Their deaths came swiftly. U'ka pounded on the walls of her cell, powerless to stop this killing rampage. She screamed out for Bahlmet to stop. Her only answer, a gleeful chuckle in her own tone, mocking her.
Tears streamed down her face as she watched the carnage. How could she have been so stupid and arrogant to think she could control a Daemon? All this blood and death was on her hands.
"Yes. It is," said Bahlmet, taunting her.
Other Blood Witches tried to stand against her, but they had no training in defending against Daemon magic. She easily caught the spells they cast at her, twisting the magic and turning it against them. One by one, they fell, dying in agony.
The bright sunshine nearly blinded U'ka as they stepped outside. The gleaming buildings of the Citadel winding their way up the mountainside, shown on her cell wall. She felt a massive draw of power as Bahlmet invoked her Blood Magic. She didn't know the things he did were even possible. The ground violently shook and the whole Citadel began to crumble. She beheld a horrible sight. Buildings which stood for several millennia fell into ruin. She heard screaming amid the rumble of the falling buildings, then silence as vast clouds of dust rolled through the air. With the Blood Witch order gone, there was no one left with the magical ability to stand against the Daemons. Eleanthra was now at their mercy.
Her body turned and she saw the only thing left standing, the ancient stone Gateway Between Worlds with its large archway adorned with serpent-like creatures, their horned heads meeting in the middle. It always vibrated with power, but now the power pulsed like a giant heartbeat. It was here long before the first humans arrived in Eleanthra. The Citadel was built around it due to the area being a sacred place of ancient power.
U’ka saw herself moving towards the Gateway, arms outstretched, hands glowing red with power. Mistress Shal slowly and painfully drug herself by her arms out the rubble, legs broken and bloody. Her body covered in deep gashes from the fallen debris. Reaching down, she grabbed Shal, dragging her screaming to the Gateway. As they moved closer, the Gateway glowed a deep red. She felt a tremendous draw on her magic. The images inside her cell blinked out. Whatever spell the Daemon was casting, he did not want her to see it. The opening of the Gateway shuddered through her soul.
Where is the Gateway opening to? The image of the Daemon Queen Baht' ma standing in the Gateway appeared on her cell walls. Beautiful and terrifying in her black silken gown. Dark spiral horns stuck out from her temples. Her raven hair flowed down to the middle of her back and her skin a dark pink color. Black veins criss-crossed her skin; glowing red eyes stared at her menacingly. Mistress Shal lay still before the Gateway. The Daemon Queen waved her hands, drawing out Shal's blood from gashes all over her body. The woman screamed in agony, then fell silent. The blood floated and swirled in the air forming an indistinct human shape. The Daemon Queen stepped from the Gateway as a spirit and slid inside the blood form. It began to change, skin, hair, horns, eyes all morphed into the Daemon Queen, giving her a physical presence in this realm.
"Kneel," commanded the Queen.
U'ka felt her body drop to her knees. Power surged through her. She screamed out in pain as she was drawn from her cell. Bahlmet held his arms open wide. They crashed together, souls intertwining. She now saw things through her own eyes but had no control of her body. Bahlmet's power crushed down on her, breaking her will. She could do nothing to expel him from her body.
"I am Baht' ma, Queen of Darkness and Suffering, Ruler of the High Order of the Blood Daemons. You are now under my command. You will forevermore be known as Battibahla, Hand of Blood and Destruction."
"What is thy bidding?" said Battibahla.
"Destroy everything."
5
Every Daemon Dog Has His Day
U'ka woke up to Runt snoring loudly next to her. R.K. had placed Jae into a sitting position. His eyes stared off into the distance, seeing nothing. He snapped his fingers in front of Jae's face, trying to get a reaction out of him.
She pushed herself up to a sitting position, stretching out her arms, “Are you sure you want his attention?”
“I'd like some answers. Like what his Master wants with me,” he said, sitting back in frustration.
Runt stirred next to her. Getting to his feet, he lowered his front half to stretch out his back and did a head to tail shake before trotting off into the woods
for what U'ka assumed was some tree watering and hunting down some food for himself.
“Whatever they want you for, it’s not good. We've taken out the apprentice, now we've got the Master to deal with.”
A bag of berries Teek collected for them sat next to the fire pit, burned down to just a few glowing embers.
“Get the fire going again. I'll get breakfast for us,” she said, going to caravan for the dried oats and tea. After preparing everything, she handed R.K. the morning meal. They ate quietly for a few moments enjoying the warm food and tea.
R.K. finally broke the silence. “What are you going to do with Jae?”
U'ka sighed. “I think the best thing to do is send him to Lonely Hilltop. I met a touch healer named Nallah and sent her there. She’ll have the best chance of healing his mind and can show him how magic is supposed to work, for the good of people, not killing them.”
She turned to Teek who stood guard over the camp. “What do you think? Can Ash handle watching over both Nallah and Jae?”
Teek nodded his head before closing his eyes, silently communicating with his son through the Green Ways. A few moments later the air shimmered and Ash stepped forward.
“Be gentle with him, he's been through a lot. But keep him under control. Don't let him hurt Nallah or anyone else. The cuffs can’t be removed, they sever the connection to his magic.”
Ash scooped up Jae in his arms, nodding to them before disappearing back into the Green Ways.
“I'm going to owe Nallah big time when this is all over.”
* * * * *
They traveled for several days until they reached the edge of the Dark Moor of Sel, home territory of the Black Wolves. The animals defended their lands so fiercely the Daemon hordes avoided the area completely after the Shadow Hounds they sent in never returned. Heavy fog shrouded the moor. Bud and Daisy stomped their feet nervously, smelling the musky scent of the Black Wolves hanging in the air. A lone wolf howled in the distance.
“They know we're here. We can't cross this way, Teek. They'll attack Bud and Daisy.”
Teek shook his head, his creaks and groans telling her it was several weeks' ride in either direction, time they could not afford to lose.
“Will the Green Life protect us?” said U'ka.
Teek let out a low rumble telling her the Green Life in the Moor did not care for humans and sided with the Black Wolves. They ignored Teek's plea and he would not force his will on them.
“Then what are we supposed to do here, Teek?”
Runt let out a loud howl of challenge which was immediately answered by an unseen wolf in the moor.
“Runt, what are you doing?” said U'ka in disbelief.
'Challenge alpha. If I win, give you safe passage.’
“What's going on?” said R.K.
“Runt just challenged the Alpha wolf.”
Dismounting, she knelt next to Runt. “I know you want to help, but Black Wolves are the fiercest beasts in Eleanthra. I don't want to see you hurt or killed.”
'I can do this, Master. Trust me. I good fighter.'
Closing her eyes, she hoped she wasn't making a big mistake. “Alright. But if it looks like you're losing, I'm having Teek pull you out.”
Runt snorted and ran into the fog. She didn’t see the Alpha at first but a dark form slowly emerged from the grey mist. The Alpha stood at least twice Runts' size; U’ka’s heart sank at the sight of him. Her hand burned where Runt marked her. Gasping, her whole body tingled at the strong pull on her magic. It was a strange sensation to have no control of the power flowing out of her.
A wave of magic wrapped around Runt as he grew several times his size. Thick muscles rippled under his sleek coat as they stared each other down. Runt’s eyes glowed red, the Alpha's a pale blue. He was still the smaller underdog in this fight, but U’ka now felt better about his chances against the great beast. The Alpha stood his ground, refusing to back down to Runt. Lips curled back, teeth bared, they growled at each other. Howls and yips came from the pack members watching to see how the fight for dominance unfolded.
The large Alpha leaped forward. Runt sidestepped the attack, biting the Alpha's neck with his powerful jaws. With a yelp, the wolf broke free. The thick ruff around his neck kept Runt’s fangs from penetrating down to his skin. They ran at each other, rearing up, locking their front legs together and snapping at each other’s faces. They pushed each other back and forth several times before Runt threw the Alpha off to the side. Bits of fur floated in the air and blood spattered the ground all around them from their fierce battle for dominance. The Alpha backed up a few steps. The first sign he was unsure he could win the fight. Runt leaped at the Alpha, knocking him to the ground. They rolled through the mud as they fought, leaves, grass and twigs sticking to their bloody coats. They growled fiercely at each other, getting in bites wherever they could.
As their battle for dominance continued, it became almost impossible to tell them apart. A realization slowly crept into U’ka’s mind. During the war, she’d heard rumors the Daemon Hound Masters were trying to breed Shadow Hounds and Black Wolves. They must have succeeded with the litter Runt was born into. That's why he looked so odd to her when she first found him, he was a half breed.
A loud yelp broke U'ka out of her revelation. Runt had the Alpha pinned on his back, tail curled up between his legs in a submission. Blood dripped from bite wounds and gashes all over Runt’s body. The Alpha whined his defeat. Panting heavily, Runt let go of his neck; the Alpha slunk off into the grey fog, leaving a bloody trail behind him. Another Black Wolf stepped forward, the Alpha female. She turned to present herself to him. Runt quickly mounted her, letting out a loud howl of triumph, declaring himself Alpha of this pack. He howled again, running into the night, leading his pack on their first hunt together.
U'ka turned to see R.K. shakily clutching his bo before him, eyes wide in fright from watching the fierce battle unfold before him.
“You alright, R.K.?”
He gulped and set down his staff. “I've heard the legends of the Black Wolves since I was a small child. This is worse than any of the stories I was told.” He turned toward U'ka. “What now? How are we going to get through there?”
“Runt’s now Alpha of this pack. If he tells them to let us pass unharmed, they have no choice but to obey.”
“What about other packs?”
“Hopefully this pack has a large enough territory to get us through to the Sister Cities.”
“Wait. What?” said R.K. in disbelief. “The plague cities? Why are we going there?”
“Jae's master is in the Sleeping Forest which lies between the two cities. I have to take him out.”
“What about the plague?!” yelled R.K. as he stood.
“The plague’s been under control for many generations now. When it’s under control, it’s not contagious to people outside of Mial and Myas.”
“Are you sure about this? I don't want to die of the plague. I've heard it's a horribly painful death.”
“Yes. And I have medicines in the caravan that can cure the plague in its early stages.”
U'ka felt dizzy, grabbing Bud’s side to steady herself as the magic Runt borrowed flowed back into her with a wild, untamed feel to it now.
“I still don’t like this whole plague city thing. When are we going to try and figure out what my arm map means? You promised you’d help me find this place. I'm tired of getting dragged all over Eleanthra doing your stuff.”
She reached out and touched his shoulder. “I haven't forgotten about the map, R.K. I will help you figure this out. That's a promise I intend to keep, but right now this has to take priority. We need to take out Lord Krell, then they’ll be no one hunting for you anymore.”
R.K. looked away from her, still upset. “Yeah, you’re right. I just want to get this all over with.”
Now too dark to travel the rough terrain of the moors, they quickly made camp. R.K. poured himself a bowl of stew and sat down by the fire. Grabbing a bowl for herself, she thought about today's events as she ate. She’d grossly underestimated Runt's abilities, he was turning out to be a valuable asset for them.
'It’s one of your weaknesses. You can't see things for what they truly are,' taunted Bahlmet.
U'ka mentally brushed him into the darkness, not wanting to deal with his manipulations.
6
The next morning U'ka woke up to yips in the distance. Bud and Daisy made nervous groans. The entire area was filled with a thick mist; Teek just a dark silhouette she could barely make out. Getting the fire going again, she sat there for a few moments warming herself against the chill of the mist. After making breakfast, she sat sipping her tea, waiting for R.K. to wake. A howl in the distance startled him from his sleep.
“I’m still not crazy about this whole plague city thing,” R.K. said, giving her a dirty look as he grabbed his bowl of oatmeal and tea. He was still mad at her. U'ka understood his frustration, but there wasn’t much she could do about it at the moment.
She got Bud and Daisy ready for the day's journey while R.K. finished his breakfast. Teek waited patiently for them. The mist lightened, making the moor easier to cross. She swung herself up to Bud's saddle. He reared up, letting out a loud, defiant whinny, then snorted and pawed the ground before stepping into the moorlands.
“He won't go,” R.K. shouted.
U'ka turned to see Daisy frozen in place, eyes glazed over in fear. She dismounted and went over to Daisy, reaching out to touch his muzzle. He flinched at her touch, braying sadly. She placed her arm around his
neck.
“It's okay. Runt controls this pack. The wolves won't hurt you. We’ll protect you.”
Daisy pressed his head against her chest and took a few tentative steps forward. Bud trotted up next
to Daisy, snorting his encouragement. She walked with him for a while until sure he was no longer scared. The mist lifted as the day warmed revealing rolling green hills covered in purple wildflowers. Large moss covered boulders dotted the area; silent sentinels in this pristine land. She marveled at the untouched, lush and beautiful grounds around them, even R.K. seemed to be in a better mood. They were probably the first humans to traverse these lands. In the distance, Runt and his pack kept pace with them, watching over them but staying far enough away so as not to scare Bud and Daisy.
Teek held up this hand, signaling them to stop. High pitched bugling filled the air as a huge Urash Elk appeared atop a heather-covered hill. His antlers were massive; an animal in his prime. Her hand instinctively went down to her bow before she stopped herself. An animal this majestic didn’t deserve to end up on a dinner plate. The large bull bugled again, catching sight of Runt's pack in the distance, he led his herd to safer pasture lands. As they continued on U'ka saw small furry animals darting in between the large boulders dotting the land. They let out little chirps every time a large bird of prey circled overhead. Drawing her bow, she shot a couple of fat, grey rabbits for the evening meal.
The sun hung low in the sky as they crossed out of the Black Moor. The city of Mial shown in the distance, sitting at the entrance to a large canyon. The tall, rocky walls engulfed the city on either side. Fortified walls protected the entrance. An enormous portcullis blocked the way in. The Mial were isolationists because of their plague status. U'ka wanted another day to prepare before they faced the Mial people, they weren't very friendly to outsiders.
They set up camp and settled in for the evening. They were eating the roasted rabbit when Runt padded into the encampment, collapsing by the fire. Howls from the pack sounded in the distance.
“You're not bedding down with the pack tonight?” said U'ka.
'Tired. Whitepaw watch over pack for me. Sleep now.'
Reaching out, she gave his stomach a few pats before finishing off her meal.
As the night progressed she expected the city to be filled with lantern light, but beyond the fires lighting the gates, very few lights lit up the city. This concerned her, What could be going on there?
'Do you want my opinion?' said Bahlmet.
No, thought U'ka, brushing his presence away.
“What's wrong?” said R.K.
“It's probably nothing. I thought the city would be more lit up.”
“The city looks pretty intact. How did they escape a Daemon invasion?”
“The city was attacked. You can see the damage on the outer walls. They launched a bladder filled with plague tainted blood into the Daemon ranks. The Daemons learned very quickly they weren't immune and lost several large squadrons to the disease before they gave up on the city.”
“Wait. Daemons can catch the plague?”
“Yes. Being from another realm, they had no immunity to it.”
“Well, maybe the Mial experienced a lot of casualties during the war and that’s why the city looks almost deserted,” said R.K, finishing off his rabbit meat.
“That could be it,” she replied, but still couldn’t shake her sense of uneasiness.
“So what's the plan for tomorrow?” said R.K.
“We'll make our way to the city and see how much they know of this Daemon Warlord in the Sleeping Forest, then we'll make plans from there.”
R.K. nodded, taking the wooden plates to wash them in a nearby stream. He got out his bo and spent the evening practicing his swing and defensive moves. U’ka watched his elegant fighting form; graceful like a Master Class dancer gliding through a beautiful routine. Master Shen taught him well.
R.K. finally sat down in the hollow of a downed tree, breathing heavily from his intense practice workout. U’ka brought him a cup of water and sat beside him.
The Blood Witch Chronicles Page 20