The Shadow Curse

by Kala Merseal

  Max and Veron drew back their bow strings, arrows straining against the bows as the archers readied their attack. Swords glinted in the moonlight as the warriors shifted.

  Raethin held his blade to his side, a wave of illuminating energy pulsing from his arm across the sharp edge.

  Ara balked as the Kaevari crossed its arms. Its ears twisted and perked, and it smiled.

  “It took us four days to find you,” the creature mused, its voice a deep baritone. It was male, though Ara was hesitant to match masculine qualities to the demon, her only reference being the horned demon.

  “The Void King is quite impressed by the distance you’ve made.” The Kaevari clucked, its tone taunting. “And it seems that you’ve lucked into an advantageous ally.”

  The mortals grimaced, exchanging brief confused looks between each other.

  Raethin stiffened. Ara’s fingers curled tightly around his armor’s leather straps. The Kaevari turned and grinned at Raethin.

  The creature’s intelligence shocked the others but Raethin, unimpressed, watched the creature’s movements as it rolled its shoulders and sighed.

  “You’re stalling.” Raethin’s words broke the others’ shock and as Raethin lunged for the demon, Veron and Max loosed their arrows.

  The Kaevari dipped low to the ground and dodged the arrows, then swung up with a wing to slam into Raethin.

  Raethin braced against the blow, using his sword to block the brunt force. He twisted the sword’s hilt and curved outward, his maneuver narrowly slicing into the wing’s membrane. The creature jerked, hissing through its bared teeth as its wing retracted. A clawed hand flung out instead, grabbing for Raethin’s throat. He dodged, sharp claws just inches away, and ducked. The creature dodged another blade’s swing, then jerked out of Raethin’s reach.

  Another two arrows shot after the creature. It dodged the first, but the second one clipped its cheek. The cut festered with black blood.

  A laugh bubbled from the creature as its tongue snaked out to catch the dribbling blood.

  “You are right, Raethin Corvus,” the creature hummed, its grin bright. “I am.”

  The Kaevari attacked first this time, lurching into the air despite the shallow cut in its wing. Its taloned feet slammed into Raethin, shoving him back.

  Raethin’s sword arched, cutting through the meat of the Kaevari’s leg. It grunted, but persisted, its talons digging through Raethin’s armor.

  It twisted its body, flinging Raethin across the ground.

  Air rushed out of Raethin’s lungs as he crashed into a tree. Light erupted from him as he fumbled to his knees. His sword sung with pulses of energy. He would no longer play the creature’s game. Raethin lurched to his feet, his eyes glowing as he turned his gaze to the Kaevari.

  Everyone halted. The archers withheld their arrows, bows still cocked in the direction of the Kaevari. Arlow and Veron stood crouched, their swords drawn and pointed. Nyphelia hid by a tree, her shouts echoing Raethin’s pounding heart.

  Ara trembled; claws splayed across her chest. The Kaevari’s arm lounged around her shoulders. One hand snaked up her neck and gripped her chin, twisting her head sideways to reveal her throat.

  Black lips teased her soft skin. She felt the graze of bone-white fangs. A shout echoed her fear, and her wide gaze darted to meet Raethin’s. His magick pulsed from his center, white light filling the area. Righteous fury illuminated his stare.

  “Surely, this isn’t all you had, Raethin Corvus.” The Kaevari’s deep voice rumbled through Ara. Her trembling grew as its arm pulled her tighter against its chest. Her heart pounded painfully. The creature’s grip on her chin tightened, widening her throat’s exposure.

  Its black tongue trailed up her neck’s pulsing vein.

  “I suppose I shall taunt no longer—” The creature’s words stuttered as it jerked. Light slammed into its shoulder, narrowly missing Ara. Smoke and the stench of burning flesh echoed the attack.

  The arm around her loosened. Ara jerked away, stumbling out of its hold as another beam of light slammed into the creature’s body.

  Ara fell to her knees, her legs shaking, and looked up. Her gaze fell on Raethin, who stood yards before her with an outstretched palm, blazing with light. Another illuminating beam charged from his palm. His lips moved with silent incantations.

  Raethin’s gaze met hers just as another wave of energy slammed into the creature, forcing it to its knees.

  Its ear-splitting screech filled the air.

  Raethin moved, his speed enhanced by the magick pulsing through him. His hands pulled at Ara, bringing her to her feet then into his arms. Light surrounded them and she found it hard to look at him.

  But she stared up, eyes watering from the brightness, and watched as Raethin shouted at the others to move.

  Then Ara looked over his shoulder, watching in terror as the creature fell to the ground, its body burning from the inside out. One pulse of light erupted from its remains, searing the area.

  Then the world around them went dark. Raethin extinguished his light. Ara’s eyes struggled to adjust to the sudden darkness.

  Raethin refused to set her down as they ran. His pants of exertion fanned across her face. The others’ movements faltered, plagued with fatigue.

  “Don’t stop,” Reathin hissed. “We must keep moving.”

  Ara studied the forest as they sprinted.

  “They’re coming,” Raethin said. His words instilled renewed fear and their pace increased.

  “But—” Ara breathed, turning her wide, panicked eyes back to study his expression. His eyes flickered to her briefly before focusing on the path ahead.

  “The Kaevari stalled for the others,” Raethin said.

  “They’re gaining on us.”

  Her stomach jumped. Laughter chased them through the forest. In the distance, bodies of shadows swept across the trees.

  Ara counted three. Two traveled parallel to the group on either side, eyes gleaming like bright rubies in the darkness. The third hung back, its shadowed mass larger than the others. Her heart thundered as she watched it approach.

  She knew what it was — who it was.

  Nivar krosai.

  The twin shadows beside the group dove. Shouts filled the air as they crossed.

  Ara twisted in Raethin’s arms as he halted, his boots digging into the soft earth. The others had stopped as well, bows drawn, and swords unsheathed. The two archers volleyed arrows at the shadows as the creatures taunted them.

  A shadow slammed its outstretched talons into Max. He grunted, using the shaft of his bow to push against the creature. Its talons clutched the bow and twisted, bringing Max down with it.

  Arlow shouted and lunged, bringing his sword across to catch the creature’s wings. The Kaevari relinquished its hold on Max and ducked, narrowly dodging Arlow’s blade.

  Max recovered quickly just as the other shadow dove for Veron. He shoved the demon off much like Max, but the demon twisted and dragged a talon across his shoulder. Blood glided over his fingers as he held the deep cut. His arm fell limp to his side, his fist tightly gripping his bow.

  Max shot at the second demon as Arlow fought with the first. Nyphelia stood amid the attack, screaming and trembling, completely immobilized. Raethin had lunged forward, the princess still clutched tightly to his chest. A second later, a wing slashed the air above his head. Ara slid from his grasp as Raethin stumbled and rushed to Nyphelia’s side. Her friend hugged her for dear life, her shrieks echoing in her ear at each parry and thrust of Arlow’s sword.

  The warriors had twisted around the two elven women until they circled them, their weapons pointed toward the demons. Raethin stood in front of Ara, his glowing sword sending shimmering light across the area as a third mass approached the battle.

  The third demon landed yards before Raethin. Devouring darkness swirled and dissipated into the creature, revealing the terrifying Kaevari that had become so familiar to Ara.

  He stood feet above Raethin
, his blood eyes peering over the elf’s head to Ara. His gaze speared right through her. Her heart thundered through her ears.

  The edges of her vision blurred as those black lips pulled upward, the same sanguine grin from her visions. His horns glistened like oil as he tilted his head. Dark hair framed his face, obscuring his long, sharp ears. The Kaevari wore the same armor as the others, though a twisted sword adorned his thigh. His wings draped his shoulders like a cape, the bony appendages grazing the ground as he shifted his feet forward.

  Raethin shouted at the creature to halt, his grip tightening around the blazing sword. The Kaevari stopped, his crimson stare sliding down to the mortal standing before him. That sanguine grin twisted, darkening with rage and contempt.

  The other two shadowed creatures dove for the others again. Nyphelia screeched as one sliced at Arlow and pulled on Ara as the other came too close.

  “You’ve done well in protecting her, Raethin Corvus,” the horned Kaevari spoke, his voice a dark molasses that sent shivers through Ara. Her trembling grew as the creature tilted his head at her, his eyes narrowing.

  “You may hand her over to me now and I will let you all live.”

  Live. They all knew what the horned Kaevari meant by live. To change. To become one of them. Often the mortals wondered if that was a worse fate than to die

  Raethin’s light erupted, slamming into the horned creature’s torso. His roar of battle motivated the others as the twin shadows dove once more, their movements were more determined.

  Ara watched Raethin with wide eyes as he lunged for the horned creature. Her eyes widened when the erupting light fade.

  The horned Kaevari had taken the attack—and withstood it as if the light did not burn.

  Raethin seemed undisturbed by this. His attacks were quick and precise, and though the horned demon blocked each swing of his sword, his efforts persisted and quickened in pace.

  The Kaevari laughed, his eyes gleaming with amusement as the mortal thrust his sword.

  An attack had slammed into the Kaevari’s palm. His claws wrapped around the blade, grinning at Raethin’s narrowed look, then pulled. Raethin rolled with the blade, twisted around to slam his foot into the creature’s side. With a flick of his palm, a short blast of light blinded the creature.

  His hold on the blade loosened.

  Raethin pulled the sword free then rolled away from the horned creature, recovering quickly from the disadvantage.

  A shout of pain distracted Ara from Raethin and the horned demon. She turned as Veron fell to his knees, clutching his torso. Blood flowed freely from a wound in his stomach, glistening as he fell forward.

  Ara’s heart jerked in her throat. Her stomach churned, eyes wide as Veron’s blood quickly painted the ground. Max faltered when he saw his comrade fall and dashed for him. The demon twisted in the air and dove again, its shadows blanketing Max and Veron.

  The princess shouted, her heart still thundering, and lurched forward. She felt Nyphelia’s hands grab and pull on her, but her friend’s weak hold lost its grip as Ara shrugged her off.

  The shadow turned, Max forgotten. It twisted in the air, wings erupting from the swirling darkness, and dove for the princess. Quickly, claws wrapped around her waist, and arms jerked her up.

  Hands grabbed her ankles. Distantly, Max shouted for her, the other shadow forgotten.

  But the creature’s wings pushed harder, and the fingers slipped from her ankles. It clutched her to its chest, arms wrapping around her body as the creature flew above the ground.

  A breath smelling of sweet nightshade wafted over her face. She turned into the shadow, blinking through the darkness, and saw crimson eyes.

  Then the rustic scent of blood hit her. The creature brought its arm dripping of blood to its lips and licked.

  Vomit roiled in Ara’s thickening throat.

  The creature grinned.

  “The Void King will be satisfied that I grabbed you from the mortals,” the creature muttered, its voice deep like the others. “But the Void King wouldn’t know that it was I that hurt you.”

  The princess jerked in its arms. The creature’s grip tightened, and a tongue lashed out across her throat. She pulled, trying to wrench herself out of its grasp.

  A laugh reverberated around her. Claws dug into Ara’s wrists. Blood bubbled. The creature quieted at the scent, its nose trailing down the inside of her arms to sniff the open gouges. Its tongue darted out, lapping at the blood. The moment its tongue touched her open wound, her back arched. She cried out as pain swiftly filled her veins.

  A shout came from below and arrows soon followed. The creature managed to dodge a few while its tongue still lingered on her wrist, but one ripped through its wings. It jerked, screeching at the searing pain.

  Its hold tightened around her. Ara squirmed, the pain dulling quickly. The creature hissed, its attention now focusing on the two archers from below.

  Raethin still parried against the horned Kaevari, who eyed the demon from the sky with a furious look. Arlow held off the other Kaevari, having landed a few damaging blows.

  Max loosed more arrows. One sliced through the creature’s leg, narrowly missing Ara’s thigh.

  The Kaevari hummed, then loosened its grip. Soon, Ara was airborne, falling quickly to the ground. Laughter followed her, and just as she crashed to the ground, a shadow slammed into her.

  She rolled, crashing into the base of a tree as the shadow surrounded her. She groaned from the fall, her head pounding and blood trickling down her temple. Her body ached and screamed as she twisted in the mass of shadow.

  No matter how Ara moved or swatted at the shadow, it moved like water around her. Terrified, she rolled into herself, groaning through aches. Shivers churned through her body.

  A warmth pooled in her chest, growing hotter by the second. She squeezed her eyes shut, gritting her teeth as a wave of heat pulsed from her torso and rippled through the darkness.

  Energy shattered the shadows. Dim light filled her space. Vision blurring, Ara lifted her head, her eyes wide and searching. Pain filled every bit of her body, shattering her focus. Her vision darkened. As a body approached, her eyes slid closed and her head fell limp against the tree.

  Chapter Eight

  Raethin struggled to focus on the horned creature before him, his attention on Ara. Pressure circulating the air warned him a second before a clawed appendage sliced for his throat. Raethin ducked, narrowly missing decapitation. Instead, the claw dug into his cheek, and the bony appendage slammed into his head.

  Raethin flung back, slamming into the rocky terrain below. Rock dug into his back through his leather armor. A fresh line of blood dripped from his cheek, stinging with dirt. Aches flared throughout his body, from both old and new injuries.

  Panic bubbled in the pit of his stomach. His disorientation could be enough time to deliver his death. Raethin felt another current of movement from the horned Kaevari and twisted off his back and to his feet.

  His vision blurred and settled. Shadows warped the horned Kaevari as he approached. A surging current radiated off him as magick built.

  Raethin heard a shriek but did not dare look away from the horned creature. He prayed, for the first time in ages, to the gods, begging for survival.

  The creature's black lips twisted.

  Raethin lost his sword from the fall. His first clenched as his own magick began to build. Light filled his palms, excess energy dripping off his fingers. He lunged. Ignoring the screaming aches of his body, he vaulted toward the demon, hands splayed out to slam currents of opal light into the creature.

  The Kaevari caught one hand, his bare skin unaffected by the light. Raethin twisted his other hand into a fist and slammed it into the demon's cheek.

  Raethin's magick amplified the force behind the strike, and the creature's head jerked back. His hold on Raethin's other hand tightened, nearly crushing his bones.

  Raethin persisted, gritting his teeth against the pain, and brought his knee up i
nto the Kaevari's stomach. The connection met stony resistance and renewed pain shot through his healing leg.

  "I wonder when you will realize that your efforts are wasted," the creature mused, a curling sneer echoing his words. "I am unlike the others."

  Raethin knew the moment that his magick connected with the Kaevari and did no damage. But still he persisted— he had no other choice. He gripped the claw that held his hand prisoner and applied blazoned light to the demon’s skin.

  The Kaevari laughed, unaffected by the heat. Audible cracking of bone echoed Raethin's pained hiss through his clenched teeth.

  As Raethin resisted curling under the Kaevari's grip, shouts from behind grabbed their attention. Both demon and elf glanced over as the princess fell from the sky, a lesser demon clutching his wounds from above.

  The horned Kaevari let go of Raethin. A wing slammed into his chest and flung him across the rocks as the Kaevari moved toward Ara. With an outstretched claw, shadows erupted from the creature and engulfed the princess, softening her fall.

  The swirling darkness convulsed around her, a protective cage to hold her. Its surface quivered as she struggled. Then a bright surge of energy devoured the shadows, revealing Ara lying unconscious, blood dripping down her temple.

  The horned Kaevari stalked toward the princess. Raethin lurched, seeking his sword as he followed the demon.

  Luckily, it had not landed far. His uninjured hand gripped its cold handle as he whirled on the horned demon.

  Blazing fire pulsed down Raethin's arm, engulfing the blade. His wrist twisted, aiming the sword straight to spear through the horned creature's back.

  The Kaevari, focused on the princess lying helpless against the oak tree, shifted only a moment too late. Raethin's searing sword sliced through the tendon of the creature's wing, spearing through his side. Smoke erupted from the contact.

  The horned creature lurched forward, his body stiffening in shock.