The Shadow Curse

by Kala Merseal

  Gods, how this creature enjoyed gloating. Raethin’s golden eyes flashed as he dove again. A surge of energy burst from his center and the blade sent a torrent of magick throw the weapon. He swung, and a beam vaulted toward the demon, its light illuminating every ugly wound peppering across the demon’s body. Aeskrius reflected the beam off his palm, shoving the energy away. It sliced through the forest, severing tree limbs to the ground.

  Ara screamed when the horned demon roared, his claws slamming into Raethin’s chest. Talons dug into muscle and tissue as Aeskrius dragged him away from Ara.

  His body soared through the air, the force of his body splitting trees as he crashed into the forest. His skull thundered as he shuffled to his feet, vision blurring.

  Aeskrius turned to Ara, his body looming over her as he soaked in her presence. She shivered under his gaze, sweat glistening off her bare skin.

  Strangely, the demon’s gaze softened.

  But as Raethin stumbled toward them, recovering quickly from the throw, Aeskrius twisted and caught his blade as it curved down toward his gut.

  In one swift movement, Aeskrius twisted the blade out of Raethin’s hold and slammed his talons into his chest.

  Black tips covered in gold blood jutted out of his back.

  Raethin clutched Aeskrius’s wrist, gritting his teeth as he held on.

  “I over-estimated you,” the horned Kaevari muttered as his talons twisted, sliding out of the elf’s body. Raethin fell to his knees, gripping his chest as golden blood heavily pooled. His heart hammered, liquid fire flaring in his veins.

  Vision blurring, Raethin looked up and met Ara’s horrified gaze.

  The princess reached for him, her screams echoing in the blurring background. Her hands drifted across his body, over his face and across his chest. He felt her fingers grip his wet hand, now equally soaked in gold.

  Just as quickly as the liquid fire filled his body did a chill replace it, numbing his limbs and slowing his heart.

  Wet hands gripped his face as Ara yelled for him to stay awake but no matter how hard he fought, Raethin could not keep his eyes open.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Ara held Raethin as he went limb, gripping his head into her lap. Gold soaked her as he bled out, his heartbeats slowing until they stilled. Through the wounds, his heart pulsed its last beat, shivering to fight to live another second.

  A moment passed. A shadow fell over Ara as dirty taloned feet halted before her. She clutched Raethin close, her throat thick, as she met Aeskrius’s crimson eyes.

  “I thought Cirith had prepared him enough,” Aeskrius muttered.

  Tears blurred the demon as Ara watched him crouch before her. So close, his horns glinted obsidian. His eyes narrowed as they roamed over her, scrutinizing every motion. A sob finally broke out of her, hoarse and filled with agony. She held onto him. Her face buried into his chest as she cried.

  Moments passed. The wailing died down and Ara stilled, her body curled in around Raethin’s.

  “Ara.” Aeskrius’ head tilted when she ignored him. He sighed, eyes roaming the area in disinterest. “We must go now.”

  “I’m not going anywhere with you,” she hissed.

  “Let go of the body.”

  “No.” A screech ripped from her as she tightened her grip. “First you kill my father and my mother, and now him. You have taken everything from me. Why the hells would I willingly go with you?”

  His eyes flashed as he sat back on his haunches. A scowl crept into his expression.

  “You will have to drag me kicking and screaming.”

  “I will if I must.”

  Ara turned away. More tears pooled as she sucked in a shaky breath.

  “I hate you,” she choked.

  Something uniquely mortal passed in his expression— pain. Since the beginning, the Kaevari had fought viciously to destroy every pillar of support around Ara. And now he stood, gentleness such an unlikely characteristic that Ara choked on a laugh.

  His expression darkened when she quieted. She glanced at him despite the ache in her swollen eyes.

  “Why?” Ara whispered.

  “Because—” Aeskrius stammered. His fangs flashed as his pulled his lips back in a sneer. The sudden shift in his behavior sent a shiver down her spine.

  “The Void wants what power you hold, Ara.” Coolly, his gaze roamed over her and the body as he continued, “You can’t stay here all day and there is no one that will come out to save you now. They won’t know that you didn’t make it to Visiel Province for weeks and you won’t make it back to the keep.”

  Ara shivered, his words sinking in slowly. Her fate now subjected her to his whims.

  It was only by his own feelings that he did not force her along.

  “Kill me.”

  Aeskrius stilled.

  “I just fought months to isolate and capture you,” the demon snapped. “Why would I kill you?”

  “Fine.” Ara fumbled for Raethin’s sword. Aeskrius grimaced as she pointed its tip to her chest. “I’ll kill myself then.”

  “You will do no such thing.”

  “Watch me.” She pressed, and the tip pierced her skin for a second before the blade disappeared from her grasp. Hands gripped her shoulders as Aeskrius shoved her to her feet, quickly separating her from Raethin’s body before she realized.

  Her feet stumbled in the dirt as she lurched for Raethin, a scream choking in her throat. She slammed into Aeskrius’s body as he held her back. Smears of black, gold, and green smudged her clothing as she pressed, shoving him repeatedly.

  “I swear to the gods I will kill you,” Ara hissed as he locked her arms behind her back.

  “Fine,” Aeskrius whispered. Wind stirred as his wings unfolded.

  The princess’s screech filled the air as Aeskrius whisked her away, leaving Raethin’s body behind.

  ♦♦♦

  When dawn broke across the fortress, demon bodies dissolved to dust at the first touch of sun. Druid bodies peppered the keep inside and out, the demon horde too massive for their defenses to handle. Few druids made it out from the siege alive and as sun casted across the fortress, those living rose out of demonic ash.

  Cirith lay in the mix of dust and bodies, his chest heaving with raspy breaths. His back hind-leg broken, bone protruded through stained fur. Slowly, his gold eye cracked open, crusted and blurring. He sucked in another breath, body aching.

  Yards away, Solas shoved off a body, and dusted himself off, his face swollen with bruises. His left arm hung limp to his side covered in emerald and black blood.

  Vilithian shuffled to them, his body sagging from fatigue.

  “Cirith,” Vilithian called on, kneeling beside his large canine body. His hand prodded the Guardian’s wounds, halting when Cirith hissed in pain.

  “Where is Aeskrius?” the elder asked, his voice soft and calm.

  “Gone,” Cirith groused, grimacing as he shoved his upper body up on his paws. Slowly, the fur faded, coming off in clumps. Light illuminated his skin as his bones twisted and mended to a new shape. In seconds, his palms held his bare body up, his armor shredded and hanging in pieces.

  “The miasma,” Cirith continued, his words slow as he remembered. “It killed just as many druids as the demons themselves.”

  Vilithian helped Cirith up. The Guardian looked around, blanching at the sight. The druids would be spending several hours burying their dead.

  “We failed,” Solas hissed. “The demons broke into the keep.”

  Cirith’s heart lurched. His people, massacred. “Did they get below?”

  Vilithian shook his head. “Few managed to hold them from entering underground. Those below survived.” “Do you know if Raethin and Ara made it out?”

  “Bieva showed them the way,” Vilithian said.

  “Good.”

  They limped to the keep, shuffling through mounds of dust. Druids bowed to them as they passed, solemn grief filling their expression. It was the same inside the keep.
Druids picked up their dead and dragged demon bodies out in the sun to burn.

  Kiri ran to Cirith and the two elders, covered in blood and smoke.

  “Come,” she said. “You must see this.”

  ♦♦♦

  After Raethin and Ara left the shrine, Misandreas and the mortals settled back in a comfortable silence. Not soon after did druids run down into the shrine, crowding the space as the demons broke through the upper floors.

  “I wonder if Ara and Raethin are okay,” Arlow muttered, clutching Nyphelia to his side. He was sandwiched between her and Max in the corner by the stone woman.

  “I’m going to miss the princess,” Nyphelia said.

  “The gods will watch over them,” Max said. “Pray that they watch over us as well.

  The druids gave their elder a bit of space, allowing her to remain cross-legged in the middle of the room.

  Kiri rushed into the room when dawn broke, announcing that most of the demons were dead and those remaining fled before first light.

  Druids timidly filtered out of the room, leaving behind Misandreas and the mortals.

  “What do we do now?” Nyphelia asked after a moment, eying the elder. They waited for her, following her lead.

  Misandreas remained seated, quiet.

  Sighing, Arlow began for the exit, and Nyphelia and Max trailed after him.

  “Listen.”

  They halted, turning to see Misandreas stumble to her feet, her lily eyes wide with excitement.

  “What is it?” Arlow asked.

  “A heartbeat.”

  Misandreas turned then, running toward the altar. She scrutinized the wooden sculpture of Rakeva, prodding the goddess’s chest, and sighed.

  Slowly, Misandreas stiffened, and turned to the statue.

  They all watched as a chip of stone disintegrated from the statue. Like melting water, the stone fell away, showing pale, unblemished skin. The cover fell as the body shifted, revealing a silver-haired elf resurrecting from rock.

  “Quickly,” Misandreas called to her attendant, who darted out of the room.

  Slowly rock fell to the ground. The elven woman fell forward, her features twisting in pain as she awakened from her deep sleep.

  Misandreas caught her, pulling her gently into her lap.

  A groan loosed from the elf’s lips as her body shook.

  Minutes later, when the elven woman stilled in Misandreas’ lap, Cirith appeared at the shrine’s entrance. Vilithian held him up against his side, helping the Guardian walk toward them on a broken leg. He was covered in blood and wounds and an awful stench wafted from him, but everyone ignored it as Cirith took in the sight of the woman from the stone, his eyes wide and unwavering as he fell to his knees and caressed her cheek.

  “Zira,” Cirith breathed.

  A silver eye cracked open, unfocused for a moment until it settled on Cirith.

  Tears swelled but Zira was too weak to move.

  Misandreas held her up and Cirith’s arms went around her.

  Together, they cried.

  ♦♦♦

  Hours after dawn, the body covered in black and gold blood lay still in the Forest. Animals did not approach it, the stench and energy radiating from it a clear sign that something was off. Sun warmed the body and dried the blood.

  When day began to turn to dusk, a presence stirred within the body. Groggy, the Spirit stretched, and fire erupted, filling the limbs and torso with radiating heat. Light burst from the wounds, consuming the body with blinding brightness. The chest heaved with breath.

  Groaning, Raethin rolled to his side, clutching his chest as heat burned through his body. Cleansing fire enveloped him.

  Slowly, the light died down. The Spirit stirred again, curiously prodding at Raethin as he took deep breaths and cracked his eyes open.

  Your role is not over yet, the Spirit grumbled, still groggy.

  Coughing, Raethin rolled onto his palms. Then his head whipped up, eyes wide as he searched the area.

  Ara was gone.

  So was Aeskrius.

  His body ached as he stumbled to his feet. Raethin put one foot after another, forcing his legs to walk as he continued north.

  His Spirit said, Follow the Crown, find the Heir.

  Glossary

  Common Tongue: this is originally the language of the humans but since the assimilation of humans in every elven culture in the Altanan continent, daily talk is conducted in the Vilothian language.

  Ancient Tongue: this is the original language of the elves, Et An Vioc Ni Aevlan. Royals and older elves are more familiar with this language but since the assimilation of human culture into the different kingdoms it became less of a necessity to use daily. Druids and other immortals use this language.

  Et An Vioc Ni Aelvan Translations:

  Harethi | I love you

  Aelvan tsaza | Little elf

  Rav’la | Vessel

  Majat | Dark/negative force

  Ir Avel Rakeva | Haven of Rakeva

  Druids: Immortal race created by Rakeva. They’re ethereal beings that protect the planet and its inhabitants. Technically guardians of the mortals, their kind have become secluded over the eras because of the mortals’ tendencies for war and greed. Avatars (Rav’la): Mortal vessels that are compatible to house certain divine forces.

  Kaevari: Shadow demons created by the Void King. They’re night creatures who transmit their curse by blood. For those who are too weak to manage through the transition of the curse, they die, and their bodies emit toxic, miasmic plague. The plague transmits through airborne pathogens and decays the body from the inside out, veins blackening and hardening into ichor akin to the Kaevari demon’s blood.

  Divinity: Immaterial beings from higher realms that control the forces of the known physical realm. They are of differing degrees but are not born physical so can only interact with the Thraesian realm by entering a vessel. A vessel can be either an object imbued and anointed to house a soul and therefore animated by said soul or an avatar whose mortal soul merges with the divine soul. An object lasts for a short amount of time while the divine soul can live indefinitely in the avatar.

  Levels of Divinity

  Elios Theos (Light of Creation)

  The Primordial

  The Celestial

  The Elemental

  The Great Spirits

  The Immortals

  About The Author

  Kala Merseal

  Kala Merseal is an author from Southeast Missouri. She loves fantastical worlds, deep mythologies, epic adventures, and star-crossed love. You can find her at home with her husband and three fur-babies, tapping away at the latest WIP, reading her latest fiction find, or playing games. Check out www.kalamerseal.com for the latest news on upcoming releases, exclusive giveaways and reader goodies.