When the light of her brand faded, she took in a huge, deep breath. She was still alive. And she was still herself.
“You did it,” her mother said, reverently. “My daughter, you actually did it!”
Etched into the side of her right arm, was a new brand. A brand of Healing. Jak could already feel warmth returning to her cheeks, and the pain in her side lessened a bit. But it was still an open wound, and while a Healing brand could help, it wouldn’t stop her from bleeding out if she didn’t take additional precautions.
She waved a hand at her mother who she could see clearly now. “Don’t touch me yet, mother. I’m not done.”
Her left hand flared again as she activated her power for the second time. She formed another picture in her mind, but this time she imagined it differently. The brand danced in her mind, waving back and forth. It was the mental picture she needed to form a Firedancing brand.
This time, as the brand took root, she felt an odd warmth flow through her. Did every brand feel different when it was applied? The lines of the brand formed and etched into her skin with an acute burning sensation. Had the pain of her wound not overshadowed anything she had ever experienced, she would have cried out.
But then her Gifter brand faded, and she was left with a third brand firmly in place on her arm. She blinked. Something inside her was...different somehow. She had a new awareness for something that had not been there before. It felt a lot like the relationship she felt with her Gifter brand. Perhaps it functioned the same way.
As her mind worked, a spurt of flame ignited from her hand. It shot out, nearly catching her mother who sidestepped hurriedly out of the way.
“Oh! I’m sorry!” Jak exclaimed. “I didn’t know how this stuff worked.”
“Jak, I’m more impressed that you can do anything at all. I knew you had branded that Watcher boy, but this... I’ve never seen anything like this.” There was a look of awe on Karlona’s face.
Jak wanted to join in her mother’s rejoicing, but she steeled herself for what was coming next, the reason she branded herself with a Flamedancing brand. Trying out her new power once again, she decreased the intensity instinctively so that there was only a small flame covering her hand. Amazing that it didn’t burn the flesh of the hand. How much control did she actually have over fire? Could she manipulate fire that already existed? Could she make flame come out of other parts of her body? How...but she shook her head to clear her thoughts. No time to think about those things now.
Bracing herself, using her free hand to lift her shirt to expose the bloody wound in her gut, making sure her clothing was out of the way.
“Oh, Jak.” Her mother realized what she was doing. But she did not turn away.
Jak slapped the flame in her palm down on the tender flesh. Throwing her head back, she screamed. Relics, this hurt. Oh, it hurt so badly!
This time she did black out for a moment. Stars filled her vision until they cleared to see the concerned glowing green eyes of her mother leaning over her.
Jak looked down at her stomach. The wound had stopped bleeding, though now it looked horrid, a mixture of red and purple boils and skin. She forced herself to look away and winced as she brought her shirt back down on the tender flesh. Hopefully, that Healing brand would kick in soon, and she wouldn’t have to put up with all the pain.
She finally took a moment to look around. All four of the Watcher guards that had driven her cage lay dead around them, killed by her mother’s dagger that she saw with a small measure of disgust still dripped blood in Karlona’s hand. She supposed it had been necessary, but it would be difficult to argue that the Fae were good if the people feared them as killers.
They were on a deserted street, one that led up to the Watcher camp. With all the Watchers called to the main square, she supposed all of them were already there. General Wilva and the Royal Priest had probably gone on ahead. She reached a hand out to her mother. “Help me up.”
Her mother obliged, lifting Jak to her feet. But she grabbed Jak by the shoulders as she swayed. She was too dizzy. Her legs barely felt like they had the strength to keep her upright.
Strength. Yes, that was what she needed. It was a simple brand after all. She’d come this far, she might as well…
For the third time, the glow of her Gifter brand illuminated the abandoned road. This time she called up the Strength brand in her mind. This one was a collection of rectangles and was relatively easy to brand. It required a small variation to envision it properly, but instead of imagining a dancing flame for the Flamedancer brand, this one required her to imagine the brand pulsating slightly. She’d successfully practiced it before, for her professors, but this was the first time that she tried it as one of several brands.
Once again, she felt an odd sensation as the brand settled into her. But this time the strange sensation came when it was all over, and the light of her brand faded. She felt...tight. Like she was larger than her skin could comfortably accommodate for. Glancing at her arms, she saw no difference, other than the new brand that lay there. Her muscles didn’t look any larger, but there was definitely a difference she could feel. At the very least, she no longer felt like she was about to fall over.
She turned to the metal cage behind her, and Karlona tentatively lets go of her shoulders. Grabbing the metal in two hands, Jak pulled. The metal screeched as it bent inward, twisting and compressing as Jak brought her hands together.
Jak took a step backward. She didn’t know what her face looked like at that moment, but inside she felt like cheering. The cage lay a mangled wreck in front of her, and the whole process had taken little to no exertion at all! She could get used to this!
Her mother stared at her, looking like Jak felt. Her mouth was open in a mixture of disbelief and happiness. Taking a quick step forward, she embraced Jak in a tight hug. Jak hugged her back.
“I’m so glad you didn’t turn into a demon,” Karlona muttered in her ear.
Jak laughed. “I’m a bit relieved myself.”
Which was an understatement? She still didn’t understand why she, of all people, seemed able to give multiple brands, but she wasn’t complaining just now. She had just become the most magically powerful person in the city, probably on the whole planet. Though, who was that man she had talked to earlier, the blacksmith Doran. He said he was communicating with her from the south. How was that even possible unless there were powers that they didn’t know about yet. She knew there were some that were forbidden, like Blood-burning, and some that were kept a secret, like the Void brand. Could there be more?
In the distance, she heard something, the sound of a few hundred voices crying out. Jak couldn’t tell if they were cheering or shouting. But the sound caused her to break the embrace with her mother.
“We have to get to the city square!” She said and picked up one of the Watcher spears from the ground.
It wasn’t as good as her spear, but it would have to do. She didn’t have time to go back to the Watcher camp and retrieve her belongings. Though Naem was probably back there still. But no, she wouldn’t rescue him. He deserved what he got, and they could easily make do without him.
With her mother following close behind, Jak began to run down the hill, towards the main square, and the execution.
23
As they neared the square, more people lined the streets. Karlona turned herself invisible at first sight of someone else, but Jak knew she was keeping pace behind her. She ran as fast as she could, still feeling the pain in her gut, but finding new strength from her brands. She could feel their powers inside her, and it was exhilarating. The only thing that kept her from laughing and recklessly displaying her powers was her urgent need to get to the public square, where her friends were about to be executed.
Finally, she rounded a corner and saw them. Seph, Amelia, Gabriel, and what looked like a dozen or so Water Fae were strung up against large wooden pillars, with great piles of wood stacked beneath and between them. From her angle, she could
n’t fully see their faces, but she knew who they were.
People filled the square. More people than Jak had ever seen in one place. All the merchant tables and booths were cleared, making room for hundreds to gather and watch the mass execution, probably the largest execution in recent history. Not only that, but the revelation of the Water Fae must have spread throughout the city. It was going to be nearly impossible to get through the crowd in time.
A man stood with a burning torch in one hand, walking back and forth in front of those awaiting execution. Jak’s eyebrows furrowed. It was that swine, the Royal Priest. After everything he had done, Jak was sure of one thing. He had to be a shapeshifting demon. It was the only thing that made sense now, especially after that strange visit she’d had from Doran, the blacksmith. He had referred to the Royal Priest as one of his servants. Like Kuldain, the man held an irrational hatred for the Fae. And like Kuldain, he fueled the hatred of others.
“And in just a few moments, I will bring you the rogue Gifter who is responsible for this new race of demon, these so-called Fae.”
Jak shook her head. The man was attacking her in more ways than one. Now, even if she did manage to free her friends, most would see her as a heretic. It was clever, and it was infuriating. Damn him!
General Wilva emerged, approaching the Priest and whispering something in his ear. “I’ve just received word that some of this heretic’s followers were just rounded up outside the city. They were preparing to attack the city and everyone in it to rescue those you see behind me.”
A murmur ran through the crowd. Jak closed her eyes. So, it was just up to her and the Shadow Fae now. Well, it was too late now. Who cared what they thought? It was time to get her friends out.
But the Priest was still speaking. “It is this rogue Gifter who deceived the hearts of many into thinking she was some kind of a savior. Yet earlier today we found her, we subdued her. She could not even save herself.”
Jak ran forward. There was a path that led upward to the palace which also served as the perfect perch to look over the market square. But more importantly, it gave everyone in the square a clear view of her. She stopped and drove the hilt of her spear firmly into the ground. A few onlookers pointed at her, and a new wave of mutters began to fill the square.
“Don’t get ahead of yourself, Priest!” She shouted for all to hear. “You won’t get rid of me so easily.”
“Jak!” someone cried out. It was Amelia, tied to the pire facing away from Jak, but craning her neck to see who had spoken. “I knew it!”
Seph, Gabriel, and many of the other Water Fae were doing their best to get a good look at her. They said nothing, but Seph had that warm smile on his face as their eyes met.
“You! How did—” The Royal Priest was finally at a loss for words.
He looked genuinely scared for the first time since Jak had known him. Oh, but that alone felt so satisfying.
She took a deep breath. “I know many of you trust this man,” she pointed at the Priest below her. “But trust me when I say that he is not who you think he is. He would murder innocent people just because he doesn’t understand them.”
Troubled muttering turned to shouts as the crowd realized who she was. She couldn’t make out what any of them were saying, but most of did not look sympathetic. They were yelling at her, not the Priest. No, she had to make them understand.
“You’re punishing the wrong people,” she said, but it was no use.
While a few people looked like they believed her, most were shouting at her and making way for the Watchers who, at General Wilva’s orders, emerged from the crowd and began climbing the path that led to her.
The Priest held her stare with the barest smile on his lips, his confidence restored. Jak licked her lips and looked around her, eyeing the Watchers making their way up the path. Now might be a good time for the Shadow Fae to emerge. It wouldn’t do anything to convince the people that she was in the right. In fact, it would likely do the opposite. But she also couldn’t save her friends without their help.
The Royal Priest shouted through the commotion. “I told you she believed in heresy. But it will not serve her.”
He lowered his torch to the wood pires.
The wood must have been coated with oil, because it lit up instantly, the flames licking at the captives. Several Water Fae screamed, and Jak saw Seph and Gabriel close their eyes.
No, this couldn’t be happening. What had possessed her to climb the path. Now she was too high and too far away to get to her friends in time.
But wait a moment, something felt different about this fire. She was aware of it like she hadn’t been before. It... called to her somehow, like she was—
Idiot! She had a Flamedancer brand now. She could use it! Stretching her hands in front of her, she called on her newfound magic. The flames from the pires rushed away from its victims and towards Jak, leaving the wood completely devoid of fire. She felt the heat as the flames coalesced between her arms, churning in a bright, chaotic furnace. Then with a thought, she extinguished it.
Silence filled the square. The captives looked around, unsure of what had happened. But all other eyes were on Jak. They had just witnessed the impossible.
Jak held her arms high again, letting everyone see the dark lines of her brands. All four of them. Gifting, Healing, Strength, and Flamedancing. Mouths gaped open in awe as all witnessed something that could not be. Even the Royal Priest looked stunned, though being a shape-shifting demon himself he must know that multiple brands were possible. Kuldain had some, and it was likely that this man did as well.
“See!” he said after a moment to catch his wits. “She perverts our magic, our way of life. None but the demons that live outside our protective walls can…”
But he was drowned out by the tumult of voices that sounded all around them. The shouting had started again, but this time there was more contention. Some appeared to be arguing, while others continued to shout at Jak.
But Jak had other things to worry about now. The Watchers had reached her and were fanning out to block off her escape down the path. She glanced at their brands. One Flamedancer, two with Strength, and one with Grace. She was not going to be able to fight through these soldiers and still rescue her friends. She needed help.
“Now, my friends!” she yelled at the top of her voice.
The message was received. Karlona appeared directly behind the Watcher with Grace and stabbed him in the chest. Screams reached her from all around the market square as Shadow Fae materialized from all sides.
The other Watchers barely realized what had happened when Jak threw her magic at the Flamedancer. Flame gushed from her fingers and enveloped the man, who yelled but quickly took control of the fire and sent it swirling around him and back at Jak. She countered in the same manner and this time sent the flames at the other two remaining Watchers.
But it was then that she realized that those two were already down, crumpled on the ground. A moment later and the Flamedancer Watcher cried out and fell as well. Karlona stood there with blood dripping off the tip of her obsidian dagger. Jak winced inwardly at seeing the Watchers killed like that. But she had no time to speak to her mother about her techniques. She had people to save.
With a final nod at her mother, she sprinted down the path, her Strength enhanced legs quickly covering much more distance than she would have normally expected. More Watchers were climbing the path, but she barreled into them with her spear held high. One fell off the path as soon as she arrived, and others backed away as she hurled fire at them. No Telekinetics. That was good. She still wasn’t sure she could do anything about a telekinetic hold.
She could have stayed to fight the Watchers, but that wasn’t her goal. Instead, she found herself flying past them, and running straight into the crowds that lay between her and the back of the square where her friends stood trussed to the dry wood.
Thankfully, the crowds did not try to impede her approach like the Watchers had. Instead, t
hey scrambled to get out of her way, probably wanting to avoid the damage they’d seen her inflict on the Watchers. While the crowd was still impossibly thick, it didn’t take her long to run through it and close the distance between her and her friends.
But General Wilva was there waiting, along with the Royal Priest standing behind. Wilva held her own spear high, a determined look on her face. Jak hadn’t had much contact with the Watcher General, other than their first meeting, but she could see now from the way Wilva held herself, and the expression on her face, that she was not to be messed with. But most of all, Jak noticed the brand clearly displayed on Wilva’s left hand as it held the spear. She was a Telekinetic.
Just as Jak noted Wilva’s brand, it started to glow, and Jak felt an invisible force close in on her from all sides. She whipped her head this way and that, but all Shadow Fae appeared to be occupied elsewhere. She had to deal with this alone. The Royal Priest grinned as Jak rose in the air by a few inches, but Wilva’s face remained carved from stone.
Feeling the newfound strength in her muscles, Jak began to push outward at her invisible cage. Telekinesis worked like any other force, or at least that’s what her father had taught her. Push against it with a stronger force, and it would eventually break. Most people did not possess such strength to break a telekinetic hold unless Strength was their brand.
The slight pursing of Wilva’s lips was the only indication that her strength was having any effect. Jak felt the force around her tighten to the point where it was almost unbearable. But she kept it up, pushing as hard as she could against Wilva’s telekinesis. It had become a contest of wills. But she couldn’t keep this up for long. Wilva had years of experience with her brand, and Jak couldn’t possibly break her with nothing but pure strength.
Growing Ripples: An Epic YA Fantasy Adventure (Roots of Creation Book 2) Page 20