - my doing.
But that wouldn't be enough to save them tonight as long as the other 2 were successful.
"Please stop this, I don't care about my tower, I don't care about anything anymore - I just want the burning to stop," I beg the victorious usurper of my city and now my tower, without looking back at him.
"It's not my order - I just carried out the instruction," Zarcar explains this from right behind me, as I feel his hands grab my dress, lifting it from my leg, "Take this off before you burn too - the flames are going up your ankle."
"Don't touch me, I don't care," I hiss through my teeth, "Listen to me. Our trouble is done, just stop this. Please, stop this."
"Hysteria only gets you so far, Chyronex," Zarcar speaks this way too relaxed for my liking as he lays a hand on each of my shoulders. I cringe at the contact, not used to the hotness of someone else's touch, least of all a warrior, "Turn, you don't need to see anything," he is firm as he pulls me from the edge and turns me around to face my plants. I struggle back but he just ends up tugging the ripped material off my body, "Step out of this piece of ruined silk and turn to me with your submission."
Zarcar still sounds calm and I stumble a few steps forward, my body naked as I turn to him and cover myself with my hands.
Being naked was the last thing to worry about, however..
"I submit only if you stop the damn fires -" I have tears in my eyes and my voice is barely holding on to it's normal unwavering strength. I can barely whisper the words as I fight back the pain flooding inside me. It's almost like I could feel my fellow priestesses being scorched.
Zarcar tilts his head, his brown ringlets waving in the light wind as his coal painted eyes hold my own shifting gaze of distress. I keep getting the feeling he is trying to calm me down. It just confuses me.
He had caused this.
"When I take you down into the tower, you need to be quiet and submissive so the others know it's all over," Zarcar explains, gently enough.
"What aren't you telling me?" I whisper, "You are full of secrets and you never tell me directly what your mission is within Swendula."
"I'll tell you one secret if you come down with me into the tower, willingly and at my side," Zarcar raises a brow.
I say nothing and he reaches back to pull up his hood.
"...you can't stop the order to burn them... can you?" I ask, "
Even if you wanted to..."
"Slow witted but yes, you finally understand," Zarcar speaks with his hood down over his forehead, but I can still see the mischief in his eyes.
"I want you to tell me a secret," I jerk as I hear another scream, but I feel defeated as I reach for my moon magic yet it is still too weak to harness, "And I will go down quietly. But I want you to tell everyone to leave."
"They will but I'm not leaving," Zarcar mentions, firmly, "I'm staying with you. The secret is, Chyronex - I saved you. All were set to burn. My king and I in fact, don't believe in women practicing magic. It's for men. And you will no longer practice it while under my roof. So, you better understand it clearly. You were set to burn and the only reason you're alive tonight is because I'm allowed to take whatever slaves I see fit. That first day we met; you caught my attention. I think we can keep each other company. Also, not to mention, I could use a slave to keep the place clean. I'm doing you a favour, Chyronex, I saved your lif -"
Yet even as he says it, the screams start to multiply.
They get louder and full of so much pain and torture, I feel like their souls are passing through my very body as they slowly die.
I can't cope and I stop my breathing.
That's when I faint, uselessly and defeated - unfairly.
How could one focus on a battle while their friends were being murdered around them?
I pass into the world of dreaming thinking one firm thing.
Zarcar was a manipulative, secretive bastard and I still had no idea who he really was... or what he really wanted... with me under his watchful eye.
What in the hell was he really trying to achieve?
Chapter 6
2 days later
A day of isolation and sorrow had followed the death of my fellow priestesses.
Then, a day later I was experiencing overriding and numb defeat.
I could not leave my tower, as I was forbidden too. Yet, I had not seen Zarcar since that disastrous night after I fainted. All I knew was that I had awoken in my bed the day after, surrounded by maids cleaning and changing the layout of my bed chamber.